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U. S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
ROYAL MEEKER, Commissioner
WASHINGTON
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
1918
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CONTENTS.
»
x
P a g 0'
A nnouncem ent........ ................ ..
... .. .. . ........ .......................
v
Special article:
New York Harbor employees, by Benjamin M. Squires................................. 1-21
Labor and the War:
President sustains National War Labor Board’s decision in telegraph
d isp u te...................................................................................... ........................22,23
Organization and functions of the War Labor Policies Board........................ 23-27
Industrial councils in GreatBritain....................................... ........................... 27, 28
Provision for the disabled and vocational education:
Government provides for vocational rehabilitation of soldiers and sailors.. 29-31
What becomes of men crippled in industry? by Carl Hookstadt........... ...... 32-49
Massachusetts laws for training disabled soldiers and persons crippled in
50,51
industry.................................................................
Recommendations for technical education and industrial training in the
United Kingdom............................................................................................... 51-56
Prices and cost of living:
Retail prices of food in the United States-.------------------------------------------ 57-68
Retail prices of dry goods in the United States................... ..........................68-70
Comparison of retail price changes in the United States and foreign coun
tries.........................
70-72
Changes in wholesale prices in the United States, 1913 to May, 1918..........72-74
Price changes, wholesale and retail, in the United States............................. 74-78
Cost of food and fuel in the State of Washington.......................................
78-80
Cost of living and wages in the Netherlands.................................................... 80, 81
Cost of living and wages in Russia.......... ..................................... . . . . . . . . . . 81-83
Food control:
Food control in Great B ritain........................................... ................................84-94
Food control in France............................................... ......... ........................... 95-104
Wages and hours of labor:
United States Shipping Board increases wages in deck and engine depart
m ents.............................................................................
105
Increases in British railway wages compared with increases in cost of
liv in g ............................................................................
106-108
Wage increases reported by American consuls in Great Britain and
Canada................ ..................................................
108-110
Minimum wage:
Orders of Kansas Industrial Welfare Commission regarding employment
of women........................................................................................................ 111-114
Regulation of hours and wages in the pea canneries of Wisconsin............. 114,115
Women in industry:
Women munition workers in France, by Mary Conyngton........................ 116-129
Woman and child labor in Tennessee........................................................... 129-131
Agreements between employers and employees:
Agreement for adjustmentof railroad labor disputes........................................
132
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IV
CONTENTS.
Employment and unemployment:
Page.
Activities of the United States Employment Service............................... 133-135President urges employers to recruit all unskilled war labor through
United States Employment S ervice........................................................ 136,137
Work of public employment offices in the United States and of provincial
employment offices in Canada..................................................................... 137-143
Activities of public employment offices in Massachusetts in 1917............. 143,144
Report of employment exchanges in the United Kingdom (Great Britain
and Ireland) for five weeks ending April 12, 1918................................... 145-147
Employment in selected industries in May, 1918 ¿ ...................................... 147-152
Index numbers of employment and of pay roll, January, 1915, to May,
1918......................................................................... -..................................... 153-155
Volume of employment in the United Kingdom (Great Britain and Ireland)
in April, 1918................................................................................................ 156,157
Chinese labor emigration law and labor recruiting agency regulations .. 158-160
Industrial accidents:
Causation of industrial accidents, Great Britain.......................................... 161-164
Industrial accidents in Tennessee....................................................................
164
Workmen’s compensation and social insurance:
Workmen’s compensation report for California, 1916-17............................. 165-167
Workmen’s compensation report for Indiana, 1917.......................................
168
Annuity and benefit plans for employees of the Standard Oil Co............. 168,169
Canadian Government railway employees’ insurance, May, 1890, to Decem
ber 31, 1917.......................................................................................................
170
Labor laws and court decisions:
Federal child labor law declared unconstitutional...................................... 171-177
Sabotage law of Minnesota declared constitutional..................................... 177-179
Workmen’s compensation law of New Brunswick....................................... 179-181
Industrial Arbitration Act of New South W ales.......................................... 181-184
Industrial poisons and diseases:
Injurious substitutes for turpentine in the painting trad e......................... 185-190
Hookworm disease among the miners of California...................................... 190-192
Welfare work:
Food of munition workers and industrial canteens in Great Britain........193-195
Duties of welfare supervisors for women, Great B ritain............................. 195-197
Arbitration and conciliation:
Conciliation work of the Department of Labor, May 15 to June 14,1918.. 198-205
Strikes and lockouts:
Strikes and lockouts in the United States, January to March, 1918......... 206-210
Immigration:
Immigration in March and April, 1918.......................................................... 211, 212
Publications relating to labor:
Official—United States............. ..................................................................... 213,214
Official—foreign countries............................................................................... 214, 215
Unofficial........................................................................................................... 215-219
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ANNOUNCEMENT.
With this issue the name of the Monthly Review is changed to the Monthly Labor
Review, which more accurately indicates the nature of the publication.
In the three years of its existence the Monthly Review has come to be recognized
as the authoritative official periodical dealing with matters of current interest relating
to labor. As announced in the first number issued July, 1915, the Monthly Review
was established for the purpose of giving to the public, as early as possible, the
wealth of information coming to the Bureau on current events in the field of labor
which otherwise would be either wholly inaccessible or long delayed, awaiting the
appearance of official reports and bulletins.
The Review publishes summaries of the results of investigations carried out by
the Bureau of Labor Statistics and gives the latest developments in all lines directly
concerning labor, both at home and abroad.
Acknowledgment is hereby made of the cooperation and assistance given by Federal,
State, and foreign labor officials in reporting matters of importance and current interest
to the Bureau of Labor Statistics for inclusion in the Review. It is highly desirable
that this cooperation may be made closer and more far-reaching so that the Monthly
Labor Review will be able to give to the public very promptly, complete summaries
of important new legislation, court decisions and administrative orders affecting labor
for all the States of the Union and for foreign countries as well.
Quite as important as the cooperation of labor officials is that of the merchants who
report periodically wholesale and retail prices of commodities and the manufacturers
who report volume of employment and amounts of pay rolls.
It is my hope to extend and strengthen the presentation of up-to-date information
on wholesale and retail prices and cost of living; wages and hours of labor; minimum
wage; women in industry; dilution of labor; employment and unemployment; con
ciliation, mediation and arbitration; strikes and lockouts; collective bargaining; labor
organizations; industrial accidents and hygiene; workmen’s compensation and social
insurance; rehabilitation of injured m en; housing and welfare work, and other matters
relating to the well-being of working men and women. It is intended to make the
bibliographies of official and unofficial publications, carried at the end of each number,
as complete and authoritative as possible.
ROYAL MEEKER,
U. S. Commissioner of Labor Statistics.
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
vol.
v i i —n o . i _________________
WASHINGTON
Ju l y , m s
NEW YORK HARBOR EMPLOYEES.
BY BENJAMIN M. SQUIRES.1
THE PORT OF NEW YORK.
Tlie port of New York has 921 2 miles of water front as compared
with 141 at Boston, 120 at Baltimore, 37 at Philadelphia, 26 at Nor
folk, 41.5 at New Orleans, 8 at Galveston, 8 at San Francisco, and
113.9 at Seattle. The population of the cities fronting New York
Harbor is approximately 6,500,000, as compared with a combined
population of approximately 4,350,000 in the other cities named
above. Tire average annual value of imports and exports of the port
of New York for the period 1911-1913 was $1,809,358,239, or 46.2
per cent of the total for the United States. For the year ending De
cember 31, 1917, the value of imports and exports of the port of
New York was $4,260,404,848, or 46.6 per cent of the total for the
United States. Thirteen railroads, the operating mileage of which
is 39,707.96, have terminals at New York Harbor, and vessels of 91
steamship lines engaged in foreign trade sail from the harbor. In
addition to these 91 lines, there are 15 lines whose vessels ply
between New York Harbor and points on Long Island Sound.
Here are great ocean liners that touch every port in the world,
steamers that sail to Africa, to Asia, to South America, along the
coast, up the Sound, through the Panama Canal, up the Hudson—
railroads East, West, North, South, everywhere—in short, a veritable
network of intercommunication with all the world, resembling a giant
telephone switchboard.
It is with reference, however, to the insular location of the cities
comprising Greater New York, with a combined population of
5,602,841, that the harbor of New York has a significance unlike
that of any other harbor in the world. Thus, the center of indus
trial, commercial, and maritime activities at the port of New York
is the lower portion of Manhattan Island, bounded on the east by the
East River, on the west by the Hudson River, and on the south by
New York Bay. Staten Island is separated from Manhattan by the
waters of the Upper Bay. Brooklyn, located on Long Island, is
separated from New Jersey by the Upper Bay, and from Manhattan
by the East River.
1 In the preparation of this article Mr. Squires Was assisted by Mr. Arthur E. Albrecht, who collected
much of the material on which the article is based;
* Measured along shore and around piers. The distance along the shore proper is said to be 771 miles.
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
Of the 10 railroads reaching New York from the west and north,
only two reach New York on their own rails, and one of these has its
freight terminal on Staten Island. The other eight roads have their
rail terminals on the Jerse}7 side of the harbor.
Of the 91 steamship lines, only 9 have their piers on the Jersey side
of the harbor. Freight arrives at the railroad terminals consigned to
points in Manhattan or Brooklyn or for export. Conversely, ship
ments from Manhattan and Brooklyn and imports are consigned to
western or northern points on these railroads and must be delivered
at the rail terminals.
When freight consigned to points in Manhattan or Brooklyn arrives
at the terminals of rail carriers on the New Jersey side of the harbor,
the shipments are transported from piers or float bridges to points on
the other side of the harbor. In the case of export freight arriving
at railroad terminals, the shipments are transferred to a vessel or to
a pier at which the vessel is lying. Imports from foreign ports to
inland railway points follow the reverse of the above practice, the
freight being transferred from ship’s side or from the piers to the
railway terminals on the Jersey side.
In addition to the above, there must be considered the transfer of
domestic freight between points about the harbor; of coal from coal
ports, all of which are on the west side of the harbors; of miscellaneous
shipments from one pier or warehouse to another; of freight arriving
from the Great Lakes by way of the Erie Canal and from points on
the Hudson to be exported or distributed about the harbor or con
versely to be carried by these routes to inland ports; and the
immense volume of passenger traffic between Manhattan, Long
Island, Staten Island, and cities on the Jersey shore.
The following summary of pier and terminal locations at the port of
New York shows concisely how important the harbor is in coordinat
ing the facilities at the port:
All along the west side of Manhattan Island from the “ B attery” to the freight ter
minals of the New York Central Railroad at Sixtieth Street are piers for the accommo
dation of ocean vessels and the floating equipment of the various rail lines serving the
port. Numerous steamship lines whose vessels are engaged in foreign and coastwise
trade have pier space on the west side of the island; and here, too, are the railroad
pier stations of the principal trunk lines, whose lighters and car floats are almost con
stantly engaged in transferring freight between these stations and the railroad terminals
on the New Jersey side of the harbor.
On the west side of the Hudson River, directly opposite Manhattan Island, are the
terminals of the trunk lines reachir% the port of New York from the north and west.
With a few exceptions to be noted later practically all of this portion of the New Jersey
shore from Guttenburg to Constable Hook is owned by the railroads and used for rail
road purposes. At Weehawken are the freight and passenger terminals of the West
Shore Railroad Co. and a number of piers owned by that company. A short distance
to the south are the terminals of the Erie Railroad Co., and the piers, stations, and'ware-
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
houses owned by that carrier. South of the Erie terminal, in the city of Hoboken, are
the piers of the Scandinavian-American line, the Holland-American line, the North
German Lloyd, and the Hamburg-American line.
Immediately to the south of these steamship piers are terminals of the Delaware,
Lackawanna & Western Railroad Co., the Erie Railroad Co., and the Pennsylvania
Railroad Co., the two latter terminals being located in Jersey City, opposite the south
ern end of Manhattan Island. A short distance to the south of the Pennsylvania
terminals is the Morris Canal Basin adjoining which, in Communipaw, are the terminals
of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Co. and the Central Railroad Co. of New Jersey. Still
farther to the south are the “ Black Tom” terminal of the Lehigh Valley Railroad and
the Greenville terminal of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The terminal of the Baltimore
& Ohio Railroad is on Staten Island, opposite Constable Hook.
It is unnecessary to give a detailed description of the Brooklyn shore front. It
suffices for the purposes of this report to observe that the larger private terminal com
panies which act as the agents of the trunk line railroads in transferring freight across
the harbor have their terminals on the Brooklyn shore. The most northerly of these
is the Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal, located on the East River north of Wallabout Bay. To the south is the Jay Street Terminal, and just south of the Brooklyn
Bridge are the extensive terminals of the New York Dock Co. The Bush Terminal
Co. has its terminals between Gowanus Bay and Bay Ridge. The Brooklyn Eastern
District Terminal has a small terminal at the foot of Warren Street, Jersey City,
adjacent to a refinery of the American Sugar Refining Co., but that terminal is not
connected with the rails of any of the trunk lines and is not generally used by Jersey
City shippers.1
A representative of the Merchants’ Association of New York
pictures the waters surrounding Manhattan Island as “ an interior
belt line” employed in switching cars between the terminals on the
New Jersey shore and the industries, pier stations, and private ter
minals in various parts of the harbor. Unlike the cars on a belt line
railroad or an industrial siding, the car floats and lighters plying in
New York Harbor are not restricted in their operation to a narrow
roadbed or to the line of a particular carrier. They can readily
transport freight to almost any point in the harbor or in the waters
tributary thereto; and it may be said that an industry located, for
example, at the Bush Terminal in Brooklyn has convenient access
to the terminals of all the trunk lines serving the port. By means
of the car floats and lighters the industries along the water front
can receive their raw materials over the lines of any of these rail
carriers, and in shipping their finished products to the West they
find nearly a dozen trunk lines ready to serve them.
HARBOR. CHART AN D EMPLOYEES.
Without going further into the physical characteristics of the port
of New York it will be apparent that the harbor craft play an important
role not only in transferring freight between railroad terminals
and steamships but also in supplying the cities of New York and
1 Interstate Commerce Commission.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
The New York Harbor case.
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No. 8994, pp. 659-665.
4
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
Brooklyn with food and other commodities. It will be recalled in
this latter connection that during the fuel shortage of last winter coal
was reported to be at “ tidewater ” points but that unfavorable weather
and harbor ice prevented its movement to Manhattan and Brooklyn
in sufficient quantities to meet daily needs. The situation was, of
course, aggravated by a general freight congestion and insufficient
fuel reserve in many cities but it served to emphasize to residents of
New York City and Brooklyn the dangers of any interruption to
harbor traffic. With the increase in the commerce of the port since
the outbreak of the War and with the constantly increasing flow of
men and supplies since our own participation in the War, the harbor
traffic of the port of New York assumes such an important aspect
that any prolonged interruption might well be an international
calamity.
Harbor boats may be roughly divided into self-propelled and nonself-propelled. The number of self-propelled harbor craft is readily
determinable from documentation and steamboat inspection records.
The number of nonself-propelled harbor craft is difficult of determi
nation, only those nonself-propelled craft being documented or
registered that are licensed to go outside the harbor. Of the nonselfpropelled craft that operate exclusively in the harbor, no official
record is kept. The following figures, however, compiled by the
Bureau of the Census of the United States Department of Commerce
for the year 1916 probably represent approximately the number of
harbor craft of the classes indicated, their gross tonnage, value, and
gross income, and also the number of employees operating these craft
and their wages for that year. Figures are shown for New York
Harbor and for the United States.
T able l.-C R A F T OPERATING IN NEW YO R K H A RBOR, B Y CLASS, AN D P E R CENT
IN EACH CLASS: 1916.
Vessels.
Class of vessels.
Per
Num cent
of
ber.
total.
Tonnage.
Value of vessels.
Gross tons.
Per
cent of
total.
Amount.
Per
cent of
total.
Tugs and other towing vessels......................
Ferry boats........................................................
Municipal....................................................
Railroad......................................................
A ll other......................................................
Unrigged craft...................................................
559
125
16
59
50
5,433
9.1
2.0
0.3
1.0
0.8
88.8
57,697
115,363
15,471
68,881
31,011
1,641,694
3.2
6.4
0.9
3.8
1.7
90.4
$13,153,417
11,406,584
2,107,199
6,779,130
2,520,255
35,938,792
21.7
18.9
3.5
11.2
4.2
59.4
Total.........................................................
6,117
100.0
1,814,754
100.0
60,498,793
100.0
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW,
T a b l e 1.—CRAFT O PER A TIN G IN NEW YO R K H A RBOR, BY CLASS, AN D P E R CENT
IN EACH CLASS: 1916—Concluded.
Employees on Wages of employees.1
vessels.
Gross income.
Class of vessels.
Per
Per
of
cent of Num
ber. cent
total.
total.
Amount.
Amount.
Per
cent of
total.
Tugs and other towing vessels......................
Ferry boats........................................................
Municipal....................................................
Railroad......................................................
Ail other...............................*......................
Unrigged craft...................................................
$11,823,720
7,118,972
1,115,572
4,169,147
1,834,253
32,177,239
23.1
13.9
2.2
8.2
3.6
62.9
4,156
1,600
364
800
436
6,876
32.9
12.7
2.9
6.3
3.5
54.4
$4,111,078
1,669,473
413,908
855,575
399,990
5,190,072
37.5
15.2
3.8
7.8
3.6
47.3
Total.........................................................
51,119,931
100.0
12,632
100.0
10,970,623
100.0
! Includes board and lodging.
T able 2 —U N IT E D STATES: ALL V ESSELS AND CRAFT, B Y CLASS, AND P E E CENT IN
EACH CLASS: 1916.
Vessels.
Class of vessels.
Tonnage.
Per
Num
cent of
ber.
total.
Gross tons.
Value of vessels.
Per
cent of
total.
A m ount.
Per
cent of
total.
Commercial vessels........................................... 37,546
Freight and passenger.............................. 7,696
Tugs and other towing vessels............... 3,689
Fishing vessels........................................... 5,216
611
Ferry boats.................................................
40
Municipal..................................... .......
All other...............................................
571
Unrigged craft............................................ 20,334
Y ath ts................................................................. 4,354
Miscellaneous..................................................... 1,210
87.1
17.9
8.6
12.1
1.4
.1
1.3
47.2
10.1
2.8
12,203,670
6,506,910
264,135
145,246
224,328
25,230
199,098
5,063,051
123,007
68,559
98.5
52.5
2.1
1.2
1.8
.2
1.6
40.8
1.0
.6
$930,568,484
732,572,930
54,928, 805
19,463,269
23,227,174
2,755,322
20,471,852
100,376,306
35,387,656
13,432,493
95.0
74.8
5.6
2.0
2.4
.3
2.1
10.2
3.6
1.4
Total......................................................... 43,110
100.0
12,395,236
100.0
979,388,633
100.0
Gross income.
Employees of
vessels.
Wages of employees.1
Class of vessels.
Amount.
Per
cent of
total.
Per
Num cent
of
ber.
total.
Commercial vessels........................................... $583,347,144
Freight and passenger.............................. 423,774,330
39,660,570
Tugs and other towing vessels...............
25,388,520
Fishing vessels...........................................
15,414,979
Ferry boats.................................................
1,317,773
Municipal.............................................
14,097,206
All other...............................................
79,108,745
Unrigged craft............................................
207,747
Y acht-s ........................................................
5,569,996
Miscellaneous.....................................................
99.0 168,762
71.9 92,005
6.7 23,476
4.3 25,975
2.6
4,282
.2
570
2.4
3,712
13.4 23,024
6,772
(2)
3,742
.9
94.1
51.3
13.1
14.5
2.4
.3
2.1
12.8
3.8
2.1
589,124,887
100.0 179,276
100.0
Total.........................................................
Amount.
$108,389,194
61,624,912
15,929,657
11,875,357
3,947,836
638,785
3,309,051
15,011,432
3,683,538
3,038,159
115,110,891 ;
Per
cent of
total.
94.2
53.5
13.8
10.3
3.4
.6
2.9
13.1
3.2
2.6
100.0
1Less than one-tenth of 1 per cent.
SE L F-PR O PE L LE D HAR BO R CRAFT.
Tugs or other towing vessels.—It will be observed from the above
tables that “ rigged’’ or self-propelled craft fall into the two general
classes of tugs or other towing vessels and ferryboats. Tugs or other
towing vessels, as the name implies, are boats used in towing other
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MONTHLY LABOE REVIEW.
craft, usually the nonself-propelled, though steamships are handled
at piers and frequently towed about the harbor by means of tugs.
Some of the tugs are of exceedingly high horsepower and are capable
of handling several of the nonself-propelled harbor craft at a time.
The number that can be handled is not a fixed ratio to the horsepower
of the tug, however, and is dependent upon the tide, the wind, the
load of the boats towed, and the ability of the captain in handling
his boat and in making use of the tide and wind, as well as upon the
horsepower of the tug. The accompanying illustration of a tug
towing a loaded car float indicates some of the work performed by
tugs.
Harbor tugboats are usually manned by one or two single crews,
though some boats carry a double crew. If the tug works days
only, one single crew is used. If the tug works day and night,
either two single crews are used, in which case one crew leaves the
boat when the other crew conies on, or a double crew is used, one
crew working while the other sleeps on the boat. On double-crew
boats the men usually work on six-hour watches.
The number in the crew varies with the size of the boat. In
general, however, a single crew consists of a captain, two deck
hands, one cook, one engineer, and two firemen; and a double crew, of
one captain, one pilot, four deck hands, one cook, one engineer, one
assistant engineer, one oiler, and three firemen.
Although the varying conditions under which harbor towing is
performed call for a specialized knowledge in handling the tug and
tows, the general character of the work performed by the crew is
similar to the work on ocean-going vessels and will be considered
only briefly in this article.
The tug is in charge of a licensed captain or pilot who must be at
the wheel at all times when the boat is under way unless relieved by
a licensed mate. The captain carries out the towing orders of the
boat owner and plans the order of assemblies when several boats are
to be towed. He must be familiar with the harbor channel and
with the location of harbor piers as well as with tide conditions and
the rules of navigation. He usually hires the mates, cook, and deck
hands, and has disciplinary authority over them.
The mate assists the captain and, if he carries a pilot’s license, may
relieve him at the wheel.
The deck hands handle the lines on the tug that fasten it to the
tow or to the pier or dock. They must clean the deck, polish the
brass, paint the woodwork about the deck, and keep the boat clean.
If a car float is being towed, a deck hand rides the float to look out
for other craft and signal to the captain. Frequently the first deck
hand carries a pilot’s license and may relieve the captain or pilot.
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P L A T E I . — T U G B O A T T O W IN G L O A D E D CAR F L O A T .
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P L A T E 2.— F E R R Y B O A T .
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
7
Double-crew boats carry a cook. Single-crew boats carry a cook
only if tbe company feeds the crew. If only one deck hand is em
ployed, the cook assists the deck hand in handling lines in addition
to the work of preparing and serving food.
The engineer, who must have a marine license, is in charge of the
engine room. He carries out the orders of the captain, but hires and
discharges the men in the engine room.
The assistant engineer and oiler aid in keeping the machinery in
working order and relieve the engineer.
The duties of the firemen vary somewhat with the equipment of
the boat. If the boat is not equipped with the blow system, the
firemen must hoist the ash from the engine room. In this they are
assisted by the deck hands. On single-crew boats the fireman must
be on hand early enough to have steam up before the boat is ready to
start and must “ bank” the fires at night after the boat is docked.
One other t}qie of self-propelled boat, although differing from tug
boats, should be mentioned in the same class because of the character
of the work performed and the similarity of crew. Tugboats do not
carry freight. A type of boat known as the steam lighter, however,
is self-propelled and is equipped to carry freight. The crew is similar
to the tugboat crew, and the boat is frequently used to tow nonself-propclled craft.
The number of hours worked per day by crews of tugs or other
towing vessels has been fixed in part by custom and agreement and
in part by Government regulation. The inspection certificate which
each of such boats is required to carry permits the operation of the
boat by a single crew for a period not to exceed 13 hours in 24 except
in cases of emergency. If a boat is operated by two single crews or
by a double crew, the actual time of each crew or shift can not, of
course, exceed 12 hours in each 24. Prevailing custom in the harbor
has, in the past, fixed 13 hours per day for a single crew, time in
excess of this being regarded as overtime. Recently, however, a
Government board of arbitration1 appointed to adjust disputes
affecting harbor-boat employees has ruled that time in excess of
12 hours per day shall be regarded as overtime for the crews of tugs
and other towing vessels.
By award of the above board of arbitration, all employees of selfpropelled boats are entitled to one day off per week, and, if in the
employ of the company for one year, one week’s vacation per year
with pay. Prior to this the licensed officers employed by manj^ of
the companies had received one wmek’s vacation annually, but the
other men in the crew had not been thus favored. One day off per
week or two days per month has been recognized for some time,
i Monthly R eview , Bureau of Labor Statistics, January, 1918, pp. 230-233.
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though in practice it is often difficult to observe. Much of the harbor
work is continuous and must be performed every day hi the week.
If a day off is allowed, a relief or roustabout crew must be provided
or else the boat must be tied up. Frequently the men prefer to work
the extra day at overtime rates.
Ferryboats.—The operation of ferryboats is unlike that of other
harbor craft in that the boats move according to schedule and be
tween the same points each trip. The insular location, referred to
previously, of the boroughs comprising Greater New York has made
it necessary to establish numerous ferry lines for the transfer of
passengers and vehicles. The construction of the East River bridges
and the Hudson and the Pennsylvania tubes under the Hudson
River has lessened the need somewhat for ferries, but they are still
used extensively. The following summary tables indicate the
relative importance of ferries in New York Harbor and the United
States as a whole for the years 190b and 1916.
T able 3.—STATISTICS OF FE R R Y BO AT S OPERATING IN U N IT E D STATES AND IN THE
N E W YO R K DISTRICT, COMPARED, 1916 AND 19063
District.
Num
Cen ber of Gross
ton
sus ves
year. sels. nage.
J1916
United States..................... 11906
New York district............. /1916
\1906
611
536
125
152
Per cent in New York dis 11916
trict as compared with 11906
United States.
20.5
28.4
Value of
vessels.
Gross
income.
224,328 $23,227,174 $15,414,979
261,073 29,578,380 17,291,073
115,363 11,406,584
7,118,972
129,690 17,098,677
8,423,119
51.4
49.7
49.1
57.8
46.2
48.7
Num
ber of
em
ployees.
Wages.
Number of
passengers
carried.
4,282
4,519
1,600
1,622
$3,947,836
3,537,180
1,669,473
1,578,839
292,177,374
330,737,639
144,190,729
208,684,123
37.4
35.9
42.3
44.6
49.4
63.1
T able 4.—STATISTICS OF MUNICIPAL FE R R IE S OPERATING IN U N IT E D STATES AND
IN THE NEW YO R K DISTRICT, COMPARED, 1916 AND 19063
District.
Cen
sus
year.
Num Gross
ber of ton
ves
sels. nage.
Value of
vessels.
Gross
income.
Num
ber of
em
ployees.
Wages.
Number of
passengers
carried.
United States..................... /1916
\19Q6
New York district............. /1916
\1906
40
29
10
16
25,230
20,238
15,471
14,829
$2,755,322
2,503,447
2,107,199
2,253,000
$1,317,773
884,952
1,115,572
778,342
570
290
364
188
$638,785
458,129
413,908
360,159
26,533,297
20,945,055
18,748,804
12,521,847
Per cent in New York dis 11916
trict as compared with j 1906
United States.
40.0
55.2
61.3
73.3
76.5
90.0
84.7
88.0
63.9
64.8
64.8
78.6
70.7
59.8
1Figures compiled by the Bureau of the Census of the U. S. Department of Commeroe.
As shown previously in Tables 1 and 2, the ferries are operated by
railroads, by municipalities, and by other agencies. At the present
time from Manhattan there are seven ferry routes to Brooklyn,
three to Jersey City, two to Queens, two to Hoboken, and one each to
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9
Astoria, Edgewater, Englewood, Staten Island, and Weehawken.
Tlie railroad ferries operate between Jersey City and Manhattan.
The most important municipal ferry is between Staten and Man
hattan Islands, though the departments of health, charities, correc
tion, docks, and ferries each has ferryboats. The United States
Department of Labor operates ferryboats to Ellis Island. The State
hospital also operates a ferry. In addition to the above there are a
number of ferries operated by private interests.
The crew of a ferryboat consists of a pilot, wheelsman or quarter
master, engineer, assistant engineer, oiler, and fireman. With few
exceptions the work of the crew is the same as on a tugboat and
needs no further explanation. The wheelsman or quartermaster is
assistant to the pilot; the deck hands have the additional duties of
opening and closing the gates of the boat and of acting as watch
men. Bridgemen are employed at the slip to place the bridge and
secure the boat. Most of the ferries operate continuously day and
night, a larger number of boats being used during rush hours. As a
consequence men work in shifts. Some of the shifts provide for a
straight 8 hours in 24, others are arranged so that a crew works
from 12 to 16 hours one day and then has 24 hours off. With the
large number of passengers carried, the responsibility of the crew is
great and there has been a tendency to reduce the number of hours
of continuous service per day.
N O N SELF-PR O PELLED HARBOR CRAFT.
As shown in Table 1, 5,433 or 88.8 per cent of the New York
Harbor craft in 1916 were “ unrigged” or nonself-propelled. These
are of various types according to their uses but may be roughly
divided into coal boats, grain boats, scows, covered barges, lighters,
and car floats. Illustrations of a lighter equipped with hoisting gear,
a car float, a covered barge, and a coal boat have been shown pre
viously.
Scows.—The simplest of nonself-propelled harbor boats is the type
known variously as scow, scow barge, or open boat. The boat is of
solid construction and is particularly adapted to the carrying of
rough freight such as crushed stone, block stone, gravel, sand, mud,
and similar cargoes. The cargo is carried on deck and is generally
exposed. If cargo that requires protection is carried, a tarpaulin is
used to cover it. For the most part, the cargo carried by these boats
requires little attention either in loading, unloading, or transit.
Coal boats.—As explained previously, coal ports are located on the
west side of the harbor and coal must be transferred to other parts
of the harbor by harbor boats. Boats designed to carry coal have
holds extending below the deck. The hold may consist of one com
partment or it may be divided into a number of compartments or
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bins. In order to prevent damage to the hold by unequal distribu
tion of weight, the boat must be loaded in sections. Hatch covers
are usually provided to cover the coal during storms, and in the
illustration of a coal boat these covers are shown piled beside the
hold. Coal is loaded either from coal chutes as shown in the illus
tration, or by dumping the coal from the car. The greater part of
the unloading is also done by machine power.
Grain boats.—In the carrying of loose grain, boats similar in con
struction to coal boats are used and often coal and grain boats are
used interchangeably. It is more important, however, that grain
boats be kept dry, and a small leak that would not interfere with the
use of a boat for carrying coal would render it unfit for carrying grain.
Grain boats are usually loaded from elevators at railway terminals
and are unloaded at ship’s side by means of floating elevators.
In the same class as the above types of boats may be mentioned
also brick boats, mud scows, canal boats, and ice boats constructed
with reference to the particular character of cargo to be carried but
not differing sufficiently to warrant further description.
All of the above types of nonself-propelled harbor craft are fre
quently called tidewater boats. The term is not self-explanatory
because all boats are towed as much as possible with the tide. It is
used, however, to designate those boats that are towed for long
distances with the tide as distinguished from the other boats used
for trucking shorter distances about the harbor. Each of these
boats carries a captain who lives on the boat. The duties of the
captain vary somewhat with the type of boat and the nature of the
cargo but are sufficiently uniform to apply to all of the tidewater
boats.
Rules for the guidance of captains are laid down by a number of
companies. Most of these provide that the captain shall not leave
his boat without permission from the company. Other rules per
tain to the protection of cargo, the care of the boat, and the display
of lights. The rules of one of the railroad companies provide that
the ‘‘Captain must keep deck and hold clean and see that equipment
is in perfect order at all times. The cabin must also be kept in a
neat condition and care taken to leave no inflammable stuff lying
around, as precaution against fire. Bringing intoxicants aboard the
boats of this company is prohibited.”
The captain is expected to examine his boat for leakage and to
pump out any "bilge” water. In case of damage to the boat or
cargo, the captain is expected to report the damage and the manner
of its occurrence.
Minor repairs to the boat are generally made by the captain, but
extensive repairs are made in the company’s shops or in dry dock.
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The larger companies generally have their boats overhauled and
painted once a year, but some of the owners supply the paint and
require the captain to paint the boat.
When a captain arrives at a pier with an unloaded boat, or as it is
generally called, a light boat, he must report promptly to the office
of his company. When the boat is ready to be loaded, the captain
must move his boat into the proper berth. This is done usually by
hand power, the captain making use of a hand capstan or using a
line attached either to a pier or to another boat. At some of the
railroad piers, however, tugs act as “ shifters” and move the boats
from berth to berth as required.
After the boat has been hauled into place, it is ready to be loaded.
The captain is expected to supervise the loading of his boat. In the
loading of coal and grain, it is frequently necessary to shift the boat to
keep different grades of commodities distinct or to distribute the load.
The shifting is usually done by mechanical power, but it is necessary
for the captain to be on deck to handle the lines. The number of
times that a boat is shifted during loading depends upon the arrival
of commodities at the pier, the nature and grades of the commodity,
and the judgment and ability of the loading superintendent, One
of the tug dispatchers was of the opinion that a grain boat had to
be shifted about four times before it was completely loaded. Load
ing is done both day and night and during loading or shifting the
captain is required to be on deck.
After the boat is loaded, the captain secures the hatches or other
covering provided, obtains his bill of lading and notifies the office
that he is ready to be towed. A boat is not always towed immediately
when loaded and must often wait until a number of boats are ready
to be towed in the same direction. Thus, it may be several hours
or days after a boat is loaded before it is towed. During this time
the captain must remain on his boat because tug captains refuse to
tow a boat that has no captain aboard. During the time that the
boat is lying loaded waiting for a tow, the captain may clean his
boat or make repairs or put in his time as he wishes. Many captains
complain that after killing time all day they are always marked for
a night tow.
\\ hen a tug approaches to tow the boat, the captain either gives
his lines to the deck hand on the tug or takes the lines from him.
When the lines are properly fastened, the boat is ready to bo
towed. Often the boat is simply towed to a nearby pier or to a
stakeboat—a boat anchored in the harbor for the purpose of tying
other boats to it and left there until more boats can be brought
together to make up a tow. Whenever a tow is made up, or a boat
picked up or dropped, the captain must be on deck to fasten and
unfasten the lines.
65S01°—18-----2
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While the boat is being towed, whether night or day, the cap
tain has little to do, but is called upon at any time in case of emer
gency. Where several boats are towed, the captains can arrange to
relieve each other.
On arriving at a pier, the captain must make his boat fast and, if
in an exposed place, display the proper signal lights. He then notifies
the dock captain, the consignee, or other authorized person, of the
boat’s arrival. The captain is then given instructions to unload his
cargo at a designated berth. If the boat has not been left at this
berth, the captain must endeavor to haul his boat into proper
position.
The unloading of the boat is usually done by machinery. If done
by hand, dock laborers are used. With some cargoes the captain is
expected to supervise the unloading and he is occasionally given
opportunity to work with the unloading gang and earn something
in addition to his regular wages.
When the boat is unloaded, the captain reports to the boat dis
patcher or to the office. The boat may lie for several days or weeks
waiting for cargo, or it may be loaded immediately. When the boat
is lying empty, the captain is usually permitted to go ashore, after
reporting at the office.
Without describing modifications of the above procedure, due to
the varying types of boats or the different cargoes, it will be apparent
that the work of captains is more exacting in time than in physical
exertion. He may go for days with little or nothing to do, but he
is subject to call both day and night, and there are times, at least,
when it is difficult to secure regular rest. Towing must be done
with the tide and loading or shifting must be done when cargoes are
available. This means that the time of loading, shifting, and towing
is irregular. The men are employed by the month, and for the most
part do not receive any additional compensation for night work.
Covered barges.—From the illustration shown (Plate 3) it will be
observed that a covered barge has a permanent structure built on
the deck to protect the cargo. The barge resembles a freight car
somewhat except that instead of resting on trucks or wheels the
superstructure rests on a flat deck boat. Goods are trucked in
and piled in tiers much as in a freight car and the boat is used for
trucking about the harbor.
A barge captain is in charge of the boat and the conditions of
towing, handling the lines, and caring for the boat are not unlike
those of the tidewater boats. The length of the haul is generally
much shorter, however, and the commodities carried are usually
more perishable or require greater protection than the cargoes of the
tidewater boats. Some of the barges are equipped with ice hatches
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13
at either end to serve as refrigerators during summer months and with
stoves for the winter' months to protect the cargo.
The captain of a covered barge is held responsible for his cargo
and must protect it against theft and damage. The following two
rules for barge captains indicate the larger responsibility as compared
with the tidewater captain.:
Captains must tally freight, both in loading and discharging, so that he will sign
for number of packages actually received aboard, and in discharging require receipts
for same number, as he will be held responsible for any shortage. Freight must
be signed for showing the condition in which received. Captains must not mark
freight or make any changes in marks on either freight or papers unless they receive
instructions from boat dispatchers to do so.
When tallying freight, captains will compare with consignee’s tallyman frequently,
and should any dispute arise, stop work and refuse to make further delivery until
count is agreed upon; if necessary, report to this office.
The loading and unloading of a covered barge is usually done by
laborers employed by the company or by stevedoring contractors.
Where no such labor is provided, the captain hires his own men and
pays them for the company. Some companies permit the captain
to work with the laborers and receive an allowance in addition to
his salary.
The hours of labor of barge captains are more clearly defined than
those of tidewater captains, though by no means uniform throughout
the harbor. Many of the captains live on their boats either through
choice or because required to do so by the company. If the captain
lives on his boat he is in much the same position with respect to
hours as the tidewater captain, and in the past has seldom received
additional compensation for night or Sunday loading, shifting, or
towing. Covered barges are not so apt to work nights and Sundays,
however, as the coal boats, grain boats, or scows, and it lias been
customary to grant additional compensation to barge captains for
watching valuable cargoes at night.
At the present time the work of barge captains without compensa
tion in addition to their monthly wage rate is restricted to ten hours
per day and six days per week. Work in connection with the load
ing or discharging of cargo in excess of ten hours per day or six days
per week is compensated at the rate of time and one-half. If cap
tains are required to be on their boats at night they are also paid
for u watching.”
Lighters.—Many of the nonself-propelled harbor boats are lighters
in the sense of “ lightering” freight from vessels or moving miscel
laneous cargo about the harbor. For the purpose of this article,
however, a lighter may be defined as an open-deck boat equipped with
a mast and boom for loading and unloading cargo. It differs thus
from other nonself-propelled boats chiefly in having machinery for
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self loading and unloading. This machinery may be operated by a
hand winch, by gasoline, or by steam power. (Plate 4.)
Most of the cargo of a lighter is carried on deck, but a small portion
of some cargoes is carried in the hold below deck to give greater
stability to the boat. If the cargo on deck needs protection from
the weather, a tarpaulin is used as a cover. “ You will observe at
all times the condition of the weather and see that the cargo is prop
erly protected and covered, being mindful of the fact that you are
responsible for the condition of the freight on delivery.”
Many of the duties of a lighter captain are similar to those of
captains of other nonself-propelled boats and in respect to the tally
ing, supervision of loading and unloading, and responsibility for the
cargo are identical with those of the barge captain. In addition, the
lighter captain is “ expected to keep his overhead working gear in
order and whenever necessary to rig up the gear preparatory to load
ing and unloading.” On lighters equipped with gasoline hoists the
captain sometimes operates the engine.
In addition to the captain, some of the lighters carry a mate, and
all steam-hoisting lighters carry a stationary hoisting engineer. The
engineer must have a boiler license. He takes care of the fires and
engines and operates the drums which raise and lower the boom for
moving the cargo. The mate assists the captain and may operate the
engine of a gasoline hoist. Dock men are employed to handle the cargo
and to operate the winch on hand hoists. A guy man is employed to
work the drums which swing the boom. Tire guy man and laborers
for handling the cargo, swinging the boom, or operating the hand
winch may constitute a gang employed regularly by the company,
or they may be hired by the captain as needed. As with barge cap
tains, the lighter captain occasionally is given opportunity to work
with the gang of laborers and earn additional wages.
Few of the lighter captains live on the boats. They work usually
10 hours per day and 6 days per week and are paid extra if they are
required to remain on the boat at night to watch the cargo or to
tow. An additional compensation at the rate of time and one-half
is allowed to all hands for time in excess of ten hours per day or six
days per week.
Car floats.—A car float, as will be apparent from Plate 1, is a
boat with a flat deck upon which railroad tracks are laid. It is
used to transport loaded and empty cars between railroad terminals
on the Jersey shore and railroad stations or private stations in other
parts of the port. The capacity of a float is usually from 10 to 16
cars and, like other nonself-propelled boats, must be towed by a tug
or other towing vessel. Whether a car float or other nonself-propelled
boat shall be employed in transferring a shipment from one side of
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P L A T E 4 .— L IG H T E R ,
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P L A T E 5 - C O A L B O A T L Y IN G A T DOCK,
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
15
the harbor to the other depends upon the nature and volume of the
shipment and upon the kind of delivery desired.
One or more men, called float men, are assigned to each car float to
see that the cars are properly secured and that the float is in proper
position at the float bridge for the transfer of cars between bridge
and float. They are usually considered as a part of the tugboat
crew. Their hours are the same as those of the tugboat crew, and
time in excess of 12 hours per day is regarded as overtime.
LIVING CONDITIONS ON N O N SE L F-P R O PE L L E D H A R B O R
ECATS.
All nonself-propelled harbor boats are equipped with cabins. The
size of the cabin and the number of rooms vary from boat to boat and
range from a mere shelter to house the captain during inclement
weather to well-built cabins of three or four rooms designed to serve
as a permanent home for the captain and his family.
As explained previously, most of the captains of tidewater boats
and many of the barge captains live on their boats. The reason for.
this, from the standpoint of the company, is threefold: First, the
standard insurance policy of the Atlantic Inland Association, with
which many of the companies are insured, requires that a man be
kept on a loaded boat. If the captain lives on the boat, the require
ment is met. Second, the captain is more apt to take pride in the
appearance of his boat if he makes it his home. This is especially
true if he has his family aboard. Third, conditions inherent in the
operation of some of these boats such as night towing, shifting,
loading, or discharging make it necessary for the captain to be
aboard at night and consequently for some sort of living accommo
dations to be provided on the boat.
Many firms prefer captains who live aboard with their families;
some require it. On the employment blank used by one companv
these questions arc asked: ‘‘Married or single ” ; “ Number in family ” ;
“Are you willing to live on board with family.” This company
owns 208 unrigged boats, of which 89 have captains and their families,
with children ranging in number from 1 to 10, living on board; 71
have each a captain and his wife but no children living on board,
and 48 have each a captain but no family on the boat.
Whether from choice or necessity, the fact remains that a large
number of captains of nonself-propelled boats live on these boats,
many of them with their families. In order to determine just what
the living conditions were, a number of cabins were inspected. The
following are given as types rather than in any attempt to depict an
average cabin.
The illustration (Plate 6) represents the interior of a one-room
cabin on a coal boat, in which the captain lives alone. The cabin
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floor is about 4 feet below deck and the roof about 3 feet above
deck. It is entered by means of a low and narrow door about
1J feet wide by 3 feet high. The interior is about 10 feet wide by
16 feet long. The room has three windows each about 12 by 20
inches. The furniture consists of a bed, a stove, two chairs, and a
dish closet. The general impression given is that of dirt and disorder.
Plate 7 also represents the interior of a one-room cabin on a
coal boat. Only the captain lives on the boat. The floor of the
cabin is about 10 feet below deck. The room is about 12 feet
square and has two small windows facing in such a way as to
permit little light to enter the cabin. As will be apparent from
the illustration, the furniture is chiefly improvised. The bed spring
rests on a block of wood. An overturned barrel serves as a table.
The stove is furnished by the company. In addition to being dirtjr
and dismal, the room is damp and foul smelling.
Plate 8 represents the combined kitchen and living room of a
two-room cabin on a coal boat. This room is about 12 feet square.
The other room, about the same size, serves as a bedroom. A cap
tain, his wife, and four children—a girl 3 years old and three boys,
8, 9, and 10 years old—live on the boat. In order to accommodate
the family at night a folding bed is set up in the Idtchen. The
boat and cabin are clean and well kept, but the crowding of six
people into two small rooms is wholly undesirable.
Plate 9 represents the living room of a three-room cabin, also on a
coal boat. The living room is about 10 by 12 feet; the bedroom
and kitchen each about 6 by 6 feet. The bedroom has a bunk built
into the side and a cot under the bunk. A folding bed is a part of
the furniture of the living room. A family of six live on the boat—the
captain, his wife, one girl 17 years oid, and three boys, aged 6, 9, and
13 years. In addition to these six, an older son is sometimes at
home.
A two-room cabin on a barge shelters a captain, his wife, and
seven children. At the time the barge was visited several of the chil
dren had the measles. Those who were well should have been iso
lated, but the cabin was not large enough to permit it.
Two mud scows visited have one-room cabins under the deck for
the captains. The boats were old and were constantly full of bilge and
rain water. The water from the mud carried on deck dripped down
into the cabins, which were damp and dirty.
Quite in contrast with the above is a two-room cabin on a coal
boat in which the captain and his wife, a middle-aged couple, live.
The boat and cabin are neat and clean, and the couple seem happy
and contented. The captain’s wife complained, however, that Sun
day towing prevented her from attending church services regularly.
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P L A T E 6 .— O N E -R O O M C A B IN O F CO AL B O A T .
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A two-room cabin on another coal boat similar in construction to
the above presents an entirely different appearance. The captain is
a big loud-voiced bully, whose chief complaint is against “ shifting”
and towing at night and having to paint his boat once a year. His
wife is meek and timid. The general appearance of the cabin is that
of disorder and discomfort.
One of the covered barges visited had two large rooms on deck.
The rooms are large, light, and airy. A captain and his wife live
aboard and for them the cabin is ample.
A steam-hoist lighter visited has a cabin about 30 by 50 feet, ex
tending under deck about half the length of the boat. The sitting
room is large, light, and well appointed. The bedroom, kitchen,
and dining room are on a lower level than the first room; with the
exception of the kitchen, they are light and well ventilated. A cap
tain and his wife live on the boat. In order to supply the kitchen
.with running hot water, the captain has made a connection with the
boiler of the steam hoist.
From the above brief descriptions it will be apparent that a great
variety of living conditions may be found on the several thousand
nons elf-propelled harbor boats.. For the most part, if not entirely,
the one-room cabins are occupied each by the captain alone, and serve
him as kitchen, dining room, living room, and bed room. In a tworoom cabin, one of the rooms serves as a bedroom, the other for all
other purposes. The three-room cabins are usually not much larger
than the two-room cabins, though more desirable if there are
children on board.
Some of the companies furnish a stove, table, and chairs. A few
completely equip the cabins. The greater number of companies,
however, furnish nothing in the way of furniture but a stove. One
company, owning more than 200 unrigged boats, furnishes nothing.
Companies furnishing the least claim that captains are so unreliable
and shifting that it would be poor policy on the part of the company
to furnish anything that could be moved from the boat or thrown
overboard.
It is not the general practice for boat owners to supply the captains
of their nonself-propelled boats with coal though a few make it a
point to have their tug boats visit the unrigged boats for this purpose.
Coal-boat captains usually get their coal from the cargo of the boat
without pajdng for it. In the absence of coal, drift wood, old barrels,
and boxes serve as fuel.
Captains are generally supplied with barrels to fill with water for
drinking and household use. The barrels may be filled at the piers or
the company may have their tugs carry water to these boats. Water
can also be bought from water boats at 25 cents per barrel.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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T MONTHLY
LABOR REVIEW.
On boats where the captain lives alone or where his family is com
posed of only himself and wife, it is possible to look upon the boat home
as not readily avoidable in view of the nature of the captain’s work,
and upon undesirable living accommodations as a matter for cor
rection and regulation. But where there are children on the boat,
the problem can not be thus dismissed. Some of the companies
endeavor to place men with families on the boats with the larger
number of rooms, but even on the best equipped boats it is to be
doubted whether children have that opportunity for normal develop
ment which may reasonably be expected. Particularly is this true
in the matter of education.
Figures are not available showing the number of barges with
children on board, or the number of children. In 1914, however,
the board of education of the city of New York inspected 975 barges
“ of which 536 carried on their business entirely at points within the
State of*New York, 279 go from New York City to points outside the .
State, and concerning 160 we have no report.” The results are
summarized in the following table:
table 5 —NUM BER OF CHILDREN ON BARGES PLYING B ET W E E N NEW YORK CITY
AND OTHER POINTS.'
Boats plying between New York City and
points—
Item.
In
Outside
New York New Y ork
State.
State.
Not
reported.
Total.
Boats without children....................................................... .
with children.................................................................
467
69
202
77
ICO
829
1 4P
160
975
Total boats visited.......................................................
536
279
Children not attending school:
Under 7 years of age.........................................................
7 to 14 years of age............................................................
14 to 16 years of age..........................................................
16 years of age and over2................................................
100
17
2
3
89
18
7
4
Total
.................................................................
Children attending school......................................................
122
27
118
38
Grand total....................................................................
149
189
35
9
7
249
—
.°,or>
> Preliminary report of the results of the investigation concerning the attendance at school of children
living on barges plying between New York City and other points made by the New York Board of Educa
tion in 1914.
2 One of these children is an epileptic.
The others are employed.
In view of the frequent and irregular shifting of these boats, the
question naturally arises as to how the children of families living on
the boats may be educated. Obviously, three ways are possible.
The children may be taught by the parents; they may live ashore
after they reach school age; or they may be sent to school from the
boat as opportunity permits. As to the first of these ways, it may
be said that the parents are often of limited education and in some
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[18 ]
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
19
cases illiterate. Even if the parents are able to teach the funda
mentals, the environment of the boat is wholly unsuited to the
proper development of children. For the children to live ashore
means either a shore home for the family, that the children live with
relatives, or that they be boarded. But obliging relatives are not
always available and either of the other two suggested ways means an
additional expense probably beyond the means of the captains of these
boats. There remains the other alternative, if children are to be
educated, of sending them to school from the boat. Where this is
done the children go to school from wherever the boat happens to be.
When school is out for the day the children call up the company office
in order to inquire the location of the boat. They then hasten to the
designated place. In the meantime, however, the barge may be
shifted and they must go to another point. Moreover, the location
of the barge may necessitate crossing railroad tracks or a number of
other boats, or it may be even more inaccessible, as on the offpier
side of a steamer. Conditions are particularly bad in this respect at
the coal ports. At one of the new coal ports at Staten Island a
narrow walk two planks wide must be traversed for a distance of
about 300 feet in order to get to the pier. When, however, a barge
is lying at a pier other than a coal pier, the barge can be reached in
comparative safety. Even going to school in this way means an
additional expense for street-car fare unless the school is within
walking distance.
On one of the boats visited there were four children. One, a girl;
was not old enough to attend school. Two boys, 8 and 9, had never
been to school. The other, a boy of 10, had been to school for a time,
boarding at the home of a former foreman of the captain. The
foreman was now asking $20 a month for the boy’s board, which the
father did not feel able to pay. The boat was a tidewater coal boat
which made long and irregular trips and it would be impossible for
the children to attend school from the boat with any degree of
regularity.
On another barge described previously, having four children aged
6, 9, 13, and 17, none were attending school in April, the time of the
visit to the barge, though the boys had “ attended some during the
winter.”
Where the family fives ashore, the wife frequently secures work as a
janitress or domestic in order to help meet expenses and keep the
children in school.
In justice to the captains, it should be said that most of them with
children seemed anxious to send the children to school. At the
1917 convention of the International Longshoreman’s Association,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[19]
20
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
with which association many of the nonself-propelled harbor boat
captains are affiliated, the following resolution was adopted:
RESOLUTION NO. 112.
Whereas the practice of having small children live on the boats in and around the
harbor of New York can result only to their detriment, both morally and physically;
and
Whereas many of the captains are compelled to carry their children with them
because of the fact that they are paid such miserable wages that no other course is
open to them; and
Whereas as a result children are bound to grow up in ignorance and be handicapped
for the duties of life: Now therefore be it
R e so lv e d , That this convention, through its delegates to the convention of the
American Federation of Labor, ask that an investigation be made of these conditions
and that efforts be made with the cooperation of the Federal and State authorities
to bring into effect a child labor law that will prevent the carrying of children on
such boats under the age of 15 years.
The committee to which this resolution was referred recommended concurrence in
the above resolution, with the understanding that the legislation be extended, if
possible, to apply to all vessel or boat captains who are similarly situated wit h those
of New York concerning whose condition complaint is made.
The recommendation of the committee was adopted.
At the meeting of the executive council of the A. F. of L., held in San Francisco,
November 21, it was decided that the subject matter of the above resolution be placed
in the hands of the legislative committee of the A. F. of L. with instructions to co
operate with the officers of the A. F. of L. in carrying out the instructions of the
convention.
The following table shows the comparative wages paid to employees
operating the several types of harbor boats in the port of New York
for the years 1914-1918:
T able 6.—WAGES OF NEW YORK HARBOR EMPLOYEES.
July, 1914.
Occupation.
July, 1915.
July, 1916.
July, 1917.
January, 1918.
Rate Num Rate Num Rate Num Rate
Num Rate
per Num
per
per
per
per
ber. month.1
ber. month.1
ber. month.1
ber. month.1
ber. month.1
T u g boats.
135
38
137
33
220
99
234
21
00
o
Captain......................................... .128 $139.14
Máte................................... ...........
37
82. 86
Engineer....... .............................. 122 127.12
Second engineer..........................
32
83.31
Deckhand..................................... 215
59.34
Cook..............................................
91
59.12
Fireman.......................................
234
61.62
Oiler..............................................
19
65.93
176 $148. 25
44 1:09. 59
175 139. 95
41 121. 04
300
75. 22
122
74.42
307
79. 92
17
80.35
173
38
172
38
308
123
311
18
$163.93
128.92
149. 40
139.20
80.93
80.03
83.25
87.89
37 $158.94
55 149.30
21
75. 52
96 144. 24
21 135.00
1Includes board, if board was allowed in addition to wages.
38
54
21
96
21
$160.95
152.53
84. 48
146. 33
142.85
82.98
123.96
84. 36
59. 99
56.33
64. 96
65.97
135- $140.31
38. 94. 57
139 131. 23
33 104.61
228
67. 44
98
65.07
251
70.87
20
73.30
F erry boats.
Captain.........................................
Pilot..............................................
Mate.............................................
Engineer.......................................
Engineer, assistant....................
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
41 $150.73
53 143. 34
22
75.00
104 135. 54
28 134. 55
39 $147.69
54 143.06
21
75.00
102 135.07
28 134. 55
[20J
39 $153.50
56 143. 60
21
74. 59
98 138.59
21 133.55
21
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW,
T able 6.—W AGES OF N E W Y OR K H A R BO R EM PLO Y EES—Concluded.
July, 1914.
Occupation.
Num
ber.
July, 1915.
July, 1916.
July, 1917.
January, 1918.
Rate
Rate
Rate
Rate
Rate
per Num per Num
per Num per Num per
month. ber. month. ber. month. ber. month. ber month.
F e r r y boats —Concluded.
Deck hand___
Fireman..........
Bridgeman__
Wheelsman. . .
Oiler...............
Quartormaster
Water tender..
300
219
56
32
62
24
40
$60.56
80.23
55.59
61.24
80.01
94.16
95.00
281
203
56
33
58
15
30
$60.13
79.24
55.59
61.33
78. 21
90.73
95.00
266
201
56
37
70
15
30
$61.88
80.05
58.30
64.66
81.86
90. 73
95.00
250
192
61
37
' 58
11
30
$62.03
84. 94
63. 94
70. 81
84.39
100.76
95.00
256
205
58
39
60
11
30
$72. 96
94.51
69.25
80.00
92.05
100.76
no. oo
375
$65.90
392
$76.86
230
59
$73.75
86.39
227
62
$80.00
95. 69
Covered barges.
Captain
269
$55.86
300
$56.20
367
$60.36
L ig h ters w ith hoists.
Captain..
Engineer.
148
45
$59.86
76.61.
148
37
$61.65
73.95
167 $67.14
28
85.47
Coal boats, g ra in boats, a n d scow s.
Captain.
400
$46.20
420
$46.41
414
$51.38
591
$60. 94
38
$66.18
596 J $69.21
Car floats.
Float man
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
33
$56. 60
33
$56.60
31
$60.62
A
[21]
48
$78.25
LABOR AND THE WAR.
PRESIDENT
SUSTAINS NATIONAL WAR LABOR
IN TELEGRAPH DISPUTE.
BOARD’S
DECISION
The National War Labor Board on June 1, 1918, adopted a report
covering the findings of the section consisting of the joint chairmen,
Hon. William H. Taft and Mr. Frank P. Walsh, in the controversy
between the Western Union Telegraph Co. and its employees which
grew out of complaints of former employees against the company on
the ground that they were discharged by the company for belonging
to a union called the Commercial Telegraphers’ Union of America.
The report included certain correspondence between Mr. Taft and the
president of the Western Union Telegraph Co. by which an effort
was made to effect a settlement of the dispute by compromise. The
proposition made by the joint chairman was rejected by the company,
and the report concluded with the statement that “ in view of
the correspondence it does not seem useful to further prolong the
mediation. The construction of our principles, as set forth in Mr.
Taft’s telegram to Mr. Carlton, leads to the conclusion that the
Western Union Telegraph Co. should accept this compromise as
therein stated. It declines, however, to do so or to submit to the
jurisdiction of this board, and no further action of the board is there
fore recommended except the publication of this report of the section
and the vote of this board upon the report.”
On June 11, 1918, the President directed letters, respectively,-to
Newcomb Carlton, president of the Western Union Telegraph Co.,
and to Clarence H. Mackay, president of the Postal Telegraph Co.,
in which he suggested “ that decisions of the National War Labor
Board should be accepted by both parties to labor disputes.” The
letter is as follows:
My attention has been called to the fact that the National War Labor Board, after a
careful consideration of the questions at issue between the telegraph companies and
their employees have arrived at a decision the essential points of which are embraced
in the following:
(1) The employees have a right to join a union if they so desire, and men dis
charged for joining the union should be reinstated.
(2) The company should not be required to deal with the union or to recognize it.
(3) Committees of employees should be recognized in presenting grievances.
(4) Where employees and employers fail to agree, the question in dispute should
be determined by the National War Labor Board.
(5) The Telegraphers’ Union should not initiate strikes or permit its members to
initiate them, but should submit all grievances to the National War Labor Board.
22
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW .
23
I am informed that the representatives of the union are willing to accept this decision,
but that the representatives of the telegraph companies have not accepted it.
May I not say that in my judgment it is imperatively necessary in the national
interest that decisions of the National War Labor Board should be accepted by both
parties to labor disputes? To fail to accept them is to jeopard the interests of the
Nation very seriously, because it constitutes a rejection of the instrumentality set up
by the Government itself for the determination of labor disputes, set up with a sincere
desire to arrive, at justice in every case and with the express purpose of safeguarding
the Nation against labor difficulties during the continuation of the present War.
All these circumstances being taken into consideration, I do not hesitate to say that
it is a patriotic duty to cooperate in this all-important matter with the Government
by the use of the instrumentality which the Government has set up. I, therefore,
write to ask that I may have your earnest cooperation in this matter, as in all others,
and that you will set an example to the other employers of the country by a prompt
and cordial acquiescence.
On June 12, Mr.Mackay replied to the President’s letter as follows:
In reply to your letter of yesterday, allow me to say that this company has done
its very utmost since the beginning of the War to assume its full share of responsibility
to the Government and to the public and that, in order to still further show its sin
cerity and earnest desire to be of service at this time of national trial, we can not but
respond to your request that we waive, during the War, our right to discharge employ
ees who join a union, and you may rely upon our doing so.
ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS OF THE WAR LABOR POLICIES BOARD.
Mention has been made in the M o n t h l y R e v i e w of the organiza
tion and functions of the National War Labor Board, of which exPresident William H. Taft and Mr. Frank P. Walsh are joint chair
men.1 Probably growing out of similarity in name, this board has
been confused to some extent with the Whir Labor Policies Board
recently created.2 The distinction between the two boards may be
readily understood when it is explained that the War Labor Policies
Board is administrative while the National War Labor Board is
judicial. It is a court of appeal where one or more of its enun
ciated principles is involved in dispute. Its findings are final and
binding. It is applying to industry a great body of law formulated
and accepted by representatives of organized management and organ
ized labor in this country. The policies board, on the other hand,
devotes itself to administrative work. It determines and develops
policies for a unified labor administration and will coordinate the
various and frequently inconsistent methods of governmental depart
ments which are dealing with the labor problems involved in produc
tion. A brief statement of its origin may be pertinent
From time to time since the declaration of war by the United States
on April 6, 1917, the various production departments of the Govern
ment, including the War Department, the Navy Department, the
i See Monthly R eview for May, 1918, pp. 54-58; also for June, 1918, pp. 54-56.
8 See Monthly R eview for June, pp. 56,57.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
Shipping Board, etc., have organized industrial service sections for
the purpose of making a careful study of all conditions affecting
labor with a view to exercising some sort of control over hours.,
wages, and the welfare of those doing war work in Government
plants and in private establishments. Each department has handled
its own matters with reference to its own requirements. To coordi
nate and centralize the activities of these industrial service sec
tions and to render their work more effective and mutually helpful
to the Government and the workmen engaged on war contracts, the
War Labor Administration was created, with Hon. W. B. Wilson,
Secretary of Labor, designated as Labor Administrator by the
President. The next step taken to bind together all the separate
efforts dealing with production of war materials was the establish
ment, as a part of the War Labor Administration, of the War Labor
Policies Board, under the chairmanship of Mr. Felix Frankfurter, of
Massachusetts, whose official designation is Assistant to the Secretary
of Labor. This policies board is made up of representatives of the
War Department, the Navy Department, the War Industries Board,
the Shipping Board, the Emergency Fleet Corporation, the Fuel
Administration, the Food Administration, and the Railroad Admin
istration. Its chief duties are to consider for war industries all
questions involving wages, hours, the supply and distribution of
labor, and the standardization of working conditions, to accomplish
which it must, among other things, scrutinize provisions in Govern
ment contracts affecting industrial relations. The execution of the
decisions of the board will be directly in charge of each department
represented on the board, so far as the decisions affect that depart
ment. To assist the board in-formulating the policies to be adopted
as governing principles in its administrative work., temporary com
mittees have been appointed, the membership of each being drawn
from the branches of the Government represented on the policies
board. These committees and the departments represented are as
follows :
Committee on inquiry on Government contract clauses affecting
industrial relations—War Labor Policies Board, Emergency Fleet
Corporation, War Department, Navy Department.
Committee on central recruiting—War Labor Policies Board,
Department of Agriculture, Emergency Fleet Corporation, Navy
Department, War Department, War Industries Board.
Committee on exemption of skilled laborers—War Labor Policies
Board, War Department, Navy Department, Emergency Fleet Cor
poration.
Committee on centralization of industrial statistics—War Labor
Policies Board, War Department, Emergency Fleet Corporation,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
25
Department of Agriculture, Navy Department, Fuel Administration,
Shipping Board, War Industries Board.
Committee on standardization of wages and conditions of labor—
War Labor Policies Board, Emergency Fleet Corporation, War In
dustries Board, War Department, Navy Department, Fuel Admin
istration, Shipping Board.
Committee on United States War Industry Badges—War Labor
Policies Board, War Industries Board, Shipping Board, Navy Depart
ment, War Department, Department of Labor, Committee on Public
Information.
So far as appointed on June 15 the members and special advisers
of the War Labor Policies Board included the following:
Department of Labor—Felix Frankfurter, professor of law, Harvard University,
chairman; Max Lowenthal, assistant to chairman; Miss Mary VanKleeck, director
of Women in Industry Service.
War Department—Dr. E. M. Hopkins, assistant to the Secretary of War.
Navy Department—F. D. Roosevelt, Assistant Secretary of the Navy.
Department of Agriculture—G. I. Christie, assistant to the Secretary of Agriculture,
in charge of farm labor activities.
War Industries Board—Hugh Frayne, general organizer, American Federation of
Labor, New York City.
Fuel Administration—John P. White, ex-president of the United Mine Workers of
America.
Shipping Board—Robt. P. Bass, ex-governor of New Hampshire.
Emergency Fleet Corporation—Charles Piez, general manager.
Food administration—M. B. Hammond, professor of economics and sociology, Ohio
State University.
Railroad Administration—W. I. Tyler, assistant director, Division of Operations.
Committee on Public Information—W. L. Chenery, Chicago.
Executive secretary—George L. Bell, San Francisco.
Industrial adviser—Herbert F. Perkins, Chicago.
Labor adviser—John R. Alpine, vice president, American Federation of Labor.
Economic adviser—L. C. Marshall, dean, University of Chicago.
As to the purposes and proposed operation of the War Labor
Policies Board, Mr. Frankfurter has issued the following statement:
A central administrative control of its various activities is maintained by each
private industrial employer in the country. The products of a single corporation may
include soap, butterine, and dressed beef, each produced in plants far distant from
one another. Nevertheless, the control over all of them is exercised from a central
point where policies to govern all the plants are determined, and, most of all, the
questions concerning the relations of the corporation with its employees.
Since the outbreak of the War, the United States Government has come to be the
greatest single employer of labor in the country. Its plants are scattered North and
West and South and East. The number of workers ultimately involved in the ful
fillment of its orders runs into the millions. But it has had no operating policy with
regard to the plants as a whole. Each one has been operated individually as a separate
enterprise, quite apart from the others and, so far as the labor supply has been con
cerned, in actual competition with the others.
A plant working on an important order for the War Department, for instance, has
suddenly discovered that half its working force has disappeared, because a plant in
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[2 5 ]
26
MONTHLY LABOE REVIEW.
the neighborhood engaged upon orders for another department has offered a higher
rate of pay for this or that class of labor. The labor turnover, the loss of motion and of
production, because of this condition of affairs has been notoriously wasteful. The
inducement has been created all over the country for men working in one industry
to change their jobs and go where more money was obtainable, as a matter of fact, where
it was offered to entice them away. It is, of course, too much to ask men not to leave
their jobs under such circumstances. The difficulty is not with the men. It resides
in the absence of any agency of government charged with the removal of causes of
industrial instability and with the establishment of standards for industry as a whole.
The Government assumed command of the physical machinery of industry, but in
failing to centralize direction of the industrial personnel the harmony of operation it
sought was destroyed. There being no machinery to prevent employers from waste
ful competition for the labor supply, no adjustment of the labor resources to the pro
ductive needs of the country, it is not strange that labor seemed to become scarce and
that industry suffered severe dislocation.
It is to remove these evils besetting the effort to attain and maintain maximum
of production for the prosecution of the War that the new machinery has been set
up by Secretary of Labor Wilson.
The War Labor Policies Board and the board representing the various bureaus of
the Labor Department will constitute a dovetailing process linking up every agency
of the Government whose activities in any way involve the employment or the direc
tion of labor. The policies board will be representative of the War „I) e par tin e n t,
the Navy Department, the Department of Agriculture, the Shipping Board, the Food
Administration, the Fuel Administration, the Emergency Fleet Corporation, the
Railroad Administration, and the War Industries Board. Its functions, while in a
sense technical, will be thoroughly administrative, inasmuch as its decisions will
be carried out by the departments and agencies represented in its membership.
In the matter of wages it will not attempt to set a flat rate for any one craft or trade
in the country as a whole; but it will fix standards to be determined for all indus
tries in a given section of the country after investigations disclosing the conditions
of life, including the cost of living and the service rendered. The facts will be ascer
tained justly and comprehensively from information to be sought from the workers’
own organization, private employers and their organizations, Government bureaus,
and wherever else exact’knowledge may be secured.
We must husband our labor supply, so as to satisfy the war needs of the country to
the fullest possible practical extent. I t is necessary, therefore, that the sources of
supply be wisely directed and employed. With respect to this phase of the indus
trial problem it will be the function of the war policies board to allocate the supply
according to the productive needs of the country. Under decisions of the board on
this score it will be impossible for one industry to draw the labor supply from another
unless it has been regularly determined that the first industry has a higher claim
upon the supply on the basis of a more pressing Government need than the industry
from which it would draw the workers. This question will of course be determined
by the war policies board. But by the establishment of standardized wage condi
tions the incentive for workers to leave one industry and go to another will have,
been removed anyhow.
In addition to controlling the labor supply by the methods just reviewed the poli
cies board will also regulate hours of labor in the various industries and determine,
the needs of industry with regard to housing and transportation facilities, etc.
The need of the hour is production, the fullest munitioning, equipment, and feed
ing of the forces at the front. Labor, industrial managers, and Government officials
are all heartily united to bring about this end. There will be the utmost pooling,
not only of the industrial resources but of the resources of good will and intelligence,
and in this spirit the work will proceed efficiently. There is much to be done, but
it will be done because it must be done.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[ 26 ]
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
27
The YvTar Labor Policies Board has instructed its committee on
standardization of wages and labor conditions to effect, in consulta
tion with representatives of labor and of employers, the stabilization
of wages paid by Government departments and contractors engaged
on war work, the board requesting, in a resolution previously adopted,
that in the meantime the departments withhold contemplated wage
changes. The following is the resolution passed by the policies board
pertaining to standardization of wages:
Whereas the recent uncoordinated activities of Government contractors in the
matter of hiring labor for war industry have resulted in competitive bidding by one
contractor against another for the available labor at any scale deemed expedient for
the occasion, which has resulted in producing restlessness and wasteful movement of
labor from one industry to another; and whereas it is absolutely essential to the stabili
zation of industry throughout the United States that all wages for both skilled and
unskilled labor engaged in war work be standardized: Therefore be it resolved,
That wages paid by Government departments and contractors engaged in war work
should, after conference with representatives of labor and by industrial management,
be stabilized by this board; that the committee on standardization is hereby instructed
to proceed with its work with all possible expedition, and that as soon as such stand
ardized scales are established the full influence and authority of all departments of the
Government represented on this board will be exercised to maintain them.
INDUSTRIAL COUNCILS IN GREAT BRITAIN.1
The Ministry of Labor has prepared and issued a leaflet (H. Q. 7 B),
entitled “ Industrial councils: The recommendations of the Whitley
report.” The leaflet gives a brief outline of the principal recom
mendations of the report, and it has been issued with a view to mak
ing these recommendations as widely known as possible among the
members of employers’ and workpeople’s associations and among the
general public. The sections of the leaflet deal with “ The Whitley
committee,” “ Objects of the Whitley report,” “ The recommenda
tions,” “ Industrial councils and the Government,” “ Constitution of
industrial councils,” “ Works committees,” “ The need for industrial
councils,” and “ Procedure.”
The sections of the leaflet dealing with “ Industrial councils and the
Government” and “ The need for industrial councils” are as follows:
I n d u s t r i a l C o u n c il s a n d t h e G o v e r n m e n t .
The primary object of industrial councils, then, is to regularize the relations between
employers and employed. But they will serve another urgent need, and in so doing
will give to workpeople a status in their respective industries that they have not had
hitherto. There is a large body of problems which belong both to industry and to
politics. They belong to politics because the community is responsible for‘their
solution and the State must act if no other provision is made; they belong to industry
because they can be solved only by the knowledge and experience of the people
‘ Labour Gazette, London, May, 1918, p. 174.
65801°— 18----- 3
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actually engaged in industry. Such problems are the regularization of employment,
industrial training, utilization of inventions, industrial research, the improvement of
design and quality, legislation affecting workshop conditions—all of them questions
which have hitherto been left in the main to employers, but which in reality con
stitute an important common interest on the basis of which all engaged in an industry
can meet. The termination of the War will bring with it a mass of new problems of
this nature; for example, demobilization, the training of apprentices whose appren
ticeship was interrupted by military service, the settlement in industry of partially
disabled men, and, in general, the reconversion of industry to the purposes of peace.
It is urgently necessary that the Government should be able to obtain without delay
the experience and views of the people actually in industry on all these questions.
It proposes, therefore, to treat industrial councils as standing consultative committees
to the Government and the normal channel through which it will seek the experience
and advice of industries. Further, many of these problems can be handled by each
industry for itself, provided that it has an organization representative of all sections
and interests within it. The establishment of industrial councils will therefore make
unnecessary a large amount of “ Government interference,” which is at present un
avoidable, and substitute for it a real measure of “ self-government” in industry.
T he N e e d
for
I n d u s t r ia l C o u n c il s .
While there is no doubt that every industry has problems which can he solved
only if the experience of every grade and section of the industry is brought to bear
on them, hitherto the tendency has been for every grade and section to go its own
way. Whenever the Government wishes to ascertain the needs and opinions of an
industry, instead of one organization speaking with a single voice, a dozen organiza
tions speak with a dozen voices. The different sections and interests are organized
and can put their point of view; the industry as a whole has no representative organi
zation, so that the general interest of the industry may be overlooked. Sectional
interests often conflict; there is no need for example to disguise the conflict of interests
between employers and employed; and the Whitley report proposes nothing of the
nature of compulsory arbitration, nothing that will limit or interfere with the right
to lock out or strike. But no one in industry wants an unnecessary stoppage; these
can be prevented only by the representatives of conflicting interests meeting to thrash
out their differences; and all the problems that will face industry after the War call
for continuous consultation and cooperation of all sections, grades, and interests.
For every reason, therefore, industrial councils, fully representative of all sections
and interests in each industry, are an urgent necessity.
In some industries there exist already joint conciliation boards performing some
of the functions of industrial councils. These are, however, as a rule, limited either
in the work they undertake or in the sections of the industry which they represent.
Although, therefore, existing joint boards will in many cases provide the basis for
industrial councils, they can not handle the problems referred to above with which
the industries of the country wall be faced after the War. "What is needed is an or
ganization representing the whole industry and capable of'speaking for all the firms
and all the workpeople employed in it. The Government’s adoption of the Whitley
report is simply an invitation to the industries of the country to organize themselves
in this way, for their own benefit and for the benefit of the community.
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PROVISION FOR THE DISABLED AND VOCATIONAL
EDUCATION.
GOVERNMENT
PROVIDES FOR VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION
SOLDIERS AND SAILORS.
