The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1921-09-27
FEWER idle If
WAGES ARE GUT,
WITNESS SAYS
Unemployment Confer
ence Told Labor l.
Partly To Blame

WASHINGTON. SEPT. ~ Aversion
OF lnbor 10 accepting work at re-
duced wages was assigned ~ 4 caurc
OF some unemployment by Roswell Y.
Pheipn. director OF labor statistics of
the Massachusetts labor department.
the first witness heard to-day BY the
national employment confrrencss
committee on unemployment sths1rties
which set 20 work 20 determine the
extent and volume OF the nafions in-
voluntary idle.
"unsnipioyment is due IN rone
measure" Mr.. Phelps told the coni-
mlttee. 10 the fact that labor Will
not accept reduced waNea.-
Ex-scrvicc Men tdIr.
Harry d. 5acebs. president OF the
ex-service mems employment bureau
OF New York. the next witness esti-
mated that there were $4,000 uneHs-
pioyed former soldiers IN New York
City. and said the establishment Of
vocational training schools In army
camps az proposed by the govern
ment would solve the mpioymcnt
problem as far as the unskiiled world
war veterans was concerned There
was no trouble findipr work for
skilled former service men, he said.
Mr.. Phelps declared that the trou-
bio In Massachusetts at present was
not that there was not employment
but that people could not flnd Jobs at
/ the wages they wanted. he said. Bo
added that some Improvement has
been noted In Massachusetts. where
now the figures show but 10 appn-
cants for each position offered as
compared with IS applicants for each
position IN May.
Government Blamrd.
| Luther G, Steward. president Of tho
National Federation ~ Federal ism-
| pioycs, presented prepared state
ment In which he declared that thu
federal government IN its capacity a.
employer has been contributing
cause To the unemployment situation.
where II should have been an al
lcviatlng agency" His statement was
referrea to the subcommittee on
emergency state and municipal meas
ures and public works.
II. u. Luts OF the national Indus
trial conferences board presented a
report made by the beard OF survey
Of the 1000, 900 manufacturing and
building trade workers.fnfhec country.
ON June 4, he said. ono quarter OF
these wage carntrs estimated 81
a.bO0000 were Idle as compared with
a normal unempioy OF 1 ,5eo, ,O0v
A census made BY the board In ths
latter part OF August and the firsl
part 0f September. he added. showed
that 20 to 25 per cent fewer wags
earners employed than in 1890. Nor.
NAL unemployment In these Industries
he stated. was about ~ per cent
Unemployment In Minnesota WA
entimatcd by J. ID. Williams OF th'
, industrial commission OF that stat
at about $4,000. He declared labo
department estimates OF unempioy
ment In Minneapolis. 81. Paul sns
Duluth were unreliable.
The committoe exhausted the lis
OF witnesses within an hour and
half after Il convened and adjourne'
= until additional witnesses have beei
z summoned.
lrbain BcdOux. Boston. auctionee
e OF the unemployed. may be given
hearing before the committee seek
Ing TO determine the volume and ex
g tent OF unemployment. officials % tn
9 conference said today. Coinciden
with this. statement, Ledoux an
y nounced that he had issued order
y for movement OF representatives {
the unemployed on Washington.
&c The human Documents IN III
ease Of the unemployed, sH he calic
!, them. win come to Washington b
4, motor truck and win consist OF bs
I, tween fifty and hundred mon frol
n Boston. New York, Phlladeiphia an
:. Baltimore.