Evening star., 1933-10-22

the Summer OF 1882 rs against 66, ,865
now carried en- the governments lists.
Denmark alone among the Scandi-
navian states (Which are all in the gold
bloc) shows marked improvement. Vol
untary unemployment insurance statis-
tics from Copenhagen indicate the num-
Der of idle in receipt of state or private
benefits has dropped from 20 per cent
to 2l8 per cent during the past IL
months Today 1884 out Of 351. 800
workers having voluntary unemployment
insurance are in receipt of assistance.
Dantzig. free port Of the Baltic, con-
stantly caught in German-PoliSh ri
valries, reports a decrease in unem-
ployed of 10 per cent. The storm spot
of the Polish Corridor has 26,400 work.
ers on its civic bread line as Winter
approaches.
Among the Baltic states Finland. Es-
thonia and Latvia all show improve
ment No statistics are available at the
moment from Lithuania. but her situa-
ton can be said to be identical with
neighboring states. if not actually bet
ter. Esthonia reports drop of Is per
cent in unemployment during the past
year. Finland. according to employ
ment exchanges. has now 1850 idle
workers as compared with 23 189 in Au-
gust 1892. Latvia has only $500 re-
ported unemployed. according to ad-
vices from Riga. This shows decrease
of so per cent in IL months.
GermanyS compulsory Unemployment
insurance figures show that there were
4,127.584 workers in receipt OF relief
on October l. Last January there were
6,O13,612 registered. A year ago there
were 5223,8l0 unemployed carried on
the governments list. Drastic wedding
out of workers receiving aid by the
Nazis, however may account for thou
sands still unemployed. Many workers
also are in internment camps or have
100000 German political refugees are
said to be in France. Holland. Switz-
erland and England Nevertheless
there is no question but that economic
conditions have improved considerably
in Germany.
Hungary reports 52,35l unemployed
in August. as against $685. year ago.
Bumper harvests have resulted in many
workers going into the country and
conditions this Winter will be immeas-
urably better than they have been for
several years past, especially in so far
as actual need is concerned. Even II
they do not work, Hungarians will eat
when Winter comes"
Italy. where Fascists have the art OF
juggling statistics down to a science re-
ports 824.195 unemployed, as against
more than a million a year ago. The
figures are taken from employment eX-
change records. Partially employed
workers are not considered as idle in
Italy and consequently it is difficult to
obtain an exact picture of conditions
below the Alps But again, as in the
case of Germany. there is no doubt
but that the situation Is ameliorating.
The Netherlands appears to be suf-
fering more than any country in Eu-
rope. Commodity prices are very low
dies. have almost disappeared because
of japanese competition The gold
Standard also reacts unfaVOrably for
the national economy. At the end of
September, 1882. there we're 254,462
registered unemployed Dutch workers;
at the beginning Of october, this year,
there were 300,352. The number of volun-
tarily insured in receipt Of benefits.
however seems to have decreased from
159035 (September. 1882 to 14O,598 at
the beginning Of October. 1888 That
figure constitutes about 30 per cent Of
the total number insured
The two states of the Scandinavian
Peninsula, Norway and Sweden, have
not yet passed the crisis. Norway's
employment exchange report 32848
sosse year al ago g%eden has as 1es.nss 1es
registered unemployed, as against 76,-
700 year ago-a gain OF 80 per cent
union reports also indicate an alarm
ing increase in idle members
The Saar, Europe's coal belt, which
is administered by a League of Ma
tions commission. reflects an upward
ners ssan55 sssss .pnrd
now only 34,840 idle according to the
commissions official resume.
Rumania has presented no official
figures recently. but in July Bucharest
reported 24,685 unemployed as COM
pared with 33,679 on the same date
year ago. The improvement has been
maintained, unofficial advices indicate,
despite the fact that King Carols min
listers have appealed to the League for
assistance in Strengthening out the ma
tional finances.
Switzerland. facing budget difficulties
and an almost complete loss of tourist
trade, has managed to reduce her num-
Der of unemployed. AS, against 80, 700
receipt of voluntary insurance benefits.
The employment exchanges, however,
report an increase OF unemployed by
60 per cent over october. 1882. OBJ
viously Swiss watch manufacturers are
melting down gold watch cases these
days, instead of filling them with works.
The procedure would net them a profit
Of So per ounce at the existing price of
gold bullion, but it is hard on the work.
erS.
Summing up the economic situation.
as aside from unemployment, the
Leagues official Economic Survey, to
be issued shortly. says:
AT the end of July. 1888. there was
more confidence and greater economic
activity in the world as whole than
at any time since the financial panic
began in the Spring of 1881. The re-
vival in economic activity. however,
varies greatly from country to country.
The hope persists that, whatever the
outcome Of particular experiments, the
forces of recovery evident not only in
the United States but elsewhere will
develop further strength. At the same
time 1t is clear that great and diflcult
problems remain unsolved. particularly
in the sphere of international financial
relations"