OF
The act (S. 4557) to provide for vocational rehabilitation and return
to civil employment of disabled persons discharged from the military
or naval forces of the United States, which was passed by the Senate
May 25, 1918, and by the House of Representatives on June 10, was
approved by the President on June 27. This bill places in the hands
of the Federal Board for Vocational Education the duty of furnishing
every disabled soldier and sailor who, upon his discharge, is unable to
carry on a gainful occupation or to resume his former occupation or
to enter upon some other occupation, or having resumed or entered
upon such occupation is unable to continue the same successfully,
suitable courses of vocational rehabilitation to be prescribed and
provided by the board. Compensation is to be paid while the instruc
tion is in progress. The following gives in full the provisions of the
bill:
B e i t ena cted , etc., That this act shall be known as the Vocational Rehabilitation Act;
that the word “ board,” as hereinafter used in this act, shall mean the “ Federal
Board for Vocational Education;” that the word “ bureau,” as hereinafter used in
this act, shall mean the “ Bureau of War-Risk Insurance.”
S e c . 2. That every person who is disabled under circumstances entitling him, after
discharge from the military or naval forces of the United States, to compensation
under Article I II of the act entitled, “ An act to amend an act entitled an act to
authorize the establishment of a Bureau of War-Risk Insurance in the Treasury
Department,” approved October sixth, nineteen hundred and seventeen, hereinafter
referred to as “ said act,” and who, after his discharge, in the opinion of the board, is
unable to carry on a gainful occupation, to resume his former occupation, or to enter
upon some other occupation, or having resumed or entered upon such occupation is
unable to continue the same successfully, shall be furnished by the said board, where
vocational rehabilitation is feasible, such course of vocational rehabilitation as the
board shall prescribe and provide.
The board shall have power, and it shall be its duty, to furnish the persons included
in this section suitable courses of vocational rehabilitation to be prescribed and pro
vided by the board, and every person electing to follow such a course of vocational
rehabilitation shall, while following the same, receive monthly compensation equal
to the amount of his monthly pay for the last month of his active service, or equal to
the amount to which he would be entitled under Article I II of said act, whichever
amount is the greater. If such person was an enlisted man at the time of his discharge,
for the period during which he is so afforded a course of rehabilitation his family shall
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receive compulsory allotment and family allowance according to the terms of Article
II of said act in the same manner as if he were an enlisted man, and for the purpose of
computing and paying compulsory allotment and family allowance his compensation
shall be treated as his monthly pay: P r o v id e d , That if such person willfully fails or
refuses to follow the prescribed course of vocational rehabilitation which he ha3
elected to follow, in a manner satisfactory to the hoard, the said board in its discretion
may certify to that effect to the bureau and the said bureau shall, during such period
of failure or refusal, withhold any part or all of the monthly compensation due such
person and not subject to compulsory allotment which the said board may have deter
mined should be withheld: P ro v id e d , h o w ever, That no vocational teaching shall be
carried on in any hospital until the medical authorities certify that the condition of
the patient is such as to justify such teaching.
The military and naval family allowance appropriation provided for in section
18 of said act shall be available for the payment of the family allowances pro
vided by this section, and the military and naval compensation appropriation pro
vided for in section 19 of said act shall be available for the payment of the
monthly compensation herein provided. No compensation under Article III of
said act shall be paid for the period during which any such person is furnished by said
board a course of vocational rehabilitation except as is hereinbefore provided.
S e c . 3. That the courses of vocational rehabilitation provided for under this act
shall, as far as practicable and under such conditions as the board may prescribe,
be made available without cost for instruction for the benefit of any person who is
disabled under circumstances entitling him, after discharge from the military or
naval forces of the United States, to compensation under Article III of said act and
who is not included in section 2 hereof.
S e c . 4. That the board shall have the power and it shall be its duty to provide
such facilities, instructors, and courses as may be necessary to insure proper training
for such persons as are required to follow such courses as herein provided; to prescribe
the courses to be followed by such persons; to pay, when in the discretion of the board
such payment is necessary, the expense of travel, lodging, subsistence, and other
necessary expenses of such persons while following the prescribed courses; to do all
things necessary to insure vocational rehabilitation; to provide for the placement of
rehabilitated persons in suitable or gainful occupations. The board shall have the
power to make such rules and regulations as may be necessary for the proper per
formance of its duties as prescribed by this act, and is hereby authorized and directed
to utilize, with the approval of the Secretary of Labor, the facilities of the Department
of Labor, in so far as may be practicable, in the placement of rehabilitated persons
in suitable or gainful occupations.
S ec . 5. That it shall also be the duty of the board to make or cause to have made
studies, investigations, and reports regarding the vocational rehabilitation of disabled
persons and their placement in suitable or gainful occupations. When the board
deems it advisable, such studies, investigations, and reports may be made in coopera
tion with or through other departments and bureaus of the Government, and the board
in its discretion may cooperate with such public or private agencies as it may deem
advisable in performing the duties imposed upon it by this act.
S e c . 6. That all medical and surgical work or other treatment necessary to give
functional and mental restoration to disabled persons prior to their discharge from the
military or naval forces of the United States shall be under the control of the War
Bepai trnent and the Navy Department, respectively. Whenever training is employed
as a therapeutic measure by the War Department or the Navy Department a plan may
be established between these agencies and the board acting in an advisory capacity
to insure, in so far as medical requirements permit, a proper process of training and the
proper preparation of instructors for such training. A plan may also be established
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between the War and Navy Departments and the board whereby these departments
shall act in an advisory capacity with the board in the care of the health of the soldier
and sailor after his discharge.
The board shall, in establishing its plans and rules and regulations for vocational
training, cooperate with the War Department and the Navy Department in so far as
may be necessary to effect a continuous process of vocational training.
S e c . 7. That the board is hereby authorized and empowered to receive such gifts
and donations from either public or private sources as may be offered unconditionally.
All moneys received as gifts or donations shall be paid into the Treasury of the United
States, and shall constitute a permanent fund, to be called the “ Special fund for voca
tional rehabilitation,” to be used under the direction of the said board in connection
with the appropriations hereby made or hereafter to be made to defray the expenses
of providing and maintaining courses of vocational rehabilitation; and a full report of
all gifts and donations offered and accepted, and all disbursements therefrom, shall be
submitted annually to Congress by said board.
S e c . 8. That there is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury of
the United States not otherwise appropriated, available immediately and until
expended, the sum of $2,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to be used
by the Federal Board for Vocational Education for the purposes of this act, to wit,
for renting and remodeling buildings and quarters, repairing, maintaining, and
equipping same, and for equipment and other facilities necessary for proper instruc
tion of disabled persons, $250,000; for the preparation of instructors and salaries of
instructors, supervisors, and other experts, including necessary traveling expenses,
$545,000; for traveling expenses of disabled persons in connection with training and
lodging, subsistence, and other necessary expenses in special cases of persons following
prescribed courses, $250,000; for tuition for disabled persons pursuing courses in
existing institutions, public or private, $545,000; for the placement and supervision
after placement of vocationally rehabilitated persons, $45,000; for studies, investiga
tions, reports, and preparation of special courses of instruction, $55,000; for miscella
neous contingencies, including special mechanical appliances necessary in special
cases for disabled men, $110,000; and for the administrative expenses of said board
incident to performing the duties imposed by this act, including salaries of such
assistants, experts, clerks, and other employees in the District of Columbia or else
where as the board may deem necessary, actual traveling and other necessary ex
penses incurred by the members of the board and by its employees under its orders,
including attendance at meetings of educational associations and other organizations,
rent and equipment of offices in the District of Columbia and elsewhere, purchase of
books of reference, law books, and periodicals, stationery, typewriters and exchange
thereof, miscellaneous supplies, postage on foreign mail, printing and binding to be
done at the Government Printing Office, and all other necessary expenses, $200,000.
S e c . 9. That the said board shall file with the Clerk of the House and the Secretary
of the Senate on July first and every three months thereafter, for the information of
the Congress, an itemized account of all expenditures made under this act, including
names and salaries of employees. Said board shall also make an annual report to the
Congress of its doings under this act on or before December first of each year.
S e c . 10. That section three hundred and four of the act entitled “ An act to authorize
the establishment of a Bureau of War-Risk Insurance in the Treasury Department,”
approved September second, nineteen hundred and fourteen, as amended, is hereby
repealed.
S e c . 11. No person of draft age, physically fit for military service, shall be exempted
from such service on account of being employed under the terms of this act.
Approved, June 27, 1918.
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32
WHAT BECOMES OF MEN CRIPPLED IN INDUSTRY?
BY CARL H O O K STA D T.
SCOPE AND METHOD.
Tlie proper replacement of our permanently disabled soldiers and
sailors in civil employments is becoming an increasingly important
war problem of the Federal Government. The department respon
sible for the reestablishment of these crippled men will be confronted
with many difficulties. For the purpose of throwing some light upon
this problem the bureau made a study of industrial accidents in
order to ascertain just what effect the more serious permanent partial
disabilities have had upon the occupational opportunities of the
injured men. The main emphasis was laid upon the character of
the industry; the occupation of the employee at the time of the injury,
upon his return to work, and at the present time ; the length of time
totally disabled; the employee’s wages at the time of the injury and
upon his return to work; and the age, nationality, and Englishspeaking ability of the employee.
Massachusetts was selected as the field of study because under
the law of this State compensation for all partial disabilities
must be paid until the employee is reemployed at the same or
higher wage than that received at the time of the injury. Thus
a longer ' and more complete record of the cases is available.
Because of the urgency of the problem the investigation was limited
to injuries resulting in amputation or loss of use of a hand, arm, foot,
or leg. Three years’ experience under the compensation act (July 1,
1913, to June 30, 1916) were deemed sufficient to furnish an accurate
and trustworthy picture of the economic problem confronting onearmed and one-legged men in industry. Fortunately the period cov
ered included both a period of abnormal industrial depression and one
of abnormal industrial activity. Every case for which records were
available in the office of the Massachusetts Industrial Accident Board
was scheduled, special precaution being taken to exclude the element
of selection. The total number of compensation cases considered
was 123, of which 118 involved males and 5, females. In addition
some 35 noncompensation cases, mostly of railroad accidents, were
scheduled, but these are not included in the following analysis.
It is believed that the 123 cases are truly representative and con
stitute a sufficient exposure to furnish dependable conclusions.
The following method of investigation was adopted: All available
information in the files of the industrial accident board was first
utilized. The schedules were then submitted to the insurance
companies for additional information, after which personal investi
gation of each case was attempted. Some of the injured men had
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33
left the country, others could not he found, while several, living in
remote corners of the State, were not visited. In a large proportion
of the cases, however, a fairly complete history from the date of
injury to the present time was obtained.1
The 123 injuries were distributed as follows: Loss of hand, 50;
arm, 46; foot, 10; leg, 17. As stated before, loss means loss of use
as well as loss by severance or amputation.
FINDINGS OF FACT.
P e r io d o f to ta l d i s a b i l i t y .—The investigation developed two impor
tant facts relative to the length of total disability resulting from these
types of injuries. One is the relatively greater severity of the foot
and leg injuries over those of the hand and arm, and the other is the
unexpectedly long period of disability in all cases. The average length
of total disability for the 123 cases was 15.9 months. Of these the
average for the 96 hand and arm cases was 13.4 months, while the
average for the 27 foot and leg cases was 24.8 months. There was
little difference as regards disability period between the hand and
arm injuries on the one hand and foot and leg injuries on the other.
Moreover, from the description of the case, it was impossible in many
instances to differentiate accurately between hand and arm or foot and
leg cases. The disabilities stated are the actual minimum . Nineteen
of the men were still disabled and unemployed at the time of the inves
tigation, 10 of whom are probably permanently incapacitated. Also
in about 40 cases, following the granting of lump sums, the injured
man either returned to his native country or disappeared and could
not be traced. It is reasonable to assume that many of these were
disabled and unemployed for a considerable period after the lump
sum was granted and the case closed.
The distribution according to length of total disability is shown by
the following table:
DISTR IBU TIO N OF INJURIES, B Y PE R IO D OF TOTAL D ISABILITY.
Number.
Period of total disability.
Hand
and
arm.
Foot
and
leg.
Per cent.
Hand
and
arm.
16
14
16
12
16
8
18
11
26
26
33
12
12
12
12
18
12
21
100
100
100
Under 5 m onths.....................................................................
5 and under 7 m onths...........................................................
7 and under 9 m onths............................................................
9 and under 12 m onths.........................................................
12 and under 18 m onths........................................................
18 and under 24 m onths........................................................
24 months and over...............................................................
15
14
15
12
15
8
17
3
7
7
9
15
15
15
15
22
15
28
T otal..............................................................................
96
27
123
i
Foot
and
leg.
Total.
4
Total.
1 Acknowledgment is here made of the generous cooperation rendered by the Massachusetts Industrial
Accident Board and insurance companies.
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34
It- will be noted that in over one-half of the cases (51 per cent)
the total disability period was 1 year or over and in 21 per cent
2 years or over. The table also shows that injuries resulting in
loss of the lower extremities are much more severe than those
resulting in the loss of a hand or arm. Of the former injuries 59
per cent caused total disability of 18 months or more, while of the
latter only 26 per cent caused disability for a similar period.
Classification of cases into age groups substantiates the common
belief that the loss of an arm or leg by an old man is much more
serious from a medical and economic viewpoint than a similar loss
by a younger man. Of the 123 injured men studied 87 were under
45 years of age and 36 were 45 or over. The average total disability
for those under 45 was 13 months, whereas the average for those
45 years or over was 23 months. Moreover, 10 of the 14 men still
receiving compensation and all of the permanently disabled were in
the latter group.
Summary history of the injured men.—The industrial consequences
resulting from the injuries are roughly shown in the following table.
A brief account of each case in which the injured man returned to
work is given in an appended table on pages 48 and 49.
Still disabled and unemployed..................................................................................... 1 19
Returned to work and still working.............................................................................. 40
Returned to native country............................................................................................2 12
7
Intended to return to native country; presumably did so........................................
Went into business....... ..................................................................................................
6
Intended to go into business..........................................................................................
4
Met accidental death while disabled.................. .........................................................
1
Insane............................................................................................................... - ..............
1
Student in high school....................................................................................................
1
Married shortly alter injury (female)............................................................................
1
Returned to work but left employment;whereabouts unknown............................... 11
Lump sum granted; whereabouts unknown................................................................ 19
Board discontinued compensation because man would not work; whereabouts
unknown......... .............................................................................................................
1
Total........................................................................................................................ 123
1 14 are still receiving compensation for total disability.
* 1 moved to another State.
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35
Classification by industry.—The number of men injured and re
employed classified according to industry is shown in the following
table :
NUM BER AN D P E R CENT OF IN JU R E D AN D R EEM PLOYED EM PLOYEES CLASSIFIED
BY IND U STR Y .
Number
injured.
Industry.
Returned to same
employer.
Number.
Manufacturing:
T extiles......................................................................................................
Metal and machine tools........................................................................
Rubber goods...........................................................................................
Paper and books......................................................................................
Woodworking.......................................................................... ...............
Shoes and heels.........................................................................................
Bakery and confectionery...............................
Miscellaneous...................I .......................................................................
T otal......................................................................................................
Nonmanufacturing:
Trucking and teaming............................................................................
Contracting...............................................................................................
Printing and lithographing...................................................................
Shipbuilding..............1 ............................................................................
Laundry...............................................................................................
Miscellaneous............................................................................................
Per cent.
29
17
8
7
7
3
3
10
11
12
5
5
1
38
71
62
71
14
2
4
67
40
84
40
48
10
11
3
2
2
11
1
2
1
10
18
33
1
3
60
27
Total.......................................................................................................
39
8
21
Grand total............................................................................................
123
48
39
The character of the industry determines to a considerable extent
whether the injured man is reemployed in the same industry or by
the same employer. Of the 123 injuries, 84 were sustained in
manufacturing industries and 39 in nonmanufacturing industries.
Of those injured in manufacturing, 40, or 48 per cent, returned to
the same employer, whereas only 21 per cent of those injured in
nonmanufacturing industries were so reemployed. Machinery manu
facturing establishments show the highest percentage (71) of reem
ployment. This is due mainly to two reasons: First, the employees
are usually highly skilled, and because of this fact are more readily
reemployable; second, because of the nature of work, employ
ments for this type of disabled man can be more easily created or
already exist. On the other hand, employers in the contracting and
trucking business show the lowest percentage (14) of reemployments.
The character of the work and the small size of the establishment
account chiefly for the nonemployment in these industries.
Reemployment classified according to degree of skill.—That the
opportunity for reemployment varies directly with the degree of
occupational skill is brought out in the table following.
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REEM PLOYM ENT OF IN JU R E D EM PLOYEES CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO D EG R EE OF
SKILL.
Number of
employees
injured.
Classification.
Employees reemployed.
Number.
Per cent.
Skilled..............................................................................................................
Semiskilled.............................................................................................. .........
Unskilled..... ..................................................................................... ..............
55
31
37
35
12
11
64
39
£0
Total........................ ..............................................................................
123
1 58
47
1 Of these, 48 were reemployed by same employer and 10 were not.
The great disparity in opportunity for reemployment between the
skilled and unskilled is further illustrated in the following table,
showing the number reemployed in specified occupations.
REEM PLOYM ENT IN SPECIFIED OCCUPATIONS.
Number
injured.
Classification.
Number
reem
ployed.
Per cent
reem
ployed.
Skilled:
Machinist
................................................................ ........ ...........
Carnenter...........................................................................................
Engineer............................................................................................
9
4
3
1
2
5
55
25
Total...............................................................................................
16
8
50
Semiskilled (textiles):
Picker tender.......................................... . . . ’. ...................................
Card tender.......................................................................................
7
10
2
4
29
40
67
Total...............................................................................................
17
6
35
Unskilled:
Laborer......................................................... ....................................
Helper .............................................................................................
12
5
1
1
8
20
Total...............................................................................................
17
2
12
It will be noted that over one-half of the machinists were reem
ployed whereas only 2 of the 17 laborers and helpers were reemployed.
Occupations before and after injury.—Of the 58 injured employees
who were reemployed only 6 were known to have returned to the same
occupation. The large majority subsequently filled unskilled occupa
tions, as shown by the following table:
CLASS OF OCCUPATIONS BEFO R E AND A FTER INJU R Y OF THOSE EMPLOYEES WHO
W ERE REEM PLOYED.
Employees in specified class of occupations—
Occupation classification.
Before injuryNumber.
Skilled occupations..................................................................
Semiskilled occupations..........................................................
Unskilled occupations.............................................................
Total...........................................................................
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12
11
58
After injury.
Per cent.
GO
21 l
19
100
Number.
Per cent.
18
.A
31
69
58
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
37
The occupational status before and after injury of each reemployed
man is shown in the table on pages 48 and 49. A summary of the
occupations followed by the 58 reemployed men upon their return to
work is given in the following table.
Unskilled or semiskilled occupations:
Number.
Watchman, gateman, etc..................................................................
7
Elevator operator...............................................................................
9
Laborer,................................................................................................
6
H elper.................................................................................................. 15
Messenger............................................................................................
1
Chocolate packer................................................................................
1
Supervising scows..............................................................................
1
Total.................................................................................................
Skilled occupations:
Foreman..............................................................................................
Apprentice instructor.......................................................................
Machinist............................................................................................
Tool-room clerk...................................................................................
Calender operator (rubber manufacturing).....................................
Engineer.................................................-...........................................
Traveling salesman............................................................................
Bottle checker (brewery)..................................................................
Radio operator....................................................................................
Clerical........................................................
40
3
1
4
3
2
1
1
1
1
1
Total.................................................................................................
18
Grand total.......................................................................................
58
Wages before and after injury.—The effect of these permanent disa
bility injuries upon wages is difficult of determination unless industrial
conditions are normal and have remained stationary for a sufficient
length of time. The period covered by this investigation began in
a time of industrial depression and ended in one of industrial
activity. Naturally there was a considerable increase in wages
during the period. Therefore the difference in wages received by
the employee at the time of injury and upon his return to work a
year and a half or two years later by no means measures the difference
in earning capacity. Of the 123 employees studied 24 per cent at
the time of the injury received less than $9 a week; and 59 per cent
received under $12. It is reasonable to assume that with the subse
quent increased demand for labor and the consequent advance in
the wage level but few of this class of employees would be unable to
earn at least their former wage at any kind of work.
However, of the 58 injured employees who returned to work, 27,
or 47 per cent, received less at the time they returned to work than
they received before the injury; 19, or 33 per cent, received the same
wage; 10, or 17 per cent, received a higher wage. In two cases the
subsequent wages were not ascertained.
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'The effect of the industrial activity factor upon wages is brought
out to some extent in the following table, which shows, for the persons
injured in each of the three years, the number and per cent receiving
less, the same, or more wages at the time they returned to work than
they had formerly received:
EFFEC T OF INJU R Y UPON WAGES AS COMPARED W ITH FORM ER WAGES, CLASSIFIED
BY Y E A R S IN WHICH IN JU R Y OCCURRED.
Number receiving at the time
they returned to work—
Year.
Per cent receiving at the time
they returned to work—
Not
Not
re Total. Less. Same
re Total.
Less. Same. More. port
More. port
ed.
ed.
11
7
9
7
2
2
6
i
i
Third vear 11915-16).....................................
19
17
22
58
41
41
23
41
32
11
12
27
5
6
100
100
100
Total.....................................................
27
19
10
2
58
47
33
17
3
100
First year (1913—14)......................................
S p o o n d year (1914-15)..................................
5
An idea of the actual effect of the loss of a hand or arm upon earn
ing capacity of a skilled worker can perhaps be obtained from the
following two illustrations:
1. A carpenter employed in a cotton mill lost his right hand at the
wrist in an accident which occurred on September 22, 1914. He was a
French Canadian, 36 years of age .„and could speak very little English.
His weekly wages at the time of the injury were $12.15. He returned
to work for the same employer as a tool-room clerk four and one-half
months later at a weekly wage of $10. At present he is receiving $16,
or an increase of 33 per cent over his former wage. However, had
he not been injured he would now be receiving $21.25 at his former
occupation. In his case, therefore, there was a decrease in earning
capacity of 25 per cent.
2. A machine tender employed in a paper mill lost his left arm from
above the elbow July 17, 1913. He was an American, 28 years of
age. His average weekly wage at the time of the injury was $17.53.
He returned to work for the same employer three months later, being
placed in charge of the storeroom. The wage received upon his
return was $15. At present he is receiving $17 a week, practically
the same wage he earned at the time of the injury. However, had
he not been injured ho would now be receiving $27 a week at his
former occupation. There was a reduction in earning capacity of 35
per cent.
Reemployment opportunity according to nature of injury.—As already
noted, the loss of a foot or leg produces longer total disability than
the loss of a hand or arm. The former types of injuries seem to be
more serious also from the standpoint of occupational opportunity,
as is shown in the table following.
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39
REEM PLOYM ENT OPPO R TU NITY ACCORDING TO NATU R E OF INJURY.
Those reemployed.
Number
injured.
Character of injury.
Number.
Loss of—
Hand...........................................................................................................
Arm.........................................................................................................
Foot...........................................................................................................
Leg.............................................................................................................
50
46
10
17
Total............................................................................................
Per cent.
28
22
3
5
56
48
30
29
123
58
47
Hand and arm..........................................................................................
Foot and leg......... ....................................................................................
96
27
50
8
52
30
Total.......................................................................................................
123
58
47
Of the 96 hand and arm cases 50, or 52 per cent, were reemployed,
whereas of the 27 foot and leg cases only 8, or 30 per cent, were re
employed. However, because of the limited number of cases, too
much weight should not be given to these conclusions. Furthermore,
the factors of age and previous occupation may have had a deter
mining influence.
Reemployment classified according to type of insurance.—Under the
Massachusetts Compensation Act employers must insure in an author
ized insurance company, either stock or mutual. Self-insurance is
not permitted. It is interesting to note what effect, if any, the type
of insurance has upon the reemployment of injured men. The
mutual companies were able to replace 70 per cent of the disabled
men, insured by them, who were covered by this study whereas the
stock companies were able to replace only 39 per cent. This is shown
by the following table:
NUM BER AND P E R CENT OF INJURED MEN REEM PLO Y ED , CLASSIFIED ACCORDING
TO T Y PE OF INSURANCE CARRIER.
Those reemployed.
Number
injured.
Type of insurance carrier.
Number.
Per cent.
Mutual companies:
Company A ...............................................................................................
Company B ...............................................................................................
L30
16
122
10
73
62
Total......................................................................................... ..............
Stock companies..............................................................................................
i46
83
132
32
70
39
Grand total.............................................................................................
i 129
164
50
1 Including 6 cases coming under the first year of the Massachusetts act and not included in the 123 cases
analyzed in this report.
The better showing of the mutual companies in replacement work
is due mainly to the closer relationship between the employer and
insurer. The more direct the relationship between accident cost
and insurance premiums the more it is to the interest of the em-
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
ployer to reemploy his injured workmen and thus reduce his com
pensation or insurance costs. The policy of return dividends in
herent in the mutual system, particularly when the dividend rate is
determined in accordance with the actual accident costs of a single
establishment or group of similar establishments, makes it of finan
cial interest to employers to take back their injured men as soon as
possible.
Effect of English-speaking ability upon reemployment.—Owing to
lack of complete and definite information, it is impossible to show
statistically the effect upon his reemployability of an employee’s
inability to speak English. That it has a deterrent effect in many
cases is certain. In a number of instances reported by inspectors of
the industrial accident board and insurance companies this factor had
a determining influence. Ability to understand and speak English
may not be of vital importance to a machine tender in a cotton mill,
for example, but it is essential to watchmen, messengers, elevator
operators, and so on; and, as already shown, it is occupations of this
character that most of the injured employees fill after their injury.
Rehabilitation and reeducation.— Practically the only rehabilitation
work done was the furnishing of artificial hands or legs and these
were supplied in less than one-half the cases. In some cases the
employee refused to wear the artificial limb, usually because it did
not fit, was cumbersome or unsightly, or was useless.
Six instances of attempts at reeducation or retraining were found
with the following results:
1. An Italian boy 16 years of age lost his right hand at the wrist
on April 25, 1913. He was employed as a cutting-machine feeder in a
printing establishment and received $6 a week. After 5 months
the boy returned to the same employer, receiving $4 a week, worked
21 weeks and then attended a school of telegraphy for about one year,
receiving full compensation during this period, but was unsuccessful
and quit. The employer reported that the boy was “ one of those
kind you couldn’t do anything with.” He was furnished an artificial
hand but would not use it. The industrial accident board stated
that he was unreasonable and unmanageable, being a “ sport” type.
At present he is reported as operating a pool room in the Italian
district in East Boston.
2. An American boy 17 years of age lost the use of his minor hand
on.October 14, 1913. He was employed as a molder in a woodwork
ing establishment and received $8 a week. He studied telegraphy
while disabled and became a radio operator on board shipping vessels.
He is an exceptionally intelligent and capable young man. At
present he is receiving a monthly wage of from $60 to $75 and board.
3. An American young man 20 years of age lost his left arm just
below the shoulder on September 13, 1915. He was employed on a
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41
rand-tacking machine in a shoe factory, receiving $9 a week. He
attended business college for about 2 years while disabled, receiving
compensation during the period. He is now working in the office of
another shoe factory as a messsenger and clerk, receiving $45 a
month.
4. An American, 30 years of age, lost his right leg below the knee
on December 4, 1915. He was employed as an electric truck driver,
receiving $16 a week. After receiving compensation for total disa
bility for nearly 16 months he was granted a lump-sum settlement of
$1,000. This he invested in a motor car which he remodeled to permit
operation with his left foot. He operates the car for hire and is doing
very well.
5. An American boy 17 years of age lost his left foot on January 22,
1916. He was a high school student at the time, sustaining the
injury while temporarily employed during the winter vacation. He
received compensation for 19 months. He is still attending high
school, his parents being reported as well-to-do.
6. An Armenian young man, 21 years of age, lost his left arm at
the elbow on April 11, 1916. He was employed as a beater-out in a
shoe factory, receiving $13.50 a week. He speaks very little English,
having been in this country only a short time. He is ambitious and
willing but unusually sensitive and helpless. He attended school
for a while during disability and is very desirous of obtaining an
education. The insurer, however, believes that he should return to
work. A job was found for him as a helper in a grocery store at $3
a week, but his inability to understand English and his natural
timidity and sensitiveness interfered with his usefulness and he was
soon dismissed. He is at present unemployed and receiving compen
sation for total disability.
Summary.—To recapitulate: The average period of total disability
for the 123 cases was 15.9 months. From the medical and reemploy
ment standpoint, the loss of a foot or leg is more serious than the
loss of a hand or arm. The average disability resulting from the
former type of injury was 24.8 months, while that of the latter was
only 13.4 months. Again, of the hand and arm cases 52 per cent
were reemployed, whereas of the foot and leg cases only 30 per cent
were reemploj^ed. .
The age of the employee prolongs the period of disability and
affects adversely his opportunity for reemployment.
Reemployability varies directly with occupational skill. Machinery
manufacturing establishments show the highest percentage of reem
ployed, due in part to the character of the work and the greater
skill of the employees. On the other hand, contracting and trucking
have the lowest percentage of reemployment, due to the nature of the
work and the small size of the establishment. A study of the occu
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42
pations before and after injury from the standpoint of skill shows a
decidedly downward movement. Of the 58 injured men reemployed,
60 per cent held skilled occupations before the injury, whereas only
31 per cent held such occupations after the injury. Also, of the 58
reemployed, 7 were reemployed as watchmen or gatemen, 9 as ele
vator operators, 6 as laborers, and 15 as helpers. Only 39 per cent
of the injured men returned to the same employer, and of the entire
123 cases only 6 were known to have returned to the same occupation.
The mutual insurance companies were able to replace a higher
percentage of the employees insured by them who were covered by this
study than the stock companies, due, no doubt, to the more direct
relationship between accident costs and insurance premiums.
The injuries almost always resulted in a reduction of earning ca
pacity. Despite a general increase in the wage level during the period
covered by the investigation, 47 per cent of the 58 injured men re
employed received less than formerly, 33 per cent received the same
wage, and only 17 per cent received more.1
Inability to speak English in many cases had a deterrent effect
upon opportunity for reemployment.
Artificial limbs were provided in about one-half of the cases.
Practically no retraining was attempted.
A N A LY SIS OF CAUSES.
The foregoing analysis of the facts shows quite clearly that the
present industrial handicap of workmen who lose an arm or leg is a
serious one. A critical analysis of the several contributory causes
discloses the fact that nearly all these causes have their origin in,
and are closely related to, the absence of a central and responsible
supervising authority. The welfare of our crippled men has been
nobody’s business. Closely connected with this irresponsibility is
the lack of opportunity. As bitterly stated by one young man who
had lost the use of his hand, ‘T want to work and can work, but they
won’t give me a chance.” Some of the more important of these
contributory causes, in the order in which they would present them
selves to the injured employees, are given below.
1.
The injury produces a sense of helplessness and uselessness.
The injured man’s self-reliance is temporarily destroyed and he feels
that he is “ done for” for the remainder of his life. Coupled with
this is a feeling of resentment and bitterness toward society for his
injury. In many cases he refuses to cooperate and adopts an antago
nistic attitude toward all efforts to help him. His unfamiliarity
with his legal rights prevents him from distinguishing between those
who wish to help him and those who desire to exploit him. Usually
i Wages in 2 eases (3 per cent) were unobtair
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
43
the first person with whom he comes in contact following his injury
is the insurance-company adjuster, who often antagonizes him and
arouses his suspicions. The agent’s efforts to obtain the facts in the
case in order to ascertain whether and to what extent the company
is liable are interpreted as an attempt to take advantage of him.
In many cases the agent is tactless, unsympathetic, and inclined to
take advantage of the employee. At the very time when the injured
man is in most need of assistance and sympathetic advice he meets
with indifference and exploitation. This initial experience colors all
his subsequent acts and has an important effect upon his reaction
toward medical treatment, rehabilitation, and reemployment.
2. Another contributory cause is the inadequate medical service
furnished, both as to quantity and quality. From every viewpoint,
and especially from that of social economy, unlimited medical and
surgical treatment, without cost to the employee, should be provided.
Here again the element of distrust affects adversely the speedy
recovery of the injured man. In many cases the employee is sus
picious of the service provided by the insurance carrier and is ex
ploited by those in whom he has confidence and who speak his own
language. There is no one to take an intelligent interest in him
and to obtain his confidence. Furthermore, some races are pecu
liarly sensitive to pain and refuse to undergo necessary operations
or other treatment recommended. Because of this lack of coopera
tion the injury does not heal properly and disability is qnnecessarily
pr^onged, or made permanent.
3. A third contributory factor, correlated with the medical service,
is the lack of rehabilitation hospitals for functional restoration.
Practically the only attempt at rehabilitation revealed by this study
was the furnishing of artificial hands or arms, and these were sup
plied in less than one-half the cases. In a number of instances the
men refused to wear these appliances, either because they did not
fit or were useless. No systematic instruction in the adjustment
and use of them was given.
4. Such expressions as “reeducation” and “ retraining” sound
somewhat ironical when applied to the average industrial cripple.
A large proportion have never been educated or trained fo’r any
trade. The task of retraining our disabled'men brings into relief
the great need for industrial education. However, those who are
most helpless and in need of assistance are foreigners and consequently even an adequate industrial education system would not
solve the whole problem. But by no means all of the disabled
would be subjects for retraining. Probably very little could be done
with the old men—those who were already near the end of their
industrial career at the time of the injury. But an intelligent readjust
ment of industry and the interested cooperation of employers would
65801°— 18------4
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
take care of most of the remainder. Thousands of positions exist
which a one-armed or one-legged man could fill as successfully as a
normal man. Obviously, however, it would not be desirable to
place all these injured men in such positions without regard to age.
For example, men under 21 or 25 years of age should not spend
the rest of their lives operating elevators. Those most in need and
best adapted for reeducation are the young men. Of the 123 cases
considered, 12 per cent were under 21 years of age, 16 per cent
were 21 and under 24, and 43 per cent were under 30. Most of these
could probably be benefited by reeducation and retraining for suit
able occupations. Practically no provision is made for reeducating
and retraining these industrial cripples.
5. Under the Massachusetts Compensation Act injured employees
must be paid compensation for total disability until reemployed.
Consequently, it is incumbent upon the insurance companies to find
employment. That they have not been very successful has already
been established. There are many "reasons for this failure. In the
first place, most of the employers refuse to employ these industrial
cripples unless they were injured in their own establishments. Even
then, because of the character of the industry, the size of the estab
lishment, the employee’s lack of skill and ability to speak English,
and the risk of a second injury causing serious or total permanent
disability, many are not reemployed. Few employers will employ
handicapped men injured in other establishments. They feel no
moral responsibility in the matter and do not want to be bothered
with cripples, especially if plenty of normal workmen can be hack at
low wages. The very fact that men are crippled closes the door of
opportunity against them. They are not given a chance to prove
their worth or ability. On the other hand, many employers feel
morally responsible for their employees if injured in their own estab
lishments; and this despite the fact that their full legal obligations
have been met by the payment of compensation insurance premiums.
However, moral responsibility, though important, is not necessarily
the sole determining motive in reemploying even their own injured
men. A study of the reemployment cases discloses the fact that in
many instances the men taken back are old, faithful, and usually
skilled employees whose knowledge of the business is an economic
asset to the employer.
6. It may be pointed out that perhaps the chief obstacle in the way
of a successful solution of this problem lies in the very nature of our
industrial society. Reemployment is beyond the State’s present
power. Our industries are privately owned and consequently oppor
tunities for industrial employment are under the exclusive control
of private employers. Some employers for reasons of moral respon
sibility or economic interest reemploy handicapped workers, but
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45
they can not be legally compelled to do so. Furthermore, actual
restoration to industry solves only half of the problem. It is impor
tant to know under what conditions they are reemployed. What
wages should they receive, both absolutely and in relation to normal
workers? What effect will their reemployment have upon the dis
placement of normal workers and upon the integrity of the organized
labor movement ? Those employers who maintain sick-benefit funds,
welfare plans, and the like seem more inclined to reemploy and take
care of their injured workers than other employers. On the other
hand, they are extremely hostile to labor organizations, and would
resent interference from this quarter. It is the policy of some of the
labor unions to look after their own disabled men, but a large pro
portion of injured workers are not members of labor organizations.
The difficulties involved in these fundamental problems, though great,
need not be insoluble.
7.
Another factor tending to prolong disability and prevent early
return to industry is the operation of the lump-sum provision of the
compensation act. Under the Massachusetts law an employee sus
taining the loss of an arm or leg receives “ specific” compensation for
50 weeks for the loss of the member, “ additional” compensation for
total disability while disabled, and upon reemployment partial com
pensation equal to 66§ per cent of his wage loss. The industrial
accident board is authorized to commute the weekly payments
for the probable future disability into a lump sum if such commuta
tion would be to the interest of the employee. In a large majority
of cases studied the employees petitioned for a lump sum. More
than half of the petitions were granted by the accident board. There
are several reasons for this: A lump sum of $1,000, say, looks large
and inviting to the average employee. He may want to return to
his native country or to invest the proceeds in some small business
enterprise, though these reasons are frequently given merely as a
pretext to influence the board. Often the employee is afraid that
his return to work would prejudice his rights under the law, and. as
a consequence, deprive him of part of the compensation to which he
was legally entitled. He has heard of cases where an employee was
given work and shortly afterwards summarily discharged without
cause in order to mulct him of his just compensation.
Then, too, in many cases the wages received at the time of the
injury were ridiculously low. Acceptance of employment now at the
former wage would terminate his compensation payments, but would
not compensate him for the reduction in his earning capacity. All
of these factors have a determining influence in prolonging disability
and unemployment. The case drags on and on, repeated confer
ences are held, and ultimately in order to get rid of the case a lump
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MONTHLY LABOE REVIEW.
sum is granted. Of the 123 injured men studied, lump sums were
granted in 69, or 56 per cent, of the cases.
8. For the reasons mentioned above, the injured man remains dis
abled and unemployed much longer than the circumstances warrant.
Accustomed to idleness and regular compensation payments, he
feels progressively less inclined to resume work. He gets into a rut,
adapts himself to a lower standard of living, and loses his ambition
and initiative. His idle time is frequently spent in saloons and other
lounging places, in which he finds cronies similarly, situated. Here
he discusses his ailments, the seriousness of which he is inclined to
exaggerate, and the effect of which produces a psychosis which
impairs his will power and accelerates his physical deterioration.
In some timid men a disability produces a state of self-consciousness
and helplessness. A single rebuff by a prospective employer or a
show of indifference discourages them. Other men are abnormally
sensitive to physical pain, and because of this are afraid to use the
injured member or to undergo a necessary operation to restore its
functioning.
9.
=An analysis of the foregoing contributory causes shows that they
are all closely related to and the result of the lack of an intelligent and
responsible supervision. The welfare of our disabled men, whether
injured in military or civil life, is a social and public function. Acci
dent prevention, compensation, insurance, medical treatment, rehabil
itation, reeducation, and reemployment are all component parts of
this problem and should be under the supervision and jurisdiction
of a single public body. Delegating to private agencies the perform
ance of these social functions should no longer be tolerated. This is
not intended as a criticism of these private agencies. They have
developed largely because the State failed to grasp its opportunity
or shirked its responsibility, but the fact remains that they have not
been able to perform these social functions successfully.
REMEDIAL SUGGESTIONS.
An examination of the facts and an analysis of the contributory
causes prompt the following remedial suggestions:
1.
Compensation, (a) Compensation benefits for permanent injuries
causing dismemberment or mutilation should be fixed at a definite,
though adequate, amount, graded according to nature of disability
and age and occupation of the employee, but not dependent upon
unemployment in individual cases. Injured employees should not
be penalized for rehabilitating themselves. When the injured man
knows that the amount of his compensation will not be affected by
his early return to industry, disability and unemployment will be
materially decreased, (b) In Massachusetts compensation is paid for
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47
the loss of a major member for 50 weeks, and also for total disabilitywhile disable^ and these payments run concurrently. This practice
of concurrent payments should be abolished. The combined weekly
amounts of such payments in most cases exceed the employee’s
wages. Employees are often under the impression that the amount
received will continue indefinitely and consequently have less desire
to return to work, (c) The system of granting lump sums should
be abolished or materially restricted for reasons already explained,
(d) Employers should be relieved of the added risk involved in the
employment of disabled workers.
2. Medical service, (a) Adequate medical and surgical treatment,
including necessary appliances, should be furnished by the State,
(b) Orthopedic and rehabilitation hospitals should be established and
maintained by the State, utilizing present institutions wherever
possible.
3. Reeducation and retraining. There should be established voca
tional training schools, with both day and night courses, which should
be closely correlated with the rehabilitation hospitals.
4. Reemployment. A survey of the occupational opportunities in
the various industries of the State should be made and the coopera
tion of the employers and labor organizations should be enlisted.
Thousands of positions exist or could be created which crippled workers
could fill as successfully as normal workmen, were the problem care
fully studied and an intelligent readjustment made. Particular care
should be taken to eliminate the stigma of charity. The positions
should be necessary and constructive in an industrial sense in order
that the handicapped man may feel himself an integral and important
part of the economic world and thus maintain his self-respect.
5. Insurance. In the field of workmen’s compensation, competitive
insurance companies are wholly unsatisfactory. Either a monopo
listic State insurance fund or employers’ mutual association should
be substituted for the competitive casualty companies.
6. Administration. The entire administrative and supervisory
work should be under the jurisdiction of one central authority, pre
ferably the industrial accident commission. This commission should,
in case of necessity, have power to coerce the employee as well as
employers. Confidence, impartiality, and intelligent direction and
supervision are vital factors in the whole rehabilitation problem and
these can best be obtained through public administration.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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OCCÎUPATION, WAGES, ETC., OF 58 R EEM PL O Y E E IN JU R E E EM PLOYEES IN MASSACHUSETTS, JULY 1, 1913, TO JU N E 30, 1916.
W eekly wages.
Oscupation.
Industry.
Arm .
do
Hand
F oot .......
Hand
Age of
employee
at time
of injury.
28
2fi
27
23
28
A t time
of injury.
Upon
return to
work.
At time of injury.
Upon return to work.1
Present.
Ma.phinp, tender
Hox maker
Steel worker
P a c k e r .................................
Calender operator
Storeroom helper...................................
H elper2 ....... t ........................................
Shopwork 3 ............................................
Laborer2..................................................
Calender operator..................................
Storeroom helper.................
Clerk in fruit store 3...........
Not known...........................
Telegrapher 3........................
Not known...........................
817. 53
11.00
27.50
11.00
16. 61
815.00
Chocolate packer....................................
Subforeman.............................................
........do.......................................................
Radio operator3....................................
Helper in core room..............................
Chocolate packer.................
Subforeman..........................
........do.....................................
Radio operator 3..................
Helper in core room...........
4.50
16.00
18.00
8.00
13.50
4.50
16.00
10.00
<5.77
13.50
11.00
3.00
16.61
[4 8 ]
fl on fppf.i mi pry m f»,nn fa.pt.ufi n g
Ma.phinpry m an 11fa.pf.ii ri Tig
Do
Wood world ng
Pt.pp.l and wirp,
do
.. do.
.. .d o ..........
.. .d o . . .
Leg............
17 Chocolate packer
34 Machinist
47 ........d o ....... .............................
17 Molder...................................
24 Rigger....................................
Laundry
Shipbuilding
Ta.no pry
Dhftmipp.1 m an n fnr*t.]iritig
Prnssftd st.Aftl ma,nnfa.pt,iiring
Arm ..........
H and........
.. do
Arm
H an d
27
46
34
35
23
Flat-iron worker
..........
Rigger....................................
Laborer
Burner operator ..
Pressman..............................
Marking and sorting 2..........................
Supervising scows 3...............'..............
Laborer 3. " .............................................
“ Light work” 2......................................
Pressman’s helper2...............................
N ot know n...........................
___.d o ......................................
Laborer3...............................
Not know n...........................
Bought chicken farm.........
9.69
15.00
13.61
18.12
«. 22J
5.00
6. 00
(6)
(6)
6. 17*
Arm
do
Foot
Arm
Hand
46
36
34
48
22
Picker tender__...................
Card tender
Conductor
Night shipper......................
........... ............
Mi lima,n
“ Light work ” on waste machine2__
Scrubbing................................................
Not known..............................................
Elevator operator..................................
Making ice-cream boxes 8.....................
N ot known...........................
Scrubbing.............................
Machinist 3............................
Elevator operator...............
N ot known...........................
7.00
7.75
15.87
12.00
S.00
1 19.20
do
H an d
Foot.
Hand
60
32
30
19
36
Teamster
Traveling salesman
Calender operator .
Packer...................................
Carpenter..............................
N ot known..............................................
Traveling salesman...............................
Elevator operator2................................
........do.2.
.............................................
Tool-room clerk......................................
Watchman 3.........................
Traveling salesman.............
N ot known...........................
Helper 3.................................
Tool-room clerk...................
14.00
30.00
12.92
7.00
12.15
30.00
13. 85
7.00
10.00
Paper m a n u f a c t u r i n g -- Arm
do
Lawyer’s estate
Hand
y-'i "ji _ar/iiin in.ini.fiiiil 1 fT
H an d
22
42
25
48
32
Machine hand
Laborer .....................
Brakeman
Engineer
__ *
Assistant engineer ...........
Errand b o y ............................................. Errand b o y .................
Laborer 2..~............................................... Not known...........................
W atchman 2............ ».............. ..... d o ...... ...........................
Engineer2............................................... ........d o .....................................
Night watchman 2..................... ..... d o .......................
11.10
12. 00
13. 50
18.00
19. 25
* 11.10
12.00
13.50
18.00
14.00
24
53
36
35
40
Card stripper .............
Machine tender ............
Jig hand ....................
M l 11man
Punch-press operator......
Bobbin boy .............................
Janitor ..................................
Elevator operator2....................
Helper ..................................
Tool-room clerk ........................
Roving h o y .................
Janitor ......................
Not known .................
H elper ......................
Tool-room clerk ............
9. 60
8.68
8. 25
9. 00
19.66
6.40
10.30
7.60
9.00
14.30
Hof-ton m an n fa.p.tiiri n g
Do
Ptrppt rpilwRy
"Ralrpry
"Rubber IippI mp,nntpptnring
Ice dealers......... —.................................
Plumbing supplies manufacturing
Millinery
Cotton manufacturing
8
Dn
Do
Motorcycle manufacturing ...........
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
do
do
Hand
...do......
7.00
6.60
9.00
5.00
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW,
’PiippT mfrnuffl.pf.uT’i'ng
Hoic
taring
Cnnt.rR.p.tnr
Ma.p.hi n p.ry manrjfapt,] irin g
"Rnbhp.r m an11 fa.p.ti1 Pg
Nature
of injury.
Loss of—
[ 49]
Copper manufacturing.......................
Brewery..................................................
Heel manufacturing............................
Rubber manufacturing.......................
Copper manufacturing........................
. ..d o ..........
A rm ..........
- .-d o ..........
H and........
. . .d o ..........
34
32
20
37
25
Pressman..............................
Bottle-machine operator...
Rand tacking . . t ___
Calender operator...............
Shipping-room helper........
Watoh m an _ .
Bottle checker
Ohippiflg leather 3
Work oil spreader ..
Gate te n d e r ...............
Blank-book manufacturing...............
Paper manufacturing..........................
W ool scouring.......................................
Cotton manufacturing........................
Coal dealers............................................
- - .d o ..........
A rm ..........
- . .d o ..........
. - .d o ..........
H and........
25
21
60
27
53
Stamp-press operator.........
Plater m a n ...t ....................
Mechanic and engineer.......
Boss picker___ .“. ................
Yardman..............................
Laborer,..
Clerical wotk
Foreman__
Elevator operator
Night watchman
Rubber manufacturing.......................
Trucking.................................................
Cotton manufacturing........................
Forgings manufacturing.....................
Machinery manufacturing.................
A rm ..........
L eg...........
H and........
. .. d o ...........
L eg............
17
36
23
22
54
Cutting-machine helper. . .
Teamster..................f ...........
Card tender..........................
Metal-saW operator.............
Large-lathe hand.................
Printing..................................................
Shoe manufacturing............................
Paper manufacturing..........................
Cotton manufacturing.........................
Steel and w ire.......................................
A rm ..........
H and........
A rm ..........
. . .d o ..........
H and........
21
21
24
48
Pressman..............................
Beater-out............................
Machine hand......................
Twister tender.....................
Blacksm ith...........................
Firearms manufacturing.................... . .. d o ..........
Cotton manufacturing........................ Arm ..........
Bookbinding......................................... H and........
23
20
16
Machine hand......................
Card tender..........................
Shop b o y ..............................
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
N ot kn own
•
Pottle checker
Messenger and clerk8. . . . .
(talent!er operator
Yard clerk
14. 14
16. 00
9. 00
9. 00
11. 07
12.00
Book inspector
(Clerical work
Foreman
Elevator o p e r a to r ........’.
y ardman
13. 00
12. 00
15. on
10. 90
12. 00
11. 21
12.00
Elevator operator
do8
do
Not known
Borinfr-rhill
H U H GHPrfltnr
U jJ c la tU l . . . . . .
8. 00
12. 00
14. 00
12. 00
36
10.00
A pprenti ce instructor
Helper in grocery store 8
Elevator operator8
Pushing truck 2. .
Tool-room clerk
Apprentice instructor.. . . .
TTnpmpi nyed
Returned to R.nssift
Not known
Tool-room clerk
35. 00
13. 50
10. 00
8. 64
17. 55
20.00
Screw-machine operator
General helper..........
Shop boy. .*........................................
Screw-machine operator...
(tenprel helper
Casing-in work.....................
9. 90
8. 64
6. 50
^
Elevator operator
........do.8. . . . . .
........do..................
Press operator*2 hill collector 8
Small-lathe hand
1 W ith same employer unless otherwise stated.
2 Left employment, either voluntarily or by request.
8 Not with sarne employer.
4 Board and lodging furnished also.
• Exact amount not known; less than before injury.
• Per hour.
i Present wage.
• Not with same employer; left employment either voluntarily or by request.
16.00
6.00
9.00
14.00
15.00
9.45
14.00
13.25
14.00
12.00
8.35
3.00
0.00
5.40
16.50
9.90
5.40
7.00
50
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
MASSACHUSETTS LAWS FOR TRAINING DISABLED SOLDIERS AND
PERSONS CRIPPLED IN INDUSTRY.
During the recent session of the Massachusetts State Legislature
two laws were enacted, each approved May 28, 1918, to provide for
the training and instruction of the disabled. One of these laws
applies to soldiers and sailors “ who are residents of the Common
wealth at the time of their discharge, or within one year thereafter,
and continue to be residents while receiving the benefits of this act,”
and is entitled “An act to provide the training and instruction of
disabled soldiers and sailors by the Commonwealth and the Federal
Government.” 1 The full text of this law is as follows:
S e c t io n 1. For the purpose of fitting for employment in the industries of the Com
monwealth, and of making self-supporting and independent of charitable aid soldiers
and sailors who have been or may become disabled or diseased in the present War
service of the United States or of its allies, and who are residents of the Common
wealth at the time of their discharge, or within one year thereafter, and continue to
be residents while receiving the benefits of this act, the board of education is hereby
directed to establish a division for their training and instruction.
S ec . 2. Said division shall consist of a qualified executive head, appointed by
the board of education, and an advisory board. The advisory board shall consist of
the commissioner of education, who shall be chairman, the surgeon general, the com
missioner of health, the director of the bureau of statistics, the director of mental
diseases, the chairman of the industrial accident board, and the supervisor of ad
ministration, ex ofiiciis, and nine other persons who shall be appointed by the gov
ernor, with the advice and consent of the council, and shall serve without compen
sation. The director of the bureau of statistics shall be the executive secretary of
the board.
S e c . 3. The governor, with the advice and consent of the council, is hereby au
thorized to transfer, either wholly or in part, to the board of education, for the use
of said division, the use and custody of any State hospital, school, or workshop, in
cluding its equipment and employees, or any other suitable resources of the Com
monwealth, for a period of not exceeding the duration of the present War and two
years after its termination as defined by Federal authority.
S e c . 4. The board of education, acting through said division, is hereby empowered
to make reasonable agreements for the use of available facilities for the purposes of
this act, to provide such facilities where they are needed, and to employ qualified
persons to teach or supervise the soldiers and sailors seeking reeducation or training
under the provision of this act.
S e c . 5. The governor, with the advice and consent of the council, may lease to,
or permit to be used by, the United States or any department, bureau or agency
thereof, any State hospital, school, workshop and its premises and equipment, or
any other suitable resources belonging to the Commonwealth for the purpose of
enabling the United States to carry on the reeducation and rehabilitation in industry
of any soldiers and sailors in the service of the United States or of its allies, and may
assign to the United States or its agents any agreement or contract, entered into
[by] the board of education or by said division for carrying out the purposes of this
act, upon such terms and conditions as will fully protect the Commonwealth
against expense.
S e c . 6. To carry out the provisions of this act, there may be expended from the
treasury of the Commonwealth such amounts as shall annually be appropriated by
the general court, but, during the present fiscal year, not more than $10,000.
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1 General act, ch 230.
[5 0 ]
♦
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
Sec.
51
7. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
The other law is intended to take care of those crippled in industry
and is entitled “An act to establish a division in the department of
the industrial accident board for the training of cripples.” 1 The full
text of this law is as follows:
S e c t io n 1. There is hereby established, under the direction and control of the
industrial accident board, a division for the training and instruction of persons whose
capacity to earn a living has in any way been destroyed or impaired through industrial
accident: P r o v id e d , That at the time of the accident which incapacitated them they
were residents of the Commonwealth. The said board shall in its annual report to
the general court describe in detail the work of the division, and may from time to
time issue bulletins containing information relative thereto.
S e c . 2. The head of the said division shall be appointed and his salary determined
by the industrial accident board, subject to the approval of the governor and council,
and he may be removed by the said board. The division shall be furnished with
suitable quarters in the statehouse, and may expend for salaries and other necessary
expenses such amount as shall annually be appropriated by the general court.
S e c . 3. The said division shall aid persons who are incapacitated as described in
section one in obtaining such education, training, and employment as will tend to
restore their capacity to earn a livelihood. The division may cooperate with the
United States Government, and in cooperation with the board of education may
establish or maintain, or assist in establishing or maintaining, in schools or institutions
supported wholly or in part by the Commonwealth, such courses as it may deem
expedient, and otherwise may act in such manner as it may deem necessary to accom
plish the purposes of this act.
S e c . 4. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL
TRAINING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM .2
The reports of the departmental committees appointed by the
British Board of Trade to inquire into the position of certain branches
of industry contain a number of important suggestions on the subject,
of technical education and industrial training. The four committees
investigated the iron and steel trades, engineering trades, shipbuilding
and marine engineering trades, and textile trades, and their reports
give evidence of a widespread feeling that the general position of
education and training is far from satisfactory. The testimony of
witnesses before the iron and steel trades committee indicated a
growing dissatisfaction with the lack of systematized technical
training equal to the needs of their trades. The engineering trades
committee considers the country has “ much leeway to make up”
in this respect. The committee for shipbuilding and marine engineer
ing reports that “ boys who leave school at 14 have received only a
superficial education, and many, before the age of 16, have forgotten
1 General act, ch. 231.
s Summarized from After-war Trade: Reports of departmental committees—II, Technical training and
education. In Board of Trade Journal and Commercial Gazette (Great Britain), January 10, 1918, pp.
20-28.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[51]
52
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
nearly all they learned ”—many at the latter age being unable to
write an intelligible and legible letter or make simple arithmetical
calculations; teachers of the science classes complain that much of
their time is consumed in elementary instruction to enable the boys
to benefit by the technical training. The textile trades committee
learned from employers that boys now coming to them from the
elementary schools are less well grounded than were those who came
years ago. On the other hand the textile committee criticizes the
employers for not appreciating the value of technical education and
for making no widespread demand therefor, a condition which results
in the staffs of British firms occupying a lower intellectual place than
that of their foreign competitors. The employer is also criticized for
discouraging the British youth from taking a course of higher educa
tion since it brings him no advantage nor substantial reward.
On the subject in general the iron and steel committee draws a
broad distinction between higher technical or scientific education and
the instruction of the same kind but in less degree that is given to
the workman. “ Technical education means the combined training
of the mind and body in a special direction. The habits of mental
discipline, which it is the purpose of early education to form, are
gradually focussed upon a particular range of knowledge, and it is
important that there should be no break in the process.” The
present system, however, is “ rather a method of selection than a
process of education,” and for the greater part it suffers from dis
continuity; the two years between the time a boy leaves the elemen
tary school at 14 and the time he enters the works at 16 are worse
than useless, since discipline of mind may become seriously enfeebled
if not temporarily destroyed.
The committees lay down as the first essential the raising of the
school age to 16 in three of the trades and to 15 in engineering. It
is admitted that this will cause economic disturbance and that in the
first year a balance must be found between the claim of education
and the pressure of the economic situation. It is believed, however,
that the change can better be borne now than in normal times, as
regards financial loss both to the family budget and by employers.
IRON AND ST EEL TR AD E S.
The iron and steel trades committee recommends that as to boys
from 14 to 16 years general scientific instruction should dominate,
at first general and elementary, including chemistry, physics, mathe
matics, and after that dictated by the local industry. Boys appren
ticed under indenture in the trades would attend school until 16, the
employers contributing an apprenticeship wage of about 5 shillings
($1.22) a week. To lessen the economic disturbance, boys should
be withdrawn from work only partially at first.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[5 2 ]
MONTHLY LABOE REVIEW.
53
Apprenticeship in the common acceptance of the term is applicable
only to industries whose product is the handiwork of a single crafts
man, who can give individual instruction to one or more pupils.
Industries whose products are the result of collective labor, as in iron
and steel, do not lend themselves to this simple instruction; each
occupation is part of a scheme of collective labor, and only actual
practice and daily contact with the connected occupations can give
the necessary training. In such collective tasks experience is the
best teacher, and for this reason a contract for seven years in the
heavy branches of the trades is recommended. It is stated that the
skill and craftsmanship of British workmen in this industry compare
very favorably with those of German and American workmen.
The system of pupil apprenticeship present in many works should
be intimately connected with the scheme for university technical
education, and, in addition to this, technical institutes should be
established in convenient centers. It is suggested that promotion to
higher grades of workmanship should depend on attendance and suc
cess at classes, thus providing an incentive to efficiency.
The recommendations of this committee are as follows:
(1) That the limit of school age should be raised from 14 to 16 years.
(2) That a system of apprenticeship should be introduced into the iron and steel
industries, in the nature of a general agreement of service under a particular employer
to begin at the age of 14; such apprenticeship to provide for the continuance of attend
ance at school until the age of 16, the employer paying during these two years a
small apprenticeship wage. The term of apprenticeship in the heavy trades should
be for seven years.
(3) That from the age of 16, when the boy enters the works, he should attend spe
cially provided technical classes until the age of 18.
(4) That the teachers in these technical classes should be selected with a view to
their practical knowledge of works processes, that they should be duly recognized by
the board of education, but that their selection for, and retention in, their posts
should be made a matter for local committees consisting of manufacturers and work
men in the industries.
(5) That there should be intimate cooperation between the technical universities,
the teaching centers, and those industries which they subserve, and that technical
courses at the universities should provide for a period of practical training in an indus
trial center, for which large employers should offer special facilities.
(6) That in each large individual center there should be created a technical institute
approximating to the university type.
ENGINEERING TR ADES.
The committee for the engineering trades makes the statement
that a few employers, recognizing that most boys can not or will not
work at classes after a day’s work, allow a certain number of hours a
week for school attendance at the firm’s expense, but adds that “ it
can not be expected that the majority, who struggle against compe
tition, will do this voluntarily.” It states that Scotland has an act,
not strictly enforced at present, enabling the authorities to impose
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[53]
54
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
compulsory technical education on boys 14 to 17 years of age who
are not being suitably educated and are not specially exempted.
The committee considers that if such powers were general and were
applied to enforce the attendance of all boys at evening classes, the
result probably would be unsatisfactory, because of the fatigue of
the boys and hardship in cases where they lived at a distance.
As regards higher technical education and scientific ^research, the
committee adopts the recommendations of the committee of the
privy council for scientific and industrial research, and adds that
qualified engineers from universities should be better paid. Hith
erto it has been possible to employ young German scientists, espe
cially chemists, of considerable knowledge but demanding only
limited salaries. “ We think that the engineering trades should
make a special point of employing, as far as possible, persons of
British university training in all positions involving technical and
scientific attainments.”
The committee makes recommendations as follows:
(1) (a) That the revival of an apprentice system on a large scale be encouraged
on the basis of abolition of premium, a reasonable wage to apprentice, and safeguards
in cases of the apprentice proving unsuitable for his work; (b ) that a limited system
of compulsory education at day classes be encouraged, particularly in the manu
facturing centers of the country, a part of the scheme being payment by the em
ployer for the time the apprentice is present at class; (c) that the school age be raised
to 15.
(2) That in the case of engineering university men, (a) the need for the improve
ment of their financial position in works should be recognized by the employers,
and (b ) the introduction of postgraduate classes is recommended; further, (c) that
the status and financial outlook of the teacher be improved so as to render the pro
fession attractive to the most capable persons.
SH IPB U ILD IN G AN D MARINE ENGINEERING TR ADES.
This committee considers that a universal system of education
and training for all boys, and applicable to all yards and engine
works, can be introduced by employers without difficulty. A large
number of scholarships are provided for naval architects, some of
which might be taken by marine engineers. There are many more
openings for the advancement of marine engineers than of naval
architects, but there seems to be a lack of specific courses for the
former similar to those for naval architects, and the committee is
of opinion that a special university course should be organized for
marine engineering designers, at any rate in universities close to.
important works.
This committee makes the following recommendations:
(a)
Education of boys and apprentices; apprenticeship: 1. The school-leaving age.
should gradually be raised to 16, and meanwhile there should be introduced a system
of compulsory part-time education between the existing school-leaving age and the.
age of 16, such education to be imparted during the day and not in the evening.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[541
MONTHLY LABOE REVIEW.
55
2. Compulsory education should cease with the commencement of apprenticeship
at the age of 16, when further education should become optional. There should be
provided at evening classes (a) facilities for higher technical education for apprentices
able and willing to profit by it; and (5) classes on subjects of a general educational
character for other apprentices. Fees should be charged, but refunded subsequently
if attendance has been satisfactory.
3. There should be a correlated system of control in the schools, and in the factory;
education should be in the hands of the educational authorities, but those authorities
should coopt members of the industries to assist in the work.
4. The system of education and training introduced should be universal, with such
variations as regards detail as may be necessary to suit different localities.
5. Apprentices of special ability or education should be encouraged to attend
sessions at a university or technical school, if they so desire, as part of their apprentice
ship.
6. A special course for marine engineering designers should be organized, at least in
universities near important marine engine works.
7. Apprenticeship should not exceed five years.
8. There should be appointed throughout the industries supervisors or tutors, whose
special function it should be to interest themselves personally in the boys and youths
from the point of view of their work, their recreation, and their social life.
9. Employers should consider the possibility and desirability of introducing a sys
tem of deferred payments for apprentices.
10. Apprentices should be indentured, and should up to the age of 21 be members
of separate approved societies formed by districts under the employers’ associations.
(6) Industrial research: 1. Laboratories should be established by cooperative effort
in convenient centers for the testing of materials. Such central laboratories might
also become centers of research.
2. A publicly or cooperatively provided experimental tank in each center of in
dustry would be of advantage, and would encourage research; but such tanks should
only be established when it is found that the tank at Bushey is being overburdened
with outside work to the detriment of its research work.
3. With regard to such research work, more experiments should be directed toward
the design of vessels of moderate speed and size.
T EX T ILE TRADES.
The textile trades committee recommends for each important tex
tile town an art school and a technical school, assisted by Govern
ment grant, which shall work hand in hand in the training of young
people to become designers, manufacturers, or managers. These
schools should be equipped with the most modern machinery and
appliances for testing materials and investigating processes, providing
opportunities equal to those found abroad for the study of manu
facture. Manchester, Leeds, Belfast, Macclesfield, Nottingham, and
Kidderminster might become seats of great schools serving, respec
tively, the cotton, woolen, linen, silk, lace, and carpet trades.
The textile trades offer great opportunities in the way of (1)
scientific investigation into raw materials, (2) scientific improvement
of processes, and (3) technical investigation for the improvement of
machinery. In the past, machinery and methods have been adapted
to the textile fibers commonly produced, but research among raw
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
155]
56
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
materials themselves might evolve special fibers suited to the products
required and their cultivation might be encouraged.
The findings of this committee follow:
T e c h n ic a l a n d a rt e d u c a tio n : (a) That our system of technical and art education
should be thoroughly overhauled, in order to raise the standard of instruction and
enable the schools to supply the textile industries with more highly trained workers
and managers.
( b ) That steps should be taken to insure the provision of more highly trained teachers
with more liberal emoluments and improved status.
(c) That the managing bodies of technical and art schools should always include
a considerable proportion of members connected with the industries which are taught
in the schools.
(d ) That employers should afford opportunities to promising young people to attend
the courses at technical schools during the ordinary working horns, without deductions
of pay.
(e ) That in addition to local schools, a central institute should be established in
connection with each of the textile industries, fully equipped with modem machinery
and with the appliances necessary for testing materials and investigating processes,
and capable of providing opportunities for the most complete study of manufacture
and design.
I n s c ie n tific a n d te c h n ic a l research: (a ) That there should be continuous and syste
matic research into the raw materials and various manufacturing processes of the
several textile industries in order to stimulate their development and prosperity.
(6) That scientific and industrial research for the benefit of an industry should be
directed by the industry itself, aided by funds from the Government, and that with
this object the great trade associations we have suggested, or trade associations for
research on the lines contemplated by the department of scientific and industrial
research, should be established for the several branches of the textile industry.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
♦
[5 0 ]
PRICES AND COST OF LIVING
RETAIL PRICES OF FOOD IN THE UNITED STATES.
The retail price of food as a whole for the United States on May 15,
1918, showed an increase of 3 per cent over the price for April 15, 1918.
Of the 27 articles for which prices are received by the Bureau
of Labor Statistics, 6 articles—milk, flour, potatoes, raisins, sugar,
and coffee—remained the same in price. The increase of 70 per cent
in the price of onions is due to the new onions having just come on
the market. Bound steak and plate boiling beef increased 10 per
cent each; sirloin steak, rib and chuck roast, 9 per cent each; pork
chops, 3 per cent; bacon, ham, and rice, 2 per cent each. Bread and
butter increased 1 per cent each. Salmon increased less than 1 per
cent. The prices of corn meal and cheese were 2 per cent less on
May 15 than on April 15. Lard, beans, and prunes showed a
decrease of 1 per cent each. Eggs and tea declined less than 1 per
cent in the same period.
Conforming to the ruling of the Food Administration, no live or
fresh hens were sold on March 15 or April 15, hence no comparison
can be made in the prices for the period April to May. The May
price, however, shows a 5 per cent increase over February, the date
last reported.
The following table shows the retail prices of food in the United
States on April 15 and May 15, 1918:
AVERAGE M ONEY R ETA IL PRICES AND RELA TIV E R ETA IL PRICES OF FOOD ON
A PR . 15. 1918, A N D MAY 15, 1918.
[The relative price shows the per cent that the average price on the 15th of each month was of the average
price for the year 1913. For certain articles relative prices are not shown because quotations were not
secured for 1913.]
Average money price.
Article.
Apr. 15,
1918.
Sirloin steak........................................................
Round steak.......................................................
Rib roast...................... ................. ....................
Chuck roast........................................................
Plate beef............................................................
Pork chops..........................................................
Bacon...................................................................
H am .....................................................................
Lard.....................................................................
H ens.....................................................................
Salmon, canned.................................................
E g g s ..„ ...............................................................
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Relative price.
Unit.
Pound___
__do............
__do............
. ..d o ...........
.. .do...........
.. .do...........
. ..d o ...........
. ..d o ...........
. ..d o ...........
__do............
.. .do...........
Dozen.......
[5 7 ]
$0,366
.345
*293
. 255
. 199
.356
.495
. 446
. 331
.295
.425
.
May 15,
1918.
$0.400
.380
.318
.278
.219
.367
. 505
.456
.329
.379
.296
.424
Apr. 15,
1918.
May 15,
1918.
144
155
148
157
170
161
170
183
166
209
175
187
170
208
178
123
123
57
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW,
58
A V ERAGE M ONEY R E TA IL PRICES A N D R E L A T iy E R E TA IL PRICES OF FOOD ON'
A PR . 15, 1918, AND MAY 15, 1918—Concluded.
Average money price.
Article.
Butter................
Cheese.................
Milk....................
Bread.................
F l o u r ......................
Com m eal..........
Rice....................
Potatoes,...........
Onions...............
Beans, navy___
Prunes...............
Raisins, seeded.
Sugar..................
Coffee..................
Tea......................
Unit.
Pound___
. ..d o ...........
Quart.......
16-oz. loaf
Pound
. ..d o ...........
..d o ...........
...d o ...........
..d o ...........
. ..d o ...........
. ..d o ...........
. ..d o ...........
..d o ...........
..d o ...........
..d o ...........
Apr. 15,
1918.
$0.507
.341
.132
.086
.066
.071
.121
.022
.033
.180
.166
.151
.091
.301
.639
All articles combined.
May 15,
1918.
.510
.334
.132
. 0S7
.066
.070
.123
.022
.056
.178
.165
.151
.091
.301
.638
Relative price.
Apr. 15,
1918.
May 15,
1918.
132
133
148
172
148
174
200
200
237
233
129
165
165-.
1581 16 ounces, weight of dough.
A comparison of prices as between May 15, 1918, and May 15,.
1917, shows that food as a whole increased 5 per cent. Seven of the
27 articles show a decline in the retail price. Potatoes declined
64 per cent; onions, 35 per cent; flour, 24 per cent; sugar, 9 per
cent; beans, 7 per cent; cheese, 1 per cent; and coffee less than 1
per cent. Ten articles show an increase of 20 per cent or more.
Plate boiling beef increased 32 per cent; corn meal, 30 per cent; hens,
29 per cent; round steak and chuck roast, 28 per cent each; milk,,
26 per cent; sirloin steak and rib roast, 24 per cent each; bacon, 21
per cent; and pork chops, 20 per cent. Ham and lard increased
18 per cent each; rice, 17 per cent; salmon and tea, 15 per cent each;
butter, 10 per cent; prunes, 8 per cent; eggs, 7 per cent; raisins, 5 per
cent; and bread, 2 per cent.
A comparison of prices for the 5-year period shows that food as a
whole was 63 per cent higher in May, 1918, than in the same month
of 1913. Every article increased 38 per cent or over. The least
increase, or 38 per cent, was shown in potatoes. Butter increased
42 per cent, and milk 50 per cent. Three articles show an increase
of 100 per cent or more. Corn meal was 133, lard 108, and flour 100
per cent higher than in May, 1913. Ten other articles show an in
crease in price of over 50 per cent.
The table following gives the average and the relative retail prices
of food in the United States on May 15 of each year, 1913 to 1918,.
inclusive.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[58]
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
59
AVERAGE MONEY RETAIL PRICES AND R ELA TIV E R ETA IL PRICES OF FOOD ON
MAY 15 OF EACH Y E A R , 1913 TO 1918, INCLUSIVE.
[The relative price shows the per cent that the average price on the 15th of each month was of the average
price for the year 1913. For certain articles relative prices -are not shown because quotations were not
secured for 1913.]
.Average money price, May 15—
Article.
1913
Sirroin steak.............
Round steak.............
Rib roast....................
Chuck roast...............
Plate beef.................
Pork chops...............
Bacon........................
H am ..........................
Lard...........................
H ens..........................
Salmon, canned___
E ggs...........................
Butter........................
Cheese........................
Milk............................
Bread........................
Flour..........................
Corn m eal.................
Rice............................
Potatoes....................
Onions.......................
Beans, navy.............
Prunes.......................
Raisins, seeded........
Sugar..........................
Coffee.........................
Tea.............................
Relative price, May 15—
Unit.
P o u n d ..
...d o ----...d o .......
..d o ........
..d o .........
. .do.........
.do.........
.do.
.do.
.do.
...d o .........'.
Dozen.......
Pound___
...d o ...........
Q uart..'...
16-oz. loaf.1
Pound___
...d o ..........
...d o ..........
...d o ...........
.do.
.do.
.do.
.do.
.do.
.do.
.do.
1914
30.259
.233
.201
.170
.125
.222
.267
.268
.156
.227
263
359
.266
.327
.089
.033
.031
016
.019
.050
1915
1916
1917
'. 257 30.278 30.
¡230 .250
.199 .216
.163 .175
.123 .131
.209 .229
.264 .284
.256 .318
.151 .201
.215 .241
.198 .200
.263 .281
3471 .370
.248
087! ..088
.064 .062
.045 .039
.033 .033
.091 .091
.016 .025
.043 .051
.076 .094
.137 .133
.125 .126
.088 .085
.279 .299
.546 .546,
All articles com
bined .....................
1918 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918
.400
.380
.318
.278
.219
.367
.505
.456
.3291
. 379Ì
.296:
. 424
.510
.334
.132
. 087
.066
.070
.123
.022
.056
.178
.165
.151
.091
.301
.638
101
100
101
102
100
100
99
100
104
101
105
103
102
101
105
99
99
98
106
99
98
95
96
109
112
110
127
133
130
157
170
161
175
187
170
208
178
101
123
133
99
100
100
101
99
103
98
91
110
89
97
97
117
170
266
178
148
174
200
233
140
352
129
156
183
165
99 99
128 124
139Ì 119
109 108
98 100
109
158
1 16 ounces, weight of dough.
The next table gives average retail prices for April 15, 1918, and for
May 15, 1913, 1914, 1917, and 1918 in 17 of the larger cities. The
prices for Atlanta, Ga., are not included, because over 20 per cent
of the firms on the bureau’s list failed to send in their reports for
May, 1918.
65801°—18— 5
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1591
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
60
A VERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF THE PRINCIPAL ARTICLES OF FOOD FOR 17 SELECTED
CITIES FOR MAY 15, 1913, 1914, 1917, A P R . 15, 1918, AND MAY 15, 1918.
