Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1922-03-01
National Industrial Conference
Report Says Problem War
rants Deep Study.
MANY WHO WILL NOT WORK
Factors Entering Into Relations Be-
tween Employers and Workers
Emphasized-Average Worker.
Loses az Days a Year.

| continuous industrial problem, Sufh-
cient in Importance to warrant con-
certed effort by economists and bust
ness men to remove certain of it's
. causes, is the stand taken by the ma
tional industrial conference board, in
q report on 1.-The Unemployment Prob
lem" The report gives a %comprehen-
sive survey of the extent of unem-
ployment during normal periods and
during the present business depres'
sion, discusses the auses and analyses
remedies suggested.
The object of this study is to set
forth fundamental principles to be TAX
en- into account in considering the
problem, derived from analysis of data
and experience, and from basic eco
nomic considerations, in order to pro-
vide a guide by which employers or
organizations may approach their un-
employment problems more intelli-
gently. &,
"The report" says a statement from
the board, makes q careful distinc-
ton between idleness and unemploy-
ment, which refer to very different
causes. 1dleness proceeds from three
principal sources: Unwillingness to
work on the part Of those who are
capable Of. performing work; disabil-
ity, physical or mental, of otherwise
| willing workers, and lastly, unemploy-
ment of those who are capable and
, willing to work, but cannot find work
because of industrial Embellishments
within the plant or industry, or be-
cause Of general economic conditions
ut home or abroad.
Causes of Unemployment.
The statement then takes up the
causes of unemployment. They fall
into two classes, described in the re-
port as follows:
1. Internal causes arising from con-
ditions within individual manufactur-
ing plants. These embrace:
(a) Personal factors such as strikes
and lockouts, and disability; (b) i'm
personal factors relating either to
failures Of management, resulting in
faulty factory organization, to high
production costs within the control Of
management, ineffective sales methods,
lack of materials and equipment, high
labor turnover, or to failure Of EN-
ployees because Of inef1clency, or to
the displacement of hand labor by
| machinery.
In the aggregate these causes pro-
duce q more or less continuous per-
centage. of unemployment from month
to month and from year to year.
2. External causes due to influences
operating outside Of the plant. These
are:
Ja) Of economic origin, resulting
from seasonal variations, business de-
pressions, wasteful systems of COM
modify distribution, deficient labor
placement facilities; (b) of political
origin, due to immigration and tariff
policies and, international relation
ships.
at is estimated" the statement says,
that in 1920 the total. number of per-
sons engaged in gaintul occupations in
the United States was about 41,O0O,-
GOO. Most of the available employ
ment statistics pertain to wage-earners
in the groups of manufacturing and
mechanical industries, which numbered,
in 1920, about 12,S00,000. During nor
NAL times, it is estimated that about
100000 of these are out Of work,
since, on the average, about AZ days
per year, or about IA per cent of his
total working time, s.lost by each in
dustrial ~wage-earher. About seven
DAYS of this lost time is due to sick
ness. Deducting this, the total loss
caused by unemployment of Tire aver
age wage-earner in the United States
is about 80 days a year. This does not
include loss from part-time employ
ment, for which no reliable figures are
to be had.
Days of Unemployment.
"The average of 80 days does moi
aDply u every liRluopSI " thS "Nih
ers in many industries are subject to
longer periods of unemployment, while
in others the average is low.
The report estimates that more than
on%e-quarter Of the industrial wage
earners were out Of work on June 1,
1921, representing an estimated total
Of 100000 persons.
Many concerns, the report says, are
~lnventing means to better arrange
ments within their plants affecting the
cause Of unemployment attributed to
personal and lmpersonal factors within
the establishment. Better methods and
more thorough organization to reduce
friction and to develop industrial CO.
operation between employers and en-
ployees are being tested in many In
dustries. The report points out that
in attempting to remedy the causes of
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