The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1915-12-23

A review of the November bulletins
recently issued from the Office of the
Manufacturers association, gives in
teresting data on the prosperous condi-
tion of local industries. One notable
fact is the comparison of the total
working force today with that of
November 1914 Carefully compiled
statistics show that the factory pay
rolls for November 1915 contain at
least three thousand more names than
the total of one year ago. Practically
every factory in the city is working
with an increased force Of operatives,
and in some instances, plants have
more than doubled their number of
employees during the past year.
At no time in the city's history has
the total payroll of the factories been
as large as it is at present. Compar-
ing Kenosha with other industrial
cities it is shown that the average
wage per capita is considerably higher
here than elsewhere. Good times at
the plants il reacting at the stores and
the merchants are already predicting
the biggest holiday rush in many
years. The fact that all local indus
tries have now been busy for about
nine months, thus giving employees
many full pay days, is also being re-
Elected in the merchants business.
Old bills are being taken up at sur
prising rate and the percentage seek
ing credit is remarkably low.
Perhaps the best feature of all is the
well grounded prediction that local
prosperity will continue throughout the
winter months AT the employment
bureau of the Manufacturers associa-
ton it was determined from actual
statistics that during November while
eight hundred operatives vacated their
positions over twelve hundred entered
employment This was the record
month Of the\year from the standpoint
Of gain with the exception of April
when the total number employed was
double that Of those who left. AL
though most of the factories are now
operating with full force and cannot
employ many additional hands, there
will continue to be vacancies which
must necessarily be filled. An abund
ance Of common labor and part mer-
chanics will clog the labor market dur
ing the winter.
In this month s report, Secretary
Shearer urges local manufacturers to
give more attention to the matter of
apprenticeship. In substance he says:
Through lack of chance to learn
trade, our Kenosha boys are not get
ting the opportunities which they de-
serve. I am firm believer in the
Made in Kenosha' product We are
constantly turning down applications
of home boys who seek the opportunity
Of learning a trade. Our factories
cannot be surpassed in the high grade
Of articles produced. There is no doubt
in my mind but what the growing
manhood Of Kenosha should be train
ed to constitute the future operating
force Of Kenosha s industries. In our
city as well as many others the appren-
ticeship system has been practically
discarded"
There are perhaps several reasons
why this branch has been neglected.
For years past the various trades have
been overstocked. There has at all
times been surplus Of skilled labor
on the market and there was no real
incentive to make more mechanics.
time, and to the manufacturer time is
money. To add expenses where he sees
no direct benefit does not appeal to
him as being good business policy.
From time to time he requires addition
al mechanics, but when he knows that
through the advertising medium he
can get what he needs, he chooses that
course. By SO doing he takes advant-
age of some other firm or firms which
are making mechanics.
Every shop should have thorough
apprenticeship system. Then when
skilled help is required, the ranks can
be filed from the home product instead
Of bringing in out-of-town help. We
should be enough Of Kenosha boosters
to believe in home trade first, or in
other words, that wherever possible
Kenosha jobs should go to Kenosha
people.
In the large cities the trade school
is doing much to prepare the boys and
That the Chicago and Milwaukee