Evening star., 1924-04-30
INDUSTRIES ON EVE
OF PROSPEROUS YEAR
Few Controversies Existing to Mar
Progress in the Labor
World.
SLIGHT EXCEPTIONS NOTED
Wage Farmers Buying Power In
Main Undiminished.
SLIGHT EXCEPTIONS NOTED
BY j. C. ROYLE.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, April 30.-The open
ing of a new labor year Thursday VIII
find the skies clearer than for many
years, so far as American Industries
are concerned Few controversies
are existing between employers and
employees and general labor is we'll
employed at wage scales which have
proved satisfactory. The importance
of this fact lies not alone with those
directly concerned. Every phase OF
American industry and commerce is
affected, for it means that the buying
power of the American wage Garner
the greatest factor IN the trade OF
the nation, has been undiminfGhed and
gives indication of stability
Exceptions to General Trend.
There are some exceptions to this
general trend. The New England tex
tile situation has shown little sign
of recent Improvement. Workers are
on a fun-time basis in only few
plants Manufacturers are consider
ing seriously a reduction in wages
Labor leaders give warning that any
such reduction must be followed by
a strike. on the other hand. how
ever. the textile plants of Georgia,
according to Z. +. Glenn, president
of the Georgia Cotton Manufacturers
Association, are operating on basis
of 90 per cent of normal Mills in
North and South Carolina are work
, ing on an average of 10 to 80 per
cent of capacity.
/ The workers in the bituminous
| mines are idle, in many cases more
than half of the week. The soft coal
situation gives no immediate prospect
of betterment, in view of the slacken-
: ing off in evidence in steel and other
manufactures. However, the workers
Sand their employers in the majority
of the coal mining sections have come
to an understanding which will pre-
vent any serious labor disturbance,
at least until next spring.
Copper Production Restricted.
Some of the copper mines are re-
stricting production, but many of the
miners engaged in those properties
are having no difficulty in finding re-
munerative employment in the mines
producing other metals where a
shortage of skilled men exists.
In isolated section of the country
May l will be marked by demands for
additional wagd compensations from
some unions i'll the building trades.
In the more populous centers, how
ever, where the greater part of the
there will be no change from present
scales or any diminution of building
activity, at least for the present.
Building for the first three months
of this year has been about IL PEI
cent heavier than in 1928. Employ
ment is general at peak wages, with
a special demand for bricklayers and
plasterers. Common labor released
from other pursuits is being absorbed
by the building trades without diff.
Guilty, and the demand for skilled
artisans is such that employers and
unions are cooperating in establish
ing apprentice schools.
Demand for Steel Slow.
In spite of the activity, the de-
mand for steel has not been fully up
to expectations. and the trend of en-
ployment of both skilled and un-
skilled labor is showing a palpable
slowing down. Quotations nominally
remain unchanged, but the trend is
visible in the fact that really desir-
able orders are being placed we'll un-
der those formal figures. For ex-
ample. 2.30 cents a pound Pittsburgh
is quoted on bars. shapes and plates.
Yet it is, a question whether as low
as 2.10 might not be acceptable on
big orders.
Nevertheless, there is talk that the
highly skilled workers in the indus
try are prep4ring to make demands
for additional compensation. The un
skilled workers released are being
taken over as fast as they apply
for work on higway construction.
which will get into fill swing for
the year May 1.
Call for Harvest Hands.
Already the call for harvest hands
is going out, and the itinerant work
ers face the prospect of busy and
lucrative summer. There has been
only a slight advance in the wages
paid farm hands on a year-round
bdSiS. but there is evidence that the
extra workers necessitated by the
harveSts, which soon will start in
the southwest, will equal or exceed
those of last year. The adoption of
the eight day on the farms, with
a three shift basis, probably will be
more NEide Snread than ever hefnre