The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1915-06-22


tary of Commerce and chief defender
of the Underwood Free Trade Tariff
law. told President Wilson in Cab
met meeting recently that the trade
balance for the fiscal year is already
well in excess of s9O0,O00O00 and that
with the entry of Italy into the war
and the almost certain increase in
the demands Of that country for war
supplies, the net balance of trade be-
fore July 1 would exceed the unpre-
cedented total of one billion dollars.
With his usual exuberance, Secretary
Redfield argued that the country at
the present time. owing to the Eur
opean war, was in the midst OF unex-
ampled prosperity. Mills were In
creasing their forces and building
new plants. The export trade had
reached such stupendous total that
there could no longer be any COM
plant about the effect of the Tariff.
1915 Per Cent Out Of Work
Indicating the part which the war
had played in building up this tower.
ing total, Mr.. Redfield said that dur.
ing the ten months of the present
law the net balance Of exports over
imports amounted to S51.35S,319.
There Is no doubt that the European
war is responsible for any localized
prosperity which certain mills and
factories may be enjoying at the pres
ent time. But IL the war Is The
prosperity factor, why is 1t that the
Department Of Labor recently an
nounced that out of a census taken
of 399,SS1 families, 1876 per cent OF
the wage earners are now out Of work,
In fifteen cities partially canvassed
1880 persons were found to he un,
employed.
Worse Instead Of Better
Early in May the Department OF
Labor announced that there were
nearly 100000 persons out Of work in
the city of New York alone. It IS not
suggested by the department that she
figures recently published cover the
total number Of unemployed In the
fifteen cities canvassed, nor was II
contended that tine figures given FOL
New York cover the total number Of
persons out Of work in that city.
IL the whole truth were known
conditions are becoming worse In
stead Of better. Herman Metz. mem
DER of Congress from New York, pre-
dicted to Secretary Bryan several
months ago that unless the embargo
on dyestuffs were raised several hun
dred thousand employees Of textile
mills who were then still at wori
would be thrown out Of employment
The embargo has not been raised
and the time limit which Mr.. Met
set has expired. Doubtless many o
the men to whom he referred arr
now walking the streets.
Not the Whole Story
The census taken by the Bureau o
Labor Statistics with reference u
New York City was made In the frs
half of February, 1915, and 1t showed
that the total number of wage earner'
in New York City is approximately q
455,00O. The percentage Of unem
ployment found among the members
of 54,S49 families visited Q6.2) ap
piled to this number shows that tn
total number of unemployed in Great
er New York was about $4,000. TIT
department frankly admitted, how
ever, that the above figures do no
fully measure the amount of unem
ployment, for only those persons witt
had no employment whatever, regu
lar or irregular or part time workers
all such we're included in the nun
Der employed. The above estimat
of $4,000 unemployed, therefore, doe
not include any of the irregular o
part time workers.
In Fifteen American Cities
In a later survey of fifteen Amer
can cities the Department Of Labo
admits that at least one sixth of al
the wage earners enumerated are on
of work. In Philadelphia, for II
stance, the number Of families car
vassed was 79,O5S in which there wer
found 1924 wage earners. or thi
MI n ,