[The average prices shown below are computed from reports sent monthly to the bureau by retail dealers.
As some dealers occasionally lail to report, the number of quotations varies from month to month.]
May 15—
Article.
Unit.
1913
1914
1917
Apr.
15—
May
15—
1918
1918
Pound___
. ..d o ...........
.. .do...........
...d o ... .
.. .do...........
. ..d o ...........
. ..d o ...........
. ..d o ...........
. ..d o ...........
. ..d o ...........
...d o ...........
.. .do...........
D ozen____
Pound___
.. .do...........
Quart........
16-oz.loaf2.
Pound___
. ..d o ...........
.. .do...........
.. .do...........
. . .do...........
. . .do...........
...d o ...........
. . .do...........
__do........
...d o ...........
...d o ...........
«
o
G)
0)
G)
(1)
0)
0)
G)
(1)
0)
(1)
0)
G)
G)
(!)
0)
G)
G)
( i)
( i)
(1)
G)
( i)
0)
( i)
Ò)
( ')
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
0)
C1)
0)
G)
(!)
(!)
(!)
(1)
C1)
(!)
(!)
(U
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1
(1)
(1)
(1)
(!)
(1)
(!)
(1)
m
G)
0)
(1)
(1)
(I)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(i)
G)
0)
( i)
(B
(!)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
Gì
(!)
(I)
(1)
Gì
(!)
0)
G)
1913
1914
1917
Apr.
15—
May
15—
1918
1918
Baltimore, Md.
Atlanta, Ga.
Sirloin steak..........
Round steak.........
Rib roast............*.
Chuck roast..........
Plate beef..............
Pork chops...........
Bacon, sliced........
Ham, sliced..........
L ard.......................
L am b.....................
H ens.......................
Salmon, ca n n ed ..
Eggs . . 1 ..................
Butter....................
Cheese....................
M ilk........................
Bread.....................
Flour......................
Corn m eal.............
R ice........................
Potatoes................
Ouions...................
Beans, navy..........
Prune's___.............
Raisins...................
Sugar..................
Coffee.....................
T ea.........................
May 15—
G)
G)
G)
G)
G)
G)
C1)
G)
G)
G)
G)
G)
G)
G)
G)
i 1)
G)
G)
(!)
(!)
(!)
(1)
G)
G)
G)
(1)
G)
G)
Boston, Mass.
G)
G)
G)
G)
G)
G)
G)
G)
G)
G)
G)
G)
G)
G)
G)
G)
G)
G)
G)
G)
(i)
G)
G)
G)
G)
G)
G)
G)
$0.233 $0.244 $0.326 $0.370 $0. 409
.302
.360
.224
.402
.220
.246
.298
.188
.187
.327
.265
.156
.220
.281
.182
.217
.131
.227
.290
.376
.183
.196
.386
.378
.457
.462
.238
.233
.425
.300
.486
.491
.310
.265
.144
.326
.321
.143
.313
.361
.188
.388
.180
.218
.298
.398
.226
.260
.213
.260
.402
.234
.384
.224
.410
.545
.489
..543
.349
.386
.357
.350
.346
.130
.087
.110
.130
.088
.084
.084
.078
.050
.048
.032
.066
.067
.032
.086
.054
.066
.065
.024
.025
.118
.120
. 100
.022
.021
.064
.019
.019
.082
.026
.047
. 183
.184
.181
. 166
.166
. 145
. 152
.151
. 143
091
.085
085
.043
.045
.285
.286
.235
.679
.663
.550
Buffalo, N . Y.
Sirloin steak.......... . . . d o .......... $ 0 . 370 $0.347 30.415 $0.457 $0.492 $0.223 $0.228 $0.305 $0.339 $0.373
Round steak......... . ..d o ..........
.505
.314
.465
.282
.351
.340
.409
.343
.193
.198
Rib roast............... .. .d o .......... .244
247
172
292
.329
.342
242
.271
. 299
.175
Chuck roast........ . ..d o ..........
.302
.274
.245
.273
.214
.168
.156
.248
Plate beef.............. . ..d o ..........
.211
. 125
. 163
. 186
Pork chops............ . .. d o .......... .234
.360
.317
.363
.361
.380
.198
.222
.319
.230
Bacon, sliced........ . .. d o ..........
.472
.455
.475
.254
.466
.415
.250
.408
.220
.212
Ham, sliced.......... . .. d o ..........
.469
.462
.425
.469
.463
.318
.257
.263
.393
.300
Lard....................... .. .d o ___
279
212
100
329
.331
143
129
268
222
156
L am b..................... .. .d o ..........
281
235
227
314
187
180
. 329
.364
.369
.333
H ens....................... . ..d o ..........
.411
.310
. 225
. 224
.392
.256
.253
.320
Salmon, canned. . . .. d o ..........
.307
.310
.280
.241
.287
.281
E g g s....................... Dozen
. 254
260
. 424
. 437
409
434
. 321
. 529
.524
.325
B utter.................... Pound___ .360
.510
.333
.475
.507
.341
.491
.506
.310
.446
Cheese..................... . . .d o ..........
.334
.331
338
.318
.333
.321
M ilk........................ Quart.
110
.089
145
080
110
120
120
Bread..................... 16-oz.loaf2. .052
.052
.081
.081
.080
.050
.044
.085
.088
.089
Flour...................... Pound___ .037
.068
.038
.070
.063
.062
.093
.030
.030
.088
Corn m eal............. . . . d o .......... .036
057
072
. 065
078
.035
. 080
.078
.025
.028
R ice........................ . .. d o ..........
.123
.125
. HO
125
. 123
101
Potatoes................ . .. d o ..........
.025
.018
.020
.061
.025
.014
.022
.021
.018
.066
Onions................... . ..d o ..........
.035
085
024
048
.056
.086
Beans, n avy.......... . ..d o ..........
. 191
191
184
179
.186
. 179
Prune's................... . .. d o ..........
.164
.172
.172
. 145
. 176
. 172
Raisins................... .. .d o ..........
121
141
. 146
. 151
. 151
Sugar...................... . .. d o .......... .052
.092
.049
.095
.093
.053
.047
.098
.096
!090
Coffee..................... . .. d o ..........
202
.341
.342
287
299
.340
T ea......................... . . . d o ..........
.634
.639
.648
.510
.570
.576
1 No averages are shown for this city because over 20 per cent of the firms on the bureau’s list failed to
report for May, 1918.
* 16 ounces, weight of dough.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[ 60]
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
61
A VERAGE R E TA IL PRICES OF T H E PRINCIPAL ARTICLES OF FOOD FO R 17 SELECTED
CITIES FOR MAY 15,1913, 1914, 1917, A PR . 15, 1918, AND MAY 15, 1918—Continued.
May 15—
Article.
Unit.
1913
1914
Apr.
15—
May
15—
1918
1918
1917
1913
1914
Chicago, 111.
Sirloin steak
Round steak.
Rib roast...
Chuck roast
Plate b e e f..
Pork chops.
Bacon, sliced
Ham, sliced
Lard........
L am b_____
H ens..........
Salmon, cann ed
E g g s..........
B u tte r .. . .
Cheese.......
Milk...........
Bread........
Flour.........
-Com meal.
R ic e.___;.
Potatoes...
Onions___
Beans, navy
Prunes___
Raisins___
Sugar____
Coffee........
Tea............
Pound.. 80.226
.. .d o ___
191
...d o ___
. .d o ___
..d o ___
. .d o ___
..d o ___
. .d o ___
. .d o ___
. .d o___
. . d o .. . .
. . d o .. . .
D o z en ..
Pound. .
...d o .. ..
Q uart...
16-oz.loaP
Pound.
.. .d o . . .
.. .d o . . .
. . .d o .. .
013
. . .d o . . .
. .. d o . . .
.. . d o . . .
.do
. .d o .. . .
049
. .d o ___
. .d o ___
$0. 293
.257
244
.209
.161
.274
.427
.403
.263
.311
.285
.. 274
.392
.431
.334
.085
.082
.057
.301
.380
.460
.353
.119
.089
.062
.072
.102
.122
.056
.070
.196
. 155
.147
.099
.289
.537
.017
.028
. 178
.163
.150
.087
.281
.569
.100
016
. 337
.304
.288
.249
.194
.330
,519
.467
.'317
.356
. .d o ___
...do___
. .d o ___
. .d o___
. .d o .. . .
..d o ___
. .d o ___
. -do___
..d o ___
. . d o . . .,
..d o ___
.do
Dozen. .
Pound..
. -do___
Q uart...
16-oz.loaf
P o u n d ..
..d o ___
..d o ___
. .d o___
..d o .. . .
. -do___
..d o .. . .
..d o ___
..d o ___
..d o ___
..d o ___
1.356
.320
.301
.265
.203
.331
.533
.483
.322
.350
.339
.300
.396
.475
.313
.119
.089
. 061
.071
.126
.018
.037
.177
.167
.149
. 0S7
.291
.584
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
SO
SO. 315
.293
.250
.227
.160
.325
.427
.450
.297
.306
.314
.253
.437
.472
.343
.100
019
050
1 16 ounces, weight of dough.
.090
.092
.053
.106
.071
. 078
.213
.164
.139
.102
.288
.492
1913
.352
.334
,281
.261
.197
.352
. 488
.467
.330
.343
SO. 375
. 357
.301
.271
.210
.286
.415
.496
.338
.130
.086
.067
.071
. 354
.489
.470
.319
.349
. 398
.285
,424
.508
.334
.130
.088
. 067
.071
.120
.021
.121
.020
.029
.176
.172
. 146
.090
.298
.596
.046
.173
.168
.142
.090
.299
.596
Detroit, Mich.
$0.239 $0. 229 SO. 304 $0.367 $0.395 SO. 238 $0.251
218
210
.280
.345
.382
194
216
178
167
.233
.276
.303
200
161
.203
.252
.282
163
.144
097
.181
.200
116
210
.303
.344
.355
210
274
.447
.533
.532
233
292
,445
.505
.505
280
158
.288
.346
.346
157
177
,290
.331
.361
190
.294
209
.373
22S
.243 ’ ".'287' .283
.401
.412
.416
.441
.448
.470
.346
.361
.352
.088
.115
.120
.088
.086
.099
.073
.057
.056
.047
.061
.060
.102
.125
.131
012
.061
.016
. 018
013
016
.088
.030
.029
.190
.172
.171
.162
.168
.165
.145
.145
. 146
048
053
.093
.092
.092
050
.308
.307
.304
.577
.583
. 606
[ 61]
1917
May
15—
Cleveland, Ohio.
Denver, Colo.
Sirloin steak
Round steak
Rib roast...
Chuck roast
Plate b e e f..
Pork chops.
Bacon, sliced
Ham, sliced
Lard..........
Lam b ........
H ens..........
Salmon, cai ed
E g g s.........
B utter___
Cheese.......
Milk...........
Bread____
Flour.........
Com meal.
Rice...........
Potatoes...
Onions___
Beans, navy
Prunes___ '
Raisins___
Sugar.........
Coffee........
Tea.............
Apr.
15—
May 15—
0. 282 $0. 344
.248
.318
.254
.288
.190
.248
.152
.192
.268
.339
.388
.478
.350
.446
.260
.331
.268
.370
.300
.243
.293
.334
.413
.434
.475
.310
.322
.110
.130
.088
.083
.088
.069
.055
.073
.096
.124
.059
.017
.086
.038
.205
.179
.133
.175
. 12S
.145
.102
.088
.278
.304
.582
.450
.377
.348
.318
.270
.211
.348
.485
.462
.332
.382
.388
.297
.429
.499
.318
.120
.085
.068
.072
.126
.016
.047
.168
.169
.145
.089
.304
.585
62
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
AVERAGE R ETA IL PRICES OF THE PRINCIPAL ARTICLES OF FOOD FOR 17 3 E T ECTED
CITIES FOR MAY 15, 1913, 1914, 1917, A PR . 15, 1918, A N D MAY 15, 1818—Continued.
May 15Article.
Unit.
1913
1914
Apr.
15—
May
15—
1918
1918
1917
Los Angeles Cal.
Sirloin steak..........
Round steak.........
Rib roast...............
Chuck roast..........
Plate beef..............
Pork chops...........
Bacon, sliced........
Ham, sliced...........
Lard.......................
Lamb.....................
H ens. . .
Salmon, canned...
E ggs......................
Butter....................
Cheese__________
Milk.......................
Bread.....................
Flour......................
Corn m eal.............
Rice........................
Potatoes................
Onions...................
Beans, n avy____
Prunes...................
Raisins...................
Sugar.....................
Coffee.....................
T ea.........................
1913
1914
1917
Apr.
15—
May
15—
1918
1918
Milwaukee, Wis.
Pound___ .$0,240 $0.233 $0.277 $0,315 $0.336 $0,220 $0.233 $0.296 $0.330
.208
.288
...d o ..........
.213
.254
.316
.274
. 205
.213
.313
...d o ........... .191
.198
.232
.276
.282
.242
.185
.185
.270
.166
.193
.225
.243
.224
...d o ..........
.163
.251
.. -do..........
.158
.487
.118
. 135
.205
.160
.188
...d o ..........
.254
.396
.260
.320
.413
.288
.195
.210
.334
.338
...d o ..........
.484 ■. 5.83
.5,84
-26S
.418
.335
.273
.485
.348
...d o ........... .350
.472
.277
.382
.539
.555
.273
.453
...d o ........... .179
.177
.338
.270
.339
.155
. 159
.283
.331
...d o ..........
.192
.248
.328
.191
.200
. 192
.335
.323
.354
.258
.281
.269
.383
.224
.308
...d o ..........
.220
.327
.377
.254
. .do..........
.319
.290
.300
.444
Dozen___ .275
.369
.420
.213
.220
.377
.375
.409
.441
.452
.306
.335
.441
Pound___ .350
.335
.465
...d o ..........
.324
.338
.316
.335
.303
Quart........ .100
.100
.100
.130
.140
.070
.070
• OSO .100
.087
:078
16-oz.loaf1. .055
.053
.078
.050
.052
.099
.080
.036
.066
.085
.063
.031
Pound___ .036
.031
.090
.064
.064
.074
...d o ........... .032
.035
.083
.030
.033
.065
.082
.. .do...........
.103
.121
.107
.125
. 124
...d o ........... .011
.053
.017
.020
.016
.061
.020
.011
.016
.028
...d o ..........
.065
.022
.086
.026
.. .do...........
.171
.191
.170
.208
. 184
...d o ...........
.164
.163
.160
.160
.158
.. .do...........
.124
.138
.147
.150
.151
...d o ........... .053
.0S8
.086
.086
.019
.102
.053
.0t9
.089
.. .do...........
.304
.303
.303
.283
.270
...d o ...........
.606
.616
.565
.623
New Orleans, La.
Sirloin steak..........
Round steak.........
Rib roast...............
Chuck roast..........
Plate beef..............
Pork chops...........
Bacon, sliced........
Ham, sliced..........
Lard.......................
L a m b . ...............
H ens.......................
Salmon, canned. .
E g g s ,....................
B utter....................
Cheese....................
Milk.......................
Bread.....................
Flour......................
Corn m eal.............
Rice........................
Potatoes................
Onions...................
Beans, navy..........
Prunes___ 1 ..........
Raisins...................
Sugar.....................
Coffee.....................
T ea.........................
May 1.5—
New York, N. Y.
. . . d o .......... $0,220 $0,235 $0,287 $0,317 $0,341 $0,263 $0.263 $0.321 $0.380
.204
...d o ........... .100
.246
.286
.309
.257
.250
.324
.384
.200
.211
.. -do..........
.217
.283
.302
.223
.219
.324
.275
...d o ...........
.154
.191
.224
.241
.168
.220
.259
.. .d o........... .124
.156
.184
.189
.151
.197
.242
.. .d o........... .225
.30S
.239
.364
.375 • .218
.230
.322
.367
..d o ........... .298
.303
.481
.501
.508
.256
. 253
.404
.467
...d o ........... .260
.260
.416
.385
.434 2.203 2.199 C288 2.337
.. .d o........... .149
.148
.267
.325
.326
. 155
.334
.157
.271
.214
...d o ........... .201
.304
.386
.354
.176
.272
.318
.170
.. .d o........... .211
.223
.287
.303
.3-57
.222
.220
.. .do___ __
.268
.357
.310
.311
.292
.233
Dozen___
.234
.368
.371
.332
.308
.326
.450
.476
Pound___ .350
.320
.457
.508
.354
.509
.457
.319
.493
. ..d o ..........
.345
.337
.319
.340
.338
.097
. 090
Quart. __ .100
.096
. 109
. 140
.142
. 143
.090
16-oz. loaf'. .046
.043
.081
.077
.078
.053
.054
■0S7
.086
.037
Pound___ .038
.087
.073
.072
.032
.032
.092
.070
. . .d o........... .026
.028
. 0o3
.053
.084
.082
.034
.065
.035
. . .do...........
.098
. 100
.121
.107
. 112
...d o ........... .019
.023
.064
.025
.020
.026
.025
.075
.035
..d o ...........
.068
.030
.024
.085
036
. . .do...........
.182
.167
. 182
.163
.189
. . .do...........
.151
.160
.162
.157
. 174
. . .do...........
.148
.154
.153
.147
. 139
. .do........... .051
.047
.091
088
.099
.088
.088
.048
.044
. . .d o...........
.264
.248
.263
.246
.267
...d o ...........
.610
.581
.492
.527
.583
1 16 ounces, weight of dough.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
* Whole.
[ 62 ]
$0.353
.340
.291
.209
.208
.335
.496
.456
.326
.376
.351
.279
.384
.479
.298
.100
.080
.066
.073
. 126
.017
.037
.181
.160
.149
.589
.265
.584
$0.400
.406
.351
.278
.257
.382
.470
«.338
326
.333
397
33Q
.480
.518
328
130
.086
.071
080
121
!o28
054
17Q
171
148
088
273
.546
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
63
AVERAGE R ETA IL PRICES OF THE PRIN C IPA L ARTICLES OF FOOD FO R 17 SELECTED
CITIES FOR MAY 15, 1913, 1914, 1917, A PR . 15, 1918, AN D MAY 15, 1918-Continued.
May 15—
Article.
Unit.
fi)13
1914
1917
Apr.
15—
May
15—
1918
1918
Philadelphia, Pa.
Sirloin steak .
Round steak.........
R ib roast...............
Chuck roast..........
Plate beef..............
Pork chops............
Bacon, sliced........
Ham, sliced..........
Lard ...................
Lamb ...................
H ens.......................
Salmon, canned. .
Eggs .. ’ .................
Butter....................
Cheese....................
Milk:........................
Bread.....................
Flour......................
Corn meal.............
R ice........................
Potatoes.................
Onions...................
Beans, navy..........
Prunes...................
Raisins...................
Sugar......................
Coffee.....................
Tea.........................
1913
1914
1917
Apr.
15—
May
15—
1918
1918
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Pound. . . . $0.300 .$0,300 $0.368 $0,433 $0.474 $0.270 $0.277 SO 343
.. .d o..........
.256
.263
.331
.399
.233
.443
.245
.309
.224
. ..d o ..........
.223
.276
.330
.218
.360
.2 1 3
.261
.. .do..........
.178
.239
.286
.319
.170
.235
.2 0 1
.. .d o..........
.1 2 1
.158
.217
.128
.164
...d o ..........
.208
.230
.318
.380
.2 2 0
.400
.233
.323
. .. d o .......... .256
.264
.406
.479
.288
.500
.291
.421
. ..d o .......... .308
. 301
.446
.499
.294
.517
.305
.436
.. .d o..........
.153
.276
.834
. 153
.329
.155
.1.55
.275
.. .d o .......... .214
.204
.364
.2 1 2
.307
.381
.223
.330
. .. d o .......... .230
.242
.311
.424
.273
.276
.353
.. .d o ..........
.234
.267
.266
.252
Dozen....... .261
.440
.241
.273
.413
.444
.252
.409
Pound___ .403
.380
.525
.562
.372
.580
.338
.471
.361
. . . d o..........
.369
.370
.331
.080
.090
Quart........ .080
.1 2 0
.1 2 0
.086
.092
. 103
10 -oz.loafi.
.043
.079
.074
.043
.048
.083
.047
.092
.088
Pound___ .031
.031
.071
.071
.031
.032
.089
.046
. ..d o .......... .027
.075
.072
.027
.027
.030
.058
.1 0 2
. . .d o ..........
.129
.130
.1 0 1
.072
. ..d o ..........
.027
.029
.016
.023
.026
.018
.067
. . .d o..........
.077
.036
.053
.086
. . .d o..........
.180
.182
.177
.2 0 1
.. .d o ..........
.149
.168
.168
.149
.134
.144
.. .d o ..........
.143
.146
.042
.049
.0S9
.. .d o..........
.087
.087
.055
. 055
.107
.274
.273
.. .do..........
.272
.284
.571
.581
.. .d o..........
.591
.646
St. Louis, Mo.
Sirloin steak.........
Round steak.'___
Rib roast...............
Chuck roast..........
Plate beef..............
Pork chops...........
Bacon, sliced........
Ham, sliced..........
1 yard.......................
Lam b.................
H ens...................
Salmon, canned..
E ggs......................
B utter....................
Cheese....................
Milk........................
Bread.....................
Flour......................
Corn meal.............
R ice........................
Potatoes................
Onions...................
Beans, navy..........
Prunes___ ”. ..........
Raisins..................
Sugar......................
Coffee.....................
Tea.........................
May 15—
.373
.317
. 280
.378
.509
.483
32Q
.384
308
424
.513
.352
. 125
.087
.067
.081
.124
.023
. 035
.187
.176
.147
.097
.301
.735
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[63]
339
195
!o85
.067
.075
.124
.023
.054
184
174
141
.096
.204
.727
San Francisco, Cal.
. . . d o .......... $0.233 $0,268 $0.312 $0,348 $0,370 $0,203 .$0.207 $0.232 $0.291
.295
.242
.342
.2 1 1
.361 * .190
.197
.290
.. .d o ..........
.229
.247
.2 0 2
.292
.180
.217
.303
.207
.224
.281
.. .d o ..........
.205
.157
.240
.255
.155
.159
.. .d o ..........
.216
.157
.139
.196
.209
.150
.. .d o ..........
.151
.205
.2 0 2
.290
.328
.247
. ..d o ..........
.195
.332
.240
.293
.382
.250
.383
.482
.337
. 253
.479
.328
.432
.. .d o ..........
.549
.378
.470
.275
.267
.470
.300
.320
.506
. .. d o ..........
.405
.254
.126
.299
.174
.137
.293
.183
.282
. . . d o ..........
.338
.314
.193
.361
. .d o ..........
.190
.379
.167
.180
.232
.321
.194
.268
.. .d o ..........
.185
.330
.252
.248
.263
.227
.. .d o ..........
.293
.294
.254
.213
.2Ü
.378
.364
Dozen....... .2 0 0
.300
.395
.419
.373
.245
.465
.499
.313
.314
.434
.452
Pound___ .333
.510
.336
.. .d o ..........
.317
.330
.311
.301
.335
.080
.1 0 0
.1 2 0
.1 0 0
.080
.1 2 0
.1 0 0
.1 0 0
.1 2 1
Quart...
.050
.089
.088
.052
16-oz. loafk .049
.087
.052
.083
.084
.078
.062
.029
.034
.062
Pound___ .030
.062
.033
.081
.026
.047
.066
.. .d o..........
.0 2 1
.064
.034
.035
.074
.065
.. .d o ..........
.092
.1 2 1
.1 2 2
.1 0 1
.1 2 1
.017
.058
.0 2 0
.0 2 2
.054
.0 2 0
.014
.0 2 2
.. .d o ..........
.013
.088
.028
.. .d o ..........
.044
.085
.0 2 2
.. .d o ..........
. 197
.190 ’ .157
.177
.177
.149
.. .d o ..........
.167
.166
.139
.135
.138
.145
.167
.133
.. .do...........
.167
.086
.049
.087
. . .d o .......... .052
.046
.098
.086
.053
.086
.227
.276
.300
.303
.276
.. .d o..........
.. .d o..........
.533
.670
.676
.513
.528
1 16 ounces, weight of dough.
.413
.340
307
227
.385
.515
.500
324
2 Q5
. 433
31?
427
!524
$0,331
.329
.305
.242
.224
.398
.565
.504
.340
.336
.406
.258
.430
.471
.313
.1 2 1
.084
.066
.076
.124
.0 2 2
.023
.162
.137
.136
.086
.302
.535
MONTHLY LABOE EEVIEW,
64
AVERAGE R E TA IL PRICES OF THE PRIN C IPA L ARTICLES OF FOOD FOR 17 SELECTED
CITIES FO R MAY 15, 1913, 1914, 1917, A PR. 15, 1918, AN D MA V 15, 1918—Concluded.
May 15Article.
Unit.
1913
1914
Apr.
15—
May
15—
1918
1918
1917
1914
1917
Washington,
0
Sirloin steak..........
Round steak.........
Rib roast...............
Chuck roast..........
Plato beef ..........
Pork chops...........
Bacon, sliced........
Ham, sliced..........
Lard.......................
Lam b.....................
Hens
Salmon, canned. .
Eggs . .1 .................
Butter....................
Cheese................
Milk........................
Bread.....................
Flour.................7 ..
Corn meal.............
R ice....... _............
Potatoes...............
Onions__ _
Beans, navy.
Prunes . . . . .
R a is in s ............
Sugar......................
Coffee..............
Tea................
1913
Apr.
15—
May
15—
1918
1918
d
Seattle, Wash.
May 15-
Pound........ SO.238 SO.234 $0.276 $0.316 $0.391 $0.275 $0.284 $0.337 $0.411
.246
.314
.388
.236
.2 1 0
.260
.298
.375
. . .d o........... .215
.215
.275
.315
.267
.320
.219
.188
.246
.196
. ..d o ..........
.282
.176
.238
. 154
.206
.281
.231
.. .d o ..........
.178
.209
.124
.156
.196
.232
.133
. .d o ..........
.234
.326
.2 1 1
.408
.240
.336
.388
.400
.246
.. -do..........
.249
. 546
.409
.488
.330
.480
.548
.265
.. -do........... .317
.484
.406
.280
.295
.420
.300
.478
.495
.. .d o........... .308
.141
.330
.148
.275
.335
.159
.279
.333
.176
.. .d o ..........
.280
.209
.325
.388
.188
.337
.389
.215
.208
.. .d o ..........
do .
.224
.240
.309
.244
.288
.396
.245
.250
.243
.288
.290
.291
. .do..........
.442
.441
.239
.247
.399
.254
.391
.452
.250
Dozen.......
.496
.494
.350
.483
.546
.438
.387
Pound___ .350
.311
.310
.310
.343
.356
.318
. . .d o ..........
.080
.1 0 0
.140
.086
.105
.125
.125
.080
Quart........ .085
.050
.049
.087
.082
.088
.088
.092
.053
16-oz. loaf1. .049
.037
.088
.029
.058
.058
.037
.066
Pound___ .030
.073
.024
.049
.056
.076
.077
.025
.063
.030
.031
.. .d o ..........
.097
.1 2 2
.129
.105
.125
.. .d o ..........
.0 2 1
.046
.016
.017
.018
.071
.025
.013
.. .d o........... .0 1 0
.084
.089
.036
.033
.033
.d o ..........
.173
.176
.2 0 0
.190
.203
.d o ..........
.134
. 14S
.152
.158
.175
.d o..........
.134
.156
.140
.142
.131
.d o ..........
.047
.094
.088
.093
.091
.091
.049
.059
.053
.. .d o..........
.322
.288
.294
.326
.315
.d o..........
.569
.576
.500
.583
.669
.d o ..........
$0.492
. 466
.365
.315
.231
.439
.503
.494
.340
.433
.420
.290
.433
.552
.355
.140
.081
.067
.063
.127
.023
.192
.176
.153
.089
.296
.671
1 16 ounces, weight of dough.
The following table gives average retail prices in 28 smaller cities
for April and May, 1918. For Houston, Tex., and Peoria, 111., prices
are shown for May only, as these cities have just been included in the
bureau’s list. The prices for Columbus, Ohio, are not included be
cause over 20 per cent of the firms listed failed to send reports for
May.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[64]
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW,
65
AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF THE PRINCIPAL ARTICLES OF FOOD FO R A PR . 15, 1918,
A N D MAY 15, 1918, FOR 28 CITIES. AN D FOR MAY 15, 1918, FOR 2 CITIES, B Y ARTICLES.
[The average prices shown below are computed from reports sent monthly to the bureau by retail dealers.
As some dealers occasionally fail to report the number of quotations varies from month to month.]
Apr.
15,
1918.
Article.
May
15,
1918.
Apr.
15,
1918.
May
15,
1918.
Apr.
15,
1918.
May
15,
1918.
Apr.
15,
1918.
Bridgeport,
Conn.
Butte Mont.
Charleston,
S. C.
May
15,
1918.
Cincinnati,
Ohio.
Pound__ SO.385 SO.421 SO.437 $0,473 $0.353 $0,395 SO. 323 $0.367 $0.320
...d o ........
.348
.393
.410
.439
.324
.355
.323
.379
.314
.297
.335
.363
..d o ..........
.321
.287
.320
.285
.318
.273
.292
..d o ..........
.250
.275
.304
.250
.276
.226
.255
.229
..d o ..........
.208
.197
.190
.206
.185
.209
.2 0 1
.218
.201
..d o ..........
.345
.351
.371
.345
.374
.392
.377
.383
.347
..d o ..........
.540
.512
.517
.571
.538
.538
.521
.518
.461
..d o ..........
. 455
.511
.501
.456
.477
.493
.470
.470
.456
..d o ..........
.322
.327
.324
.318
.343
• •337
.337
.336
.309
..d o ..........
.350
.350
.353
.358
.364
.369
.421
.387
.370
..d o ..........
. 405
.328
■399
.420
..d o ..........
.285
.264
.355
.368
.373
• 3S3
.280
.280
.263
Dozen___
.402
.383
.508
.509
.475
.454
.470
.460
.368
Pound__
. 545
.484
.533
.501
.544
.514
.534
.534
.489
...d o ..........
.348
.334
.340
.338
.354
.350
.341
.327
.353
Quart___
. 155
.155
.140
.130
.150
.150
.185
.185
.130
16-oz.loaf1 .089
.089
.090
.090
.106
.106
.093
.090
.086
Pound__
.068
.070
.070
.070
. 06S
.067
.074
.073
.069
..d o ..........
.055
.058
.086
.083
.078
.081
.064
.064
.064
..d o ..........
.1 2 0
.1 2 0
.128
. 127
.129
.133
.093
.093
.117
..d o ..........
.025
.027
.025
.025
.015
. 015
.0 2 1
.031
.022
..d o ..........
.032
.051
.037
.053
.037
.030
.044
.061
.028
..d o ..........
.184
.185
.179
.176
.175
. 176
.193
.194
.164
..d o ..........
.160
.153
.170
.174
.164
.162
.163
.167
.156
..d o ..........
.153
.169
.158
. 152
.149
.148
.150
.150
.143
.092
.092
..d o ___
.095
.095
.1 0 0
.1 0 0
.090
.090
.090
.331
..d o ........... .323
.320
.315
.421
.425
.274
.274
.273
. .do
.786
.773
.629
.644
.775
.782
.640
.640
.694
Columbus,
Ohio.
Sirloin steak...
Round stea k ..
Rib roast..........
Chuck roast..........
Plate beef_______
Pork chops_____
Bacon, sliced........
Ham, sliced..........
Lard.......................
Lamb.....................
H ens.......................
Salmon, canned. .
E g g s......................
B utter....................
Cheese____ _____
Milk........................
Bread.....................
Flour......................
Corn meal.............
Rice........................
Potatoes.................
Onions...................
Beans, navy.........
Prunes...................
Raisins...................
Sugar.....................
Coflee.....................
T ea.........................
May
15,
1918.
Unit.
Birmingham,
Ala.
Sirloin steak........
Round steak___
Rib roast.............
Chuck roast........
Plate beef............
Pork chops..........
Bacon, sliced........
Ham, sliced___ t.
Lard.......................
Lam b.................
H ens...................
Salmon, canned
Eggs....................
Butter.................
Cheese................
Milk....................
Bread.................
Flour...................
Corn m eal..............
Riee.......................
Potatoes...............
Onions.................
Beans, n avy........
Prunes..................
Raisins.................
Sugar....................
Coffee...................
Tea........................
Apr.
15,
1918.
..d o ..
..d o ..
..d o ..
. .d o ..
..d o ..
. .d o . .
..d o ...........
..d o ...........
. .do...........
. .do...........
. .d o..........
. .do...........
D ozen___
Pound___
- - .do...........
Quart........
16-oz.loaf1
Pound___
. .do...........
. .d o...........
..d o ...........
..d o ...........
..d o ...........
. .do...........
..d o ...........
. .do...........
..d o ...........
..d o ...........
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(*)
(2)
(2)
(2)
Dallas, Tex.
Fall River,
Mass.
$0.364 $0.384 $0.483 $0.559
.349
.367
.387
.477
.303
.328
.366
.317
.275
.284
.283
.309
.224
.240
.334
.345
.358
.347
.537
.456
.583
.475
.492
.436
.473
.455
.332
.340
.317
.318
.400
.360
.367
.347
.296
.391
.290
.281
.294
.286
.360
.378
.553
.554
.509
.498
.497
.499
.326
.335
.333
.337
.167
.159
.130
.130
.085
.089
. 0S9
.090
.065
.069
.074
.073
.066
.068
.093
.091
.116
.116
.1 2 1
. 120
.0 2 2
.026
.026
.024
.031
.040
.035
.056
.184
.182
.182
. 179
.183
. 173
.167
.167
.154
.158
.157
. 155
.094
.095
.087
.098
.363
.342
.320
.322
.873
.844
.517
.547
Houston,
Tex.
$0.354
.344
.302
.257
.223
.352
.531
.459
.319
.371
.360
.295
.396
.500
.332
. 153
.080
(3)
.065
. 113
.026
.041
. 168
. 152
. 164
.092
.277
.604
■10.349
.343
.297
.252
.215
.351
.468
.469
.303
.357
.369
.262
.366
.501
.335
.130
.083
.067
.062
.121
.024
.045
.158
.154
.155
.090
.271
.657
Indianapolis,
Ind.
.347
.343
.266
.248
.193
.348
.494
.465
.318
.283
.250
.361
.488
.364
.107
.089
.068
.069
.
120
.018
.034
.183
.168
.174
.091
.293
.767
0.373
.369
.278
.261
.215
.349
.502
.479
.319
.250
.314
.249
.268
.492
.353
.110
.089
.065
.065
.122
.019
.066
.179
.173
.171
.091
.295
.765
1 16 ounces, weight of dough.
2 No prices are shown for this city, because over 20 per cent of the firms on the bureau’s list failed to
report for May, 1918.
3 No flour sold in Houston, Tex., on May 15, 1918.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[ 65]
66
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW,
A VERAGE R ETA IL PRICES OF THE PR IN C IPA L ARTICLES OF FOOD FO R A PR. 15, 1918,
AN D MAY 15, 1918, FOR 28 CITIES, AND FO R MAY 15, 1918, FO R 2 CITIES, B Y ARTICLES—
Continued.
Apr.
15,
1918.
Article.
Apr.
15,
1918.
May
15,
1918.
May
15,
1918.
Apr.
15,
1918.
May
15,
1918.
Apr.
15,
1918.
May
15,
1918.
Unit.
Jacksonville, Kansas City,
Fla.
Mo.
Little Rock,
Ark.
Louisville,
Ky.
Manchester,
N. H.
$0.353 SO. 388 $0.360 $0. 370 80.350 $0.402 SO. 342 SO. 367 SO. 473 Ï0.529
Sirloin steak.......... Pound.
.431
.484
.329
.367
.314
.377
.342
.378
.335
.357
Round steak........... . .d o__
.268
.296
.294
.338
.288
.327
.282
.280
.277
.301
Rib roast.................. . .d o .. .
.238
.263
.261
.294
.285
.241
.253
.245
.242
.255
Chuck roast............. . .d o . . .
.234
.219
.247
.222
.208
.186
.195
.197
Plate beef................. . .d o . ..
.358
.353
.340
.352
.356
.338
.369
.330
.354
.329
Pork chops.............. . .d o . ..
.515
.513
.468
.553
.475
.531
.506
.525
.520
.511
Bacon, sliced____ _ . .d o . ..
.466
.466
.423
.436
.500
.496
.481
.485
.438
.455
Ham, sliced............. . .d o . ..
.322
.317
.344
.337
.334
.340
.346
.348
.331
.331
Lard.......................... . .d o . ..
.388
.388
.400
.378
.350
.355
.313
.357
.303
.345
Lamb........................ . . d o . . .
.325
.404
.348
.306
.346
H ens....................... . . . d o .. .
.254
.249
.304
.302
.297
.288
.297
.284
.300
.292
Salmon, can n ed .. . . . d o .. .
.365
.513
.506
.369
.360
.383
.382
.386
.465
.445
E g g s....................... Dozen.
.521
.501
.535
.538
.533
.539
.482
.485
.548
.559
B utter.................... Pound
.356
.342
.338
.337
.359
.358
.356
.351
.351
.344
Cheese.................... ... d o .. .
.128
.128
.140
.140
.150
.150
.122
.123
.153
Milk........................ Quart........ .175
.088
.094
.088
.076
.077
.093
.089
.088
.089
Bread...................... 16-oz.loaf1 .087
.067
.067
.070
.067
.069
.067
.067
.070
.067
.070
Flour...................... P o u n d ...
.063
.065
.078
.078
.067
.066
.069
.065
.063
.070
Corn m eal.............. . ..d o .........
.121
.119
.120
.123
.121
.113
.120
.109
.123
.105
Rice........................ __do.........
.023
.019
.025
.026
.025
.023
.023
.019
.027
.029
Potatoes................. . .. d o .........
.044
.027
.028
.043
.060
.038
.034
.047
.051
.053
Onions.................... .. .d o .........
.174
.172
.186
.187
.185
.183
.181
.197
.196
.183
Beans, navy.......... ...d o .........
.164
.166
.171
.173
.168
.150
.167
.174
.174
.147
Prunes.................... . .. d o .........
.153
.155
.152
.153
.148
.151
.152
.156
.172
.174
Raisins................... . ..d o .........
.090
.090
.096
.097
.095
.095
.095
.099
.090
.090
Sugar...................... . .. d o .........
.269
.269
.342
.342
.309
.322
.293
.289
.321
.317
Coffee..................... .. .d o .........
.693
.701
.595
.604
.793
.773
. 656
.734
.729
. 656
T ea......................... -.-d o .........
Apr. 15, May 15, Apr. 15, May 15, Apr. 15, Mav .15, Apr. 15, May 15,
1918.
1918.
1918.
1918.
1918.
1918.
1918.
1918.
Article.
Unit.
Memphis, Tenn.
Sirloin steak..........
Round steak.........
Rib roast...............
Chuck roast..........
Plate beef..............
Pork chops...........
Bacon, sliced .___
Ham, sliced..........
Lard.......................
Lam b.....................
H ens.......................
Salmon, canned..
E g g s......................
Butter....................
Cheese....................
Milk........................
Bread.....................
Flour......................
Corn meal.............
Rice'........................
Potatoes................
Onions...................
Beans, n avy.........
Prunes...................
Raisins...................
Sugar......................
Coffee.....................
Tea..........................
P o u n d ... $0.361
...d o ........
.341
.. .d o ........
.291
. . .do.........
.249
.. .d o ........
.2 1 0
.340
.. .d o ........
...d o .........
. 509
.444
.. .do........
. . .d o.........
.324
. . .d o.........
.355
__do.........
. . .d o .........
.294
Dozen__
.388
.520
P o u n d ...
.321
. ..d o .........
Quart---.150
16-oz.loaf1
.088
Pound. . .
.067
. . .d o .........
.062
- . .d o .........
.1 1 0
. . .d o .........
.0 2 0
. . .d o .........
.039
.189
. . .d o .........
.161
. . .d o.........
.162
.. .d o .........
. . .d o .........
.091
. . .d o.........
.298
. . .d o.........
.791
$0.407
.378
.323
285
.252
.354
.514
.458
. 32F
.400
.330
.298
.380
.485
319
.150
.092
.067
.059
.114
Minneapolis,
Minn.
SO. 311
.299
.261
.232
.176
.315
.493
.446
.321
.318
.343
.371
.454
.306
.1 0 0
.1 0 0
.079
.063
.057
.079
.058
.056
$0.324
.316
.294
.247
.216
.371
.498
.426
.328
.359
.271
.423
.560
.338
.150
.086
.070
.069
.1 2 1
.1 2 2
.1 1 1
.0 2 1
.015
.040
.185
.163
.147
.091
.299
.775
.0 2 2
.015
.025
.169
.153
.143
.095
.307
.504
.029
.043
.187
.161
.171
.089
.266
.625
.178
.152
.143
.094
.309
.510
ounces, weight of dough.
Whole.
1 16
2
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
$0.336
.323
.276
.256
.196
.318
.496
.445
.322
.324
.332
.347
.377
.468
.303
Mobile, Ala.
[66]
SO. 353
.347
.315
.269
.242
.390
.539
.439
.322
.364
.410
.270
.413
.538
.334
.150
.086
.069
.069
.115
.027
.049
.183
.170
.170
.090
.270
.615
Newark , N. J.
$0.415
.423
.344
.305
.2 2 1
.379
.462
2.348
.342
.378
.344
.474
.517
.353
.145
.082
.073
.085
.1 2 2
.030
.042
.181
.178
.151
.090
.299
.563
$0. 438
.446
.366
.315
.234
.402
.459
2.350
.342
.386
.394
.345
.483
.548
.362
.137
.086
.073
.079
.123
.029
.068
.179
.177
.152
.090
.307
.571
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
67
AVER A G E R ETA IL PRICES OF THE PRINCIPAL ARTICLES OF FOOD FOR A PR . 15, 1918,
A N D MAY 15, 1918, FO R 28 CITIES, AND FOR MAY 15, 1918, FOR 2 CITIES, B Y ARTICLES—
Continued.
Apr. 15, May 15, Apr. 15, May 15, Apr. 15,
1918.
1918.
1918.
1918.
1918.
Article.
Unit.
New Haven,
Conn.
Sirloin steak.........
Round steak.........
Rib roast...............
Chuck roast..........
Plate beef..............
Pork chops...........
Bacon, sliced........
Ham, sliced..........
Lard.......................
Lam b.....................
H ens.......................
Salmon, canned. .
E ggs.......................
Butter....................
Cheese....................
Milk........................
Bread.....................
Flour......................
Com meal.............
Rice........................
Potatoes................
Onions.'................
Beans, n avy.........
Prunes___1 ..........
Raisins...................
Sugar......................
Coffee.....................
Tea.........................
P o u n d ...
. . .d o .........
. . .d o........
. . .d o........
. . .d o .........
.. .d o ........
. .. d o .........
.. .d o .........
. . .d o ........
. . -do........
.. .d o........
. . .d o ........
Dozen__
P o u n d ...
__d o .........
Quart___
16-oz.loafi
Pound. . .
.. .do. .*__
. . .d o .........
. . .d o .........
. . .d o ........
. . .d o ........
.. .d o ........
.. .d o ........
. . .d o ........
.. .’d o.........
__do.........
$0. 448
.415
.341
.298
$0. 487
.458
.363
.328
.346
.511
. 516
.338
.365
.353
.504
.511
.337
.368
.419
.336
.538
.528
.343
.143
.090
.070
.080
. 123
.026
.053
.185
.181
. 153
.098
.337
.629
.342
.530
.507
.347
.143
.090
.071
.083
. 124
.027
.043
. 191
.181
. 154
.099
.331
.614
Portland, Oreg.
Sirloin steak..........
Round steak.........
Rib roast...............
Chuck roast...........
Plate beef..............
Pork chops............
Bacon, sliced........
Ham, sliced...........
Lard........................
L am b.....................
H ens.......................
Salmon, can n ed ..
E g g s.......................
Butter....................
Cheese.....................
Milk........................
Bread.....................
Flour......................
Corn m eal..............
Rice........................
Potatoes.................
Onions...................
Beans, n avy..........
Prunes....................
Raisins...................
Sugar......................
Coffee................
Tea..........................
May 15, Apr. 15, May 15,
1918.
1918.
1918.
.. .d o ........
. ..d o .........
...d o .........
...d o .........
. ..d o .........
...d o .........
...d o .........
. ..d o .........
. ..d o .........
. ..d o .........
. ..d o .........
. ..d o .........
Dozen__
Pound. . .
. ..d o .........
Quart___
16-oz.loafi
P o u n d ...
. ..d o .........
. ..d o .........
. ..d o .........
. ..d o .........
. ..d o .........
...d o .........
. ..d o .........
.. .d o .. J. . .
. ..d o .........
...d o .........
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
$0,314
.300
.282
.235
.194
.357
.532
.473
.349
.324
$0.374
.356
.350
.404
.499
.341
.127
.087
.058
.078
.125
.279
.227
.393
.541
.497
.350
.358
.375
.354
.423
.506
.326
.126
.096
.056
.081
.127
.0 1 2
.0 1 2
.025
.153
.133
.136
.090
.320
.580
.024
.153
.134
.139
.089
.323
.579
Norfolk, Va.
Omaha, Nebr.
$0. 401
.368
.319
.279
.208
.356
.476
.391
.345
.395
$0.351
.333
.260
. 242
. 178
.323
.503
.465
.342
.333
.270
.441
.559
.355
. 180
.085
.072
.065
. 129
.028
.039
. 189
.179
. 154
. u91
.307
$0. 432
.394
.350
.306
.234
.372
.498
.389
.341
.424
.396
. 281
. 435
.346
. 180
.088
.069
.063
. 136
.028
.050
.194
.187
. 153
.088
.315
.827
Providence, R. I.
$0,564
.459
.359
.326
$0,611
.493
.390
.358
.376
.480
.529
.341
.369
.334
.525
.528
.339
.145
.091
.070
.076
.383
.483
.540
.339
.380
.421
.329
.521
.526
.341
.145
.091
.070
.075
.1 2 2
.1 2 1
.025
.031
.185
.181
.146
.096
.339
.589
.024
.040
.180
.181
.148
.094
.343
.575
1 16 ounces, weight of dough.
[ 67]
.284
.479
.341
.125
.089
.062
.063
. 115
.019
.030
. 169
.166
. 158
.090
.312
.638
$0.383
.374
. 294
. 278
. 204
.335
.515
.479
.342
.359
.333
.290
.388
. 494
.318
. 125
.089
. 063
.061
. 119
.237
.427
.561
.357
.147
.089
.067
.062
.132
.026
.042
.196
.163
.148
.093
.279
.746
£0.370
.363
276
963
211
.331
.523
.482
.335
.400
338
! 291
372
471
328
104
.089
070
*062
194
f020
1063
. 193
.169
169
.091
.271
.620
.0 2 0
.035
.171
.168
. 158
.090
.310
.649
Richmond, Va.
$0.373
.353
.304
.263
.217
.371
.466
.430
.342
.394
Peoria, 111.
Rochester, N . Y .
$0.431
$0,348
.403
.329
.343
.289
.306
.271
. 255
.199
.381
.351
.467
.443
.428
.445
.336 , .328
.392
.362
.382
.233
.296
.420
.443
.565
.507
.338
.143
.125
.089
.083
.067
.067
.062
.076
.138
.128
.0 2 2
.019
.063
.023
.194
.178
.184
.161
.148
.151
.090
.093
.276
.295
.753
.533
£0.370
.355
.301
.293
.218
.364
.455
.446
. 332
.375
.425
.289
.426
.511
.327
.125
.088
.067
.075
.128
.0 2 0
.051
.176
.186
.150
.090
.299
.540
68
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW,
A VERAGE R E TA IL PRICES OF THE PRINCIPAL ARTICLES OF FOOD FOR A PR . 15, 1918,
A N D MAY 15, 1918, FOR 28 CITIES, A N D FOR MAY 15, 1918, FOR 2 CITIES, B Y ARTICLES—
Concluded.
Apr.
15,
1918.
Article.
May
15,
1918.
May
15,
1918.
Apr.
15,
1918.
May
15,
1918.
Apr.
15,
1918.
May
15,
1918.
Unit.
St. Paul, Minn.
Sirloin steak.........
Round steak.........
Rib roast...............
Chuck roast...........
Plate b e e f.............
Pork chops............
Bacon, sliced........
Ham, sliced..........
Lard.......................
L am b.....................
H en s.......................
Salmon, canned..
E g g s .......................
Butter....................
Cheese.. .
Milk........................
B read ....................
Flour......................
Corn m eal.............
Rice ......................
Potatoes.................
Onions. . . .
Beans, navy..........
Prunes..............
R aisins...................
Sugar......................
Coflee......................
Tea..........................
Apr.
15,
1918.
P o u n d ...
. ..d o .........
. ..d o .........
. ..d o .........
.. .do.........
...d o .........
...d o .........
. ..d o .........
. ..d o .........
...d o .........
. ..d o .........
...d o .........
Dozen__
P o u n d ...
.. .do.........
Quart___
16-oz.loaf
P o u n d ...
. ..d o .........
.. .do.........
. ..d o .........
.do__
...d o .........
.do.........
...d o .........
...d o .........
...d o .........
...d o .........
$0,335
.314
.288
.245
.179
.316
.483
.469
.324
.329
.290
.366
.451
.319
$0,365
.352
.311
.281
.203
.317
.493
.468
.319
.324
.334
.291
.371
.471
.311
.1 0 0
.1 0 0
.074
.061
.065
.128
.015
.024
.183
.165
.145
.096
.316
. 553
.075
.060
.064
.128
.014
.024
.185
.145
.095
.316
.543
Salt Lake City,
Utah.
$0,305
.291
.255
.230
.192
.363
.517
.463
.358
.338
.324
.408
.491
.335
.114
.089
.055
.076
.115
.0 1 2
.029
.173
.150
. . 142
.097
.354
.622
$0,340
.327
.279
.266
.214
.384
.521
.475
.360
.344
.390
.329
.392
.495
.329
.114
.087
.063
.076
.123
.013
.033
.171
.148
.142
.090
.350
.623
Scranton, Pa.
$0,385
.364
.321
.279
.194
.359
.501
.473
.325
.374
.294
.440
.506
.325
.126
.086
.070
.125
Springfield, 111.
$0.442
.405
.346
.307
«0.375
.375
.289
.273
.2 2 1
.2 2 2
.390
.521
.473
.324
.393
.424
.287
.435
.508
.320
.336
.496
.465
.335
.360
.1 2 0
.087
.069
.075
.0 2 2
.1 2 1
.0 2 1
.042
.178
.172
.144
.090
.323
.608
.177
.164
.143
.090
.319
.597
.275
.375
.508
.376
•111
.090
.064
.084
.128
.018
.0 2 2
.196
.168
.173
.094
.300
.708
$0.403
.394
.301
.292
.243
.348
.498
.475
.329
‘.381
.303
.274
.385
.520
.350
■1 1 1
.090
.063
.081
.128
.0 2 0
.047
.194
.167
.177
.094
.300
.750
1 16 ounces, weight of dough.
RETAIL PRICES OF DRY GOODS IN THE UNITED STATES.
Average retail prices of eight articles of dry goods on May 15,
1917, and May 15, 1918, are shown in the following table for 45
cities. Averages for May 15, 1918, only, are shown for Norfolk, Va.,
Peoria, 111., 'and Portland, Me., as dry goods prices were not secured
from these cities previous to May, 1918. Only standard brands have
been included in the averages for the eight articles.
AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF 8 ARTICLES OF D R Y GOODS IN 45 CITIES, MAY 15, 1917,
AND MAY 15, 1918, A N D IN 3 CITIES, MAY 15, 1918.
May 15—
Article.
Unit.
1917
1918
Atlanta, Ga.
Calico.....................
Percale...................
Gingham, apron..
Gingham, dress...
Muslin, bleached.
Sheeting, bleached
Sheets, bleached..
Outing flannel___
May 15—
1917
1918
Baltimore,
Md.
May 15—
1917
1918
Birmingham,
Ala.
May 15—
1917
1918
Boston,
Mass.
May 15—
1917
Bridgeport,
Conn.
Per yard.. $0 . 1 0 0 $0 . 2 0 0 «0.098 $0,235 $0.094 $0 , 2 1 0 $0 . 1 0 0 $0.197 $0.107
. ..d o ........... . 158
.299
. 190
. 190
.305
.177
.325
.316
.170
. ..d o ........... .131
.267
.1 2 2
.276
.138
.258
.125
.305
.123
...d o ........... .146
.306
.160
.290
.162
.287
.310
.166
.163
. ..d o ........... .146
.321
.152
.345
.250
.157
.309
.146
.158
. ..d o ........... .423
.730
.430
.798
.385
.465
.751
.443
.639
.960 1.594 1.242 1.950 1.140
Per sheet.. 1.068 1.964 1.058 2.077
.157
.287
.306
.300
.158
.160
.125
Per yard.. .142
.391
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[681
1918
$0.147
.250
.260
.350
.290
.723
1 .6 6 8
.235
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
69
A V ER A G E R E TA IL PRICES OF 8 ARTICLES OF D R Y GOODS IN 45 CITIES, MAY 15, 1917,
AN D MAY 15, 1918, AN D IN 3 CITIES, MAY 15, 1918—Continued. ’
May 15—
Articles.
Unit.
1917
1918
Buffalo,
N. Y.
May 15—
1917
1918
Butte Mont.
May 15—
1917
1918
Charleston,
S. C.
May 15—
1917
1918
Chicago, 111.
M&y 15—
1917
Cincinnati,
Ohio.
Calico..................... Per yard. SO. 102 $0.193 $0 . 1 0 0 $0.150 $0.113 $0 . 2 2 0 SO. 100 $0.183 SO. 098
Percale................... ...d o .........
.190
.316
.197
.300
.178
.338
.195
.355
.170
Gingham, apron.. . ..d o .........
.130
.277
.1 0 0
.250
.258
.116
.125
.250
.125
Gingham, dTess... ...d o .........
.170
.328
.187
.317
.154
.326
.186
.343
.165
Muslin, bleached.. ...d o .........
.164
.328
.158
.333
.142
.303
.151
.307
.137
Sheeting, bleached. ...d o .........
.470
.784
. 725
.479
.411
.670
.439
.822
.398
Sheets, bleached— Per sheet. 1.279 1.925 1.483 2 . 0 0 0 1.197 1.796 1.218 2.040 1.063
Outing flannel___ Per yard.
.162
.355
.173
.250
.148
.318
.174
.349
.150
Cleveland,
Ohio.
Columbus,
Ohio.
Dallas, Tex.
Denver,
Colo.
Calico.....................
Percale...................
Gingham, apron..
Gingham, dress...
Muslin, bleached.
Sheeting, bleached
Sheets, bleached..
Outing flannel___
. .. d o ........ $0.098
...d o .........
. 194
...d o .........
. 138
. ...do.........
.190
...d o .........
.159
. ..d o .........
. 455
Per sheet. 1.275
Per yard.
.161
$. 329
.280
.297
.339
.740
1.944
.350
Minneapolis,
Minn.
Calico.....................
Percale...................
Gingham, apron..
Gingham, dress...
Muslin, bleached.
Sheeting, bleached
Sheets, bleached..
Outing flannel___
Kansas City,
Mo.
Louisville,
E y.
Manchester,
N. H.
Memphis,
Tenn.
New Haven,
Conn.
New Orleans,
La.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
.238
.285
.284
.700
1.708
.291
SO. 180
.316
.258
.280
.313
.752
2.248
.320
New York,
N. Y.
.d o .......... $0.107 $0.183 $0.095 $0 . 2 0 0 SO. 097 $0.190 SO. 100 $0 . 2 0 0 $0.109
.do........... .187
.313
.183
.350
.177
.290
.150
.400
.180
...d o ........... .129
.2 2 0
.117
.260
.125
.290
.117
.288
.117
...d o _____
.194
.306
. 179
.328
.167
.296
.150
.313
.168
...d o _____
. 149
.293
.150
.331
.149
.313
.125
.267
.152
...d o ........... .427
.750
.450
. 776
.417
.773
. 660
.428
Per sheet.. 1.142 1.998 1.150 1.877 1 . 1 2 0 1.878
.900 1.667 1 . 1 1 2
.328
.154
.354
Per y a rd .. .155
.151
.295
.300
.170
[69]
SO. 229
Milwaukee,
Wis.
$0.093 $0.180 SO. 117 $0.223 $0.099 $0.235 $0 . 1 0 0
.181
.325
. 163
.305
.2 0 0
..3a3
. 180
.123
. 263
.125
.300
.133
.280
.124
. 161
.322
.159
.353
.167
.333
.177
.148
.292
.160
.334
.146
.322
.155
.400
.689
.469
.777
.466
.786
.434
1.147 1.818 1.293 2 . 1 0 1 1.181 1.981 1.367
.156
.142
.377
.283
.168
.288
.160
Newark,
N. J.
$0 . 2 1 0
.326
.268
.275
.345
.771
2.083
.320
Little Rock,
Ark.
. ..d o ........ SO. 090 $0.190 $0 . 1 0 2 SO. 200 SO. 1^5 SO. 193 SO. 100 S0.S5 SO. 100
...d o .........
. 163
.363
.183
.314
.2 0 0
.320
.178
.350
...d o .........
. 120
.266
. 124
.245
.150
.300
. 133
.295
.125
...d o .........
.150
.310
.188
.277
.180
.343
.166
.326
.158
...d o .........
.150
.304 - .147
.302
.173
.338
.160
. 319
.157
...d o .........
.440
.727
.441
.752
.460
.740
.441
.790
.450
Per sheet. 1.183 1.690 1.070 1 . 6 8 8 1.145 2.003 1.150 1.780 1.108
Per yard.
.145
.240
. 149
.326
.150
.317
.158
.310
.150
Los Angeles,
Cal.
Calico.....................
P ercale.................
Gingham, apron..
Gingham, dress...
Muslin, bleached.
Sheeting, bleached
Sheets, bleached..
Outing flannel___
Indianapolis, Jacksonville,
Ind.
Fla.
$0.233
.283
.253
.290
.269
.726
1.743
.343
Detroit,
Mich.
Calico.....................
.do.
$0.090 $0 . 2 0 1 $0 . 1 1 0 $0.196 $0.098 SO. 198 $0 . 1 0 0 SO. 229 $0 . 1 0 1
Percale.................. .do.
.108
.320
.185
.336
.159
.330
.2 0 0
.450
.193
Gingham, apron..
.117
.267
.125
.250
.119
.225
.117
.300
.130
Gingham, dress...
.157
.300
.215
.350
.150
.310
.180
.350
.198
Muslin, bleached.
.158
.338
.170
.309
. 140
.282
.167
.361
.180
Sheeting, bleached .. .do.........
.486
.776
.456
.769
.391
.672
.496
.939
.471
Sheets, bleached.. Per sheet. 1.190 1.965 1.214 1.906
.981 1 . 628 1.461 2.397 1.320
Outing flannel___ Per yard.. .146
.360
.164
.361
.150
.276
.188
.390
.159
Fall River,
Mass.
1918
SO. 265
.357
.281
.315
.343
.809
2.055
.366
70
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
A V ER A G E R ETA IL PRICES OF 8 ARTICLES OF D R Y GOODS IN 45 CITIES, MAY 15, 1917,
AND MAY 15, 1918, AND IN 3 CITIES MAY 15, 1918—Concluded.
May 15—
1917
1918
Norfolk, Va.
Calico.....................
P e r c a le .................
Gingham, apron..
Gingham, dress...
Muslin, bleached..
Sheeting, bleached
Sheets, bleached..
Outing flannel___
.. .d o ..........
. . .d o ..........
. . . d o ..........
__d o ...........
__d o ...........
.. .d o ..........
Persheet..
Per yard..
Portland,
Oreg..
1918
Peoria, I1L
1917
1918
1917
$0.138 $0.125 $0. 225 $0 . 1 0 0
.197
. 187
.315
.338
. 119
.290
.113
.230
.165
.287
. 162
.330
.159
.279
.157
.303
.447
.705
.4.54
.715
1.773 1.208 1.780 1.147
.316
.149
.330
.153
Providence,
R. I.
St. Paul,
Minn.
Salt Lake
City, Utah.
Snrin afield.
111 .
.. .d o .......... $0.103 $0.219 $0 . 1 0 0 $0.207
__do........... .2 0 0
.299
.342
. .. d o ..........
. 125
.125
.250
.256
. . . d o.......... . 104
.338
.319
. 146
. .d o .......... .170
.314
.353
. 146
. . .d o .......... .528
.850
.448
.719
Per sheet.. 1.313 2.167 1.225 1.664
Per yard.. .170
.335
.142
.286
1918
Philadelphia, Pittsburgh,
Pa. '
Pa.
Richmond,
Va.
$0.204
.320
3253
.301
.278
.721
1.821
.278
Rochester,
N. Y.
San Francisco, Cal.
. . .d o .......... 10.103 $0.192 $0.087 $0 . 2 0 2 $0 . 1 1 0 $0.183
. . . d o .......... .190
.175
.335 $0.208 $0.392
.350
.330
.2 0 0
.255
.250
.115
.125
.250
.125
.283
. . . d o .......... .125
.314
. . . d o .......... .170
.313
.147
.173
.331
.163
.306
.169
.149
.304
.. .d o .......... .142
.298
.353
.161
.328
.442
. .. d o .......... .554
.386
.788
.493
.725
.757
.838
P ersheet.. 1.070 1.871 1.078 2.147 1.363 2.233 1.270 2.090
.142
Per yard.. .156
.333
.316
.168
.311
.162
.356
Seattle,
WasA.
Calico.....................
Percale..................
Gingham, apron..
Gingham, dress...
Muslin, bleached .
Sheeting,bleached
Sheets, bleached..
Outing flannel___
Omaha,
Nebr.
1917
$0,250 $0.094 $0.179 SO. 098 $0.196 $0.103 $0,203 $0.086
.297
.323
.175
.300
. 176
.300
.171
.158
. 122
.115
.310
.108
.250
.133
.278
.263
.305
.191
.315
. 147
.263
. 160
.282
. 157
.169
. 144
.298
. 143
.290
. 152
.313
.320
.854
.424
.732
.418
.727
.446
.6 8 8
.450
1.780 1.213 1.993 1.105 1.853 1. 107 2 . 0 0 0 1.167
.238
.167
.360
.148
.290
.156
St. Louis,
Mo.
Calico.....................
Percale...................
Gingham, apron..
Gingham, dress ..
Muslin, bleached .
Sheeting, bleached
Sheets, bleached..
Outing flannel___
1918
Per y ard ..
$0.159 $0.095 $0.209
__d o ...........
.335
. 175
.328
.. .d o ..........
.290
.250
. 113
.. .d o ..........
.317
.294
. 150
. .. d o ..........
.292
.301
. 140
. . . d o ..........
.718
.406
.732
Per sheet..
1.752 1 . 1 0 0 1.956
Per yard.. ............ .288
. 144
.330
Portland,
Me.
Calico.....................
Percale...................
Gingham, apron..
Gingham, dress .
M11s 1in, b 1each ed
Sheeting, bleached
Sheets, bleached
Outing flannel___
1917
May 15—
May 15—
$0.185
.325
.227
.246
.269
.6 8 8
1.830
.284
Scranton,
Pa.
oyo
LO
Unit.
May 15—
p
Article.
May 15—
.190
. 110
.115
. 145
.422
1.070
.1-50
$0.230
.350
.268
.301
.324
.711
1.988
.308
Washington,
D. C.
1 0 .1 0 2
.178
.134
. 194
.154
.461
1.138
.168
$0,263
.350
.300
.410
.350
.831
2.081
.400
COMPARISON OF RETAIL PRICE CHANGES IN THE UNITED STATES AND
FOREIGN COUNTRIES.
The index members of retail prices published by several foreign
countries have been brought together with those of this bureau in the
subjoined table after having been reduced to a common base, viz,
prices for July, 1914, equal 100. This base was selected instead of
the average for the year 1913, which is used in other tables of index
numbers compiled by the bureau, because of the fact that in some
instances satisfactory information for 1913 was not available. For
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[7 0 ]
MONTHLY LABOE EEVIEW.
71
Great Britain, Norway, and Sweden the index numbers are repro
duced as published in the original sources, while those for Austria and
Germany have been rounded off to the nearest whole number from
figures published in the British Labor Gazette. All of these are shown
on the July, 1914, base in the sources from which the information is
taken. The index numbers here shown for the remaining countries
have been obtained by dividing the index for July, 1914, as published,
into the index for each .month specified in the table. As indicatod
in the table, some of these index numbers are weighted and some are
not, while the number of articles included differs widely. They
should not, therefore, be considered as closely comparable one with
another.
IN D E X NUM BER S OF R ETA IL PRICES IN THE U N IT E D STATES AND CERTAIN
OTHER COUNTRIES.
[Prices for July, 1914=100.]
France:
United
13 foodstuffs; Germany:
Austria:
Canada:
Australia:
cities over
States:
18
foodstuffs;
46
foodstuffs;
29
foodstuffs;
19 foodstuffs;
Year and month.. 2 2 foodstuffs;
1 0 ,0 0 0 popu
30 towns.
Vienna.
60 cities.
Berlin.
45 cities.
lation (except Weighted.
Weighted.
Weighted.
Weighted.
Weighted.
Paris).
Weighted.
1914
July..........................
October...................
1915 .
January...................
April........................
July..........................
October...................
100
100
100
103
99
104
108
101
121
107
105
105
105
i no
112
112
i
i
i
i
101
107
113
131
133
1916
January...................
April........................
July..........................
October...................
105
107
109
119
129
131
130
125
1917
January...................
February...............
March......................
April........................
May.........................
June........................
July.........................
A u gu st...................
September.............
October...................
November..............
December...............
125
130
130
142
148
149
143
146
150
154
152
154
125
126
126
127
127
127
126
129
129
129
1918
January...................
February...............
March......................
157
158
151
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
>10 0
100
97
98
166
179
217
222
114
125
272
275
288
312
337
315
138
141
144
145
159
160
157
157
157
159
163
165
167
169
170
1
Quarter beginning that month.
[7 1 ]
100
118
1 123
133
137
141
146
i 154
i 171
i 184
131
157
170
193
189
220
218
209
72
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
IN D E X NUM BER S OF R E T A IL PRICES IN TH E U N IT E D
OTH ER C O UNTRIES—Concluded.
STATES AND CERTAIN 1
Norway:
Italy:
(21 foods)
New Zealand: 24articles;
Great Britain: 7 foodstuffs; Netherlands:
29
articles;
59 foodstuffs;
foodstuffs;
43 cities
20
towns
Year and month. 21600
40
cities.
25 towns.
towns.
(variable).
(variable).
Not
Weighted.
Weighted.
Not
Not
weighted.
weighted.
weighted.
Sweden:
21 articles;
44 towns.
Weighted.
1914
July.......................
October.................
100
112
100
104
1100
2107
100
102
100
3110
100
3107
1915
January.................
April......................
July.......................
October.................
118
124
132}
140
108
113
120
127
114
123
131
128
111
113
112
112
3118
3125
3129
3134
3113
3121
3 124
3128
1916
January.................
April......................
July.......................
October.................
145
149
161
168
133
132
132
132
135
142
150
158
116
118
119
120
155
176
182
3 130
3 134
3142
3152
1917
January.................
February..............
March............... .
A pril...... ..............
May.......................
June......................
July.......................
August...................
September............
October.................
November.............
December.______
1S7
189
192
194
198
202
204
202
206
197
206
205
144
1.54
161
164
167
171
172
178
188
165
165
169
170
180
184
188
127
126
126
127
128
128
127
127
129
130
130
132
1918
January.................
February..............
March....................
206
208
207
1
January-July.
204
212
227
261
133
2
August-December.
3
160
166
170
175
175
175
177
181
187
192
200
212
221
227
Quarter beginning that month.
CHANGES IN WHOLESALE PRICES IN THE UNITED STATES, 1913 TO
MAY, 1918.
The great increase that has taken place in the wholesale prices of
important commodities in the United States since the outbreak
of war in Europe is shown by the index numbers in the subjoined
table. This increase, it will be seen, has been particularly great
among farm products, cloths and clothing, and chemicals and drugs.
During 1914, the prices of most commodities increased between
January and September, but declined rapidly in the closing months
of the year, due to the prevailing business stagnation brought about
by the War. In 1915, a reaction occurred and prices again advanced,
reaching high levels late in the year. Since January, 1916, the rise
in wholesale prices has been unprecedented for many commodities
of importance, although fuel and metal products showed a sharp
decline in the last half of 1917.
During the first five months of 1918 prices as a whole continued to
advance, the bureau’s weighted index number for May standing at
191 as compared with 181 for May, 1917, and 100 as the average for
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[72]
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW,
73
the 12 months of 1913. In the period from May, 1917, to May, 1918,
the index number of farm products increased from 196 to 212 and
that of cloths and clothing from 173 to 234, while that of food articles
declined from 191 to 178. In the same period the index number of
fuel and lighting declined from 187 to 171, and that of metals and
metal products from 217 to 177. On the other hand, the index
number of lumber and building material increased from 117 to 147,
that of chemicals and drugs from 164 to 209, and that of house
furnishing goods from 151 to 188 in this time. In the group of com
modities classed as miscellaneous, including such important articles
as cottonseed meal and oil, lubricating oil, malt, news-print and
wrapping paper, rubber, plug and smoking tobacco, whisky, and
wood pulp, the index number increased from 147 to 196.
INDEX NUMBERS OF WHOLESALE PRICES IN THE UNITED STATES, BY GROUPS OF
COMMODITIES, 1913, TO MAY, 1918.
[1913=100.]
LumMetals
ber
Chem HouseAll
and
and
furmetal build icals
nish- Miscel com
and
lane
modi
prod
ing
ing
ous.
ties.
ucís. mate drugs. goods.
rials.
Farm
prod
ucts.
Food,
etc.
Cloths
and
cloth
ing.
Fuel
and
light
ing.
1913
Average for year. . . .
January....................
April.........................
Ju ly ..........................
October....................
100
97
97
101
103
100
99
96
101
102
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
99
100
100
100
107
102
98
99
100
100
101
101
98
100
101
100
99
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
102
100
100
99
98
101
101
1914
Average for year___
January....................
April........ ...... ..........
July...........................
August......................
September................
October.....................
November................
December............
103
101
103
104
109
108
103
101
99
103
102
95
103
112
116
107
106
105
98
99
100
100
100
99
98
97
97
92
99
98
90
89
87
87
87
87
87
92
91
85
85
86
83
81
83
97
98
99
97
97
96
96
95
94
103
101
101
101
100
106
109
108
107
103
103
103
103
103
103
103
103
103
97
98
99
97
97
98
95
95
96
99
100
98
99
102
103
99
98
97
105
102
105
105
107
109
105
108
108
103
105
102
103
104
106
108
104
105
105
102
104
103
100
104
108
111
100
96
97
97
98
98
98
99
99
100
103
105
107
87
86
86
86
84
83
83
84
85
88
90
93
96
97
83
87
89
91
96
100
102
100
100
100
104
114
94
94
95
94
94
94
93
94
93
93
93
95
97
113
106
104
103
102
102
104
107
109
114
121
141
146
101
101
101
101
101
101
101
101
101
101
101
101
101
98
98
97
97
97
96
96
96
96
96
99
100
103
100
98
100
99
99
100
99
101
100
98
101
102
105
122
108
109
111
114
116
116
118
126
131
136
145
126
114
114
115
117
119
119
121
128
134
140
150
115
102
102
104
105
104
105
105
107
101
99
100
101
102
102
101
98
100
100
101
103
105
143
140
144
147
150
153
150
143
132
132
135
142
143
HO
105
105
105
109
109
109
111
111
111
114
115
115
123
111
114
116
118
118
119
123
127
133
143
146
148
126
132
141
147
151
149
145
145
148
151
160
185
121
107
106
109
111
114
121
122
123
126
132
135
141
127
110
114
117
119
122
123
126
128
131
137
146
155
136
146
Year and month.
1915
Average for year___
January....................
F ebruary.. ..............
March.......................
April.......................
May...........................
June..........................
July...........................
August......................
Sentember...............
October......................
November..................
December.................
1916
Average for year__ _
January......................
Jebruary...................
March..........................
April______ _______
M ay...........................
Juue............................
July.............................
August......................
Sect ember................
O c t o b e r ............... .
November................
D ecem ber....__ . . .
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
no
128
150
163
[ 73]
no
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
74
INDEX NUMBERS OF WHOLESALE PRICES IN THE UNITED STATES, BY GROUPS OF
COMMODITIES, 1913, TO MAY, 1918—Concluded.
Fuel Metals
and
and
light . metal
prod
ing.
ucts.
Lum
ber
Chem HouseAll
and
fur- Miscel com
build icals
nishlane modi
and
ing
ous.
ing
ties.
mate drugs. goods.
rials.
Farm
prod
ucts.
Food,
etc.
Cloths
and
cloth
ing.
1917
Average for year___
January....................
February..................
March.......................
April.........................
May..........................
June..........................
July...........................
August.....................
September................
October.....................
November................
December.................
188
147
150
162
180
196
196
198
204
203
207
211
204
177
150
160
161
182
191
187
180
180
178
183
184
185
181
161
162
163
169
173
179
187
193
193
194
202
206
169
170
178
181
178
187
193
183
1.59
155
143
151
153
208
183
190
199
208
217
239
257
249
228
182
173
173
124
106
108
111
114
117
127
132
133
134
134
135
135
183
144
146
151
155
164
165
185
198
203
242
232
230
155
128
129
129
151
151
162
165
165
165
165
175
175
153
137
138
140
144
147
152
150
155
154
162
164
164
175
150
155
160
171
181
184
185
184
182
180
182
181
1918
January....................
February..................
March.......................
Aoril.........................
M ay1........................
205
207
211
217
212
188
187
178
179
178
209
213
220
230
234
169
171
171
170
171
173
175
175
176
177
136
137
142
145
147
216
217
217
214
209
188
188
188
188
188
177
181
184
192
196
185
187
187
191
191
Year and month.
1 Preliminary.
PRICE CHANGES, WHOLESALE AND RETAIL, IN THE UNITED STATES.
A comparison of wholesale and retail price changes for important
food articles in recent months is contained in the table which follows.
