The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-08-15
How Many Unemployed?

THE figures of the A. F. of L. on unen-
ployment in the United States are
challenged by the United States Chamber
of Commerce. The gentlemen of the c.
of c. state that Mr.. Green's figures of TO-
100000 are 'too high" and will tend to
unsettle conditions" The statistics of the
Chamber of Commerce more correct" and will
not tend to unsettle conditions" Their figure is
100000.
At the risk of further offending Mr. Green and
mourning the dispIeasure of the Chamber of Com
merce we must state that both sets OF figures are
false.
The figures of the Chamber of Commerce are
evidently inspired statistics
The figures of the A. F. of L. would appear to
be better grounded Actually they are not They
also conceal the terrific extent of unemployment
for the same reason that of the Chamber of
Commerce-in order to hide the extent of the cspi-
talis crisis and to minimize the necessity for the
passage Of the Workers Unemployment Insurance
Bill.
There are four obvious mistakes in the methods
by which the A. F. of L. arrives at its figures:
Firstly-The A. F. of L. estimate does not cor
rect the census of unemployment in April 1, 1880,
on the basis of which their figures have been
drawn.
Secondy-The figures of the A. F. of L. count
as employed those living on the farms with reIa-
tiveS on the suppositon that they have food and
sheter-an obvious mockery, particularly in the
face of the drought.
Thrdy-The A. F. of L. statistics do not take
into account the natural increase In those seek
ing employment young people graduating from
schools). Between April 1880 and November 1888
this increase amounted to 25000OO. Obviously
there has been the increase in the last period
also.
Fourthly-The A. F. of L. has consistently re-
fused to reckon those working on temporary relief
jobs as unemployed. condemning them to this
starvation level and thus reducing" the total of
unemployed for Mr.. Roosevelt.
I'VE are not discussing here such things as the
" drought which must have placed another mil
lion people in the category of unemployed Surely
these agricultural laborers and farmers who are
driven off their lands must now be considered as
members of the jobless army
That the Daily Worker is not the only one that
states that Mr. Green's figures minimize the extent
of unemployment is clear by the estimate Of the
Benjamin Franklin Institute statistical organi-
zation, which puts unemployment at 100000 An
Associated Press dispatch of June IL of this year
stated on federal authority that there we're at that
time 100000 people 100000 families) on the re-
lief rolls and this without attempting to estimate
the number of single men and youths who were con-
sidered ineligible for relief
The figures gathered by the Labor Research As
ISOLATION for November 1888 are today substantially
correct, with the possible necessity for the upward
revision OF the unemployed figures in agriculture
steel, and few other industries. However, at that
time, the Labor Fact Book international Publish
ers, 1884, published by the Ira, estimates there
were total Of 16,886,OO0 unemployed.
Defenders of the capitalist system may not like
this figure. But honest statsticians will have to
admit its correctness
Mr. Green and the Chamber of Commerce want
to minimize unemployment figures. Their differ
ences are only in degree But for the workers the
actual facts Of unemployment but another
reason to strengthen all their forces for the passage
OF the Workers Unemployment Insurance Bill i'll
the next session of Cong