Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1921-09-21
SAYS FEWER IDLE
NOW THAN IN 1874
Labor Secretary Declares Gen.
eral Situation Is improving.
100000 STILL AT WORK
Finds That 5,7S5, 900 Unemployed Rep
resent Many Not Breadwinners,
While 1000, 900 Were JobIess
Seven Years Ago.

Washington, Sept. 15.-Those who
are disturbed over the 5,735,OOO unem-
ployed OF today overlook that In 1914
there were 100000 out of work, "A
larger percentage of whom We're men
ami actual breadwinners than in the
present unemployed, Secretary Davis
said In a statement.
Declaring that the country has JUS
passed through IA period when every
effort was made to induce women and
others who had not worked for wages
or salaries before to work and save
starving Europe" Mr.. Davis said pres
ent unemployment figures include great
numbers of persons upon whose earn
ings NO one actually is dependent.
while we have our unemployed, let
Us not forget the 12,0OO,OOO who are
still at work." the statement said. "A
further encouraging fact is that 5000
100000 now is available about the
country in the form of bonds already
issued or appropriated by the state,
county aud municipal governments for
public works. Undoubtedly this viii
be organized intelligently."
Signs Of Recovery.
Positive signs of business recovery
have been furnished by the commits
sioner OF labor statistics, Secretary
Davis declared, adding:
"Some of these signs have an aspect
Of their own. l put them out for 9th
ers 10 interpret rs they please. But
one must have his head very much in
the air these days not 10 notice the
growing prevalence of silk hosiery and
the use of silks in general
"A stir was caused all over the
country" the statement said, when
senator Mccormick called for the act
ual figures on current unemploy.
ment. and these figures, as supplied
BY the bureau of labor statistics In
the Department of Labor, were found
% be 5,T35.OOO. Those figures stand
as the best estimate available. but they
need 20 be read in relation TO the sit
uation Of seven years ago, as well as
In the light of the facts Of today.
Better Than 1914.
Take this fact, for instance. In
1870 the number OF persons in the
United States employed as wage earn
ers or working for some one other
than themselves reached the total of
100000 or 20,0O0,OO0. This was out
side OF agricultural occupations. The
ratio Of unemployed 10 the total of
workers today Is thus less than the
ratio Of unemployed TO the total Of
workers IN 1914.
"The statement has been constantly
made i'm the news and in the editorial
columns of the newspapers that the
Department of Labor has reported
5.573. 900 men as being cut of work.
The Department of Labor has report
ell no such thing. IL did report that,
according to the best estimate that
could be made, there are 5,T35O00
fewer men. women and children on the
pay rolls than there were i'm March.
1920. There was difference with
distinction. II was very different
from saying there were 5,573,OOO men
unemployed.
Nothing Is 10 be gained by stick
ing our heads in the sand and lgnor-
ing the gravity of the present unem-
ployment situation. Neither do we
profit by distorting the facts and ex-
aggerating the figures estimated. Here
Is one salient fact TO be kept in mind
probably not more than a third of
these 5.T35,OO are the principal bread
winners of the family"