The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-02-12
u. S. Unemployed Over 100000
(To Be .Continued)

ence of the reactionary New York Women's
Trade Union League said:
The number of unemployed in this country
at the present time is about 4,000,000'
From all these capitalist sources it is very
clear that at the beginning of 1929 there were
between 100000 and 100000 unemployed
workers. In the first part of 1929 production
was at the highest rate in the history Of
American capitalism. But this absorbed very
little of the millions of unemployed--plus the
population of new young workers available for
work-due to the tremendous speed-up pro-
cesses introduced by the capitalists.
Beginning with September, 1929, hundreds
of thousands of workers were thrown out of
work because of rapidly declining production
in steel, building automobiles, etc. The An
nalist, organ of Wall Street, on the basis of
the Department of Labor figures on unemploy-
ment for October, November and December,
early in January stated that at least 100000
workers in manufacturing plants alone became
Jobless because of the crisis. This did not
cover railroad workers, miners, office workers,
department store workers, farm workers. or
others.
Still, on this basis, though we realize that
there are millions-anywhere from 100000
to 0,OO0-unemployed, the capitalists have
been careful to see that no definite, authorize
i've 1lgureS are issued.
On the LIST of February, the American Fed
Grafton OF Labor, under the signature of
Green, declared that 10 per cent of the men,
bers of the A. F. of L. were unemployed
There are no means Of directly checking up
Mr.. Green's figures. But we can take it for
granted that they very much understate the
actual facts. Green is working hand-n- glove
with Hoover and Davis, and certainly would
do nothing to embarrass them. , Hence he
issued the most conservative figures he pos
sibly could on unemployment But we will
accept Mr.. Green's figures, as basis of COM
putation, and merely add / per cent for the
unemployment that has occurred since the
American Federation of Labor compiled its
list
This gives us the round figure of 20 per
cent unemployment in the American Fedora
ton of Labor, on the admission of the most
reactonary labor leader in the world; close
friend and associate of Hoover, and a strike
breaker of the first water.
Production dropped most severely in the
automobile and steel industries during the
past six months. Mainly unskilled workers
are employed in these industries. For in.
stance, automobile production dropped 81 per
cent; the steel industry now is working at be-
tween Is and 25 per cent below the average
of 1929 and 1928. .s.4s sza IL 5s
By applying Green's conservative figure of
20 per cent unemployment to the entire work
ing class-about $4,000 00-we come to- the
conclusion that there are at the present time
at least 100000 jobless workers tramping the
streets looking for work.
One of the chief means of meeting the pres-
ent crisis being devised by the bosses is the
naturalization of their plants. This is evident
in every basic industry-stee, automobile.
rubber, building. Even if the bosses are able
to raise production above the present crisis
level they intend to do it with their present
working forces--anl possibly with even re-
duced numbers of workers.
Mass chronic, permanent unemployment is
here to stay, under capitalism,