The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-07-20
l0,60O,0 1000 AreHit
By Unenplo
Job Destroying Machinery is
Bla1ned By American
Federation Of Labor

Washington, D. C.-The number of
working men and women in the United
States is constantly increasing. They,
together with the millions of other
workers, must have employment to
enable them to buy the necessaries of
life for themselves and their families.
But the constant introduction of in
ventions and methods to displace hu-
man labor enables employers to ex-
tort a much larger output from the
workers who are kept on their jobs.
Consequently, although business re-
| covery continues, those who own and
operate industry, and install job-de-
stroying machinery, have not as yet
re-employed the working men and
| women thrown into the unemployed
army last winter.
And the jobless workers in the
United States now number 10000, 900!
This is the appalling fact revealed
by the American Federation of Labor
in its current report on unemployment
and employment.
"With termination of the coal stop
page and settlement of other dis
putes," the Federation said, "there
were four hundred thousand more at
work by the end of May than in mid
April. Part of this gain was due to
Increased work on farms (122,000),
in building, retail trade, public utili-
ties, railroads and service industries.
The greatest gain however was the
return Of more than 250,OO0 coal
miners to the mines.
Last Winters Unemployed Still Lack
Jobs
"Our official estimate, showing 49,
$4,000 at work and 10,873,000 unem-
ployed in midMay, 1889, does not in
clude all of the miners who have since
, returned. Therefore we give an addi-
tional estimate of about 42,7O0,0O0 at
work and 1O,6O0,000 unemployed after
coal operations has been resumed.
"It is cheerful news to note this
gain in employment, but when COM
pared with figures for last December,
when 42,80O, 900 were at work, we see
that American industry, thus far in
1889, has not even given jobs to those
laid off in last winters unemployment.
We are no better off now than we were
last December; in fact we are worse
off, for some 10000 have been added
/ to our working population since that
date.
"While our working population
steadily grows, the need for workers
in our factories steadily shrinks.
National Industrial Conference
Board indexes show that production
per man hour in our factories this
year has been per cent above last
year in the first four months. Part
of this increase in productivity is due
to the savings which usually occur
when production increases; but part
are due to labor saving devices, for
production per man is 3 per cent above
1887 when the pace of production was
higher than today.
"Recent recoveries have consistent
ly shown that employment lags behind
production and it takes a constantly
higher level of business activity to
put the same number to work.
at is encouraging that there are
100000 more at work now than
there were in May last year when the
1888 recession was at its worst. But
when We consider that, of the $780,
600 laid OF since 1887, less than one
third are back at work . year later,
tho prospect is not 30 bright. Mean
while industrial production (by June
1887 has regained half it's decline.
Employment Of Union Members
Improves
TRADE union figures for June con-
tinue to show that union members
have Jared far better than workers
in general. Unemployment Of union
members is almost back to 1887 levels.
Our weighted figures show: In June,
1887, 9.6 per cent Of the membership
were out Of work; by June, 1898, un-
employment was 1T 1868 per cent; but
by June, 1889, only 10.6 per cent were
still unemployed. Building trades and
printing trades are within ono or two
per cent of the 1887 level, IS are also
the majority in manufacturing and
service industries. Metal trades men,
bers have Jared worst Of all, with II
per cent out Of work now, compared
to 8 per cent in June, 1887; railroad
workers have per cent out Of work
today compared to 8 per cent in 1887;
and professionals (chiehy musicians
and actors) have per cent more un-
employed than two years ago.
"The progress Of trade union re-
employment has been steady each
month for more than y year, with the
exception of January when winter
lay-offs caused a slight rise in unem-
ployment.
"WPA rolls have shown decline of
almost 100000 since last December,
and 2,594,o00 were depending on this
source Of income in the week of June
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