The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1931-07-31
WORLD IDLENESS
TWO HUNDRED
PER CENT HIGHER
Sixteen M!aajjorr Major Nations Nations Have Have
Tremendous Increase in
Unemployment in Two
Years, Figures Reveal.

w doHiHS Ioil, ~. -. tlLlNO)-OD6m-
ployment in 16 major countries is now
200 per cent higher than in the spring
of 1929. These figures are agreed
upon by the Trade Union Congress
| office in London, England and the
Bureau of Labor Statistics of the
United States Department of Labor.
The international data in the files
of the bureau of labor statistics gives
as complete returns as are to be had
on this important matter. They shown
that European countries were feeling
the impact of unemployment in June
of 1929 to a much greater extent than
it was felt in the United States, where
the beginnings of the depression were
not felt at all until the following
month.
In Austria the number in receipt of
unemployment benefits in July, 1929,
was 104,399, which had grown in
April, 1881, to 246,795 Similar
sources in Belgium show the wholly
unemployed in July, 1929, to have
numbered 4,037; in April, 1881, 8,135
In Canada the unemployed trade
unionists in April, 1929, were reported
as 6,003, or 80 per cent; while in
April, 1881, the number had risen to
$4,000, or 15.5 per cent.
Big Czechoslovakian Increase
Czechoslovakia reported in July
1929, that the number of those re-
ceiving trade union unemployed bene-
fits was 1889, or 1.6 per cent; while
in March, 1881, the report showed a
total of 1880 unemployed, or 100
per cent. The number of unemployed
registered in Finland for the same
dates was 1888 for 1929 as against
l ,491 in 1881.
The situation was more serious in
Denmark in 1929, as shown by the
trade union records of 26,621 unem-
ployed or 90 per cent, which had in
creased by April, 1881, to 45,698, or
159 per cent. In Germany the num-
Der of registered unemployed in July,
1929, was l ,251 ,452, and in April, 1881,
this had increased to 4,358,000, or
three and one-half times. Trade un-
ion figures showed 1876 per cent un-
employed in March, 1881, as against
SO per cent in July, 1929.
Most astonishing are the figures
from France-concerning which some
doubt exists as to their relative ac-
curacy-which shows that in July,
1929, the number receiving unem-
ployed benefits was 399, which had
increased by April 1881, to 49,958.
British Increase 16.5 Per Cent
In Great Britain and Northern Ire
land those wholly unemployed on the
rolls of compulsory insurance num-
bered 881 ,189 in 1929, or IA per cent;
as against 2,O52 1926, or 175 per cent
in March, 1881.
Italy reported unemployed regis
tration to 201,868 in 1929, which had
risen in March, 1881, to 07,486.
Norways live register of unem-
ployed in July, 1929, showed 12,417;
while in April, 1881, this had in
creased to 28,477; the trade union re-
ports showing an increase of from
1912 per cent in 1929 to 25.5 per cent
in December, 1880.
The appalling condition in Poland
in July, 1929, was that of III per
cent of unemployment, with an in.
crease by January, 1881, to 23.8 per
cent.
Rapid Development in U. S.
When unemployment developed ir
the United States, it came rapidly in
peak, as the April, 1880, census
showed more than two millions, in
creasing by the following January tc
about six millions.
1t has been stated that the first
spear-point of the depression struck
Germany, affecting the cotton manu-
facture. Others claim that it was
first found in Great Britain. At any
rate, long before the Wall street
debacle, the creeping paralysis of un
employment was fastening upon the
industrial sections of the world, anC
onlv of tba and of 1000 was II really