The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-09-10
Liberal Viewpoint
by DIR. HARRY ELMER BARNEs 60

CTATISTICS are supposed to bear their freight
- OF hard and solemn facts for the further
ance of truth and human enlightenment. But
all too often they are used for purposes of bally
hoo and propaganda. Provided they tell the
truth and are honest and accurate, even this
use of statistical material can not be seriously
criticised But when statistics are consciously
manipulated or misinterpreted for propaganda
purposes, they can become extremely dangerous
instruments for the confusion of the public and
the perversiOn Of facts.
This latter use of statistical information was,
unfortunately, VIGOROUSLY common during the
Hoover Administration. It particularly in
voked in order to give substance to Mr.. Hoover's
shadowy prosperity, ever lurking around the
corner.
The Roosevelt Administration has been much
freer Of this than its predecessor, though DON
aid Rjchberg's report on the result of the MIRA
was certainly not above suspicion in its mar
shaling of evidence to present the New Deal in
the best possible light.
Perhaps even more dubious was the recent
statement issued by the United States Depart
ment Of Commerce to the effect that labor is
receiving larger portion of the total national
income today than it did in 1929. The impress
sion which this report definitely aimed to give
was that labor is better off today than it was
during the last boom year.
-
~ of Commerce was correct in the assertion
that labor is receiving a slightly larger fraction
some per cent mOre-of the national income
than it did in 1929. Does this mean that labor
is better off than it was six years ago?
Even the facts submitted by the Department
Of Commerce gave the lie to any such implica-
ton. The total national income in 1884 was
about S5OOOOO00000. The total national income
in 1929 was approximately $4,000 100000 Sixty
seven per cent Of $50 000000000 is a lot more
money than SO per cent of 00000000 And
there are even more laborers among whom to
divide up this smaller income than there were
in 1929.
But William Green, president of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor, insists that even the
figures designed to prove that labor is receiving
q larger percentage of the national income today
than in 1929 were quite obviously Juggled. He
charges that under the head of labor income
were included salaries given to the highly paid
executives of our various industries. Even Mr..
Hopsons much envied salary would have come
under the departments conception OF labor IN
come. Mr.. Green sharply challenges the whole
procedure.
81 certainly can not understand how they
could issue such misleading statement. The
facts as presented by them do not differentlate
between workmen and utility company heads or
bank presidents They would only tend to bllno
the public to the true situation in industry"
ON the basis of carefully analysed statistics,
" Mr.. Green contends that the wages in pro-
duction and transportation industries declined
bv no less than SO per cent between 1929 and
1882 Hence, the wage payment in these major
American industries in 1882 were only Al per
cent of what they had been in 1923.
Since 1882 wage payments have by no means
caught up with their 1929 level. In fact in 1884
wage payments in these major American indus
tries we're only SO per cent Of what they had
been in 1929 At the same time, the income OF
business men in 1894 was over IS per cent OF
their income in 1929.
Mr. Green asserts that during the depression
wears. American labor lost over S37,OOOOOOOO
through increased unemployment and wage cuts.
And it has received only about S2,O00,0000OO in
relief wages as a compensation for this stupen-
deus loss Of income. The major burden OF the
depression fell upon 'aborers. The farmers had
already taken large part Of their licking be-
fore the crash in the autumn of 1929.
With Mr.. Green's final conclusion most
reasonable men would heartily agree
What we need today is large increase IN
the share of national income paid to workers IN
wages. Such redistribution Of income wouH
act as a tonic on our whole economic system,
for it would go to persons who would use it i'm
mediately to buy goods 1t would lift US out OF
depression and form the basis for greater eco
nolnic expansion than we have ever before
known"