The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-17
.UNEMPL PL0YMENT IS STILL INCREASING
 THROUGHOUT NATION
1 ,423 Firms in 65 Industrial Centers Report a Net ln- crease of 16,295 in
 JobIesS
By Associated Press

Washington, March l6s--The number of persons employed in the United States continued to decrease during February, the department of labor's employment service announced tonight in it's monthly survey of the upem- ployed. The decrease for last month as compared with January was esti- mated at 1 per cent.
 The percentage of employed showed the greatest increaese in Chattanooga. Tenn, amounting to 67.6 over January.
 The employment service made no at tempt to state the size of the nations army of jobless workers, but it's fig ! ures showed that 1,423 firms, located in the 65 principal industrial centers of the country, had in their employ February 2S total of 1,e26,95S work CTS as compared with 1,64S,253 on January s1. This was net decrease of 16 295.
 Reports to the service showed de- cided increases in the number em- ployed in the manufacture of automo- piles and land vehicles, textiles ana leather products, amounting to lS.S' s.5 and TT per cent respectively These increases however. were off set by decreases of 73 per cent in the iron and steel industries, d-6 per cent in railroad repair shops, 6 per cent Tn chemical plants and 5.7 in producers of liquor and beverages.
 DENVER LEADS
 Denver. Col, with decrease of 249 her cent on the basis of the service s reports, leads the 3e cities in which the number of employed was less at the end of February than at the close of the preceding month On the same percentage basis Youngstown, o., In dianapolis, San Francisco and Grand Rapids followed in the order named
 Detroit was shown 70 be recovering from the general depression so far as labor was concerned, the percentage of increased employed in that city a. the close of February amounting to BAT per cent over the end of January. Other cities showing heavily increased percentage of employed were ar- nounced as. Peoria, IL, Johnstown. Pa, and Bridgeport Conn.
 The reports from New York city, Boston and St. Louis showed an in crease in the percentage of employed, while figures for Chicago, Baltimore Cleveland, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Pittsburg gave decrease in the number of workers able to maintain hold on their jobs.
 New England reports showed inn provement generally i nbusiness and labor conditions, unemployment and part time conditions being most preva- lent in the textile, shoe. machinery metal and building trades industries The New England textile mills, how ever, were said to be recovering from the period of inactivity.
 REPORTS VARY Reports from New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania varied in accordance with the wide range of industries in those states. Little demand was re- ported for unskilled workers in New York city, while Pittsburg reported 22,300 unemployed
 Labor conditions generally in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin in dicated improvement with prospects of further betterment,. the services re ports said
 The northwest central district com posed of Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri. Nebraska. Kansas and the Dakotas also reported an Improvement. public
 works and building activities giving employment to many of those dis charged in other industries
 About one-third of the mines in southeastern Kentucky and Tennessee were said to be idle. due to the lack of business, with about 5000 out of work. | Memphis reports estimated the unem- | ployed there at 1000, while little bet | torment was seen in conditions in Ala bama and Tennessee.
 l Industrial dep. ession was shown to have continued and perhaps to have grown worse in the South Atlantic I states. Port cities from Baltimore to Key West reported unemployed. l Prospects for bettering of con- l ditions were reported from the noun I tain states. although little change was experienced during February. In Colo rado the trend of employment was | slightly downward and the number of 1 jobless was sli phtly increased in Montana.
 The number of idle workers was re- 1 ported to have grown in the Pacific coast states, but organized efforts to- ward semi-public and public works. ars 1 to bear fruit possibly this month. | The housing shortage was accen- I tuatcd in reports from Arkansas, Louisiana. Oklahoma and Texas and in most cases little or no effort was satd ! to be in prospect toward improving 1t. --- z---- :