South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-11-01
Prosperity is All Right Pro-
viding the Man Who Does
the Work is Not Getting
His Share of Revenue.
MEN WERE PLENTIFUL
IN 1912; WAGES LOW
Figures From Indiana Employ
ment Agency Show Labor
erS Were Forced to
Work For S1.50 a Day.

81 wish Hughes would be elected
so there would not be so much work
for the laboring people" well
known contractor of South Bend
said one day last week, after he
had been unable TO secure laborers
10 work at 27ia cents an hour. III
Hughes is elected there won't be so
much work and then we people who
hire men can get plenty of labcrers
TO work and we wcn't have % pay
such high wages. I'm going 10 vote
for him.
This democratic prosperity is
an right" he continued, It's all
right 10 have prosperity. but there's
too much of il now. We have 10
pay too much wages"
South Bend right now is facing
the greatest prosperity in it's his
tory. There is work everywhere.
but labor is so scarce that many
contracted jobs are being held up
for the lack OF men TO do the work
There is not man IN the city who
is idle because he can't get work.
for there are daily demands for
labor that cannot be filled.
Wages Have Increased.
Wages have increased 10 cents an
hour for commop labor in the past
four years and in many cases it
has gone up as much as y y and
is cents an hour and still manufCa-
turers and contractors are unable to
get men. Figures taken from the
records Of the South Bend office OF
the Indian Free Employment 'bu-
reau show The following:
During the period between Octo-
her 1911. and October, 1912, labor
ers were plentiful and were glad 70
get work at S1.75 per day. ia
cents an hour. In many cases the
men were forced to work for $50
a day. because they were unable "a
demand anything better. In a few
cases laborers were getting 90 cents
an hour. Mechanics i'm the South
Bend factories were gettgin $2.75 a
day
Farm labor was plentiful and a
man who got job in the country
considered himself lucky if he got
as much as S25 a month and his
board and room. The prevailing
wages paid 20 farm hands then was
$50. $50 and $22.5O per month and
board For filling silos during tha'
period men were paid 81 and ir
some cases $3.50 per day. LabOrer.
shucked corn for FIVE and six cents
"a shock Boys Is years old who
''tre Just out OF school worked fol
IS cents and 81 a day Some en-
ployers pdai as high as S1.25 pei
day
Women Paid s. a Week
Women worked i'm restaurants fol
81 and s. a week and their board
They considered themselves forum.
ate if they got Sc Homework paid
81 and IS a week and board and
room.
During the year between October
1911. and October. 1912, 932 mer
asked the employment Office here L
get work for them. but there wer,
only $50 jobs open. OF the $50 whC
wanted 10 go 10 work only 492 could
gets jobs. Women who wanted
MNIk mum NtltQ sat. nut lltIt were
eos jobs 20 give them The figure.
show that las were put 90 work.
In contrast 70 this the figures
show that the wages paid TO laboreri
are never less than % cents an hour
and i'm many cases the men who di.
I'm the streets and in other eNcavat
ing work are paid as high as 81
cents an hour. Even at these uare
10 is practically impossible 10 ge
men. Mechanics in the factories TO
day are getting not less than S3.T.
FER day and in most instances tn,
wages are even higher than that
Farmers. too. are having a grea
deal Of trouble getting men.
farm hand viii not work for les
than SIS a month and his board an,
room and many farmers In -. 10
seph county are paying as high al
S35 month Men who do tn
work Of hlling silos get 50 and 81 .
per day Laborers now shuck corr
for 10 cents shock BOYS goini
10 work FOR the first time now refus
90 work for less than SI75 da,
d.