The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-07-08
UNEMPL PLOYMENT IS
 STILL INCREASING,
 SURVEY INDICATES
Decrease In Employment for June Was 2.9 Per Cent Over May, Labor De-
 partment States
By Associated Press

washington, July f.~-A decrease m employment of 2.s per cent during June as compared with May Is indi- cated by a survey made by the de- partment of labor, of reports from 1.428 firms employing normally, 600,- 900 persons. The decrease since Jan
 uary in these establishments esti- mated in 65 principal cities, has been 8.2 per cent, statement issued today said
 All industries reported decreased employment except those engaged in the manufacture of food products, textiles, leather. liquors and bever- ages. stone, clay, glass and tobacco.
 Detailed examination of the pres ent returns Indicates clearly the fun damental causes of the protracted in- dustrial depression and the mounting tide of mployment," the statemen. declared. Continued unsatisfactory conditions of transportation, vita freight rates in many cases consid cred almost prohibitive: lack of any thing like a normal foreign market:
 the present low, value of farm pro duce; stagnation in iron and steel, high costs of construction and the general dullness of the retail trade stand out prominently as leading fac- tors in the situation"
 While there still is wide housing shortage, the statement said. the only resumption of building opera :
 tions noted has been on restricted scale.
 Industry Optimistic. Industry generally is optimistic" the survey continues, and while the Likelihood of a dull summer in al- most all lines Is fully recognized, the tendency Is to count on improvements
 by fall and a healthy though not spectacular business revival by the spring of 1922"
 Eight leading industries, represent ed among the 1,40O odd plants report ing, recorded an aggregate decrease or o6,l12 wage earners, while six other industries showed d total i'm crease of 10,0S9
 Peoria, H.. showed the heavie., decrease among the industrial cen ters with a decrease of 399. San
 Francisco second. with 25 per cent and Syracuse. N. r., next. with F { From these figures the decrea ses ranged down to Youngstown obio and St Louis, with less than F of per cent.
 Among 2s cities reporting in- creased employment. Atlanta was first with 1e.7 per cent. Sioux Citv Iowa. second. with 16 per cent. ana Toledo third. with l5.6 per cent. In New England. continued un. employment was reported with the industrial situation relieved some. what by recent improve ment in the textile trades New York New Jer- sey and Pennsylvania noted increas s- es in unemployment.
 No Great Change There has been mo great chang. in the industrial situation of the east north. central district (Ohio Illinois. Indiana, Michigan and Wis consin), the summary said, "and none is expected until construction ane railway rates are materially re duced."
 as "serious' in the district compris ing Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahom; and Texas. but it was said that tn, "concensus of opinion indicates grad ual betterment.' Lumber operation, were reported to have fallen off an. the oil industry to be stagnant The early wheat harvest has oper ated to relieve the situation in tn, west, north, central district, the re port said, but "manufacturing ha decreased in many lines and build ing IS Quiet. SIght improvement was noted, in the South AtlanttS states, with lumber and fibre mill increasing their forces.
 in Tennessee and Kentucky, the coal industry continues inactive witt about 5000 miners unemployed. while many factories ''are operating on re-
 duced schedules.'4 In the mountain states. the industrial outlook was re ported to be somewhat brighter operations on public works providin. considerable employment and a sea. sonable demand" being felt for farm produce