Evening star., 1930-06-08

The Importance Of timely and reliable
information on the prevalence Of un-
employment at any given time is keenly
recognized by Government officials, by
employers, and by the workers them
selves, and the need Of better organized
means Of obtaining data Is felt. The
whole scheme Of life Of any people Is
based on the extent to which workers
are employed. without employment
wages stop and, therefore, buying. Lack
ing purchasing power, the people are
unable to sustain trade and manufac-
turing slumpS. A cycle Of depression Is
started.
Early information as TO developing
unemployment in q given region would
enable all concerned to make intelligent
shifts before the situation becomes
acute. Better information Of regions in
which employment Is available and
warnings as to where 1t Is scarce
should be provided for the beneflt OF
workers and employers.
The Bureau Of Labor Statistics OF the
United States Department Of Labor Is
studying the problem, but so far has
been handicapped by lack Of funds. In
past Winter q great deal Of confusion
existed. The Department Of Labor IT.
self claimed no complete accuracy for
its statistics. At best only estimates
could be made. Senators and Repre-
sentatives In Congress quoted figures
which they had obtained from various
sources. Some represented their own
guesses based on personal observation.
The labor unions made incomplete re-
ports. Bread lines constitute an made
quate index, as they number among
their beneficiaries many persons not
regularly employed. The only measure
of unemployment at all reliable Is a
statement of the number of people out
Of Jobs who normally have work.
Congress has In the past appro-
priated sums of money for special un-
employment surveys. In period when
unemployment has been known to exist,
but where uncertainty has existed as
to its extent, Congress has asked the
Department Of Labor to report on the
number out Of work. This system never
Is practicable, according to labor ON
cials. A hasty survey Is made based on
data gathered from q score OF sources
by unstandardized methods. At best
the report submitted is q guess.
What is needed Is some regular
standard method for obtaining the data.
Unemployment surveys made at regular
intervals would not only reveal the ex-
tent of unemployment at q given time,
but, what is Of equal importance, the
trend of unemployment. Such figures
would show, over a period OF time,
whether the number Of jobs is on the
increase or decline. The charting of
these trends would enable employers and
governmental officials as well as labor
leaders to act intelligently in dealing
with the problem.
Recent Surveys in Some Cities.
The decennial census periods are too
far apart to be of particular value. The
census years are arbitrarily fixed and
one may fall by chance in a period Of
acute unemployment, while the next
occurs at a time of labor shortage.
Neither, perhaps, produces the figures
when they are wanted. But the cost Of
taking a census Is so heavy that 1t
would be impracticable to have more
frequent surveys Of the whole country.
At present, officials Of the. Depart
ment of Labor observe, the only pros
compiled, Is the enlistment of the CO.
operation of local communities and
governments and even Of private organi-
cations. There seems to be no present
practicable means Of covering the entire
country at frequent intervals, but 1t is
hoped that arrangements will be made
to make sample surveys In selected COM
munitieS which will r 1ect typical
employment conditions. ~.
Buffalo, N. Y; Philadelphia, Pa, and
Baltimore, Md, made unemployment
surveys last year. It was impracticable
to cover the entire cities in Buffalo and
Philadelphia but care was used in
selecting representative city blocks so