In using these figures it should be understood that the retail prices
are not in all cases based on precisely the same articles as are the
wholesale prices. For example, fresh beef is not sold by the retailer
in the same form in which it leaves the wholesaler. In such cases
the articles most nearly comparable were used. It was found im
practicable, also, in most instances to obtain both wholesale and
retail prices for the same date. The retail prices shown are uniformly
those prevailing on the 15th of the month, while the wholesale prices
are for a variable date, usually several days prior to the 15th. For
these reasons exact comparison of wholesale with retail prices can
not be made. The figures may be considered indicative, however,
of price variations in the retail as compared with the wholesale
markets.
In the table the wholesale price is in each case the mean of the
high and the low quotations on the date selected, as published in
leading trade journals, while the retail price is the average of all
prices reported directly to the bureau by retailers for the article and
city in question. The initials “ W.” and “ It.” are used to designate
wholesale and retail prices, respectively.
To assist in comparing wholesale with retail price fluctuations, the
differential between the two series of quotations at successive dates
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
L74]
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW,
75
is given. It should not be assumed, however, that this differential
represents even approximately the margin of profit received by the
retailer since, in addition to possible differences of grade between the
articles shown at wholesale and retail, various items of handling cost
are included in the figure.
W HOLESALE A N D RETAIL PRICES OF IMPORTANT FOOD ARTICLES IN SELECTED
CITIES.
[The initials W=wholesale; R=retaiL]
1913:
Article and city.
Beef, Chicago:
Steer loin ends. . . W ..
Sirloin steak:.......... . R . .
Price differential..
Beef, Chicago:
Steer rounds, No. 2. W ..
Round steak......... .R .
Price differential..
Beef, Chicago:
Steer ribs, No. 2 . . W ..
Rib roast............... . R . .
Price differential..
Beef, New York:
No. 2, loins........... W ..
Sirloin steak......... R ..
Price differentiaL.
Beef, New York:
No. 2, round........ W ..
Round steak......... R . .
Price differential..
Beef, New York:
No. 2, ribs............. W ..
Rib roast............... R . .
Price differential..
Pork, Chicago:
Loins...................... W ..
Chops..................... R . .
Price differential..
Park, New York:
Loins, western___ W ..
Chops..................... R . .
Price differential..
Bacon, Chicago:
Short clear sides.. W ..
Sliced..................... R . .
Price differential..
Ham, Chicago:
Smoked................. W ..
Smoked, sliced .. . . R . .
Price differential..
Lard, New York:
Prime, contract. . W._
Pure tu b ................ R ..
Price differential..
Lamb, Chicago:
Dressed, round. . . W ..
Leg of, yearling . . R ..
Price differentiaL.
Poultry, New York:
Dressed fowls........ AV..
Dressed hens........ R . .
Price differential..
Butter, Chicago:
Creamery, e x tr a .. W ..
Creamery, extra .. . R . .
Price differential..
Butter, New York:
Creamery, extra.-. AAL.
Creamerv, extra. . R . .
Price differential.
Butter, San Francisco:
Creamery, extra.. W ..
Creamerv, extra. . -R . .
Pr.ce differential..
Aver
Unit. age
for
year. 1914
July.
1915
1917
1918
1916 Jan. Apr. July. Oct.
Jan.
Apr. May.
L b.. $0.168 SO. 175 SO. 160 -SO. 205 10.200 $0.200 $0.190 SO. 235 SO. 200 SO.230 SO. 280
L b.. .232 .260 .258 .281 .265 .293 .302 .306 .302 .337 .356
.064
.085
.098
.076
.065
.093
.119 .071
.102
.107
.076
.131
.202
.071
.145
.253
.088
.143
.228
.085
.145
.241
.096
.120
.227
.107
. 155
.256
.190
.273
.083
. 165
.273
.108
. 1S5
. 101
.170
.266
.096
.304
.119
.220
.320
.100
.157
.195
.038
.165
.212
.047
.145
.213
.068
.175
.229
. 160
.210
.241
.031
.200
.246
.046
.230
.247
.017
.200
.254
.054
.220
.288
.058
.300
.301
.001
L b..
L b..
.158
.259
.101
.183
.274
.091
.170 -.200
.282 .294
.112 .094
.180 .190
.284 .318
• 10P . 128
.190
.337
. 147
.275
.356
.081
.235
.344
.109
.260
.380
.120
.310
.400
.090
L b..
L b ..
.121
.249
.128
. 135
.270
.135
. 135
.271
.136
. 145
.289
. 144
.130
.275
.145
.170
.315
.145
.175
.337
. 162
.190
.360
.170
.180
.352
.172
.200
.384
.184
.230
.106
.176
L b ..
L b ..
.151
.218
.067
.165
.225
.060
.160
.227
.087
.180
.243
.063
.160
.238
.078
.200
.270
.070
.190
.279
.275
.298
.023
.235
.294
.059
. 250
.324
.074
.071
L b ..
L b ..
.149
.190
. 041
. 165 . 150 .165
.204 .201 .217
.039 .051 .052
.165
.227
.062
,240
.285
.250
.292
.042
.330
.358
.028
.270
.316
.046
.290
.330
.040
.265
.331
.066
L b..
L b..
.152
.217
.065
.163
.230
.067
.153
.217
.064
.165
.239
.074
.170
.248
.078
.235
.319
.084
.235
.326
.091
.300
.399
.099
.265
.348
.083
.275
.367
.092
.092
.127
.294
. 167
.139 .113
.318 .315
. 179 .202
.159
.328
.169
. 158
.218
.316 .39^
. 158 . 177
.247
.439
.192
.318
.475
.157
.301
.498
.197
.275
.519
.244
.264
.533
.269
.166
.266
.175
.338
.163
.163
.328
.165
.190
.349
.159
.188
. 100
L b ..
L b..
.110
.160
.050
.104
.156
.052
.080
.151
.071
L b ..
L b ..
.140
.193
.049
.170
.219
.049
L b ..
L b ..
.182
.214
.032
L b..
L b..
L b..
L b..
L b..
L b..
L b ..
L b..
L b ..
L b ..
.054
.223
.063
.280
.351
.290
.382
.145
.333
.243
.382
.139
.243
.414
.171
. 283
.439
.156
.298
.428
.130
.300
.467
.167
.304
.483
.179
. 133
.168
.035
.159
.213
.054
.215
.263
.048
.201
.274
.073
.246
.313
.067
.246
.330
.084
.263
.334
.071
.247
.326
.190
.208
.018
.190
.231
. 041
.200
.232
.032
.220
.263
.043
.260
.287
.027
.270
.314
.014
.240
.306
.066
.290
.356
.066
.350
.065
.188
.220
.032
.175
.219
.044
.215
.256
.041
.220
.261
.041
.265
.293
.028
.248
.287
.039
.285
.323
.038
.298
.326
.028
.340
.345
.397
.052
.310
.362
.052
.265
.312
.047
.265
.322
.057
.275
.335
.060
.370
.438
.068
.440
.484
.044
.375
.432
.057
.435
.487
.052
.490
.544
.054
.400
.460
.060
.420
.475
.055
L b ..
L b ..
.323
.382
.059
.280
.328
.048
.270
.336
.066
.285
.346
.061
.395
.460
.065
.450
.513
.063
.395
.453
.058
.443
.515
.072
.510
.574
.064
.415
.493
.078
.464
.518
.054
L b ..
L b ..
.317
.388
.071
.245
.329
.084
.265
.338
.073
.078
.355
.425
.390
.452
.062
.385
.455
.070
.460
.545
.085
.530
.602
.072
.375
.452
.077
. 405
.471
.066
65801°—18----- 6
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[75]
.255
.333
.070
.079
.285
MONTHLY LABOE REVIEW,
76
W HOLESALE AND RETAIL PRICES OF IMPORTANT FOOD ARTICLES IN SELECTED
CITIES—Concluded.
Article and city.
•Cheese, Chicago:
Whole m ilk........... ■W ..
Full cream............ . R . .
Price differential.
Cheese, New York:
Wliole milk, State. .W ..
Full cream............ . R . .
Price differential..
Cheese, San Francisco
Fancy..................... .W ..
Full cream............. . 1 1 . .
Price differential.
Milk, Chicago:
Fresh...................... .W ..
Fresh, bottled---- . R . .
Price differential.
Milk, New York:
Fresh...................... .W ..
Fresh, bottled___ .R . .
Price differential.
Milk, San Francisco:
Fresh................
-W ..
Fresh, bottled___ .R . .
Price differential .
Eggs, Chicago:
Fresh, firsts.......... .W .„
Strictly fresh........ . R . .
Price differential.
Eggs, New York:
. Fresh, firsts.......... .W ..
# Strictly fresh......... - R . .
Price differential.
Eggs. San Francisco:
Fresh.................. .W ..
Strictly fresh........ - K . .
Price differential.
Meal, corn, Chicago:
Fine........................ .W .„
Fine........................ . R . .
Price differential..
Beans, New York:
Medium, choice... .W ..
N avy, white.......... .R . .
Price differential.
Potatoes, Chicago:
W hite 1 ................... .W ..
W hite__________ R . .
Rice, New Orleans:
H ead...................... -W ..
H ead...................... . R . .
Price differential.
Sugar, New York:
Granulated........... W
Granulated............ .K . .
Price differential.
1913:
July.
Aver
Unit. age
for
year. 1914 1915
1917
1916
Jan.
1918
Apr. July. Oct.
Jan.
Apr. May.
L b .. SO.142 $0.133 $0.145 $0,145 $0.218 $0.223 $0.216 $0.246 $0.233 $0.215 $0 . 2 1 1
L b ..
.229 .242 .321 .327 .339 . 368 .375 .353 .343
.084 .097 .103 .104 .123 .1 2 2 .142 .138 .132
L b ..
L b ..
....
.154
L b ..
L b ..
.159
Q t..
Q t..
Q t..
Q t..
.144
.125
. 146
.229
.083
.151
.228
.077
.2 2 0
.301
.081
.245
.335
.090
.238
.328
.090
.115
.085
.135
.229
.094
.180
.242
.062
.215
.297
.082
.045
.2 0 0
.03«
.OSO
.042
.036
.080
.044
.037
.080
.043
.036
.081
.045
.035
.090
.030
.090
.060
.030
.090
.060
.031
.090
.059
. 255
.340
.085
.230
.344
.114
.225
.338
.113
.223
.338
.115
.2 0 0
.2 2 0
.316
.096
.255 .260
.335 .335
•OSO .075
.2 1 0
.297
.097
.313
.103
.054
.047
.1 0 0
.1 0 0
.1 0 0
.055
.046
.053
.074
.129
.055
.070
.119
.049
.058
.119
.061
.046
.119
.073
.051
.049
.049
.109
.060
.050
.114
.064
.072
.138
.066
.081
.150
.069
.059
.140
.081
.058
.130
.072
.1 0 0
.039
.038
.038
.038
.038
.043
.059
.066
.059
.059
.1 0 0
.1 0 0
.1 0 0
.1 0 0
.1 0 0
.1 0 0
.1 0 0 1
.1 2 1
.1 2 1
.1 2 1
.1 2 1
.061
.061
.062
.062
.062
.062
.057
.062
.055
.062
.062
Doz.
.226
.292
.066
.188
.261
.073
.168
.248
.080
.218
.296
.078
.485
.525
.040
.305
.376
.071
.310
.406
.096
.370
.469
.099
.565
.651
.086
.315
.380
.065
.330
.396
.066
Doz.
Doz.
.249
.397
. 148
.215
.353
.138
.2 0 0
.241
.372
.131
.505
.667
.162
.330
.424
.094
.350
.477
.127
.400
.627
.227
.645
.808
.163
.333
.476
.143
.360
.480
. 120
Doz.
Doz.
.268
.373
.105
. 230
.338
.108
.310
.090
.240
.333
.093
.380
.480
.280
.374
.094
.320
.392
.072
.435
.608
.173
.610
.710
.1 0 0
.1 0 0
.365
.419
.054
.375
.430
.055
.014
.029
.015
.016
.028
.031
.019
.031
.036
.050
.014
.045
.058
.013
.052
.071
.019
.051
.070
.019
.051
.071
.0 1 2
.024
.042
.018
. 060
.072
.0 1 2
.0 1 2
.0 2 0
.040
.040
.098
.113
.015
.108
.149
.041
.130
.162
.032
.154
.188
.034
.138
.185
.047
.141
.185
.044
.137
. 182
.045
.130
.170
.049
.400 .975 1.750 2.800 2.625 1.135 1.185
2 Q75
.700 1.356 2.370
.300 .381 .620 .655 .350 .525 .495
.645
.675
.353
.408
Q t..
Q t..
D 0 7 ,.
L b ..
L b ..
L b ..
L b ..
B u ..
Bu
L b ..
L b ..
L b ..
L b ..
.039
.614 1.450
.900 1.640
* .286 .190
.050
.043
.049
.006
.054
.042
.046
.004
1
.326
.126
.2 2 0
.058
.081
.023
.049
.075
.026
.046
.074
.028
.0 2 0
.048
.074
.049
.088
.039
.059
.063
.004
.075
.079
.004
.066
.074
.008
.081
.087
.006
.071
.077
.1 0 1
.1 0 0
.030
.023
.088
.106
.018
.088
.107
.019
.1 1 2
.0 2 1
.074
.084
.032
.097
.015
.073
.097
.024
.073
.088
.015
.073
.088
.015
.0 1 0
.091
Good to choice.
Wholesale and retail prices, expressed as percentages of the average
money prices for 1913, are contained in the table which follows. A
few articles included in the preceding table are omitted from this
one, owing to the lack of satisfactory data for 1913. It will be seen
from the table that since the beginning of 1918 the retail prices of
most of the commodities included in the exhibit have continued to
fluctuate at a lower percentage level, as compared with their 1913
base, than have the wholesale prices. This is particularly true of
pork, bacon, hams, lard, eggs, and corn meal. For com meal, espec
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
176]
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
77
ially, there has been a much smaller percentage of increase in the retail
than in the wholesale price.
While the percentage of increase in retail prices was less than that in
wholesale prices for most of the articles, it should be noted that a
comparison of the actual prices shown in the preceding table indicates
that in the majority of cases the margin between the wholesale and
the retail price in May, 1918, was considerably greater than in 1913.
The following table shows, for example, that the wholesale price
of bacon (short clear sides) increased 108 per cent between 1913 and
May, 1918, while the retail price of sliced bacon increased only 81 per
cent. The preceding table shows, however, that the difference between
the wholesale price of the one and the retail price of the other was 16.7
cents per pound in 1913 and 26.9 cents per pound in May, 1918, or
10.2 cents more at the latter date than at the former. It is also seen
that the wholesale price in May, 1918, had increased 13.7 cents over
the 1913 price, while the retail price had increased 23.9 cents.
RELA TIV E W HOLESALE AND RETAIL PRICES OF IMPORTANT FOOD ARTICLES IN
SELECTED CITIES, 1914 TO 1918, COMPARED W ITH 1913.
[The initials W =wholesale; R=retail.]
Article and city.
Beef, Chicago:
Steer loin ends (h ip s). ..W ..
Sirloin steak................... . . . R . .
Beef, Chicago:
Steer rounds, No. 2 __ ..W ..
Round steak.................. . . . R . .
Beef, Chicago:
Steer ribs, No. 2 ........... ..W ..
Rib roast........................ . . . R . .
Beef, New York:
No. 2 loins, c ity ............. ..W ..
Sirloin steak................... . . . R . .
Beef, New York:
No. 2 rounds, city .......... ..W ..
Round steak.................. . . . R . .
Beef, New York:
No. 2 ribs, city ............... ..W ..
Rib roast........................ . . . R . .
Pork, Chicago:
Loins.............................. ..W ..
Chops.............................. . . . R . .
Pork, New York:
Loins, western............. ..W ..
Chops.............................. . . . R . .
Bacon, Chicago:
Short clear sides............. ..W ..
Sliced.............................. . . . R . .
Hams, Chicago:
Smoked............................ ..W ..
Smoked, sliced.............. . . . R . .
Lard, New York:
Prime, contract............. ..W ..
Pure, tu b ........................ . . . R . .
Lamb, Chicago:
Dressed, round............. ..W ..
Leg of, yearling............. . . . R . .
Poultry, New York:
Dressed fow ls................. ..W ..
Dressed hens................. . . . R . .
Butter, Chicago:
Creamery, extra............. --W ..
Creamery, extra............ . . . R . .
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
July.
1913:
A ver
age
for
year. 1914 1915
1917
1916
Jan.
100
100
104
95
122
112
111
121
100
100
111
US
109
113
119
100
100
105
109
92
109
11 1
102
117
100
100
116
106
108
109
127
114
100
100
112
112
120
108
109
116
100
100
109
103
106
104
119
111
100
100
111
101
107
106
100
100
107
108
101
109
112
100
110
100
100
109
108
89
107
125
100
100
105
127
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
1918
Apr. July. Oct.
Jan.
Apr. May.
119
114
119
126
113
130
no
132
119
130
137
145
167
153
92
118
127
130
132
145
135
126
135
141
151
168
158
114
134
124
127
126
146
127
127
130
140
148
191
154
114
no
120
120
123
130
174
137
149
133
165
147
196
154
107
110
140
127
145
135
157
145
149
141
165
154
190
163
106
109
132
124
126
128
182
137
156
135
166
149
185
161
111
111
114
161
150
168
154
221
119
181
166
195
174
178
174
114
155
147
155
150
197
174
184 - 160
181
169
191
176
112
124
107
172
134
194
149
250
162
237
169
217
177
208
181
98
123
114
131
113
125
146
144
146
156
170
165
ISO
161
181
176
1S3
182
95
98
73
94
121
105
145
133
195
164
183
171
224
196
224
206
239
209
225
204
114
111
128
105
128
117
134
117
148
133
174
145
181
159
161
155
195
180
191
177
103
103
96
118
121
120
122
146
137
136
134
157
151
164
152
187
102
190
186
85
89
89
93
119
142
134
121
140
135
158
150
129
127
135
131
85
86
[ 77]
111
112
121
119
188
78
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
RELATIVE W HOLESALE AND RETAIL PRICES OF IMPORTANT FOOD ARTICLES IN
SELECTED CITIES, 1914 TO 1918, COMPARED W ITH 1913—Concluded.
Article and city.
Butter, New York:
Creamery, extra............... .W ..
Creamery, extra.............. -K ..
Butter, San Francisco:
Creamery, ex tra ............... WT
Creamery, ex tra .............. .K ..
Mille, Chicago:
Fresh.................................. W
Fresh, bottled, delivered .R ..
Milk, New York:
F?esh.................................. W
Fresh, bottled, delivered -K ..
Mille, San Francisco:
Fresh.................................. W
Fresh, bottled........
-R ..
Eggs, Chicago:
Fresh, firsts....................... W
Strictly fresh..................... -K ..
Eggs, New”York:
Fresh, firsts...................... W
Strietlv fresh..................... . K ..
Eggs. San Francisco:
Fresh.................................. W
Strictly fresh..................... .K ..
Meal, corn, Chicago:
F ine.................................... W
F ine..................................... -R ..
Potatoes, Chicago:
White, good to choice. . . W ..
W hite.................................. -R ..
Sugar, New York:
Granulated....................... W
Granulated........................ .R ..
July.
1913:
Aver
age
for
year. 1914 1915 1916
1917
Jan.
1918
Apr. July. Oct.
100
100
87
84
88
122
86
88
91
120
139
134
119
100
100
77
85
84
87
80
86
112
110
123
116
100
100
95
97
100
100
101
118
125
95
Jan.
Apr. May.
137
135
158
150
128
129
144
136
117
145
140
167
155
118
116
121
142
125
124
125
195
161
184
149
153
149
121
146
140
111
121
143
127
206
153
231
167
169
156
166
144
122
121
128
149
100
100
86
86
89
100
100
100
100
100
97
-
97
97
97
lié
151
169
151
151
100
100
100
100
100
100
121
121
121
121
100
100
83
89
74
85
96
101
215
180
135
129
137
139
164
161
250
223
139
130
146
136
100
100
86
89
80
82
97
94
203
168
133
107
141
161
158
259
204
134
145
120
120
121
119
105
162
163
228
190
136
112
140
115
100
100
100
86
91
82
83
90
89
142
129
105
100
100
114
97
107
136
107
171
145
2f,7
172
200
245
241
248
245
100
100
236
182
65
78
159
151
285
263
456
384
428
331
185
184
193
187
105
111
110
120
100
100
98
94
137
129
174
161
153
151
188
178
172
171
191
198
170
198
170
180
170
180
100
COST OF FOOD AND FUEL IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON.
The rapidly increasing cost of living since the beginning of the War
and the effect of the entrance of'the United States into the War on
the diet of the people are exemplified in a report by the Bureau of
Labor of the State of Washington1 shewing the estimated annual
cost of foodstuffs and fuel in that State for a family of five persons,
based on prices prevailing in April of each year. The prices shown
for 1918 were secured from 40 retail dealers in as many cities and
towns in the State.
The fact that the daily diet of the people since the United States
entered the War includes many substitutes for foodstuffs which had
been ordinarily in use has so affected the quantity of staple articles
consumed that a comparison can hardly he made between itemized
figures for 1918 and those of any other year. In the 1918 list of the
bureau, food products, such as barley flour, oat flour, and hominy,
are included which were not mentioned in previous reports. Other
articles are either eliminated or merged with some other com
modity. The sugar item has been reduced from 260 to 200 pounds,
1 Comparative statistics on foodstuffs and fuel for five years, as shown in a budget of the annual cost of
living of a family of live persons, based on prices prevailing in month of April of each year. April, 1918.
Washington Bureau of Labor.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
ITS]
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
79
allowing the 2. pounds per month per person recommended by the
Government and 80 pounds for canning. The 60 pounds deducted
from this item, together with 10 pounds of comb honey, an article
almost impossible to obtain, has been added to the sirup item, making
it 10 gallons instead of the 3 gallons previously allowed. As to
butter, the 80 pounds of creamery butter stands as in previous years,
but 25 pounds of lard substitutes take the place of the 25 pounds
of ranch butter, as the latter was intended for cooking purposes and
is almost entirely off the market. Swiss cheese is not included in
the list, American cheese being given the added weight.
The Food Administration requirement that wheat flour be sold to
consumers on a 50-50 basis—i. e., that 50 pounds o f substitutes be
purchased with every 50 pounds of flour, but allowing, when double
the weight of flour is bought in potatoes, one-fourth of the potatoes
to be applied as a substitute—has been taken into consideration.
In previous years there was allowed 686 pounds of flour and 141
pounds of foods classed as substitutes, or a total of 827 pounds.
This year an allowance of 392 pounds of flour and 397 pounds of
substitutes is made, which includes the potato allowance of 196
pounds, making the 50-50 basis. There is also an additional 204
pounds of potatoes, bringing the weight of flour and substitutes up
to 993 pounds.
In considering the substitutes the estimate is kept down to the
same actual needs which entered into the conservatively low estimate
in previous years of the amount of food needed for a family of five.
The high price of these substitutes, however, materially increases
the cost of living.
The report shows that though the ratio of advance for the State
was not so great from April, 1917, to April, 1918 (11.5 per cent),
as from April, 1916, to April, 1917 (26.2 per cent), the cost of living
still continues to advance and while there has been an upward trend
of wages during the last year, so that at present the wages of the
manual toiler more nearly approximate his needs than one year ago,
it still remains true that the high cost of living presses heaviest on
those who can afford it least, namely, the workers for a daily wage
and the small-salaried men and women. The highest per cent of
increase over the preceding year was in 1917 (26.2 per cent), while
the prices of 1918 show an advance of 49 per cent over those of 1914.
The constant advance in cost of food and fuel since 1914 and the
amount and percentage of increase are shown in the table following.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[7 9 ]
80
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
ANN U AL COST OF FO ODSTUFFS AND FU E L FOR A FAMILY OF FIVE IN THE STATE
OF W ASHINGTON, 1914 TO 1918, AND AMOUNT AND PE R CENT OF INCREASE OVER
EACH PRECEDING Y E A R AND OVER 1914.
Increase over pre
ceding year.
Year.
City or section of State.
Increase over 1914.
Amount.
Amount. Per cent. Amount. Per cent.
Seattle.....................................................................
T acoma................................................................
•
Spokane................................................................^
Exclusive of Seattle, Tacoma, and Spokane:
Southwestern.................................................
Northwestern................................................
Eastern...........................................................
Average for State......................................
1
1914
1915
1916
1917
1918
1914
1915
1916
1917
1918
1914
1915
1916
1917
1918
$418.46
443.72
461.42
562.70
658.37
431.57
434. 22
437.35
571.42
634.86
424.03
444.92
463.50
578.91
639.01
$25. 26
17.70
101.28
95.67
6 .0
4.0
2 2 .0
17.0
$239.91
57. J
2.65
3.13
134.07
63.44
.7
30.7
1 1 .1
203.29
47.3
20.89
18.58
115.41
60.10
4.9
4.2
24.9
10.4
214.98
50.«
.6
1
1914
1915 '
1916
1917
1918
1914
1915
1916
1917
1918
1914
1915
1916
1917
1918
405.93
424.80
424.89
534.09
596.49
416. 82
418.19
435.78
560.45
601.77
428.94
442.06
453.55
569. 26
632.32
18. 87
.09
109.20
62.40
4.6
«
25.7
11.7
190.56
46.1
1.37
17.59
124.67
41.32
.3
4.2
28.6
7.4
184.95
44. Î
13.12
11.49
115.71
63.06
.3
203.38
47. i
1914
1915
1916
1917
1918
420.96
434.65
446.08
562. 80
627.13
13.69
11.43
116.72
64.33
206.17
49.6
«
2 .6
25.5
1 1 .0
3.3
2 .6
26.2
11.5
Less than one-tenth of 1 per cent.
COST OF LIVING AND WAGES IN THE NETHERLANDS.1
It appears from the annual report of the American consulate at
Amsterdam for the year 1917, dated March 11,'1918,2 that the rise
in the cost of living in the Netherlands was greater in that year than
in either 1915 or 1916, the prices of some articles advancing from 100
to 200 or 300 per cent. Other articles advanced but little, while some
disappeared entirely from the markets with no expectation that they
will reappear until after the War. It is estimated that the average
increase in the cost of living in 1917 over the cost in 1916 was 50
per cent, bringing the increase over peace prices to at least 100 per
cent. Various important articles, as for example shoes and nearly
all clothing, it is stated, advanced much more than this. Concerning
the increase in the cost of foods, the report makes the following
statement:
Of foods, the increased prices are variable. Imported fruits have disappeared from
the markets—oranges, bananas, etc. Occasionally a lemon may be bought, but the
i Cf. M o n th ly R e v ie w for September, 1917, page 123.
* Data furnished by the State Department.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[80 ]
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
81
price is nearly a dollar—50 times the price a year ago. Altogether, leaving out such
extremes as lemons, prices of food advanced fully 50 per cent in 1917 and at least
100 per cent compared with peace times. Sugar is one article which had practically
the same price as before the War. Its retail price then and in 1917 was from 10 to 12
cents a pound. The evident reason is that Holland has produced in recent years
nearly twice as much beet sugar as it consumed.
This large increase in living cost, however, was not met by a cor
responding increase in wages, according to the consulate’s report.
The average advance in wages is estimated at 20 to 25 per cent, while
in some large establishments employing hundreds or thousands
of workers, no increases were granted, although, it is stated, a
“ toeslag” (special allowance) was made on account of the increase in
the cost of living. This expedient was adopted to avoid the difficult
proceeding of reducing wages upon the return of normal times.
Data as to unemployment show that at the end of 1917 about 11
per cent of the total number of workmen reported upon were out of
work. Excluding the diamond workers, of whom about 30 per cent
were unemployed, the per cent of unemployment was 9.1, or about
the same as at the end of 1915., but considerably more than at the
end of 1916.
COST OF LIVING AND WAGES IN RUSSIA.
A Russian correspondent of the Correspondenzblatt writes con
cerning conditions as to wages and cost of living in Russia as follows d
Statistics of wages and food prices recently published in the Mos
cow social-democratic paper Wperjod shed some light on these con
ditions. Conditions in Moscow are more characteristic in this re
spect than those in any other Russian city. The data quoted by
this paper were obtained from statistics compiled by the Moscow
Labor Exchange and by the Central Arbitration Board in the Moscow
branch office of the Ministry of Labor. According to a table repro
duced in this paper the wage fluctuations at the outbreak of the War,
i. e., during July, 1914, and during July, 1916, and August, 1917,
were as follows:
1 Lohnsteigorungen und Lebensmittelpreise, by A. Grigorjanz. Correspondenzblatt der Generalkommission der Gewerksehaften Deutschlands. Vol. 28. No. 2. Berlin. Jan. 12,1918.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
82
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
DAILY WAGE R A TES OF WORKMEN IN RUSSIA, JULY, 1914 AND 1918, AND AUGUST, 1917.
July, 1914.
Occupation.
R u b le s 9
R u b le s .1
Carpenters and cabinetmakers..
Pick and shovel m en ...................
Bricklayers.....................................
Painters..........................................
Blacksm iths....... .................. .
Potters ...........................................
Machinists.......................................
Unskilled laborers........................
1
1.60 to
1.30 to
1.70 to
1.80 to
1.00 to
1.50 to
.90 to
1.00 to
2.00
1.50
2.35
2.20
2.25
2.00
2.00
1.50
August,
1917.
July, 1916.
($0.82 to $1.03)
($0.67 to $0. 77)
($0.88 to $1.18)
($0.93 to $1.13)
($0.52 to $1.16)
($0. 77 to $1.03)
($0.46 to $1.03)
($0.52 to $0.77)
4.00 to
3.00 to
4.00 to
3.00 to
4.00 to
4.00 to
3.50 to
2.50 to
R u b le s . 1
6 .00
3.50
6 .00
5.50
5.00
5.50
6 .00
4.50
($2.06 to
($1.55 to
($2.06 to
($1.55 to
($2.06 to
($2.06 to
($1.80 to
($1.29 to
$3.09)
$1.80)
$3.09)
$2.83)
$2.58)
$2.83)
$3.09)
$2.32)
8.50 ($4.38)
.00
8.00
8.50
7.50
9.00
8.00
8
($4.12)
($4.12)
($4.38)
($3.8 6 )
($4.64)
($4.12)
Conversions are based on 1 ruble = $0,515, the prewar value.
On an average, wages in the occupations included in the preceding
table increased during the three-year period by 515 per cent. Dur
ing the same period, however, the average increase of the prices of
the principal foodstuffs amounted to 566 per cent. Consequently
the workmen of Moscow in August, 1917, had greater difficulty in
meeting the cost of living with their greatly increased wages than
they had in July, 1914, with their lower wrages.
The increases in the prices of the principal foodstuffs in August,
1917, as compared with the prices ruling in August, 1914, based on
price statistics compiled by the Moscow municipal statistical office,
are shown in the following table:
R ETA IL PRICES OF PRINCIPAL FO O DSTUFFS IN MOSCOW, AUGUST, 1914 A N D 1917.
Retail price.
Article.
Quantity.
August, 1914.
K opeks.
Rye bread......................................
White bread..................................
Beef.................................................
V eal.................................................
Pork................................................
Herrings.........................................
Cheese.............................................
B utter.............................................
Eg^s................................................
Milk.................................................
Per Russian pound 1 ..
........do..............................
........do..............................
........do..............................
........do..............................
Each...............................
Per Russian pound__
....... do..............................
Per 10 eggs.....................
Per bottle......................
J ($0.013)
5 ($0.026)
($0.113)
22
26 ($0.134)
23 ($0.118)
($0.031)
6
40 ($0.206)
48 ($0.247)
30 ($0.155)
7 ($0.036)
2
August, 1917.
Per cent of
increase in
August,
1917, over
August,
1914.
K opeks.
12
20
110
215
200
52
350
320
160
40
($0.062)
($0.103)
($0.567)
($1,107)
($1,030)
($0.268)
($1,803)
($1,648)
($0,824)
(SO. 206)
380
300
400
727
770
767
775
567
433
471
IRussian pound=0.90282 pound.
s Conversions are based on 1 ruble (100 kopeks )= $0,515, the prewar value.
1
An investigation of food prices made in Petrograd in the spring
of 1917, with the object of establishing their effect upon the cost of
living, showed also large increases as compared with the results of a
similar investigation made in March, 1914. Based on this investiga
tion the paper Nowaja Shisnj gives the following data as to the average
expenditures of a metal worker of the large Baltic works in Petro
grad. While in March, 1914, this workman expended 14 per cent of
his total household budget for housing, heat, and light, in the spring
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of 1917 his expenditures for these purposes had decreased to 8 per
cent. For clothing he expended in both years 12 per cent. His
expenditures for amusements, physician, medicines, etc., fell from
14 per cent in 1914 to 8 per cent in 1917. The expenditures for food,
on the other hand, rose from 60 to 72 per cent. He was forced to
economize in all other expenditures in order to satisfy his needs as to
nutrition, which required nearly two-thirds of his total expenditures.
Manufactured products also increased in price. According to
statistics of the economic department of the Moscow Labor Council
the prices of a number of manufactured products increased during
the first three years of the War as follows: Cotton prints 1,173 percent,
cotton cloth 1,233 per cent, woolen cloth 1,900 per cent, men’s shoes
1,700 per cent, men’s suits 900 per cent, and small metal articles
1,900 per cent.
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FOOD CONTROL.
FOOD CONTROL IN GREAT BRITAIN.1
Developments in the control of the food situation in Great Britain 2
since the fall of 1917 embrace a comprehensive food economy cam
paign, the fixing of wholesale and retail prices on many articles of food
not already controlled, the extensive control of distribution of sup
plies, and the establishment of local rationing schemes.
I 11 December, 1917, a consumer’s council was established by Lord
Rhondda in connection with the Ministry of Food. This council is
composed of representatives of the organized working classes and of
women. The duties of the council are to gather first-hand informa
tion as to what is being done, to guard the interests and rights of
the consumers they represent, and to act in an advisory capacity to
the Ministry of Food.
Under the Defense of the Realm Act some of the important powers
delegated to the food controller are the right to fix prices; to requi
sition supplies of any kind in order to secure their proper distribu
tion; and to place any restrictions he considers necessary upon the
manufacture or the use of any article of food and upon the slaugh
tering and feeding of live stock. The export and import of food
stuffs are under his jurisdiction, and he also has the power, and may
delegate it to any food committee, to enforce the orders and to prose
cute offenses.
FOOD ECONOMY CAMPAIGN.
An appeal for voluntary rationing of bread, meat, and sugar
according to a specified scale was made in February, 1917. This
appeal, with slight variations in the scale, has been constantly
repeated up to the present time. In September, 1917, Sir Arthur
Yapp was appointed as director of food economy, this work having
been done previously under the direction of the War Savings Com
mittee. The continually lessening food resources of the world re
sulting from the vast Athdrawal of labor from productive industries,
and the fact that lowered prices have a tendency to increase con
sumption, brought about a realization of the necessity for such an
XFor previous articles on food control in Great Britain see Monthly R eview , March, 1917, pp. 392-407!
June, 1917, pp. 928-945; July, 1917, pp. 69-78; November, 1917, pp. 91-104; “ Retail prices of food in the United
Kingdom,” 1914-1917, Monthly R eview , February, 1918, pp. 111,112; and “ Communal kitchens in Euro
pean countries,” Monthly R eview , June, 1918, pp. 58-63.
2 Information for this article was compiled from numbers of the National Food Journal (England) cov
ering the period from Sept. 26,1917, to May 22,1918.
84
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officer. The purpose in creating this position was to meet the needs
not only of the present situation but also of situations which may
arise after the War.
In order to make it in reality an economy campaign no vast
organization of paid officials was built up, but all possible existing
agencies, such as churches, universities and schools, corporations,
women’s societies and similar organizations, and the press are used
to further the propaganda. The campaign is based upon exact!
knowledge of food conditions, so that any statements emanating
from this department may be accepted as the whole truth. Local
food economy committees were appointed by and work in coopera
tion with the food control committees which were put in operation
in August, 1917.
Exhibitions, cooking classes, and demonstrations by teachers of
domestic economy have been held under the auspices of local edu
cation authorities throughout Great Britain. The subjects dealt
with are war-time cooking, food production, food preservation,
waste utilization, etc. More than 1,200 food economy committees
have been formed and work under the direction of 10 assistant
commissioners.
So far as economy in the consumption of foodstuffs legitimately
purchased is concerned nothing can be done beyond appeals to
patriotism and good feeling; but where the ordinances of the ministry
are concerned effective action can be and is taken. The food hoard
ing order of April, 1917, made systematic prosecution of selfish and
unpatriotic citizens possible, and heavy fines have also been system
atically imposed on dealers convicted of profiteering through evasions
of food orders.
The waste of foodstuffs order which went into effect in February,
1918, applies equally to the individual and to the trader who has the
handling of food in any form. It is an offense to waste any food fit
for human use. It is wasted if willfully or negligently damaged or
thrown away, if reasonable precautions are not taken for its preser
vation, if anyone procures a greater quantity than is required and
any part becomes unfit for use, or if anyone unreasonably retains it
until it spoils. The tradesman is protected by a clause which exon
erates him if it can be shown due care has been taken, that he has
been willing to sell at reasonable prices, and that he could not have
made the stock available otherwise than by way of sale in his busi
ness. Farmers must take care of their produce and guard it from
depredations by rats, etc. Although as yet no well-defined plan of
campaign has been worked out in regard to the losses by rats, agri
culturists and others are nevertheless held responsible for such
losses, and heavy fines have recently been imposed on those shown
to have been negligent in this respect.
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METHODS OF SECURING SU P PL IE S FROM OTHER COUNTRIES.
A statement by Lord Rhondda in September, 1917, to the repre
sentatives in London of the American, Canadian and Australian
newspapers, was to the effect that in the ensuing 12 months the
mimimum requirements in cereals, hog products, sugar, and meat
from the United States and Canada would be over 10,000,000 tons,
representing a money value of between three and four million dollars
a day. In view of this f^ct closer cooperation was necessary and in
order to eliminate competitive buying among the Allies, which inevi
tably tended to raise prices, an interally council on war purchases and
finance was formed. The existence of this body enables the food
requirements of France, Italy, and the United Kingdom, and the
finance and tonnage therefor, to be presented in coordinated and
agreed form to the principal source of supplies and finance, namely,
the United States.
About 65 per cent of the essential food supplies come, and must
continue to come, from the North American Continent. Without a
system of centralized allied purchasing it would have been quite
hopeless to attempt to control either price or distribution.
What may be termed the “ overhead” machinery of supply hinges
mainly upon interallied or partially interallied bodies, viz., the wheat
executive, the sugar commission, and the meat and fats executive,
to-which it is proposed to add the oil and seed executive. All these
bodies have their headquarters in London.
The interallied meat and fats executive collects information as to
the monthly requirements of the three allied countries. This com
mittee, consisting of one British, one French, and one Italian repre
sentative, meets in London, and the purchases which they decide
upon are made by the allied provisions export commission in New
York consisting of members from the three countries named. This
latter body is the sole agency through which foodstuffs, except
cereals and sugar, are purchased in America. If the United States
Food Administration sanctions the purchase proposals the commis
sion arranges the details, except in the case of fresh meat and packing
house products where the statement of requirements is passed on to
the division of coordination of purchases, an American body, which
allots the orders among the packing houses. After allotments are
made to the packers the quantities determined on are tendered to
each ally through the division of coordination of purchases.
The interallied oil and seed executive will also purchase through
these channels.
In the case of the wheat executive, the purchasing body in the
United States is the Wheat Export Co. in New York. A similar
body has been established in Canada.
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At Mr. Hoover’s suggestion in September, 1917, an international
sugar committee was established in New York to centralize the pur
chase and allocation of Cuban and American sugars. The royal
sugar commission sent two delegates to represent them on the com
mittee and thus the coordination of allied purchases was effectively
completed.
By means of these various purchasing agencies competition among
these three great nations and conflicting demands from different
departments within one country are avoided and the machinery,
though apparently cumbersome, has worked simply and well.
CONTROL OF SU PPL IE S A N D PRICES.
MEAT.
Since effective control of the prices of any commodity can not be
secured over a long period without the power to control supplies,
it was clear that the fixing of maximum wholesale prices for meat
must bo followed by the control of live stock. Great Britain was
divided into 19 areas for this purpose and in each of these sections a
live stock commissioner was appointed with comprehensive powers
for the regulation of the slaughter and sale of all live stock within
his area. As an essential preliminary to the work of controlling sup
plies a census of the cattle, sheep, and pigs in each area was taken.
The territorial divisions correspond in most cases with the food
control areas already established and the local food committees under
the supervision of the food controller are responsible for retail distri
bution.
In the fall of 1917 the necessity was recognized for assuming com*plete control of meat, not only because of high retail prices, but also
because of a radical change in the general situation, of which the high
prices were a symptom. Before the War 40 per cent of the meat
supplies were received from colonial and foreign markets, but during
the War the imports had been set aside mainly for the use of the army,
the civilian population being fed on the higher priced home-grown
meats.
The enormous demand, however, on tonnage for transport services
and the decrease of the world’s shipping, due to U-boat operations,
made it necessary to draw on home-grown supplies for the feeding of
the army.
The ministry adopted a plan calculated to allow a reasonable
profit to the producer, the middleman, and the retailer. It was
decided to control prices by fixing maximum prices for dressed meat,
these prices to be based on the maximum live-weight prices used in
buying cattle for the army. In order to compensate farmers who
had, during the preceding spring, bought cattle for fattening at the
then inflated prices, the prices were fixed on a descending scale,
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beginning at 74s. ($18) per hundredweight in September, 1917, and
ending after July 1, 1918, with 60s. ($14.60). A comparison with
prewar prices shows that from 105 to 85 per cent over the prewar
price was allowed in the autumn and that 63 per cent will be allowed
in July. Simultaneously the ministry took steps to reduce the cost
of feeding cakes for cattle, this reduction ranging from £1 to £4 ($4.87
to $19.47) per ton, so as to further insure a margin of profit to the
farmer.
All retail meat dealers and keepers of slaughterhouses are required
to register, and live stock auctioneers and cattle dealers must be
licensed. Retailers are not allowed in any week to buy in excess of
the amount allowed them by the controller and must keep such records
as are necessary to show whether or not the conditions of the order are
being complied with.
PO TA TO ES.
The potatoes order, 1917, guaranteed to the growers a minimum
price of £6 ($29.20) a ton on and after September 15. It also pro
vided for control of the potato trade at all stages by fixing a grower’s
maximum price of £6 10s. ($31.63) per ton, by limiting the profits
of wholesalers and fixing a scale of maximum retail prices, and by
requiring all dealers, both wholesale and retail, to be registered.
After October 1, 1917, on all except seed potatoes, the profits (in
cluding overhead charges) of a wholesale dealer could not exceed
7s. 6d. ($1.83) per ton, and the maximum price at which a retailer
might sell was fixed in relation to his buying price, but could not
exceed IJd. (2J cents) per pound. Potatoes had to be sold by
weight and an additional charge was permitted the retailer on potatoes
delivered to customers.
On November 19, owing to the abundant crop of potatoes as the
result of the Government guaranty, the grower’s maximum price of
£6 ($29.20) a ton was abolished. It was hoped that the reduced
price to growers would result in a lowered price to the public and in
an increased consumption of potatoes, as well as a corresponding
diminution in the use of some other foodstuffs. The Government
guaranty was met by paying to the grower a sum representing the
difference between the £6 ($29.20) and the price per ton at which
he sold. This payment of difference constituted a charge on the
exchequer, but was offset by the gain to the consumer.
In January, 1918, steps were taken by the food controller to secure
the largest possible acreage of potatoes for the coming year. Con
tracts which the Ministry of Food were prepared to enter into with
farmers were for approved varieties of potatoes to be delivered at
stated periods beginning November 1, 1918. Preliminary returns
received in May indicate that the potato acreage of 1918 will exceed
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that of 1917 by about 25 per cent. When allotments and cottage
gardens, which are not included in the tabulation, are taken into
account, it appears that the total area will approximate 900,000
acres, and as there are still plenty of seed potatoes available it is
expected that a final effort will bring the country close to the million
acres for which the Prime Minister appealed. One remarkable
feature of the returns is that every county in England, Wales, and
Scotland shows an increase over the 1917 acreage.
SU G A R.
After October 1, 1917, only those retailers who applied for regis
tration were allowed to sell sugar. Each applicant had to file a
return showing the stock on hand, including that allotted to him by
his supplier, but not yet received, and the average weekly supplies
due him for the next three months. Certain days were fixed for the
receipt of applications from retailers, caterers, institutions, manufac
turers, and the public, and five different series of posters of reminder
were printed. Considerable confusion arose because of the careless
ness or ignorance of householders in filling out the cards. As evi
dence of the magnitude of the scheme it is stated there were more
than 56,000,000 separate printed documents or articles circulated
by the Ministry of Food. Persons wishing to buy sugar for fruit
preserving for their own households must have a permit issued by
the food controller. The sugar must not be disposed of, but must
be used for the purpose for which it is bought and retailers must
keep records of persons to whom such sugar is sold. On January 1,
1918, the weekly sugar ration was fixed at one-half pound per person.
B R EA D AND FLO U R.
Up to the present time there has been no compulsory rationing of
bread and it is hoped this will not become necessary. It is, however,
an offense to sell bread which is not at least 12 hours old. Several
orders have been issued relative to the use of potatoes or potato
flour by bread manufacturers. The proportion allowed at first was
1 pound of potatoes to 7 pounds of flour, but that restriction was
subsequently removed and now the maker may use such quantity
of potatoes as he sees fit. In order to encourage bakers to use pota
toes special rates approximating the price of flour have been made.
Imported flour may not be sold at retail except when mixed with
flour milled in the United Kingdom and the percentage of imported
flour so used must not exceed 25 per cent.
The wheat acreage of Great Britain for 1918 has been increased 40
per cent over that of 1917 but this increase will affect but slightly
the amount which the United States and Canada will be required to
furnish.
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M IL K .
The prices of milk, both wholesale and retail, have been fixed in
several orders. All wholesale dealers must be registered and records
of sales must be kept, and all retailers, except those selling less than
5 gallons daily, must register. In December, 1917, an order was
issued forbidding the use or sale of cream except for making butter or
such other purposes as the food controller might authorize. A later
order prohibited the use of coloring matter or the addition of water
to milk or cream for sale.
The making of cheese rather than butter from excess milk has been
encouraged since cheese preserves more of the valuable elements of
the milk.
/
The use of milk, milk powder, condensed milk, or dried milk in the
making of chocolate was prohibited after the 24th of December, 1917.
In January, 1918, supplies of full cream dried milk, which had been
bought some months earlier by the Ministry of Food, in anticipation of
the shortage of fresh milk, were put at the disposal of health officers
and secretaries of infant welfare centers at cost price. Priority
schemes for the supplying of milk to children under 5 years of age
and to persons holding a medical certificate showing that reasons of
health entitle them to a daily allowance of milk are in force in dif
ferent localities.
B U T T E R , O IL S , A N D P A T S .
In the latter part of November, 1917, the scheme for the allocation
of the restricted supplies of butter was put in operation. It was based
on the general principle that retailers should receive quantities bear
ing roughly the same proportion to their 1916 supplies that the total
imports at that time were to those of 1916.
The control of seeds, nuts, kernels, oils, and fats was originally
undertaken by the Ministry of Munitions in order to secure at a
reasonable price a sufficient supply of glycerin for the manufacture
of explosives. It soon became clear, however, that the control of
such commodities was also important from the food point of view
since the enormous consumption for war purposes has created a
shortage of all kinds of'oils and fats used in the making of margarine.
Farmers, too, in recent years depend in great degree upon oilseed
cakes for fattening cattle.
In view of these facts, the control was transferred, in July, 1917, to
the Ministry of Food. At this time the distribution of fat and oilyielding materials was already largely controlled. The main objects
of the oils and fats department of the Ministry of Food have been (1) to
control the supply of raw material, (2) to provide an ample amount of
glycerin, (3) to provide and distribute edible oils and fats for pur
poses of margarine manufacture, (4) to maintain the production of
soap, and (5) to regulate supplies and prices of cattle food.
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The ministry has adopted the plan, in this as in other departments,
of calling to its aid experts in the various branches of the trade.
As a result of governmental control, in July, 1917, glycerin sold in
the United Kingdom at £59 10s. ($289.56) per ton while it stood as
high as £225 ($1,094.96) in other countries. In order to maintain
supplies of raw material it was thought necessary to set up the joint
Anglo-French oil seed executive to control supplies and purchases in
British and French colonial possessions.
Margarine had been largely imported from Holland and the Dutch had
had the advantage of the by-products from the various processes, so
efforts were made to extend the refining and magarine factories in Great
Britain in order to reduce the dependence on the Dutch product.
In spite of all the means taken to reduce prices and make a fair
distribution of oil cake, on which the dairying and cattle-fattening'
industries depend, there was a scarcity which made it necessary to
prepare a cattle-rationing scheme in which preference was given to
dairy herds.
Conservation of fats.—The conservation of waste fats is a very
important war saving. The systematic collection of army fat was
begun in 1916. Drippings, cracklings, fat from the men’s plates, fat
from washing-up water, and bones are saved and handed over.
Special arrangements had to be made in each camp under which
the bones and the different kinds of fat could be kept separate for col
lection. The primary aim of the committee having charge of this
work is to maintain the supply of glycerin for explosives, but inci
dentally the collection of waste increases the supply of soap, of fod
der for pigs and chickens, and of other useful products.
The achievements of this committee in putting an end to the waste
which occurred at the beginning of the War are as follows:
From waste fats collected from army camps alone have been pro
duced—
(1) Tallow sufficient to provide soap for the entire needs of the
army, navy, and Government departments, with a surplus for public
use, producing an actual annual revenue of £960,000 ($4,671,840) as
well as saving valuable tonnage;
(2) One thousand eight hundred tons of glycerin for ammunition—
sufficient to provide the propellant for 18,000,000 18-pound shell—at
a saving of several million dollars.
Grease traps for the recovery of fat from the waste water in kitchen
sinks are installed in many large institutions and hotels, but the most
important of civilian economies is the extraction of fat from bones.
An order issued in March, 1918, in regard to edible oils and fats
prohibits their use for any purpose except that of human or animal
food or drink and it is also an offense to treat any of these materials
in such a way as to make them unfit or less fit for human consumption.
6 5 8 0 1 °— 1 8 —
7
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TEA.
In October, 1917, a temporary scheme of control of tea was put
into' effect as the imports from July to October, inclusive, had
amounted to but slightly more than one-third of the normal con
sumption. Under this scheme tea is divided, on arrival, into four
grades varying in price from 2s. 4d. (57 cents) to 4s. (97 cents) per
pound. Before the issuing of the tea (provisional prices) order, the
control scheme operated by agreement; but the order contained a
clause making the retail prices statutory so that sales at prices ex
ceeding them, or other evasions of the scheme, are now summary
offenses against the Defense of the Realm Act. An order dated May
4, 1918, fixes the retail price for every grade of tea at 2s. 8d. (65
cents) per pound.
Customers must now register with retailers in order to secure their
tea supplies and each retailer is rationed on the basis of 1J ounces
per week for each member of the families of his customers.
M IS C E L L A N E O U S O R D E R S .
Other orders of consequence have been those requisitioning imported
and domestic cheese and canned condensed milk; requiring the
registration of dealers in sweetmeats and fixing retail prices; author
izing local committees to establish and maintain kitchens and such
distributing depots as may be necessary; permitting householders to
buy eggs for preserving for the use of their families; fixing wholesale
and retail prices on the principal articles of food and on cattle feed
ing stuffs; and requiring the licensing and registration of wholesale
and retail dealers.
R E TA IL PRICE FIXING.
One of the difficulties in fixing general maximum retail prices is
the fact that it is impossible for retail prices to be uniform over the
whole country without giving undue profit to traders in certain
areas. Because of this it has been necessary for the Ministry of Food
to allow considerable latitude to local food committees in fixing
the charges permitted to retailers. The essential point is that the
rate of profit should as nearly as possible be constant, and that such
variations as exist should be based on local conditions and local
standards of living. In the case of milk this requirement has been
met by fixing a general maximum producers’ price, and as a result
the producer has no interest in diverting his milk from local centers
to the great cities.
Since the danger in price fixing for any commodity is that the
supply may cease unless the entire supply is controlled the Ministry
of Food exercises its control from the field of production to the
shop counter, limiting intermediate charges to a fair remuneration
for services rendered. In this way profiteering has been reduced
to a minimum.
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RATIONING B Y CONTROL COMMITTEES.
Tlie first direct attempt at rationing was made in the order, issued
on December 5, 1916, regulating meals in hotels and restaurants. In
the first part of January, 1918, the Ministry of Food issued to all
local control committees a memorandum for their guidance in
schemes of rationing. With the consent of the food controller any
food committee may adopt any practicable scheme for controlling
within its area the distribution and consumption of any article of
food.
The essential features of any scheme for preventing queues,
caused by difficulty in obtaining a particular foodstuff, are:
(a) That every customer should be registered with one shop for
that foodstuff and not allowed to buy it elsewhere.
(b) That the shopkeeper should be required to divide his weekly
supplies in fair proportion among all the customers registered.
(c) That no shopkeeper should be allowed to register more cus
tomers than he can conveniently serve.
Lord Rhondda issued an order empowering local food control
committees to put these measures in force and leaving each commit
tee wide discretion in framing and administering a scheme suitable
to the needs of its district. In January, 1918, arrangements
were completed for rationing the residents of London and the home
counties (6 counties) for butter and margarine, the weekly allow
ance of margarine being 4 ounces as against the voluntary ration
of 10 ounces for all fats. Individual food cards were used, those
for children being of a different color from those for the rest of the
population.
In February the meat ration in the same district was fixed by
price for butcher’s meat and by weight for other meats (bacon,
liam, poultry, game, rabbits, and preserved and prepared meats).
The weights of these are fixed so as to correspond substantially
with 5 ounces of uncooked butcher’s meat with average bone. The
weekly ration is Is. 3d. (30 cents) worth of butcher’s meat, or
about 15 ounces, which uses three of the four coupons on the meat
card, the fourth being used for other meat (varying amounts being
obtainable according to the kind purchased). The rationing of
meat was extended throughout Great Britain the first week in April.
An order allowing a supplementary ration to persons engaged in
heavy work went into effect on April 14. Hus affects from six to
seven million persons. Since May 5 supplementary rations have been
allowed to boys over 13 and under 18 years of age who are engaged
on heavy work. Tills ration is 5 ounces of bacon with bone or its
equivalent in other meat than butcher’s meat. The age at which
children are allowed full rations has been reduced from 10 to 6 years.
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The public meals order issued the last of January, 1918, provided
th at:
(1) No place of refreshment open to the general public shall serve
meat, poultry, or game on any of the days prescribed as meatless
days, these prescribed days being such as the food controller n ay
appoint from time to time.
(2) No milk shall be served or consumed as, or as part of, a beverage
except with tea, coffee, cocoa, or chocolate as usually served, although
this provision does not apply to children under 10 years of age.
(3) No sugar may be used in a public eating place except that which
is used for cooking, or which may be supplied by a patron himself,
unless a person resides for the major portion of a week in an}7- inn,
hotel, club, or boarding house, in which case the total amount sup
plied to such a person in any week shall not exceed 6 ounces. The
total of such amounts supplied must be entered in the register and
an accurate record kept of full names and addresses of all persons
to whom sugar is so supplied.
(4) The total quantities of meat, flour, bread, sugar, butter,
margarine, and other fats used in or by any public eating place in
any week shall not exceed the gross quantities allowed for the meals
served during the week, and those in charge of any public eating
place shall be responsible for seeing that the total quantities per
mitted shall not be exceeded and for this purpose shall keep a
register, in the form prescribed by the food controller, containing an
authentic record of meals and quantities served.
Compulsory meatless days in eating places, subject to the public
meals order, were abolished in Great Britain as from May 17.
Rationing up to the present time has been carried out by the local
food control committees, but it is the food controller’s intention
to introduce a national system as from July 13, 1918, the date on
which the currency of the present meat cards ends. Under the
proposed scheme the rationing of sugar, fats, and meat will be ar
ranged on a substantially uniform basis. As a preliminary step
toward the issue of ration cards another registration of the population
is being made.
At this time the foods rationed are meats, butter, margarine,
and sugar; tea is rationed under local schemes covering about half
the total population of the country and may be included in the general
rationing order.
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FOOD CONTROL IN FRANCS.1
On January 1, 1918, a new system for the control of the cereal
supply came into operation in Franco. This system was worked out
by M. Victor Boret, the new minister of agriculture and food supplies,
and was embodied in a decree of November 30, 1917.
In answer to questions raised in the Senate in regard to the legality
of the decree concerning the rationing of bread, M. Boret, in the first
week of December, 1917, gave a detailed account of the condition of
the food supply, in which he emphasized the deficit of cereals, sugar,
and fertilizers, the increasing difficulties of import, and the need of
increased production, of restricted consumption, and of the control
of available supplies. He stated that if the national consumption of
cereals was to continue on the same basis as then existed, 52,000,000
quintals (5,731,960 tons) of food cereals would be required between
December 1 , 1917, and August 31, 1918. The existing supply of
wheat was then only 15,331,000 quintals (1,689,966.13 tons); the
deficit of 36,000,000 quintals (3,968,280 tons) therefore remained to
be imported. As it would be impossible to import about 4,800,000
quintals (529,104 tons) a month on account of insufficient tonnage,
no course seemed left except restriction of the consumption of cereals.
This statement gathered force from a statement of M. Boret’s
predecessor, the former minister of supplies, M. Maurice Long, to
the Chamber of Deputies in October, 1917, that the harvest of 1917
was the worst known for 50 years, the total production of all kinds
of corn, potatoes, and beets having been only 777,000,000 bushels
against 1,250,000,000 bushels in 1913.
The decree of November 30, 1917, which became operative on
January 1, 1918, provides for:
Requisition by the State of all crops of native cereals, except the
quantities retainable by the grower for family consumption, for seed,
and for fodder for his own live stock.
Realization of these crops as far as possible by purchase, by private
contract on behalf of the State, by millers, corn merchants, and
receiving commissions, at a fixed scale of prices.
State control of all mills, and supply by the State to millers of the
cereals bought on behalf of the State at a reduced scale of prices,
millers being, for the most part, allowed to retain for the supply of
their own mills any cereals bought by them.
i Information for this article was compiled from the following publications: Journal Officiel de la Ré
publique Française, issues of Sept. 9, 1914, Aug. 4, 1917, Dec. 5, 1917, Jan. 17, 1918, Feb. 14, 1918, Mar. 14,
1918, Apr. 4, 12, 17,19, and 28, May 13,14, 23, and 29; La République Française, issues of Feb. 15, 1917, Mar.
1 and 2, 1917, Apr. 15, 1917, Dec. 19, 1917; Manchester (England) Guardian, issues of Oct. 17, 1917, Dec. 5,
1917; National Food Journal (England), issue of Feb. 27, 1918; Christian Science Monitor, issues of Nov. 3,
1917, Mar. 11,1918; and Monthly R e v ie w , issues of April, 1917, p p . 528, 530, June, 1917, p p . 918, 919.
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The fixing of a uniform price for flour, upon which the prefect of
each Department is required to base a limiting price for bread, local
prices within that limit being fixed by the mayors (m a ir e s ).
The control of all transport of cereals by rail, water, or road, on a
system of transport permits.
The allocation to each Department of a monthly quota of cereals,
based on a declaration of requirements drawn up by the prefect, in
accordance with the number, occupation, etc., of the population.
The scale of prices for cereals bought for the State by private
contract according to the specifications laid down in article 22 of
the decree was fixed as follows:
Francs
per 100
kilo
grams.
W heat...................................
Maize....................................
R ye.......................................
Barley...................................
Buckwheat..........................
Maslin...................................
Sago......................... .............
Broad beans or horse beans
Oats.......................................
50
42
42
42
42
Per
bushel.
$ 2 .6 3
2 .0 6
2 .0 6
1 .7 1
1 .5 5
45
35
1 3 .9 4
45
42
1 3 .9 4
1 3 .0 6
1 .1 8
i Per hundredweight.
These prices are for grain of standard quality at the place of pro
duction. Standard wheat must weigh 77 kilograms to the hecto
liter (59.8 pounds per bushel) and must not contain more than 2
per cent of impurities or foreign matter. The decree regulates the
prices of transportation from the farms, as well as all other details
concerning the purchase of the cereals under the different specified
conditions.
The law modifies the law of July 29, 1916, by which the maximum
price to be paid to growers of wheat from August 1, 1916, until one
year after demobilization was fixed at 33 francs per 100 kilograms
($1.74 per bushel).
The prices of these cereals to millers are as follows:
Francs per
100 kilo
grams.
Per bushel.
4 3 .0 0
$ 2 .2 6
4 3 .0 0
2 .1 1
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34. 40
42. 30
2 7 .5 0
3 8 .3 0
1 Per hundredweight.
[96]
2 .0 3
1. 62
1 .2 6
1 3 .7 0
1 2 .4 1
CO
4 1 .5 0
38. 60
CO
CH
W heat.......... .......................
Maize....................................
R ye.......................................
Barley..................................
Buckwheat..........................
Maslin...................................
Sago......................................
Broad beans or horse beans.
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
97
The difference between the price paid to the grower and the price
at which millers may purchase is borne by the State from a credit
voted for the purpose. .
Millers are forbidden to sell or to send from their mills other
products of the milling of wheat than whole-wheat flour, bran, and
the clearings from the milling, the whole-wheat flour being intended
to contain all the substance of the wheat except the bran and the
impurities.
In the manufacture of bread whole-wheat flour is required to be
mixed with one of the substitute flours authorized by the law of
April 8, 1917, the proportion of the mixture being fixed in each
Department by the prefect with the consent of the permanent
bureau having charge of these matters. The flours to be used as
substitutes in such mixture may be made from maize, maslin, broad
beans, rye, barley, buckwheat, or sago.
Beginning with January 1, 1918, the price at the mills for whole
wheat flour, whether or not it is mixed with one of the substitute
grains and in whatever proportion, is fixed at 51 francs per 100
•kilograms ($2.68 per bushel).
The retail sale of flour by grocers or other merchants is forbidden,
bakers alone being permitted to sell it, and not in greater amounts
than 50 grams (1.8 ounces) to a person in one week.
The decree provides for a standard type of flour to be established
by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Supplies, a specimen to be
placed in the service for the repression of frauds in each prefecture,
for the use of those interested.
The price to be paid by the State to the producer for cereals not
for human consumption is also fixed by the decree and the further
sale of them remains subject to the conditions prescribed in the
decree of July 31, 1917.
In each Department the permanent bureau must keep a list of the
mills which are authorized to mill, for food, cereals which have been
kept by the producers for their family consumption, and such pro
ducers are forbidden to sell any of the cereals so kept under penalty
of having their entire supply requisitioned. Bakers are forbidden
to sell bread to producers authorized to retain cereals necessarj^ for
their family consumption, or to persons authorized by the permanent
bureau to receive from a miller the quantity of flour necessary for
such consumption.
BR EA D RATIONING.
Bread rationing became an institution in France in the last days
of January, 1918. The measure was approached with considerable
hesitation and long debate in the Chamber of Deputies, and became
operative only after two perfected schemes for the measure had
been worked out and the dates for their enforcement set. As early
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as March 1, 1917, the minister of agriculture and food supplies made
an announcement that, in order to avoid the waste of bread, he had
decided to regulate its consumption by the introduction of bread cards.
Following the announcement a plan was worked out in detail
according to which bread cards were to have been issued on August
4, 1917. The scheme never became effective, however, and was
abandoned, apparently because its provisions were on so generous a
scale as to provide for scarcely any restriction of consumption.
The second definite attempt at bread rationing was the plan
embodied in M. Boret’s system and explained at length in the decree
of November 30, 1917, which was to become effective January 1,
1918. This scheme involved an elaborate classification of the
population and a scale of rationing, according to age and social
condition, of from 600 to 200 grams (1 pound 5 ounces to 7 ounces)
daily. It was, however, delayed on account of the critical situation
that arose with regard to the import of cereals.
After the interallied conference on the subject of the distribution
of grain supplies had taken place in January the French Govern
ment decided in favor of the immediate enforcement of bread ration
ing. To have carried out the provisions of the scheme as originally
planned would have necessitated considerable delay, which it was
feared might lead to a panic among consumers and a very great
increase in the price of bread. Consequently, the scheme was
revised and made so simple as to be immediately practicable.
Instead of a ration based upon a classification of the population, a
flat ration was provided of 300 grams (10.5 ounces) a day to each
individual, regardless of age or condition.
On January 29 the scheme was introduced in Paris and the suburbs
to the distance of 25 kilometers’ (15.5 miles) radius from the center.
The plan is for the gradual extension of the region under bread ration
ing until all communes of over 20,000 inhabitants become subject to
the system.
Tickets are issued at the mayors’ or other political offices to appli
cants presenting sugar cards. Those not possessing sugar cards must
supply proofs of identity and circumstance and comply with certain
formalities. The cards contain three coupons, each for 100 grams
(3.5 ounces) of bread or 50 grams (1.8 ounces) of flour or a 55 to 60
gram (2 to 2.1 ounces) roll or 50 grams of gluten bread, the three
coupons being valid for one day only.
No tickets are required for bread served in restaurants. Permits
for purchasing bread are issued to restaurants entitling them to an
amount estimated on a basis of 100 grams (3.5 ounces) per meal served.
A declaration as to the average number of meals served must be made
in order to secure such a permit, which limits the holder to one baker.
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Previous to the introduction of this system of rationing a few local
schemes had been tried, one or two communes having made use of the
bread tickets issued under the system of August, 1917, hut nothing
in the way of general or national bread rationing had been actually
in force.
Up to the time the present regulation went into effect the French
consumer had not paid appreciably more for his bread than before
the War, owing to the work of the supply commission which was estab
lished by a decree of September 8, 1914, and intrusted with the
important work of buying foreign wheat and reselling it to the Depart
ments in need of it. Between May and the end of December, 1915,
the commission had bought 5,758,000 quintals (634,704.3 tons) of
imported wheat at prices much higher than the price charged the
consumer—30 francs per hectoliter ($2.04 per bushel)—the loss being
borne by the State from a credit voted for the purpose, and the State
maintaining a large number of ships which are used for transporting
these cereals. The price to the consumer of a 2-kilogram (4 pounds
6 ounces) loaf of bread had not gone beyond 85 centimes (16.4 cents)
in April, 1917, while in England the consumer then paid lOd. (20.2
cents) for a 4-pound loaf. The shortage of the 1917 crop, however,
made even the work of the commission inadequate to meet the sit
uation.
PL A N FOR FU R T H E R FOOD RATIONING.
The scheme for food rationing worked out by M. Boret included,
besides the bread rationing introduced in January, an outline for the
rationing of other foods, which provided for a ration paper on which
tickets would be issued. The ration paper is to consist of 72 coupons,
numbered 1 to 6—twelve of the coupons, one for each month of the
year, to be numbered 1, twelve to be numbered 2, and so on consec
utively to and including number 6. When it is decided to ration a
commodity, the Government will announce that on application at
the ticket-issuing offices coupons for that commodity, according to the
ration category of the consumer, may be received in exchange for the
coupon for the current month.
This scheme was designed to take effect in March, as under the
legislative method followed in France M. Boret felt doubtful of his
power to enforce the implied restrictions and therefore wmited for the
adoption by the Senate of a law considerably extending his power,
by giving legal force to orders issued by the minister of agriculture
and food supplies regulating or suspending the production, manufac
ture, distribution, sale, or consumption of foodstuffs and fodder.
Such orders will have legal force, according to this law, which was
adopted February 10, 1918, from the day they are issued until they
are brought up for ratification by the two Houses during the month
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
following their issue. If they are not then approved they will
lapse.
Taking advantage at once of the new powers conferred upon him
by the law of February 10, 1918, M. Boret submitted his detailed
scheme for rationing, which was embodied in the decree of February
12, 1918.
R ESTRICTIONS.
Restrictions as to the sale of bread, pastries, and other products of
flour were outlined in detail in the decree of November 30, 1917, but
they have since undergone certain modifications specified in later
decrees. According to the decree of February 12, 1918, the making
and sale of all bread is forbidden except (a) the bread in current use,
including ‘‘pain brie” and so-called “ pain a soupe” ; (b) the roll or
“ petit pain” having a maximum weight of 75 grams (2.6 ounces),
(c) the long rolled loaf of a minimum weight of 7,000 grams (1 pound
8.7 ounces) and not longer than 80 centimeters (31J inches).
The making of this bread is subject to further specific regulations
as to size, contents, and weight.
)n the communes in which bread tickets are used a roll may be
sold upon surrender, by the purchaser, of a ticket calling for 100
grams (3.5 ounces) of bread or its equivalent, and “ pain long”
upon surrender of 8 tickets of 100 grams or their equivalent.
The sale of bread in loaves or slices with meat, ham, pastes, butter,
jam, or other kind of food spread on it or inclosed in it is forbidden.
The only dietetic breads which may be made are gluten and casein
breads.
PA ST R IE S AND BISCU ITS.
The manufacture and sale of pastries and biscuits is forbidden by
the decree of February 12, 1918, although the biscuit factories are
allowed to remain open and to execute orders given by the Ministry
of Agriculture and Food Supplies. The order came only after con
siderable opposition on the part of pastry and biscuit makers and
after less severe restrictions imposed by the decree of November 30.
A decision of March 12, 1918, established a commission under the
assistant secretary of state for food supplies for the purpose of con
sidering measures involving the biscuit industry and the execution
of them.
CONFECTIONERY, PR E SE R V ED F R U IT S, ETC.
The decree of February 12 further prohibits the manufacture and
sale of confectionery made with honey or sugar, and of sweet dishes
made with fresh or condensed milk, cream, eggs, sugar, or flour.
Articles of this kind already made maj^ not be exposed for sale in
shop windows-. The manufacture of milk chocolate, chocolate “ de
luxe,” and chocolate fondants, and confectionery of chocolate is for
bidden, but chocolate may be made in tablet, bar, or powder form.
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MONTHLY LABOB BJSVIEW.
101
REGULATIO NS GOVERNING R E ST A U R A N T S AN D SIM ILAR ESTA BLISH M EN TS.
Under the decree of February 12, hotels, restaurants, boarding
houses, cafés, buffets, tea shops, canteens, creameries, etc., are for
bidden to serve fresh or preserved butter except in the preparation
of food; curdled or sour milk; cream in any form, especially “ crème
Chantilly/’ crème d’Xsigny,” and “ le petit suisse” ; cream cheese and
soft cheeses such as “ demi-sel,” “ brie,” “ coulommiers,” and
“ camemberts,” and imitations of them containing more than 36
grams (1.3 ounces) of fat to 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of dry matter.
Consumption of such articles on the premises where they are sold is
also forbidden. Sugai’ may not be served, but customers at restau
rants may bring their own.
Inali such establishments, except “ wagon restaurants,” canteens,
and railway station buffets, it is forbidden to eat or to serve fresh
or condensed milk or cream either alone or in tea, coffee, or cocoa
after 9 o’clock in the morning; also all solid food between the hours
of 9 and 11 o’clock in the morning and half past 2 and half past 6
in the afternoon..
In restaurants where the price of the meal, either à la carte or
fixed, is more than 6 francs ($1.16), one customer may not be served
with more than two main courses, whether garnished with vegetables
or not, nor with more than one roll or 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of
bread. Soup, hors-d’œuvre, or oysters may be served, and for
dessert fresh or stewed fruit, j am, marmalade, or an ice not containing
milk, cream, sugar, eggs, or flour.
Further specifications regarding the sale of condensed milk of
different grades are contained in a decree of May 21, 1918.
L A TER R ESTRICTIONS.
A decree of April 2, 1918, regulates the making and sale of gluten
and casein bread, forbids the use of wheat, rye, rye mixture, or buck
wheat in the making of the powder products of cocoa and chocolate,
the manufacture of which is permitted in the decree of February 12,
and changes the prescribed size of the roll or “ petit pain” to 80
grams (2.8 ounces) in weight and a length of not more than 25 cen
timeters (9.8 inches).
Circulars addressed by the minister of agriculture and food sup
plies to the prefects on April 15 and to agents of the service for the
repression of frauds on April 16, 1918, emphasize the execution of the
detail regarding the manufacture and sale of bread and other food
stuff as laid down in the decrees of November 30, 1917, and February
12, 1918.
THE 1918 CROP.
July 1, 1918, is the date set for the declaration of the 1918 crops,
according to a decree of May 21, 1918. Before this date producers
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were required to make a declaration as to the amount of land planted
in each kind of grain, beans, and potatoes. However, declarations as
to the land planted in buckwheat are not required to be made until
August 1. These declarations are to be made at the mayors’ {maires)
offices on printed forms, to be supplied to the producers by the
prefectoral administration.
The maximum prices to the producers of cereals of the 1918 crop
bought for the Stateareas follows:
Francs
per
100
kilograms.
Wheat.......... ..................................................................
Maize..............................................................................
R ye.................................................................................
Barley................. .....................................................
Buckwheat.....................................................................
Maslin........................................................................
White millet (•m i l l e t b l a n c ) ...........................................
Sago, “ dari,” millet, or red m illet........................
Broad beans or horse beans....................................
Oats.................................................................................
Per bushel.
75
55
55
$3.94
2.69
2.69
55
2.31
55
2.02
62
1 5. 43
75 2 $3. 15-3. 28
50
1 4. 38
68
1 5. 98
55
1.54
The buyer as well as the seller will be liable to the penalty provided
for the selling at these prices of any cereals or beans harvested before
1918.
SUGAR.
There have been a few recent developments concerning the regu
lations governing the use and sale of sugar. This was the first article
of food subjected to rationing in France, and it remained the only one
until the bread-rationing scheme went into effect in January, 1918.
On February 15, 1917, a circular addressed by the prefect of the
Department of the Seine to the mayors of the 20 districts composing
Paris gave instructions concerning the introduction of sugar cards.
Heads of families and others interested were requested to fde dec
larations with the urban authorities stating their requirements for
sugar in such a way as to show the exact number and size of all fam
ilies. Later in February instructions were issued for the determina
tion of the requirements for sugar for collective consumption, and a
supplementary order in a decree issued by the prefect and prefect of
police of the Department of the Seine provided supplementary allot
ments for children and sick persons.
