Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-11-30
MIDDLE WEST
LABOR BETTER
OFF THAN EAST
Chicago Federal Reserve Sur
vey Shows Conditions
Not Abnormal.
PAY GENERALLY SAME

CHICAGO, Nov SO.-Unemployment
has increased steadily In the Middle West
during the last month while the volume
Of business has declined, the Seventh
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago re-
ported today in a survey of conditions
In Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin,
Michigan, Missouri and portions Of KaR-
sas and Nebraska saa
While men are more plentiful than
Jobs, the report stated that the amount
Of idleness Is no greater at the present
time than at this period In the winter
Of 1914. $40
Ten per cent of the men employed IA
the steel plants have been thrown into
idleness the report found. @fts
THE labor scarcity in the steel dis
trtcts Of few months ago has vanishedS'
the report said, land men are at tAe
gates seeking employment every morn
ing" ii
Those engaged in building lines esti-
mate that 90 per cent Of the men are out
of work.
FARM SITUATION asa
REMAINS SAME.
"Workmen who were attracted to theiI1E
dustrtal centers in the ALLEGATION Of labor
are now returning to their former
homes" the report stated, but SO FAR
the return flow has not relieved the sit
uation on farms where wages apprax-
imating wartime figures are being paid
corn huskers." l.a
The survey finds that in some basic In
dustries little complaint is heard Of lp-
employment. The Chicago stockyards
was found operating with normal forces
Speaking generally" the statement
said, wages have not been changed ma
terially. Here and there concessions haze
been made In order that total unen-
ployment may be avoided -
Railroad shop forces were being cur
tailed, the statement continued, "but
this Is manifesting itself more partic-
ularly among larger trunk lines lead
ing to the eastward"
The report emphasized that the LET
down In business activity in the Middle
West appeared to be less than is being
experienced in the East. aHf
Disdnctively uneven declines in inAa@
Vidual prices are factors IN retarding
business activities.
The recession In prices, which has AZ
ready manifested itself in foOdstuffs and
textiles. is reported extending to other
commodities heretofore unaffected" tha
survey found, but there are industries
which have experienced little if any re-
adjustments" $50
Other findings were:
Few people are buying automobiles
and with the exception Of some of the
larger manufacturers automobile plants
are either closed or operating uponsa
small scale with the result that their
production is less than 20 per cent nor
NAL.
Railroads are buying little rolling
stock, although the purchasing of
rails continues. The car lOadings have
eased up since the middle of October and
the car shortage is being rapidly re-
duced.
In nearly every section stores are at
tempting to liquidate their stock through
special sales and the buying is from
hand to mouth
Cancellation of orders has been largo
in all lines of merchandise. Merchants
report liquidation of debts very slow
Mail order house businesses show con-
siderable decrease.
Farmers are Withholding their grains
from the market, due TO the readjust-
Inent of market values. Forty per cent
of last years wheat crop is still in the
farmers hands.
Chsttel loan companies are facing the
problem of financing the winter nsedsso
producers and the local banks are still
carrying some Of last winters advances.
as shrinkages In market values have
wiped out great many equities.