Omaha daily bee., 1921-09-05
Industrial
Conditions
Slight Increase in Employ
ment Shown in August Re-
por. of United States
Labor Department.
Omaha Situation Better
By ARTHUR SEARS HENNING.
Chicago Tribune Omaha Bsc Leased Wire.

Washington, Sept. A slight in
crease in employment, possibly indi'
eating turning OF the tide toward
better times, is reported by the De-
partment of Labor, as a result Of its
industrial survey for August.
OF the 65 cities surveyed, IS report
more and n fewer men employed in
August than In July. The business de-
preston is still pronounced. particu-
larly in the east, but conditions
appear to be improving somewhat
in the west.
while this deduction is probably
true, it would be mistake TO imbue
the figures with significance not
strictly in accordance with the facts.
Hence in any just appraisement OF
the situation, il must be borne in
mind that the improvement shown
can be traced III great measure to
the vast agriculture activities OF the
month and that as yet the major
manufacturing, mining an trans
portation interests have given less
conclusive evidence OF the value and
permanency Of such small gains as
they may have experienced.
Increase in Building.
"A happy augury is the very gen.
cral increase in building operations.
the survey showing that present ac-
tivities in this line are greater than
at any time since the nation entered
the war. ...
"Other encouraging features in
the situation as emphasized by the
survey, are the generally bountiful
harvest; indications of improvement
in iron and steel; marked re-em-
ployment in railroad occupations;
the approaching depletion Of manu-
factured stocks and the continued
strength of textiles, particularly cot
tons.
"A marked increase in industrial
optimism is noted, business men
generally inclining to the belief that
the worst part of the depression is
over and that the future will witness
improvement of healthy and last
ing character, even though it be
somewhat slow in developing"
In all, 1,428 firms each usually
employing more than 500 workers,
Or total of 100000 are comprised
4 in the survey. On August 81, these
firms had 1920 more employees on
their. pay rolls than they carried on
July 81, an increase Of l.08 per cent.
Summing up his conclusions from
the survey, Francis !. Jones, di-
rector ge1,ral of the United Stoes
employment service, said:
"At first glance, the figures of the
monthly industrial survey for Au-
gust would seem to show that the
low point in the presen: severe de-
preston has been passed and that
the country has at last definitely set
out on the long uphill climb to
normal conditions and better times.
General Increase.
Industrial classi6cations showing
increases in employment are food and
kindred products; textiles and their
products; iron and steel and their
products; leather and its finished
products; stone, clay and glass
products, metals and metal products
other. than iron and steel; tobacco
manufactures and railroad repair
shops. All other classifcations show
a decrease.
In Chicago there was rs per
cent increase in employment; in
Grand Rapids, Mich, 1879 per cent:
Peoria, l8 per cent; Minneapolis, 20
per cent; St. Paul, 2.3 per cent; Mil
waukee, IL per cent; Omaha, .05 per
cent; Youngstown, O., 207 per cent;
Seattle, 1863 per cent; Denver, 1877
per cent; Cleveland, 1913 per cent;
Kansas City, Kan, g. per cent: St.
Louis, 3.3 per cent; New York City,
2.8 per cent; Boston, industrial dis
trict, .013 per cent; Buffalo, as per
cent; Birmingham, Ala, 81 per cent;
Memphis, Tenn, per cent; LOUIS
vile, KY, SO per cent; New Haven,
81 per cent; Chattanooga, Tenn, 6
per cent; Rochester. N. Y, 1.55 per
cent; Syracuse, N. Y, IL per cent;
Perth Amboy, N. j., l.3 per cent;
Lowell, Mass, SIS per cent; Passaic,
N. j., 5 per cent; Johnstown, Pa,
81 per cent; Reading, Pa, 4.3 per
cent; Fall River, Mass, 81 per cent.
Decrease in n Cities.
The 27 cities reporting decreases
in employment were:
Toledo, O., "a per cent; Law
renee, Mass. 1871 per cent; Bayon-
ne, N. J., 1875 per cent; Camden.
N. J..Io.5 per cent; Baltimore, 81
per cent; Atlanta, 827 per cent; San
Francisco. $40 per cent; Cincinnati.
4.36 per cent; Sioux, City, rs per
cent; Kansas City, Mo-, AIS per
cent; Pittsburgh, A. per cent; Nj
agara Falls. 4.3 per cent Indianap-
oils, 3.8 per cent; Worcester, Mass,
38 per cent; Bridgeport, Conn. 81
per cent; Columbus, 3.4 per cent;
Newark, N. J., 3 per cent; Paterson,
N. j., 2.46 per cent; New Orleans,
l.6 per cent; Los Angeles, is per
cent; Springfield, Mass, LIS per
cent; Flint, Mich. IL per cent; Wa
terbury, Conn, IL per cent; Schen-
ectady and Albany. N. Y, l.04 per
cent; Detroit, per cent, and Phil
ade1phia, 81 per cent.