The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-12-06
Laying Off of Thousands
Who Have Gravitated to
Large Cities, May Help
Farm Labor Shortage
BACK TO THE HILLS
FOR THE JOBLESS
tCURTAILMENT OF MANUFACTURE.
ING MEANS RETURN TO SOIL
FORMER DRAWERS FREN-
ZIED FINANCE SALARIES

New York, Dec. 6.-Official reports
from As states, representing 95> per
cent Of the nations population, reveal
70 widespread industrial depression, In
spite Of which no serious or general
Unemployment has as yet developed.
the national industrial conference
board declared, in a statement made
public here Saturday. This situation.
apparently paradoxical, has developed
when seasonal agricultural employ
ment Is at it's lowest ebb in most sec
tions Of the country, with indication
that unemployment slowly is increas-
| 1ng. it was stated.
"To understand the apparently con-
tradictory situation Of unemployment,
abe board asserted, sit is necessary
to recall that the industries of our
country are just emerging from a
period Of intensive operation that may,
] without eXaggeration be called u peri
| otl of super-production. In many To-
. calities there has been q chronic short
age OF labor for several years. Over
Il time work has been general. The
entire agricultural work OF the coun-
try has been carried on short handed
and farmers have been going without
| all-year-around help, which most of
them sorely need.
| ''High wages have brought n great
| Inflow from villages and rural dis
| tricts to the industrial centers. The
country has never fully realized the
labor shortage in minor employments
which this condition brought about.
| The present industrial depression has
cut out most of the overtime that has
Gecn the familiar concomitant Of in
| dustrial work in the war and post
war years. Short time is in evidence
in many industries. Complete shut
downs have occurred and are occur
ring but not in great numbers, nor
Tor any great length OF time.
"The labor, therefore that has been
released, has for the most part, drifted
back to the less attractive employ
ments from which it was drawn TO the
high wage. intensively operating in
dustrles and Is not always unemployed,
even when so reported. In some dis
tricts the back drift has not rs yet
been sufficient TO make up the loss
due 10 the wartime migration to in
dus.rial centers. In these sections an
actual shortage of labor is reported
In New England, the unemployment
picture is darkest. the board reported,
because OF the depression in textile
n
section.
In the eastern states unemployment
Is decreasing, but is still above pre-
war levels.
Conditions in the South vary con-
sidcrably, but unemployment Is re-
ported growing generally.
The middle-West reported severe de-
preston in automobile centers, with
other conditions nearly normal.
On the Pacific coast unless unem-
ployment is reported. There is un-
Employment in the logging industry
with neither Il normal situation or
labor shortage for the rest Closing
Its statement the board said:
"Reviewing this picture of our coun-
try In all its extent, II appears that
II there has been decided recession
from the peak OF activity and that
some few Industries and the districts
dependent on them are suffering from
l considerable unemployment. Also it is
apparent that unemployment is grad
ually increasing. In other districts.
conditions are normal or super-normal,
and in some there is an actual short
age OF labor
"a resumption of industrial activi-
fies would show a shortage of labor
throughout the country"