The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-17
SEE WORK AHEAD
FOR CITY'S ARMY
OF UNEMPLOYED
Agencies Find No Cause for
Alarm in Present Seri-
Gus Situation.
so TO 100 FOR ONE JOB
Standstill in Automobile
Industry Is One of Rea-
sons Assigned.
REIMBURSEMENT NOW ON
State and Local Officials De-
clare Conditions Will Clear
With New Year.
so TO 100 FOR ONE JOB
REIMBURSEMENT NOW ON

There is more unemployment in this
city and State at the present time than
at any period since the armistice. En-
ployment agencies report there are
from 30 to 100 applicants for each job,
and that the ranks of the unemployed
are swelling every day. DR.. David F.
FLYNN. representative of the State and
Federal labor departments. declares
one of every five workers in the State
is ont of work, but asserts there is no
cause for alarm.
The automobile industry of this
State is at a standstill and will remain
so until January l, because 1t has not
been able to get raw materials and be-
cause of inability to obtain railroad
cars. Such also is the condition in the
textile industry, the boot and shoe
garment and fur trades. These thou
sands, who have been made idle oy the
shutting down of plants, are clamoring
for work which they are not able to
IL. ~
November 10 showed, DR.. Flynn says
that 20 per cent. of the workers We're
idle. In some industries the degree
of unemployment ran as high as 10
and 95 per cent.
While the heads of employment agen-
cies assert the vast amount OF uiein-
ployment is due to the efforts of busl-
hap IN a
both in regard to prices and salaries OF
the employees, DR.. Flynn says that whlle
there Is no doubt readjustment has
great deal to do with 1t, he points out
that the number of persons now out OF
work is not greater than in the years
before the war during the late autumn
season.
Now Preparing Survey.
DR.. Flynn now is engaged on a sur
vey which will be presented to the Indus
trial Conference Board January l6. He
would not anticipate what this report
will show He declined TO discuss UNI
employment in other than percentages,
contending that figures mean nothing in
employment statistics. 1T frequently
happens during the summer in this city"
he said, that 100, 900 men suddenly de-
eide to lay off work. 1t may be to see
ball game or just for rest. You
could not consider this unemployment.
and those figures would, accordingly, be
meaningless"
Although DR.. Flynn is optimistic in
regard to the outlook for the new year
he said that everybody does not share
his views. Many civic and other or
CARNATIONS have become alarmed. "All
these organizations seem to think" he
said, that the soup kitchen and the
! fnA ftIut he
but we have faith enough TO think that
the situation will not be so bad We
place our faith in American ways and
! institutions"
II have been informed by a man high
up in the automobile and allied trades"
DR.. Flynn continued, that the industry
in this State will start up the first of
January. That will remedy conditions
considerably
I'm regard to the movement to reduce
salaries-that is what we call the back
door front door scheme-there is no in
dication. so far as have been able to
observe, or II becoming n wide practice
for the present. l have heard of only
two concerns that have reduced salaries
on a large scale. On the other hand
have heard Of number Of men who Of
fered to work for less than they had been
receiving
Many One Trade Men Idle.
MANY Industries are getting rid of
their second grade men. The bulk of
the unemployed at the present time is
In unskilled workers Those who find
IL hardest to obtain employment are
what we call the one trade men. like
the machinists. Many Of them come TO
us seeking Jobs as shipping clerks. But
.hese men VIII be absorbed again when
the automobile plants start up"
G. II. Pease, head OF the Commercial
Reference Company. 80 Park Row. is
among those who has found there are
nearly 100 applicants for every lob
available. Mr.. Pease deals principally
In office help. and he told of one firm,
that recently discharged several stenop-
raphers who were getting $40 and s35 n
week and few days later employed
others Tor salaries ranging from 500
to s25.
The process of wedding out has be-
gun ne said. Many firms are loaded
up with goods they cannot dispose OF.
Tho public will not buy, and of course
the firms have to cut down. and the high
salaried employees are the first to go"
MISS Anne j. Jupp who has an agency
at 81 Nassau street, has from two to
three Jobs to offer thirty-five To forty
applicants daily. Last year she had an
average OF three positions for every ap-
plicant. Firms that were offering from
$50 to SIS q week for office boys a year
ago now offer $40 and hesitate even TO
give that.
Il have found" Miss Jupp said. that
one OF the reasons many firms are let
ting their employees go Is because OF the
instability or values. Export houses es-
pecially are hard hit. They were all
stocked up and found Turope could mt
buy. The policy OF dscharginR en-
ployees and hiring others at lower wages
Is becoming quite popular"