The sugar card permits the holder to buy 1£ pounds of sugar a
month for each person in the family if three meals are taken, at home,
1 pound if two meals are taken at home, and \ pound if only one meal
is at homo, or an annual allowance of 18 pounds of sugar for a person.
A decision of January 15, 1918, reduced the amount of sugar
which the refineries are allowed to retain according to a decision of
January 2, 1917, to 10 per cent of the production of each refinery.
i Per hundredweight.
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According to weight of bushel.
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
103
N EW SCALE OF PR IC ES FOR SUGAR.
The wholesale price of sugar was regulated by a decree of April 1,
1918, which superseded former orders. According to this the fol
lowing scale of prices went into effect April 12, 1918, the date of
the official publication of the decree:
MAXIMUM PRICES OF VARIOUS KINDS OF SUGAR, AS F IX E D BY DECREE OF A PR IL 1,
1913.
Price (inclusive of
excise duty).
Kind of sugar.
Per 100 Equiva
lent per
kilo
grams. hundred
weight.
Refined lump sugar:
In packages of 5 kilograms (11 F ra n cs.
pounds) or over............................... 176.50
In packages of 1 kilogram(2.2 pounds) 178.75
Refined pulverized..................................... 176.50
L oaf............................................................... 173.00
Loaf, in quantities of 3 kilograms ( 6 .6
pounds) or less......................................... 174.50
Broken.......................................................... 173.00
Granulated or crystal of every origin
(inclusive of customs duty—applicable to imported sugars)......................... 160.00
Granulated or crystal powdered sugar.. 163.00
Crystals, extra fine............................... .
163.00
“ Vergeoises ou bâtardes ” (bv-products
of the refinery)......................................... 151.75
$15.45
15. 65
15.45
15.15
15.2S
15.15
14. 01
14.27
14.27
13.28
These prices are for cash on delivery at refineries, storage houses,
or quay of a French port in the case of imported sugar, and do not
include the refining tax of 2 francs per 100 kilograms (17.5 cents per
100 pounds), nor the inspection fee of 8 centimes per 100 kilograms
(0.7 cents per 100 pounds), which are due on refined and granulated
sugars and their derivatives.
Additional restrictions were placed upon the* sale of saccharine for
food manufacturing purposes by a decree of April 16, 1918, in order
to correct abuses to which the minister of agriculture and food sup
plies called attention.
MEATLESS DAYS.
The problem of meats has been one of profiteering rather than of
shortage. Until the spring of 1917, while municipal meat markets
had been opened in a few towns, the price of meat had not risen above
the ordinary rise in price of all foodstuffs. In April of that year a
decree was issued prohibiting the sale of fresh, salted, and preserved
meat on all Tuesdays, from May 15 to October 15; but the decree
did not become effective at that time and was followed by a plan for
meatless evening meals, and in the spring of 1918 by a scheme for the
opening of 60 municipal meat shops to be supplied by requisition,
the number to be increased later if the scheme proved successful
During the past year France has had actual experience with meat
less evening meals and as many as three meatless days a week, a de
cree of April 26, 1918, forbidding the sale of fresh, salted, or preserved
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meat on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays of each week, or the
serving of it in public restaurants or other eating places on these
days. Abattoirs and butcheries are required to be closed from 11
o’clock Monday night to 6 o’clock Wednesday morning of each week
from May 13, 1918, and the number of each kind of animals killed
each week in each abattoir or in all in the same town may not exceed
the average weekly number killed in March, 1918. The only excep
tion is in the case of horse meat, which is permitted to be sold on the
meatless days, but only in markets handling’this meat exclusively.
The serving of this in restaurants and public eating places is, how
ever, forbidden on the three meatless days.
Beginning with May 14 the amount of butcher’s meat which may
be bought on Tuesday of each week is limited to 200 grams (7 ounces)
per consumer, by a decision of May 11, 1918.
In view of the restrictions placed upon meat, restaurants and
other public eating places, on the meatless days, are permitted to
serve, with meals costing more than 6 francs ($1.16), curdled or sour
milk, condensed milk, either alone or with coffee, tea, cocoa, etc., after
9 o’clock in the morning, and the cheeses which are forbidden on other
days.
All efforts to govern the supply and price of meat seem to have been
so far inadequate. In a report dated May 28, 1918, the minister of
agriculture and food supplies emphasized the difficulties caused by
the rising price of meat, saying that each rise in the price of meat
requisitioned for military use was followed by a corresponding rise
in the price for civil use and that the only solution of the problem
seemed to be the fixing of a uniform price—that is, the requisitioning
by the State of all mepb, both for civil and for military consumption.
Ife suggested a general declaration of their stock by owners of ani
mals destined as food, both as a means of deciding upon the desira
bility of resorting to State requisitioning and also of determining the
quantity of animal feed which will be required for these animals
before the next harvest and therefore should be exempted from mili
tary requisition.
In accordance with this report, a decree of the same date required
all owners of cattle, sheep, and hogs to be slaughtered for food to
make declarations upon report blanks in the mayors’ offices between
June 28 and July 7, the results to be transmitted to the Ministry of
Agriculture and Food Supplies before August 5.
Another decree has for its object the regulation of the sale of
animals for butchery in Paris and requires sellers of such animals to
offer them through the market of “ La Villette,” in order to prevent
sales in railway stations and clandestine butcheries. Shipment direct
to abattoirs can only take place by special authority of the prefect of
police.
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WAGES AND HOURS OF LABOR.
UNITED STATES SHIPPING BOARD INCREASES WAGES IN DECfl AND
ENGINE DEPARTMENTS.
At a conference between tlie United States Shipping Board and
representatives of ship owners, licensed officers, and seamen, a stand
ard wage scale applicable to the deck and engine departments was
agreed upon and announced by the board on May 23. The following
are the occupations covered and the wages established in each case:
Per month.
Boatswain..............................................................................................$85.00
Boatswain’s mate................................................................................. 80 qo
Carpenter.............................................................................................. 90 00
Carpenter’s m ate................................................................................. 85 qq
Quartermaster....................................................................................... 77 59
Able seamen......................................................................................... 75 qq
Ordinary seamen.................................................................................. 55. 00
B°ys ....................................................................................................... 40.00
0ilers..................................................................................................... 80.00
Water tenders....................................................................................... 80. 00
Engine-room storekeeper.................................................................... 80. 00
F ir e m e n ............................................................................................ 75 . 00
Wipers.................................................... .............................................. 65.00
Coal passers........................................................................................... 65. 00
Bach employee is to be paid at the rate of 60 cents an hour for
overtime, and will be allowed, in addition to his wages, $1.25 for
meals while on shore. The war bonus on vessels sailing into the
war zone will remain at 50 per cent. All vessels sailing from Atlantic
and Gulf ports, except harbor craft and vessels owned or operated
by the Navy, are included, and the new rates are effective as of
May 4, 1918. Commissioner Page of the Shipping Board, in announc
ing the new wage scale, said:
Since the board has endeavored to fix an equitable scale, considering the increased
cost of living, the wages paid in somewhat corresponding occupations on shore with
allowances for food and lodging, and the necessity for attracting more men to the
merchant sea service, it believes that no additional or increased bonuses or gifts
other than above specified should be paid. Except as herein provided there shall
be no change in working rules or regulations.
This wage scale shall remain in force until in the judgment of the United States
Shipping Board conditions warrant a change.
Owing to their greater complexity, the new classification of vessels and the wage
scales of the steward’s department and of the licensed officers of the deck and engine
departments are still in preparation but will be decided upon and announced shortly.
These will also become effective from and after May 4. As a fair and satisfactory
tvage agreement has recently been made on the Pacific coast, the Shipping Board will
at this time make no change in Pacific coast conditions.
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
INCREASES IN BRITISH RAILWAY WAGES COMPARED WITH INCREASES
IN COST OF LIVING.
With its recent report to the Director General of Railroads recom
mending an increase in the wages of railway employees, the Railroad
Wage Commission submitted a summary of British railway experi
ence which it was believed would be of interest in connection with
the investigation in the United States. After a description of the
assuming and exercising of control by the Government, the admin
istration, the rate of compensation, etc., the summary is confined
to a survey of labor, wages, and cost of living, concluding with a
comparison of the increases in wages granted during the War and
the increased cost of living during the same period.
Within that time there have been five increases in the remunera
tion of male railway transportation workers, aggregating 21s. ($5.11)
per employee per week.1 These have been in the form of uniform
flat sums applicable to all wage groups, so that the lowest paid men
would benefit the most. They were given at first as war bonuses,
but in August, 1917, the long-standing demand of the unions that
“ bonuses” become “ wages” was acceded to, and since then the
wage basis for computing overtime and Sunday work has taken
these increases into account.
When the War broke out the railway unions were demanding an
increase of 5s. ($1.22) a week for all classes, and in January, 1915,
the demand was repeated. On February 13, 1915, the companies,
granted 3s. ($0.73) a week to all whose standard rate was under
30s. ($7.30), and 2s. ($0.49) to those whose standard rate was 30s.
or more. This bonus proved inadequate to meet the continued rise
in prices, and another demand for an increase of 5s. ($1.22) was
met by an agreement October 16, 1915, to pay a further 2s. ($0.49)
a week to employees receiving the 3s. bonus and 3s. ($0.73) to those
receiving the 2s. bonus, the aggregate bonus for all adult males thus
becoming 5s. ($1.22) a week. In August, 1916, an increase of 10s.
($2.43) a week was demanded as wages rather than bonus, and after
strike threats an additional bonus of 5s. ($1.22) a week was agreed
to, making 10s. ($2.43) in all. This was not satisfactory for long,
and in March, 1917, the unions again demanded an advance of 10s.
($2.43) a week, agreeing on April 12 to accept one-half that amount.
In October, 1917, the enginemen and firemen applied for additional
wages to the arbitration board established by the Government, and
in November they were .awarded 5s. a week. The National Union
of Railway Men (which in 1914 comprised about 50 per cent of ail
railway woruers) thereupon applied to the railway executive com1 In the Labour Gazette of the British Ministry of Labor for May, 1918 (p. 174), it is stated that since,
the date of this summary a further advance of 4s. ($0.97) a week has been granted, making in all an,
increase over prewar rates of 2 os. ($6.08).
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107
mittoe for an increase of 10s. ($2.43). On November 29 these men
were granted an advance of 6s. ($1.46), which was later extended
to all transportation workers, making the aggregate wage increase of
adult male employees 21s. ($5.11) a week per employee.
Shop workers, women, and salaried employees were not included
in the negotiations described. The first mentioned received a bonus
of 3s. ($0.73) a week in February, 1915, later increased to 4s. ($0.97)
for timeworkers and 10 per cent for pieceworkers; in September,
1916, they received another 5s. ($1.22) a week; in February, 1917
(for some), and in April (for those remaining), a further 5s. ($1.22) a
week was granted, and on August 1 , 1917, an advance of 3s. ($0.73) a
week became effective, these increases being added to the weekly
earnings of pieceworkers as well as applying to timeworkers.
At the time of the granting of the second bonus to men the unions
presented the claim of the women workers, most of whom had entered
railway employment since the War began, but they were unsuccessful.
When the men applied for the third increase the women’s claims were
again presented, and a bonus of 3s. ($0.73) a week was granted. In
April, 1917, women were given an additional 2s. 6d. ($0.61) and on
November 9, 1917, a further increase of 3s. ($0.73), making an aggre
gate increase of 8s. 6d. ($2.07) a week per woman employee.
No bonus was given to salaried employees until July 1, 1916. At
that date employees receiving less than £200 ($973.30) a year were
granted a war bonus of £13 ($63.26) a year, or 5s. ($1.22) a week,
and those receiving salaries between £200 and £213 were granted an'
increase sufficient to raise them to £213 ($1,036.56). These bonuses
were doubled in September, 1916.
On the Irish railways, which did not go under Government control
until January 1, 1917, the engineers have been granted bonuses aggre
gating 13s. ($3.16) a week, the firemen 12s. 9d. ($3.10), and all other
classes 5s. ($1.22) a week.
The present cost of all the increases is estimated by the railway
executive committee at $160,000,000 a year. With the exception of
one-fourth of the first bonus, borne by. the railway companies, all the
increases have been guaranteed by the Government.
According to available information the sole ground upon which
the employees based their demands was the rise in the cost of living.
This they ascertained from the Board of Trade figures published in
the Labor Gazette, which show monthly, for the country as a whole,
for large towns and for small towns, the percentage increases in the
retail prices of food over the prices in July, 1914. The railway
managers declined to accept these figures, and secured instead, also
from the Board of Trade, figures combining all items of ordinary family
expenditure—food, rent, clothing, fuel, light, etc. These percentage
increases were somewhat lower than those for food alone.
65801°—18-----8
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In order to compare the increased wages granted with the increased
cost of living there have been computed for the summary under
review the average weekly compensation per wage earner in 1913,
based on about 80 per cent of all railway employees, and the average
percentage increase in that compensation secured by each advance.
As overtime earnings must have been greater during the War than
in 1913, the actual increases must be somewhat larger than the figures
thus obtained.
The table following shows these average percentage increases
in wages over 1913, compared with the average percentage increases
over July, 1914, in the cost of living, at the dates on which the various
wage increases took effect. Comparing these figures, “ the conclusion
is clear that although railway wages in Great Britain have always
lagged behind the cost of living, each increase in these wages during
the War has not been far below the increase in the cost of living as
shown by British Government figures.’’
COMPARISON OP INCREASE IN COST OF LIVING A N D WAGE INCR EA SES D U R IN G
THE W AR.
Average
Average percentage
increase
of
percentage
wage
increase in
increases
cost of liv over aver
ing over
age com
July, 1914. pensation
in 1913.
Date.
Peb 15 1915.............................................................................................................. Î ...........
Oct ’ 17'1915.............................................................................................................................
Sept 1Ó 1916...........................................................................................................................
N ov 29 1917............................................................................................................................
15
27
45-50
70-75
80-85
7-11
15-20
35-40
50
75-80
WAGE INCREASES REPORTED BY AMERICAN CONSULS IN GREAT BRITAIN
AND CANADA.
Wage increases in certain trades in Dundee (Scotland) and in
Yorkshire (England) and affecting the Canadian Government Rail
ways clerks have been reported to this bureau by the State Depart
ment in the form of communications received from the American
consuls, respectively, at Dundee and Bradford, and at Moncton, New
Brunswick.
GREAT BR IT A IN .
It appears from recently published reports that in February, 1918,
an agreement was concluded between certain employers’ and opera
tives’ associations connected with the building trades of Scotland
for the adjustment of wages during the period of the War. The
American consul reports that the agreement provides for the sus
pension of the previously existing agreements and practices under
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which applications for general advances in wages have been dealt
with and for the substitution therefor of a special procedure whereby
the committee on production may be called upon to consider at
intervals of four months, namely, in February, June, and October,
what general alterations in wages, if any, are warranted by the ab
normal conditions then existing and due to the War. The agree
ment also provides that all negotiations on the wages question shall
be on a national basis and apply to all sections of the building trades.
The procedure seems to be to have a representative committee sub
mit, on behalf of all the building trades, a claim before the com
mittee on production with the understanding that whatever in
crease may be granted is to apply to all alike. A motion adopted
at the time the agreement was formulated permits the central com
mittee of the operatives’ association to act on its own initiative,
during the period of the War, in negotiations pertaining to wages and
to offer suggestions as to the amount of increase to be put forward.
Under date of May 4 the American consul at Dundee reports that
the first hearing under the agreement took place on April 22, when
an application for an advance of 12 cents an hour was considered.
The committee made its award on April 29, determining that work
men who since the outbreak of the War have received general advances
amounting to
cents an hour or upwards, but less than 10. cents
an hour, shall receive such further increase as shall make the advances
up to 10 cents an hour above prewar rates;, and that in cases in which
the general advances have amounted to less than ¥% cents an hour
the workmen concerned are to receive a further increase of 2 | cents
an hour.
Concerning the wages of harbor workers at Dundee the American
consul reports, under date of May 4, as follows:
The Dundee Harbor Trust have recently agreed to give an increase of 97 cents a
week to dockmasters and dockgatemen, of $2.67 to masters of Tay ferries steamers,
bringing up their wages to $15.56 per week; of $1.46 to mates, bringing up their pay to
$12.16 per week; and of 97 cents to others, bringing up their wages to $10.70 per week.
In regard to the pilots, it has been decided that a sum of $48.66 be paid to pilot
masters and pilots at the end of the present quarter, in addition to their fixed wage
and ordinary bonus. In view of the small surplus on the pilotage accounts, it has
been decided to place before the Board of Trade the whole state of the pilotage service,
with the view to the pilotage rates being increased.
A few weeks ago, according to a report dated May 1 received from
the American consul at Bradford (England), the employers and
workpeople in the dyeing and finishing trade in Yorkshire agreed
upon a sliding scale to regulate advances in wages, the increased
cost of living since the War as published in the Labor Gazette to be
used every three months to determine if any advance in the rate of
war wages is justified. The agreement provided that in the months
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of April, July, October, and, January a joint committee, consisting
of equal numbers of employers and trade-union representatives,
shall meet and examine the Labor Gazette for the purpose named.
Taking up the consul’s report at this point, it appears that—The committee met at Bradford on April 30 and ascertained that since the previous
increase a few weeks ago—when the advances ranged from 17s. 6 d. ($4.26) to £1 Os. 5d.
($4.97) per week—the cost of living had increased from 86 per cent to 87.5 per cent,
and that this involved a further increase in the rate of war wages, as follows:
Instead of 72.75 per cent in war wages now paid to time workers they will receive
75 per cent; piece workers will get 60 per cent instead of 58.25 per cent; hand pressers,
45 per cent instead of 43.75 per cent. These increases will come into force this week
and will be continued until the last day in July, when the joint committee will meet
again in order to discuss whether there shall be any variation.
CANADA.
The American consul at Moncton, New Brunswick, under date of
May 3, has submitted the following statement concerning higher
wages for Canadian Government Railways clerks:
In terms of a new schedule of wages agreed upon between the management of the
Canadian Government Railways and the Canadian Brotherhood of Railway Employees
several months ago the clerks in the various departments are now in receipt of their
current pay checks in which are included back time dating from December 1, 1917.
To all office employees increases of pay from $10 to $25 per month have been granted.
Fifty dollars has been made the minimum monthly compensation of female employees
in clerical positions who are 17 years of age or over. Satisfactory increases have also
been arranged for the outside employees who come within the scope of the Canadian
Brotherhood of Railway Employees. These include freight office clerks, shed em
ployees, and some others.
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MINIMUM WAGE,
ORDERS OF KANSAS INDUSTRIAL WELFARE COMMISSION REGARDING
EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN . 1
In the M o n t h l y R e v i e w for October, 1917 (p. 80) ,3 mention was
made of the promulgation by the Kansas Industrial Welfare Com
mission of three orders, two affecting the employment of females in
laundries and one in mercantile establishments. One of the laundry
decrees established 9 hours as the regular day’s work and provided
that no female person should be required to work more than 10 hours
in any one day nor more than 54 hours in any one week. A new
laundry decree has since been issued, effective May 14, 1918, reaffirm
ing the fixing of 9 hours as a regular day’s work, but prohibiting the
employment of females for more than 9 hours in any one day instead
of 10 hours as in the previous order. It also fixes $8.50 per week
for 54 hours’ labor as the minimum wage to be paid to a female,
“provided she shall have served a 6 months’ apprenticeship in laun
dry work, for which the wages shall be not less than $6.50 per week.’,
The decree is as follows:
ORDER AFFEC TING EMPLOYMENT OF F E M A L E S IN L A UN D R IES.
The Industrial Welfare Commission of the State of Kausas hereby orders that—
Ninc hours shall constitute a regular day’s work for female laborers in laundries in
the State; and no female person shall be required to work more than 9 hours in
any one day nor more than 54 hours in any one week. Said nine hours shall be con
secutive, except that not less than one hour shall be allowed for lunch, and no female
person shall be compelled to work more than six consecutive hours without such allow
ance of time for lunch.
Each employer in any laundry in the State of Kansas shall, within five days from
the time this order takes effect, post and thereafter keep posted in a conspicuous place,
within 5 feet of the main entrance or not more than 5 feet from the floor in the rooms
in which female persons are employed, a printed notice stating the number of hours
of work required of each of them each day, the hours of beginning and stopping work
and the hours when the time allowed for lunch begins and ends.
The minimum wage to be paid to any female employee in laundries shall be not
less than $8.50 per week for 54 hours’ labor, provided she shall have served a six
months’ apprenticeship in laundry work, for which the wage shall be not less than
$6.50 per week.
Said order shall become effective on and after May 14, 1918.
After such order is effective, it shall be unlawful for any employer in the State of
Kansas affected thereby to fail to observe and comply therewith, and any person who
violates said order shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and anyone convicted
thereof shall be punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars ($25) nor more
than one hundred dollars* ($10 0 ) for each such misdemeanor.
i Data furnished by the Kansas Industrial Welfare Commission, Topeka.
•S e e also M o n th ly R e v ie w for F e b ru a ry , 1918, p. 143, a n d for April, 1918, p. 203.
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MONTHLY LABOE EEVIEW.
EMPLOYMENT OF FEMALES IN HOTELS, R EST AU R A N T S, ETC.
The State public housekeeping board submitted to the industrial
welfare commission certain recommendations, which have been ap
proved and go into effect on July 22, 1918, affecting the hours of
labor of females in hotels, restaurants, and places where lunches and
meals are served to the public. These places are designated as 1‘em
ployers of females in the public housekeeping occupation” and are,
in the order, treated in two groups—those who elect to conduct their
business, respectively, on a seven-day-per-week schedule and on a
six-day-per-week schedule. Employers in the second group may not
require females to give more than 9 hours’ actual service per day nor
more than 54 hours per week, said day’s work to be performed within
a period of 13 consecutive hours, one hour of which shall be allowed
for meals. Employers in the first group may not permit their female
help to give more than 8 hours’ actual service per day, the other re
strictions being the same as for the second group. The employment
of minors in these occupations is limited to 8 hours in any one day
and 48 hours in any one week. Minors may not be employed between
7 p. m. and 7 a. m. This order is as follows:
Employers of female help in the public housekeeping occupation in the State of
Kansas shall elect to conduct their business on a seven-day-per-week schedule or a
six-day-per-week schedule.
Employers of female help conducting their business on a six-day-per-week schedule
shall not permit such help to give more than 9 hours’ actual service per day and
not to exceed 54 hours per week. Said d ay ’s work shall be performed within a period
of 13 consecutive hours, one hour of which period shall be allowed for meals. Said
hour shall not be included as any part of the day’s work.
. Employers of female help conducting their business on a seven-day-per-week
schedule shall not permit such help to give more than 8 hours’ actual service per day
and not to exceed 54 hours per week. Said day’s work shall be performed within
a period of 13 consecutive hours, 1 hour of which shall be allowed for meals.
Any female employee continuing work after midnight shall be considered a night
employee, and any employer using the six-day-per-week schedule shall not permit
night employees to work more than 8 hours within a period of 12 hours in any 24 hours
and not more than 48 hours in any one week. Employers using the seven-day-perweek schedule shall not permit night employees to work more than 7 hours within
a period of 12 hours in any 24 hours nor more than 48 hours per week.
Employers of minors in public housekeeping occupations in the State of Kansas
shall not permit such employees to work more than 8 hours in any one day nor more
than 6 days in any one week nor more than 48 hours in any one week. Minors shall
not be employed at night and their hours of service must be between 7 a. m. and 7
p. m.
An order relating to and governing hours of work and minimum
wages to be paid to females and minors working as telephone oper
ators is now the subject of hearings, after which its final approval by
the commission will be required before it becomes effective.
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EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN ON W AR WORK.
In order to obtain assistance in the work of regulating establish
ments employing female labor the industrial welfare commission
appointed a State war board to make recommendations affecting all
industries not regulated, giving special attention and consideration
to the condition of women in industry during the War. Numerous
appeals asking for a suspension of orders during war time prompted
the commission to request the war board to outline the policy which
shall govern its investigation of females employed on war work and
furnish a basis for its recommendations to the commission concerning
women workers during the period of the War. The war board accord
ingly issued an open letter, bearing the signatures of its nine members,
representing equally employers, employees, and the public generally,
which is being given general circulation throughout the State of
Kansas and is here reproduced in full.
AN OPEN LETTER .CONCERNING THE WOMEN WORKERS OF KANSAS.
This board, known as the war board, having been called together by the Industrial
Welfare Commission of the State of Kansas, deems it expedient to outline the purpose
of this board and to state the general principle to which we shall adhere in our inves
tigation and in any recommendations that we may hereafter make to the industrial
welfare commission. We most heartily adopt the views expressed in the recommenda
tions of Maj. Gen. Crozier, Chief of Ordnance of the United States Army, wherein
he said :
Industrial history proves that reasonable hours, fair working conditions, and a
proper wage schedule are essential to industrial production.”
It shall also be our aim to make such recommendations as to methods as will increase
the efficiency of women and minors and be advantageous in the successful conduct
of the War. In the supreme test of the Nation’s strength and endurance, continuous
production of war supplies is the great service which the workers are called upon to
perform. This aim can be attained only by insuring the health and welfare of these
workers. In order to secure the fullest working capacity, wage-earning women and
minors «must be assured proper hours, adequate remuneration and wholesome con
ditions of work. Moreover, all women workers must be protected against the bad
effects of overwork and unwholesome conditions, not merely as workers whose effi
ciency is needed in the War, but as citizens upon whose well-being the future of the
country largely depends. I t will be our purpose to see that existing legal standards be
rigidly maintained, and where these standards do not justly meet the demands of the
women workers as above set out, we purpose fairly and impartially to raise the stand
ards. We believe that adequate steps should be taken to safeguard all women em
ployees from fatigue and overstrain and by this means insure the highest state of effi
ciency among such workers.
As our investigation proceeds we will have occasion to make inquiry into the dif
ferent industries of Kansas where females and minors are employed and it shall be
our purpose to do exact justice to both employers and employees. The exigencies of
war have created, and will doubtless continue to create, a tendency on the part of
employers to ignore the rulings of the industrial welfare commission heretofore adopted
and to appeal to the commission for a suspension of these rulings during the con
tinuance of the War. We believe that such disposition on the part of employers i3
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
unwarranted and unwise and detrimental to the best interest of the women workers
of the State. I t interferes with the maximum production of war supplies and is not
to the best interest of the Nation in the prosecution of its war program.
In this view the war board is supported by the expressed recommendations of the
President of the United States, the Secretary of War, the Secretary of Commerce, the
Secretary of Labor, and the Council of National Defense. It shall be our purpose to
follow the recommendations made by Government officials with regard to the standards
for employment of women and we shall endeavor to work harmoniously with the
Government in its attem pt to bring about a high state of efficiency and the maximum
production of supplies, and to this end we shall make recommendations concerning
hours of labor for women and minors where they have not heretofore been fixed by
the commission, wages commensurate with the cost of living, prohibition of unneces
sary night work as a protection both morally and physically to women workers, rest
periods, time for meals, regular holidays, proper provision for seats, and the prohi
bition of excessive and unreasonable lifting, and many other recommendations which
will no doubt present themselves as our investigation proceeds.
REGULATION OF HOURS AND WAGES IN THE PEA CANNERIES OF
WISCONSIN.
On April 30, 1918, the Industrial Commission of Wisconsin issued
orders regulating the hours of employment and wages of woman
workers in pea canneries of the State. These orders establish 10
hours per day and 55 hours per week as the normal working period.
In emergencies woman workers may be employed overtime on not
more than 15 days during the pea-canning season, the total hours
worked, including overtime, not to exceed 12 in any day or 70 during
any week. The orders provide a minimum wage for inexperienced
female workers of 15 cents an hour during the regular working day
of 10 hours, and 22 cents an hour for overtime, and for experienced
workers a minimum of 18 cents an hour and 25 cents an hour for
overtime.
The commission states that—
From the testimony before the commission it is clear, that much of the work which
women do in pea canneries is comparatively light; but it is also monotonous work,
and in some plants is done under conditions characterized by excessive heat and great
humidity. The work of picking, at which a large number of women are employed in
pea canneries, is admitted to involve considerable eyestrain. Considering all factors,
the work of women in pea canneries is not of such a character as would warrant the
commission in reducing the hours of labor below those which prevail in other indus
tries. I t is equally clear from the testimony that this work is not so totally different
in character from that done by women in other employments as to warrant the com
mission in establishing a normal working day in excess of the 10 hours a day at day
work and 8 hours a night at night work permitted by the statutes. When normal
conditions prevail the pea canneries should comply with these restrictions as well as
all other places of employment.
In pea canning, however, abnormal conditions are quite frequently met with,
occasioned by breakdowns, bad weather, or climatic changes. On such occasions
the factory must operate longer than the normal hours or part of the food product will
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115
be lost. Shelled peas can not readily be kept overnight; hence it is always necessary
to can all peas on the same day on which they are vined. At such times it is desirable
that pea-canning factories should be permitted to employ their female help in excess
of 10 hours per day. In so far as overtime on such occasions is not prejudicial to the
life, health, safety, or welfare of the women employed, it should be permitted. But
the commission is convinced that women in pea-canning factories should not be
employed for more than 12 hours in any one day or for more than 70 hours in any pne
week.
The orders of the commission, made in accordance with the above
findings, are as follows:
Order No. 1: The normal working days for women in pea-canning factories shall
not exceed 10 hours a day or 55 hours a week, exclusive of mealtime.
Order No. 2 : When abnormal conditions prevail by reason of breakdowns, bad
weather or climatic changes, pea-canning factories which have complied with the
laws regarding safety and sanitation and the orders of the industrial commission
issued thereunder, and which have made due provision for observing Order No. 1 ,
while canning peas may employ women in the canning factory proper and in the
warehouse in excess of the statutory limit for women of 10 hours a day on not to exceed
15 days during the season, but not more than 12 hours on any day, and not more than
70 hours during any week, provided the following conditions are observed:
(a ) Women including permit girls who have not been employed in any pea-canning
factory prior to this season shall be paid not less than 15 cents per hour for'work
within the statutory limit for women of 10 hours a day, and not less than 22 cents
per hour for work in excess of this limit.
(b ) Women including permit girls who have been employed in any pea-canning
factory prior to this season shall be paid not less than 18 cents per hour for work
within the statutory limit for women of 10 hours a day and not less than 25 cents
per hour for work in excess of this limit.
(c) There must be a period of rest of at least 9 consecutive hours from the ending
of work on any one day to the beginning of work on the next day.
N o t e : A day shall be considered to be the 24 hours beginning at 6 o’clock a. m.
of each calendar day.
Order No. 3: Pea-canning factories must designate some one person in their plant
to see that these orders are observed, who will be held responsible jointly with the
employer for all violations. The name of this person must be submitted to the com
mission before the beginning of the canning season.
Order No. 4: Correct permanent time and statistical records shall be kept at each
plant, subject to the approval of the industrial commission and open to inspection
at all times, and a final report containing detailed information shall be made by the
employer to the commission on blanks furnished by the commission.
Order No. 5: Copies of these orders shall be posted and kept posted in at least
three different places in each factory.
April 30, 1918.
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WOMEN IN INDUSTRY,
WOMEN MUNITION WORKERS IN FRANCE.
B Y M A R Y C O N Y N G rTO N .
There is no question that women have played an important part
in the industrial life of France since the outbreak of the War. As
the men were mobilized, the women took their places, carried on
without interruption, as far as war conditions permitted, the ordinary
industries, helped to meet the tremendous demand for munitions,
filled the vacant clerical places, did their utmost in agriculture,
helped to man the depleted postal, express, and railway services,
and in general showed themselves able and more than willing to take
their part in a field of activity far wider than had ever been opened
to them before. But whereas in England the employment of women
in new occupations was a matter for cautious consideration and
much discussion, in France it was taken as a matter of course. Dis
cussions and reports concerning their new activities are conspicuous
by their rarity, and even to-day, nearly four years after the change
in their condition began, it is impossible to learn, except for the
establishments under the control of the factory inspectors, how far
the number of women employed has increased, or to secure details
as to the new occupations they have taken up, and how they have
fared therein.
For this matter-of-course attitude toward their work the economic
position occupied by women before the War seems to be largely
responsible. According to the traditional English idea, wage
earning was a man’s business, and a woman’s appearance in the
business or industrial world was theoretically a merely temporary
and accidental circumstance, or else a confession of poverty. In
France, on the contrary, although the women were expected, as a
matter of course, to be good housekeepers and devoted mothers,
they were also expected, as a matter of course, to share in the business
side of the family life. Throughout the middle classes it was the
natural thing for a woman on marriage to take a part in her husband’s
business, to keep the books, or go into the shop or store, or help in
the buying, or otherwise act as a business partner. Consequently,
when war called the men away, there was no particular opposition
to be overcome before women could take their places. They had
always helped in the family business; now the field of their activities
was extended, and they appeared in some kinds of work they had not
formerly engaged in, but the change was one of degree, not of kind.
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Another circumstance which prevented their employment from
taking as great a hold upon the popular imagination as in England
was the possibility of importing labor. In England, workers might
be brought in from Ireland to some extent, but the supply was
limited, ana. apart from it there was practically no chance of bringing
in outside help. But France could and did import male laborers in
great numbers. This policy was adopted in 1915, when a scarcity
of labor began to be felt, and by December, 1916, as officially
reported, 191,700 workers from the colonies and from foreign
countries were employed in industry, commerce, and agriculture,
and in particular in piunition work.1 The existence of this reserve
labor supply made it unnecessary for France to insist so strongly
upon the duty of women to enter industrial work. It was less
necessary to work up interest and enthusiasm over what they could
do in the way of patriotic service, and their employment was not
brought into the limelight as it was in England. There was even
some doubt whether in the interest of the race foreign labor should
not be relied upon altogether to meet the need of the hour, the indus
trial employment of women being restricted to its former level, or
perhaps even reduced.2 This view does not seem to have made
much headway, but its existence would have a tendency to keep
public authorities from stressing the importance of women’s work.
Owing to this general attitude it is not possible to follow the
development of new lines of work for women in France as it is in
England. In general, it may be said that, just as in England, the
outbreak of the War was followed by a severe crisis of unemploy
ment, which was felt more generally by the women than by the
men. The recovery was more rapid than it was in England, and by
the beginning of 1915 the number of the unemployed had sunk to
the prewar level.3 During 1915 it was found necessary to urge
women to enter industry, and to bring in workers from abroad. In
this article only munition workers are considered.
In France, even more than in Great Britain, one of the first and
most pressing necessities was an immense production of munitions,
but the methods adopted to secure this differed in the two countries.
The English Government took general control and oversight of the
munitions industries, carrying on a large part of the production in
national factories, and exercising a close control over private
employers to whom contracts were let. France at first relied almost
wholly on private enterprise, and though later on the Government
took a more direct share in production, private employers still
control a large part of the industry. In 1915 an English commis1Bulletin du Ministère du Travail, Paris, September-November, 1916, p. 429.
* See, for example, La France pays ouvrier, by Pierre Hamp, Paris, 1916, pp. 58-81.
* Bulletin des Usines de Guerre, Paris, Peb. 18,1918, p. 337.
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sion visited France “ to report on the causes which have contributed
to the enormous increase which has taken place in the production
of munitions in that country, notwithstanding that one-eighth of
the country and five-eighths of the former metallurgical activity
are in the hands of the enemy.” They found the Government
taking almost no direct part in the production:
I t is remarkable that this effort is due to private enterprise. No factories have been
subsidized by the Government, nor have loans of any kind been made to the owners.
The owners have, at competitive prices, taken orders from the Government, and on
the strength of these orders have purchased land, built factories, procured machinery,
and now depend on the contract prices for reimbursement of their outlay and for
gaining the profit to which they are entitled.1
•
The commission found that the small shop formed an important
factor in the production of munitions, machine operations being its
special field. It was estimated that at that time there were 1,800 of
these small shops in the Paris district alone. These were frequently
family affairs in which the question of the sex of the worker was
hardly raised. The women of the family took their part, as a
matter of course, and if outside workers were added as demands
increased, there was no prejudice against women workers to be
overcome. The report cites the case of one small shop in which
the day shift was superintended by the father and daughter, and
the night shift by the mother and son:
Although the shop was of meager proportions and the equipment poor, very satis
factory output was effected, due no doubt to the spirit which dominated everyone
employed in it. In another case, a very small shop, the work had been superintended
by the wife of the owner, who was serving in the army. The woman worked herself
to death, and the husband was ordered back from the army to continue the work she
had been doing.2
It is difficult to get precise data as to the number of women
employed in munition work, owing partly, perhaps, to their being
thus scattered through small shops. Some indication of their
increasing employment is found in the following figures:
NUM BER OF WOMEN R EPO R T ED AS EM PLOYED IN M UNITION MAKING AT SPECIFIED
PERIODS.3
In private
establish
ments.
Date.
July, 1915 4.............................................................................................
January, 1916.........................................................................................
January, 1917...................................................................................
January, 1918.........................................................................................
30,000
83,007
297,165
322,067
In State
establish
ments.
14,162
26,293
63,366
77,534
Total.
44,102
109,300
360,531
399,631
1 Great Britain, Ministry oi Munitions, Report on the output of munitions in France, December, 1915,
p. 3. (Cd. 8187.)
3 Idem, p. 4.
3 Bulletin du Minister!) du Travail, July-August, 1915, pp. 180, 181; January-February, 1916, p. 7; January-February, 1918, p. 6. (The figures for 1917 and 19ls are calculated from percentages given in the
bulletin last quoted.)
4 The figures for private establishments were taken in the latter half of July, while those for State estab
lishments are for June 30.
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The proportion which women formed of the total number of
workers in these establishments rose from 14 per cent in January,
1916, to 23 per cent in January, 1918.
During 1914 and the first par-t of 1915, the difficulty was to secure
employment for idle workers rather than to secure workers, and no
record can be found of any effort to increase the number of women
employed. During the latter part of 1915 the demand for workers
outstripped the supply, and laborers were brought in from French
colonies and from foreign countries.1 But there were several objec
tions to this policy, and in 1916 the Government began to urge the
more extensive employment of women, especially in munition work.
In July, 1916, the controller of military work in Park published an
appeal to employers to substitute women for the men withdrawn
for the army wherever this might be practicable, and cited numer
ous operations in the manufacture of munitions in which they had
been found satisfactory. In the same month appeared an official
announcement forbidding the employment of mobilized men on
specified operations in munition factories, and expressly reserving
these operations for women.2 A week later an official note was
published, pointing out operations apart from the manufacture of
shells which women could undertake. In this note it was urged
that good working conditions should be provided and that women
should not be discouraged by having their piece rates cut as they
gained dexterity. “ Overseers and foremen are urged not to be too
severe, and to remember that the presence of these women is urgently
necessary for the national welfare. ” 3 Soon after this the War Office
advocated the transfer of women from places where their work was
not needed to munition centers where they could be employed upon
work of national importance. Careful arrangements for such trans
fers were outlined. Employers wishing to secure such workers
were required to submit an application covering the following points: i
(1)
The kind of work to which the women thus secured should be put. (2) The
wages offered, w hether a t piece rate or by the day; also w hether work would be by
night or by day. (3) W hether the employer wovdd furnish lodging; if so, w hether in
dormitories or chambers; how m any beds in each? (4) W hether th e employer expects
to furnish board? (5) If the employer does not furnish board and lodging, what
arrangements can the women make for these in th e neighborhood?
Appeals to employers to take advantage of this means of securing
additional workers appeared rather frequently thereafter in official pub
lications, and later in the year employers were urged to extend the list
of operations turned over to women. It was pointed out that women
1 F o r d etails, see M o n th ly R e v ie w , A u g u st, 1917, p. 117.
* Bulletin des Usines de Guerre, Paris, July 17,1916, p. 95; July 24,1916, p. 101.
» Id e m , J u ly 31, 1916.
* Idem, Aug. 28,1916.
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are especially fitted for operations requiring care and precision, and
examples were given of establishments in which they have been
employed successfully in the most delicate operations of tool making.
Accounts were given also of methods by which in various establish
ments they were being trained for skilled work.
By the end of the year 1916 all the women readily obtainable were
at work, and the public employment bureaus were called upon to look
up further sources of supply. Women who were accustomed to work
for wages, it was admitted, were for the most part employed, the excep
tions being mainly those who were kept at home by the care of small
children or invalid dependents ; but much might be done by recruiting
among women who had never been industrially employed. It was
advised that a beginning should be made among those receiving
allotments, either as refugees or as dependents of men in military
service; it would be well to commence by presenting the matter
gently to them, the need of the country for their services should be set
forth, and doubtless they would respond. It was urged that at
the very least an inquiry should be made among these women in each
locality to find out how many of those aged 21 or over were without
young children or other ties which would interfere with their employ
ment.1 The figures given above show how successful these efforts
were in increasing the number of women employed in munition work.
FORMER OCCUPATIONS.
As a result of these various measures the number of women munition
workers increased from 44,162 in 1915 to an estimated total of 399,631
at the beginning of 1918. As was the case in England, these were
brought in from a variety of other pursuits or from household life.
In 1915 the British commission already referred to found that the
1,887 women employed in one large factory had previously been
occupied as follows:2
Number. Per cent.
Housewives.......................................................................
Domestic servants or children’s nurses........................................................
Factory employees..........................................................................................
Mechanics..................................................................
Clerks................................................................................................................
Dressmakers, milliners, garment makers.....................................................
Lace makers and embroiderers......................................................................
Various occupations........................................................................................
400
103
311
21.2
5. 5
16.5
4
.2
232
641
24
172
12.3
34.0
1. 2
Total................................................................... ................................... 1,887
100.0
9 .1
These data were collected in 1915, at a time when little if any
effort had been made to induce women to take up munition work,
yet they show that 27 per cent of the women had come either directly
Bulletin du Ministère du Travail, Paris, January-March, 1917, p. 3*.
Great Britain, Ministry of Munitions, Report on output of munitions in France, December, 1915, p. 9.
(Cd. 8187.)
1
2
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from their homes or from nonindustrial pursuits. This is a trifle
over the proportion—25 per cent—of the English women in muni
tion work in 1917 who are estimated to have come from the same
sources. In 1916 a writer on the labor problem gave the following
data as to the former occupations of 4;463 women employed in a
shell factory at Lyons:1
Per
Number.
Housewives and domestics........................................................................ i 326
In needlework trades...................................................................................y 320
Factory h a n d s .. ; ........................................................................................
690
01erks.............................................................................................................
360
Various occupations.....................................................................................
531
No occupation..............................................................................................
236
Total................................................................................................... 4,463
cent.
29. 7
29. 6
15 5
8.0
9
5.3
100.0
Here the percentage coming from nonindustrial or no pursuits is
noticeably higher, yet these figures, too, were collected before def
inite efforts to enlist housewives and unemployed women had been
launched. Unfortunately, no general figures on this subject are
at hand, and it can not be said whether these two factories are
typical of conditions in the industry as a whole.
HOURS.
On the 2d, 5th, and 14th of August, 1914, the minister of labor
addressed circulars to the divisional inspectors, instructing them
to permit overtime work and other relaxations of the factory laws
in view of the national emergency. Enforcement of the factory
laws should take second place, and the inspectors should devote
themselves primarily to securing the most intense production pos
sible. Prosecutions for violations of the factory laws should be
undertaken only when an employer, after warning, persisted in
practices plainly detrimental to the health of his force.2
These sweeping relaxations led to some abuses, and on August 22
the minister issued another circular, stating that complaints had
been received that some employers were requiring unreasonably
long hours from their employees, although severe unemployment
prevailed in their neighborhood. In such cases the inspectors
were to insist that the employer increase his force rather than his
hours, excepting only when the work of national defense might be
interfered with by this policy.3 Thereafter the question of hours
dropped out of sight for some considerable time. The English com
mission reported that practically all the factories ran night as well
as day shifts, and that women worked the same hours as men. In
some cases the three-shift system prevailed. Elsewhere the night
La France pays ouvrier, by Pierre Hamp, Paris, 1916, p. 49.
Bulletin de ¡’Office du Travail, October-December, 1914, pp.
* Idem, p. 100*.
1
2
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MONTHLY LABOE BEVIEW.
shift usually worked 10 hours, with one hour for the midnight break.
The day shifts began at from 6 to 7 a. m., had a break of from one
to two hours in the middle of the day, and stopped work at from
6 to 8 p. m., giving a working day of from 10 to 12 hours. The
Saturday hours were as long as those of other days, but the com
mission states that “ in some cases no work is done on Sundays after
noon.” Bad timekeeping was exceedingly rare. “ The time lost
by the working people does not exceed on the average 1 per cent
of the total time.” The commission was emphatic in' stating that
the workers did not appear to suffer from the long hours:
There is no evidence of fatigue from the long hours worked either on day shift or
night shift. This is worthy of note, as the temperature of the shops is so high as to
make the atmosphere oppressive, and even at this temperature the workpeople have
rigged up screens to prevent any draft playing on them. Perhaps the best evidence
of the absence of industrial fatigue is afforded by the intensity of production and
the good timekeeping. On the other hand, it must be kept in view that the long
break in the middle of the day, and the absence of overtime beyond the usual working
hours, have no doubt an important bearing on this question . 1
Other observers speak of the effect of the long dinner hour in
warding off fatigue, while still others attribute this result to the spirit
in which the French take their work.. “ They work hard,” we are
told, “ but as soon as they stop they stop altogether and don’t let the
thought of their work weigh on them. They are fond of company,
and they gather together at their dinner and rest periods, and sing
and jest and enjoy themselves, going back to their work fresh and
invigorated.” Whatever the cause, the result seems unquestioned.
In 1917 some restrictions began to be imposed. On June 29 the
minister of armaments issued a circular declaring that thenceforth
one day of rest weekly should be given all women working in State
munition factories. This rest must be given to the workers col
lectively, and by preference on Sunday, although if the circum
stances of the case called for it, another day might be substituted.
Only under very exceptional circumstances should the weekly rest
be given up, and then only temporarily. July 1, 1917, another cir
cular followed, setting the limit of a day’s work for women at 10
hours, “ broken by one or several periods of rest, amounting to at
least one hour.” 3
NIGHT WOS.K.
At the time of the visit of the English commission women were
not numerously employed at night, but this condition was already
changing :
Not much female labor is employed on night shift. So far the tendency is to have
a female day shift and male night shift. This, however, is being modified, and
1 Great Britain, Ministry of Munitions, Report on output of munitions in France, December, 1915,p. 7.
(Cd 8187.)
* Bulletin du Ministère du Travail, Paris, Junc-July, 1917, pp. 62*, 63*.
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probably women will, to a large extent, be engaged on night shift.
shifts are worked, the women are of course engaged during the night. 1
123
Where three
Thereafter the number of women employed at night increased so
rapidly that six months later the Committee on Women’s Work 2
protested against the situation, and on June 29, 1916, an official
notice was issued restricting night work for women. The inspectors
were instructed that the employment at night of girls under 18 was not
to be permitted, and that the employment of women aged 18 to 21 might
be allowed only when there was a real scarcity of older labor, and then
only for limited periods. Older women might not be employed at
night if they were in delicate health, or had young children whose care
would prevent their resting properly by day, or were anticipating
motherhood. Women on night shift should not work more than 10
hours at the outside, and the time should be less.3
The situation continued unsatisfactory, however, and on June 6,
1917, at the instance of the Committee on Women’s Work, an inves
tigation was undertaken by the factory inspectors to see how far the
above directions were being enforced.4 The investigation was con
fined to the establishments under the control of the divisional inspec
tors, excluding those industries, such as sugar refining, in which the
emplo}Tment of adult women at night is specially authorized. None
of the arsenals or other establishments conducted by the Ministries
of War and the Navy were included, nor were any establishments
covered in which women were employed at night only temporarily
or under exceptional circumstances. Thus limited the investigation
included 787 establishments, in which 164,267 women and girls were
employed. Of these, 58,784, or 36 per cent, were employed at night.
Among these night workers were found 1,576 girls between 16 and
18 years old, employed in 165 establishments, and 519 younger than
16, employed in 60 establishments. The hours in these night shifts
varied as follows:
N u m b e r o f .e sta b lish m e n ts w o r k in g sp e c ifie d h o u r s a t n ig h t.
and under 8 hours................................................................................. 11
8 and under 9 hours.................................................................................
54
9 and under 10 hours............................................................................... 72
10 and under 11 hours................................................................................. 565
11 and under 12 hours......................................................................
76
12 hours.......................................................................................................
9
6
In 163 of these establishments (21 per cent) the length of the night
shift was over 10 hours. In 44 the night shift worked longer hours
1 Great Britain, Ministry of Munitions, Report on output of munitions in France, December, 1915, p. 5.
(Cd. 8187.)
2 For scope of this committee’s work see p. 126.
s Bulletin du Ministère du Travail, Paris, July-August, 1916, p. 131*.
. 4 A report of this investigation is given in the Bulletin du Ministère du Travail, Paris, January-February, 1918, pp. 33-37.
65801°—18---- 9
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124
than the day shift, and in 38 of these the night hours exceeded both
the day hours and the 10-hour limit set by the ministerial circular
of June, 1916. The investigators mentioned that in 34 establish
ments not included in the above list the employment of women had
been given up before the investigation had begun.
The investigators reported an evident effort to make night work as
easy for women as possible. A number of reasons were advanced for
the use of women and girls and for the hours they worked. In the
region about Nancy, the employment of young girls at night was
explained on the ground of the general disorganization of industry
caused by the repeated bombardments. In other localities the length
of the night shift was explained as due to the necessity of allowing for
time lost by incursions of enemy aircraft. “ Those make it necessary
to suspend work frequently, sometimes as often as four or five times
in one night.” Some employers stated that they put young people
on the night shift at the request of the parents themselves. “ When
either the fathers or the mothers or both work on a night shift they
demand that their young sons or daughters shall work on the same
shift with them, saying that in this way it is easier to arrange the
family life with respect to meals, sleep, and the proper oversight of
the young people.”
Some of the employers investigated gave up night work for women
as a consequence of the representations made by the inspectors,
while others diminished the number employed. In December, 1917,
the committee on women’s work, after long discussion of the report,
expressed pleasure at the progress made in reducing the employment
at night of women and young girls, but urged the abolition of all such
work for females as rapidly as possible, and its immediate abolition
for girls under 18. They also asked that reports on this subject should
be made every three months.
February 11, 1918, the minister of armaments called upon the labor
controllers to investigate and report upon the employment of women
at night, directing at the same time that such work should be sup
pressed as quickly as practicable.1 The results of this investigation
are not jmt available.
WAGES.
The question of women’s wages did not come to the front for some
time. In November, 1914, an official circular directed the inspectors
to investigate and report on the wages paid workers on army sup
plies. Complaints had been received that employers who had taken
contracts for such goods were pa}fing wages below the normal stan
dard of their districts, and the military authorities were determined,
if this practice existed, to break it up.2 In April, 1915, another cir1 Bulletin des Usines de Guerre, Paris, Feb. 18, 1918.
* Bulletin de 1’Office du Travail, October-Decernber, 1914, p. 100*.
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cular declared that further contracts would be refused to employers
offending in this way, and that thenceforth contracts would contain
what was practically a “fair wages” clause.1 Later, in October,
1915, came a ministerial circular stating that certain employers
holding army contracts had been cutting piece rates as the workers
gained dexterity, and declaring with convincing emphasis that this
practice would not be tolerated.2 These circulars, however, dealt
with wages generally, and contained no reference to women’s wages
apart from men’s. Towards the close of 1915 the British commission
reported that practically all the work, except “ tool-room work, set
ting up and floor laboring” was paid at piece-rate prices, the rates
for men and women being the same. They also added that “ no
applications for general advances in wages have been made by the
workpeople since the commencement of the War.” 3
Early in 1916 a ministerial circular was issued, stating that the
number of women in munition work had so increased that it was neces
sary to lay down some general principles concerning their payment.
Three classes were distinguished:
(1) Women on women’s work. These must be paid the normal
and current rate of the district for work of that kind.
(2) Women on work which had not been done before the War and
which therefore could not be regarded as being either men’s or
women’s. Rates for such work should be fixed on the basis of rates
currently paid for the kind of work most nearly resembling it already
in use.
(3) Women on work recognized as men’s. If the women performed
all the work they should be paid the same rates as the men, but if they
had the help of men in some part of the work, or if special machinery
had been installed to bring the work within their power, deductions
might be made for these things. Their total earnings, however, plus
what was paid to the men, or plus a fair allowance for the cost of the
extra appliances, should equal the total which would be paid to men
engaged on such work.
If, owing either to the increasing cost of living or to the introduction
of improved machinery or methods, it should become desirable to
change rates once fixed, this should be done in accordance with gen
eral principles applying equally to both sexes. Special or local cir
cumstances might make it difficult to apply general principles without
causing inconvenience or even hardship. To meet this situation, the
minister declared his intention of forming a committee on women’s
work, before whom such cases should be brought, and whose decision,
when approved by the minister, should be authoritative.4
Bulletin du Ministère du Travail, May-June, 191.5, p. 30*.
Idem, November-December, 1915, p. 119*.
8 Great Britain, Ministry of Munitions, Report on output of munitions in France, 1915, p. 7.
4 Bulletin du Ministère du Travail, January-February, 1916, pp. 35*-38*.
1
2
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
Toward the end of 1916 the increasing cost of living brought about
some disputes over wages, leading in some cases to strikes in munition
factories, and to prevent further difficulty of this kind a presidential
decree authorized the formation of permanent councils of conciliation
and arbitration before which industrial disputes were required to be
brought, the right both to strike and to lock out being thenceforth
denied to munition workers and employers. As a part of the work of
these boards, minimum rates were to be fixed in each Department,
the minimum being always sufficient to permit an average worker
to earn a living wage.1 The basic time rates fixed for women in the
Department of the Seine under this plan were lower than those for
men—(men’s rate, 1 franc (19.3 cents) per hour, women’s, 0.75 franc
(14.5 cents)—but piece rates were the same for both. By August,
1917, rates had been fixed for munition factories in all the important
industrial districts, and later, as the cost of living continued to rise,
it was arranged that while these rates should remain unchanged, a
system of bonuses, varying according to the fluctuations in prices,
should be adopted.2
There are no figures available showing how women fared under these
wage regulations. One writer, describing a visit to a large munition
factory at Lyon, in which about 7,000 women were employed, says
that they were able to earn from 4 to 14 francs (77.2 cents to $2.70)
a day,3 but there is nothing to show how these earnings compare, in
real value, with those of prewar days. Another writer says that
employment in munitions work “ has brought about a considerable
and necessary increase in women’s wages. They have learned to
know the value of their labor.” 4
W ELFA R E W O E S,
In the early days of the War the public authorities tried to prevent
underpayment and overwork for the munition employees by means
of fair wages clauses and the supervision of the factory inspectors,
but further than this they did not think it necessaiy to go. In
1916, when it became evident that the War was to be a longer affair
than had at first been hoped, a special Committee on Women’s Work
was formed, to consider and give advice on questions of women’s
wages, on methods of securing and employing women, on the organi
zation of canteens, crèches, and the like, and to take general over
sight of matters pertaining to the health and morals of women
engaged on munition work.5 From tins time on orders have been
issued with the view of limiting night work for women, establishing
1 Bulletin des Usines de Guerre, Paris, Jan. 22,1917, p. 305.
s Idem, Aug. 27,1917, p. 139; Dec. 31,1917, p. 286.
! Problèmes Économiques nés de la Guerre, by André Le Bon, Paris, 1918, p. 180.
* La France pays ouvrier, by Pierre Hamp, Paris, 1916, p. 58.
sBulletin du Ministère du Travail, Paris, June, 1916, p. 98*.
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127
good working conditions, and generally safeguarding them, espe
cially the mothers and the young girls. Just as was the case in
England, it was found necessary to make special provisions for the
numbers of new workers brought into regions not equipped for their
accommodation. Employers provided what was needed in varying
degrees. Frequently they were obliged to build hostels and install
canteens; some went much further. At the national establishment
for manufacturing explosives at Sevran-Livry a complete village
was built, “ in which the workers of both sexes who had come from
a distance might live in the best conditions both of hygiene and
comfort.” 1
In many cases less' ambitious efforts were made to accommodate
the workers. On the ground that the difficulties arising from the
immense influx of workers demanded some outside intervention, a
private association was formed in the spring of 1917 to meet -ome
of the deficiencies in these accommodations, which began by providing
comfortable canteens, with rest and recreation rooms attached, for
women workers in munition factories. The line of work to which
the greatest attention was directed was that of providing for the
care of babies whose mothers were in munition factories, and espe
cially of seeing that the employment of the mothers did not prevent
the babies from being properly nursed. From time to time minis
terial circulars were issued,2 setting forth the provisions which must
be made in establishments working for the State in order to secure
the proper care of expectant mothers, and of each mother and baby
during the first year of the latter’s life. In a country where even
before the War the falling birth rate was a source of grave concern,
there was naturally anxiety as to the effect of the employment of
mothers both on the birth rate and on infantile mortality. Con
sequently, employers were urged to see that women had a period of
rest, with pay, both before and after confinement, and to fit up
nurseries, where mothers might leave their babies under good care
while they were at work, and nursing rooms, where they might go to
nurse their babies at suitable intervals, without loss of pay for the
time thus used. With a view to making these provisions more
effective, the Conseil National de Paris offered in 1917 a training
course on the theory and practice of baby care for those wishing to
fit themselves for positions as attendants in such day nurseries and
crèches. A similar course was soon after established at Rouen. In
the fall of 1917 the Committee on Women’s Work was strongly
urging the addition of crèches and day nurseries to all hostels erected
for employees.
Bulletin des Usines de Guerre, Paris, Nov. 5, 1917, p. 217.
For terms of such circulars see the Monthly R eview , July, 1917, p. 39; January, 1918, p. 69; February,
1918, p. 213.
1
2
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TR AIN ING AND OUTPU T OF WOMEN.
The French have not, as the British have, established training
courses and factories in which women are prepared to take up
skilled work. At the outset they were trained, as far as any train
ing was needed for what they did, by the men with whom they
worked. “ In some cases a man will teach a woman, who will then
take his place and teach another woman, and thereafter be promoted
and replaced as a teacher by her pupil.” 1 Later on, when it was
desired to put women to work demanding a little more skill, the
same method was adopted as in England at the beginning of the
war—a group of women were put on machine work, a man being
told off to supervise, to keep the machines in order, to adjust and
repair tools, and generally to do what the women were not capable
of doing themselves. In other cases a woman would be set to work
as a helper to a man; sometimes she would be assigned to him as
a kind of apprentice, being expected to pick up his work as rapidly
as possible. In March, 1917, the minister of armaments addressed
a circular to the directors of artillery establishments, pointing out
the need of training more workers for skilled operations and giving
details of a plan for offering this training.2 Women, especially those
who wore young and had shown aptitude for the work, were to be
included in this training. Even before this occasional references had
appeared in different ministerial circulars to women employed in
work demanding both skill and training. Presumably these have
been trained by individual employers for work in their own shops.
The necessity for intense production has led to the installation of
automatic machinery and subdivision of labor, two conditions which
are usually favorable to a good production on the part of women.
Where ^rongth is a requisite the women are said to be less effective
than men, but where dexterity and swiftness count, their output is
the better. A former factory inspector of France, writing of the !
condition of French working women, says that the system of deduc
tions from their piece rates on account of improved devices or mas
culine help tends to increase their output.
At the lathes for 155-shells the women have been provided with pneumatic tackle, \
and for this reason get a “ quarter less,” while men have a higher wage because they i
handle the shells by hand. Yet the women succeeded in turning more shells in a
day than the men. The women thus obliged to produce 125 pieces while the work
men produce only 100 force themselves continually. * * * War industry has used
women to speed up production. They have frequently set a new pace in factories 1
where it was insufficient. 3
1 Great Britain, Ministry of Munitions, Report on output of munitions in France, December, 1915, p. 6 .
(Cd. 8187.)
2 Bulletin du Ministère du Travail, Paris, April-May, 1917, p. 44*; summarized in Monthly R eview , I
October, 1917, p. 43.
8 “ War and the French working woman,” by Pierre Hamp, in the New Republic, June 1,1918, p. 145.
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Officially France has not, up to a recent period, displayed much
interest in the question of how the women engaged in these new occu
pations may fare at the close of the War. There has been some dis
cussion of the matter by various writers on economic and social
problems, in which some anxiety appears as to the effect of their com
petition in lowering wages, but the main concern has been as to the
effect on the race of their economic emancipation. When the great
increase in the employment of women began some writers argued
strongly against the admission of women to the new and better paid
occupations, stating frankly that if a woman can earn living wages
there is little chance that she will marry, or, marrying, consent to
bear children.1 The Government, however, does not seem to share
this fear, for it has lately called on the Committee on Women’s Work
to investigate and report on the best wray of utilizing industrially
the women who will be set free as the demand for munitions declines.
The committee, after taking counsel with trade-unionists, women
leaders, social workers, and large employers, decided that the first
step was to make a survey of the women at present employed, and of
the demand likely to exist for their services at the close of the War.
They have accordingly sent out to employers a questionnaire, asking
each to return full details as to the number of women at present
employed, with their industrial history, and also to give an outline
of what plans the employer has for his own business after the War,
stating how many women he will then wish to employ. The com
mittee also asked for the opinions of those questioned as to the best
steps to be taken in order that the “ valuable collaboration” which
women have given to munition work may be continued to the advan
tage of peace industries.2 The results of this investigation are not
yet at hand.
WOMAN AND CHILD LABOR IN TENNESSEE.
The activities of the Tennessee Department of Workshop and
Factory Inspection, in its efforts to enforce the laws affecting employ
ment of woman and child workers, are set forth in the fifth annual
report of the department, covering the 13 months ending December
31, 1917.3 The report states that although there were conclusive
reasons to believe that some employers were overworking their girl
employees, the difficulty has been to provide proof of this in such
1 “ The higher a woman’s wages the greater will be her unwillingness to bear children, and the smaller,
if she does have any, will be their chance of survival, since the mother in her desire to continue her earnings
will as soon as possible leave her baby to the care of others and to the risks of artificial feeding. The more
women in the factories, the fewer babies in the homes.”—La Trance pays ouvrier, by Pierre Hamp, Paris,
1916, p. 59.
2 Bulletin des Usines de Guerre, Paris, Mar. 11,1918, p. 367.
8 Fifth Annual Report of the Department of Workshop and Factory Inspection of Tennessee. Dec. 1,
1916, to Dec. 31,1917. N ashville [1918]. Pp. 44-59.
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form that juries, attorneys general, and judges may be convinced and
prosecutions carried on successfully. It is added, however, that the
only law that looks exclusively to the moral welfare of the female
employees—that requiring toilets separate and apart from those in
use by male employees in the same establishment—is generally
observed.
During the period covered by the report 712 regular inspections
were made in 543 plants employing 26,542 female workers. In 668
inspections the hours of labor were noted and in 233 of these (34.9
per cent) the hours of work w'ere 10 to 10J per day but not more than
57 per week, which is the limit allowed by law. In only 108 cases
(16.2 per cent) were the working hours 8 per day and not more than
48 per week. In 598 cases (89.5 per cent) separate toilets were found
to be installed and in satisfactory condition.
Instances of employment of women in occupations formerly open
only to men are cited, but it is stated that the number so employed
on December 31 was probably not more than 1,500 in the entire
State.
The child-labor law of Tennessee, passed in April, 1917, went into
effect simultaneously with the Federal child-labor law; that is, in
September, 1917. It prohibits the employment of minors for more
than 8 hours per day 6 days in the week. Under its provisions a new
method for establishing the ages, etc., of children was inaugurated
and placed in the hands of the superintendent of schools, thus ren
dering ineffective all the affidavits of parents that had theretofore
sufficed to establish such facts. The department expresses the opin
ion that “ under this new law as at present administered there is less
illegal employment of children than ever before in the history of the
State, and a more general voluntary compliance with the law by
employers. The employment of young children in Tennessee is really
passing out of existence, since, where it may at present exist—-because
officials have not yet been able to find it—we may conclude it will
be reached and abolished during the early months of the present year.”
During the 13 months ending December 31, 1917, 210 industries
employing 1,788 children were inspected. In these industries 54
children were found to be under 14 years of age, all of whom were
subsequently discharged. A very large proportion, however, were
found to bo working illegal hours, 1,663, or 93 per cent, being employed
for more than 8 hours per day. Practically all of these cases were
corrected by orders.
The report gives a table showing the average wages paid to 629
females and to 147 minors as reported by 622 establishments employ
ing a total of 26,422 females and 1,784 children. The following is a
summary of this table:
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CLASSIFIED W E E K L Y W AGES PAID IN 1917 TO FEM ALES A N D MINORS IN T E N N E S
SEE
Number of employees receiving each specified weekly wage.
Item.
$3 to
$4.
Tamales......... .
Minors
16
150
$4 to
$5.
49
49
$5 to
$6 .
112
31
$ 6 to
$7.50.
142
»17
i Including 13 receiving $2 to $3 per week.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
$7.50
to $9.
122
$9 to
$1 2 .
120
to
$15.
$12
59
9
629
147
* Receiving over $6 per week.
*
[1 3 1 ]
Over
$15.
Per
cent reTotal. ceiving
$9 and
under.
70
100
AGREEMENTS BETWEEN EMPLOYERS AND
EMPLOYEES.
AGREEMENT FOR ADJUSTMENT OF RAILROAD LABOR DISPUTES.
The May, 1918, issue of the M o n t h l y R e v i e w contained (pp.
180-182) the text of an agreement for the adjustment of railroad
labor disputes arrived at between the Railroad Administration,
represented by its regional directors, and the various brotherhoods
of employees, having for its purpose the speedy and equitable
adjustment of any controversy that might arise. It provided for
the appointment of the Railroad Board of Adjustment No. 1 to
handle all controversies not promptly adjusted by officials and
employees of any railroad operated by the Government. This
agreement, which was made effective by the Director General in
General Order No. 13, has been supplemented by a further under
standing which provides for the creation of a committee to be
known as Railroad Board of Adjustment No. 2, to consist of 12
members, 6 to be selected by the regional directors and compensated
by the railroads, and 1 each by the chief executive officer of each of
the 6 organizations of employees signatory to the agreement and
compensated by such organization. Further than providing for
the creation of this board oi adjustment No. 2 and the omission of
article 6, which is applicable only to the board of adjustment No. 1,
the new agreement is identically the same as that published in the
M o n t h l y R e v i e w for May, to which reference has been made.
The signers to the new agreement are as follows :
A. H. Smith, C. H. Markham, and R. H. Aishton, regional directors,
representing the railroads in their respective regions; and J. F. An
derson, acting president,1 International Association of Machinists;
Louis Weyand, acting president, International Brotherhood of
Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders and Helpers of America; G. C.
Van Domes, acting president, International Brotherhood of Black
smiths and Helpers; F. H. Knight, acting president, Brotherhood of
Railway Carmen of America; Otto E. Hoard, acting president,
Amalgamated Sheet Metal Workers’ International Alliance; Frank J.
McNulty, president International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
The agreement was made effective by General Order No. 29 issued
by the Director General of Railroads on May 31, 1918.
LAs to the signing of this agreement by acting presidents the Director General explains:
The foregoing memorandum of an understanding has been signed for certain of the organizations by
* acting president.” This was made necessary by the inability of the presidents of these organizations to
be present m person. The signatures of the acting presidents have been properly authorized and are
accepted by the organizations as though signed by the presidents.
132
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EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT.
ACTIVITIES OF THE UNITED STATES EMPLOYMENT SERVICE.
The United States Employment Service on June 15 had approxi
mately 400 offices in the Federal system, extending from coast to
coast and from Canada to the Gulf. These offices comprise all Fed
eral, State, and municipal offices which were in operation in January
last, when the service was organized on a war basis, and a large
number of new offices. Through the recruiting, clearing, and dis
tributing facilities thus afforded about 6,000 worker’s are being placed
every day on farms and in shipyards, munition plants, and other
war industries. The placement rate increased 800 per cent in the
period from January to May, inclusive.
WOMAN’S D IVISION . 1
Thirty-one of the branch offices of the Employment Service now
have woman’s divisions, each in charge of a capable woman skilled in
placement work. This is nearly three times the number at the begin
ning of the year. Reports from these offices periodically received at
headquarters in Washington indicate very satisfactory results of the
efforts being made by the Federal service to respond to calls by
employers for woman labor and to place in profitable employment
the thousands of women who appeal for help. During the five
months ending May 31, 1918, approximately 60,000 women were
given work, the following table showing the number placed each
month and the per cent of increase over the preceding month:
N U M BER OF WOMEN PLACED B Y THE U N IT E D STATES EMPLOYMENT SERVICE,
JA N U A R Y TO MAY, 1918, A N D P E R CENT OF INCREASE EACH MONTH OVER THE
PR ECEDING MONTH.
Number
placed.
Month.
Per cent of
increase
over pre
ceding
month.
9,668
8,447
January.............................................................................................. .........................................
February................. ...........................................................................................................
March......................................................................................................................... .................
A iil..............................................................................................................................................
M ay................................................................ ........................................ ..................................
15,756
*14,986
Total..................................................................... .............................. ...........................
59,975
2 1 2 .6
1 1 , 118
31.6
41.7
24.9
1 In this connection it is interesting to note that the Committee on Public Information, Division of
Women’s War Work, announces that there are now 3,378,998 women registered for service according to
their specialized talents under the Woman’s Committee of the Council of National Defense. The majority
are registered for industries and agriculture. This census is being taken by the State committees of the
council. These figures represent the incomplete registration returns from 25 States.
* Decrease.
s Incomplete report.
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134
To acquaint those interested with the location of the branch
offices of the United States Employment Service having woman’s
divisions, the following list is given:
S ta te .
C ity .
Arkansas.............................................Little Rock.
California........................................... San Diego, Post Office Building.
San Francisco, Chronicle Building.
D elaware............................................ Wilmington.
District of Columbia......................... Washington, 1410 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Illinois........................................... .. .Chicago, 845 South Wabash Avenue.
Indiana............................................Indianapolis, 225 North Pennsylvania Street.
Iowa.....................................................Sioux City.
Kansas.................................................Topeka.
Louisiana........................................... New Orleans, City LTall.
Maryland...................... .....................Baltimore, 408-409 Drovers-Mechanics Building.
Massachusetts................ ..........'........Boston, 53 Canal Street.
Michigan............................................Detroit, 33 Adams Avenue.
Minnesota....................................... ..Minneapolis, 319 Second Avenue.
Missouri..............................................Kansas City, 804 Grand Avenue.
St. Louis, 19 North Eighth Street.
Nebraska............................................ Omaha, County Courthouse.
New Jersey.........................................Jersey City, Federal Building.
Newark, 9 Franklin Street.
Orange, Federal Building.
New York.......................................... Buffalo, Federal Building.
New York City, 22 East Twenty-second Street.
North Dakota.....................................Fargo.
Ohio....................................................Cleveland, Post Office Building.
Oklahoma........................................... Enid.
Pennsylvania.....................................Philadelphia, 134 South Third Street.
Rhode Island......................................Providence, 222 Federal Building.
Tennessee........................................... Memphis, 32 Customhouse.
Texas...................................................San Antonio.
Galveston.
Washington.........................................Seattle.
EMPLOYMENT SERVICE TO PLACE ALL W AR LABOR.1
The United States Employment Service is being equipped to take
over entirely the work of recruiting and distributing labor of ail
kinds for war production, and it is the one great purpose of the
Service to reduce to a minimum the enormous labor turnover now
existing in all branches of industry and which is particularly annoy
ing in those industries working on war orders placed by Govern
ment departments and boards concerned with production. It is
vitally essential at this time that employers be protected against the
loss of valuable men through the recruiting activities of some other
employer or of private employment agencies. This ‘'stealing ” of
labor by one essential industry from another is perhaps the greatest
1
See statement to this effect b y the President, p p . 13i and 137, of this issue of the M o n th ly L a b o r
R e v ie w .
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
135
factor in the disorganization of the labor market, and until employers
cease their independent labor recruiting and turn loyally to the
United States Employment Service for the help they need, which
the service is amply equipped to furnish, industry will suffer a great
economic loss, labor will be in a constant state of unrest, and the one
supreme aim of our country to win the War will be seriously embar
rassed through an unnecessary interference with war work. The
complete cessation of private recruiting will increase the available
common supply of labor. Director General Densmore of the Em
ployment Service estimates that from 25 to 40 per cent 1 of the com
mon labor to-day is idle because it is being so rushed from place to
place as a result of private competition for labor that it is producing
nothing, while our overburdened, transportation system is needlessly
being given more work and large sums in car fare are being wasted.
Placing recruiting and distributing in the hands of the Employment
Service solely will mean that labor for the first time will be stabilized
so that the Government distributing machinery can get hold of it
and carry on its task unhampered.
The central recruiting of all unskilled labor in the United States
through the PTnited States Employment Service has been approved
by the War Labor Policies Board,2 which has received reports indi
cating a serious shortage of unskilled labor.
The fact of steady employment of workers in any particular trade,
however, does not mean that the efforts of the Employment Service
are not needed. The task in that case is to see that such men, if
employed in nonessential industries, are transferred to war indus
tries and to effect such transfer with the least inconvenience to the
workers themselves and without disorganizing unnecessarily the
nonessential industries.
The farm labor problem is being solved by the Employment Service
in cooperation with the farm help specialists of the Department of
Agriculture. Operating through the branch offices in Oklahoma and
Kansas and the Kansas City, Mo., office as chief distributing centers,
an enormous army of laborers, many of them volunteering from the
ranks of schoolboys, store clerks, business and professional men, and
others who are able and willing to spare a few weeks to help harvest
the crops, is moving northward through the wheat belt gathering in the
grain as it ripens in each section, until the Canadian border is reached,
when thousands will be directed by the Canadian officials and will
move on in similar formation over the wheat fields of the Dominion.
Later in the fall these men, returning from Canada, will be available
for use in harvesting the corn crop in the territory over which they
passed as wheat harvesters.
1
See U. S. Employment Service Bulletin for June 4,1918, p. 1.
2 See pages 23 to 27 of th is issu e of th e M o n th ly L a b o k R e v ie w for a n ac co u n t of th e o rg an izatio n a n d
fu n ctio n s of th is b o ard .
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136
PRESIDENT URGES EMPLOYERS TO RECRUIT ALL UNSKILLED LABOR
THROUGH UNITED STATES EMPLOYMENT SERVICE.
