Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-06
WAGES ARE HIGHER;
WORKERS ACTIVE
Purchasing Power of Trades
at Peak LeveI-EmpIoy-
nent to Hold Up.

Specla Dispatch To The star
NEW YORK. September s.-There
is no indication that workers will find
their Jobs pulled out from under them
during the remainder or this wear
Employment according to the most
reliable signs is destined TO continue
at a high rate There may be some
seasonal Ietups but these will be
counterbalanced hy sea sonal increa ses.
Statisticians expect the number en-
ployed TO he fully up to the totals for
the late months of 1873.
Employment VIII not he universal
There are always those who through
choice. or i'll lock. or restlessness are
out Of jobs. That proportion Of the
population remains constant even In
times o. unusual prosperity But
there will he iobs for workers and
workers for Jobs. provided the two
can be brought together.
Building Holding Up.
Considerable has been said about a
slump IN building construction and a
consequent slackening Of A demand
for labor in the building trades Even
if new projects drop off. sufficient
building roW is under construction to
keep workers we'll employed in nearly
every section. There is no indication
that building in the South will he
ahohdoned during the coming Winter,
or that II will fall much below last
year in volume
Purchasing power of workers now
Is At a higher point than il has ever
been in the history of the world
Wages have been moved steadily UP
ward and there is no indication that
they viii he reduced OF that employers
in most lines Of endeavor will attempt
n have them reduced. They have
found that it pays to promote worker
efficiency. pay high wages. cultivate
higher standards Of living among
their workers and make of the latter
customers as we'll a : employees.
This however. does not apply to the
nituminous coal industry 50 far as
wages are concerned Operators I'M
douhtedly viii attempt to induce
miners to accept A lower scale when
new agreement is signed next
Spring.
Cost Of Living Lower
The decline in the cost of commodi.
ties has resulted in real" wages. or
the amount which the worker can
purchase with his money. rising to
The highest point since 1928 Wages
have increased over 4 per cent as
compared With a year ago. while the
cost Of living now is well under the
peak Tor TINS wear.
The steel industry did not release
many Of its workers during the sum
mer months and shows no signs of
letting mp This created a shortage of
road workers in some districts. which
will become more acute as the Fall
road building CAMPAIGNS are rushed
to a close. Man.S Of the itinerant
workers will pc absorbed on such
Jobs, and on. hydroelectric, irrigation
and other construction projects when
they leavsthe fields The tremendous
sales of. gasoline this year have in
creased, enormously the amount of
moneE paid in State taxes and utilized
in highway construction. The Min.
nesota fund. for example. is now
$4,000. 900 over early estimates.
Auto Industry Employment
The automobile industry is put
ting on more men steadily. The tex
tile and shoe manufacturers are
working At higher capacity ana
mines and lumber camps are main
tanning their activity AZ high rate.
The demand for factory employees Is
heavier than il was year ago, &C
eording to the American Plan Asso-
citation Of Cleveland. and while there
"a no shortage Of skilled workers.
prosperous condition is indicated for
both employer and eanpl"Ne. The
industrial conference board indicates
chat hourly wage earnings in tao
tories Of all lines for the country AT
large is SomeWha above 30 cents, as
compared with - cents in 1914.
Tie large industrial plants have
been more successful in developing
individual efficiency among workers
than the small plants. according To
the conclusions reached by the board.
According to its figures. production
per worker in plants with An an
nual outpu, of Sloo0.o"0 OF more was
81 500 for every $1,000 produced by
workers in plants with an output OF
less than 81 600 400. The volume of
production * At least SO per cent
greater than in 1914, and requires
g per cent less ahor. IL per cent
less powers and Il per cent less
mana cement personnel per unit of
production. and : per cent less &C
tual working time.