New-York tribune., 1920-02-29
Labor Market
Million Short.
Say Employers
Industrial Centers East of
Mississippi River Report
That Famine in Unskillcd
Help Is Especially Acute
War Made Many Artisans
Men Who Picked Up Trade
Are Unwilling to Re-
turn to Former Tasks

II a fleet of liners should land a
million immigrants in the United States
this week the labor market would
gobbe them all up and shout for more
There is no unemployment problem 4"
because there is no unemployment
Detroit alone could set 10000 laborers
to work tomorrow, and although the
demand for skilled workers is less
urgent it is lively.
These are the opinions of members
Of the National Association OF EN-
ployment Managers, four hundred of
whom met yesterday at the McAlpin.
Industrial centers as far West as Chi
cago all reported high wages and more
work than workers. Women are sought
as eagerly as men.
Detroit Clamors for Laborers
c. A. De Monge, of the HAYES Manu-
featuring Company, of Detroit, declared
mat many OF the motor plants in his
city would be overjoyed to welcome
2OO or 800 laborers tomorrow morn
ing.
Detroit could use 10000 unskillcd
iaborers," Mr.. De Mcnge said "and If
1T were not for lack Of housing facili-
ties our market could absorb Almost
nalf that number of skilled mechanics.
oondlt1ons are excellent, but by reason
on Inc shortage OF homes and the keen
conPeIltlon there is heavy and CON
stant labor turnover. Outside laborers
are getting IS to 80 cents an hour and
men on inside jobs SO to 70 cents.
lnCfC Is 4 new factor n thio cbort
age OIL unskllled labor 1t is side
issue of the war. Thousands of mon
who before the war were unsk;lIco
were put to work in munition factories
at some simple machine operation
ihese men show decided rcluctance
10 return to their old status. They are
not mechanics. They have, however,
WORKED at machine, and they are
seeking mechanics jobs and. of course
mechanics pay
j. w. Hart. director of industrial rc-
latlons for the White Motor Company.
or Cleveland, admits shortage, but
thinks that it is largely artificial. IN
IittSpurgh, according to II. n Woods
OF the Union Switch and Signal Com,
pany, only the steel industry has suf-
flclent unskilled labor.
AT 46 cents an hour, the workers in
the steel mills can put in extra hours
e'uu Illus a0d 10 thelr earnings. This
gives the steel industry
wider market, and I do not think It is
snort on laborers. But the rest of MS
are. Pittsburgh could eat up 5000
unskilied workers in & week and hard
ly notice it," said Mr. Woods.
Women Factor in New England
Women form big factor in Massa-
industries and Ralph Wells
secretary of the Boston Emplovmcnt
NJ managers Association, believes that
the prc-war supply in New England
Is no. not equal to the postwar demand.
New England has developed a par
tlcularly skilled type of woman work
ers," Mr.. Wells said. "gp the jewelry.
shoe, confectionery and textile trades
VIC men have inherited a dexteritv which
can only be duplicated after months
OF intensive training. There is no Sc
lious shortage of skilled help, but by
reason of this condition, and also be-
cause the war industries lifted so MANY
workers into the skilled grades. there
i3 shortage of common labor in prac
t'cally all trades. Office help is short
too. There are no more men stenog-
1&phers in the New England field and
the women are finding more profitable
occupations elsewhere"
This matter of women in industry