On June 17, 1918, the President issued a statement urging all em
ployers engaged in war work to refrain, after August 1, 1918, from
recruiting unskilled labor in any manner except through the United
States Employment Service. This action by the President was
taken in response to a communication, dated June 15, 1918, from
the Secretary of Labor, as Labor Administrator, who suggested the
necessity of recognizing that “ one centralized national agency is
demanded for recruiting the workers for the Nation’s war needs” and
that “ the United States Employment Service of this department is
the agency appropriate for this task. * * * It will mean, of
course, that thereafter all private enterprise in securing labor on a
substantial scale will be prohibited by the full authority at the dis
posal of the Government.” The Secretary was prompted to make
this recommendation to the President by the action of the War Labor
Policies Board,1 which had adopted a resolution declaring that “ all
recruiting of industrial labor for public or private work connected
with the War shall be conducted through or in accordance with
methods authorized by the United States Employment Service,” and
that “ the full power of the Government shall be exercised through
such agency to supply all the labor requirements of war industry and
by means of volunteer recruitment to transfer men to such extent as
may be necessary from nonwar work to war work.”
THE P E E S ID E ifT ’S STATEM ENT.
For more than a year it has been our pride that not our armies and navies only, but
our whole people is engaged in a righteous war. We hâve said repeatedly that industry
plays as essential and honorable a rôle in this great struggle as do our military arma
ments. We all recognize the truth of this, but we must also see its necessary implica
tions—namely, that industry, doing a vital task for the Nation, must receive the sup
port and assistance of the Nation. We must recognize that it is a natural demand,
almost a right, of anyone serving his country, whether employer or employee, to know
that his service is being used in the most effective manner possible. In the case of
labor this wholesome desire has been not a little thwarted owing to the changed con
ditions which war has created in the labor market.
There has been much confusion as to essential products. There has been ignorance
of conditions—men have gone hundreds of miles in search of a job and wages which
they might have found at their doors. Employers holding Government contracts of
the highest importance have competed for workers with holders of similar contracts,
and even with the Government itself, and have conducted expensive campaigns for
recruiting labor in sections where the supply of labor was already exhausted. Cali
fornia draw's its unskilled labor from as far east as Buffalo, and New York from as far west
as the Mississippi. Thus labor has been induced to move fruitlessly from one place
to another, congesting the railways and losing both time and money.
Such a condition is unfair alike to employer and employee, but most of all
to the Nation itself, vdiose existence is threatened by any decrease in its pro1
For an account of the organisation and functions of this board, see pages 23 to 27.
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137
ductive power. It is obvious that this situation can be clarified and equalized by
a central agency—the United States Employment Service of the Department of
Labor, with the counsel of the War Labor Policies Board—as the voice of all the
industrial agencies of the Government. Such a central agency must have sole direc
tion of all recruiting of civilian workers in war work; and, in taking over this great
responsibility, must at the same time have power to assure to essential industry an
adequate supply of labor, even to the extent of withdrawing workers from nonessential
production. I t must also protect labor from insincere and thoughtless appeals made
to it under the plea of patriotism, and assure it that when it is asked to volunteer in
some priority industry the need is real.
Therefore, I, Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States of America, solemnly
urge all employers engaged in war work to refrain after August 1, 1918, from recruiting
unskilled labor in any manner except through this central agency. I urge labor to
respond as loyally as heretofore to any calls issued by this agency for voluntary enlist
ment in essential industry. And I ask them both alike to remember that no sacrifice
will have been in vain, if we are able to prove beyond all question that the highest
and best form of efficiency is the spontaneous cooperation of a free people.
WORK OF PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT OFFICES IN THE UNITED STATES AND
OF PROVINCIAL EMPLOYMENT OFFICES IN CANADA.
. Data are presented in the following table showing the operations
of the public employment offices for the month of May, 1918, and, in
cases where figures are available, for the corresponding month in
1917. Figures are given from 184 public employment offices in 39
States, Federal employment offices in 31 States, Federal-State em
ployment offices in 12 States, Federal-State-municipal employment
offices in 3 States, Federal-State-county-municipal employment offices
in 3 States, Federal-municipal employment offices in 2 States, State
employment offices in 12 States, State-municipal employment offices
in 1 State, and municipal employment offices in 4 States. Figures
from two Canadian employment offices are also given.
OPERATIONS OF PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT OFFICES, MAY, 1917 AND 1918.
U N IT E D STATES.
Applica
tions from
State, city, and kind of employers.
office.
Persons applying for
work.
Persons
asked for
by em
ployers.
New regis
trations.
Persons re
ferred to
positions.
Renewals.
May, May, Mav, May, May, May, May May, May,
1917. 1918. 1917. 1918. 1917. 1918. 1917. 1918. 1917.
Positions
filled.
May,
1918.
May,
1917.
May,
1918.
A la b a m a .
Birmingham (Federal).
Mobile (Federal)...........
(2)
310
106
(2)
3,605
971
1
(s)
1,096
1 505
m
(2)
868
(2)
(2)
Total......................
(2)
334
m
1 ,2 0 0
(* )
735
334
1,069
A r iz o n a .
Phoenix ( Federal-Stateccunty-municipal) . . .
Yuma (Federal).............
431
41
2,776
227
i 89
101
714
44
200
( 2)
Total......................
r
- , - . = ■ ■■■■ ;
JN umber applying for work.
------------ = = = = =
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[1371
700
26
758
=
]
=
=
....
—
--------
Not reported.
726
—
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
138
OPERATIONS OF PUBLIC EM PLOYMENT OFFICES, MAY, 1917 AND 1918—Continued.
U N IT E D STATES—Continued.
Applica
tions from
State, city, and kind of employers.
office.
Persons applying for
work.
Persons
asked for
by em
ployers.
New regis
trations.
Renewals.
Persons re
ferred to
positions.
May, May, May, May, May, May, May, May, May,
1917. 1918. 1917. 1918. 1917. 1918. 1917. 1918. 1917.
Positions
filled.
May,
1918.
May,
1917.
May,
1918.
A rkan sas.
220
17
5
52
223
29
23
Fort Smith (Federal)..
TTeleua (Federal')...........
Jonesboro (Federal)___
Little Rock (Federal)..
Pine Bluff (Federal)__
Texarkana (Federal)__
81,000
458
202
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
i 220
i 58
i 151
1,541
f 408
i 152
55
292
7,020
Total..... ...............
31
91
2,525
145
77
84
27
91
2,492
32
5
3,071
2,731
1,2*26
1,185
C alifornia.
Fresno (State)................
575
Hayward (Federal)___
(2)
Hollister (Federal)........
(2)
Los Angeles (FederalState-municipal)........ 3,134 4,550
Modesto (Federal).........
490
4
New Castle ( Federal). . .
Oakland(Federal-State) 1,139
Saeramento (Federal)..
595
672
499
Sacramento (State).......
994
San Diego (Federal)—
511
Salinas (Federal)...........
San Francisco (S tate).. 2,385 3,488
San Francisco (Federal) (2)
1,179
772
San Jose ( Federal-State)
2,021
1
1,134
24
45
614
i2
(2)
(2)
(2)
138
4,896 7,987 2,678 2,933 (2)
(2)
(2)
490
490
(2)
15
1 13
1,785 4,584
644 1,628
675 (2)
2,166
907
(2)
1,952 2,262
747
447 (2)
989
1,184 1,590
972
588 (2)
(2)
(2)
3
1,630 (!)
5,100 7,315 2,808 (2)
4,921
3,475
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
1,072
556
(2)
1
2
1
1
2
4,744
1,558
1,173
1,094
4 ,9Î3
(2)
6,838
490
13
3,423
1,537
1,581
1,320
3,977
5,074
490
1,311
i, 126
S88
2,693
1,465
1,500
1,055
7,121 . 3,509
3,057 (2>
883
5,852
2,617
601
10, 811
22,568
(2)
535
524
478
474
2
13,482 27,524
Total......................
1
21
31
12
2
Colorado.
Colorado Springs (Federal-State)....................
Denver No. 1 (FederalState)............................
Denver No. 2 (FederalState)............................
Grand Junction (Federal-State)4 ................
P ueblo (F ederal-State).
644
607
524
808
774 1,782
517
119
616
644
607 i 570 i 567
(2)
(2)
(2)
808
524 i 793 i 548
774 1, 782 i 646 i 626
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
610
541
i 41
1600
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
518
41
572
(2)
(2)
2,204
2,089
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
1,201
734
947
300
144
982
1,464
928
348
325
(2)
(2)
3,326
4,047
205
1,450
517
119
616
1533
Total..............
C on necticut.
Bridgeport (FederalState)............................
Hartford (State)............
Hew Haven (State)___
Norwich (State).............
Waterbury (S tate)........
(»)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(!)
(2)
U)
(2)
(2)
813 1,181 i
1,416 1,907 i
i
354
338
381
189
1,102 1,100
1,008 i
1,762 i
1,440 i
i 398
i 250
1,104 (2)
1,951 (2)
1,087 (2)
1424 (2)
i 458 (2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
( 2)
(2)
Total......................
D e la w a re .
Wilmington (Federal)..
28
77
65 3 5 000
1290 11,606
242
10,113
12,561
(2)
(2)
210
1,533
Georgia.
At Ianta( Federal-State)
2,561
(2)
(2)
Idaho.
Moscow (Federal)..........
St. Anthony (Federal).
17
20
47
17
150
181
Total......................
1Number applying lor work.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
128
i 175
i 15
—
2Not reported.
[138]
(2)
(2)
(2)
—
—
8Estimated.
15
15
■
28
137
15
28
137
165
15
165
■
-
‘ Temporary office.
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
139
O PERATIONS OF PUBLIC EM PLOYM ENT O FFIC E S, MAY, 1917 AND 1918-Continued.
U N IT E D ST A T E S-C ontinued.
Applica
tions from
State, city, and kind of employers.
office.
Persons
asked for
by em
ployers.
Persons applying for
work.
Ä
Renewals.
Persons re
ferred to
positions.
May, May, May, May, May, May, May, May, May,
1917. 1918. 1917. 1918. 1917. 1918. 1917. 1918. 1917.
May,
1918.
Positions
filled.
May,
1917.
May,
1918.
I llin o is .
Aurora (Federal)...........
145
644
Cairo (Federal)...............
498
29
Bloomington (FederalState)............................
237
313
Chicago (State).............. 6,026 4,112 15,675 17,190 16,197
Danville (Federal-State)
198
911
Decatur (Federal-State)
227
388
East St. Louis (Fed
514
eral-State).......... .........
918 1,200 1,511
590
Galesburg (Federal)___
127
1,558
Joliet (Federal).............
160
441
Quincy (Federal).........
1,311
R o c k f o r d (FederaL
State)............................
834
993 1,259 1,536
688
1430
160
372
127
( 2)
1
( 2)
297
105
1261
261
( 2)
186
6,634 1,347 8,534 16,580 14,863 13,266 12,316
1 378
355
( 2)
320
190
29
189
167
433
1 396
371
1 118
1,021
832
1,080
205
524
38
786
1,048
184
294
912
1,171
859
1,095
( 2)
(«)
( 2)
333
299
Total.
21
18,324 19,185 14,911 16,033
In d ia n a .
Evansville (S tate)...
132
Indianapolis (State)__ 1,581
South Bend (S tate)___
157
Terre Haute (State)___
153
371
414
823 1,513
190
562
427
315
846
489
870 1,537
351
556
495
219
( 2)
(2)
801
160
406
Total.
448
1,517
510
262
680
814
238
495
410
1,517
514
246
226
495
2,767
2,227
2,687
2,200
669
810
Iow a.
Cedar Rapids (Federal)
D avenport (F ederalState).....................■
___
Des Moines (FederalState).......................... .
Mason City (Federal)...
Ottumwa (Federal) —
Sioux City (Federal)...
Waterloo (Federal).......
117
767
295
976
414
104
1,471
386
284
961
599
211
368
356
1
532
( 2)
543
122
16
362
1210
1297
1 441
1 562
(*)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
Total.
289
515
267
575
363
841
204
237
333
417
180
486
159
175
264
371
3,122
180
2,085
K a n sa s.
Abilene (Federal)___
Dodge City (Federal)
Hutchinson (Federal)
Parsons (Federal)___
Topeka (Federal-State)
Wichita (Federal)...
10
185
138
11
28
89
25
30S
367
25
127
56
1,050
635
MS
265
1 54
230 1 407
il,242
1
220
Total.
4
19
107
31
269
608
4
19
99
25
196
545
1,038
198
188
K e n tu c k y .
Louisville (S tate)........
188
188
103
1
239
1
318
104
( 2)
( 2)
188
90
187
(2)
( 2)
315
3,027
2,822
, 608
(2)
( 2)
241
8,082
6,928
1
90
L o u isia n a .
New Orleans (FederalState)..........................
263
220
M arylan d.
Baltimore (Federal)___
4s
521
1 403
8
M assachusetts.
Boston (Federal)...
Boston (State).
Springfieldd (S
i ta te).
Worcester1(State)..
f
27
2,474
1,140
1,171
1, Ì07
480 9,609 1 525 119,165
2,718 2,872 3,296 11,609 1 1,727
1,074 1,473 1,568 1474 14 79
1,174 1,461 1,518 1 645 1570
Total................
1Number applying for work.
6 5 8 0 1 ° — 18------ 10
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
2 Not reported.
[1 3 9 ]
(2)
( 2)
( 2)
(2)
115 6,101
4,167 8 3,887
1,657 3 1,642
1,529 3 1,492
73
1,824
1,084
876
5,614
1,958
1,008
836
7,468 13,122
3,857
9,416
sNumber of offers of positions.
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW,
140
OPERATIONS OF PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT OFFICES, MAY, 1917 AN D 1918—Continued.
U N IT E D ST A T ES—Continued.
Applica
tions from
State, city, and kind of employers.
office.
Persons applying for
work.
Persons
asked for
by em
ployers.
New regis
trations.
Renewals.
Persons re
ferred to
positions.
May, May, May, May, May, May, May, May, May,
1917. 1918. 1917. 1918. 1917. 1918. 1917. 1918.
May,
1917.
1918.
Positions
filled.
May.
1917.
May
1918.
M ichigan.
Battle Creek (State)__
97 200 190 610 1161 500
Bay City (State)...........
81 372 256 196 218
68
6C 3,171
382 8,321 i 366 3,753
Detroit (Federal)..........
Detroit (State)........... . 2,061 1,018 6,321 7,763 16,184 7,596
410
Flint ( S t a t e ) ...............
812 281 812 485 (2)
Grand Rapids (Fed148
eral)..............................
35
75
Grand Rapids (State)..
675 777 1,032 1,629 11,004 1,325
Jackson (State)............ .
502 645 1,042 1,146 11,063 654
Kalamazoo (State)........
412 391 415 527 i 425 55C
Lansing (State).............
70 122 292 911 i 128 704
92 223 624 i 164 206
Muskegon (S ta te).........
86
Saginaw (State).............
129 181 724 575 i 618 270
(2)
(2)
110
156
487
38
87
85
366
3,193
(2)
167 6,184 7,763
94
812
415
(2)
(2)
i2)
(2)
(2)
315
236
76
131
48
69
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
Total.................
..........
990
1,031
412
128
160
618
22
1,557
863
478
835
204
339
156
487
87
85
366 2,323
6,184 7,736
812
405
990
1,019
412
128
139
618
13
1,512
826
353
835
188
339
10,944 16,241 10,911 15,102
M in n esota.
Duluth (S ta te ).............
Minneapolis (Federal)..
Minneapolis (State). . .
St. Paul (Federal)........
St. Paul (State)..’. ........
2,548 m
10 1.101
10
1,569 (2)
20
1,444 <2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
1,068 (2)
m
(2)
18912,114 (2)
2,028
2,558 <2) 12,073 (2)
i 217
418
1,359 (2)
(2)
(2)
Total.....................
(2)
(2)
(2)
G)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
__ _
9
1,432 2,161
1,553
9
2,051 2,428
217
1,361 1,708
1,336
1,354
1,911
IRfi
1,355
9 6,614
6,306 6 142
130
08
M is s iss ip p i.
4
Gulfport (Federal)........
223
1 74 i 169 (2)
C2)
M isso u ri.
Kansas City (FederalState).....................
1,117 1,464 2,091 7,773 1,228 16,270 1,259
St. Joseph (Federal). . .
226
i 598
605
St. Joseph (State)..........
678 (2) 6,378 1,733 11,040 11,164 (2)
bt. Louis ( F e d e r a lState)........... .............
312 524 893 7,218 i 605 15,167 C2)
T otal.....................
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
2,487
1,040
463
5,867 2,296
598
1,164 1,037
5,244
4,960
4,756
3,990 12,589
..........
457
¿»83
1,164
3,790 11,747
M on tan a.
Missoula (Federal)........
Helena (Federal).'.........
2
13
27
22
2
67
i
2
142
150 (2 )
(2)
(2)
Total.....................
(2)
11
39
(2)
9
39
( 2)
50
(2 )
48
N ebraska.
Lincoln (Federal)..........
Omaha (Federal-Statecounty-municipal). . .
423
467
i 465
(S)
627 1,116 1,539 6,697
974 i 3,139
547 (2)
T otal.....................
465
462
1,422
2,841
1,158
2,782
1,422
3,306
1,158
3 244
‘337
71
337
71
N evada.
Reno (Federal)..............
i?6
24
418
89 1480
i 71 (2)
(5)
N ew J ersey.
Camden (Federal).........
Jersey City (FederalState)............................
Newark (Federal-Statemunicipal)...................
Orange (f ederal-State).
Trenton (Federal).........
69
(2)
206 (2)
(2)
<2>
4,136 (2)
482 (2)
527
574
3,015
1283
il,013
272
(2)
(2)
866
( 2)
792
14,356 (2) 112,568 (2)
784 (2)
255 (S)
8 800
i 375
(2)
(2)
(2)
8,978
407
311
(2)
(!)
8,218
373
711
(*)
10,834
(2)
11,611
T otal.....................
1
Number applying ior work.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1,517
(2)
(2)
2
Not reported.
[140]
(2)
(2)
s Estimated.
141
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
OPERATIONS OF PUBLIC EM PLOYM ENT OFFICES, MAY, 1917 A N D 1918.—Continued.
U N IT E D ST A T ES—Continued.
Applica
tions from
employers.
State, city, and kind oi
office.
Persons applying for
work.
Persons
asked for
bv em
ployers.
New regis Renewals.
trations—
May, May, May, May, May, May, May, May,
1917. 1918. 1917. 1918. 1917. 1918. 1917. 1918.
Persons referred to
positions.
May,
1917.
May,
1918.
filled.
May,
1917.
May,
1918.
N ew Y o r k .
Albany(Eederal-State).
Buffalo (Federal)..........
Buffalo (State)...............
New York City (Federal)............................
New York City (State).
New York City (municipal).............. ...............
Rochester (State)..........
S y r a c u s e (FederalState) .......................„
782 1,128 1,374 1,784
948
842
1,617
394 2 , 437 5,25? 2,105 il,765
1,646 2,416 2,47-5 7,992 2,027 3,221
3,50
(2)
194
5,401 1,165 6,517 39,176 112,036 123,489
2,093 3,647 2,852 6,544 1,625 3,267
(2)
(2)
889 1,036
240
(2)
221
1,951 2,082 3 ,14Ç 2,378 3,391 1,074 2,378 1,761
1,786 2,414 2,526 5,103 1,234 1,924
759
671
1,554 1,724 2,209 2,451 1,281 1,042
288
267
T otal.....................
1,366
2,674
2,963
1,224
1,753
4,258
904
2,134
2,170
796
1,683
3,305
6,374 20,176
2,869 4 ,780
4,357 16,913
1,731 3,016
4,484
2,370
2,236
1,343
1, S40
1,444
1,448
1 ,1 2 2
2,578
2,534
1,938
25,038 SO Afi9
N orth D a kota.
Fargo (Federal)...........
448
538
1
555
486
(2)
470
O hio.
Akron (State-munieipal)...............................
Athens (State-munieiCanton (State-munieipal)............... ...............
Chillicothe (State-municipal)........................
Cincinnati (State-municipal)........................
Cleveland (Federal). . .
Cleveland (State-municipal) ........................
Columbus (Stato-municipal)........................
Dayton (State-munieipal)................................
Hamilton (State-municipal)........................
Lima '(State-municipal)
Mansfield (State-municipal)......................
Marietta (State-munieipal)..............................
Marion (State-munieipal)............. .................
Portsmouth (State-municipal).........................
Sandusky {State-mu
nicipal) ........................
Springfield (State-municipal) .........................
Steubenville (State-municipal).......................
Trffin'(State-munieipal)
Toledo (State-nmnicipal)................................
Washington
C ourt
House (State-munici
pal) ..............................
Youngstown (State-municipal).........................
Zanesville (State-municipal).........................
2,651 3,510
991 1,072 1,950 2,025
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
5C
52
53
20
(2)
401
758
226
588
443
713
290
477
(2)
(2)
(2)
26
(*)
(2)
(2)
2,402
2,747
1,993
49
21
52
11
59
255
194
687
61
650
2,336
50
485
250
326
2,813 3,298 1,827 1,967 3,199 2,442
132
53 1,543 i 162 i 813 (2)
(2)
2,597
87
'763
21
(2)
9,029 11,130 3,134 3,169 9,795 7,137
8,048
9,438
6,547
7,972
(2)
3,307 5,120
873 1,736 2,912 3,544
2,943
4,410
2,447
3,409
(2)
(2)
1,558 3,024
940 1,340 1,744 1,240
1,358
2,306
1,133
2,161
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
73
207
152
726
47
163
131
590
295
865
106
319
65 1,372
202
533
115
513
36
48
45
307
213
595
2,133
595
(2)
(2)
1 19
272
157
7
400
(2)
(2)
169
253
103
110
33
93
106
175
56
142
(2)
(2)
332
716
224
437
135
237
202
514
102
442
(2)
(2)
765
125
268
45
440
216
617
56
482
*
654
282
(2)
156
58
345
(2)
174
206
283
(2)
(2)
357
517
328
261
88
335
183
432
(2)
(2)
m
404
381
763
294
159
152
412
235
30
33
308
115
148
127
652
323
102
518
253
(2 )
(2)
3,602 4,977 1,307 1,582 3,340 3,607
3 , 238
4,215
2,056
5,312
(2)
90
115
36
65
(2)
(2)
( 2)
1,773 2,241
940
726 1,323 1,310
1,680
1,853
1,550
1,747
(2)
(2)
132
117
85
230
35
179
(2)
106
124
218
Total......................
16
14
129
34,165 19,338
i Number applying for work.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
70
102
» Not reported.
[141]
MONTHLY LABOE EEVIEW.
142
OPERATIONS OF PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT OFFICES, MAY, 1917 AND 1918.—Continued.
U N IT E D STA TES—Continued.
State, city, and kind of
office.
Applica
tions from
employers.
Persons applying for
work.
Pers ons
askec for
by ni
ploy ers.
New regis
trations.
Persons re
ferred to
positions.
Positions
filled.
Renewals.
May, May, May, May, May, May, May, May, May,
1917. 1918. 1917. 1918. 1917. 1918. 1917. 1918. 1917.
May,
1918.
May,
1917.
May
1918.
O klahom a.
Enid (Federal-State). . .
41
117
25
( 2)
170
12
38
Muskogee ( F e d e r a l State)............................
Oklahoma City (FedAral-State)....................
Tulsa (Federal-State). .
i4
42
172 i 175 i 171
94
i 21
201
1 533
i 96
50
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
135
( 2)
^ 133
135
( 2)
133
9
9
228
64
(2)
(2)
327
49
(2)
201
i 285 i 223
( 2)
(2)
262
209
261
163
(2 )
492
599 1.136 i 555 i 816
520 1,481 '893 11,271 i 564
(2)
( 2)
( 2)
728
505
492
1,271
620
( 2)
550
1,271
487
2,218
1,876
2,159
1,788
( 2)
2,876
6,837
5,335
6,625
( 2)
118
(2)
1,278
157
657
246
39
160
140
4 , 881
593
2,555
41
97
189
103
414
89
1,078
125
614
246
39
160
125
4,686
548
2,498
41
59
186
( 2)
274
341
T o t a l....................
O regon.
Portland (Federal-municipal)......................... 1,517 1,863 6,601 8,732 i 3,231 i 7,947
( 2)
P e n n s y lv a n ia .
Altoona (State)..............
Harrisburg" (State)........
Johnstown (State).........
T 'J a 'W Hast. I p . ( Stated........
New ICensington( State)
Oil Oit.y (St,at,f t ) ...........
Philadelphia (S ta te).. .
Pittsburgh (Federal). ..
Pittsburgh (S tate)........
Per an ton (fttat ft) ..
Williamsport ( Stated__
York (State)...................
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
' ( 2)
46
0)
141 i 1,952
14
553
196 8,296
160
518
1 ,2 0 0
659
145
241 2,241 L 1 0 0
293
i 284
127
183
777
89
7
i 49
29
272
124
93
486
155
81
78
695
553 1,476 6,410 1,402 6,461
36
877 2,838 i 630 i 788 (2)
412 1,440 5,519
709 2,630
200
28
78
i 8 9 .........
104!____
"206
(2)
286
201
61C
44
118
( 2)
( 2)
66
231
(2)
222
(2)
1,346
290
757
2
17
3,014 11,033
Total.....................
381
72
1,134
257
695
2,642 10,405
R h ode Isla n d .
Providence (Federal)
Providence (State)........
226
44
248
270
2,537
'310
147
i 2,517
'303
168
(2)
70
Total......................
(2)
1,573
'310
270
1,109
'310
(2)
1,883
270
1,419
S o u th C arolina.
70
Charleston (Federal). .
1,286
i 547
246
133
448 3 228
33:
176
940 ......
3,570
i 94 i
i
1,695
i 72
i 92
291
26(
144
i 277
1,425
1,28;
520
520
(2)
Texas.
Ans tin (Federal ^.........
Brownsville (Federal)..
Dallas (m unicipal)........
Fav’e Pass ( Federal!__
F,l 'Paso ('Federal')........
Fort, Worth ('Federal')..
Houston (Federal)
ftan Antonio (Federal)
34
10
201
274
16
23
5
923
77
(2)
......
378
4
1
1
(2 )
(2 )
11
33
(2 )
430
(2 )
(2)
......
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
430
Total......................
57
60
368
203
7b
209
1,315
901
3 ,19C
(2)
342
.......
(2)
341
59
347
190
74
209
1,269
JS2
2,930
Utah.
Ogden (Federal) __
1
Number applying for work.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
105
2
i 204
406
Not reported.
2
(2)
Including 150 transients.
[1 4 2 ]
20
4
i
......
171
Including 90 transients.
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW,
143
OPERATIONS OF PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT OFFICES, MAY, 1917 AND 1918—Concluded.
U N IT E D ST A T E S—Concluded.
Applica
tions from
State, city, and kind of employers.
office.
Persons applying for
work.
Persons
asked for
by em
ployers.
New regis
trations.
Persons re
ferred to
positions.
Renewals.
May, May, May, May, May, May, May, May, May,
1917. 1918. 1917. 1918. 1917. 1918. 1917. 1918. 1917.
May,
1918.
Positions
filled.
May,
1917.
May,
1918.
Virginia-.
Richmond (Federal). . .
Richmond (municipal).
T otal.....................
W ashin gton.
294
_____
316
165
434
4,643
182
12,438
'167
573
___ ___
(2)
(2)
(2)
582
'2 2 1
258
2,037
81
_____
___
582
2,433
258
2
( 2)
(2)
( 2)
(2)
( 2)
(2 )
(2)
(2)
265
160
314
(2)
8,494 10,045
3,460 2 , 1 1 0
231
444
7,701
3,080
2 ,2 1 2
118
.
Bellingham (Federalmunicipal)...................
151 (2)
304
265 1 29S
Everett (m unicipal)__ 0 )
( 2)
364 (2)
( 2)
Seattle (m unicipal)___ 4,787 5,486 8,358 9,989 (2)
Spokane (municipal). . . 2,742 1,896 3,507 2,216 (2)
1160
(2 )
(2)
(2)
T otal.....................
142
210
9,000
2,054
12,219 12,629 11,457 11,406
W iscon sin .
Green Bay (Federal). . .
275
619
163
La Crosse (FederalState-municipal)........
220
173
326
273 1 286 1 182
Madison (Federal)........
274
670
1 322
Milwaukee (FederalState - county - municip a l)............................ 2,396 2,323 4,893 5,568 4,396 3,882
O shkosh
(FederalState-municipal)........
208
187
347
394 1 245
169
Su perior (F ederalState-municipal)........
519
346 1,136 1,604 1,018 1,236
297
(2)
172
(2)
( 2)
(2)
206
172
259
. 157
108
223
(2)
(2)
4,475
4,034
3,268
2,797
(2)
(2 )
212
177
149
129
(2 )
(2)
1,155
1,306
747
690
6,108
6,245
4 321
4,119
T otal..........
W y o m in g .
Cheyenne (Federal)___
33
1,280
216
236
( 2)
135
137. 019 257. 338 123,875 226,319
Grand to ta l..........
jé
1
CANADA.
Quebec.
Montreal (Provincial)..
Quebec (Provincial)__
428
(2 )
277 1,341
48
566
709
317
601
385
215
1 111
( 2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
T otal..............
1
Number applying for work.
<Not reported.
3
803
(2)
366
101
684
224
307
92
803
467
908
399
Figures for district.
ACTIVITIES OF PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT OFFICES IN MASSACHUSETTS
IN 1917.
The work of the four public employment offices in Massachusetts
for the 13-month period ending December 31, 1917, is given in a
pamphlet of 38 pages comprising the eleventh annual report on this
subject issued by the director of the State bureau of statistics under
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[143]
MONTHLY LABOE BEVIEW.
144
date of January 15, 19184 The four public employment offices are
located at Boston, Springfield, Worcester, and Fall River. The
office at the last-named city, however, was discontinued on March
31, 1917.
During the 13 months, 50,047 applications for help were received
from 12,612 individual employers who asked for 62,541 workers.
The number of positions offered was 80,734, and 41,155 positions were
reported filled (approximately 51 per cent), although the total num
ber of persons for whom positions were secured was only 19,577, or 31.3
per cent of the number of persons applied for by employers. The
expense of running these offices during the 12 months ending Novem
ber 30, 1917, is given as $36,374.28, which makes a cost of 93.8 cents
for each of the 38,763 positions reported filled during the year. The
following table is a summary of the work of these employment
offices, the Fall River office, as already mentioned, being operated
for only four months:
SUMMARY OF THE B U SIN ESS OF THE FO UR PUBLIC EM PLOYMENT OFFICES IN
MASSACHUSETTS FOR TH E 13 MONTHS E N D IN G DECEM BER 31, 1917.
Positions filled.
Applica
tions from
employers.
Sex.
Ma,1ft
................................... .
............................. .....
RVinaTe
T otal............................. .....
Persons
called for.
Positions
offered.
C1)
C1)
36,478
26,063
50,857
29,877
21.577
19.578
59.2
75.1
42.4
65.5
50,047
62,541
80,734
41,155
65.8
51.0
1
Per cent of Per cent of
positions
persons
offered.
called for.
Number.
N ot given in the report.
Classified by occupation group, the number of persons called for
and of positions filled are shown in the following table :
N U M BER OF PER SO N S CALLED FOR AN D NUM BER OF POSITIONS FIL LE D B Y MASSA
CHUSETTS PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT OFFICES DUR IN G THE 13 MONTHS ENDING D E
CEMBER 31, 1917, CLASSIFIED B Y OCCUPATION GROUP.
Positions filled.
Persons
called for.
Occupation group.
Number.
cent in
Per cent of Pereach
persons
occupation
called for.
group.
Skilled labor..............................................................................
Unskilled labor.......... ............... ...............................................
Transportation..........................................................................
Mercantile trade...................................... — .....................
Clerical........................................................................................
A ll other unclassified.. . ---------------------------------------
16,776
37,359
1,434
4,261
2,136
575
9,985
26,920
773
1,904
1,270
303
59.5
72.1
53.9
44.7
59.5
52.7
24.3
65.4
1.9
4. 6
3.1
.7
T otal____________________________ _____- ...........
62,541
41,155
65.8
1 0 0 .0
i Eleventh Annual Report on the Public Employment Offices for the 13-month period from December
1,1916, to December 31,1917. Public Document No. 80. Boston, 1918. 38 pp.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[1441
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEV/.
145
REPORT OF EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM*
(GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND) FOR FIVE WEEKS ENDING APRIL 12,
1918.
As reported by the British Labor Gazette of May, 1918, the total
number of workpeople remaining on the registers of the 390 British
employment offices on April 12, 1918, was 110,555, compared with
103,717 on March 8, 1918. These figures comprise workers in pro
fessional, commercial, and clerical, as well as industrial occupations.
The operations of the employment exchanges for the five weeks are
summarized as follows:
%----------Girls.
Men.
W omen.
On registers Mar. 8 , 1918....................................................
Number of individuals registered during period..........
31,484
108,779
56,408
120,983
7,719
24,006
8,106
21,388
103,717
275,156
T otal............................................................................
140,263
177,391
31,725
29,494
378,873
Reregistrations during period...........................................
On registers Apr. 12, 1918...................................................
Vacancies notified during period.....................................
Vacancies filled during period..........................................
Applicants placed in other districts................................
4,278
33,195
90,281
65,535
21,245
5,248
60,067
63,288
49,400
• 7,693
502
8,405
12,777
10,883
1,619
489
10,517
110,555
178,367
134,925
32,070
Boys.
8 ,8 8 8
1 2 ,0 2 1
9,107
1,513
Total.
The average daily number of registrations and of vacancies notified
and vacancies filled during the month were 10,203, 6,370, and 4,819,
respectively.
Average daily registrations.
Average daily vacancies
notified.
Increase (+ )
or decrease (—)
5 weeks
on a—
ending
April 12,
1918.
Month
Year
ago.
ago.
5 weeks
ending
April 1 2 ,
1918.
Increase ( + )
or decrease (—)
on a—
Month
ago.
Year
ago.
Average daily vacaneie
filled.
5 weeks
ending
April 12,
1918.
Increase (+ )
or decrease (—)
on a—
Month
ago.
Year
ago.
Men..............................
Women........................
B oys.............................
Girls.............: ..............
4,038
4,508
875
782
- 65
-3 3 8
- 44
- 27
+ 383
-1 ,7 5 2
+
95
56
3,225
2,260
456
429
-2 3 6
- 94
- 61
- 26
+223
-5 2 5
+ 8
+ 3
2,341
1,764
389
325
+ 8
-141
- 30
- 25
+228
-750
+ 14
- 22
T otal.................
10,203
-4 7 4
-1 ,3 3 0
6,370
-4 1 7
-2 9 1
4,819
-1 8 8
-530
Compared with a month ago the daily average of registrations,
vacancies notified, and vacancies filled showed percentage decreases
of 4.4 per cent, 6.1 per cent, and 3.8 per cent, respectively. Com
pared with a year ago there were percentage decreases of 11.6 per
cent, 4.4 per cent, and 9.9 per cent, respectively.
The table following shows, by occupation groups, the number of
individuals registered, the vacancies notified, and the vacancies
filled, indicating the extent of unemployment in Great Britain during
the five weeks ending April 12, 1918.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[145]
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
146
' in d i v i d u a l s r e g i s t e r e d , v a c a n c ie s n o t i f i e d , a n d v a c a n c ie s f il l e d in
5 W EEK S E N D IN G A PR IL 12, 1918 (G E N E R A L R EGISTER).
Juveniles.
Adults.
Vacancies.
Vacancies.
Occupation groups.
Individuals
registered
during period.
Men.
A . IN S U R E D
Notified
during
period.
the
Filled dur
ing
period.
Notified
during
period.
Filled dur
ing
period.
Wom Men. Wom Men. Wom Boys. Girls. Boys. Girls.
en.
en.
en.
TRA D ES. 1
432
32
356
457
791 12,309
918 17,650
Building............... js ............................... 18,533
34
38
27
28 10,502
41 11,443
10 483
297
104
624
331
584
535
Sawmilling.............................................. 1,163 1,514 f 257
407
408
9
241 5,789
218
499 6,809
Shipbuilding........................................... 6,382
890 3,281
Engineering............................................. 28,810 23,063 24,793 13,025 18,427 12,119 3,580
62
80 • 9
337
354
237
669
952
359
Construction of vehicles.......................
98
37
84
96
81
60
211
291
321
Cabinet making, etc..............................
394
344
389
938
Miscellaneous metal trades................. 1,857 2,184 2,593 1,066 1,599
121
127
196
70
478
456
238
146
200
Precious metals, etc..............................
18
5
20
109
84
108
57
369
80
Brick and cement..................................
137
263
116
827 1,007
765
Chemicals, etc......................................... 1,148 1,215 1,139
42
69
43
147
715
230
855
886
Rubber and waterproof goods...........
223
608
441
423
Ammunition and explosives............. 4,497 26,886 1,755 5,334 1,625 4,772
69
176
70
60
217
244
102
496
Leather, excluding boots and shoes..
261
21
95
7
741
7
36
332
157
6
231
82
526
144
Total, insured trades................. 74,910 58,567 69,246 24,031 52,586 21,700 6,175 2,792 5,673 2,385
B . U N IN S U R E D
TRA D ES.
Wood, furniture, fittings, etc.............
39
Domestic................................................. 1,767
Commercial and clerical...................... 4,186
Conveyance of men, goods, e tc .......... 9,937
Agriculture.............................................
825
Mining and quarrying........................
485
Brushes, brooms, etc............................
9
Pottery and glass..................................
113
Paper, prints, books, and stationery
193
Textile......................................................
916
332
Dress........................................................
Boots and shoes.....................................
236
Food, tobacco, drink, and lodging...
397
General laborers..................................... 12,411
Shop assistants.......................................
511
Government, defense and professional..............................•..................... 1,266
All others................................................
246
78
22,712
9,561
3,656
1,078
29
23
294
583
2,520
2,443
236
2,306
11,073
2,850
2,801
173
35
39
31
49
35
15
75
78
386 1,218
554 2,136
949 15,011
1,963 22,198
822 1,389
996 1,618
1,847 4,492 1 , 2 0 2 3,387
899
6,819 1,515 4,876 1,275 2,670 1,261 2,085
47
93
59
150
329
883
1,367 1,292
44
1
3
51
333
18
1,004
9
23
28
6
7
2
19
30
9
56
106
74
83
90
152
38
180
383
181
495
308
223
416
89
297
442
301
577
378 1,283
395
734 1,783
611
838
65
92 1,060
80
334 1,835
74
56
71
98
140
182
94
243
350
419
156
182 1,908
208
416 2,391
592
295
358
662
873
973 3,175
3,961
433
641
109
169
405
691
90
276
,
C 1,052
162
487
1 02
643
462
872
135
216
25
275
278
184
21
244
226
Total, uninsured trades........ .. 33,869 62,416 21,035 39,257 12,949 27,700 6,602 9,229 5,210 6,722
Grand total, all trades............... 108,779 120,983 90,281 63,288 65,535 49,400 12,777
1 2 ,0 2 1
10,883 9,107
1 Occupations are grouped according to the industry with which they are mainly connected, and appli
cants are registered according to the “ work desired” by them.
This table shows that during the period, in the insured trades,
133,477 adults registered for work—74,910 men and 58,567 women.
There were 102,244 vacancies reported—69,246 men, 24,031 women,
6,175 boys, and 2,792 girls. The number of positions filled was
82,344—52,586 men, 21,700 women, 5,673 boys, and 2,385 girls.
The occupational groups in which the largest number of positions
was filled by adults were: Engineering, 30,546; building, 12,766; and
works of construction, 10,529.
In the uninsured trades there were 96,285 registrations—33,869
men and 62,416 women. The number of vacancies reported was
76,123—21,035 men, 39,257 women, 6,602 boys, and 9,229 girls.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[146]
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
147
The total number of positions filled was 52,581—12,949 men, 27,700
women, 5,210 boys, and 6,722 girls. The occupational groups in the
uninsured trades in which the largest number of positions was filled
by adults were: Domestic, 15,960; conveyance of men, goods, etc.,
6,151; commercial and clerical, 4,589: and general laborers, 4,048.
The total number of positions filled by adults in both the insured
and uninsured trades during the five weeks ending April 12, 1918,
as compared with the preceding month, shows an increase of 13 per
cent. The increase in the number of positions filled by men was
.7.1 per cent; by women, 8 per cent. Much the largest number of
men were, employed in engineering; and of women, in domestic service.
No comparison can be made of the number of registrations in the
employment exchanges of Great Britain with the number of applica
tions for work reported by the employment offices of the United States,
owing to the differences in method of registering applicants. It is
possible, however, to make a comparison of positions filled by the
offices in the two countries. The figures show the following result:
Positions filled.
Number of
offices.
Total.
Great B ritain............................................................................
United States............................................................................
390
147
134,925
188,038
Average
per day.
4,819
7.232
Average
per day,
each office.
12
49
The above figures are significant in view of the fact that a very
large percentage, if not practically all, of the employment office work
of Great Britain is done through the free employment exchanges, while
in the United States but a very small proportion of the placement is
made through the public employment offices, the much greater pro
portion being handled by the private employment agencies.
EMPLOYMENT IN SELECTED INDUSTRIES IN MAY, 1918.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics received and tabulated reports
concerning the volume of employment in May, 1918, from represen
tative manufacturing establishments in 13 industries. The figures
for May of this year as compared with those from identical estab
lishments for May, 1917, show that there was an increase in the number
of people employed in 4 industries and a decrease in 9. The largest
increase—5.6 per cent—appeared in paper making, while the greatest
decrease—9.3 per cent—was shown in cigar manufacturing.
The reports from all industries show an increase in the total
amount of the pay roll for May, 1918, when compared with May,
1917. This increase ranges from 1.9 per cent in cigar manufacturing
to 35.3 per cent in car building and repairing.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[1471
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW,
148
COMPARISON OP EMPLOYMENT IN IDENTICAL ESTABLISH M EN TS IN MAY, 1917, AND
MAY, 1918.
Industry.
Automobile manufacturing—
Boots and shoes..........................
Car building and repairing----Cigar manufacturing.................
Clothing, men’s ready-made...
Cotton finishing..........................
Cotton manufacturing...............
Hosiery and underwear............
Iron and steel..............................
Leather manufacturing.............
Paper m aking.............................
Silk................................................
W oolen.........................................
Number on
pay roll in
May—
Estab
lish
ments
report- Period of
ing for pay roll.
May
both
years.
47
66
32
63
36
15
54
56
97
35
48
41
46
1917
1 w e ek ..
.. .do.......
\ month.
I w eek..
.. .do.......
...d o .......
. . .do.......
...d o .......
J month.
1 w e e k ..
.. .do.......
2 weeks.
1 w e e k ..
1918
Per
cent
of in(+ ) or
decrease
(-)■
114,745
49,068 46,804
45,316 42, §09
19,793 17,956
25,571 25,659
11,907 11,245
53,275 51,113
30,588 29,779
187,889 189,242
16,517 15,492
21,264 22,463
18,161 16,573
44,705 45,179
1 2 0 ,1 1 2
Amount of pay roll
in May—
1917
1918
- 4 . 5 *2,773,654 *3, Oil, 044
697,672
797,030
—4.6
- 5 .3 1,587,125 2,146,603
- 9 .3
243,205
247,769
403,576
490,282
+ -3
-5 .6
175,171
202,807
- 4 .1
581,898
757,781
- 2 .6
334,567
415,667
+ .7 8 951,647 11,369,076
- 6 .2
250,005
308,533
343,363
+ 5.6
423,976
-8 .7
450,123
477,386
+ 1 .1
644,544
819,198
Per
cent
of in
crease
(+ ) or
de
crease
(-).
+ 8 .6
+ 14.2
+35.3
+ 1.9
+21.5
+ 15.8
+30.2
+24.2
+27.0
+23.4
+ 23.5
+ 6 .1
+27.1
The following table shows the number of persons actually working
on the last full day of the reported pay period in May, 1917, and
May, 1918. The number of establishments reporting on this ques
tion is small, and this fact should be taken into consideration when
studying these figures.
COMPARISON OF EMPLOYMENT IN IDENTICAL ESTA BLISH M EN TS ON LAST FULL
D A Y ’S OPERATION IN MAY, 1917, AN D MAY, 1918.
Industry.
Automobile manufacturing.
Boots and shoes.....................
Car building and repairing..
Cigar manufacturing.............
Clothing, men’s ready-made
Cotton finishing.....................
Cotton manufacturing..........
Hosiery and underwear____
Iron and steel.........................
Leather manufacturing........
Paper making........................
S ilk ...........................................
Woolen.....................................
Establish
ments re
porting for
May both
years.
Period of
pay roll
29 1 w eek___
. . .d©..........
30 J m onth...
17 I w eek___
5 . .. d o ..........
1 0 .. .d o ..........
36 ...d o .,........
16 ...d o ...........
76 £ m onth...
16 I w eek___
1 2 . ..d o ..........
25 2 weeks. . .
36 1 w eek___
22
Number
a c tu a lly
working on last full
day of reported pay
period in May—
1917
1918
77,663
11,497
36,544
4,430
11,420
9,028
27,517
12,498
146,713
9,467
4,279
13,062
36,365
73,3.98
10,733
37,277
3,554
10,556
8,629
25,957
12,073
149,660
9,520
4,771
12,060
37,301
Per cent
o^increase
( + ) or decrease (—).
- 5.5
- 6 .6
+ 2 .0
-1 9 .8
- 7.6
- 4.4
- 5.7
- 3.4
+ 2 .0
+ -6
+ 11.5
- 7.7
+ 2 .6
In comparing the reports of the same industries for May, 1918,
with those for April, 1918, four show an increase in the number of
persons on the pay roll and nine a decrease. The increases were
small, the largest, 1.6 per cent, appearing in iron and steel. On the
other hand, some of the decreases were comparatively high, the
greatest, 14.6 per cent, being in cigar manufacturing. These de
creases are attributable to various causes, mainly scarcity of help,
and to some extent labor disputes.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[14S£
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW,
149
Although there was a decrease in employees in 9 industries, 11 of
the 13 industries reported show an increase in the total amount of
pay roll in May, 1918, as compared with April, 1918. Increases of
14.4 per cent, 9.1 per cent, and 8.4 per cent, respectively, are shown,
in iron and steel, men’s ready-made clothing, and leather manufac
turing. The decrease of 15.1 per cent in cigar manufacturing was
largely due to strikes.
COMPARISON OF EMPLOYMENT IN IDENTICAL ESTABLISHM ENTS IN A PR IL, 1918, AN D
MAY, 1918.
Industry.
Number on pay
Estab
roll in—
lish
ments
report Period of
ing for pay roll.
April
April, May,
and
1918.
1918.
May.
Automobile manufacturing__
Boots and shoes...................... i
Car building and repairing___
Cigar manufacturing..............
Clothing, men’s ready-made...
Colton finishing...................
Cotton manufacturing.......
Hosiery and underwear..........
Iron arid ste el......................
Leather manufacturing...........
Paper making....................
Silk..............................
Woolen....................................
48
67
31
60
35
16
53
53
97
35
49
40
46
1
1 w eek. .
. ..d o .......
£ month.
1 w eek..
...d o .......
...d o .......
__do
.. .do.......
¿month.
1 w eek..
.. .do.......
2 w eeks.
1 w eek. .
114,979
49,155
41, 612
20,844
25,574
11,545
50 161
28,124
185,662
15,642
22,863
13,392
46,162
114,944
48,060
42,075
17,809
25,597
11,443
49,323
27, 721
188,566
15,492
23, 003
13,349
45,179
Per
cent
of increase
(+ ) or
de
crease
(-).
Amount of pay roll
in—
April,
1918.
May,
1918.
- (>) $2,816,810 $3,015,637
821,806
- 2 .2
822,459
+ 1 . 1 1, 981,793 2,112,189
-1 4 .6
' 2 8 8 , 899
245,224
448,487
+ .1
489,099
- .9
203,014
206,525
- 1.7
706,138
729, 625
— 1.4
378,558
389,843
+ 1 . 6 9,902,299 11,326,012
284,732
- 1 .0
308,533
430,448
+ .6
438,372
- .3
371,932
383,301
- 2 .1
847,749
819,198
Per
cent
of increase
(+ ) or
de
crease
(-).
+ 7.1
+ .1
+ 6.5
-1 5 .1
+ 9.1
+ 1.7
+ 3.3
+ 3.0
+ 14.4
+ 8.4
+ 1 .8
+ 3.1
- 3.4
Less than one-tenth of 1 per cent.
A comparatively small number of establishments reported as to the
number of persons working on the last full day of the reported pay
periods. The following table gives in comparable form the figures
for April and May, 1918. The small number of establishments rep
resented should be noted when using these figures.
COMPARISON OF EMPLOYMENT IN IDENTICAL ESTABLISHM ENTS ON LAST FULL
D A Y ’S OPERATION IN A PR IL, 1918, A N D MAY, 1918.
Industry.
Establish
ments re
porting for
April and
May.
Period of
pay roll.
Number a c t u a l l y
working on last full
day of reported pay
period in—
Per cent of
increase
( + ) or decrease (—).
April, 1918. May, 1918.
Automobile manufacturing............................
Boots and shoes................. ~ ............................
Car building and repairing..............................
Cigar manufacturing............................... .
Clothing, men’s ready-made..........................
Cotton finishing___’ .............................
Cotton manufacturing.....................................
Hosiery and underwear..................................
Iron and steel...................................................
Leather manufacturing...................................
Woolen...............................................................
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
30
22
30
19
6
12
35
18
76
18
13
25
38
[149]
1 w eek___
__d o ...........
i m onth...
1 w eek. .
. . . d o ..........
.. .d o ..........
__do...........
. .d o ..........
1- month
1 w eek. .
__do . . . .
2 weeks__
1 w eek___
72,762
11 433
35,327
4 182
627
9,129
24 911
11,387
146,597
10 623
5,002
9 ,158
38,517
74,600
11,113
36,794
3,503
4,694
9,281
24 513
11' 316
152,818
10,606
5,116
9 027
3 7 , 910
+ 2.5
- 2 .8
+ 4.2
-1 6 .2
+ 1.4
+ 1.7
- 1 .6
- .6
+ 4.2
2
+ 2.3
— 1.4
- 1 .6
150
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
CHANGES IN WAGE HATES.
In 12 of the 13 industries there were certain establishments report
ing wage-rate increases and in 2—cigar manufacturing and iron and
steel—decreases. No establishment in the woolen industry reported
a change. A number of firms did not answer the inquiry relating to
wage-rate changes.
Automobile manufacturing: An increase of 20 to 25 per cent,
affecting 75 per cent of the employees, was reported by one plant.
One establishment granted an increase in the hourly rate ranging
from 3 cents to 5 cents, while another plant increased the productive
hourly rate 0.0254 cent. Two plants reported increases, but failed
to state the amount of increase or number affected.
Boots and shoes: One establishment reported an increase of slightly
more than 11 per cent, affecting 15 per cent of the force. The entire
force in one plant received increases ranging from 10 per cent to 20
per cent. Three firms granted a 10 per cent increase—one to all em
ployees, one to about 7 per cent of the force, and the third did not
state the number affected. Another factory granted 60 hours’ pay for
50 hours’ work to week workers, thus increasing the hourly rates
but not the earnings per week, and a 10 per cent increase was also
granted to piece workers, each class constituting about half of the
force. Two plants gave a bonus of 10 per cent, affecting all the
employees in one and all week and piece workers for the duration of
the War in the other; 43 per cent of the employees in another plant
were increased 7£ per cent. Every employee in one concern received
an increase of 5 per cent. One plant increased the’ office force and
one forewoman $2 per week, and the cleaning department 1 cent per
pair of shoes. Three establishments reported increases, but gave no
further data.
Car building and repairing: An increase of 10 per cent in one plant
was granted to 60 per cent of the employees.
Cigar manufacturing: Ten per cent of the force in one factory
received an increase of 7 per cent. One plant reported an increase
of 5 per cent to 10 per cent of the force, and another plant granted a
general increase of approximately 5 per cent. An increase of Si per
thousand for making cigars was granted by one factory. A decrease
was reported by one factory, but the report failed to state the amount
of decrease or number affected.
Clothing, men’s ready-made: One concern granted graduated in
creases of 10 to 15 per cent, affecting 80 per cent of the force. Five
establishments reported an increase of 10 per cent—one in all shops,
except to the foremen, two to 90 per cent of the employees, one
to 15 per cent of the force, and another to about 3 per cent of its
employees.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[150]
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
151
Cotton finishing: An increase of 15 per cent was granted by one
firm, which failed to report the number affected. Two plants
reported an increase of 10 per cent affecting their entire force.
Lotton manufacturing: An average increase of 15 per cent was
granted to all the employees in one plant. One establishment reported
an increase of 12^ per cent, but did not state the number affected,
and another plant reported an increase of 11.34 per cent affecting
the entire force. An increase of 10 per cent was granted by four
firms three to all employees, the fourth failing to state the number
affected; one firm granted an increase of approximately 10 per cent;
another granted a general increase of about 10 per cent and a bonus
of $1 per week to “ full-time” workers. One establishment gave an
increase of 9.8 per cent, but did not state how many employees were
affected. An increase of 8 to 12 per cent was given to the entire force
in one firm and of 8 per cent to all employees in another. One estab
lishment reported an increase of. 7\ per cent to all employees and a
bonus of 7\ per cent to all “ full-time” workers. An .average increase
of 5 per cent was given to the. total force in one concern. One firm
granted an increase of SI.50 to all who work a full week.
Hosiery and underwear: One establishment reported a bonus of 21
per cent, but failed to state the number of employees affected. An
increase of 12f per cent was granted to approximately 23 per cent of
the force in one plant and 12J per cent to all employees in another.
Pressers and folders in one firm were given an increase of 11 per cent.
One establishment reported an increase of 10 per cent to 25 per cent
of the force, one an increase of 10 to 15 per cent to approximately
17 per cent of the employees, and another an increase of 10 to 12J
per cent, but did not state the per cent of the force affected. In three
mills a 10 per cent increase was given, all employees being affected in'
two establishments and 30 per cent of the force in the other, while
another mill reported a 10 per cent bonus for full-time to all employees.
One plant reported an increase, but stated neither the amount of
increase nor the number affected.
Iron and steel: Practically the entire force of one plant received
an increase of 16.86 per cent, and in another plant there was an
increase of 16-£ per cent to all employees. An increase of 15 per cent
was reported by 31 establishments—affecting the whole force in 21
plants, all hour men in 3, one-half of force in 1 plant, 60 per cent in 1,
and in 4 plants the number affe'eted ranged from 60 per cent to 93.9
per cent of the employees. In 9 plants there were increases ranging
from 13.5 to 14.57 per cent affecting practically all the employees in
each instance, while in 15 establishments smaller increases, ranging
from 5 per cent to 12 per cent, were made. A 4 per cent decrease
to 30 per cent of the force was reported in one plant, while in an-
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[151]
152
MONTHLY LAJ30B REVIEW.
other there was a decrease to one-third of the employees, but the
report did not state what per cent.
Leather manufacturing: One plant reported an increase of S3 per
cent to practically all persons, while another gave an increase of 15
per cent, affecting 75 per cent of all employees. Six establishments
reported a 10 per cent advance in wages; three of these granted the
increase to the entire force, one to slightly more than 29 per cent,
one to 21 per cent, and another to 14 per cent. An increase of 8
per cent was given to the entire force in one plant. One establish
ment reported an increase of $1 per week to 50 per cent of the force,
one an advance of 25 cents per day to 25 per cent of the force, and
another 15 cents per day to all employees. In one plant an increase
was granted to 35 per cent of the employees, but no statement was
made as to the amount of increase.
Paper making: An increase ranging from 6 per cent to 50 per cent,
or an average increase of approximately 17 per cent, was granted to a
large part of the force in one mill. One establishment reported an
increase of 8 per cent, affecting 15 per cent of'the employees. In five
plants an increase of 10 per cent is shown, this affecting the entire
force in four firms and approximately all in the other; while another
mill reported a 10 per cent bonus and an increase of 3 cents an hour
to all. Two establishments gave an increase of 8 per cent and 5 per
cent, respectively, but did not state how many employees were
affected. The entire force in one plant received an increase of 25
cents per day.
Silk: Two establishments reported an increase of 20 per cent, one
granting it to all employees, the other failing to state the number
affected. An increase of 10 per cent was received by 90 per cent of
. the force in one mill and by 50 per cent in another. The wages of
weavers, or about 31 per cent of the force in one mill, were increased
7 per cent. In one concern a 5 per cent increase was granted to 10
per cent of the employees. An increase of 2 cents per hour to all
male workers and 1 cent to all female workers was given by one
establishment.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[1 5 2 ]
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
153
INDEX NUMBERS OF EMPLOYMENT AND OF PAY ROLL, JANUARY, 1915,
TO MAY, 1918.
Index numbers showing relatively the variation in the number of
persons employed and in pay-roll totals in 13 industries by months
from January, 1915 to May, 1918, have, been compiled and are pre
sented in the two following tables. These index numbers are based
on the figures for “ Employment in selected industries/7 appearing in
this and preceding issues of the R e v i e w . The seven industries
shown in the first table are the only ones for which the bureau has
comparable data as far back as January, 1915; hence in the first
table January, 1915, is taken as the basis of comparison and in the
second January, 1916.
The number of persons whose names appeared on the pay roll for
the base month is represented by 100, and the amount of money car
ried on the pay rolls is likewise represented by 100. To illustrate,
if the number of persons employed in the iron and steel industry in
January, 1915, is taken as 100, then the number employed in that
industry in May, 1918, was 186; in other words, it had increased 86 per
cent; and if the money pay roll in January, 1915, be taken as 100,
the pay roll in May, 1918, represented 360; or, in other words, the
amount paid in wages was more than three and one-half times as
much in May, 1918, as in January, 1915.
While the index numbers show the change in the number of persons
employed and in the aggregate amount of money paid in wages,
they do not, without a computation, indicate the change in per capita
earnings. An index for per capita earnings may be obtained by
dividing the index for the amount of the pay roll by the index for the
number of persons on the pay roll. The per cent of increase in per
capita earnings in May, 1918, as compared with January, 1915, or
January, 1916, has .been computed and entered, at the bottom of the
table. Thus the per capita earnings of boot and shoe factory em
ployees increased 85 per cent between January, 1915, and May, 1918,
and the per capita earnings of employees in automobile manufac
turing increased 40 per cent between January, 1916, and May, 1918.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[153]
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW,
154
IN D E X NUM BERS OF EMPLOYMENT AND OF PA Y ROLL, JAN U A RY , 1915, TO MAY, 1918.
[January, 1915=100.]
Boots and
shoes.
Month and
year.
1915.
; muary...........
i cbruary........
March...............
April.................
M ay. t ..............
June.................
Ju ly..................
August.............
September___
October...........
November___
December........
1916.
January...........
February........
March...............
April.................
May..................
June.................
Ju ly..................
August.............
September___
October...........
November___
December........
1917.
January...........
February.........
March...............
April.................
M ay..................
June.................
Ju ly ..................
August.............
September___
October...........
November___
December........
1918.
January...........
February........
March...............
April................
May..................
Per cent of in
crease in per
capita earn
ings in May,
1918, over
January,
1915...............
Cotton
finishing.
Cotton
Hosiery
manufac
and
turing.
underwear.
Iron and
steel.
Woolen
manufac
turing.
Silk.
N um Amt. Num Amt. N um Amt. Num Amt. Num Amt. Num Amt. Num
ber
ber
ber
ber
ber
ber
ber Amt.
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
on
on
on
on
on
on
on
pay
pay
pay
pay
Pay
pay
pay
pay roll. pay roll. pay roll. pay roll. pay roll. pay roll. pay roll.
roll.
roll.
roll.
roll.
roll.
roll.
roll.
100
100
100
111
100
112
88
108
110
76
82
89
91
95
95
110
110
102
113
115
107
105
109
107
114
116
124
96
99
95
89
91
92
93
94
94
103
107
125
114
115
115
113
111
120
11 1
122
129
115
125
123
125
118
119
120
115
123
127
125
123
111
113
114
113
122
112
112
123
141
156
117
122
157
159
156
145
152
165
153
153
150
151
171
123
123
122
119
118
120
117
110
105
107
115
115
202
116
117
117
113
201
199
210
205
205
111
8
109
106
106
5
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
124
129
132
127
136
137
133
132
134
136
141
156
121
112
113
113
114
113
113
116
119
152
151
153
150
163
166
153
152
155
158
174
180
117
116
116
113
115
116
111
111
113
112
116
118
113
113
116
169
166
178
182
185
110
109
69
100
100
101
100
100
100
100
100
105
105
108
106
111
112
96
104
108
106
116
101
102
104
107
105
106
10 1
101
100
101
101
102
110
112
122
99
103
96
100
101
101
101
100
99
102
100
100
100
110
111
113
118
117
114
114
116
100
100
100
98
98
98
99
101
100
100
100
99
99
99
99
97
97
97
99
100
110
108
113
114
116
119115
116
118
120
121
120
119
117
119
111
121
117
125
123
124
123
125
127
124
129
137
137
131
135
137
155
163
123
124
125
158
150
165
169
173
99
94
98
96
95
118
82
122
124
123
121
118
120
121
122
124
121
123
124
124
123
73
[1 5 4 ]
118
118
117
129
132
138
122
111
120
115
117
132
121
100
102
100
102
110
102
99
99
98
97
135
125 ■140
147
130
131
159
164
130
100
101
132
138
142
142
146
144
135
134
142
147
156
164
135
138
141
141
146
147
149
152
155
155
158
160
162
184
109
107
109
160
158
164
154
166
169
166
161
165
176
189
195
164
165
168
167
172
173
175
180
179
182
183
183
182
183
207
209
213
182
182
184
184
186
121
105
103
106
108
102
102
105
103
113
113
117
117
121
121
120
110
110
120
109
109
109
107
109
124
125
131
129
135
246
242
257
241
2 S6
286
267
296
290
343
347
335
109
108
107
106
104
98
96
97
96
134
137
142
138
141
136
128
128
128
134
134
133
317
322
336
336
360
94
96
97
96
95
123
126
144
147
151
186
204
207
181
203
211
219
224
234
110
109
102
102
100
8
100
10 1
100
99
104
108
107
97
98.
96
104
107
107
103
104
104
113
126
131
130
130
133
is s -
94
108
111
102
117
121
114
117
117
119
124
133
134
136
145
139
136
129
138
134
144
158
120
117
116
11 1
115
117
117
119
163
161
162
154
173
172
173
168
176
192
208
216
122
122
123
120
120
119
119
116
119
122
125
128
205
189
219
229
224
122
120
125
124
122
34
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW,
155
IN D E X NUM BERS OF EMPLOYMENT AND OF PA Y ROLL, F E B R U A R Y , MARCH, OR
N O VEM BER, 1915 TO MAY, 1918.
[January, 1916—100.]
Automo
bile manu
facturing.
Month and year.
Car build
ing and
repairing.
Cigar
manufac
turing.
Men’s
ready-made
clothing.
Leather
manufac
turing.
Paper
manufac
turing.
Num Amt. Num Amt. Num Amt. Num Amt. N um Amt. Num
ber
ber
ber
ber
ber
ber Amt.
of
of
of
of
of
of
on
on
on
on
on
on
pay
pay
pay
Pay
pay
pay
pay
pay
pay
pay
pay pay
roll. roll. roll. roll. roll. roll. roll. roll. roll. roll. roll. roil.
1915.
71
79
67
87
92
89
95
71
87
71
92
98
106
93
99
100
112
105
96
115
134
86
July
November..............................
December................................
1916.
January...................................
February................................
March.......................................
April........................................
May..........................................
June.........................................
July..........................................
August.....................................
September..............................
October...................................
November..............................
December................................
1917.
January...................................
February................................
March......................................
April........................................
May..........................................
June.........................................
July..........................................
August.....................................
September..............................
October...................................
November..............................
December...............................
1918.
January...................................
February................................
March.......................................
April........... ............................
M ay..........................................
Per cent of increase in per
capita earnings in May,
1918, over January, 1916..
65801°—18------ 11
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
99
108
100
102
100
112
100
111
114
117
114
118
116
106
112
113
109
116
117
123
132
129
125
121
133
148
155
137
121
137
149
158
153
156
147
142
137
155
161
165
158
119
118
124
124
124
141
146
161
164
173
133
134
135
133
130
125
117
120
125
127
122
40
100
104
109
109
109
111
108
109
112
112
118
117
111
112
109
104
105
104
108
107
96
103
109
114
115
113
113
109
110
100
121
133
133
135
135
128
127
131
135
148
156
106
91
98
94
96
92
97
107
109
107
91
111
100
100
95
99
93
90
91
91
90
94
98
94
97
94
97
96
97
99
88
93
95
100
95
94
110
116
93
111
107
107
104
103
106
104
90
131
132
141
142
125
62
[1 5 5 ]
97
102
117
157
159
171
170
179
37
94
106
86
84
95
106
90
100
102
93
92
94
94
87
92
99
104
104
86
105
106
107
105
115
110
113
117
107
114
119
118
108
116
128
137
136
97
98
86
70
98
98
107
113
100
98
100
100
104
105
97
93
96
136
134
142
131
146
145
136
148
133
157
169
172
100
98
92
80
94
94
97
84
80
84
89
81
110
110
113
117
113
109
103
10 1
105
107
102
106
102
102
102
120
118
113
116
124
114
117
123
132
124
135
143
149
141
137
139
152
158
147
154
157
153
163
61
97
91
101
102
100
112
111
NO
106
103
105
108
99
109
113
116
124
121
119
114
109
105
103
102
102
103
111
114
NO
108
105
100
99
100
111
105
108
109
112
112
118
111
129
131
140
141
145
142
133
133
129
125
130
136
144
158
171
163
156
166
162
174
76
85
96
91
99
100
100
105
103
104
106
108
107
108
103
104
109
106
107
102
114
118
117
117
116
113
115
11 1
103
109
11 1
111
114
112
109
113
113
114
112
118
117
122
118
122
123
137
135
135
136
135
141
143
139
138
143
148
160
159
147
148
168
170
172
50
156
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
VOLUME OF EMPLOYMENT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM (GREAT BRITAIN
AND IRELAND) IN APRIL, 1918.
The figures in the following table relating to the condition of
employment in Great Britain and Ireland in April, 1918, were com
piled from a report published in the British Labor Gazette of May,
1918. Similar information for January was published in the April
R e v ie w .
No material changes relating to the number of employees in April,
1918, as compared with March, 1918, are shown except in the employ
ment of seamen, where there was the marked increase of 18.9 per cent.
In comparing April, 1918, with April, 1917, as to numbers em
ployed, more important changes are seen. Seamen; the wholesale
mantle, costume, and blouse trades (Glasgow); and the tailoring trade
show the greatest increases—10.1 per cent, 6.4 per cent, and 5.7 per
cent, respectively; while the cotton industry shows a decrease of 13.9
per cent; dock and riverside labor, a decrease of 12 per cent; dress
making and millinery, 9 per cent; and the corset industry a decrease
of 8.5 per cent.
The aggregate earnings of employees in April, 1918, as compared
with March, 1918, show an increase of 8.8 per cent, 8.7 per cent, 7.7
per cent, respectively, in bookbinding, printing, and tailoring. The
largest decrease—2.4 per cent—is shown in the carpet industry.
Comparing April, 1918, with April, 1917, increases in earnings of
employees are shown in each industry reporting this item. The most
important changes are shown in tailoring, bookbinding, linen manu
facturing, and printing, which show increases of 39.4 per cent, 35.2 per
cent, 25.9 per cent, and 25.4 per cent, respectively.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[1 5 6 ]
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
157
VOLUME OF EMPLOYMENT IN THE U N IT E D KINGDOM (GREAT B R IT A IN AN D IR E
LA N D ) IN A PR IL , 1918, AS COMPARED W ITH MARCH, 1918, A N D A PR IL, 1917.
[Compiled from figures in The Labour Gazette (London), May, 1918.]
Industries, and basis of com
parison.
Per cent of in
crease (+ ) or
decrease (—)
in April,
1918, as com
pared with—
March,
1918.
Coal mining: Average number of
days worked.................................. + 1.6
Iron mining: Average number of
days worked.................................. + .3
Quarrying: Number of employees. — .6
Pig iron: Number of furnaces in
blast................................................. + .3
Iron and steel works:
Number of em ployees.............. + .4
Number of shifts worked........ + .7
Engineering trades: Number of
employees 2..................................... + .02
Shipbuilding trades: Number of
employees 2..................................... + .03
Tin-plate, steel, and galvanized
sheet trades: Number of mills
in operation.................................... + .3
Cotton trade:
Number of em ployees.............. _ .7
Earnings of employees............. _ .6
Wroolen trade:
Number of em ployees..............
0)
Earnings of employees............. + 1.7
Worsted trade:
Number of em ployees.............. — .2
Earnings of employees............. + 3.5
Hosiery trade:
Number of em ployees.............. — .2
Earnings of eniployees............. + 1.7
Jute trade:
Number of employees............ + .1
Earnings of eniployees..........
0)
Linen trade:
Number of em ployees.............. — .9
Earnings of eniployees........... — 1.0
Silk trade:
Number of em ployees.............. + .4
Earnings of employees........... + 4.9
Carpet trade:
Number of em ployees.............. — 3.7
Earnings of employees............. — 2.4
Lace trade:
Number of employees.............. — .6
Earnings of employees............. — .3
Bleaching, printing, dyeing, and
finishing:
Number of employees.............. — .3
Earnings of eniployees............. _ 2.0
Boot and shoe trade:
Number of em ployees ................. — .7
Earnings of employees ................
.3
Leather trades: Number of employees .................................................................... + .6
Tailoring trades:
Number of em ployees ....................... + . 1
Earnings of eniployees ...................... + 7.7
Shirt and collar trade:
Number of employees ....................... + 1.2
Earnings of employees............. + 2.1
i No change.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Industries, and basis of com
parison.
April,
1917.
+ 3.2
•
- .3
- 3.3
(*)
+ 4.9
+ 4.7
+
.35
.12
+ 6.8
-1 3 .9
+ .2
- 4.8
+ 13.1
- 5.6
+ 9.8
-1.9
+21.3
- 6.0
+ 7.1
+ 1.0
+25. 9
- 2 .4
+ 17.5
- 8.3
+ 3.2
- 4.2
+ 10.5
- 4.8
+ 12.2
6.1
+ 14.2
-
-
1.4
+ 5.7
+39.4
2.5
+18.9
Per cent of in
crease ( + ) or
decrease (—)
in April,
1918, as com
pared with—
March, April,
1918.
1917.
Other clothing trades:
Dressmaking and millinery—
Number of em ployees. . . . — 1.1
Wholesale mantle, costume,
blouse, etc.—
Number of employees—
London
+ 3.8
Number of employees—
Manchester
0)
Number of employees—
Glasgow............................ + .7
Corset trade: Number of employees..................................... — 1.1
Building and construction of
works: Number of employees 2. _ .01
Sawmilling and machining: Number of employees 2. .
+ .06
Brick trade:
Number of employees .
.9
‘Earnings of p.jnployees
+
Cement trade:
Number of employees
.9
Earnings of employees
Paper, printing, and bookbinding
trades:
Paper trades—
Number of employees reported by trade-unions 2 + , i
Number of employees reported by employers__ _ l i
Earnings of employees reported by employers__ — .3
Printing trades—
Number of employees reported by trade-unions2 _ .1
m.
Number of employees reported by employers__ + .4
Earnings of employees reported by employers__ + 8.7
Bookbinding trades—
Number of employees reported by trade-unions2 — .1
Number of employees reported by employers__ + .5
Earnings of employees reported by employers__ + 8.8
Pottery trades:
Number of em p loyees. .
1.0
Earnings of employees............. + .6
Glass trades:
+ .8
Number of employees . . .
Earnings of employees ......................
1.3
Food preparation trades:
Number of em ployees ....................... + .3
Earnings of employees
+ 1.5
Dock and riverside labor: Number of employees ............................................. + 5.6
Seamen: Number of employees . . . + 18.9
2Based on unemployment returns.
[157]
- 9.0
+ 3.5
- 4.1
+ 6.4
- 8.5
+
.13
-
.02
+20.6
13
+20.1
-
.1
-
.9
+21.2
+
.1
- 2.4
+25.4
+
.1
+ 2.3
42
+ 14.3
9
4
+ 14.1
4.6
+ 14.9
-1 2 .0
+ 10.1
158
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
CHINESE LABOR EMIGRATION LAW AND LABOR RECRUITING AGENCY
REGULATIONS.
The labor emigration law of China which was promulgated on
April 21, 1918, effective the same date, applies to all citizens of the
Chinese Republic who are employed as laborers by foreign countries.
This law, as published in the Peking Leader for April 23, 1918, is as
follows i1
A r t ic l e I. All citizens of the Chinese Republic who are employed as laborers by
foreign countries shall be called emigrant laborers.
A r t . II. The emigration of laborers shall be divided into the following classes:
(1) Those selected and sent abroad by the Government; (2) those recruited directly
by foreign agencies; (3) those recruited by contractors.
A r t . III. An emigrant laborer at the time of employment shall be required to
possess the following qualifications: (1) Age from 20 to 40 years; (2) sound and healthy
body; (3) free from contagious diseases; (4) possessing no bad habits; (5) having good
conduct and committed no criminal offenses.
A r t . IV. The emigration of those laborers of class 2 shall be reported to and sanc
tioned by the labor emigration bureau.
A r t . V. The report on the emigration of class 2 laborers shall enumerate the fol
lowing points: (1) Names of the country and its specific locality for which the laborers
are employed; (2) name of the agency by which they are recruited; (3) the kind of
labor for which they are employed.
A r t . VI. Without a special permit from the labor emigration bureau, no contractors
shall be allowed to undertake the recruiting business.
A r t . VII. The recruiting of labor [shall] be governed by the Chinese labor recruit
ing regulations.
A r t . V III. All contracts for Chinese labor, except those made by the Government,
shall be referred to the labor emigration bureau for its approval. These contracts
shall be made in accordance with the labor contract regulations. The labor contract
regulations shall be promulgated by the labor emigration bureau.
A r t . IX. All laborers going abroad shall be required to provide themselves with
passports issued by the labor emigration bureau. All passports heretofore issued by
the various organs to emigrant laborers shall be considered null and void after the
promulgation of this law.
