Evening star., 1937-09-26
RY 7. A. FOX.

IMPLYING the recently pub
n lished test survey which dis
II closed that but A relief clients
A out Of 100 chosen at random
in a single community ever had been
employed in private industry, the
Chamber Of Commerce Of the United
States, in the forthcoming issue of
Nations Business, is giving a break
down" on the 100, relating the case
histories Of some and dealing in more
detail with the background Of the
group as whole.
Conceding that the ground covered
is too restricted ito provide sufficient
evidence upon which to base or change
our national policy" George H. Davis,
president of the chamber, as spokes-
man for the business organization,
contends that the results show con-
clusively that unemployment and re-
lief cannot be viewed as single prob
lem, but must be treated independently,
and that a broad survey along the same
lines is necessary If these problems
are to be handled intelligently.
This, according to statement from
the chamber when the survey first was
made public week ago, entails the
separation Of those who are unable to
work and those willing to take a job
If it is offered
"On the basis of these findings" said
the statement, which also included
Davis comment, chamber officials
conclude that legislative remedies to
increase employment are based upon q
misconception OF the relief problem as
well as the unemployment problem and
that revival of industrial activity
will not provide a complete remedy
for relief. They point out that the
greater number of those labeled as
unemployed could not or would not
work in private industry even if jobs
we're available. They hold that such
proposed remedies as the 30-hour week
and other industrial control measures,
advanced for the ostensible purpose of
reducing unemployment and obviating
the necessity for relief, would, there
| fore, be ineffective"
81 at Age Extremes.
The survey was conducted by
Crossley, Inc, of Princeton, N. j., an
economic fact-flnding agency. which
chose as its site a city described as
typical as center of industry, trade
and agriculture" The results are
considered a Representative cross
section on relief there.
From its records the cases of Sc
men and so women we're taken. Both
races were included, and the age
groups varied widely. AS of June !
last, 30 Of the persons were 40 years
old or under, and II, 10 or over. The
period covered extends from the
prosperous" years Of 1928-29 through
the depression, although some of the
case histories reach back more thar
10 years.
The survey showed that Sc per cent
Of the relief recipients had no work
in 1928-29. Because there are no de.
tailed figures on the age groups, it 4
not possible to determine how many
Of those under 40 might have beer
barred from employment by thei,
youth in the lush era. The statement
said those 10 or more are now "ob-
viously not employable." Whether
they would not have been in the samt
status because of their age a decade
ago is also open to question, although
Russell L. Greenman, the labor rela.
tions expert of the chamber, points
out that the Federal Employment
Service places persons between 81
and S.
OF the total unemployed in thost
years, more than half were women
with no training or gainful occupa.
ton.
Average Wage $940.
OF the A persons who have hat
private employment, IS were male anc
female. One man had public EN-.
ployment; S men and % women hae
had been engaged in personal ane
domestic service; men were LISTED
as self-employed and men and II
women reported mo occupation"
BY occupational classes, the mer
we're catalogued as follows: Ac.
countant, acetylene burner, brick.
layer, brickmaker, cabinetmaker cook
driver, electrician, fire flue inspector
fur worker, janitor, machine shor
helper, mover, picture frame maker
pipe layer, plasterer. porter, salesman
stableman, stevedore. stove repairer
timekeeper, upholsterer and varnisher
one each; carpenter, cement worker
seaman and teamsters, two each, anC
laborer, three.
The women included collar setter
dishwasher and laundry worker, ant
three factory workers and saleswomer
each.
The chamber comment on that wa
"the survey shows that there was onl,
single workman who had ever beel
employed in the machinery and equip
ment industries, while factory worker
of all kinds constituted small mi
nority, which makes it obvious tina
chronological developments were al
inconsequential factor"
] On wages and hours the SIlrve,