Montana labor news., 1934-08-02
ten MILLION WORK.
ERS ARE JOBLESS
Over $1,000, 900 Persons, Largest
Number Since Depression Be-
gan are on Relief Rolls

gan are on Nehef Nolls
WASHINGTON-Over ten million
adult men and women, able and will
ing to work, are still kept in the job
less army by the refusal Of the indus
trial oligarchs who W and control
industry, supported by the National
Recovery Administration, to apply on
a national basis the 30-hour week for
all industry.
Because Of this national lockout,
unparalleled in modern history, over
sixteen and one-half million persons
are supported by relief agencies.
These are the two outstanding facts
in the July report on unemployment
issued by William Green, president of
the American Federation of Labor.
Unemployment Increasing
June marked the end of employ
ment gains for the spring busy season
of 1884" Mr.. Green said. "The first
half OF the year closed with l0,3lZ,000
still unemployed in industry and agri-
culture, and unemployment gain on
the increase due to summer lay-offs.
Now that there is no further pros
pect for new jobs in industry until
the fall season, it is time to take &C
count of progress made and see where
we stand.
Unemployed for Two Years
"The 1O,312,OOO now out Of work COM
pares with 10,122,OO0 in October, after
the unemployment drive OF 1888. Al
though business activity during the
six first months this year averaged 7
per cent higher than last October, this
was not enough to create jobs. In
dustrial unemployment has steadily
been above the October level Bus
mess firms have succeeded in ~increas-
ing activity without making any i'm
portant reduction in the great stand
ing army of job seekers. Recent sur
veys show that a large proportion of
this standing army has been without
work for two years or more.
"The unemployment increase from
May to June was not large. Over 100,-
600 wage earners were laid off from
factories and $4,000 from stores, but
this was offset in part by $4,000 taken
on by farmers for the busy June sea-
son, $4,000 for road building and 10,-
600 on railroads. In all trades, there
was an increase in unemployment of
$4,000 from May to June.
Trade Union Jobless Increases
Trade union figures for the first
part of July show a larger unemploy-
ment increase than in June. Unions
report considerable numbers laid off
in building, clothing trades and manu-
featuring, with smaller lay offs in other
trades. Our weighted figures show
100 per cent unemployed in June and
2O.4 per cent in early July, with "a per
cent on part time work each month.
Public Works Employ 100000
"The Government is e~ndeavoring to
meet this increasing unemployment
with increased work on Public Works
Administration and Emergency Relief
Administration work programs. PWA
added nearly 100000 to its payrolls in
June, and the number on the ERA
program rose from $4,000 at the end
Of May to 983,000 on July S, The
number at conservation camps declin-
ed from $4,000 in May to $4,000 in
June. Thus the average number al
work on all three of these emergency
programs rose from 1,671, 900 in Ma
to 1,813,0O0 in June, and the payroll
increased from $79,143,0O0 May to
$86 ,779,0O0 Oune). Although 1882
600 had no work in industry in June,
since l,Sl3,000 had work under Govern
ment emergency programs, the total
number without work of any sort was
$4,000. This compares to 8,577,00C
in May.
Millions On Relief Rolls
"The latest relief figures published
show relief payments al the highest
level during the depression. In April
there were 4,447, SOB cases on relief
rolls, including 100000 persons. Re
lief payment totaled $112,527 900 (in-
Guiding those on ERA work program)
this compares with $73,000,000 in April
1888"
Jobless Figures For Year
Accompanying Mr.. Green's state
ment was an estimate of the number
Of totally unemployed workers for the
past year which showed that l2,204,-
600 were in the jobless army in June,
1888. The unemployed decreased to
100000 in December, increased to
1l,755,ON in January, and then decreas-
ed slightly each month until May with
l0,24S,000 out Of work, and rose to 49,
$4,000 in June.
PROTEST