A r t . X. At least 20 per cent of the wages of an emigrant laborer shall be set apart
for his family expenses. This sum shall be deducted from his wages by his employer
every month and handed to the director of the labor emigration bureau of the cabinet,
who shall remit it to a branch [bank] in China designated by the director of the labor
emigration bureau and the said bank shall forward the money to the laborer’s family.
If the laborer is without a family, the money shall be deposited in the bank till the
laborer comes home and claims it.
A rt . X I. All interpreters in connection w ith th e em igrant labor service shall be
required to secure perm its from th e labor emigration bureau before th ey receive
employment.
A r t . X II. In recruiting labor, if any proceedings have been specified by treaties,
such proceeding shall be observed.
A r t . X III. The fees to be paid to the Government by laborers on the departure
abroad shall be collected by the labor emigration bureau or its subbureaus in the
localities in which the labor is recruited.
________________________:___________________________________________________________ _ ,Vi.v ___ 2L.
i Data furnished by the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, Department of Commerce.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[158]
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
159
A r t . XIY. If circumstances warrant, labor emigration commissioners shall be
appointed to the countries or specific places in which Chinese laborers are employed.
These commissioners shall be appointed by the Premier upon the recommendation
of the labor emigration bureau. Members of the Chinese legations or consulates near
the places of the laborers may be authorized to act in such capacity.
A r t . XV. Local authorities who assist in the recruiting of labor shall be required
to report the procedure through the highest official of the locality to the labor emigra
tion bureau.
A r t . XVI. This law shall take effect on the day of promulgation.
Certain regulations governing the filing of applications by those
who would be labor recruiting agents and controlling the activities
of these agents were also promulgated on April 21, 1918, and pub
lished in the Peking Leader for April 23. These labor recruiting agency
regulations are as follows:
A r t ic l e I. All persons engaged in recruiting Chinese labor, whether individuals
or firms, shall be called labor-recruiting agents.
A r t . II. Those who wish to be labor-recruiting agents shall be required to make
application to the labor emigration subbureau of the locality or the head bureau
through its local representatives. The applications shall embody the following details:
(1) Name, age, native place, present address, and personal record of the applicant; (2)
the location of the office or suboffice of the agency; (3) the total amount of capital for
the undertaking; (4) all the requirements enumerated in the articles 10, 82, 98, or 232
of the corporation law.
A r t . III. Those who are under the following conditions shall not be allowed to be
labor-recruiting agents: (1) Their civil rights having been deprived of; (2) having
been declared bankrupt; (3) having been declared unqualified to administer prop
erty; (4) having been punished for violation of this law and during the three years
following the punishment; (5) agency having been dissolved by this law during the
year ensuing the dissolution.
A r t . IV. If a n a g e n t fa il to c o m m e n c e h is b u sin e ss o n e m o n th a f te r t h e g ra n tin g
of lic e n s e , t h e lic e n s e s h a ll b e c o n s id e re d n u ll a n d v o id .
A r t . V. Every time labor is recruited the agent shall
be required to make appli
cation to the local labor emigration subbureau or to the head bureau through its rep
resentatives. The application shall embody the following details: (1) Name of the
applicant, individual, or company; (2) the place in which the recruiting shall be held;
(3) names of the countries and their specific place for which labor is recruited; (4) the
kind of labor to be recruited; (5) the number of men to be recruited; (6) a copy of the
contract signed between the foreign employer and the recruiting agent; (7) a copy of
the contract signed between the employers and employees. The contract referred to
in clause 6 shall not violate Article V III of the labor emigration law. If it is written
in a foreign language, the foreign text shall be accompanied by a Chinese translation.
A r t . VI. No agent shall be allowed to recruit labor outside the areas sanctioned by
the labor emigration bureau.
A r t . VII. The assembling and departure of recruited laborers shall be reported by
the agents concerned to the local labor emigration subbureau or representatives of the
head bureau for official supervision.
A r t . V III. Any agent when obtaining the permission of the labor emigration bureau
in accordance with the above Article II, shall be required to give a security for license
and when obtaining the bureau’s permission in accordance with Article V shall also
be required to give security. If an agent fail to pay the security either wholly or
partially the license shall be canceled. The security for license shall be $10,000; the
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[1591
160
MONTHLY LABOE REVIEW.
minimum for the latter security shall be $5,000. The latter amount shall be increased
by the labor emigration bureau when the number of recruits is over 2,500.
A r t . IX. The securities shall be paid in national bonds or Government certificates
whose sum shall not exceed 30 per cent of the whole amount.
A r t . X. The security for license shall be refunded when the agent concerned
appliesf or the cancellation of the license. The security for recruiting shall be refunded
a year after the expiration of the employment contract.
A r t . X I. Besides compensation and expenses provided for in the contract, no other
commission shall be demanded by agents from laborers.
A r t . X II. The date of departure of laborers shall be announced to them at the time
of recruiting. If the departure is delayed not by unavoidable circumstances, the
laborers shall be allowed to demand from the agents indemnity for whatever damage
they have suffered.
A r t . X III. When any agent fails to comply with the terms of a contract the laborers
concerned shall be allowed to petition to the local labor emigration subbureau or the
bureau’s representatives for assistance in the enforcement of the terms. Any expense
incurred in the assistance shall be defrayed by the agents out of the security funds by
the labor emigration bureau.
. A r t . XIV. If any agent is guilty of the following misdemeanors, his business per
m it shall be canceled and license withdrawn: (1) Violations of these regulations; (2)
disturbance of public order and peace; (3) ill-treatment of laborer’s. In the last case
damages sustained by the laborers through the cancellation of business permit shall be
indemnified by the agent concerned. The amount of damage thus incurred shall be
ascertained and made good with [from] the agent’s security by the labor emigration
bureau.
A r t . XV. If any agent is found recruiting laborers by dishonest means in addition
to the cancellation of his business permit, he shall be punished with life imprisonment
or imprisonment of the second grade, and his security shall be confiscated.
A r t . XVI. Any agent who wishes to carry on trade directly concerning the laborers
shall be required to make application to the labor emigration bureau as follows: (1)
The kind of trade and the place for it; (2) the amount of capital; (3) the plan for the
business.
A r t . X V II. Any agent who recruits labor secretly and in violation of the regulations
shall be punished with imprisonment of the fifth grade with hard labor, or fined not
more than $1,000 nor less than $100.
A r t . X V III. All agencies, which have been established with the permission of the
proper authorities before the promulgation of these regulations, shall be allowed to
continue their business as usual, but shall be required to apply to the labor emigration
bureau for licenses.
A r t . X IX . All agencies which have been established without permission of proper
authorities, before the promulgation of these regulations, shall be required to apply to
the labor emigration bureau for licenses within three months after the promulgation
of theses regulations.
A r t . XX. These regulations shall take effect upon the day of promulgation.
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(TO.
[160]
INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS.
CAUSATION OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS, GREAT BRITAIN.
The report of an investigation made by H. M. Vernon, M. D., of
the factors concerned in the causation of industrial accidents was
issued in February, 1918, as Memorandum No. 21 of the Health of
Munition Workers Committee.1 In the course of the investigation
50,093 accidents occurring in four munition factories during periods
ranging from 9 to 25\ months were analyzed. The injuries analyzed
were cuts, foreign bodies in the eye, burns, sprains, and injuries
incurred one or more days before they were first treated. The
author states that the factors concerned in accident production may
be classified as those of personal origin—such as nervous and muscular
coordination in relation to speed of production, fatigue, psychical
influence, nutrition, and alcohol consumption—and those depending
on external conditions not directly under the workers’ control—
lighting; temperature, humidity, and ventilation; and defects of
machinery and absence of guards. While the author admits that
“ no attempt whatever has been made to investigate certain factors,
such as defects of machinery and absence of guards,” 2 he reaches
the conclusion that probably the majority of industrial accidents are
unavoidable and that “ accidents depend, in the main, on carelessness
and lack of attention of workers.”
Study of occurrence of accidents in relation to output showed that
in one factory making fuses, during the morning spell of work, the
number of accidents increased with the output, both accidents and
output reaching a maximum in the last or next to the last full hour of
work. The author concludes that this increase of accidents was
“ due partly to increasing speed of production and partly from
increasing inattention arising from thoughts of pleasure to come.”
Among the night workers, on the other hand, though the output
followed a course similar to that of the day-shift output, the accident
incidence, except that of eye accidents, was entirely different. The
1 Great Britain. Ministry of Munitions. Health of Munition Workers Committee. Memorandum
No. 2 1 : An investigation of the factors concerned in the causation of industrial accidents. London,
February, 1918. 46 pp.
2 The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics has approached this subject from a different angle.
In its studies of causes of accidents it has given careful consideration to the engineering problems in industry
as well as the human side, and its investigations have invariably indicated that a very large proportion of
accidents is due to lack of proper guards on machines, defective machinery and tools, inadequate lighting,
improper building construction, and unwise location of railway tracks and runways for cranes. There is
some doubt as to the wisdom of considering the human element, as appears to be done in the report here
reviewed, without first seeking to correct the very great dangers that often arise from lack of attention to
these engineering problems.
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[161 ]
161
162
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
maximum number of accidents occurred at the beginning of the shift
and fell gradually during the night to about half its initial value.
This is attributed to “ the fact that the night-shift workers started
work in a careless and excited state and calmed down gradually
during the night.” In the other three factories, where 6, 9.2, and
15 inch shells were made, there was very little hourly variation in the
speed of production and the accident incidence was correspondingly
steady.
The influence of fatigue on accidents to women was shown by the
fact that the 12-hour day worked in the fuse factory caused such
fatigue in the women as to make the number of accidents occurring
among them 2\ times as great as in a subsequent period during which
they worked a 10-hour day. Reduction of hours from 12 to 10 per
day had no effect on the number of accidents among the male workers.
The report states that:
Even duringithe 10-hour day the women showed distinctly more signs of fatigue
than the men did during the 12-hour day, not only by reason of the above-mentioned
ratios between afternoon and morning accidents, but because the women showed a
more rapid increase of accidents in the course of the morning spell of the 10-hour day
than the men did in the same spell of the 12-hour day. Probably women would need
to have their working day reduced to 9 hours before they escaped fatigue as success
fully as the 12-hour day men. A 12-hour day of actual work in industrial pursuits
was almost unknown in this country before the War, and has been exceptional during
the War, so we may confidently conclude that as a rule fatigue has but little influence
in the causation of accidents in men. If men worked longer than a 12-hour day, or
even if they worked 12 hours or less upon heavier types of work than those imposed
on them at the fuse factory, they would doubtless be liable to fall into the condition
of excessive fatigue shown by the women.
In a discussion of the comparative frequency of accidents among
the day shift and among the night shift, Dr. Vernon states that the
alcohol consumption factor, in so far as it operates at all, must tend
to increase night-shift accidents more than day-shift accidents.
Artificial illumination, he said, had the same tendency; the excess of
eye accidents occurring during the night shift over those occurring
during the day shift was shown to be due to artificial lighting. The
report states that temperature had a decided effect on accident
occurrence, since “ accidents increased considerably as the weather
grew colder, and diminished as it grew warmer. In one factory,
accidents among women were nearly 2\ times as numerous when the
temperature was at or below freezing point as when it was above 47
degrees, while among men they were twice as numerous.” The
author points out that inasmuch as lower temperatures were ex
perienced during the night-shift hours, accidents would tend to be
more numerous then, and after study of accident incidence at various
temperatures he recommends as the optimum temperature in muni
tion factories one of 60° to 64° F.
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[162]
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
163
Notwithstanding all those factors tending to increase night-shift
accidents over day-shift accidents, it was found that, grouping all
kinds of accidents together, fewer accidents—16 per cent less among
the women and 15 per cent less among the men—occurred during the
night shift than during the day shift. The author concludes that
the determining cause was the influence of the psychical factor—the
workers’ mental attitude.
The following suggestions as to accident prevention are given:
In the first place, it is well to recognize that many industrial accidents, probably
the majority of them, are unavoidable, and that at best one can only hope to reduce
their number, and never to eliminate them entirely. Moreover, we have seen that
speed of production is an extremely important factor in their causation, and often the
most important factor of all, so any improvement of factory conditions which increases
speed of production inevitably tends to a more than proportional increase of accidents.
Accidents depend, in the main, on carelessness and lack of attention of the workers,
and so the more one can eliminate this lack of attention and increase the concentration
of the worker upon his work, the more will accidents be reduced. As has already been
pointed out, one wants to induce in all the workers throughout their hours of labor
the same mental outlook as is present in the night-shift workers in the early hours of
the morning. These workers have for the most part forgotten the pleasures and
excitements indulged in shortly before coming on to night shift, and they have nothing
but an unexhilarating breakfast and bed to look forward to. Such a mental state is
impossible of achievement by the day-shift workers, but something in the way of
mental calm and equilibrium can be attained by stopping all conversation except
that relating to the work in hand. . If the workers would consent to it it would be a
good plan to induce temporary deafness by plugging the ears, and so shut out the
noise of the machinery, which is in itself an important cause of distraction and fatigue.
Again, if it were practicable—though it is seldom that it can be so—it would be of
value to shut out the sight of surrounding objects by separating the lathes or other
machines from one another by partitions. The worker, left to himself without sound
or sights to distract his attention, could then concentrate himself entirely on the work
in hand. It might be said that the monotony would be so great that nobody would
stand it, but would it not be better to work for, e. g., two 3 or 31 hour spells every
day under such conditions if the worker could thereby earn as much as he does under
present conditions in two 4-hour spells? However, these conditions are mentioned
only as an ideal, which should be aimed at wherever possible.
The careless habit of mind can also be diminished by stricter sobriety. There can
be no doubt that the less alcohol the worker consumes the better it is for the quality
and quantity of his work, and for his accident immunity. This applies especially to
alcohol consumed by the day shift in the dinner hour and by the night shift shortly
before coming on to work. The inclination of the day-shift worker to drink during his
dinner hour can be combated to some extent by establishing factory canteens, where
good food is obtainable at cost price, or slightly below it. The worker would then find
it more convenient to stay in the works during his dinner hour than to go home, and so
would escape the temptation of drinking. * * *
The production of excessive fatigue with its accompanying increase of accidents
can be almost entirely avoided by choosing suitable hours of labor. I t can also be
combated by the introduction of seats for the standing workers to rest on occasionally
when they are not actually working, and of the most suitable seats possible for seden
tary Workers. * * *
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164
We have seen that even moderately defective lighting produced a considerable
increase of eye accidents, and it is probable that it had some effect on other types of
accident as well, though it was not big enough to be detectable. Hence the adequacy
of the lighting of a factory should be tested from time to time by an expert, whilst the
eye accidents could be reduced or eliminated by the use of suitable goggles. Though
it might not be worth while to insist on the.majority of the workers using these goggles,
it should be made a rule that they be worn by the grinders of tools, and other specially
exposed workers.
The importance of the temperature factor in accident causation is so evident as to
need but little discussion. Thermometers ought to be installed in the shops, and be
consulted regularly by those in control of the heating. * * *
And finally it may be asked: To what extent would these remedial measures reduce
accidents if they were adopted thoroughly? No definite answer can be given, as the
improvement produced must needs vary greatly in different factories. * * * But
there can be no doubt that some reduction of accidents is possible at every factory,
though it may be only 10 per cent or 20 per cent in a well-managed factory, or 50 per
cent in a badly managed one. In all large factories the factors concerned in accident
causation should be worked out as fully as possible, and the effects of the remedial
measures be thoroughly tested.
INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS IN TENNESSEE.
The Fifth Annual Report1 of the Department of Workshop and
Factory Inspection of the State of Tennessee contains a section on
industrial accidents in which are listed 26 fatal, and 1,465 nonfatal
injuries reported by 236 establishments, with a time loss to victims
in nonfatal accidents of 14,139 days and a wage loss of $29,408.50, or
an average of $20.07 per injured man. Adding to this the estimated
wage loss of $130,000 in case of the 26 deaths, a total wage loss of
$159,408.50 is obtained. Tables in the report indicate that the largest
number of accidents occurred in the pig-iron industry (249 or 16.7
per cent) and in railroad shops (205 or 13.7 per cent); and that, by
cause, 309, or 20.7 per cent of all accidents, were due each to machin
ery and to falling objects. By occupations, the largest number of
accidents occurred among laborers and among machinists and helpers,
each group having 91 or 6.1 per cent, and among sawyers and helpers
(84 or 5.6 per cent). The wage loss was highest among machinists
and helpers, being $4,998.05, or 17 per cent of the entire wage loss in
nonfatal cases. As is usual, most of the injuries were to fingers, the
number being 321, or 21.5 per cent of all injuries. There were 151
(10.1 per cent) eye injuries.
1
Fifth Annual Report of the Department of Workshop and Factory Inspection of Tennessee.
1916, to Dec. 31, 1917. Nashville [1918]. Pp. 60-76.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[1 6 4 ]
D ec.l,
WORKMEN’S COMPENSATION AND SOCIAL
INSURANCE.
WORKMEN’S COMPENSATION REPORT FOR CALIFORNIA, 1916-17.
The report of the Industrial Accident Commission of California for
the year ending June 30, 1917/ gives a comprehensive statistical
study of 657 fatal injuries, 1,709 permanent injuries, and 92,513
temporary injuries, or a total of 94,879 injuries reported during the
year 1916. Comparative figures show that this as a marked in
crease over the preceding year in the number of industrial injuries—
an increase of 23.26 per cent in the number of fatalities, an increase
of 35.20 per cent in the number of permanen t injuries, and an increase
of 40.72 per cent in the number of temporary injuries. Taking all
classes together the increase was 40.48 per cent over 1915.
There is scarcely any other way to account for the increase of 445 permanent and
26,772 temporary injuries in 1916 than the increase in the production of war material
and the speeding up of this production, evidences of which we can see from all sides.
The report notes a total of 18,328 individual acceptances of the
compensation act, and calls attention to the fact that 4,918 emplojmrs
exempted from the provisions of the act voluntarily accepted the
law. During the year, 1,653 applications for adjudication of cla:ms
were decided by the commission, compensation being awarded m 61
per cent and denied in 22.9 per cent of the cases. The total awards
in these cases amounted to $944,122.62, or an average of $571.16 per
case; the average in the death cases was $2,444.79.
It appears from this report that the total compensation, medical,
and surgical benefits recorded as paid as of June 30, 1917, amounted
to $2,676,088.37, of which $266,346.52 was paid on account of fatal
cases, $683,311.85 on account of permanent injuries, and $1,726,430
on account of temporary injuries. Of the total benefits paid, $1,109,072.82 was expended for medical aid and $1,567,015.55 for com
pensation. In addition, $21,659.01 was expended for burial rites.
These figures represent an average of $884.66 compensation paid in
283 fatal cases and an average of $93.47 paid for medical aid in 171
fatal cases; an average of $397.82 paid for compensation in 1,370
cases of permanent injury, and an average of $115.91 paid for medval
aid in 1,193 such cases; also an average of $50.90 compensation paid
in 15,161 cases of temporary disability and an average of $15.73 paid
for medical aid in 60,680 cases of this kind.
1 "Report of the Industrial Accident Commission of the State of California from July 1, 1916, to June 30,
1917 Sacramento, 1917. 158 pp.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
The total amount paid in benefits of various kinds must not, of
course, be confused with the amount of the awards made in each
classification. Thus awards were made in 288 fatal cases, amounting
to $708,998.63, or an average of $2,461. 80 per case, and in 1,372
permanent injury cases, amounting to $860,186.56, or an average of
$626.95 per case.
It is stated that insurance companies assumed the burden of paying
75.98 per cent of the total compensation and medical benefits arising
out of injury cases occurring in 1916, this proportion being a slight
increase (2.91 per cent) over the amount paid by them in 1915. It
is also noted that there was an increase in the number of injuries
covered by State and private insurance companies in 1916, 71.65
per cent of al1 injuries bein reported by insurance companies as
against 66.34 per cent in 1915.
The report presents numerous tables showing causes of injuries
and amount of compensation and other benefits paid under each
specified cause, the average age and wage of injured employees,
parts of the body affected, and other data usually found in reports of
this kind. Some of the more important facts may be summarized:
Of 657 fatal injuries, the largest percentage (35.2 per cent) occurred
in transportation and the largest total benefits, amounting to
$109,301.10, were also in transportation. The cause of the. largest
number of fatalities was collisions and jams (182, or 27.7 per cent).
Most of those in the fatality group (326, or 49.6 per cent) were receiv
ing wages of $10 to $19 per week, the average wage for all those
fatally injured being $19.10.
Of 1,709 permanent injuries, 623, or 36.5 per cent, occurred in
manufacturing, the benefits paid amounting to $220,033.42; the
largest number of those injured, 895, or 52.4 per cent, was in the
$10 to $19 wage group; 202, the second largest proportion (injuries
to fingers being first), suffered eye injuries.
Of 92,513 temporary injuries, 53,783 (58.1 per cent) caused the
loss of one day or more, making a total of 883,146 days lost; there
were 752 cases of hernia, causing an average time loss of 29.51 days
and average compensation amounting to $31.14. Here again the
$10 to $19 wage group included the largest number of those sus
taining temporary injuries (55.8 per cent).
f»
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167
The following table gives a summary of the workmen’s compensa
tion experience in California in 1916:
SUMMARY OF W ORKM EN’S COMPENSATION E X PE R IE N C E IN CALIFORNIA IN 1916.
Benefits paid.
Class of injury.
Num
ber of
cases re
ported.
Fatal.............................
657
Permanent................... 1,709
Temporary.................. 92,513
Compensation.
Num
ber of
cases.
Amount.
283 $250,361.48
1,370 545,021.07
15,161 771,633.00
Medicali
Average
per case.
Num
ber of
cases.
Amount.
Aver
age per
case.
$884.67
397.82
50.90
171
1,193
60,680
$15,985.04
138,290. 78
954,797.00
$93.48
115.91
15.73
Total.
i $266,346.52
683,311.85
1,726,430.00
1 To this should he added $21,659.01 expended for burial rites.
The report includes a statement of the State compensation insur
ance fund from January 1, 1914, to June 30, 1917, which is as follows:
Appropriation......................................................................... $100, 000.00
Premiums written, less premiums returned..................... 2, 811, 820. 35
Interest received, due, and accrued..................................
107,130. 74
Total..................................................................................................... $3, 018, 951.09
Expenses and salaries (including adjustment expenses).
357, 785.41
Compensation and statutory medical payments...............
855, 385. 64
Unearned premium reserve.................................................
253,154.62
Statutory reserve for outstanding losses (75 per cent of
earned premiums less losses and loss expenses p aid )..
948, 696.14
All other disbursements and liabilities..............................
3,476.86
Total.....................................................................................................
2, 418,498. 67
Total surplus..................................................................................................
Less dividends to policyholders............... . ................................................
600, 452. 42
268, 208.27
Net surplus..........................................................................................
332, 244.15
A further statement shows that the total premiums earned
amounted to $2,558,665.73 and that the total loss incurred amounted
to $1,381,499.14. Taken in connection with the preceding financial
statement, it is found that for every dollar of premium earned the
expense of operation was 13.98 cents, while the loss incurred was
53.99 cents per dollar of premium earned.
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MONTHLY LABOE EEVIEW.
WORKMEN’S COMPENSATION REPORT FOR INDIANA, 1917.
The workmen’s compensation experience in Indiana, covering the
second year of the operation of the workmen’s compensation act,
is set forth in the report of the industrial board of the State for the
year ending September 30, 1917! “ During the period covered by
this report there were operating under the law and carrying compen
sation insurance approximately 50,000 employers; 400 employers
carrying their own risk without insurance, having first obtained the
permission of the board to that effect, and also 4,000 employers who
had duly given notice of their rejection of the law.” The number of
accidents reported by employers was 42,453, of which 305 resulted
fatally and 869 resulted in dismemberments of various kinds. The
number of accidents showed a decided increase (17.35 per cent) over
the first year when 36,176 were reported, the primary cause of the
increase being “ first, the employment in industry of young workmen
who are not skilled in the work they have to perform; and second, the
increased industrial pressure or ‘speeding up’ on account of the War.”
The report notes that $751,297.40, including 76 lump-sum settle
ments, amounting to $59,479.69, was paid out by employers or insur
ance companies in 12,598 cases during 1917. This is an average of
$59.63 per case. It is stated that the average weekly compensation
increased 13.6 per cent over 1916, while the total amount of com
pensation increased 49.9 per cent over the preceding year. The
duration of disability in 57.1 per cent of the cases for which time
loss was reported was seven days or less, and the duration of dis
ability in 78.5 per cent of the cases so reported was two weeks or less.
The waiting period in Indiana is two weeks. Of 42,640 cases for
whom reports on wages received at the time of injury were filed,
56.4 per cent were receiving $15 or less per week.
ANNUITY AND BENEFIT PLANS FOR EMPLOYEES OF THE STANDARD
OIL CO.
The Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey is so large an employer of
labor that any action taken by it to meet the needs of aged or dis
abled employees is of quite general interest. Its recent announce
ment of a plan for annuities and benefits in case of sickness and
accident adds a special ground of interest by its adoption of the com
pensation principle as embodied in the law of New Jersey, giving it
a scope geographically such as no other law has. This is attained
by making the provisions of the law cover all cases of accidental
injury or death, regardless of the place of occurrence, unless there
is a State compensation law covering the locality.
1Eeport of the Industrial Board of the State of Indiana from Sept. 1, 1916, to Sept. 30, 1917. Indian
apolis, 1918
53 pp.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[168]
MONTHLY LABOE EEYIEW.
169
The provisions contemplated by the company, and indeed in
effect at the present time, were set forth in a general letter which
appeared in The Lamp, a magazine published by the company for
its employees. This letter is in the main as follows:
T o a ll em p lo y e e s:
The board of directors of this company have adopted an annuity and benefit plan
which is of vital interest to every employee, and which is an evidence of the com
pany’s interest in its employees and its purpose to cooperate with them in making
financial provision for times of sickness, accident, or death.
The following outline gives the essential features of this plan:
1. Annuities (effective Apr. 1, 1918): (a) A regular allowance df 2 per cent of salary
for each year of service for all employees at the age of 65 years, after 20 years’ service,
with a minimum of $300 per annum and a maximum of 75 per cent of salary. Special
provisions for retiring employees less than 65 years of age after 20 and 30 years’ service.
(6) Special allowances for employees who are disabled, or whose retirement on
account of advancing years is desirable. The amount and duration of such special
allowance to be determined according to the merits of each case.
II. Death benefits (effective Apr. 15, 1918): 1. Death from sickness (including
accidents off duty). All employees after one year’s service are eligible to death
benefits of from 3 months’ to 12 months’ full pay, depending upon length of service,
with a minimum of $500 and a maximum of $2,000.
Beneficiaries of regular death benefits must be either widow or widower, children,
parents, or other dependent blood relatives. In case employee has no such dependents
he is allowed to name a beneficiary not in any one of these classes, in which event
the amount of the insurance is limited to $500.
2. Death from accident (incurred while on duty). Payment to be made in accord
ance with the State compensation law applicable to the case or the New Jersey law.
III. Accident disability benefits (effective Apr. 15, 1918): For accidents incurred
by employees while engaged in the actual performance of the duties of his occupation,
benefits will be paid in accordance with the provisions of the State workmen’s com
pensation law applicable to the case or the New Jersey law.
IV. Sickness disability benefits (including accidents off duty) (effective May 1,
1918): For disability of more than seven (7) days, for all employees of one year’s
service, half pay for periods ranging from six weeks to a year, depending on length
of service. (Not payable in case salary is continued during sickness.)
The company has arranged so that the death benefits payable under this plan will,
until further notice, be paid by the Equitable Life Assurance Society direct to the
beneficiaries. Effective April 15, 1918, each employee of this company of one year’s
service will be covered by insurance for the amount to which he is entitled under
this plan, and as soon thereafter as practicable he or she will receive, without physical
examination and without personal expense, an individual certificate of insurance,
payable in case of death from either sickness or accident. In case of termination of
employment for any reason while this insurance is in force, it can be continued in
the form of an individual policy, without physical examination, upon payment of
the regular premiums.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
The board of directors asks that this plan be accepted by the employees as a genuine
expression of good will and of a desire to promote cooperation in the industry in which
we are all engaged and in whose success we are all concerned.
W. S. T e a g l e , P r e s id e n t.
Approved:
A. C. B e d f o r d , C h a ir m a n o f the B o a r d .
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MONTHLY LABOE REVIEW.
CANADIAN GOVERNMENT RAILWAY EMPLOYEES’ INSURANCE,
1890, TO DECEMBER 31, 1917.
MAY,
This bureau is in receipt of a communication, through the State
Department, from the United States consul at Moncton, N. B.
(Canada), giving a brief statement of the business of the Canadian
Government Railways Employees’ Relief and Insurance Association,
covering the period from May, 1890, to December 31, 1917. The
statement is issued by the secretary of the association, and from
it the following ijems have been taken:
The expenditure of the regular and temporary features of the association were:
Regular features, sick and accident, $465,029.92; medical and surgical, $378,946.60;
death claims, $625,207.20; total disability claims, $143,500; total, $1,612,683.72;
temporary features, accident indemnity, $61,824.29; surgical attendance, $39,323;
death indemnity, $30,500; total, $131,647.29; total expenditure, $1,744,331.01.
In addition to the above, the American consul adds, the secretary
has prepared a memorandum showing the averages paid per member
for different periods, for $1,000 life insurance. The average amount
paid monthly per member for $1,000 life insurance, including the
total disability feature, from May, 1890, to December 31, 1917, was
$1.34 per month.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[170]
LABOR LAWS AND COURT DECISIONS.
FEDERAL CHILD-LABOR LAW DECLARED UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
The act of the Federal Congress regulating interstate commerce in
the products of child labor, approved September 1, 1916 (ch. 432,
64th Cong., 1st sess.), was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme
Court of the United States on June 3, 1918, four of the nine justices
dissenting. (Hammer v. Dagenhart, No. 704, October term, 1917.)
This case was before the court on an appeal from the United States
District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, in which
an injunction had been granted against the enforcement of the act
on the ground of the unconstitutionality of the law.
No opinion was rendered in the court below, the injunction being
granted on the petition submitted by the plaintiffs, who were employed
by the Fidelity Manufacturing Co. of Charlotte, N. C. The act in
question forbade the shipment in interstate or foreign commerce of
articles or commodities produced in any factory within the United
States if within 30 days prior to such shipment any child under 14
years of age was employed, or any child under the age of 16 years
was employed for more than eight hours per day, or more than six
days per week, or between the hours of 7 p. m. and 6 a. m.; nor
might such shipment take place from any mine or quarry in which
any child under 16 was employed.
The plaintiffs in the case were a father and his two sons, one
between 14 and 16 years of age, and therefore coming within the
limitation as to hours, while the second was under 14 years of age, and
therefore incapable of working at all in the production of interstate
goods if the act should be regarded as valid. The father, appearing
in behalf of his sons and himself, states that all are legally employed
for 12 hours per day under the laws of North Carolina, and that he
is himself “ entitled to the services of each of said minors until such
minor shall have reached the age of 21 years, with the right to direct
such services and to receive and enjoy any compensation arising
from the rendition of said services.” It is added that the father is a
man of small means with a large family, and that the income of his
sons is necessary for the comfortable support and maintenance of
the family; and further that it has been the purpose of each of the
plaintiffs to “ continue in cotton mill work as their life vocation,
plaintiff Roland H. Dagenhart [the father] receiving compensation
for said services until they respectively attain their majority, said
65801°—IS----- 12
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
minors fitting themselves respectively, during these years, to follow
an honorable and suitable vocation for life.” The court is petitioned
to enjoin the employing corporation against complying with the
terms of the act, as it intends to do, by reason of its fear of incurring
penalties under it, since by such compliance ‘'it would discharge the
minor plaintiff, John Dagenhart, from its employment altogether,
and would curtail the hours of employment of the minor plaintiff,
Reuben Dagenhart, from the present basis of 60 hours, as is permitted
by the laws of North Carolina, and as said Reuben Dagenhart is now
employed, to eight hours per day, with the result that there would be
an entire loss of the earnings of the minor John Dagenhart, and a
corresponding reduction in the earnings of the minor Reuben Dagen
hart, received by the plaintiff Roland TI. Dagenhart.”
It is of interest to note that in this case the father is himself an
employee, and not one of the class legislated against in a number of
the cotton mill States who are known as “ dinner toters,” and who
are subject to punishment as for vagrancy if they are themselves
“ able-bodied men who have no other visible means of support,” and
who “ live in idleness upon the wages or earnings of their mother,
wife, or minor child or children, except male child or children over
18 years of age.” (N. C. Revisal 1905, sec. 3740.)
The grounds advanced for holding the law unconstitutional are
that it is not a regulation of commerce, but an attempt to regulate
conditions and methods of manufacture, so that it is not within the
pow'ers delegated to the Congress of the United States by the Con
stitution; that its enactment is an attempted usurpation by Congress
of the powers reserved to the States, and is therefore in violation of
the tenth amendment to the Constitution; and that its enforcement
would deprive plaintiffs of their liberty and property without due
process of law, thus violating the fifth amendment to the Constitution.
As already stated, the injunction was granted by the judge of the
district court without opinion. An appeal was at once taken to the
Supreme Court, with the result indicated. In the brief of the appel
lant it was argued that the act is, both in terms and in fact, a regula
tion of interstate and foreign commerce, distinguishing sharply
between the manufacture, which lies wholly within one State, and
the interstate movement. “ A manufacturer may, in spite of the
act, employ such children as he pleases. So long as he confines within
the State of manufacture the shipment of his products the law does
not touch him, but springs into activity only when actual transporta
tion without the State begins, and seeks thereupon to prevent the
evils which Congress believes to attach to such commerce.” Cases
were cited to sustain the contention that the power to regulate
embraces the power to exclude designated articles from the channels
of commerce. The nature of the injury sought to be remedied was
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
173
discussed, tracing the development, of child-labor legislation and the
reasons therefor, and referring to the very general agreement that
limitations on the employment of children are essential to the public
welfare. The fact that some States have been restrained from taking
desired action by reason of fear of unequal competition leading to
disastrous results for local industry was recited, an actual instance of
the retracing of steps taken because of the unequal conditions result
ing being shown. The lack of uniformity in the attitude of the States
resulted in preventing the expression of the will of the advanced
Commonwealths, and the enforcement upon them of conditions
repugnant to their judgment. The consumer also who desired not
to encourage what he regarded as morally and socially undesirable
and unwise as regards the employment of children had no safeguard
in the absence of interstate regulations barring from commerce
products which were objectionable to him.
As to the conflict with the constitutional amendments, various
cases were cited in support of the opinion that no such conflict
existed, acts effecting analogous restrictions of commerce having
been held constitutional in a variety of cases. The charge, if not
direct, at least by innuendo, that Congress was not acting in entire
good faith, but was attempting to do by indirection what it was not
authorized to do directly, was disposed of on the ground that “ It is
well settled that the judiciary can not investigate the motives of the
legislature.” (Cases cited.) The evil aimed at was that resulting
from the interstate transportation of child-made goods. Manufac
ture for consumption within the State is in nowise restrained, but
the law denies the facilities of transit for the purpose of discouraging
practices deemed by Congress to be immoral in the initial State, and
to prevent harm in the terminal and other States. “ Congress
directly forbade the use of the interstate stream for an immoral use,
and neither directly nor indirectly forbade anything else.”
Mr. Justice Day delivered the opinion of the court, which was cqncurred in by Justices White, Van Devanter, Pitney, and McReynolds.
He announced that the controlling question for decision was whether
it is within the authority of Congress in regulating commerce among
the States to prohibit the transportation in interstate commerce of
goods manufactured under the conditions prohibited by the law.
That the power to prohibit is within the power to regulate the move
ment of ordinary commodities was said not to be sustained by the
cases cited in support of the contentions advanced by the appellants’
briefs. “ In each of these instances the use of interstate commerce
was necessary to the accomplishment of harmful results. In other
words, although the power over interstate transportation was to
regulate, that could only be accomplished by prohibiting the use of
the facilities of interstate commerce to effect the evil intended.”
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
These cases (lotteries, pure food, white slave traffic, and liquors)
were held to be distinguishable from the present case, in which no
intrinsic evil is discoverable. “ The goods shipped are of themselves
harmless. The act permits them to be freely shipped after 30 days
from the time of their removal from the factory. When offered for
shipment, and before transportation begins, the labor of their pro
duction is over, and the mere fact that they were intended for inter
state commerce transportation does not make their production sub
ject to Federal control under the commerce powder.” To sustain a
law of this type, therefore, would be to allow all manufactures
intended for interstate shipment to bo brought under Federal control,
to the exclusion of the authority of the States.
As to the point that unequal conditions result in unfair competition,
the court said, “ There is no power vested in Congress to require the
States to exercise their police power so as to prevent possible unfair
competition.” Thus the economic disadvantages that might be
assumed to flow from economic wage loss by reason of minimum wage
laws for women or the limitation of their hours of labor did not give
Congress the power to deny transportation facilities to those manu
facturers whose goods are not produced under corresponding condi
tions. Recognizing the propriety of fit regulations as to the employ
ment of children in mines and factories, and the desirability of uni
formity in such laws, it was held that they were local matters which
must remain in the authority of the States for the preservation of our
institutions no less certainly than national matters should be in
trusted to Federal control. The court was said to be without either
authority or disposition to question the motives of Congress in enact
ing the statute in question, but the necessary effect of the act was
said to be to exercise a purely State authority in regulating.the hours
of labor of children in factories and mines, thus transcending the
power of Congress over commerce, and likewise exerting a local
authority which did not belong to it. The decree of the district
court was therefore affirmed.
A dissenting opinion was written by Mr. Justice Holmes, and con
curred in by Justices McKenna, Brandeis, and Clarke. In the begin
ning of this opinion it is stated that there is but one question involved,
and that is as to the right of Congress to exclude from interstate com
merce goods produced and marketed under the conditions prescribed
by the act, the objection being that in so doing there is an interference
by Congress with matters that are exclusively under the control of
the States. It wTas admitted that a direct intermeddling would not
be legal, “ but if an act is within the powers specifically conferred upon
Congress, it seems to me that it is not made any less constitutional^
because of the indirect effects that it may have, however obvious
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it may be that it would have those effects, and that we are not at
liberty upon such grounds to hold it void.”
Cases were cited to support the position that the power to regulate
commerce is unqualified and that this includes the power to pro
hibit; and, further, that the exercise of this otherwise constitutional
power can not be pronounced unconstitutional because of its pos
sible reaction upon the conduct of the States in intrastate matters.
“ The objection that the control of the States over production was
interfered with was urged again and again, and always in vain.” A
quotation was made to the effect that “ A subject matter which has
been confided exclusively to Congress by the Constitution is not
within the jurisdiction of the police power of the State unless placed
there by congressional action,” Justice Holmes adding, “ I see no
reason for that proposition not applying here.”
Reference was made to the attitude of the .public toward the ques
tion of the employment of children, the matter being one on which,
if moral conceptions were to be regarded, it would seem that opinion
would be unanimous in favor of the law. “ But I had thought that
the propriety of the exercise of a power admitted to exist in some
cases was for the consideration of Congress alone and that this court
always had disavowed the right to intrude its judgment upon ques
tions of policy or morals.”
*
The 'fact that the act does not meddle with internal affairs and the
domestic commerce of the States was emphasized; “ but when they
seek to send their products across the State line they are no longer
within their rights. If there were no Constitution and no Congress
their power to cross the line would depend upon their neighbors.
Under the Constitution, such commerce belongs not to the State, but
to Congress to regulate. * * * The public policy of the United
States is shaped with a view to the benefit of the Nation as a whole.
* * * The national welfare, as understood by Congress, may re
quire a different attitude within its sphere from that of some selfseeking State. It seems to me entirely constitutional for Congress
to enforce its understanding by all means at its command.”
The effect of this action by the Supreme Court is to terminate the
work of the Children’s Bureau of the Department of Labor in
enforcing the law, though tentative steps have been taken by the
Department of Justice looking toward a rehearing of the case. Dur
ing the year that intervened between the enactment of the law and
its coming into effect the usual forecasts of disaster and.of inability
to operate were made by manufacturers in States whose laws were
not equal to the provisions in the Federal Statute, but experience of
the several months under the act has not borne out such prognos
tications. Indeed, despite the compliance with the law and the
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shortage of labor due to war conditions, the factories are reported to
have produced in excess of the average year under prior conditions,
while the financial returns have likewise been most favorable. Less
actual opposition was found by those enforcing the law than had
been anticipated, employers for the most part accepting the situa
tion as a matter of course. An incidental effect of the statute was
the prevention of legislative action in the various States repealing
or suspending the operation of State child-labor laws as a war emer
gency measure, since the making of such changes locally would-be
inoperative while the Federal statute remained. The existence of
this law was said, also, to facilitate the enforcement of State laws.
Another sequel to the law is to be found in orders issued by the Sec
retary of War and the Secretary of the Navy extending the principles
of the act to work done in like industries in Government establish
ments, since it was felt to be incongruous that the Federal Govern
ment should impose upon private employers conditions that were not
observed by its own departments. It is said that these orders are not
likely to be rescinded in spite of the action declaring the law invalid.
Naturally much feeling has been aroused among the friends of the
measure, which was enacted as the result of agitation and effort car
ried on for a number of years. A bill quite similar in form had been
introduced into the Senate of the United States as early as January,
1907. Other measures were introduced from time to time, the
House of Representatives of the Sixty-third Congress passing a bill
on the subject, February 15, 1915; however, the Senate took no ac
tion except to place it on the calendar with certain amendments from
its Committee on Interstate Commerce. The present act passed the
House in the Sixty-fourth Congress on February 2, 1916, by a vote of
337 yeas to 46 nays, and the Senate on August 8, 1916, by a vote of
52 to 12.
The adverse decision of the Supreme Court provoked considerable
discussion in the Senate of the United States, and on June 6, three
days after its rendition, a bill was introduced to reenact, with slight
changes, the provisions of the law declared invalid, adding a section
declaring —
That the constitutionality of this act having been declared by the competent authority
of Congress and of the President of the United States at the time of its passage shall
only be questioned thereafter by Congress itself and by the people of the United
States in their sovereign capacity as voters. Any executive or judicial officer who,
in his official capacity, denies the constitutionality of this act shall ipso facto vacate
his office. No judge of an inferior Federal court shall permit the question of the
constitutionality of this act to be raised in the court over which lie presides, and the
United States Supreme Court shall have no appellate power to pass upon such question.
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On the following day a bill was introduced in the House of Repre
sentatives limiting the power of Supreme Court judges to declare
laws unconstitutional, requiring for that purpose the affirmative
vote of not less than three-fourths of the judges sitting in the cause.
On the 11 til and 13th of June joint resolutions were introduced in the
House proposing to amend the Constitution of the United States so
as specifically to confer upon Congress the power to prohibit or regu
late the employment of children under the age of 16 years; while on
the 12th a bill was offered providing a practically prohibitive tax on
the employment of children under 16 years of age in mines or quarries,
and under 14 in factories. Still another mode of approach was pro
posed in a bill introduced in the Senate on June 19, adopting the same
basis of age and hours of labor as made use of in the law declared
unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, but using as the regulative
method a denial of the use of the mails by employers not complying
with these provisions; while on June 27 a Senate bill was introduced
making it unlawful to ship the products of the labor of children into
any State within which the sale of such products might be declared
by State law to be unlawful; and another proposed the levying of a
tax of 25 per cent of the value on such products offered for interstate
shipment. Another bill based on the taxing principle was introduced
on July 11.
An interesting contemporaneous event is the movement in the
State of California so to amend the State constitution as to confer
upon the legislature practically complete control of the judicial power
of the State, the question to be decided at the general election in
November, 1918.
SABOTAGE LAW OF MINNESOTA DECLARED CONSTITUTIONAL.
That the advocacy of criminal syndicalism is a crime and should
be severely punished was the opinion of the legislatures which held
their sessions in 1917 in Minnesota and Idaho, and which enacted
statutes prohibiting this activity. The supreme court of the former
State has given its sanction to the law by holding it constitutional,
and by declaring the penalty not so severe as to invalidate it.
These acts are summarized in the M o n t h l y R e v i e w for September,
1917, page 527. The term “ criminal syndicalism” is defined in the
Minnesota law as: “ The doctrine which advocates crime, sabotage
(this word as used in this bill meaning malicious damage or injury
to the property of an employer by an employee), violence or other
unlawful methods of terrorism as a means of accomplishing industrial
or political ends.”
Matt Moilen and others were indicted in the district court of St.
Louis County, Minn., under this statute, for the circulation of certain
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posters by placing them upon buildings in the village of Biwabik in
that county. One of the defendants was tried separately, and was
convicted. Before sentence was pronounced he procured the cer
tification of certain questions of law to the Supreme Court for decision.
The questions certified were:
(1) Is the statute on which the prosecution is founded a valid constitutional law?
and, if valid, (2) do the facts presented by the indictment and certified record con
stitute a violation thereof?
By a decision rendered April 19, 1918, both these questions were
answered in the affirmative (State v. Moilen, 167 N. W. 345). With
out doubt, therefore, the conviction will stand and sentence will be
imposed by the district court.
The constitutional contention was based upon the alleged violation
of the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States,
declaring that no State shall make or enforce any law which shall
abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States,
nor deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process
of law, nor deny to him the equal protection of the law. A clause of
the State constitution prohibiting special or class legislation, also one
making unlawful excessive fines and cruel and unusual punishments,
were further claimed to be contravened by the act in question. The
court said that the contention that the statute violates rights secured
by the Federal Constitution was without special merit, and pointed out
that it is the province of the legislature to declare what acts, deemed
inimical to the public welfare, shall constitute a crime, to prohibit
the same, and to impose proper penalties for violation of such prohibi
tion. It recognized that the term “sabotage” includes other and less
violent practices, but showed that the legislature had carefully re
stricted the definition of the crime to the acts expressed in its terms.
The argument that the law is class legislation was based on the fact
that it relates only to employer and employee, and protects the em
ploying class to the exclusion of all other persons. It is pointed out
that this is not strictly true, for the “ other unlawful methods of
terrorism” might be used against other classes. But regarding the
statute as applying to the relation of employer and employee, it is
found that many laws have been passed, and upheld as valid, which
apply exclusively to this relation.
The statute makes the advocacy or teaching of the principles con
demned, orally or by printed or written matter, punishable by im
prisonment for not more than five years, by a fine not exceeding
$1,000, or by both fine and imprisonment. The penalty for volun
tary participation in public assemblies for the advocacy or teaching
of the same doctrines is imprisonment for not more than 10 years,
or a fine not exceeding $5,000, or both fine and imprisonment. It
is held that the prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment does not
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apply to these penalties, but that they “ do not exceed the limits of
legislative discretion.”
The final question discussed by the court is whether the circulation
of the posters, which were put up during the night, constituted the
crime denounced by the law. The posters were small, from 1% to 2
inches in the largest dimension, and printed in red as well as black,
the red being a flag in one case and the background of pictures in the
three others. Photographic copies are reproduced in the court’s
opinion; not, however, in colors. The first showed in the center a
snarling black cat, with the words “ Beware—Good pay or bum
work—I. W. W.—One big union—We never forget—Sabotage”
appearing above and below the picture (portions appearing on the
original on one line being indicated by the dashes as given here).
The words “ Beware” and “ Sabotage” stand out in large letters.
The second had a wooden shoe, with “ I. W. W.” in small type above,
and “ Sabotage” below in comparatively large letters, with the
quotation “ Sabotage means to push back, pull out, or break off the
fangs of capitalism. W. D. Haywood.” The third had the red flag
in the center, with the words “ Abolition of the wage system” and a
wooden shoe upon it; the words “ Industrial unionism” above, and
“ Join the I. W. W. for freedom” below. The last was a picture of a
workman with one hand uplifted, underneath which were the words
“ Join the one big union.” Judge Brown, who delivered the opinion,
concluded as follows:
t
The posters which defendant distributed and caused to be publicly displayed do not
attempt to limit the sabotage thus advocated under the captions in large black type,
“ Beware,” and “ We never forget sabotage,” to the innocent variety. And, taking
all the posters together, headed by the one with the snarling black cat, we are clear
that the jury were justified in finding that the vicious kind of sabotage was intended
and that the public display thereof was an advocacy of such doctrine by the defendant.
The whole atmosphere given out by the posters is one of intimidation, indicative
of a purpose to incite fear in the employers of labor and to compel submission to labor
demands. If defendant intended some innocent phase of the doctrine of sabotage
he should have made it appear upon the face of the posters, and, not having done so,
the jury was justified in finding that he was advocating sabotage in this offensive form.
WORKMEN’S COMPENSATION LAW OF NEW BRUNSWICK.
Of the 11 Provinces comprising the Dominion of Canada, 7 now
have compensation laws. The most recent enactment is that of the
Province of New Brunswick, which in April last enacted a law quite
similar in its principal features to the Nova Scotia statute enacted
the previous year.
This Province has made a gradual approach to the subject, having
enacted in 1903 a very comprehensive employer’s liability law,
embracing certain features usually found only in compensation legis
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lation. It required, however, suits for damages, thus departing
from the main characteristic of fixed awards which distinguishes
compensation laws from liability statutes, however liberal. In 1914
this act was amended so as to make specific awards in cases of injury
or death, thus becoming in effect a compensation statute. It was
not regarded as adequate, however, and a commission was appointed
by an order in council of January 3, 1917, this commission being
authorized “ to consider the operation of the Ontario and Nova
Scotia acts in their respective areas in regard to their applicability
to this Province.” Á wider range of authority was subsequently
granted, enabling them to take into consideration similar acts of
European countries, in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.
The result of their investigation led them to settle upon the firstnamed acts as of most direct availability; and as between the two,
that of Nova Scotia was felt to be most nearly appropriate for adop
tion, industrial conditions in that Province being more closely com
parable to those of New Brunswick than were those of the Province
of Ontario.
The report of the commission presented no draft of a bill, but did
recommend certain departures from the statute of Nova Scotia, some
on the side of liberality and some by way of limitation, thus indi
cating their purpose to follow the Nova Scotia law in its principal
provisions. The act provides compensation for injury due both to
accident and to industrial diseases, the latter to be classified by
regulations established by the board. To give rise to claims for
benefits, disability must be continued for more than seven days,
but where the right accrues, it would appear tli&t benefits date from
the commencement of the disability. The scope of the act is deter
mined by the statute, the industries covered being enumerated.
But unfortunately the bill as introduced into the legislative assembly
was amended so as to exempt from its provision workmen engaged
in logging, stream driving, and associated operations directly con
nected with lumbering, agreeing in this respect to the regrettable
exemption found in the Maine statute, which likewise exempts one
of the principal industries of the State, and the one involving the
greatest hazard, from any penalty for failing to accept the provisions
of the State law. Salesmen and the clerical force connected with
any industry, as well as persons whose employment is casual and
not for the purpose of the industry, are exempt, together with
outworkers and members of the employer’s family. Government
employees are included under the acts in so far as they are engaged
in the industries covered, but policemen and firemen are exempt.
Benefits are based on 55 per cent of the injured employee’s wages,
but may not in any single case exceed $3,500. Payments to widows
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and invalid widowers continue during life or until tlie remarriage of
the widow, when she receives two years’ benefits in a lump sum.
Payments of children terminate at the age of 16 years.
For total disability payments may not be less than $6 per week
nor more than SI25 per month, and continue during such disability,
subject to the $3,500 limitation. The act resembles that of Nova
Scotia in authorizing special surgical or medical treatment where,
in the opinion of the hoard, it will conserve the accident fund. But
it differs from this law in that it authorizes the board to establish
regulations requiring first aid to he furnished in all cases. Partial
disability, if temporary, is compensated where it causes a wage loss
in excess of 10 per cent, wages in excess of $125 per month not being
considered; if permanent, the partial disability is compensated by a
proportionate award not in excess of $1,500. Disfigurement may
also he compensated for.
Employers, under the act, must contribute to a provincial accident
fund, which is administered by the compensation board. This board
also has charge of the entire administration of the act, with appeals
to the Supreme Court only on questions of law.
INDUSTRIAL ARBITRATION ACT OF NEW SOUTH WALES,
The widely known industrial arbitration act of New South Wales,
enacted in its present form in 1912, has received considerable amend
ments, notably by an act of the current year (No. 16, Acts of 1918,
Mar. 22). Amendments of less import were made by an act of 1916
(No. 81, Acts of 1916, Dec. 20). The act of 1916 made no essential
change in the principles of the original act, the most important being
the consolidation of procedure as to all classes of industries instead
of dividing them into different groups by the Schedules I and II
provided for in the act of 1912. Classifications and demarcations
may be made by the court of industrial arbitration established by
the act, and the procedure was made somewhat more flexible in other
respects.
The amendment of 1918 is much more far reaching, beginning with
some modifications of definition and procedure, but extending to the
creation of new agencies for the consideration and management of
industrial problems. Despite the prohibition of strikes and lock
outs contained in the original act, the labor disturbances of the year
1917 in New South Wales resulted in a considerable number of strikes
engaged in or encouraged by many of the most important unions of
the State, resulting in the cancellation of the registration of the unions
involved. One of the provisions of the present act is to authorize the
reinstatement of these unions within six months after the passing of
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the act, the minister for labor and industry being authorized to take
this step with the concurrence of the senior judge of the court by
which the cancellation was made. An important change in this
connection is a definition of the classes of strikes that are to be hence
forth determined to be illegal, the original law having declared all
strikes illegal, regardless of their nature or the class of industries
affected.
As is well known, the industrial court, under the arbitration act,
has the authority to fix minimum wages, and an interesting pro
vision of the present amendment requires that where the minimum
wage in any skilled occupation is fixed at a rate above the living
wage, it shall be the same in the cases of males and females doing the
same class of work. Somewhat restrictive is the provision that the
industrial court shall limit its activities as far as is feasible to the
determination of wages and hours only, “ leaving ah other matters
to shop committees, conciliation committees, industrial councils, or
voluntary committees formed for the purpose of adjusting the indus
trial relationship of employer and employee.” Employees in rural
industries are entitled to living wages fixed by the newly created
board of trade, but are not otherwise subject to regulation by the act.
Strikes declared illegal are those by employees of the crown or
any public agency, including those of the railway commissioners, the
harbor boards, boards charged with the care of water supply, sewer
age, and irrigation, and of the fire department and the Metropolitan
Meat Industry Board; also strikes by the employees in any industry
in which employment is at the time wholly or partially regulated by
an award or an industrial agreement; but after an award has been in
operation as long as 12 months, it may be abrogated by a majority
vote of the members of the union affected voting by secret ballot,
not less than two-thirds of the members taking part; and lastly, a
strike is illegal if commenced prior to the expiration of 14 days after
notice in writing of the intention to strike, or complaining of con
ditions likely to cause a strike. Unions engaging in illegal strikes
may be penalized in an amount not exceeding £500 (.$2,433). The
minister is authorized at any time during a strike, or when he thinks
a strike is contemplated, to prescribe the taking of a secret ballot by
the employees affected, for the purpose of discovering their attitude
on the matter of striking, or continuing a strike. Individuals aiding
or instigating illegal strikes or interfering with the taking of a ballot
or otherwise acting contrary to the spirit and purpose of the act may
be fined not more than £50 ($243), or imprisoned not more than six
months. Proprietors and publishers of newspapers advising illegal
strikes may be fined not more than £100 ($487). Picketing and
blacklisting are also prohibited in connection with illegal strikes.
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A new part is added to the act relating to trade-unions, authorizing
them to hold property and lease, sell, and otherwise deal with the same
as any other owners. Unions may also call upon the courts to enforce
the collection of union,dues, fines, penalties, etc., except those levied
for the purpose of making payments for political objects. The union
may lawfully use funds and property for the furtherance of political
objects, provided such payments are made out of a separate fund,
payment to which shall not constitute a condition of admission to
membership. Such funds are exempt from attachment for the
enforcement of any order for the payment of any penalty made against
the union. Unions also have standing as legal persons to procure the
enforcement by the courts of their rules, and to recover damages for
a breach of the same; also to enforce agreements with members of
the union as to the conditions of labor, agreements between employers
and employees, and between unions. Failure of a penalized union to
pay the penalty prescribed by the court is to result in the union being
dissolved and its assets taken over by a receiver; after the satisfaction
of claims, the surplus is to be distributed among the members.
Unions are obligated to receive into membership all persons whose
occupation or employment is appropriate to such membership, if not
“ of general bad character” ; and membership is to be retained so long
as they comply with the rules of the union. Disputes as to the
reasonableness of fees, fines, and rules are to be determined by the
court, which has power to alter or annul.
A new body is constituted known as the board of trade, consisting
of a president, who shall be a judge of the court; a deputy president,
and four commissioners. This body is to make public inquiry from
year to year as to the cost of living and declare what shall be living
wages for adult males and adult females within the State or any
defined area thereof. Differences between rural and urban conditions
are to be considered and rates fixed accordingly. Wages thus deter
mined are binding, but provision may be made for aged, infirm, or
slow workers in rural occupations. The board also has control of
apprenticeship, and of technical, trade, and continuation schools.
Further powers of a general nature relate to industrial and social
welfare in a broad field, including education for employment, social
insurance, statistics, cooperation, and welfare measures generally.
Another part of the act provides for the organization of labor ex
changes under State management. Besides the placement of labor,
the exchanges may undertake training in skilled employment, provide
industrial or agricultural training for vagrants and others unsuited for
ordinary employment, and engage in such general activities as will
further the purpose of their existence. Cooperation with other labor
exchanges or licensed private employment agencies is authorized.
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Exchanges may also advance transportation expenses for workmen.
Private employment agencies must be licensed, and registers main
tained. The scale of fees may be prescribed by the governor and no
fees may be received other than those thus fixed. Sharing fees with
employers is forbidden, and if no employment is secured, the fees
must be returned, minus actual expenses in behalf of the applicant.
The concluding section of the act authorizes the minister for labor
and industry, on the recommendation of the board of trade, to
provide for a system of unemployment insurance, benefits to be paid
out of the consolidated revenue fund of the State. No such pay
ments are to be made, however, until it is certified that proper con
tributions by employers and employees have been made, and a suit
able administrative committee representing employers and employees
has been appointed.
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INDUSTRIAL POISONS AND DISEASES.
INJURIOUS SUBSTITUTES FOR TURPENTINE IN THE PAINTING TRADE.
The dangers caused by the greatly increasihg use in Germany of
certain substitutes for turpentine are very considerable for the work
men using them, particularly for painters working in closed rooms.
Long before the war, approximately since 1901, after the price of the
good French and American turpentine had gone up considerably,
substitutes of noxious effect had come into use. These substitutes
consist predominantly of waste products (Abfälle) of the distillation
of benzine and petroleum with the addition of wood turpentine and
perfumes or of low-boiling-point hydrocarbons of the benzol series
and other existing substitutes. In a treatise on the use and injurious
effect of several hydrocarbons and other carbon compounds published
in 1910 by Dr. E. Schäfer, former assistant of the factory-inspection
service in Hamburg, which has received much attention in technical
circles, the so-called 90 per cent benzol has been designated as the most
suitable substitute. According to Schäfer, this consists of about 80
to 85 per cent benzol, 13 to 15 per cent toluol, 2 to 3 per cent xylol,
and contains as impurities olefins, paraffins, carbon disulphide, and
other substances. It is being used predominantly in the chemical
industry in the manufacture of coloring substances, pharmaceutical
preparations, and perfumes, but is also used as a substitute for
benzine and for the much costlier turpentine which is subject to
great price fluctuations. Being as volatile as turpentine and a sol
vent of resins, it is particularly suited for the manufacture of quickdrying ship paints, of preparations for the prevention of rust and
boiler scale, and of solvents for resins used in painting, and for many
other purposes.
It was soon found that the so-called “ crude benzol” (90 per cent
benzol which has not been purified) or “ solvent naphtha” has the
same qualities. In many instances these quick-drying paints con
tained as liquid vehicle coal-tar substances boiling below 70 degrees
and even the directly poisonous carbon disulphide, which in addition
to being very injurious to the health is also very inflammable.
Turpentine itself, if worked with in closed rooms and inhaled exten
sively, may cause dizziness, headache, and stomach troubles. Long1 Translation of an article in Correspondenzblatt der Generalkommission der Gewerkschaften Deutsch
lands. Gesundheitsschädliche Ersatzstoffe im Maler-und Anstreichergewerbe, by Otto Streine. Vol. 28,
No. 1, Berlin, January 5,1918, pp. 13 ff.
The substances mentioned are used in this country both in ship and in house painting. See also Bulletin
120 of this bureau, Hygiene in the painters’ trade, by Alice Hamilton, M. D., pp. 9-14, 40-42.
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continued inhalation of turpentine vapors may cause chronic diseases
of the liver and kidneys. In working with the above-mentioned
substitutes for turpentine, to which, in the course of time, have been
added various still more inferior and injurious preparations, these
symptoms increase considerably. It should, moreover, be noted that
the workmen using these substances, are, as a rule, ignorant of their
noxiousness and therefore take no special precautions. Good tur
pentine or benzine, which in comparison to these substitutes is
nearly harmless, is hard to distinguish from the latter. Only chem
ists with special experience in these products are able to do so. For
this reason Lewin and many others have demanded prohibition of
the manufacture of such injurious substances. In addition, the
manufacturers of these substitutes continually change the fancy
names under which they place them on the market, whereby the
workmen are prevented from knowing the nature of the products
worked up by them. The sense of smell generally employed by the
workmen in distinguishing between turpentine and its substitutes
is being deceived by the use of perfumes; likewise the coloring, which
serves as a characteristic in the distinguishing between the good
French and the more common Russian turpentine, can not be used
as a means to detect substitutes.
Quick-drying paints are most in use in the shipbuilding industry.
In the case of ships undergoing repair, the renovated rooms must be
made usable as soon as possible, therefore the faster one coat of paint
can be applied after the other, the better. The painting of the ship
is to prevent rust and to keep the ship bottom clear of barnacles.
A thin layer of resin which is flexible and elastic and does not become
brittle is best suited for this purpose. For this reason paints are
given preference which consist of solutions of resin and volatile oils
or hydrocarbons of petroleum and of coal tar; also, the so-called
silicate paints, as well as light coal tar, which, in an impure state,
contains solid and fluid hydrocarbons and particles of resin.
Work with the above-mentioned paints is most dangerous in the
lower closed rooms of the ship, in the so-called chain locker, double
bottoms, coal hole, afterpeak, engine hold, floor heads, etc. The
double bottoms, running through the whole ship, consist of indi
vidual narrow cabins, mostly not higher than 1 meter (3.28 feet) and
about 1^ meters (4.92 feet) long, which are connected through man
holes ; a manhole in the first and the last cabin leads into the open air.
The double bottoms are as a rule protected against the influence
of humidity by a layer of cement or asphalt. Usually so-called
“ solution,” a very dangerous quick-drying paint, is applied as a
priming coat. Tennack or verra cement is frequently used in place
of cement. According to Schafer tennack is probably coal-tar asphalt.
Under various names, such as patent paints, ship paints, solution,
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187
siderosthen, black varnish oil, etc., the above-mentioned very dan
gerous paints, and on account of the nature of their use annoying
to the workmen, are not only used in painting double bottoms, but
also for other closed rooms, such as floor heads, ballast tanks,' chain
lockers, etc. So-called enamel paints are used in painting cabins
and cargo holds. Silicate paints are being used for the painting of
coal bunkers and other rooms in which the paints should dry vis
cously. These paints are less dangerous and less annoying to workeis. The same substances which are used for the painting of water
tight parts of ships are also being recommended for the painting of
the inside of boilers and tanks. The danger for the painters is, of
course, equally great.
Complaints as to the noxious effects of hydrocarbons and investi
gations of the factory inspectors relating thereto date back as far
as 1898. During 1905 and 1906 accidents became more frequent, and
one of them, in the port of Hamburg, caused the death of a workman.
The principal symptoms of injurious effects caused by the inhaling
of the carbohydrogen gases that develop during painting in closed
rooms are stupor, headache, inclination to cough, acid eructations,
a buzzing noise in the ears, vertigo, intoxication, tremor, and con
vulsions. In serious cases workmen without previous signs of warn
ing have become unconscious and remained in this state for hours*
even death may result. Exposure to fresh air usually .causes these
symptoms of poisoning to disappear. Frequently it has happened
that workmen who were working in narrow rooms of the ships, hard
of access, were stupefied by these gases and were at first not missed and
were rescued from their dangerous situation, more or less injured, only
through accident or through the aid of specially equipped rescue crews.
Under the pressure of frequent accidents and owing to the efforts
of the painters’ union, protective regulations were issued in Hamburg
in 1897. The Hamburg Shipowners’ Association, the Hamburg Acci
dent Insurance Association of the Building Trades, and the Accident
Insurance Association oi the Northwestern Iron and Steel Industry in
which ships’ painters and scrapers are generally insured issued either
special regulations or incorporated suitable provisions in their general
safety regulations. Finally, in February, 1900, the government of
Hamburg issued the following instructions to the shipping inspector
(Hafen-inspektor) of Hamburg:
INSTR U C TIO NS RELATING TO THE STORING AND USE IN THE HAR BO R OF IN
JURIOUS AND INFLAMMABLE SH IP PA IN TS.
In order to prevent danger to the life and health of workmen employed in the
painting of ships, the shipping inspector shall see to it that the following provisions
for the storage and use of ship paints are enforced in the harbor:
Injurious and inflammable ship paints must be stored in strong, tight containers,
with solid, tightly closing covers or stopppers. The containers must be provided with
6 5 8 0 1 ° — 18 ------ 13
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a warning indicating the dangerous nature of the contents, and on board ships they may
not be stored in the vicinity of the ship boilers or in other heated places. The rooms
in which they are stored in ships must, if possible, have direct daylight. If these
rooms are dark, they may be entered only with closed lamps, and never with an open
light. The emptying and decanting of such dangerous paints may be effected only
on the upper deck, and in the case of inflammable paints must take place remote
from any open fire and during daytime. Paints containing arsenic may not be used
in painting inside rooms, and inflammable paints may not be used in painting com
pletely closed rooms, such as water and ballast tanks, double bottoms, coal holes,
afterpeaks, and other rooms insufficiently ventilated whenever paints injurious to
the health are being used in inside rooms; these rooms must be aired before and dur
ing work with such paints. During work with inflammable paints smoking or the use
of open lights is prohibited.
In 1902 and 1903, in issuing their safety regulations, the Hamburg
Accident Insurance Association for the Building Trades and the
Maritime Accident Insurance Association incorporated regulations
similar to those issued by the Hamburg Government. A decree
of January 17, 1906,1 of the Prussian minister of commerce and
industry calls attention to the danger in painting steam boilers with
tar oils of great volatility and contains an energetic warning against
it. Several serious accidents, among which was a fatal one in Altona
and one in Berlin, gave occasion for the issuance of that decree.
The above-described dangers exist not only in ship painting, but
also in all other branches of the painting trade. In these the dangers
to the health of the workmen are not so great and frequently not
noticeable, because the work is generally done in well-ventilated
rooms; but this does not mean that in these branches of the trade
the use of volatile turpentine substitutes is not dangerous. Owing
to the War painters have not been able to obtain turpentine for over
two years, and very questionable substitutes are being used now for
benzine and benzol also. The consequent extraordinarily great use
of bad and injurious materials has considerably increased the sphere
of dangers, while the various new substitutes brought continuously
on the market under fancy names can not be controlled as to their
composition. This is impossible; first, on account of the present
scarcity of specialists in certain branches of chemistry in the official
laboratories, and even in the imperial health office; and second,
because of the overburdening of these laboratories with work relating
to the control of the food supply, etc.
Conditions with respect to the use of turpentine substitutes, which
had improved owing to several preventive measures, became worse
again during the preceding year and just recently. The federation
of painters and varnisliers and the various factory inspection offices
and medical authorities repeatedly received reports as to serious and
even fatal accidents. A petition of the painters’ federation to the
1
Ministerial-Blatt dor Handels -und Gewerbeverwaltung, Berlin, 1906, p. 77.
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imperial department of the interior, the imperial health office, and
the imperial navy office, submitted in September, 1916, had the
result that the accidents were investigated and that a conference was
held in March, 1917, in the Hamburg city hall, in which repre
sentatives of the three imperial departments mentioned above, and of
the Hamburg factory inspection service, the Hamburg senate, the
largest private shipyards, and the painters’ federation took part.
The result of this thorough discussion, which was preceded by an
inspection of the Hamburg shipbuilding yards, was a decree based
on proposals of the painters’ federation and issued in pursuance of
articles 120 c and 120 d of the Industrial Code. A copy of this decree
has lately been transmitted to all factory inspectors. Its text is as
follows:
REGULATION'S FOR THE PAIN TIN G OF CLOSED ROOMS IN SH IPS.
(Issued in pursuance of articles
120
c and 120 d of the Industrial Code.)
1. While being painted ship rooms which have no direct opening into the fresh air
and can be entered only through manholes or narrow hatches, such as doublebottoms, bunkers, shaft tunnel, floor heads, coal holes, afterpeak, water tanks, etc.,
are to be aired continuously through an effective ventilator which must draw in the
air direct from the open. The air tubes leading into these rooms must be suffi
ciently wide.
Persons working in these rooms shall be prohibited from willful stoppage of the
ventilator under penalty of a fine or immediate discharge.
Compressed air may be used for the airing of these rooms only during rest periods.
2. Workmen at work in such rooms are to be relieved as often as necessary, but
at least after each half hour’s work, and may return to work in these rooms only after
another half hour has elapsed. During the period of relief they may be employed
only in the open air.
During the hot season such painting shall he performed only at night or during the
early morning hours.
3. At all such painting work a man known to be reliable shall be charged with the
supervision of the workmen. Not more than two adjoining working places shall be
put under his supervision. He shall be held responsible for the relief in due time of
the workmen and for the proper operation of the ventilator. He shall not be allowed
to quit his post in the immediate vicinity of the working places until he is relieved
or all workmen have left the rooms assigned to them, and shall be required to ascertain
in person each time before work is begun whether the ventilator operates efficiently.
He shall be notified of his duties in writing and shall sign such notification.
4. Workmen employed at such painting work shall be informed th at painting in
narrow ship rooms with certain paints and mixtures may become injurious and even
cause death if the safety measures ordered are not conscientiously complied with.
It shall also be impressed upon the workmen that they must obey orders implicitly,
and that in case of disobedience they will be immediately discharged.
5. In front of freshly painted rooms which have not been locked must be placed
warning signs prohibiting the performance of other work in them until the paint
vapors have dispersed.
6. These regulations do not apply to painting with plain Portland cement.j
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Schäfer, in the above-mentioned publication,1 points out that in
ship painting the regulation of the hours of labor is of as great impor
tance to the painters as their supply of fresh air. lie contends that
“ the worse the working conditions are and the longer the hours of
labor the more slowly the system throws oil the poison.” For this
reason he sets up the following requirements:
1. The workmen shall bo permitted to interrupt their work in
closed rooms by suitable rest periods.
2. The inside rooms of ships in which quick-drying paints are to
be applied shall be sufficiently aired before, during, and after work.
3. No open light shall be burned in these rooms while painting is
going on.
4. Facilities for washing shall be provided in the place where
working for all persons using injurious paints.1
5. The workmen shall be required to make use of the facilities for
washing.
6. Smoking and the drinking of alcoholic beverages shall be
prohibited.
7. In case of serious poisonings oxygen shall immediately be
administered.
8. Fixtures and containers used in the sale and storage of injurious
and inflammable painting materials must bo tightly closing and have
attached a warning notice of the dangerous nature of their contents.
All paints manufactured with low-boiling-point distilled products
of petroleum, light coal tar, turpentine, carbon bisulphide, or similar
substance, shall be considered as injurious to health.
Male workers under 18 years of age and female workers shall not
be allowed to work with quick-drying paints.
It also seems expedient to make it compulsory for physicians to
report to the authorities cases of poisoning from hydrocarbons or
of similar poisonings.
All the measures enumerated here will, however, bring results only
if the workmen themselves use the greatest possible care to escape
injury. In other words, the workmen must cooperate with the
employer and the authorities in their efforts to limit the danger of
poisoning to a minimum.
HOOKWORM DISEASE AMONG THE MINERS OF CALIFORNIA.2
The March, 1918, Monthly Bulletin of the California State Board
of FIcalth contains an article on “ Hookworm, a communicable and
compensable disease,,” by Prof. Charles A. Kofoid, consulting biologist,
See p. —.
Summarized from “ Hookworm, a communicable and compensable disease,” by Prof. Chas. A. Kofoid,
consulting biologist, and Prof. W. W. Cort, associate biologist, in California State Board of Health Monthly
Bulletin .March, 1918, pp. 405-414.
1
2
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California State Board of Health, and Prof. W. W. Cort, associate
biologist. From this article it appears that California is the only
State in the Union which is carrying on an organized campaign
against hookworm disease among miners. In an effort to prevent
its introduction into mines which are still uninfected and to com
plete its eradication in mines where it has gained a foothold, five
agencies are working in cooperation, namely, the California Metal
Producers Association, the Industrial Accident Commission of the
State of California, the State Compensation Insurance Fun if, the
Federal Bureau of Mines, and the California State Board of Health.
The authors state that hookworm disease, called also “ miners’
anemia,” is both communicable and compensable. Already it is
prevalent in some mines and there is danger of its introduction from
the Orient; scattered cases have been reported among orientals in
California and it may be much more general than is recognized.
Though large areas of the State are protected from the spread of the
disease by dryness of climate or by sanitary conditions of living,
places having uniformly high temperatures are in danger of its
development and much of southern California falls directly within
the hookworm belt. The constant spread of irrigation and the em
ployment of oriental labor are mentioned as other factors favorable
to its development, as are also the uniform conditions of temperature
and humidity in certain types of mines.
Hookworm disease has long been known in the mines of Europe,
and in the United States it has been reported from mines in Nevada,
North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, and California.
Probably it is present in other States. Effective campaigns against
it have been carried on in a number of the mining regions of Europe;
in 10 years Germany reduced the infection in 30,000 miners from
over 30 per cent to less than 1 per cent.
It has been found that hookworm is introduced and spread in
mines by soil pollution with the feces of infected persons, and any
underground worker in a contaminated mine is in danger of contract
ing the disease, either by taking the larvae into the mouth with food
or water or by having the dirt containing larvae come in contact
with the skin. A single stool from a heavily infected person may
contain 30,000 to 40,000 hookworm eggs.
