The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-08-23

Steel corporation yesterday or thiS y's manufacturing establishments.
 Formal announcement was made yesterday morning by Judge E. H. Gary, chairman of the board of the steel corporation, and was flashed over the wires of ths Associated Press from New York in tho follow Ing language:
 The United States Steel corpora ton today announced that the wage scale of day labor in its manufactur- ing plants would be increased 20 per cent September l and that other rates would be equitably adjusted"
 In addition to the 5000 men In tho employ of the Tennessee company in its manufacturing plants to be af- fected by the advance. there ara those employed by the American Steel and Wire. Tho advance will eventually affect labor In other mi1lI in the district, so that altogether the advance will apply to 10000 to 11.Ooo men In this state.
 The Tennessee company advanced the wages of ore miners and coal miners 10 per cent in June.
 Others to Follow
 The example of the steel corpora tion will be followed In the country at large. An Associated Press dis patch from Philadelphia yesterday stated the Midvale Steel and Ord nance company had announced it's in tention of putting the same advance in effect September l, and telegrams from Youngstown were to the effect that the 30.000 steel Iaborers in that district would get the advance.
 News of the advance was received with much qualification at Ensley, Bessemer and Fairfield, where the large manufacturing plants of the Tennessee, Chickasaw and American Steel and Wire companies are located. and the announcement of the ad- vance came with additional zest for the reason that the mills are operat- ing at 100 per cent and all the men employed are putting in full time and will be able to earn every pen ny of the advance by reason of 100 per cent employment.
 3O0,O00 Men Affected
 Additional details of the wage raise or the steel corporation and It's bear ings are given in an Associated Press telegram from New York last night as follows:
 New York. August 22.-Three bfr steel corporations, employing nor mally nearly 100000 workers. today announced a 20 per cent wage in. crease for all day laborers in their manufacturing plants. The United States Steel corporation took the lead but was quickly followed by the Md vale Steel and Ordinance company and the Youngstown Sheet and Tube com pany.
 In the absence of Charles schwab and Eugene Grace of the Bethlehem Steel corporation, no other official of that company would commit himself President Matthews of the Crucihla Steel corporation said his company had taken no action "as yet" It was generally believed in financial cir cles that all important independent steel firms would announce Increases within a few days.
 Was Surprise
 News of the increase came as surprise to the financial distrlct. probably because wage adjustments in other industries have been gen orally downward. It was followed bv slight recessions in the prices of steel shares.
 No explanation of the increase was given by the steel corporations. How ever. 1t is known that the immiera- ton has cut off the supply of un- sRilicd laborers, which formerly drifted to the iron and steel cen ters. When the labor shortage na- came acute last spring and inc stsel Industry began to show signs of re- Mobilization. temporary relief was afforded by the employment of men thrown out of work by the coal strike.
 Need of Men
 Resumption of coal mining and tho Increasing demand for laborers in other industries combined with the expected business revival this fall. Is reported to have caused appre- hension among mill managers. who feared that the higher wages else where would cause sufficient deser- tons to hamper their operations at a time when there was every pros pect for heavily increased orders.
 The United States Steel Corpora- ton employs approximately 22o. 900 nen of whom 156,000 are affected by the wage increase. the 64,0OO in the mining and transportation depart ments being excluded. Their rates will be "equitably adjusted" the off, ficial announcement stated. The in- crease will swell the company's pay roll by $35.000.090 on the basis or full time"-that is l2 hour day but many of the men are now work ing only eight hours day
 Thirty-six Ctn nts an Hour
 The corporation employed as high as 270,000 men in 1918. The highest rate paid by the company for day labor was 47 cents an hour. from February to May 1920 On May l6, a reduction of 20 per cent was an- nornced and in July of the same year overtime was eliminated. On August 19, 1921. day labor was re- duced to 30 cents an hour. now in eff feet. The increase will bring the rate up to 36 cents an hour.
 The average payroll of the cor poration during 1918, the banner
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