South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-02-22
NATION INDUSTRY
IS 6Ofo OPTIMISTIC
Forty Percent Predict Further
Cuts in Wages for the
Coming Year.
By r y SHAY
Acting Executive Secretary. Indus
trial Relations Association OF
America


NEW YORK. FEB. 2I-Ame-Ican
industry is now so percent optims-
tic
Exact conditions and expectations
for the future. are shown in SUR
vev ~ rcurrsertative industries ln
10 cities
seventv-six firms canvassed had
total working forces last Ju.T 10 OF
r4a181 Although they had added
9.505 men tn ThN interim. they had
laid rF MANY more So the total
vorklue force had dw.ndied Jan. j
~ qse sf. ~ whom 1922 are work
Ing short time
fifteen of lie rs plants are work
ing 700 nerceut capacity and are
optimistic ~ 1922 One plant is op-
Grating only Eve percent Of capacity
and holds gloomy viewpoint
Further cuts iH waFes are pre-
dlted bv 40 percent az the indus
tries replying 90 tho QUESTIONABLE.
The average maximum rate for
common labor 81 80 % $50 cents. az
against ~ 20 S. on July IS Chicago
uave the most. 10 cents am hour
phfI4defohta the least. % cents an
hour Thirtv-three firms reported
var. cuts since July ~ from 3 20
20 percent the average cut being
80 percent
Slime concerns anticipate further
cue in WORKING hours. while ~
trsur hours may Doe lenEthened.
REPORTS Of the canvass in 10
ctie follow
re--- N-f-r roD~arrs norma lis
euuIovfrr ss-s new employ f.lsl
OF whom 1881 have been added n
for- months Working hours average
SIS week as against SIS normal
In one plant is working 100 per-
cent. the others ranging from 20 to
S. nercent. with t.0fI men working
short Time only one concern eN-
poets TO increase workiuz hours.
while two expect a decrease. Maxi
mum common labor rates are IS 90
IS cents an hour. Two firms eX-
pect further cuts a majority view
the future pessimistically.
Bridgeport Conn The one con-
Germ reporting ie operating only 2o
rercent capacity although more
than 200 men have been added since
July. Maximum common labor rate
IS a. cents Another cut may be
made. An optimistic view of the fu-
ture exists.
Baltimore: Two concerns report
ing show a decrease OF - percent
in working forces; one is working
100 percent. the other IS percent;
the former added 143 since July.
Roth are ON "a 4S-h0ur week. Maxi
mum common labor rates are 81 20
IS cents Future Improvement is not
expected. but no further wage re-
ductions are anticipated
Cincinnati. Eight concerns nor
ruaIIv employing qS4 now employ
3.S1s. with $40 working short time
Two plants employing 1000 and
SIS. respectively are working 100
percent capacity. one 60 and the
other 50 hours a week Another
WORKING 90 percent caTacity. has
weekly working hours Of 50 90 -
Only one OF the eight firms expects
an increase In hours. Three are OPP
timistic Of Improvement Maximum
rates are 33 TO 81 cents
Cleveland One Of four firms re-
porting bas decreased the workine
force from 1900 90 so. only five per-
cent Of the plant operating Fifteen
81 the so plants added since JULY
OF She other three firms the plant
operation les 30 40 and IS percent
respectively. the latter having re
Gently added 600 men Workne
hours range from 3e5 20 so. normal
IS As 10 so Maximum common lab
or rate is so cents. No changes in
working force or wages are expect
ed
Chicago Working hours Of II
concerns reporting range from 35 "a
100 The latter being a steel mill OPP
Grating continuous shifts Average
working hours exclusive OF this
min are 3--5 "a week only one Is
oreratirg fun capacHy. others rang
Ing from - to 90 percent. OF the
1t6t5 men employed bv the
firms. 6.015 are on short time -Four
expect am iae -ease i'm hours and on,
anticipates Is decrease. Maximum
common labor rates are so 20 "a
cents. Seven concerns wajo cut.
since July r8rE.nc from 5 to Is per-
cent optimism prevails
Detroit Eight concerns normaIl7
emulcving $3.50 report "a so per
cent decrease since July WorkiDl
hours remain practically the same
except one FIRMS reduction from IS
20 3S-hour week. & fS-hour week
largely prevails Plant operation
ranges FROM 30 90 90 percent Maxi
mum wage rates ar. s- to So cents
Optimism PREVAILS although four Of
fha eight firms fNnr.f d further rui