Evening star., 1924-05-18
U. S. BUSINESS TAKES
TURN FOR BETTER
Jobs Easier to Find in Past Two
Weeks, Says Labor
Department.
TWO SECTIONS EXEMPTED
Improvement Fails New England
and Pacific Coast.

"A turn 1Or the Detter IN business
conditions within the past two weeks,
and a somewhat easier quest for the
man who wants a job are announced
by the Department of Labor as the
result of nationwide survey of
employment conditions. New Eng
land and the Pacific coast. where un-
employment appears to be increasing,
are exceptions to the rule. Else
where business is picking up.
Two factors are reported as con-
tributing largely to the brighter out
look; the farmers need for more
hired men and the general revival in
general throughout the United States,
appears to have slowed down the
pace of both these factors. Now, how
ever, the late spring is history and
the number of workers on the pay
rolls are increasing.
Signs appear unmistakable, how
ever, that the country is catching
up with it's building needs. While
New York, New Jersey and some
other states report building opera
eQualled in some cities-numerous
other sections, notably the middle
west and northwest. report that new
construction will fall below previous
levels. From Minnesota comes word
that building operations did not at
tain the degree of activity expected; !;
from South Dakota, plenty of build
ing tradesmen are still available"
and from southern states "fair-sized
building programs" are reported.
Common Labor Surplus.
A surplus of common labor exists
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, with
a few outstanding centers as excep-
tions to the rule. but within the past
fortnight, it is reported, the surplus
has been whitfield down. Especially
is this true in the rural sections
where the farmer is calling for help.
In New England there are more farm
workers than jobs at the present
time. but in Michigan "a serious
shortage of farm labor" is reported,
and Ohio, with "a decided surplus Of
common labor in practically all in
dustries." reports difficulty in Sc
curing enough farm hands to supply
the demand"
farm labor exceeds the supply: Mis-
souri, anticipates a farm labor scarcity
In short time: South Dakota fears
that the farm labor shortage will be-
come acute in, few weeks; Illinois
finds an excellent demand for farm
labor, and from Iowa comes word that
farm needs are drawing heavily on
the surplus of unskilled workers
The farm labor bureau of the Labor
Department is about to open twenty
or more temporary Offices to supply
harvest hands in Texas, Oklahoma,
Kansas, Nebraska. South Dakota.
North Dakota, Montana, Washing ct on,
Oregon, Idaho, Missouri, Iowa. Min
neSota, Colorado and Wyoming. The
bureau has announced that very few
colored men are used in the wheat
harvest and none should start for the
fields unless they have definite as
surance of employment" Notwith-
standing, reports from Arkansas and
other southern states are to the eff
feet that the migrating negro is again
winging his way north.
Textile Mills Safer.
Textile mills in New England and
the south are suffering from lack of
demand for their products and are
running at an average of about half
time. In Washington, Oregon and
California, as well as in other north
western states. notably Michigan, the
lum ber industry has put on the brakes
with considerable force and by shut
ting down or part time operation has
contributed materially to unemploy
ment. The coal industry is employing
even fewer workers today than a
month ago, slack demand having ex-
tended now to the anthracite fields
The oil regions, however, are
whooping it UP for better times.
Wyoming alone. the Labor Depart
ment is advised, expects to drill 500
new holes this season. Road con-
struction work is drafting tens of
thousands in the east and south and
here and there factories are reported
as going on an overtime basis
Two men out of every 100 employed
in manufacturing plants lost their
jobs in April, according to a test sur
vey conducted by the bureau of labor
statistics in S,422 establishments in
50 industries. In those establish =
ments about $4,000 workers were laid
off. Much of this loss, however, was
seasonal and conditions are reported
to have changed for the better in
some of the Industries since the sur
vey was made.
Indications are that the country
will go into the summer with only a
slight degree of unemployment, much
of which can be attributed to slack
demand in the coal, iron and steel
and lumber industries.