Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-31
Cainfully Occupied.
Prom the New York Times.

Prom the New York Times.
Ten years ago the Federal census fig-
ures on occupations signalized the re-
versal of trend that had been under
way for at least 30 years. The three
preceding enumerations had shown an
increasing percentage OF the population
gainfully employed. OF all persons 10
years old and over, those so occupied rose
from ATS per cent in the year 1880 to
492 per cent in 1890, 500 per cent in
1900 and 533 per cent in 1910 But
the census of 1920 revealed a drop to
500 per cent. The decrease was all the
more significant because 1920 was still q
year of high employment In persistence
of the Nations war effort. What will the
figures for the census of 1880 show?
They are now being issued at Washing
ton in daily installments for separate
towns and States. II one may Judge
from the samples in hand, the decline
in the ratio of gainfully occupied, which
first appeared in 1920. was kept up. But
1t also seems probable that the shrink
age from 1920 to 1880 will not be so
large as during the preceding period.
The question is one of ratios, of
course. and not of absolute numbers.
Although the 1920 census registered a
dCSAAAiC VI q RCAoO1Ao OCCuDlCu
in every 100 persons over the age of 10,
the actual number of workers was g.
100000 more than in 1910. So the COM
plete figures for 1880 will unquestion-
ably show an increase of millions OF
workers. The growth should be kept in
mind against the exaggerated estimates
of the effect of archaeological unem-
ployment" To hear people speak of the
railroad workers and glassblowers dis
placed by invention and new methods
one would imagine the workers in this
country actually shrinking In numbers.
In the published census bulletins Della
ware shows decline from 81 per cent
occupied in 1920 to virtually so per cent
in 1880. New Hampshire has gone
down from 53.3 to 504. Industrial
towns like Stamford and Norwalk, in
Connecticut, show no change at all,
against q rather sharp decline from $50
TO sos for New Britain, in the same
State. Scattered instances show a q
point decline in two Iowa cities. a slight
drop in Butte, Mont; a Slight rise in
Lincoln, Nebr., and in the total OBJ
vtously not enough of a cut in percent
age to affect greatly the absolute in
crease Of 100000 in the total popula-
ton.
Far more important than invention
and methods are other factors which
suggest themselves for the reduction of
the working ratio of the American peo-
pie. The sharp eurtailment of child
labor is one reason Delaware, in 1920,
had laos workers of Is years and
under; in 1880 there were only 533.
This reduction is almost enough to &C.
count for the decline In the States
gainfully occupied ratio. New Hamp-
shire, in 1920. had 1923 workers of the
same age and in 1854 but $40. The
basic cause is undoubtedly increased
wen-being. which expresses itself also In
crowded high schools and colleges A
special cause would be the change for
the better in the status of the Negro
Southern cities and States show a strik-
ingiy high ratio Of persons painfully &C.
cupied. because of the very large pro-
portion of women and child workers
among the Negroes. A drop now regis
tered in communities like Augusta
Macon and Lexington, KY. shows that
the burden of woman and child labor is
growing somewhat lighter among the
coloTed people also.