The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-10-19
Facts and Figures

FIGURES do not lie. but Liars figure. How well this
proverb suits the purpose of the Roosevelt govern
ment statisticians. Figures do not lie, but govern
nent officials figure.
The recovery" program has to be inflated with
figures of increased production-increased reemploy-
ment-and a decrease in unemployment
1t Is to the labor secretary to whom the task of
keeper of the statistical department is assigned and
at regular intervals, we are assured with figures
that recovery is making a steady climb upward.
On Tuesday Francis Perkins announced at her
regular press conference that than $4,000 work
left the ranks Of the unemployed and placed
on jobs during the month Of September. On the
very same day the house organ of U. S. capitalism,
THE Wall Street Journal" printed in editorial
its first page that: Statistics of unemployment
VIGOROUSLY incomplete and unreliable"
These statistics not unreliable" They are
adopted to suit the purposes of the Roosevelt adj
mnistraton just the prosperity around the corner
facts Of Hoover were adopted to suit the former adj
miniStration.
II WE are to accept the bright picture painted by
the first lady in the Cabinet, then we ought to
observe steady rise in production and simultane-
GUS increase in store sales Let look into the pages
OF the financial sheets compiling figures for the cap
italsts. What have they to say?
The Financial Chronicle" journal for owners
OF big industry, reports:
AS generally anticipated, orders for finished
steel products unusually light In the first week
of the quarter. Further analysis of fourth
quarter obligations also indicates that the ndustrys
back log will be largely exhausted by the end Of
October"
The steel magnates conade to themselves that
orders for steel were unusually light" and that by
the end of the month much Of the work will be lex
hausted"
In the auto industry production has fallen from
1900 in the last week Of September, to 1886
In the first week of this month. From Detroit come
REPORTS wholesale lav-oTS in nIantS Here lie
an indication Of the barometer in two major indus
tries In this country This spikes the Roosevelt pro-
paganda that current strikes responsible for
periling recovery" ..
If production indicates the gloomy side can sales
OF commodities reflect the brighter side? tits index"
he Federal Reserve Board index Of sales) says the
New York Times, declined, however from II In
August to 10 per cent last month"
1t is clear that the optimistic reports of Perkins
entirely at variance with the economic conditions
prevailing today.
But even her own figures indicate wide gap be-
tween increased employment and the rise in pay-ros
According to Perkins employment last month by
80 per cent, while pay rolls Jagged behind with 81
per cent. This disproporton together with the in
creased speedup in the factories takes away any pos
Sibity of absorbing workers into industry. On
the contrary 1t only result In greater unemploy
ment and further sharpening Of the crisis.
Roosevets cynical grin and Perkins optimistic
figures add to employment that the
stupid predictions Of Hoover that prosperity is around
the corner"
give aid and comfort to the jobless. Unemployed in
surance Is the need for the millions of unemployed
and part-tinne workers. Everywhere this movement
must be given increasing support. Conditions be-
coming more and more mbearable The workers must
force from the capitalist government guarantee of
unemployment insurance to take care of the needs
Of sector comprising nearly half the population of
this land