Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-01-17
Encts M Ia Uncmpln,mrnt

Facts nS to unemployment.
To the Editor Of The Times Dispatch:
Sir.-iour editorial in Sundays is
sue Of The Times dispatch was nat
uraily hccniy interesting to me.
Your figures on the slump In en-
ploymcnt during December were cor
rect. being quoted from the advance
sheets of the Industrial cmplo ymeut
surveys. which deals in exact pay
roll figures furnished monthly by eN-
ecutircs Of tile sam" Lass Industrial
concerns These figures show the
exact decrease in employment oc-
curing in those industries. The per
ccntnGc az the monthly increase or
dccrcas" fixes itself
The unfortunate part OF your cdi-
t"rihl lies In the statement that
statistics previously quoted" tprc-
sumably by the Labor Department.
show that 2.0oG. 900 men have been
placed in employment since tho un-
employment conference In September.
II this were true. the loss in employ
mcnt of 1000 wage. carners during
December, serious az IL is, would DO
"A matter ~ much less concern. hut
unfortunately. there are no statistics
upon which TO base such statement.
The statement that l.50O.O 600 per-
haps 100000 men, had been placed
In employment since the Hoover
conference appeared in news item.
purp"rt!ng to come from the Depart
mcnt Of Commerce Mr. Hoover
upon inquiry. denied that the Depart
mcnt OF Commerce had authorized tho
statement. 1t was n guess and Il bad
one. without facts upon which 10 base
IL close survey made hy this SER
Vice and completed January Is. 1921.
showed total unemployment of g.
i'a.iiG. The unemployment survey
made i'm September. 1927. for the con-
ference held In Washington in that
month. and covering the whole coun-
try moro completely ana efficiently
than the January survey. because OF
a moro extensive organization
showed unemployment amounting to
3,'OO'O0O, or as accepted by the con-
ference 100000 To 1000 900
The first Of the monthly issues Of
the bulletin showed by actual paw
roll figures from 1925 Industrial
concerns l.62S.i3i employees on Ian
uary 81, 1921. The same concerns
show that on December al. 1927. there
were l,i33,l07 men on their pay rolls
"a net loss during tho twelve
months OF l35.N21
Losses from January 81. 1921.
10 Jniy. inclusive, amount
ed To .li7,a2+
Loss IN December . 74o67
Gain from Angus, to Novcm
her, inclusive .... 57.164
Net loss for eleven months. .1a5.O27
The heavy reduction In employ
mont in December is taken up largely
J by tho drop in tho automotivc in
dustry which accounts for G5.GSS OF
the total OF 7a.2G7.
Actual pay-roli data received from
| l.135 Industrial concerns In the Fifth
or South Atlantic District. employing
5sG.2i5 men and women show n net
less for December OF one-fourth of !
| per cent.
State and municipal employment Of
fees cooperating with the Federal
| employment service In about thirty
| live states report pla ccments for Sep
icmhcr. 10000: October. 81. 900: No
vcmbcr and December. not in. but
] likely 10 show continuing reduction
Day labor on farms busy during
/ september, October and November
with late harvcsts. silO-hlling and
fall seeding are now idle. coal mining
continues To show increased unem.
Pi'N iltH'. HictHl mining the same.
These facts emphasize the absurd.
ity OF the claim that 100000 mer
are at work who were idle a the time
OF tho unemployment conference ir
September.
1t seems to mo that nothing is e
be gained by the publication of suci
misleading statements. There !!
moreover nothing to indicate tina
within n few months after the be
ginning or the new year the wheel!
OF industry will he running mt full
capacity"
The substantial facts upon which
10 base estimates for this year arr
that since July employment ha
shown Il small. but steady trend up
ward in such fundamental industrie
leather and it's finished products, pa
per and printing showing gains also
hut with less uniformity Of move
ment.
The consensus of opinion amonf
conservative business men general
Is that business will continue to i'm
: prove slowly, and IL is hoped steadily
hut there Is nothing to indicate capa
city production with the purchasin,
power OF the farmers reduced almos
to tho vanishing point. and the I'M
employment of 100000 to 100000
wage carners further reducing tn
, purchasing power of the countr
about $3.50. 100000 per month.
RALPH IZARD,
6. Ttichmond. Va. January II, 1922.