The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-06-26
UNEMPLOYMENT IN NEW
YORK STATE

Figures already published for a few New
York districts in the recent unemployment
census show an unprecedented number out of
work. For six of the citys % assembly dis
tricts the total reported as unemployed
23,O43. This was SAT per cent of all persons
counted in these districts The figure is ad-
mitted to be Unusually high" "On the same
basis" declared the reactionary Herald Tri-
bune, "there would be more than 100000 I'M
employed in the United States and more than
100000 in New York City" All these figures
are most probably gross underestimations by
the apologists for capitalism.
Inroads of unemployment on the health and
well+being of New Workers are admitted by
all charity and social work organizations in
touch with conditions. At meeting at the
Hudson Guild on West 9th Street, on June
10 the president of the Guild stated:
"The effects of unemployment among the
population served by the Guild are taxing its
resources to the utmost. They are especially
evident in the condition of many people in
the Chelsea district. Cases of serious illness
in which the mother hesitates to call the doc
tor because of the 50 fee are conspicuous. Eff
fects of malnutrition are becoming obvious to
Guild workers in weighing and nursing chill
dren"
Private Ownership Reason for JobIessness.
Inc DdSlc reason 1Or Jne immense wave VI
joblessness which is now engulfing the Amer
lean workers is the private ownership of the
factories, land, and other means of production.
Under such conditions, the more machinery is
improved, the more unemployment and suffer-
ing there is, instead of higher wages and more
leisure for the workers. Even Frances Per-
kins, Commissioner of Labor in New York
State, told the House Judiciary Committee
in Washington on June 10, "The improvements
in machinery which have been going on so
rapidly for the last ten years are undoubtedly
creating a surplus of skilled labor"
How that surplus of labor grows, along with
higher profits for the bosses, is shown by the
United States Census of Manufacturers for
1926 Comparing that year with only two
years before, the census shows that in New
York State the number of factories went down
from $4,000 to $4,000, drop of 5000. Factory
wage workers decreased from 1,149,0OO to
1866 900. a drop of $4,000. Wages dropped
from 81 $50 900, 900 to 1884, 100000 loss of
S46O00,000. But at the same time, the value
of the goods turned out by these fewer work
ers in fewer factories, getting $46,000O00 less
wages, increased from $8,913 100000 to $780,
100000, or no less than S56,O00,O00!
Where can these workers who are continu-
ously pushed out of industry turn, to find out
about such jobs as may still be left for them?
The state of New York, with 100000 wage
workers, maintains only eleven public employ
ment bureaus. Instead, there are hundreds OF
private job agencies, each seeking to skin the
iobless worker before the boss gets chance
to skin him.
Findings of Commission Never Published.
Last year the Industrial Survey Commission
probed into the dealings of these private en-
ployment sharks. The findings of the commits
,hoL Ifc
however, TEEN with examples of vicious prac-
tees pursued by the job agents.
Many witnesses before the commission tes-
titled that after paying fees they had been
sent to jobs which they could not fill and for
which they had not applied. Others swore that
they had been sent to permanent positions"
which turned out to be only temporary. Some
were even sent to distant cities for jobs that
did not exist Frequently the wages paid on
the lob were much lower than the agency had
represented.
Theft of fees collected in advance for jobs,
but not returned when no jobs were found, as
the law requires, was also charged against
the private agencies. One witness told of hav-
ing seen men thrown down the stairs and
beaten up when they demanded their money
back.
The struggle against unemployment and
starvation. the demand for work or wages is
the central demand of the Communist election
platform.
Workers. Rally to the struggle against I'M
employment, speed-up, wage cuts, and the
whole system of wage slavery! Vote Commu-
mist in the coming elections.
workers and farmers government, operat-
ing the land and the industries collectively, is
the only way to end unemployment and the
abuses that go with it. Build the Communist
Party.