The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-07-11


end of the month had increased
1919 level and 421a per cent
above May a year ago affording
small hope for steady employ
ment in the immediate future.
Denial to labor Of the right to bene-
fit by the increased productive ca.
pacity Of machinery either in shorter
hours or higher living standards, the
figures show, is producing situation
where a steady Job will be the excep-
ton rather than the rule. The right
of labor to steady employment and
the right of ownership to take in
creasing profits are proving incom-
patible.
Manufacturing Drops Sharply.
Production of manufactured goods,
according to the department of CON-
merce index, declined from 1876 per
cent of the 1919 level in May to Ill
per cent in May, 1924. This sharp
drop WIS produced by reductions Of IS
per cent in production in the textile
industry, of 3s per cent in iron and
steel, of % per cent in leather and
Of "a per cent in the miscellaneous
group of industries.
In the cotton industry this meant
a drop to 671k per cent of single shift
capacity, as compared with 80 per
cent of capacity in April and nearly
10S per cent of capacity in May, 1923
In the steel industry it meant less
than so per cent of capacity. Produc
ton Of passenger automobiles fell
from 34S,356 in March to 49, 39 in
May, or more than 20 per cent under
May, 1923, when S5O,46O cars were
produced. Only Ill railroad locomo
tives were produced in May, as com
pared with 23S year ago.
UnsoId Goods, UNIFIED orders.
That industrial activity is not vel
down to where consumption equal:
production is indicated not only By
the increase in unsold goods in the
hands of manufacturers, but in the
continued decrease in untitled orders
The amount of such orders, as report
ed to the department Of commerce il
May, was more than so per cent be
low 1920 and 46 per cent under May
1928.
The increase in unemployment and
in part-time work is reported by the
department of labor and by the lead
ing industrial states as tending to in
crease the depression by decreasing
the amount Of money wage earneri
put into circulation each week. This
decrease in the ability to buy goods
is reflected in the government stats
tics Of wholesale and retail trade dur
ing May. Compared with May, 1923
wholesale business has fallen on
per cent, department store sales III
per cent and mail order sales pei
cent. The demand for dry goods
shoes and hardware as reflected IL
wholesale business is off IL per cent
2B per cent and 141z per cent, as
compared with May, 1928.
What Could Be Done.
Americas labor force, operating its
own productive plant steadily thruou'
a normal working year of eight-houl
days, could produce vastly more
goods than there is a market for with
the peoples purchasing power What
it is today. Successive periods Of
speculative investment in which the
productive plant of the country is fur
Their increased afford the basis for pc
riodic booms, but also tend to make
the situation of the worker worse.
Employment can be regularized BY
changing the emphasis from produc
ton of capital to production OF lei
sure and good standard OF Twins
for all. Secretary Melons econom
les, which make increase OF capita
available to productive enterprise pri
mary rather than secondary, is out Of