Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-10-11
OFFICIALS CHEERED
BY RAPID DECREASE
IN UNEMPLOYMENT
BY HARDEN COLFAx
(Leased Wire. Service to The Journal. }
(Copyright, 1921

Copyright, 1929
WASHINGTON, Oct. 8.-Wash-
ington has been somewhat fear
full of the coming winter and what
It might bring to, and from an
army of millions of unemployed
men, but It's fears are passing with
the quickening OF prosperity. The
army of the idle Is dwindling more
rapidly than anticipated, according
to reports from many sections and
while there are possibly two OF
three millions still unemployed. the
general situation Is becoming so
much better that for the first time
in months, officials here feel that
it Is rapidly being taken in hand
and that the winter holds few ter
rors.
THE situation was fuA Of grave
possibilities three or four months
ago." says J. B. Densmore, director
general of employment during the
Wilson administration, but 1t looks
healthier now. Three or four months
ago we were worried over the out.
look. Four or five million idle men,
with families suffering for the ne
cessit1es of life and with abundance
of time to ponder over their trou-
bles constitute a force which war
rants grave consideration. 1t re-
ceived such consideration.
Now, however, the situation has
changed. There are far fewer Idle
men than there were last July,
Thousands of men who couldn't find
Jobs then are finding them now. They
are going back to work every day
There are, it is true, a good many
men yet to find employment, but
the problem is less acute. The
chances are that they will nearly
all find work before real winter
sets in, although many Of them viii
have only part-time work and prop
ably most of them will go back at
wage reductions.
Reports Optimistic
"I have been following the figures
closely and 1 do not believe there
will be necessity for opening a
single soup house in the Unlte1
States this winter, with the posi-
BILE exception Of two or three of the
larger cities. New York, Chicago
and Philadelphia-that probably Will
represent the total and it may not
be necessary even there. Large cities
however, always have floating
population of idle and even IN the
most prosperous times free 1oou
will find Zines Of men waiting Ior
it."
Reports from almost every sec
ton Of the United States to gov
eminent departments and to the
scores of. national trade associa-
tions quartered here show that the
revival of industry while not or
of thousands Of workers back to
their jobs during the past thirty
days. The railroads probably have
added 10000 men to their rolls
and are ready to add tens OF thou
sands more, they state, as soon as
congress makes available funds due
them. Prospect fer the passage OF
the tax bill gets out Of the way.
Building construction is looking
up. The men back at work in that
industry number good many thou
sands more than last summer. The
lumber industry, In certain sections,
- pOOlIliI1S ~ SuSLL Oil CAICHL Iuoi
running full time, mills are many
weeks behind with orders. Coal
mining Is coming back to recognize
able proportions and men who were
working two days a week last sum-
mer are now working three and
are now going full time with am
pie orders ahead.
Iron and steel are picking up.
Furnaces, long idle, are being blown
IN, few each month, but enough
to swell the production figures ma
terially. Manufacturing centers re-
port a genuine revival in many
lines of which textiles, now gong
at approximately full blast, takes
the lead.
In the army of the idle the agi-
tator has been busy during the
department Of justice. gathered by
it's Investigators in some Of the
chief centers, such as Pittsburg,
which indicate that the agitator has
made converts and that there has
been some growth of radical doctrine
ed. 1t was the growth Of such ser
timent-the expression of men feel
ing the pinch of idleness-that Wor-
ried administration leaders last
summer.
radical and the irresponsible had
planted productive leaven among
these millions Of men with nothing
but time on their hands. There
were real forebodings of what a
bleak winter might bring. But such
fears are vanishing in the smoke
of mills and factories gone back
to work.
President Harding's Unemployment
conference has pleased the admin
istration nightly by the practical
work it has started in many com
munities to which the idea, appar-
entity, had not occurred Of taking
care of their own unemployed. Thal
work is now gathering momentum.
# is adding its force to the force
of the general business pick up and
bids fair to clear the nation with
in the next two or three months
Of all unemployed save those who
will not work.