The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-09-14
DAVIS TAKES
HOPEFUL VIEW
OF BUSINESS
Labor Secretary Points Out
Comparatively Few Fami-
lies Have Had Only Bread
winners Put Out Of Jobs.
100000 AT WORK
az Associated Press


WASHINGTON Sept. 14.-Those
who are disturbed over the 5,735,000
unemployed of today. overlook that in
1914 there were 100000 out of work,
a larger percentage of whom were
men and actual breadwinners than in
the present unemployed, Secretary
Davis said today in a statement
Declaring that the country has just
passed through a period when every
effort WAS made to induce women and
others who had not worked for wages
or salaries before TO work and save
starving Europe" Mr. Davis said
present unemployment figures include
great numbers of persons upon whose
earnings no one is actually dependent
on.
While we have our unemployed
Let us not forget the 10000 900 who
are still at work the statement said.
"A further encouragin fact is that
$500, 100000 is now available about the
country in the form of bonds already
issued or appropriated by the state.
county and municipal governments for
public works Undoubtedly this will
be organized intelligently"
Signs of Recovery.
Positive signs of business recovery
have been furnished by the commits
sioner of labor statistics, Secretary
Davis declared. adding:
Some of these signs have an aspect
of their own I put them out for 9th
ers to interpret as they please. But
one must have his head very much in
the air. these days, not to notice the
growing prevalence of silk hosiery and
the use of silks in general
"A stir was caused all over the coun.
try" the statement said, when
Senator Mccormick called for the
actual figu1e es on current unemploy-
ment and these figures, as supplied by
the Bureau of Labor statistics in the
Department of Labor we're found to be
5,730,000 Those figures stand as the
best estimate available. but they need
to be read in relation to the situation
OF seven years ago. as we'll as in the
light of the facts of today.
Ratio Less Today.
Take this fact, for instance. In
1920 the number of persons in the
United States employed as wage earn.
ers or working for some one other
than themselves, reached the total oi
eighteen or twenty millions. This was
outside OF agricultural occupations
The ratio of unemployed to the tota
workers today is thus less than the
ratio of unemployed to the total o
workers in 1914. And by widt
margin.
The statement has been CONSTANT!
made, in the news and in the editoria
columns of the newspapers, that tht
department of labor has reported NJ
such thing. II did report that accord
ing TO the best estimate that could b,
made there are 5,735, 900 fewer men
women and children on the payroll
than there were in March, 1920 Their
is difference with distinction 1t /
very different matter from sayinj
that there are 5,735,0o0 men ur
employed
Must Face Situation.
Nothing is TO be gained by stickin
our heads in the sand and ignoring tn
gravity OF the present unemployment
situation Neither do we profit b
distorting the facts and exaggeratin
the figures as estimated Here is on
salient fact to be kept in mind-prot
ABLY not more than a third of thes
5,735,000 are the principal bread wiz
ners OF the family.
Taking all the families Of tn
United States, there are, on the ave
rage over two bread winners to ever
family. If one of these bread winner
is unemployed, it seriously cripple:
but it does not necessarily impoveris
the family.
Mind you, / am not saying tha
there is not at this time considerabl
actual suffering among our people
nor that this winter may not brin
Continued on Page Four)