The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-06-08
Eleven Million
Are Unemployed
Vast Jobless Army and Their
Dependents Consigned
To Poverty


ties for industrial employment in the
United States are owned as a private
monopoly by those who own and con-
troll American industry. The tangible |
result of this iob-opportunity monop-
oily is revealed in the current report
on employment and unemployment is
sued by the American Federation of
Labor, which estimates that the un-
employed army now numbers approx
imately eleven million toilers able and
willing to work, but who find every
door to employment closed to them.
Declaring that employment prog
ress is Disappointing" the A. F. of
l.. gives the following analysis Of the
fluctuations in employment and varia-
tions in the number of working men
and women who are denied the right
to work for their living:
Employment gains in April were
obscured by the large number idle,
about 25O,O00, due to wage negotia-
tions in the coal industry. If the idle
miners are included among the unem-
Iployed, there is practically no change
in total number out of work, and un-
employment in April stood at 11,142,-
900 as compared with 11,145,O00 in
March. Had it not been for the idle
miners, however, the unemployment
figure for April would show less than
10000, 900 out Of work.
Small Employment Gains
employment gains in April were
vn~ ,I-L Al ~
Iyear of good business. In the years
1895 through 1887 more than 100000
went back to work in April every year.
The slackening of our unemployment
Ipace reflects the failure of business to
recover this spring.
"Trade union figures for April and
May tell the same story. Employ
r,ent is continuing to improve, but not
, as swiftly as in prosperous years.
Trade union weighted figures show:
1919 per cent out of work in May as
compared to Ill per cent in April and
1854 per cent in May last year.
"Gains this spring in the country
as a whole are largest in building
, trades. In manufacturing the number
at work actually declined in April
which is unusual except in depression
lyears.
Wage Increases Reported
"a striking feature of the indus
trial information which is coming to
, us, however, is the fact that wage
increases are replacing wage cuts in
industry generally and that business
as whole is operating more profit
ably than last year.
Manufacturing firms reporting to
the United States Department of La
Dor recorded wage increases for 49,
COO employees, wage cuts for only
5000 in the first 1889 quarter The
: average hourly earnings of employees
in manufacturing and -manufactur-
:. ing industries, however, show very
little change so far this year. Rising
!, from SO cents in October to 64.3 cents
in January, the average in March
stands at GAL cents. This wage leve
is exactly the same as in March, 1888
/. Profits Soar
y Figures from the National City
Bank show that first quarter profits
of 305 leading manufacturing, mining
l. and trading corporations were $2O6,
100000 in 1889 compared to $4,000,
600 In 1888. Earnings of these com
;, panies were at an annual rate of ~
Il per cent on their net worth, which
compares with rate of 3.4 per cent
L. In the first quarter last year. This
shows more ability to raise wages this
J, year than last.
\ "The number on relief rolls remains
high. The latest figures show the fol
J. lowing for 1899: January, 1,762,O0O
n February, 1,S41 600; March, 1,s50,OOO
WPA rolls are being reduced.
On May 10 there were 2,65S,O00 or
y WPA, which compares with 2,757 O0(
: on April IL, 1882"