The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-02-16
KILL THE RCGABOO.


there were 100000 men out of work in 123 in
dustrials centers in the last week OF January.
For weeks the army of unemployed has been IN
creasiAg The trend is upward. It will continue
upward until business is readjusted to peace con-
dtions. That process may take several months
Progress is being made every day.
Labor conditions very uneven. Some mid,
die west cities have considerable UNEMPLOYMENT.
Various coast cities like Philadelphia and San
| Fl ancisco report shortage of labor. So does
| Pittsburg. Where work orders was great
est unemployment is largest for there the plants
are being changed over from war lines to peace
| lines.
| The figures as to unemployment are total
| They include no My the men idle because plants
| have been closed down to change the machinery
but where men are out on strike. Also
there is one item that is important. In some
manufacturing lines technical men of high abil-
ity were drafted by the government to do special
work in some technical lines of war work. Now
these manufacturing concerns hampered be-
cause of the absence of the technical men. Wash
ington is getting busy to return them to indus
try A government official is authority for the
statement that 1900 men are idle because SO
technical men necessary to the purchasing of one
particular industry are still in the government
service.
ANY sudden cIauSe SHOCkS 10 come from
a warm room into a cool makes us SILVER.
There may be more of shiver over the
ployment figures than is warranted.
For 262, 900 persons to be idle in 1913 industrial
centers may mean 100000 in the whole country.
That is less than rs of 1 per cent of the total
population.
It is likely that before long there will be
scramble for labor instead of an considerable idle
ness. Every city and every state in America is
away behind in building operations.
Normally st. Louis expends S12,OOO,O00 an
nually on construction In 1918 it's building work
was $6,302,712.
New York in 1916 expended 1921 2e3, 974 on
construction. In 1918 the total was $50, 500 495
Minneapolis in 1916 expended $22, GIT ,29O. In
1918 it spent Sc, 465, TAO
Cleveland in 1916 expended S331O8,2 60; IN
1917, $30,483, COS; and in 1918 it dipped to $16-
$4,000. ~ y
Cincinnati's record is: 1915 s14O25, 1888
1916 $10,842, 895; 1917, $10,451 ,315, and 1918,
| S4,578, 1888.
Indianapolis dropped from So, 1884 94 in 1916
| to S4,557 ,667 in 1918.
Milwaukee slumped from $16O13194 in 1916
to 81, 362, 127 in 1918.
So it goes the nation over.
America is more than 81 ZOO, OOO 900 behind in
its building needs
Nearly every state in the union is preparing
to spend largely for good roads The total of this
work approximates S1,00O0O0,O00.
Those are only two items. There are many
others. BY May LIST this country should be hum
ming with activity.
Now we come back to the white labor question
America has obtained it's rough labor for road
work, railroad work, ditch digging, coal mining,
etc., from abroad. We have drawn from Ireland,
Wales, Italy, Poland, Russia, Scandinavia and
other lands for labor.
In the last five years our immigration has fall
len off 2,SOOOO0.
Where is our labor, our rough labor for mill,
mine and road work to come from?
The American-born men do not take to pick
and shovel. That work has been for the immi-
! grant.
The American-born women do not take to
household service. That work has been for the
immigrant girl. The American girl will take a
position in an office store but thinks it is
degrading to take job as cook or general house
worker
There is a great scarcity of servants in Ameri-
ca today despite the fact that servant COM
mands wage that seems very high.
America has bit of problem today to find
jobs for workers. little later it will be a case
OF finding workers for jobs.