The Washington times., 1930-03-04
J. S: AND JAPAN REPORTED IN AGREEMENT ON NAIVE!
DEFICIENT DATA
ON JOBLESS
BALKS AID

Even approximate official sta
tistics as to the number Of un-
employed in United States are not
obtainable in Washington, Off
cials of several Government de-
partments frankly admitted to-
day.
A checkup at the Labor De-
partment, Commerce Department,
Treasury and Federal Reserve
Board showed that only percent
age and index figures as to in
creases and decreases in employ
ment are compiled and these do
not cover the great mass Of the
workers Of the country.
Handicap Estimate
This deficiency in statistical
service was the subject Of COM
ment by President Hoover in one
Of his campaign speeches in New
Jersey. The great lack Of de-
pendable figures was held a cause
OF serious concern and a handi-
cap in estimating economic con-
ditionS.
The nearest thing to unemploy-
ment figures, was found in the
Bureau of Labor Statistics of the
Labor Department. For January
there was a decrease Of 2.6 per
cent in employment as compared
to December for the manufactur-
ing, mining, public utilities and
a number Of other industries en-
ploying 4,919,972 persons in De-
cember. For the manufacturing
industry. employing 3,239,353 in
December the decrease was given
as 1.8 per cent.
Figures Incomplete
The Federal Reserve Board uses
an index system, but has avail
able no real unemployment sta
tisticS. The boards statistical
service takes in only factory en-
ployment, but in this regard is
somewhat more complete than
the Labor Department.
The Com m erce Department
uses Labor Department and
American Federation of Labor
figures. 1t was said that the
labor figures do not comprise
such new industries as rayon,
aeronauticS and others.
The deficiency will be met this
year when, in connection with
the regular ten-year census, there
will be enumeration of the un-
employed. The figures will be
issued as soon as possible md
the service may be continued on
regular annual basis. Until
these figures are available the
Government has no real estimate
as to the number of unemployed.
Union Reports
The American Federation like
wise uses percentage figures, but
its statistics takes in only union
men. For February. figures for
"a cities showed % per cent of
the union members reporting out
of work, as compared with 20
per cent in January. There
were 4 per cent more workers out
of employment in February than
in the worst months two winters
ago, according to the federation.
Meanwhile in the Senate, In.
surgents and Democrats were de
manding aid for the army of
unemployed, and the Administra.
ton was charged with fomenting
a red scare" to draw a red
herring across the trail of eco.
nomic depression" For nearly
three hours yesterday debate
ragged on the employment queS
ton.
Would Quiz WOII
Senators Wheeler CD of Mon
tana and Heflin CD of Ala.
bama have demanded that Mat
thew Woll, vice president of the
labor federation, be called before
the Senate Lobby Investigating
Committee to be questioned con
corning his charges Soviet money
was backing red riots in this
country. Woll was accused of
being on the payroll Of the Re
publican national committee by
Democrats.
One unemployment resolution
is pending before the Senate Edu
cation and Labor Committee,
that of Senator Brookhart (R.I
of Iowa, providing for a $4,000,
900 fund for the relief of unem
ployment.
New York's unemployed are
forced to sleep in river barges
used by day as freight carriers
because the municipal lodging
houses are overflowing, Senator
Wagner CD of New York told
the Senate late yesterday in a
speech on the unemployment stu
alton.