Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-24
The Census of the Idle.

The Census Of the Idle.
The only comfort to be found in the
Census Bureaus unemployment figures,
long awaited Is the one cficial index
that we have, is that things are not as
bad Is they might be and that the
tendency has been to overestimate, in.
stead Of TO underestimate, the number
Of men out of work and seeking q Job.
Last January. Secretary Davis, in a
speech delivered over The Stars Radio
Forum. placed the figure at 5000, 900.
The American Federation Of Labor at
one time estimated 3,7o0.ooo. Some es-
Inmates went as high Is 100000. But
the Census Bureaus count reduces
these TO 2,500,ooo, in round numbers,
and not much difference Ia TO be sx-
pected, one way or the other, when
the anal returns are tabulated and
substituted for yesterdays announce
ment, based ON preliminary reports.
In August, 1921, when the country
was suffering the inevitable reaction
from the. war period, the Department
Of Labor. estimating, In response TO q
Senate resolution, placed the number
Of unemployed at 5.73s,0oo. The basis
for the estimate was the number hold
ing Jobs at the peak Of the employ
nent in 1920. The count was made
by taking the difference between the
pay rolls Of 1920 and those of 1921.
This years unemployment. therefore,
remains far below the figure for 1921.
It is favorable In comparison with the
year 1900. when the Census Bureau esti-
mated that 100000 men and women
were out Of work for at least seven Of
twelve months of that year.
But there Is no comfort in the reaIiza-
ton that o vast army Of two and half
millions wage earners. about I'VE par
cent Of the gainfuIly employed pcpula-
ton Of the United states. u marching
the bitter road 10 poverty because Of
lack Of work. There In no comfort In the
realization that had Il not been the year,
Of the census. no statistics would now
be forthcoming on the extent OF unsm-
pioyment. There u no comfort IN the,
fact that. now the statistics are avail
abs. there exists NO organised nia-.
shinsgy for utiiising them ID Q manner
that might reduce the number OF unem-
pIoyed. Time, and the changes Il brings.
has heretofore been found the only
remedy for this periodic curse Of eiyiii-
Eation.
The last Congress allowed some dis
position TO do more than talk about
Unemployment, and passed what was
probably the most important Of the
three bills introduced BY Senator wag-
ner Of New York. Another Of these bills
was left IN conferences when Congress
adjourned and retains It's status In the
next session. The third was passed by
the Senate and placed on the House
calendar. The bill that was passed and
now 10 law expands the statistical work
Of the Department Of Labor and makes
provision for the effective gathering Of
Nationwide statistics on unemployment
IA all lines Of economic effort. It will
make available, In the future. periodic
information that should prove Of great
value. It will enable the Nation to
know in advance the signs that bctoken
q period OF unemployment. and to make
whatever preparations are possible 10
deal with the problem. It's passage rep
resents one Of the really constructive
steps in dealing with unemployment.
The bill left in conference when Con-
gress adjourned Is designed to time pub
lie construction so Is to take UP the
slack at the beginning Of an impending
recession in private employment-a
principle already used by the Federal
Government, and that Of many States
and municipalities, 10 deal with the
current situation. The other bill would
create machinery for an adequate Ma
tion-wide employment bureau, offering
Its free services TO men out Of work.
These remedies have never been held
mp as cure-alls or preventives. They
are stimulants that might alleviate SUI
fering, or strengthen resistance In times
when the industrial life of the Nation
begins TO ebb. They should be and
doubtless viii be tried for what they
are worth.
In the meantime the solution Is being
sought for q problem that is baffiing
the civilized world. Recent Associated
Press dispatches estimated unemploy-
ment in six European countries at
B.soo,ooo. OF these England contrib
uted 100000; Germany 2,7oo,ooo, with
italy. France. Austria and Hungary
making UP the balance. Americas ad-
ditional 100000 sends the mark for
seven countries above s,40o, 00o--a figure
that exceeds the total population, men
women and children, Of Philadelphis
and New York combined.
The only trouble Is that when an