Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-25
ALMOST 100000
JOBLESS IN j. S.
Count of Insurance Firm
Shows 10 Per Cent of
Usual Workers Idle.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Unemployment in the United States
during the first week of December was
estimated today by the Presidents Com
mittee for Employment to have affected
between 100000 and 100000 persons
or about 10 per cent of the population
which usually is gainfully occupied.
Special Census Made.
Col. Arthur Woods, head of the COM
mittse, said the estimate was based
upon a special census taken by the
Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.
through agencies In IS selected cities,
which was used as a basis for calcula-
tons for the entire country. He for
warded the compilations to the Senate,
which had called for the study. Woods
expressed the opinion that conditions
had not changed materially in the Pc
Rod since the canvass was completed.
F. H. Ecker, president Of the Metro
visited 213,767 families, comprising
about 900 900 persons. including 355,759
wage or salary earners.
Generally speaking. the lowest per-
cent unemployed, and wilkes Barre l2.5
the smaller cities,v he reported. FOR
example, Oklahoma City had lis per
cent unemployed. and WilkeSbarre l2.5
per cent. On the other hand, In the
larger cities, including Philadelphia,
Pittsburgh, certain boroughs OF New
York, and Los Angeles. the rates ran
from 20 to IS per cent. In 10 cities
the percentages ranged from IS to 80
per cent TWO citieS-Detroit and Fall
River-had over 80 per cent Of the in
dustrial wage earners canvasSed unem-
ployed.
Large Cities Most Affected.
Taken as a whole, this compilation
confirms our conviction as to the ex-
istence of a serious unemployment situ-
alton among industrial workers, espe-
cially in the largest cities" Woods said.
within a month we should have the
results of the special Federal census OF
unemployment in 20 large cities now
being conducted by the Government.
The results will furnish an indication
of changes in the situation which have
occurred since the Metropolitan survey
in December"
Analysing the returns in more detail,
, the committee concluded that the
proportion Of families entirely with
out wage income" was considerably
smaller than the percentages might In
dictate, due to the fact that most fami-
lies were found to include more than
one person normally occupied
It was calculated that in the cities
investigated the number of lay-offs and
discharges among the higher salaried
groups was less, proportionately. than
among those of smaller earning power.
All OF these calculations, 1t was said
represented very rough approximations
being based upon a number OF assump-
tons that unfortunately cannot De
verified at the present time"
The survey included:
Akron-FamilieS visited, LISP; per-
sons in families, 1886; wage or salary
earners, $40: employed full time, 722;
employed part time, $50; wholly unem-
ployed, $50 Percentage employed full
time, 43.s; percentage employed part
time, 344: percentage wholly unem-
ployed, 2l8; average family size, 4;
wage or salary earners per family, Ia
persons.
Baltimore - Families visited. 6,7l4;
persons in families, 29,576: wage or
salary earners, 1921; employed full
time. 1866; employed part time. 2,766;
wholly unemployed, 1880; percentage
employed full time, SIS; percentage
employed part time. 223; percentage
wholly unemployed, 1872; average fam
lily size. "A wage or salary earners per
family. 10.
Chicago - Families visited, 26.363;
persons in families, 106,957; wage or
salary earners, 44,l10; employed full
time, 1884: employed part time, 9,130;
wholly unemployed. 1885; percentage
Iro0IiDued an PAGE Column II