The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-02-08
MORE APPLICANTS FOR WORK
Common Laborers Who Have Gained
Smatterirg of Skilled Trades Find Tt
Hard to Secure Employment-Ex-
pect Large Increase in the Spring.


the Manufacturer Association for
January, issued this week, shows a
slight decrease in the number of oper-
atives employed in the local factories.
Only one plant reported an increase
over those employed during December
and several showed decrease. A total
of all factory operatives on the pay
rolls at present is approximately nine
thousand five hundred. One of the
factory managers in speaking of the
decease in help, said "The situation
is nothing unusual. We are simply
returning to normal conditions. We
seem to have passed the crest of rush
business and are getting back to our
former level.''
Records of the employment bureau
show a greater number of applicants
for work than any month in 1916. GA
large percentage of those seeking EN-
ployment,' says Manager Conrad
Shearer, care handymen, but many
painters, carpenters and machinists
have also fled applications. We have
had very few calls for factory help
during the month. Regular Stats
tics of the bureau for January show
an actual registration of one hundred
forty-two applicants; daily calls Of
applicants, fifty to sixty, total regis
tered applicants to date, twenty-four
thousand; calls for factory hands for
a total Of twenty-six days, fifty; oper-
atives registered, three hundred thirty
nine; total registration of operatives
TO date, forty eight thousand; help
hired during the month, nine hundred
thirty-fve and dismissed one thous-
and FIVE.
In few factories some departments
are working short time, but it is
thought that such conditions are only
temporary. Other plants have been
obliged to lay off help on account of
lack of material. Naturally the num-
Der quitting employment of their own
accord is fewer at this time of the year
than at any other, therefore there are
very few vacancies to be filed More
semi-sl1illed mechanics are on the labor
due to the experience of last summer
when the common laborer gained a
smattering of mechanical knowledge
and now seeks only skilled employ
ment. Tt is evident that with the
opening of spring operations in the
building trades when opportunity will
be offered to a larger number to take
up that line of work, the semi-skilled
workers will continue to besiege the
shops for employment Then only alb
normal business conditions such as
prevailed during 1916 will find
them employed.
Attention is directed to +he annual
meeting of the association which will
be held the coming month. Of the
numerous large questions to come up
for consideration, perhaps the fore
most is the big home building project
undertaken the past year. Almost
half of the one hundred twenty-five
houses under construction are sold and
occupied. But perhaps the best fruits
Of the movement is evidenced in the
nbAAhui6IlVH VI buliUluS operations
among the contractors of the city.
The association acted only when com
PEELED through the pressing need of adj
sitional homes for their operatives. IF
house building progresses in 1917 as it
lid during the closing months of last
year, 1918 should find the city well
supplied with homes
Several matters Of legislation viii
be considered, especially such bills
pertaining to manufacturing as come
before the present session of the leg
islature. Copies of all bills are reg
ularly received and will receive care
full study. Compulsory health insur-
ance has not been taken up by the
organization as whole, but when a
sufficient number of facts have been
collected they will be presented to the
membership. Proposed amendments to
the workmen' s compensation law will
be reviewed carefully. Nearly all the
manufacturers are now operating un-
der the provisions of this law and
consider it an Improvement over the
former method.