Omaha daily bee., 1921-08-09
Industries of us.
On theUpCrade
Statistics Indicate
Figures Show Improvement
In Employment Situation;
Wages In Most Lines
Show Decrease.

DdSSCu SiIlCc lllC "pliu Wal ~ iihS'iN>'
American industry is still struggling
to get back to normal condition
wherein factories doomed and there
was plenty of work for all.
Statistics for IS selected manu-
featuring industries and in bitumin-
Gus coal mining sliow that in June OF
this year there was decreased cnl-
ployment in all lines except IN the
wool industry. as compared with
June, 1920. There was in the wooden
industry an increase Of SO per. cent
in the number of persons employed
in June. 1921. over June, 1921.
The most important decreases III
employment shown by. these com
parative figures were 40 per cent III
car building and repairing. 800 per
cent in iron and steel, and 37.5 per
cent in automobiles.
Compared with June, 1920, the
amount of the pay rolls in June, !9Il,
shows decreases in IS OF the IA IN.
dustries. The one increase reported
-8.3 per cent-appears in the wool
en- industry. The largest decreases
appearing during this period are oo.u
per cent in iron and steel, AT per
cent in paper, 400 per cent in leather
and ,3o.7 per cent in automobiles.
Picks Up Over May.
Comparative data for juno, 1921,
and May, 1921, show that in ~ m
dustries there were increases IN the
number of persons on the pay ro'i
in June, as compared with May, and
in four a decrease. The largest in
creases, SO per cent, IL per cent,
and 5 Der cent, are shown in mems
ready-to-wear clothing, leather. and
bituminous coal, respectively. A de-
crease Of 81 per cent appears II, IRON
and steel and one of "a per cent IN
car building and repairing.
When comparing June, 1871, with
Nav. 1921, II industries show an in,
crease in the amount OF money pa'd
to employees and three show a de-
crease. The most important IN,
creases are ll.S per cent III coal, -
per cent in mems ready-madc cloth
ing, and 8.8 per cent in leather Iron
and steel show a percentage decrease
of Us.
Some Wage Reductions.
During the period May Is to June
IS there were wage changes made
by some of the establishments in
principal industries as follows
Iron and steel-All the iIlen i'll
three establishments were reduced ap-
proximately q per cent in wages. In
q plants wage reductions OF 20 per
cent were reported, affecting the ell
tire force in q plants and 94 per
cent OF the force in the remaining
plant. Eight mills reported gen
cral wage rate cut Of IS per cent.
Automobiles-A wage rate de-
crease OF 10 per cent was reported by
three plants, affecting all employees IN
the first plant, 65 per cent OF thc
employees in the second plant, and 50
per cent OF the employees in the thifl
plant. One factory made a 7.2 per
cent decrease to 40 per cent Of the
force. When comparing the per
capita earnings for June with those
for May, decrease OF rs per cent
is shown,
Car Building and Repairing-More
time was worked during the pay roll
period, and the per capita earnings
show an increase of 81 per cent,
when May and June figures are conf
pared.
Cotton Wages Decrease. !
Cotton Manuiacturing-The wages
of all employees i'll one plant we're de-
creased 3-4 per cent. The per capi-
ia earnings for June show an in
crease of | per cent when compared
with the per capita earnings for May.
Hosiery and Underwear--An i'll
crease of 10 per cent was granted
by two mills, affecting Is per cent
OF the employees in the first mill and
2 per cent in the second mill. A dc
crease of % IL per cent was report.
ed by one concern, but the number
affected was not stated.
Woolen-There were no change
in rates OF wages reported for this
industry. The per capita earnings
show an increase Of l,3 per cent
when comparing May and June
figures.
Report As to Silk.
Silk-A decrease of 10 per cent to
50 per cent Of the force was reported
by one mill. The per capita earn
ings for June are IS per cent less
than those for May.
Mems Ready Made Clothing
per cent of the men i'll one plant
were granted all increase OF 10 per
cent. All Of the men in another plant
were decreased IS per cent. in one
establishment employees earning over
$50 per week had wage reductions
ranging from 5 per cent to 10 per
cent
Leather-A decrease of Is per cent
was reported by one tannery, but the
percentage OF employees affected was
not stated.
Shoe Business Improves.
Boots and Shoes An increase OF
II per cent was granted to 3 per
cent of the men in one factory. Busi
ness conditions have slightly i'm
proved and the per CAPITA earnings
show an increase OF Il per ceut
when May and June figures arc
compared
Paper--A 10 per cent decrease was
made by one establishment, affect
irg IS per cent of the men.
Cigars-A wage rate decrease Of
about Is per cent was made to ~
per cent of the men in one factory.
Bitulninous Coal--A decrease in
rates of wages was reported BY
three mines, but no futher data
we're furnished.