The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-11-11
BAROMETER SHOWS
LITTLE CHANGE
Continued from page ID

n-sF 80.
for the future-the winter perhaps
it looks serious.
"As to the cause, you can Yead it
on the financial page of any news
paper
r. J. Clancy, assistant to the gen
eral manager of the Southern Pacific
railway, in charge Of employment for
that company, declared that IF we
keep an even keel" there is nothing
to fear.
There is gradual. easing up Of
the labor market" Clancy declared.
3'By easing up" mean condition
where there are more men looking for
jobs than there are jobs. 1t is, be-
lieve. due more to seasonable condi-
lions than to any thing else.
Conditions on this coast are much
! different than they are in the east.
Here we have a. variety of industries
agriculture, fruit, lumber, mines and
many things The east is dependent
largely on manufacturing alone. For
I eign trade conditions might affect the
east and cause situation there which
I would not be reflected on this coast.
/, II fail to see anything serious ahead
if we keep right maintaining an
even keel"
! E. L. Myers, secretary of the Los
Angeles labor council, charged that
big industries are creating an arti-
fetal condition of unemployment as a
means Of reducing wages.
| "Labor's only remedy for unemploy-
,ment," Myers declared, lis to reduce
hours. With shorter hours every one
will be able to work, but of course,
wages would be lowered"
Housing Shortage.
CHICAGO, Nov. 11.-Blame for the
4 high cost of living and the nation
wide housing shortage today was laid
/ to the governments cost-plus con-
tract scheme, according to witnesses
/ testifying before the United States
senate committee on housing here.
/ The committee is making country
wide inquiry into housing conditions
!, with a view to recommending legisla-
ton remedying it. Charles Bostron,
Chicago building commissioner, de.
nounced the cost-plus system as en-
couraging shiftessness.
Under it men obtained high wages.
! he said, and the employers didn't
| care how much workers loafed, as
they (the contraetors) were guaran-
4 teed their profit regardless Of the
cost. sas sf&t u NE
| Bankers and railroad officials were
| to testify today. The committee will
| 20 to Des Moines tomorrow.
Improvement Expected.
[By Hugh baillie, United Press Stan
! Correspondent
NEW YORK, Nov. 11.-ImproVe-
meut in conditions in the east Is eX-
pected in. some quarters by January
ii. according to DR.. David 5. Flynn
director of the New York state en-
ployment bureau. He SAID To-Day
that many employers had assured
him the situation would be staDihzeo
by that time.
/ lust at present, according to repre-
!. sentatiyes, from several eastern s.
4 cities. there is a labor surplus in
some lines, and this surplus is in
lcreasihg.
/ Flynn said he did not regard the
isituation as serious, except possibly
in the textile and garment workers.
trades, the latter particularly IN New
York City. In many other lines, par
Iticularly building and farming, there
/ is an undersupply of labor, according
/ to his information.
i Better conditions by the first OF
the year were forecast also by r.
Sadowsky, biggest manufacturer OF
j cloaks and suits in New York. He
4 said the whole situation harked back
to the time when there was cry OF
Misrepresentation and general short
age.
h Retailers then began stocking up
with high priced goods, many in
lcreasing stocks as much Fas 2o0 per
cent They are now in position
where they must get rid of this sur
plus and they have asked manufac
turers to wait until they sdo this
Sadowsky said. They said they ex
pected to accomplish this by Febru
ary /. when retailers will place ne"
orders and manufacturers will re
sumo full operation, taking back all
employees.
He said he believed this applied to
all lines. :.
A survey of unemployment condi
tons in the east indicated that they
were most severe in New York, IN
the garment trade which employees
thousands and in some parts of New
England where textile mills are
affected.
G. H. Dunderdale, chief of tfa
4 Massachusetts state public employ
ment department, at Boston, said the