New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-14

Tho real problem Of the unemployed Is moral
-. ,hor economic or perhaps moral before
economic. Every examination OF the ques-
It,, r,rst confirm the belief that lack OF NOR
a, considerations on the part of the laborer' the
.u,,,o,or and the public at large lies largely at
the foundation OF the misery which comes IN the
1T, y, ,d,eness No one remedy. be 1t labor
bureau trade union, State socialism. or chhii-
.h,e an,zation can be set in operation TO aDo-
60, lack of employment and see that every man
r,ores q living. Mr. Drage proposes many meth
DDS Of attacking particular phases OF 'he CIV"
,,,on no nic,ures but no universal cure; ana MS
moderation and clear-sghtedness in TINS respect
.,,,o, h,s u,orl, high claim to consideration his
cd, ., tho labor situation in England Is luc'o
,,d ca FAR as conclusions from extensive re-
,.,rcb On his own part go, exhaustive Inc UNI
o,,nIoved whom il is necessary to care for anu
,,oLo se,rsupporting on the Continent OF Europe
., ,or tho mat part agricultural laborers' "hi'e
t. England the vast majority are dweliers IN 'he
80, II &c worth noting. too that statisucs
chou, English poverty Of type leading 10 ue-
,ds for relief TO be almost entirely Town
roa,,ct and not TO any extent recruited dlrecuv
..ou, tho country The town relief societies nave
,,,,os, no applications from persons born IN the
80, d,s,ricts This suggests defective educa-
.,or had company weakened physiques. unsan-
,arv homes as potent factors in the produc'ioh
-, n,orkar unfit for the workers struggle.
n, tho number of unemployed in England MT
y,r.,a savs il Is impossible 10 form any ade-
..,,.o estimate Certain trade unions send state
,norts n the Board Of Trade giving the per-
.o,,.ao.s Of UNEMPLOYED members These returns
NAV fairly be taken an index OF the varying
laho
data concerning the great body OF unorsahizeu
ortars who are most likely first to feel the
oe,oots ~ hard times and who in prosperity nave
.o.rs ~ livelihood the most precarious Inc
.aoun,on figures from 1887 to 1898, inclusive
.hou, At the beginning of the period 10 per cent
=, .h. numbers out of work a gradual though
e,c,ua.,ng Improvement followed almost lhhie-
d,o,e,v and continued until the beginning OF lo'V'
z,hsn loss than ~ per cent were reported unem-
x,ovad Then the reverse condition set IN. july
1000 found ( ner cent out of work. and then came
.,e Sudden depression in trade which Increased
.,a nercentaee 10 10 in six months. A temporary
,r,nrovement reduced the Idle TO per cent oy
I,ne 1904 but almost per cent were out OF WORK
nv the beginning of this year. The conclusion
reached is
Apart from seasonal and purely temporary
causes the state of trade is subject to wide nue.
nations extending over period OF seNelaI
and affecting the whole industrial s;Ste'
neriod Of general prosperity is followed by d uo
ccIine Increasing in intensity until time OF Sc
we're depression is reached. ms again 10 %
ceeded by a gradual revival This genera ihoNe
wont is however modified by the effect OF otnsl
factors which tend partially to obscure II. -
take the year 1893 an example trace III eeHei al
mas been affected by variety OF causesL -
unusually fine weather. the disputes IN the snip
,,,no cotton and coal trades, ana the nhahciai
Australia.
caused considerable fluctuations in the state Oh
employment but the general tendency q. we
period is continued in spite of these modinca'ionS
The same influences apply to particular TRADES
Seasonal fluctuations may affect one dlnerehtly
from others Fine weather may stimulate Duiu
ing. but check the demand for certain KihuS o'
clothing. The removal Of an industry from one
place TO another may cause gut IN 'he i"'''
market. and at the same time create an unha'-
ural demand for labor in the new SITUATION III
some trades, particularly among the dock ldooi
.ars the irregularity Of employment causes hiuo"
misery The companies have been accustomed 10
hire the number of men needed each day. anu
ono dav 300 might be employed at the London
and ST. Katherine's Docks, and within week
400 or 1000 might be at work subject to idleness
at any moment On December 2s. 1891, there were
:, $40 laborers at work on the docks and wharves
n
14soo and the next day 5000. almost the same
number employed eleven days before. This huct-
nation was due to a dense fog. 1t meant hun
dreds Of families on the edge of want since 'ha'
time some improvement has been made In the
regularity of dock employment by combinauohs
Of employers and the preparation Of lists OF elgi-
be workers who have preference over casual APP
piicants. This mlnimizes the trouble caused by
rit
labor their constant occupation.
Anv ATTEMPT to remedy the evils which these
figures barely hint at must proceed with an
understanding Of the complicated nature of the
causes producing them And there are as many
classes OF the unemployed as there are causes LOT
their lack of employment. and each demands a
different cure First, the broad distinction must
be made between those who are temporarily IN
employed--who are out of work for time owing
n trade depression or changes. strike in an
allied trade putting prohibitive price on ma
terials. and who have a reasonably certain
though perhaps not definite, hope OF work IN the
future-and those who are permanently unem-
ployed and are for the most part unemployaoie'
These classes shade into each other. Those who
have a certain prospect OF work need aid only
70 tide them over temporary want. But the class
whose place may be taken by new machinery OF
who may be sufferers from the reducton IN the
scale of a manufacturing enterprise need greater
care. They must themselves find or be helped 10
ind work in rev places or In new trades or they
are likely TO deteriorate under irregular employ
ment and become members of the chronicaily un-
employed class.
Some OF those who may fairly be SAID 70 laii
within this class do little work Ihey are the
casua! laborers. generally unskied ana more Oh
less inefficient. The irregular work. ana the IT.
regular income and habits which follow IN It's
train, tend to bring these into the still lower
class OF the unempoyable. The last Named
through physical or moral defects are economi-
cally worthless. and those most In need are gen.
orally the most worthless. PROVISION Tor theh