Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1927-04-28
UNEMPLOYED WORKERS
OVERRUN MINNEAPOLIS
ST. PAUL AND DULUTH
Labor Official Gives Warning to
Workers to Avoid the Three
Big Industrial Centers Of the
State.

st. Paul, Mimi, April 81, 1927
: Severe unemployment conditions ex-
list in the cities of Minneapolis, St.
Paul, and Duluth" Secretary George
w. Lawson of the Minnesota State
Federation of Labor declared today.
ITO read the stories the metropol-
itan daily newspapers are carrying
of the rosy industrial conditions in
the big cities it would be difficult to
picture the armies of tired, discour-
aged and often hungry men and wo-
men who are tramping the streets
of these cities vainly seeking en-
ployment.
"yet unemployment and restitution
are facts, while the stories of indus
trial prosperity existing in the cities
are hazy Dreams" Mr.. Lawson de-
clared.
Secretary Lawson continued his
statement as follows:
Officers of the State Federation of
Labor realized that the winter had
been one of widespread unemploy-
ment; but the extent of this condition
was more deeply impressed upon us
at a recent meeting of the executive
council of the State Federation when
we received the reports of the vice
presidents from Duluth, st. Paul, and
Minneapolis.
'The situation is made more in
tense from the fact that work is not
opening up as it usually does in the
spring and workers are now facing
unemployment with their savings ex-
hausted after a winter of enforced
idleness.
\ False Stories of Prosperity.
Making the situation worse are
the stories of prosperity carried in
the daily newspapers and erroneous
reports of employment conditions in
the cities broadcasted by the en-
ployment department of the U. S.
department of labor. Instead of pros
perity in the cities there exists the
worst period of depression that has
been known.
1--WE realize the scope of agricul-
turaf depression and that thousands
are compelled to leave the farms and
seek employment in the cities; but it
is difficult to understand how the con-
dition of the people in the farming
districts can be improved by coming
to the cities under present conditions.
wages are low in Minnesota cities
compared with cities of other states.
A common laborer in Chicago and
other cities outside Minnesota re-
ceives the same wage that is paid to
skilled mechanics in Minnesota cities.
1--WE sympathize with the people of
the farming districts in the desperate
situation they have had to meet, but
our condition in the cities is also
desperate one. Organized labor did
everything in its power to have the
McNary-Haugen bill enacted into law
to give some relief to the farmers.
We were as disappointed as they in
it's veto.
Have Mutual Interests.
"The greater the extent of unem-
ployment, the lower wages are driven
down the less able are the workers
to pay a fair price for farm products
and farmer and city worker both suf-
fer as result.
"Stories of prosperity in Mime
apolis, Duluth, and st. Paul are gross
exaggerations. Buildings that are
never constructed are built two OF
three times in the newspaper stories
We are stating the situation as it is
We have sent a warning to the work
ers of all the large cities of the coun-
try regarding employment conditions
in Minnesota cities and we trust thai
neither they nor workers in the rural
districts will permit themselves to be
deceived by daily newspaper exagger-
ationS.
Not Selfish Motive.
Anyone who doubts the statement
we are making concerning conditions
in Minnesota cities is urged to cor
respond with friends in the cities to
verify our statement.
1--WE are not trying to build wall
around the cities but we are earnestly
and sincerely endeavoring to save
unnecessary expense, inconvenience
and disappointment to those who
may have been convinced that ST.
Paul, Duluth, and Minneapolis are a
paradise for those seeking employ
ment.
$50 deplorable are conditions that
thousands of our own members have
been forced to go outside the state
to obtain employment"