Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-01
Lets Get Back to Work
(continued From First Page

Continued From First Page)
nearly 100000 worth of new ma
chinery has been ordered by the Ca
madam industry from a Pittsburgh
firm. Thus. in a large sense. Just as
President Hoover points out in his mes
sage to Congress, certain phases of our
business recovery are largely dependent
upon world activities, on account of
which large purchases are made of the
output of our own factories, fields and
mills.
Decrease in Employment.
1t is a notable fact that since Pres
ident Hoover's conferences with the
leaders of business, finance and labor,
in the interest of relief from the eco
nomic ills which then beset us, heroic
steps have been taken to lift the veil
of business depression and to provide
additional employment for our workers
through the Inauguration of a great
Federal building movement, as well as
building and highway construction
program IN our States, counties and
municipalities.
In the Bureau of Labor Statistics of
the Department of Labor, reports on
changes in employment and pay roll
totals are gathered monthly from more
than $4,000 establishments in Is ma ior
industrial groups, having last December
All 1897 employees, whose combined
weekly earnings were nearly $Il7,0O0,-
000 The combined totals of these Is
industrial groups show a decrease of
l per cent in employment in Deem
Der, 1880, as compared with November,
and decrease Of GA per cent in pay
roll totals over the same period.
1t may be noted that this survey
shows increased employment in two of
the Is industrial groups-retail trade
gained IT per cent and anthracite
mining gained 2 per cent. The btu
minous coal mining industry showed
practically no change, the decrease re-
vealing only decline of So employees
out of a total of the nearly 100000
mine workers covered by the survey.
Manufacturing showed a decrease of
ID per cent for December and metal
liferous mining 81 per cent, while
quarrying, due perhaps to its regular
seasonal trend at the years end, was
affected 1913 per cent. Crude petroleum
shifted downward IA per cent.
In the remaining industries the de-
crease was comparatively slight, being
less than l per cent in the majority
OF cases, with the exception of can
ming and preserving, a strictly seasonal
activity, which declined 1858 per cent.
Pay Roll Totals Increase.
In the manufacturing industry 10
Of the 50 separate industries reporting
showed increased employment and l8
industries showed increased pay roll
totals. Pay roll totals increased in
boots and shoes approximately 10 per
cent and more than per cent in tires.
Decreases were recorded in radio, beet
sugar, iewelry, beverages, paint and
cash registers. These figures are cited
to show that only comparatively slight
variation, aside from that which re-
suited from seasonal causes, occurred
during this period.
The month Of December is generally
recognized as period during which in
ventory taking is begun. Repairs to
plants and equipment are also usually
made at that time. Thus, in many in
stances, operations are necessarily stop
ped, with temporary cessations in the
pay of thousands of workers. In many
localities highway construction is of
necessity curtailed because of weather
and other physical conditions of the
MidWinter season, which at once pre-
vent outdoor work Agricultural pur-
suits are, of course, with few exceptions
practlcally at StandSClll
Huge public and private funds, how
ever, are being made Immediately avail
able for extensive construction work,
and believe we can confidently look for
the early absorption by these Nation
wide projects of thousands Of our work.
ers who have been without regular en-
ploymert for several months. 1t is re-
ported from many sections that low
stocks are on hand in the larger mer-
camille and manufacturing industries,
but as business gradually brightens
there will follow an increased demand
for goods and raw materials, and hence
the call for the return to employment
of many others of our idle work people
Wise to Look Into Past.
At a time like this, when so many
pessimistic opinions are being put to the
fore, it is perhaps wise for us to recall
some of the other depressions through
which our country has passed safely.
Particularly is it well for the present
generation to remember that even
though economic prophets direly pic
tured a permanent decline in our living
standards, our market prices and our
wage rates during the panic Of l893-94
our recovery during the succeeding
years proved that the prophets had not
taken the American spirit and de-