The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-18
SURVEY MADE OF
 NATIONS WORKERS
Increase Shown Is Slight, But Shows Stable Gain For Rep
 resentatiVe Industries
WASHINGTON BUREAU l
 THE AGE-HERALD !

WaSn1IfRtOu, O. C.s NOV. Ab
 The United States department Of labor. through the bureau of labor statistics, here presents preliminary figures concerning volume of enl- ployment in October, 1923, from 7,233 representative establishments in 5l manufacturing industries. covering 2,464 PAT employees, whose total earn ings during one week in October were S65, 21,G32. The same establishments in September reported 2,433, 120 em- ployes and total pay rolls of S63, ,6e4,- 596. Therefore. in October, as shown iron; thdse unweighted figures for 61 industries combined. there was an increase as compared with September of less than one-tenth of l per cent in the number of employees. an in- crease of 3.2 per cent in the tota; amount paid in wages, and an in- crease Of 31 per cent in average weekly earnings.
 The bureaus questionnaire does not make inquiry concerning labor turn over, but as this Is the season of the year when men are looking for regu- lar work and an assured income, 1t is probable that this slight gain in employment, coupled with a substan- tial gain in average weekly earnings, is due to greater regularity of work and less floating labor than during the summer months. The Likelihood
 
 further confirmed by the few in- creases in rates of wages reported.
 Comparing data from identical es- tablishments) for September and Oc- tober, increases in employment are shown in 27 of the 51 industries and increases in the amount paid in wages in S6 industries.
 Tine confectionery and ice cream industry leads in increased employ ment, followed by dyeing and finish ing textiles, paper boxes, chewing to- bacco, shirts and collars and glass.
 The womens clothing and automo- bile industries show very large in- creases in pay roll totals. while the cotton goods industry shows de- crease of nearly per cent.
 Considering the industries by groups, increases in employment are shown in the total of all establish mentS in the food industries, and in the textile, paper and printing, to- baceo and vehicles groups.
 Forty-two of the fifty-one indus tries show increased per capita earn ings in October as compared with 39 in September, 25 in August and only 10 in July.
 Comparing October, 1923, with oc- tober, 1922, in 3.1S6 establishments in 43 industries there was an increase in the 12 months of 92 per cent in the number of employees, an increase of 21.5 per cent in total pay rolls. and an increase of 11.3 per cent In average weekly earnings.
 Thirty-one of the forty-three i'm dustries show increased employment, while 40 show increased pay roll to- tals.
 Owing to the pottery strike in 1922, that industry in October, 1923, shows an increase in employment of 51 per cent, and in pay roll total of 69 per cent.
 Considering the industries by groups, II out of 13 groups show in- cre2ses fin employment in the year, and f2 show very substantial gains in pay roll totals,
 No general increase in wages p.ovement appeared in any one in- dustry during the month ending Oc tober 15, although 147 establishments,