New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1921-07-16
UNEMPLOYMENT.

According to the Department of
Labor report recently issued the un-
employment situation during the
month of June was not on the mend,
from a workers standpoint, but was
rather otherwise. Barometers of
business are being closely watched
these days, there are those who will
profit by taking advantage of their
conclusions based upon government
reports and the situation as they see
1t In their own particular field. Con-
seQuently the employment question is
Of general interest.
Three per cent. is the loss in en-
ployment during the month of June,
three out Of every hundred workers
who had jobs the first of that month
had none the first of July. The num-
Der of employed was none too great
at the first of the month.
However, in Atlanta there was
gain in employment of nearly II per
cent, Toledo, 16 per cent. and so
II.
er and Kansas City are among those
reporting a gain in employment San
Francisco. Syracuse and Cleveland
wore cities reporting greater unem-
ployment.
The cities mentioned in the report
make no particular products, Toledo
and Atlanta have not the same class
OF manufactures, which would seem
to prove that it is rather a question Of
districts than Of products demanded
that is causing an increase in employ
meut Neither have San Francisco
and Syracuse the same class of en-
ployment centers, although they show
decreases. Naturally the mill towns,
such as Fall River, who were the first
to feel the financial depression, are
I picking up trade. The factory stocks
were so reduced that the demand was
greater than the supply. they hired
more hands and are endeavoring to
take care of the demand. But the
diversity of the products from the
towns which are picking up would in
dictate that there is growing demand,
that we may reasonably expect a
greater buying which will bring about
more employment and a more normal
condition Of affairs. The public can
not at once throw us into such bust
ness conditions as we had a few years
1;%
to do so at this time. But it can,
through increasing the demand slow
ly, bring about a steadier market and
a more stable condition. The rest OF
the summer will probably see nc
further depression but slow picking
up may assume the proportions Of
near stability, with a gradually in.
5 creasing demand as workers take jobs
to manufacture stuff for their fellow
workers in other lines.
Albert Apple, fnancier and writer
looks over the business weather
vanes and draws optimistic conclu
sions from the reports of the rail
roads which state that the idle freigh
cars in the country are now 1887
against 507,274 three months ago. II
comparison with one year ago Their
were 775,061 cars loaded with revenu
producing freight for the week end
ing June rs and 845,6S4 the sam
week in 1919. But the latter perio
was before the depression. Wit
about 20 per cent. of all labor in tn
United States connected, directly o
Indirectly, with tho transportatio
systems it can be seen that resump
ton of freight activities will mean in
creased employment on the railroad
with increased buying power for thei
labor. /. Whereupon the increased buy
Ing power will bring about a create
demand for equipment for men an
machines. This opens up the cloth
ing industries and the steel industrie
whose workers Will likewise pas
along their wages to other producer
There Is considerable light in tt
situation now, even though we ma
be prone to a gloomy outlook. 1t
certain that conditions must improv