Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-10-17
GERMAN W0RK|NGMAN
UNUSUALLY PROSPEROUS.
pletely Solve Unemployment
Problem.
WAGES REACH NEW HIGH POINT
Problem for Solution Will Be Whom
Conflict Ends and Hundreds OF
Thousands Now In Army Return
From Front.

war have had the paradoxica) erect OIL
placing the German workingman in a
position of prosperity unexampled In
his history, Of raising his wages by
and large to n point they never at
tanned before, and Of almost completely
solving his unemployment problem.
The faster men at the front have
fallen and holes in the ranks had to
be filled, the better has become the sit
uation OF the men at home, the higher
have mounted the savings banks de-
posits OF the few doing the work OF
the former many.
Each month has drawn from the
ranks of nearly all trades men whose
places have not been filled. yet whose
work has had TO be done. The work
has been done. in part by overtime
labor, In part by workers whose value
and in consequence whose pay-tn-
creased about In proportion to the
Withdrawals.
Yet the very fact that the worker
who has stayed at home is having an
unprecedented heyday has created
problem which his leaders. IL not he.
is studying and worrying over-the
problem of what is to become OF him
and Of how to take care of him when
the war is over. when hundreds of
ing back from the front. when the
lucrative manufacture of war materials
suddenly stops.
Some think the problem is TO be
solved by kindly employers. who viii
!mme diatcly- take, back their former
employees. even though business and
trade do not at once resume their be-
ore-the-war volume. Others. less
optimistic. are far sightedly negotiat-
ing with the government already, and
are asking that, no matter when hos
ti!itieS cease, the hundreds of thous-
ands not regularly employed as SOL
diers shall be kept on the rolls for
eight or twelve weeks till economic
matters adjust themselves and the men
get back to work.
PREPARING FOR PAYMENT
OF UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
The organized trades are piling up
against the time when they shall have
to begin again paying out the nonem-
ploymcnt benefits that just now have
dwindled to the vanishing point. And
the government is practically pledged
10 supply hundreds OF millions of
marks, II necessary. toward this same
end.
The labor situation In Berlin to-day
is more than a fair measure by which
10 gauge the situation throughout the
empire. More than ever since the be-
ginning of the war there has been an
influx OF workers from the country. at
tractcd by the high wages prevailing.
especially In those trades catering 20
army needs.
The country has always had
smaller percentage OF men unit for
military service than the city. The
needs of the army. therefore, which
have called for most of the men who
are ut, has created a greater shortage
OF workmen in the small towns IMAM,
in the cities, and the labor situation,
from the mems point of view. in the
former is In general even better than
in the latter
In Berlin the situation never was
rosicr-.rom tho standpoint of the
worker--as the following figures will
attest.
Al the great Central Employment Blu
rcau maintained by the principal
branches OF labor in Berlin. between
forty five and nifty trades are repre-
sented At the end OF the first week in
September nfteen OF these trades re-
ported that not one member was out
OF employment: thirty others reported
, that one 10 lsS members unemployed,
and entitled TO unemployment sup
port The total number drawing this
support was $40: six trades had one
man apiece: four had two men. and
three had three. The unemployment
on November 81, 1914, number s,466,
among the trades represented.
The city of Berlin assists in sup
porting the unemployed. and adds on
an average so per cent OF what tho
trades themselves pay out TO this sum.
Yet during the week ending August
II last. the city was forced to expend
through this channel but one-half of
l.7S6 marks, while during the week
ending November .. 1914, unemploy
ment had been SO great that the citys
share had been one-half of 54,S07
marks.
The amounts paid out to unemployed
trade workers through the Central
Employment Bureau, on the one hand.
during the week ending November 2.
1914, and on the other during the week
ending August 81. indicate as suggcs-
lively as anything else how unemploy-
ment has dwindled with the advance
of the war. The following figures COW
erinG some of the more important
trades serve as good examples:
Unemployed metal workers received
in the November week, 6.S79 30 marks
in August, 276 marks. Building trades
workers. in November. l.956.S5 marks;
in August, go marks. IithoSraphers
i'm November. 646.4o marks: in August,
$50 marks. Painters, in November,
27aS5 marks; in August. ~ marks.
Textile workers, in Nivember. 744.1G
marks; in August. $3.50 marks. Pinters.
In November. 1.75S.S0 marks; in Au
gust, marks. Tobacco workers, in
November. $3.50 marks; in August, 4
marks. Wood workers, in November,
l1,eS1.35 marks: in August. 470.30
marks. Transportation company EN-
ployees, in November, 3,4S2l5 marks;
in August, 1910 marks.
The economic reason for the decrease
in, almost the disappearance of. unem-
ployment. lies naturally in the ever
increasing number of men who have
been drawn into the army. In such
trades in which wages have increased
markedly, the places of some of the alb
sentees have been filied-but never all
Of the places.
Thus figures showing the number EN- :
ployed on July l, 1915. and the number
drawn for military service up to June
80. 1915, when totaleN together, in a
majority of cases add up to more than