Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-05-01

| few months" said the statement by
| Secretary Davis. THE condition OF
| the building trades is such that in
! many places there is shortage of
| carpenters, bricklayers and plaster
| ers In fact this class of workmen
! throughout the country is at work.
"Yhere is a big improvement in
the lumber industry. calling for
much additional help. Railroad re-
pair shops have added large numbers
| to their payrolls. This is very
| healthy sign, for railroads DO not
make repairs unless there is revival
| of business.
Then there is an unusual demand
| from farmers for help this spring.
| A few months ago the large numbers
of common laborers unemployed con-
| stituted a serious menace to the gen.
eral welfare, but President Hard
| ings conference called some months
| ago in the interest of agriculture,
the passing of the $25,000,000 Rus
sian Relief Bill and the agency of
| the war finance corporation in as
| sisting farmers to get credit have
evidently been successful in stimu-
Iating agriculture for we now find it
fast returning to normal particularly
| in its demand for labor.
| This along with the activities In
manufacturing and a strong revival
in the automotive industry which has
added thousands of workers to pay
rolls within the last few weeks has
| completed the betterment. to further
which every one has worked.
1 To-day we can say industrial con-
| ditions of the country are on a solid
founda ton. 1t is true that industry
| did not come back with rush, re-
| turn to war boom as some people
! wished it, but a steady pulse has
| worked for resumption of normal
conditions during the last months.
| Employment figures perhaps illus
trate the reality better than any
thing else"
Mr.. GomperS' statement follows:
In addition to the distress and
suffering by the 100000 unemployed
and those dependent upon them, this
is how it affects YOU:
1T withholds from the domestic
market the circulation of an amount
of money equal to their earning pow
er, conservatively estimated at s25,-
100000 a day. which just about
makes the difference between hard
times and good times
I'm n recent canvass of an indus
trial section of our country 10 per
cent of the police authorities blamed
the present crime wave on unemploy-
mCnt.
Colonel w. =. Atkinson, in charge
of recruiting in New York City, re-
Gently declared:
Unemployment among the young
or men of New York City has un-
dCrmincd their physical efficiency To
point whore approximately four
/ out Of every five who apply for en-
listment in the United States army
are rejected.
Everything that affects the mar
. ket,' including the labor power of
human beings, Is manipulated by
big business and their interests They
brought about the present unemploy-
, mert situation by curtailing pro-
ductiOn to debate labor and main
tain profitecring prices. The pro-
duction of manufactured articles at
/
160 per cent of normal explains how
we'll they succeeded. Thirty per
cent of the workers are turned out
to starve while big business con.
tlnues to profitccr.
The wage carriers of this country
are beginning to understand who
causes unemployment and withholds
from them the opportunity to earn a
living. This denial of the right to
life. liberty and the pursuit of happi-
ness destroys civic pride, saps pa
trlotsm and enEenders industrial
friction and class hatred"
This statement was given by
Matthew VOL, Vice President,
American Federation of Labor.
Employment conditions have i'm
proved somewhat over the extreme
depression of last winter. 1t is my
impression that There is more en-
rloymcnt on the railroads. Building
industry conditions are somewhat
better.
But there are more than a half
million workers idle in and around
the coal industry, because the coal
mine owners broke their contract
with the miners.
add that to the unemployment
total.
I'VE shall not know normal con-
ditions for long time. Let US not
be deceived. Conditions are improv-
ing and indications are for continu-
anco of improvement, but we arc not
going to have complete recovery
! while I,lIronp remains 50 I1nsot
Furthermore, we are not going to
have full employment while we per-
nit industrial accidents to cause a
loss of 296.000,000 working days per
year and while the loss of employ
ment due to illness runs to 345, 900, 900
days per year.
1T is said that We have turned the
corner and l agree that in a sense we
| have. But We have many corners
Yet TO turn before VIC straighten out
our tangled industrial life and bring
true security to the millions Of work.
ers who now are victims of misman-
agement, caprice, speculation, bad
machinery, preventable accident,
preventahle illness and the incalcu-
liable shortsightedncss of employers
which makes labor turn over one of
our greatest evils and one of the
greatest causes of economic loss and
human misery"
The survey brought to light the fol-
lowing facts relative to industrial
relations in various states:
SETS: State Off
Gals reported about $4,000 idle in the
textile industry, in which strikes