The possibility of the introduction of hookworm infection into
mines and its spread among miners may be appreciated from the
following facts cpioted from the article:
1. Hookworm disease is present in many of the countries from which miners come
to the United States.
2. In many mines proper latrines or closets are not installed underground and often
even where they are present, the mine may still be polluted by careless individuals.
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3. Many miners are constantly shifting from mine to mine throughout the mining
regions of the West.
4. The uniform conditions of high temperature and humidity in many mines are
favorable to the development of the hookworm larvae.
5. Eggs and larvæ may be spread by running water in the mines.
6. The darkness of the mine tends to increase the danger of contact with sources of
infection in polluted mines.
7. The underground miner’s work brings him in frequent contact with the soil of
the mine.
The disease may be prevented, according to the authors, by the
rigid enforcement of proper sanitary conditions and it may be eradi
cated, where already existing, by inspection and certification of all
men entering the mine employ and the prompt cure of those found
to be infected. In connection with the campaign for its eradication
the State board of health offers fecal examination for hookworm
diagnosis free of charge to anyone in California, and large numbers
of miners are taking advantage of this. If the examination shows
that the disease is present, a notification card is sent to the infected
person; if the examination is negative, a certificate so stating, and
good for one year, is sent instead.
It is pointed out that sanitary measures that will prevent soil
pollution will be effective in preventing the introduction of this
disease to a mine, but that certain practical difficulties invariably
are encountered in the installation and maintenance of underground
toilets. When closets suited to the conditions are installed and well
kept, their use by the men remains a matter of discipline, the general
rule being that disregard of the regulations against nuisance will
be followed by summary discharge. In cases of dereliction experi
ments have shown that several pounds of common salt deposited on
the ground after cleaning will kill hookworm larvæ and prevent
infection.
Several pages of the report are devoted to descriptions and illus
trations of simple and sanitary underground toilets.
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WELFARE WORK
FOOD OF MUNITION WORKERS AND INDUSTRIAL CANTEENS IN GREAT
BRITAIN.
The British Health of Munition Workers’ Committee in October,
1917, issued as Memorandum No. 19,1 a revised edition of its Memo
randum No. 11,2 whichgave the results of ah investigation of workers’
food, and contained suggestions as to dietary. The revised report,
besides reproducing the greater part of Memorandum No. 11, gives
suggestions as to the substitution of one food for another, the object
being the replacing of bread, and to a less extent, meat, with other
foods.
The following table taken from the memorandum shows the
quantities in which foods can be substituted and the amount of pro
tein present in each specified quantity of the foods named. Each of
these quantities yields approximately one-tenth of the fuel value
required daily by a worker doing moderately heavy work.
QUANTITY OF FOOD R EQUIRED TO FU R N ISH ONE-TENTH OF THE FU E L VALUE
R EQUIRED B Y A W OR KER DOING M ODERATELY H E A V Y W ORK, AND AMOUNT
OF PROTEIN CONTAINED IN EACH QUANTITY OF FOOD.
Article of food.
Margarine.............................
Bacon.................................
Pork.....................................
Cheese..................................
Oatmeal............................
Sugar.....................................
Split peas or beans.............
Lentils...................................
R ice......................................
Flour...................................
1
Quantity
required Amount of
to yield
protein
one-tenth contained
of total
in each
fuel value
quantity
needed by
of food.
worker.
O u nces.
1£
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
O unce.
1
J
3
1
3
3
X
Article of food.
Barley floiir
Mai7,e meal
Bread
Meat (free from bone)___
Syrup, jam, marmalade. . .
Milk
Eggs.............
Potatoes (20 per cent al-
Quantity
required Amount of
to yield
protein
one-tenth contained
of total
in each
fuel value
quantity
needed by
of food.
worker.
O unces.
i
Fluid ounce.
2
O unce.
O
4
3
4
4
5
5
3
4
24
4
17
4
l
Number of eggs.
The above table shows that to secure equal fuel value, 3 ounces of
maize meal can be substituted for 5 ounces of meat, though the 3
ounces of meal yield only one-third of the body-building substance,
i Great Britain. Ministry of Munitions. Health of Munition Workers' Committee. Memorandum No.
19, Investigation of Workers’ Food and Suggestions as to Dietary. A second appendix to Memorandum
No. 3 (Industrial Canteens). Revised edition. London, October, 1917. 1 2 pp.
1A review of Memorandum No. 11 appeared in the January, 1917, issue of the M o n th ly R e v ie w , p p .
56, 57. This memorandum was preceded by two others, Nos. 3 and 6, rev iew ed in th e May, 1916 (p. 69),
a n d the June, 1916 (p . 91), issues of th e M o n th ly R e v ie w , respectively.
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M O N T H L Y LABOR R EV IEW .
or protein, present in 5 ounces of meat. On the other hand, 3 ounces
of cheese, split peas, or lentils yield not only as much fuel value as
5 ounces of meat, but also as much protein.
The report warns that in substituting one food for another, care
should be taken that the daily diet shall contain about 4 ounces of
protein.
Taking as a standard the 3,500 calories required daily by a male
munition worker, the welfare and health section of the Ministry of
Munitions made an analysis of food served during one week by 15
hostels and canteens feeding approximately 17,000 munition workers.
This analysis showed that the average daily number of calories con
tained in the food served by these hostels ranged from 2,183 to 4,446.
In only three was the dietary seriously deficient.
The memorandum states that a voluntary war ration of 4 pounds
of bread, 2\ pounds of meat, and one-half pound of sugar per week
had been set by the food controller as an average ration for the whole
nation, and continues:
In th e days before th e War, bread, meat, and sugar m ade up tw o-thirds of th e food
of th e nation, th e other th ird coming from m ilk, b utter, or margarine, cheese, fish,
potatoes, vegetables, and fruit. We see, then, how im portant th e three rationed foods
are. Now th e voluntary ration of bread, m eat, and sugar, together w ith a little fresh
vegetable or fruit, would by itself be ample to feed old, bedridden people, and young
children, b u t i t is not enough for workers. Those engaged in sedentary occupations
(clerks, tailors, brain workers, etc.) require enough of other foods to double th e energy
value of th e ration; so do active children over 10 years of age. W omen doing moder
ately heavy work need two and one-half times, m en and very active boys three
tim es th e energy value of th e ration. Workers doing heavy labor require three
and one-half times. Some doing very heavy work even four tim es th e energy
value of th e ration. I t is clear, then, th a t if th e sedentary workers are to carry
out th e food controller’s instructions and eat less th a n th e ration of bread, and
m anual workers are to keep as close to th e ration as possible, large amounts of
other foods m ust be eaten. Therefore, since before th e War, bread, m eat, and
sugar made up two-thirds of th e food, and th e other foods only one-third, it is
clear th a t to carry out th e ration other and new sources of food supply m ust be
forthcoming. These m ay be used either to substitute bread, or to increase th e supply
of breadstuffs. The latter is most economic for it saves tim e and fuel in cooking. I t
also least disturbs th e national h ab it. Fortunately there is a supply in th e oats and
maize, peas, beans, and potatoes on which domestic anim als are fed; also th e barley
which has partly gone to m ake beer and partly to feed domestic annuals. The
country produces abundan t stocks of grass, hay, straw, and roots for feeding th e ani
mals. Horses used for pleasure can be p u t out to grass, and th e ir oats saved for man.
Cattle can be killed as young beef, and th e maize and other concentrated foods h itherto
used fcr overfattening reserved for m an. Pigs and fowls can be fed on food which
m an can not eat. Thus th e shortage of w heaten flour can be made good by foods of
equal value which can help to make th e loaf. Bread has h ith erto formed one-third
of th e food of th e nation; •with some b utter, margarine, or fat, and fresh vegetables, it
is enough to sustain life and keep up th e worker’s energy. The bread supply can be
m aintained by adding th e maize, oat, and barley meal to th e w heaten flour, and this
is th e policy of th e w heat commission. I t is difficult for workers who live in tene
ments, and go out to work in factories, to cook foods. In towns like Glasgow and
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M O N T H L Y LABOE R EV IEW .
D undee a large proportion of th e population live in tenem ents.
canteens a t m unition works is im perative.
Thus th e need for
The need for munition canteens is shown by the fact, emphasized
in the report, that up to October, 1917, canteen provision had been
made for only about 45 per cent of the munition workers, and that
the very existence of certain factories essential to armament has
depended upon proper canteen arrangements.
DUTIES OF WELFARE SUPERVISORS FOR W OMEN, GREAT BRITAIN.
A leaflet issued in May, 1918, by the Ministry of Munitions1defines
the duties of welfare supervisors or employment superintendents.
It is stated that the experience obtained in both national and other
factories making munitions of war has proved that the post of welfare
supervisor is a valuable asset to factory management wherever
women are employed. Through this channel attention is called to
and improvements made in unsatisfactory conditions of labor. It is
further stated that it may be found advisable to allow the employ
ment superintendent to work into these duties gradually, having due
regard to the size of the factory and her professional ability in relation
to the scope of the duties assigned her. This officer is responsible
solely to the firm that employs her and not to the Ministry of
Munitions.
The following notes, which are reprinted in full, are designed to
guide those employers who have not previously employed such officers
but who wish to know the duties and authority which might be
delegated to a welfare supervisor:
P O S IT IO N .
I t has generally been found convenient th a t th e welfare supervisor should be
directly responsible to th e general manager, and should be given a definite position
on th e managerial staff in connection w ith th e labor em ploym ent d epartm ent of th e
factory. She is thus able to refer all m atters calling for attention direct to th e general
manager, and m ay be regarded by him as a liaison betw een him and th e various
departm ents dealing w ith th e women employees.
D U T IE S .
The d u ty of a welfare supervisor is to obtain and to m aintain a healthy staff of
workers and to help in m aintaining satisfactory conditions for th e work.
In order to obtain a staff satisfactory both from the .point of view of h ealth and
technical efficiency, it has been found to be an advantage to bring the welfare super
visor into the business of selecting women and girls for em ploym ent.
T H E O BTA INING OF A H E A L TH Y STAFF.
H er function is to consider the general health, physical capacity, and character of
each applicant. As regards those under 16 years of age, she could obtain useful advice
as to health from the certifying surgeon w hen he grants certificates of fitness. The
management can, if they th in k fit, empower her to refer for m edical advice to their
panel doctor other applicants concerning whose general fitness she is in doubt. This
i Great Britain.
Ministry of Munitions.
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW,
196
selection of employees furnishes the welfare supervisor with a valuable opportunity
for establishing a personal link with the workers.
Her function is thus concerned with selection on general grounds, while the actual
engaging of those selected may be carried out by the overlooker or other person re
sponsible for the technical side of the work. In this way both aspects of appointment
receive full consideration.
The management may find further that it is useful to consult the welfare supervisor
as to promotions of women in the factory, thus continuing the principle of regarding
not only technical efficiency but also general considerations in the control of the
women in the factory.
THE MAINTAINING OF A HEALTHY STAFF.
The welfare supervisor should ascertain wdiat are the particular needs of the workers.
These needs will then be found to group themselves under two headings:
(a) Needs within the factory—Intramural welfare.
( b ) Needs outside the factory—Extramural welfare.
I ntram ural W e l fa r e .
S U P E R V IS IO N O F W O R K IN G
C O N D IT IO N S .
The welfare supervisor may be made responsible for the following matters:
(a) G e n e r a l b e h a v io r o f w o m e n a n d g ir ls in s id e the fa c to r y .- —While responsibility for
the technical side of the work must rest with the technical staff, the welfare supervisor
should be responsible for all questions of general behavior.
(b) T r a n s fe r . —The welfare supervisor would, if the health of a woman was affected
by the particular process on which she is engaged, be allowed, after having consulted
thé foreman concerned, to suggest to the management the possibility of transfer of the
woman to work more suited to her state of health.
(c) N i g h t s u p e r v is io n . —The welfare supervisor should have a deputy for night
work and should herself occasionally visit the factory at night to see that satisfactory
conditions are maintained.
(d ) D is m is s a l. —It will be in keeping with the general suggestions as to the functions
of the welfare supervisor if she is consulted on general grounds with regard to the
dismissal of women and girls.
(e) T h e m a in te n a n c e o f h e a lth y c o n d itio n s . —This implies that she should, from the
point of view of the health of the female employees, see to the general cleanliness,
ventilation, and warmth of the factory and keep the management informed of the
results of her observations.
CANTEEN.
Unless the factory is a small one it would hardly be possible for the welfare super
visor to manage the canteen. The management will probably prefer to intrust the
matter to an expert who should satisfy the management in consultation with the wel
fare supervisor on the following matters:
(1) That the canteen provides all the necessary facilities for the women workers;
that is to say, suitable food, rapidly and punctually served.
(2) That canteen facilities are provided when necessary for the women before they
begin work so that no one need start work without having taken food.
(3) That the canteen is as restful and as comfortable as possible so that it serves a
double purpose of providing rest as well as food.
S U P E R V IS IO N
O F A M B U L A N C E R E S T R O O M A N D F I R S T A ID .
While not responsible for actually attending to accidents, except in small factories,
the welfare supervisor should work in close touch with the factory doctor and nurses.
She should, however, be responsible for the following matters:
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197
(1) She should help in the selection of the nurses, who should be recognized as
belonging to the welfare staff.
(2) While not interfering with the nurses in the professional discharge of their
duties, she should see that their work is carried out promptly and that the workers
are not kept waiting long before they receive attention.
(3) She should supervise the keeping of all records of accidents and illness in the
ambulance room.
(4) She should keep in touch with all cases of serious accident or illness.
It would further be useful if she were allowed to be kept in touch with the com
pensation department inside the factory with a view to advising on any cases of
hardship that may arise.
S U P E R V IS IO N
O P C L O A K R O O M S A N D S A N IT A R Y C O N V E N IE N C E S .
The welfare supervisor should be held responsible for the following matters:
(1) General cleanliness.
(2) Prevention of loitering.
(3) Prevention of pilfering.
The management will decide what staff is necessary to assist her, and it should be
her duty to report to the management on these matters.
P R O V IS IO N O P O V E R A L L S .
The welfare supervisor should have the duty of supervising the protective clothing
supplied to the women for their work.
E xtram ural
W elfa re.
The welfare supervisor should keep in touch with all outside agencies responsible
for:
(1) Housing.
(2) Transit facilities.
(3) Sickness and maternity cases.
(4) Recreation.
(5) Day nurseries.
In communicating with any of these agencies it will no doubt be preferable that
she should do so through the management.
RECORDS.
A. The welfare supervisor should for the purpose of her work have some personal
records of every woman employee. If a card-index system is adopted a sample card
suggesting the necessary particulars which it is desirable should be kept by welfare
supervisors is supplied to employers on request.
B. The welfare supervisor should have some way of observing the health in relation
to the efficiency of the workers, and if the management approved this could be done:
(a) By allowing her to keep in touch with the wages department. She could then
watch the rise and fall of wages earned by individual employees from the point of
view that a steady fall in earnings may be the first indication of an impending break
down in health.
(b) By allowing her to keep in touch with the time office she should be able to
obtain records of all reasons for lost time. From such records information can be
obtained of sickness, inadequate transit, and urgent domestic duties, which might
otherwise not be discovered. Here again, if a card-index system is adopted a sample
card for this purpose can be obtained from the welfare and health section on request.
(c) By keeping records of all cases of accident and sickness occurring in the factory.
Sample ambulance books and accident record cards can also be obtained from the
welfare and health section.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[197]
ARBITRATION AND CONCILIATION,
CONCILIATION WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, MAY 15 TO
JUNE 14, 1918.
Under the organic act of the department, which gives the Secretary
of Labor the authority to mediate in labor disputes through the ap
pointment, in his discretion, of commissioners of conciliation, the
Secretary exercised his good offices between May 15, 1918, and June
14, 1918, in 198 labor disputes. The companies involved, the num
ber of employees affected, and the results secured, so far as informa
tion is available, were as follows:
STATEM ENT SHOWING THE N U M B E R OF LABOR D ISPU T ES H A N D LE D B Y THE
DEPA R TM EN T OF LABOR THROUGH ITS COMMISSIONERS OF CONCILIATION MAY
15 TO JUNE 14, 1918.
Workmen affected.
Name.
Result.
Directly.
Indirectly.
Strike, American Steel Co., Waynesburg, P a ..........................
Controversy, Wheeling Traction Co., Panhandle Co., and
Steubenville, Wellsburg & Weirton Ry., and electricians,
Wheeling, W. Va.
Controversy, W est Virginia Traction & Electric Co. and
City Railway Co. and electricians, Wheeling, W. Va.
Controversy, Wheeling Electric Co. and Wheeling Traction
Co. and engineers, Wheeling, W. Va.
Controversy, West Virginia Traction Co. and engineers,
Wheeling, W. Va.
Threatened strike, clerks, Ducommun Hardware Co., Los
Angeles, Cal.
Strike, Eddy Valve Co., Waterford, N. Y .................................
Threatened strike, metal polishers, Standard Aeroplane Co.,
Elizabeth, N . J.
Controversy, Atha Tool Co., Newark, N . J ...........................
Strike, teamsters, Cincinnati, Ohio.............................................
108
600
220
100
Pending.
Adjusted.
150
450
Adjusted.
Strike, cooks and waiters, Cincinnati, Ohio
282
Strike, cigar makers, Tampa, F la................................................
Strike, carpenters, Mississippi Ship Bldg. Co., Biloxi, M iss..
Strike, carpenters, Coast Ship Bldg. Co., Biloxi, Miss...........
Controversy, Hartford & N. Y . Transportation Co., New
York and Hartford, Conn.
Controversy, Terre Haute, Indianapolis & Eastern Traction
Co. and employees, Terre Haute, Ind.
Threatened strike, Schenectady Street Railway Co.,
Schenectady, N . Y.
Strike, teamsters and truck drivers, Chicago, 111.....................
Controversy, American Gas & Electric Co. and firemen,
Beach Bottom, W. Va.
Strike, Turner Tanning Machine Co., Peabody, Mass............
Strike, American Locomotive Co., Schenectady, N. Y ..........
Strike, miners, Holdred Colliery Co., Blair, W. Va.................
Strike, plumbers and steam fitters, Waterbury, Conn...........
Strike, meat packers and butchers, East Side Packing Co..
E . St. Louis, 111.
198
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[198]
Adjusted.
10
Adjusted.
6
35
42
12
83
Adjusted.
250
Adjusted.
Pending.
2 ,0 0 0
Pending.
Various companies
involved will use
parcel post,there
by reducing
number
of
teamsters
and
chauffeurs
re
quired.
Strike lost" em
ployers having
secured all the
labor needed.
Adjusted.
Adjusted.
Adjusted.
Adjusted.
72
9,450
200
250
300
Adjusted.
450
Adjusted.
5,000
27
550
Adjusted.
Adjusted.
200
146
170
75
198
270
250
100
250
Adjusted.
Adjusted.
Adjusted.
Adjusted.
Adjusted.
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW,
199
STATEM ENT SHOWING THE N U M BER OF LABOR D ISPU T ES H A N D LE D B Y THE
DEPA R TM EN T OF LABOR THROUGH ITS COMMISSIONERS OF CONCILIATION MAY
15 TO JUNE 14, 1918—Continued.
Workmen affected.
Result.
Name.
Directly.
Threatened strike, East St. Louis & Suburban Traction Co.,
East St. Louis, 111.
Controversy, Estate Stove Co. and Stove Mounters’ Interna
tional Union, Hamilton, Ohio.
Controversy, Master Painters’ Association and journeymen
painters, Indianapolis, Ind.
Threatened strike, Baker Mfg. Co., Saratoga, N . Y ................
Controversy, Toledo Machine & Tool Co., Toledo, Ohio........
Strike, pipe fitters and cranemen, Western Steel Car & Foun
dry Co., Chicago, 111.
Strike, Olds Motor Works, Lansing, Mich......................... .
Strike, potash workers, Caseyville, 111........................................
Strike, cigar makers, Cincinnati, Ohio.......................................
Threatened strike, American Clay Machinery Co., Bucyrus,
Ohio.
Controversy, Midvale Steel Co. and metal polishers, Eddystone, Pa.
Controversy, machinists, Rochester, N. Y ., at—
Symington Machine Co..........................................................
American Laundry Co.............................................................
U. S. Naval Gun Factory and Optical Annex..................
BaMonia Co................................................................................
Controversy, Melvin Bros, and Banner Pattern Works,
Columbus, Ohio.
Walkout, Columbian Paper Co., Bristol, Term........................
Strike, teamsters, Hammond, In d ..............................................
Threatened strike, electrical workers, Northern Indiana
Gas & Electric Co., Hammond, Ind.
Controversy, Hercules Gas Engine & Buggy Co., Evans
ville, Ind.
Threatened strike, General Electric Co. and metal trades,
Schenectady, N. Y.
Controversy, Baker Iron Works and carpenters and helpers,
Los Angeles, Cal.
Threatened strike, Alberger Pump & Condenser Co., New
burgh, N. Y.
Controversy, lead burners, Nitro, W. V a ...................................
Controversy, Minneapolis Steel & Machinery Co. and ma
chinists, Minneapolis, Minn.
Threatened strike, Willys-Overland Co., Elyria, Ohio............
Controversy, Paving Contractors’Association, Chicago, 111.
Strike, Hail-Hartwell & Co., Cohoes, N. Y .......................... .
Threatened strike, Pullman Car Co., Ludlow, K y ............ .
Controversy, Virginia & Truckee Railway Co., N evada.........
Threatened strike,electricians, Wheeling Mold. & Fdy. Co.,
Wheeling, W. Va.
Controversy, electrical workers, Emporium Building, San
Francisco, Cal.
Controversy, Western Electric Co., Boston, Mass...................
Strike, Scranton Railway Co., Scranton, P a ............................
Threatenedstrike, ice drivers and helpers, Pittsburgh, P a___
Strike, office clerks, Bay City, Mich............................................
Controversy, electrical workers and various employers,
Cleveland, Ohio.
Strike, Monarch Telephone Mfg. Co., Fort Dodge, Iow a..........
Controversy, Morgan Engineering Co. andelectrical workers,
Alliance, Ohio.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1 199]
Indirectly.
600
Referred to Natio n a l War
Labor Board.
40
Referred to Nat i o n a 1 W ar
Labor Board.
41
600 Referred to Nat io n a l War
Labor Board.
112
350 Adjusted.
550
200
Adjusted.
69
2 ,1 0 0
Adjusted prior to
com m ission er’s
arrival.
90
18 Adjusted.
45
Demand of men for
increase in wages
refused. A few
of the men re
turned to work
and the plant is
in operation.
700 .................... Adjusted.
200
400 Adjusted.
250
12,000
400
350
125
15
1,000
575
45
21
140 ...................
140
700
32
85
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
Adjusted.
Adjusted.
Pending.
Adjusted.
Referred to Nat io n a l War
Labor Board.
Adjusted.
10
640
6,000
12,000
30
75
Adjusted.
225
175
Adjusted.
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
1,000
550
87
146
130
'2
14
Referred to Nat io n a l War
Labor Board.
Pending.
Pending.
Adjusted pending
decision of Direc
tor General of
Railroads.
Adjusted.
Adjusted.
Pending.
600
200
400
23
400
20
60
50
20
Pending.
Referred to Natio n a l War
Labor Board.
Adjusted.
Pending.
Pending.
Adjusted.
Adjusted.
200
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
STATEM ENT SHOWING THE N U M BER OF LABOR D ISPU T ES H A N D LE D B Y THE
D EPARTM ENT OF LABOR THROUGH ITS COMMISSIONERS OF CONCILIATION MAY
15 TO JUNE 14, 1918—Continued.
Workmen affected.
Name.
Result.
Directly.
Controversy, Hydraulic Pressed Steel Co. and electrical
workers, Cleveland, Ohio.
Walkout, Phoenix Mfg. Co., Eau Clair, W is............................
Controversy, Willow Springs Beverage Co., Fred Krugs
Products Co., Storz Beverage & Ice Co., ana Omaha Bev
erage Co. and various unions, Omaha, Nebr.
Strike, bakers, General Baking Co., Jersey City, N. J ..........
Controversy, Niagara Electro Chemical Co. and Polish work
men, Niagara Falls, N. Y.
Strike, molders, Lowell and Graniteville, Mass.......................
Strike, Chicago Steel Foundry Co., Chicago, 111.......................
Controversy, Kentucky Wagon Works, Louisville, K y .........
Controversy, Eagle Mfg. Co., Appleton, W is............................
Controversy, International Gas Engine shop of the Worth
ington Pump Co., Cudahy, Wis.
Controversy, Fairbanks-Morse Mfg. Co., Beloit, W is...............
Controversy, machinists, Oshkosh, W is.....................................
Controversy, Madison French Battery, Madison, W is ...___
Controversy, Atlantic Works, East Boston, Mass...................
Threatened strike, Middletown Car Co., Middletown, P a.......
Controversy, Savannah & Atlantic R. R. Co., Savannah, Ga.
Threatened strike, fire department employees, Memphis,
Term.
Strike, track laborers, Swift stockyards, St. Paul, Minn__
Controversy, Joseph Kopperman & Sons and coppersmiths,
Philadelphia.
Controversy, Northport Smelting & Refining Co. and
smelter workers, Northport, Wash.
Controversy, contractors and building trades employees on
U. S. R. R. Administration consolidated ticket office,
Cleveland, Ohio.
Strike, cigar packers and other employees, I. Lewis Cigar
Co., Newark, N . J.
Strike, leather workers, Benjamin N . Moore & Sons, Pea
body, Mass.
Threatened strike, Sperry Gyroscope Co., Brooklyn, N. Y ..
Controversy, boiler makers, N. Y ................................................
Controversy, Dutchess Mfg. Co. and machine operator's",'
cutters, and pressers, Poughkeepsie, N. Y.
Controversy, Eugene Dietzgen Co and employees, Chicago,
Controversy, brick and clay workers and operating com
panies, Allegany and Garrett Counties, Md.
Controversy, Alstader-Long Co. and Hoover-0 wen-Rentschler Co. and pattern makers, Hamilton, Ohio.
Controversy, carpenters, Milwaukee, Wis., at U. S. Aero
Propeller Co., Mathews Bros., Conway DoorCo., Greiling
Bros., 3 ship repair yards, and Building Contractors’ As
sociation.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[ 200 ]
Indirectly.
40
250
750
Commissioner re
ported that con
troversy is be
tween union and
nonunion labor,
in which com
pany is not in
terested.
Pending.
Adjusted.
30
125
90
150
Adjusted.
Adjusted.
150
Adjusted.
Pending.
P l a n t w orking
with full comple
ment of men.
Companyclaimed
services of men
no longer needed,
but would reem
ploy them if
pipe fitters were
required.
Pending.
Pending.
198
18
10
1
¿72
200
1,990
300
¿80
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
Adjusted.
Pending.
Adjusted.
Referred to Min
nesota
State
Board of Arbi
tration.
Pending.
350
Pending.
48
Adjusted.
70
200
250
700
Adjusted.
130
Adjusted.
500
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
Commissioner in
formed by com
pany
officials
that controversy
which
existed
and conditions
complained
of
had been ad
justed a few days
prior to commis
sioner’s arrival.
Pending.
Unable to adjust.
Pending.
201
M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW .
STATEM ENT SHOW ING THE N U M BER OF LABOR D ISPU T ES H A N D L E D B Y THE
D EPA R TM E N T OF LABOR THROUGH ITS COMMISSIONERS OF CONCILIATION MAY
15 TO JU N E 14, 1918—Continued.
Workmen affected.
Result.
Name.
Directly.
Controversy, Government warehouse, Columbus, O hio........
Controversy Kingsport Fiber Co. and pulp, sulphite and
paper mill workers, Kingsport, Tenn.
Controversy, American Locomotive Works and cranemen,
Dunkirk, N. Y.
Threatened strike, Tredegar Iron Works, Richmond, Va—
Controversy, Sterling ProduetsCo. and molders, Evansville,
Ind.
Controversy, dredgermen, San Francisco, Cal..........................
Controversy, Public Service Co., Lima, Ohio...........................
Controversy, metal polishers, Rochester, N . Y.:
Rochester Stamping Co...........................................................
Taylor Instrument Co.............................................................
Metal Arts Co............................................................................
BastoniaC o............................................................. . i ..............
Eastman Kodak Co...................................................... ..........
Seneca C o....................................................................................
Strike, Wolf Packing Co., Topeka, Kans...................................
Controversy, mechanical workers of Storey County, N ev........
Walk( ut, linemen, Merchants Light & Heat Co., Indian
apolis, Ind.
Controversy, Indianapolis Heat & Light Co. and linemen,
Indianapolis, Ind.
Threatened strike, Wiekes Bros. Machine Works, Saginaw,
Mich.
Controversy, Industrial Works and blacksmiths and help
ers, Bay City, Mich.
Controversy, Industrial Works and boilermakers and help
ers, Bay City, Mich.
Controversy, Saginaw Ship Bldg. Co. and employees, Sagi
naw, Mich.
Strike, street railway employees, W ilmington, D el..................
Controversy, Missoula Street Railway Co., Missoula, M ont..
Controversy, Rump Hoe Works, Jefferson City, Mo..............
Controversy, Northern Ohio Traction Co., Akron, Ohio........
Threatened strike, Aurora, Elgin & Chicago Electric Co., 111.
Threatened strike, metal trades, Baker Iron Works, Los
Angeles, Cal.
Strike, Com Products Mfg. Co., Granite City, 111....................
Strike, pattern makers, American Locomotive Works, Alle
gheny, Pa.
Strike, plumbers and steam fitters, Rochester, N. Y ..............
Controversy, Pullman Palace Car Co., Wilmington, D e l___
Controversy, Poliak Steel Co. and "blacksmiths, Cincinnati,
Ohio.
Controversy, teamsters, Schenectady, N . Y ..............................
Strike, Columbia Ice Co., Chicago, 111.........................................
Strike, Mark Mfg. Co., Chicago, 111..............................................
Controversy, Henry Vogt Machine Co., Louisville, K y.........
Controversy, American Locomotive Co. and patttern makers,
Schenectady, N . Y.
Controversy, Kewanee Boiler Works, Kewanee, 111...............
Threatened strike, Langton Lumber Co., Pekin, 111...............
Controversy, stationary firemen, Corr Mfg. Co., Taunton,
Mass.
Threatened strike, molders, Interstate Foundry Co., Cleve
land, Ohio.
Controversy, teamsters and chauffeurs, Topeka, K ans..........
Controversy, Sturtevant Aeroplane Co., Jamaica Plain, Mass.
Controversy, Lima Telephone & Telegraph Co., Lima, Ohio.
Controversy, Acklin Stamping Co., Toledo, Ohio...................
Strike, furnace men, Bartlesville, Okla., National Zinc Co.,
Bartlesville Zinc Co., and Lanyon-Starr Smelting Co.
Strike, machinists, Wheeling Mold. & Fdy. Co., Wheeling,
W. Va.
Threatened strike, foundries, Detroit, Mich..............................
Controversy, Briggs.& Stratton Co., Milwaukee, W is............
Strike, Richards Iron Works, Manitowoc, W is........................
Controversy, Jackson Iron & Steel Co., Stax Furnace Co., and
Globe Iron Co,, Jackson, Ohio.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[201]
Indirectly.
Pending.
Pending.
112
200
3,500
Adjusted.
500
Pending.
Adjusted.
Adjusted.
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
Adjusted.
Adjusted.
Pending.
Adjusted.
Adjusted.
40
40
100
150
12
100
6
50
14,000
50
46
25
50
50
75
Adjusted.
2
10
10
90
500
Adjusted.
125
2.500
Adjusted.
100
2.500
Adjusted.
1,000
Adjusted.
426
14
Adjusted.
Pending.
Pending.
Adjusted.
Adjusted.
Pending.
60
580
200
700
300
585
650
20
200
1,000
1,000
500
Pending.
Pending.
Referred to Na
tional War Labor
Board.
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
Adjusted.
Adjusted.
Pending.
Adjusted.
Men returned to
work at their own
request.
Pending.
215
28
75
600
Adjusted.
Pending.
650
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
Adjusted.
Pending.
300
Adjusted.
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
202
MONTHLY LABOE REVIEW.
STATEM ENT SHOW ING THE N U M B E R OF LABOR D ISPU T E S H A N D L E D BY THE
D EPA R TM E N T OF LA BO R THR O U G H ITS COMMISSIONERS OF CONCILIATION MAY
15 TO JU N E 14, 1918—Continued.
Workmen affected.
Name.
Directly.
Controversy, Batavia, 111...............................................................
Emerson, Brantingham Mfg. Co.
Challenge Mfg. Co.
Appleton Mfg. Co.
U. S. W indmill and Pump Co.
D. R. Sperry & Co., North Aurora, 111.
Controversy, painters, apartment house being constructed
by T. W. Butler, Philadelphia.
Controversy, press feeders, printing plants, Chicago...............
Lockout, Bayliss Pulp & Paper Co., Austin, P a .....................
Threatened strike, New Castle Tin Plate Co., New Castle, Pa.
Controversy, Gould & Eberhaxdt Co. and machinists, New
ark, N. J.
Controversy, waiters and restaurant employees, Philadelphia
Controversy, carpenters, Greater Omaha and Benson, Nebr.,
and Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Controversy, Southern Utilities Co., F la ...................................
Strike, Valeone Finishing Works, Philadelphia......................
Threatened strike, transportation workers, Bethlehem Steel
Co. (Patapsco & Back River R. R .), Sparrows Point, Md.
Strike, street railway employees, Newark, N . J ......................
Strike, motormen, conductors, andbrakemen, Youngstown
& Ohio River R . R. Co.
Strike, Saxon Motor Co., Toledo, Ohio......................................
Strike, Toledo Tool & Machine Co., Toledo, Ohio..................
Controversy, Sloan & Chase Co. and machinists, Newark,
N . J.
Strike holding up delivery of perishable foods on board ship,
Baltimore.
Strike, milk wagon drivers, Detroit, M ich................................
Strike, Melter Larkin Paving Co., Chicago, 111........................
Lockout, building trades, Ft. Wayne, Ind................................
Threatened strike, machinists, Philadelphia, Hale & Kilburn, Hess-Bright Co. and Butterworth Co.
Strike, grocery clerks, American and Acme Stores, Phila
delphia.
Controversy, Standard Foundry Co., Racine, W is.................
Strike, Union Railway Co., Bronx, N. Y ..................................
Strike, Toledo Foundry Co., Toledo, Ohio.................... ...........
Controversy, contract machine shops, Houston, T ex.............
Controversy, Amal. Association of Iron, Steel & Tin Plate
Workers.
Controversy, linemen, shipyard, Bristol, P a.............................
Controversy, Pacific Electric Co. and employees, Los An
geles, Cal.
Strike, street railway employees, Zanesville, Ohio.................
Controversy, garment workers, Los Angeles, Cal.....................
Strike, National Fuse Co., Newark, N . J...................................
Strike, Central Leather Co., Kenosha, W is...............................
Strike, Western Union Overall Mfg. Co., Kansas City, M o..
Threatened strike, street railway employees, Chicago and
vicinity.
Indirectly.
550
850
2,200
6,000
300
1,800
23
75
3,700
800
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Adjusted.
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
250
Pending.
Pending.
0)
4,000
37
90
100
.............
500
35
600
8,000
600 ....................
1
240
300
Adjusted.
Referred to Na
tional War Labor
Board.
Adjusted.
Adjusted.
Adjusted.
Company claimed
no discrimination
against u n i o n
men; machinist
in question dis
charged for cut
ting production,
for union activi
ties during work
ing hours, and for
threatening non
union employees;
all admitted by
man who was disc h a r g e d ; man
permitted to re
sign.
Adjusted.
Pending.
Adjusted,
Adjusted.
Pending.
Pending.
500
200
100
100
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
Adjusted.
Pending.
75
8,000
1,800
All employees at Bethlehem Steel Co. ,Sparrows Point.
[202 ]
Referred to Na
tional W ar Labor
Board.
Adjusted.
Strike, Breslin Bros. Co., Gloucester City, N . J ........
Controversy, Southern Express Co., Richmond, Va.
Strike, teamsters, Jackson, Ohio...................................
1
Result.
Adjusted.
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
Referred to Na
tional War La
bor Board.
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
203
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW,
STATEMENT SHOWING THE NUMBER OP LABOR DISPUTES HANDLED BY THE
DEPARTM ENT OF LABOR THROUGH ITS COMMISSIONERS OF CONCILIATION MAY
15 TO JUNE 14, 1918—Concluded.
Workmen affected.
Name.
Result.
Directly.
Controversy, Baker Bros. Foundry & Machine Co., Toledo,
Ohio.
Controversy, Willys-Overland Co. and machinists, Toledo,
Ohio.
Threatened strike, molders, Cleveland Steel Casting Co.,
Cleveland, Ohio.
Strike, Joseph Mayer & Bros., manufacturers of jewelry and
instruments for torpedo boats, etc., Seattle, Wash.
Threatened strike, Poole Engineering and Machine Co.,
Baltimore, Md.
Strike, A. A. Marks Shop, New York..................................
Strike, employees of Engineers’ Department, Washington,
Threatened strike, master and journeymen bakers, Wash
ington, D. C.
Controversy, Iroquois Boiler Works, Buffalo, N. Y ..............
Strike, Southwestern Mechanical Co., Fort Worth, Tex.......
Strike, Howe Scales Co., Rutland, V t.................... '................
Controversy, live stock handlers, stock yards, Fort Worth,
Tex.
Controversy, W. H. Mullins Co., Salem, Ohio.......................
Controversy, restaurant workers, Atlantic City, N. J ............
Walkout, Barker Works, Green Bay, W is.. . .V...................
Controversy, Werner & Pfleiderer Co. and molders, Saginaw,
Mich.
Indirectly.
Pending.
500
Adjusted.
20
200 Adjusted.
Pending.
1,000
27
1,300
350
Pending.
35 Striking employ
ees accommodat
ed in a new shop
a t satisfactory
wages and con
ditions.
Adjusted.
200 Adjusted.
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
Pending.
Following cases noted as pending in the May statement have been
disposed of:
Controversy, Grand T runk R. R. Co. and station men, Boston, Mass. M atter re
ferred to the Canadian authorities.
Controversy, Burgess Aeroplane Co., Marblehead, Mass. Referred to National War
Labor Board.
Controversy, St. Louis Car Co., and carpenters, St. Louis, Mo. A djusted b y National
War Labor Board.
Controversy, bitum inous miners, Carnegie Mill Mine, Bellaire, Ohio. M atter
referred to U nited States Fuel A dm inistration.
Strike, team sters and chauffeurs, Denver, Colo. A djusted.
Strike, longshoremen employed on piers of Old Dominion Steam ship Co., R ich
mond, Va. Men returned to work pending adjustm ent of th eir demands.
Strike, inside wiremen, B utte, Mont. Commissioner reports m en had about 15 mem
bers of union left out of 37 who w ent on strike, and th ey were starting a shop of their
own.
Controversy, Commonwealth Edison Co. and electrical workers, Chicago. Parties
in interest were to m eet in Washington, D. C. Commissioner has no information as
to result of conference.
Lockout, textile workers, Columbus, Ga. Mills operating; strike called off in Eagle
and Phoenix mills.
Strike, bakers and cracker packers, Loose-Wiles B iscuit Co. and Union B iscuit Co.,
St. Louis, Mo. Strike called off; some of the strikers returned to work and others
found em ploym ent elsewhere.
65801°—18-----14
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[203]
204
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW»
Controversy, Susquehanna Coal Co. and miners, Williamstown, Pa. Referred to*
United States Fuel Administration.
Lockout, Reliable and Model Belt Companies, Chicago, III. Mistake by union;
firms stopped all work on April 18 to ship sleek on hand, etc. When ready to begin
work companies wrote to employees to return; some did, and some have returned
since, and some have work elsewhere. Both open shops; no present trouble.
Controversy, Landis. Tool Gov and six other companies and machinists, Waynesboro,
Pa. Referred to National War Labor Board.
Controversy, Bethlehem Steel Co*, and electrical workers, Allentown, Pa. Referred
to National War Labor Board.
Strike, Hartford-New York Transportation Co..., Hartford, Conn.. Adjusted.
Strike, Larrowe Construction Co., Whitehall, Mont. Adjusted.
Strike, painters, Haner & Fahlsing, Richmond, Ind.. Adjusted.
Strike, Continental Can Co., Chicago, 111. Adjusted.
Strike, electricians and machinists working at Otis- Elevator and Pennsylvania
freight depot, Chicago. Adjusted.
Controversy, Public Utilities Co. and Association of Commerce, Bloomington, 111.
Adjusted before commissioner’s arrival.
Strike, Carroll Foundry and Machine Co. and Ohio Locomotive Crane Co., Bucyrus,
Ohio. Adjusted.
Controversy, Midvale Steel Co. and machinists, Philadelphia, Pa. Referred to
National War Labor Board.
Controversy, Fire Fighters’ Association and city commission, Mobile, Ala. Ad
justed.
Controversy, Snow Steam Pump Works and metal trades, Buffalo, N. Y. Referred
to National War Labor Board.
Threatened strike, machinists, Trout King Pump Works, Buffalo, N. Y. Referred
to National War Labor Board.
Controversy, Ever Ready Light Co., Long Island City, N. Y. Adjusted.
Threatened strike, Chester, Pa. No present trouble.
Controversy, Master Builders’ Association and carpenters’ union, Erie, Pa. Ad
justed by Labor Board of Pennsylvania.
Strike, construction employees affiliated with Cleveland Building Trades, Cleve
land, Ohio. Adjusted.
Controversy, Western Instrument Co. and metal polishers, Chicago, 111. Adjusted.
Controversy, Nordyke & Marmon Co. and machinists, Indianapolis, Ind.. Referred
to National War Labor Board.
Strike, machinists, Budd Wheel Co., Philadelphia. Referred to National War
Labor Board.
Threatened strike, coopers, three firms, Chicago, III. Referred to National War
Labor Board.
Controversy, linemen, Wheeling, W. Va. Adjusted.
Controversy, Philadelphia Rapid Transit Co. and motormen and conductors,
Philadelphia. Referred to National War Labor Board.
Controversy, Western Cold Storage Co., Chicago, 111. Expected to be brought
under Alschuler decision.
Controversy, electricians, Rochester, N. Y. Adjusted.
Controversy, Willys-0verland Automobile Co. and mold-era,Toledo, Ohio. Adjusted,
Controversy, Toledo Shipbuilding Co. and molders, Toledo, Ohio. Adjusted.
Controversy, Willys-Overland Automobile Co. and electrical workers, Elyria, Ohio.
Referred to National War Labor Board.
Controversy, Russell Motor Co. and metal trades, Buffalo, N. Y. Referred to
National War Labor Board.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[ 2041;
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
205
Strike, wire workers, John A. Roebling, Trenton, N. J. Leaders of strike had
secured employment elsewhere; strikers returned to work.
Threatened strike, gold and silver miners, Virginia City and Gold Hill, Nev.
A.dj usted.
Threatened strike, gold and silver miners, Comstock Lode, Nev. Adjusted.
Controversy, Weidmann Co. and others, Paterson, N. J. Adjusted.
Walkout, plasterers, Fort Des Moines, Iowa. Adjusted.
Strike, teamsters, Bloomington, 111. Adjusted before commissioners’ arrival.
Controversy, employers’ association and organized labor, Lewistown, Mont. Most
of the mechanics have left and are now employed in shipyards and other places.
Strike, barbers, Chicago, 111. Barbers making settlements every day and do not
need intervention of conciliators.
Controversy, canneries and food-packing industries, California. Adjusted.
Strike, teamsters, Great Falls, Mont, Adjusted.
Threatened strike, 55 packing houses, Chicago. Expected to be brought under
Alsehuler decision.
Strike, Ohio State Telephone Co., Youngstown, Ohio. Adjusted.
Strike, Scranton Bolt & Nut Works, Scranton, Pa. Adjusted.
Controversy, New England Fuel & Transportation Co. and International Union of
Steam and Operating Engineers, Boston, Mass. Strikers employed elsewhere, and
new employees at company’s yard giving satisfaction.
Controversy, Bakers’ and Confectioners’ Union No. 16, and master bakers, Buffalo,
N. Y. Adjusted.
Controversy, Standard Boiler Plate Co. and boiler makers, East St. Louis, 111.
Boiler makers have secured other work and are now employed.
Strike, street railway employees, Rochester, N. Y. Adjusted.
Controversy, University of Michigan and electricians, Ann Arbor, Mich. Referred
to Board of Regents.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
rsosi
STRIKES AND LOCKOUTS,
STRIKES AND LOCKOUTS IN THE UNITED STATES, JANUARY TO MARCH,
1918.
According to information received by the United States Bureau of
Labor Statistics, 710 strikes and lockouts occurred in this country
during the first quarter of the year 1918. Inasmuch as many reports
do not reach the bureau until several months after the strikes occur,
the number of strikes occurring during the quarter was probably
somewhat larger than the above figure would indicate, possibly
approaching 750 in all. Complete data relative to these strikes
have not been received by the bureau and it has not been possible as
yet to verify what have been received. The figures in the following
tables should therefore be understood to be only an advance state
ment and not to be considered as final.
The number of strikes in March exceeded those in either of the
preceding months of the quarter. The list of long-continued strikes
is comparatively short. Many of the larger strikes were in industries
closely identified with war activities, and for that reason attracted
considerable public attention. Compared with the 3,000 strikes that
occurred during the first six months following the entrance of this
country into the present war, the 710 strikes and lockouts of the first
quarter of 1918 show a diminution in strike activity of about 50 per
cent.
The largest strike of the quarter was the general strike in Kansas
City, where 25,000 workers in various branches of industry went out
in sympathy with the laundry drivers. A strike fever seemed to
visit St. Louis at about,the same time, and nearly as many workers
deserted their posts for various reasons. Other large strikes were in
the clothing industries, where in New York 1,100 workers on boys’
blouses and shirts struck in January, 3,000 waist makers in February,
and 8,000 tailors in March; also 5,000 garment workers struck in Chi
cago and 2,000 uniform makers in Baltimore. Next in importance
probably were the strikes of the carpenters and shipbuilders in the
vicinity of New York City, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. There were
many short strikes in the mines of Pennsylvania, Kansas, and
Alabama; 16,000 cigarmakers struck in New York City and Florida,
9,000 sugar-cane laborers in Porto Rico, 5,000 retail clerks in St.
Louis, 2,000 molders and pattern makers in Boston, and 1,200 long
shoremen in New York City.
206
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[ 206]
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
207
The data in the following tables relate to the 686 strikes and 24
lockouts reported to have occurred in the three months under con
sideration. A few strikes that occurred during the quarter, but in
which the exact month was not stated, appear in a group by them
selves.
STATES IN WHICH 10 OR MORE STRIK ES AN D LOCKOUTS W ERE R E PO R T E D AS OCCUR
RING DUR IN G THE FIR ST QUARTER OF 1918.
January.
February.
Month not
stated.
March.
Total.
State.
Lock
Lock
Lock
Lock
Strikes. Lock
outs. Strikes. outs. Strikes. outs. Strikes. outs. Strikes. outs.
New York.....................
Washington.................
Pennsylvania..............
Massachusetts.............
Illinois...........................
Ohio...............................
Missouri........................
New Jersey...................
California/....................
Maryland......................
Colorado.......................
Connecticut.................
Michigan.......................
Kansas..........................
Rhode Island...............
Florida..........................
Indiana.........................
Iowa..............................
Maine............................
Te as............................
2 1 other States.............
45
26
Total...................
179
10
18
13
14
6
2
2
1
1
1
3
1
14
5
1
8
1
10
2
1
2
2
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
2
3
1
3
7
5
1
147
69
57
45
34
30
30
30
23
17
7
1
1
2
i
Q
1
1
104
EQ
D
o
447l
QK
oD
33
oi
ol
oi
ol
oo
1
lo
12
2
lü
1A
It
12
i
13
1
1 KA
4
u
10
11
U
11
2
6
1
6
4
5
1
1
6
1
30
8
1
2
2
1
7
7
3
6
6
2
3
50
33
16
18
14
14
19
15
10
6
5
4
1
—
2
8
11
3
3
5
3
51
24
21
Grand
total.
209
1
1
7
10
10
1
2
1
39
281
95
7
17
1
1
10
10
10
2
686
11
11
10
10
10
1
96
24
710
Of these disputes 419 strikes and 20 lockouts occurred east of the
Mississippi and north of the Ohio and Potomac rivers; 214 strikes
and 3 lockouts west of the Mississippi, and the remaining 53 strikes
and 1 lockout south of the Ohio and Potomac rivers and east of the
Mississippi.
As to cities, New York City had the largest number of disturbances—■
109 strikes and 6 lockouts. Other cities in which there were 10 or
more were St. Louis, with 22 strikes; Philadelphia, with 14 strikes;
Baltimore, 14 strikes and 1 lockout; Chicago, 12 strikes and 1 lock
out; Kansas City, 10 strikes and 1 lockout; Denver, 10 strikes, and
Boston, 9 strikes and 1 lockout.
As to sex, the distribution was as follows: Males, 522 strikes and
19 lockouts; females, 60 strikes and 1 lockout; both sexes, 20 strikes;
not reported, 84 strikes and 4 lockouts.
The industries in which 10 or more strikes and lockouts were re
ported were as follows.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[207]
208
M O N T H L Y LABOR R E V IE W .
NUM BER OF STRIK ES AND LOCKOUTS IN SPECIFIED IN D U STR IES R E P O R T E D AS
OCCURRING D U R IN G THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1918.
January.
February.
Month not
stated.
March.
Total.
Industry.
Lock
Lock
Lock
Lock
Strikes. Lock
outs. Strikes. outs. Strikes. outs. Strikes. outs. Strikes. outs.
Clothing........................
Metal trades.................
Lum ber........................
Building trades...........
T extiles........................
Teaming.......................
Mining...........................
Shipbuilding...............
R ailroads„ 7 . ..............
Iron and steel..............
Tobacco........................
Tailoring......................
S tr e e t railways...........
Printing and publishing........................
Telegraph and teleph one_____ ______
Miscellaneous.............
N ot reported...............
38
3
T o ta l....................
179
31
1
21
3
8
17
14
1
26
30
3
20
12
1
29
35
32
1
1
22
21
2
8
8
12
7
16
9
2
15
3
10
6
8
9
5
5
2
4
3
8
7
1
4
2
4
2
5
1
1
61
54
44
35
32
27
3
i
2
3
33
1
2
5
8
209
281
94
96
61
58
44
35
32
27
20
18
16
15
15
i
1
2
7
13
i
14
11
i
12
1
1
134
8
142
17
2
688
24
710
3
7
4
18
16
5
62
6
4
20
7
3
88
92
Grand
total.
11
11
Included in the above are 9 strikes of carpenters, 9 of electrical
workers, 12 of plumbers and steam fitters, 34 of machinists, and 25
of molders. Ninety strikes and 3 lockouts were in industries directly
connected with the War.
In 471 strikes and 21 lockouts the employees were reported as
connected with unions; in 32 strikes they were not so connected; in
9 strikes they were not connected with unions at the time of striking,
but were before the strike was finished; in 174 strikes and 3 lockouts
the question of union affiliation was not reported. In 58 strikes the
employees were reported as members of the I. W. W.
In 368 strikes the number of persons was reported to be 276,492,
an average of 751 per strike. In 50 strikes, in each of which the
number involved was 1,000 or more, the strikers numbered 215,280,
thus leaving 61,212 involved in the remaining 318 strikes, or an
average of 192 each. By months, the figures are as follows: In
January, 40,616 strikers in 89 strikes, average 456; of whom 16,561
were in 78 strikes of less than 1,000 persons each, averaging 212 per
strike. In February, 105,501 strikers in 114 strikes, average 925;
of whom 19,601 were in 96 strikes of less then 1,000 persons each,
averaging 204 per strike. In March, 118,813 strikers in 161 strikes,
average 738 each; of whom 24,488 were in 142 strikes of less than
1,000 persons each, averaging 172 per strike. In 6 lockouts the
number reported to have been involved was 3,146, of which one
included 3,000 persons.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
C203j
209
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
The following table shows the causes of the strikes and lockouts in
so far as reported. In about 55 per cent of the disturbances the
question of wages or hours was prominent; in about 14 per cent the
question of the recognition of the union in some way was involved.
!l
PRINCIPAL CAUSES OF STRIK ES AND LOCKOUTS R E PO R T ED AS OCCURRING D U R IN G
THE FIR ST QUARTER OF 1918.
February.
Month not
stated.
March.
Total.
Cause.
ji m
2
CQ
J
<8
M
*£<
OQ
1
For increase in wages......................
Because of decrease of wages..........
Nonpayment of wages....................
Because of increase of hours...........
For decrease of hours......................
For increase of wages and decrease
of hours...........................................
General conditions...........................
Conditions and wages.....................
Recognition of the union................
Recognition and wages...................
Recognition and hours....................
Recognition, wages, and hours___
For discharge of objectionable
person..............................................
Because of employees discharged..
Nonunion men present...................
In regard to agreement...................
Sym pathy..........................................
Jurisdiction.......................................
Unsatisfactory food served.............
Miscellaneous.....................................
N ot reported.....................................
1
1
2
10
33
2
23
Total.........................................
179
8
209
65
2
1
1
1
92
m
1
2
11
1
103
1
GQ
O-M
c §
hd
9fi3
4
907
1
4
33
2
1
3
15
1
16
5
1
39
13
9
51
1
6
4
9
281
2
10
1
3
10
1
13
19
23
2
2
1
8
1
5
3
16
18
59
4
1
39
13
9
55
21
21
3
3
3
3
16
1
11
18
60
4
U
0
6
1
4
4
1
12
8
8
1
2
28
■ 5
9
2
23
93
7
281
7
17
2
686
3
5
I
m
3
33
6
1
11
2
1
M
2
1
9
2
6
O-M
8
1
6
3
MM
*
6
13
1
O
3
1
2
11
4
16
J4 w
Od-3
Grand total.
January.
n
25
104
24
710
2
In 545 strikes and 19 lockouts only one employer was concerned
in each disturbance; in 13 strikes and 2 lockouts, 2 employers; in
10 strikes, 3 employers; in 4 strikes, 4 employers; in 5 strikes, 6
employers; in 72 strikes and 2 lockouts, more than 5; in 37 strikes
and 1 lockout the number was not reported.
It is difficult in the majority of cases to state exactly when a strike
terminates. Nonunion employees rarely declare a strike at an end.
They return to work individually or by groups or secure employment
elsewhere, or the employer slowly fills their places. Some
unions are lax in this particular also, though the effort is made by
the general officials of the national organizations to have strikes
officially declared terminated. The following figures relate to such
strikes as the bureau has been advised actually terminated during
the quarter:
Eighty-two strikes and 1 lockout ended in January, 93 strikes
and 1 lockout ended in February, and 128 strikes and 4 lockouts
ended in March, or 303 strikes and 6 lockouts during the quarter.
Of these, 121 strikes and 3 lockouts terminated in favor of the
employees—34 strikes and 1 lockout in January, 33 strikes and 1
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[209]
210
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
lockout in February, and 54 strikes and 1 lockout in March; 36
strikes terminated in favor of the employers—13 in January, 9 in
February, and 14 in March; 78 strikes and 1 lockout were compro
mised—15 strikes in January, 20 in February, and 43 strikes and 1
lockout in March. In 25 strikes and 1 lockout the men returned to
work under promise of the employer to arbitrate the matter in dis
pute—6 strikes in January, 14 in February, and 5 strikes and 1 lock
out in March. In the remaining 43 strikes and 1 lockout the result
was not reported.
Twenty-three strikes—6 in January, 11 in February, and 6 in March
—were declared illegal by the union officials, who repudiated the action
of the men in striking, not only refusing to grant them any aid,
but urging them to return, in two or three instances even threatening
them with loss of their charter if they disobeyed. In several other
strikes reported as lost, the union officials persuaded the men to
return, loyalty to their country in time of war being the argument
most frequently used.
The duration of 269 strikes and 5 lockouts was given as follows:
DURATION OF STRIK ES R E PO R T ED AS OCCURRING DURING THE FIR ST Q UARTER OF
1918.
January.
Period.
1
7
8
12
Total..............................................
March.
Total.
Grand
Lock
Lock
Lock total.
Strikes. Lock
outs. Strikes. outs. Strikes. outs. Strikes. outs.
2
2
day or le ss.............................................
days.......................................................
days..........- ...... ...................................
4 days.......................................................
5 to 7 d a y s ..............................................
1 to 2 weeks.............................................
2 to 3 weeks.............................................
3 to 4 weeks..................... .......................
1 to 3 months............... ..........................
Over 3 m o n th s.......................................
February.
1
5
16
1
12
6
11
6
13
19
17
6
6
15
17
16
13
4
8
6
1
3
7
5
13
7
4
7
66
1
88
1
115
1
1
1
3
25
43
41
17
42
36
18
9
24
14
269
1
2
1
1
5
26
45
42
17
42
35
19
9
24
14
274
The number of days lost by strikes during the quarter was 4,801.
The average duration of these .strikes was about 17 days. The
average duration of strikes lasting less than 90 days was 10 days.
By months the record is as follows: January, days lost, 1,720, aver
age 26 days, 11 days in cases of strikes lasting less than 90 days;
February, days lost, 842 days, average 10 days, no strike lasting
more than 90 days; March, days lost, 2,239, average 19 days, 11
days in cases of strikes lasting less than 90 days. In the 5 lockouts
29 days were lost.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[ 210]
IMMIGRATION.
IMMIGRATION IN MARCH AND APRIL, 1918.
The number of immigrant aliens admitted into the United States
during the year 1917, as compared with the number admitted during
the year 1916, decreased 56.9 per cent. During 1917 the decrease
from the preceding month for January, February, and March was
19.9, 22.3, and 19.4 per cent, respectively. For April, however, the
number of immigrant aliens admitted showed an increase of 32.3 per
cent over the number admitted in March. As compared with April,
the figures for May showed a decrease of 48.9 per cent. The figures
for June indicated an increase of 5.5 per cent over those for May.
During July only 9,367 immigrant aliens were admitted. As com
pared with the figures for July, those for August showed an increase
of 7.3 per cent. In September the number fell to 9,228, or 139
smaller than the number admitted in July. As compared with
August, the figures for September showed a decrease of 8.2 per cent.
In October there was an increase over the September arrivals of 57,
or 0.6 per cent. The admissions in November numbered only 6,446,
a decrease of 30.6 per cent from the number admitted in October. In
December there was an increase of 8.4 per cent. In January, 1918,
there was a decrease of 9 per cent as compared with December, 1917.
February, however, showed an increase over January of 16.2 per
cent; March as compared with February showed a decrease of 11.9
per cent, while April showed an increase over March of 46.6 per cent.
IMMIGRANT ALIENS ADM ITTED INTO THE U N IT E D STATES IN SPEC IFIED MONTHS,
1913 TO A PR IL , 1918.
1918
Month.
1913
1914
1915
1917
Number.
January...
February..
March.......
April..........
May...........
June...........
July...........
A ugust___
September.
October. . .
November.
December.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
46,441
59,156
96,958
136,371
137,262
176,261
138,244
126,180
136,247
134,440
104,671
95,387
44,708
46,873
92,621
119,885
107,796
71,728
60,377
37,706
29,143
30,416
26,298
20,944
1
15,481
13,873
19,263
24,532
26,069
22,598
21,504
21,949
24,513
25,450
24,545
18,901
U , 293
24,740
27,586
30,560
31,021
30,764
25,035
29,975
36,398
37,056
34,437
30,902
24,745
19,238
15,512
20,523
10,487
11,095
9,367
10,047
9,228
9,285
6,446
6,987
Per cent
increase
over
precedin g
month.
6,356
7,388
6,510
9,541
Decrease.
[211]
211
19 . 0
16.2
111.9
46.6
212
m onthly
la bo r r e v ie w .
Classified by races, the number of immigrant aliens admitted into
the United States during specified periods and in March and April,
1918, was as follows:
IMMIGRANT A LIENS ADM ITTED INTO THE U N IT E D STATES DURING SPECIFIED
PERIODS AND IN MARCH A N D A PR IL , 1918, B Y NATIONALITY.!
Year ending June 30—
July,
1917, to
April,
1918.
Nationality.
1915
1916
African (b la ck )................................................
A rm enian..........................................................
T^fthftrnian and Moravian ............................
Bulgarian, Serbian, Montenegrin................
Chinese...............................................................
Croatian and Slovenian.................................
Cuban.................................................................
Dalmatian, Bosnian, H erzegovinian____
Dutch and F lem ish........................................
East In d ia n ......................................................
E nglish...............................................................
Finnish...............................................................
F ren ch ...................................................... ____
G erm an..............................................................
G reek.................................................................
H ebrew ..............................................................
Irish ....................................................................
Italian (north)..................................................
Italian (sou th )..................................................
Japanese............................................................
Korean .............................................................
Lithuanian........... ............................................
Magyar...............................................................
M exican.............................................................
Pacific Islander................................................
P o lish .................................................................
Portuguese........................................................
R oum anian......................................................
R u ssian ............................................................
Ruthenian (R ussniak)..................................
Scandinavian....................................................
Scotch.................................................................
S lo v a k ................................................................
Sp anish..............................................................
Spanish-American...........................................
Syrian................................................................
T urkish............................................................
W elsh ................................................................
West Indian (except Cuban) . . . _ ...............
Other p eoples...................................................
5,560
932
1,651
3,506
2,469
1,942
3,402
305
6,675
82
38,662
3,472
12,636
20,729
15,187
26,497
23,503
10,660
46,557
8,609
146
2,638
3' 604
10,993
2,933
24,263
14,310
2'069
5,705
1,667
1,767
273
1,390
823
1,877
4,576
964
642
3,146
2, 239
791
3,442
114
6 ,443
80
36,168
5,649
19,518
11,5.55
26,792
15,108
20,636
4,905
33,909
8,711
' 154
599
981
17,198
5
4,502
12,208
953
4,858
1,365
19,172
13'515
577
9,259
1,881
'676
216
983
948
3,388
T o ta l........................................................
326,700
298,826
1
6
9,065
4,376
1 ,2 0 0
4 ,459
1917
1918.
March.
7,971
4,516
234
1 ,2 2 1
198
62
105
1,397
30
978
6
6
327
1,134
1,843
305
3,428
94
5,393
69
32,246
5,900
24,405
9,682
25,919
17,342
17,462
3,796
35,154
8,925
194
479
434
16,438
11
1,835
52
10,129
1,651
5', 481
1,725
2,402
3,267
3,648
'890
4,804
8 ', 286
146
106
30
4,999
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
384
7
2
12
4
80
79
55
4
44
1
136
2
936
82
421
146
118
304
335
63
88
730
171
4
1,385
107
689
170
181
167
473
114
718
954
2
13
1
742
15
3
910
10
10
1
2
3,109
10,194
'522
3,711
l' 2 1 1
A 596
13,350
244
15,019
2,587
976
454
793
1,369
2,097
589
2,167
143
1,207
41
7,353
4,033
29
5,892
1,740
' 189
18
219
523
253
94
44
51
502
295,403
81,154
11
126
4
608
389
461
160
7
6
154
2
444
513
25
51
25
959
170
28
i
26
72
31
6,510
9,541
1
The total number of departures of emigrant aliens in March was 4,082; in April, 9,437.
[212]
April.
PUBLICATIONS RELATING TO LABOR
OFFICIAL—UNITED STATES.
C a l i f o r n i a .— I n d u s tr ia l a ccid en t c o m m is s io n .
191 7 . S a c r a m e n to , 1917. 158 p p .
R e p o r t, f r o m J u l y 1, 1 9 16, to J u n e 30,
T h is rep o rt is no ted on pages 165 to 167 of th is issue of th e M onthly L abor R e v ie w .
I n d ia n a .— I n d u s t r i a l board.
a p o lis , 191 8 .
R e p o r t, f r o m S e p t . 1, 191 6 , to S e p t . 30, 1917.
In d ia n
53 p p .
The report of the department of mines and mining, included in this pamphlet,
contains statistics on accidents at mines, noting 66 fatalities and 1,808 nonfatal injuries
among the 23,940 employees. This would give a fatality rate of 2.75 per 1,000 employed
and an accident rate of 78.2 per 1,000. The fatality rate was the highest since 1898,
except in 1907, when it was 2.79 per 1,000 employed. The total wages paid to workers
at mines was $23,567,937.75, or an average of $984.46 per employee. The production
of coal was 363,834 tons for each fatality. Classified by occupation, most of the acci
dents occurred to drivers (22.7 per cent). That portion of this report dealing with
workmen’s compensation is noted on page 168 of this issue of the M onthly L abor
R e v ie w .
M a ssa ch u setts .— B u r e a u o f s ta tis tic s .
E le v e n th a n n u a l re p o rt o n the p u b lic e m
p lo y m e n t offices f o r the 1 3 -m o n th p e r io d f r o m D e c . 1 , 191 6 , to D e c . 3 1 , 1917. P u b li c
D o c u m e n t N o . 8 0 . B o s to n , 191 8 . 3 8 p p .
This report is noted on pages 143 and 144 of this issue of the M onthly L abor
R e v ie w .
N ew J e r s e y .— B o a r d o f te n e m e n t h o u se s u p e r v is io n .
191 7 .
U n io n H i l l , 1918.
31 p p .
F o u r te e n th re p o rt, f o r the year
I llu s tr a te d .
States that the activities of the department during the year ending October 31,1917,
were varied in character and in almost every instance largely increased over the
preceding year. The number of tenement houses constructed under the super
vision of the board was 352, at a cost of $6,369,000, and furnished living accommo
dations for 3,350 families, or approximately 16,750 persons. This is a decrease from 1916
of 46.3 per cent in the number of families provided for and of 35.4 per cent in the
cost of the buildings. The board caused the erection of fire escapes on 688 old and
new tenement houses, an increase of 130 per cent over the preceding year.
----- D e p a r tm e n t o f la b o r. R e p o r t f o r the y ea r 191 7 . U n io n H i l l , 1918. 91 p p .
Includes report of the bureau of hygiene and sanitation which has given attention
to welfare standards in industry and has developed certain working practices and stand
ard minimum sanitary regulations for power laundries. These are given in full in the
report. The report of the workmen’s compensation aid bureau notes 12,382 nonfatal
and 361 fatal accidents reported, involving a total compensation cost, in closed cases,
of $1,131,339.04, with an average of $77.78 paid to injured persons and of $2,194.44
paid to dependents in fatal cases. Burial expenses amounting to $26,101.45 were
paid in 235 cases, or an average of $111.07 per case.
T e n n e s s e e .— D e p a r tm e n t o f w o r k s h o p a n d fa c to r y in s p e c tio n .
D ec. 1, 1916, to D ec. 3 1 , 1 9 1 7 .
N a s h v ille [1918\.
F i f t h a n n u a l re p o rt,
1 18 p p . I llu s tr a te d .
The portions of this report dealing with woman and child labor and industrial
accidents are noted, respectively, on pages 129 to 131 and page 164 of this issue of the
M onthly L a bo r R e v ie w .
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[213]
213
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
214
V ir g in ia (R ich m o n d ).— T h ir d a n n u a l r e p o rt o f the p u b lic e m p lo y m e n t b u re a u o f the
c ity o f R ic h m o n d ,
pp.
V a ., f o r the y e a r e n d in g D ec. S I , 1 9 17.
R ic h m o n d , 1918.
15
The following table summarizes the activities of the Richmond public employment
office during the three years ending December 31, 1917:
W ORK OP RICHMOND, VA., PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT OFFICE D U R IN G THE Y EAR S
E N D IN G DEC. 31, 1915, 1916, 1917.
1917
Item.
1915
Applications from employers................................................
Persons called for___ *...".......................................................
Positions offered.......................................................................
Positions filled..........................................................................
1,909
4,277
3, 842
2,179
1916
2,954
5,344
6,392
2,846
Number.
Per cent
of decrease
from pre
ceding year.
3,184
4,597
5,779
2,482
i 7.8
14.0
9.6
12.8
1 Increase.
During 1917, 21.1 per cent of the positions filled were filled by skilled workers,
47.9 per cent by unskilled workers, and 13.8 per cent by domestics. About 35 per
cent of those placed were colored persons. The total expense incurred by the bureau
was $1,316.77, or a cost of 53 cents for each position secured.
U n ited S t a t e s . — U n ite d S ta te s S h i p p i n g B o a r d E m e r g e n c y F le e t C o r p o r a tio n .
S h ip
y a r d e m p lo y m e n t: A p la ce f o r m e n to h e lp w i n the w a r . P r e p a r e d by the B u r e a u o f
V o c a tio n a l G u id a n c e , D iv is io n o f E d u c a tio n , H a r v a r d U n iv e r s ity , a t the re q u est o f
the I n d u s t r i a l S e r v ic e D e p a r tm e n t o f the U n ite d S ta te s S h i p p i n g B o a r d E m e r g e n c y
F le e t C o r p o r a tio n .
W a s h in g to n , 1918. 5 4 p p . I llu s tr a te d .
This pamphlet describes in detail the variety of occupations in the constructiom of
steel and wooden ships, and is an endeavor to interest workmen who desire to serve
their country in shipyards at such work as they are qualified to perform. It suggests
that every effort is being made by the industrial service'department of the Emergency
Fleet Corporation to maintain the best possible living and working conditions in the
shipyards and in the communities in which they are situated, in order that workmen
may be kept constantly and contentedly at their tasks. Attention is being given to
housing facilities, opportunities for athletics and other forms of recreation, to medi
cal attendance and first aid, and to safety work, and accident prevention.
OFFICIAL—FOREIGN COUNTRIES.
A ustralia (N ew S outh W a les ). — L e g is la tiv e a ss e m b ly .
F r ie n d ly so cieties, tradeu n i o n s , b u ild in g societies, co o p era tive so cieties, a n d tr a n s a c tio n s u n d e r the W o rk
m e n 's C o m p e n s a tio n A c ts , 1910 a n d 1 916. (R e p o r t o f the re g istra r f o r the yea r 1 9 1 7 .)
S y d n e y , 1 918. 2 0 p p .
Report of the official transactions of the Friendly societies, trade-unions, and build
ing and cooperative societies in the State during the year 1917, including also the
statistics regarding the membership and finances for the year 1916. There were no
transactions under the Workmen’s Compensation Acts, 1910 and 1916. The number
of Friendly societies decreased from 1,862 in 1916 to 1,837 in 1917. Benefits paid to
members in 1916 amounted to £412,989 ($2,009,810.97), of which £172,497 ($839,456.65)
was sick pay, £61,566 ($299,610.94) was for funeral expenses, and £178,926 ($870,743.38) was for medical attendance and medicine. The number of trade-unions at
the end of 1917 was 236, an increase of 9.8 per cent over 1916. At the close of 1916
the cooperative societies showed profits amounting to £236,470 ($1,150,781.26) avail-
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[214]
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
215
able for distribution, of which £152,901 ($744,092.72) was applied to payments of
interest on shares and dividends on purchases. The predominant interest allowed
was 5 per cent, and the dividend on purchases amounted for 1916 to an average of
Is. 7d. (38.5 cents) per £1 ($4.87).
F r a n c e .— M in is tè r e des F in a n c e s .
Q u a r a n te -d e u x iè m e a n n é e .
B u l l e t i n de s ta tis tiq u e et de lé g is la tio n co m p a rée.
M a rs, 191 8 . P a r is , 1 9 1 8 . 5 7 3 p p .
The statistical bulletin of comparative legislation contains the text of laws and
decisions relating to matters under the Ministry of Finance, including a decree in
stituting, under the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, a commission called
the superior council of cooperation, which is charged with the study of all
questions relating to the development of the cooperative movement; a decree
regarding the increase of aid from national funds allowed to homes for the aged; and
several decrees governing the sale and use of petroleum.
----- M in is tè r e d u T r a v a il et de la P r é v o y a n c e S o c ia le . S ta tis tiq u e g én éra le de la F ra n c e .
S ta tis tiq u e a n n u e lle des i n s t i t u t i o n s d ’a ssista n c e .
A n n é e 1913.
P a r is , 1917.
141pp.
Statistics of charitable institutions in France for 1913. The first part gives reports
which could be Centralized for the entire country and the second part gives tables of
returns by Departments.
G r ea t B r it a in .— R e p o r ts o f the c h ie f re g istra r o f F r ie n d ly societies, f o r the y ea r e n d in g
3 1 st D ece m b er, 19 1 6 .
P ric e 5s.
P a r t D , B u il d i n g S o c ie tie s .
x x , 140 p p .
L o n d o n , 1918.
------ (S cotland ). —R o y a l C o m m is s io n o n H o u s in g i n S c o tla n d .
S p e c ia l re p o rt, w ith
re la tiv e s p e c ific a tio n s a n d p la n s * * * o n the d e sig n , c o n s tr u c tio n , m a te r ia ls o f
v a r io u s ty p e s o f s m a ll d w e llin g h o u se s i n S c o tla n d . E d in b u r g h , 1917. 44 p p .
I llu s tr a te d .
UNOFFICIAL.
A ll e n , L e s l ie H.
T h e w o r k m a n 's h o m e .
ic a l E n g in e e r s , 1918. 19 p p .
N e w Y o r k , T h e A m e r ic a n S o c ie ty o f M ech a n
In the above paper read before a meeting of The American Society 'of Mechanical
Engineers, Worcester, Mass., June 4 to 7, Mr. Allen presents the results of an inquiry
by the Aberthaw Construction Co. of Boston to establish the relation between
labor turnover and housing conditions. Eight hundred and forty replies were received.
Seventeen per cent of the manufacturers replying owned some company houses.
Nearly all replied that housing was a benefit to their plant, tended to hold the men,
and made them more contented and happy. The following table shows the relation
between labor turnover and housing:
R E L A T IO N 'B E T W E E N LABOR TURNOVER AND HOUSING.
Percentage Percentage
of localities of localities
reporting reporting
adequate insufficient
housing.
housing. *-
Turnover.
Less than 50 per cent.
50 to 100 per cent.......
1 0 0 to 2 0 0 per cent__
200 to 300 per cent__
300 to 400 per cent__
Over 400 per cen t-----
52.5
21.0
14.0
7.0
3.5
2.0
34
35
14
6
8
3
The table indicates that over one-half of the plants reporting turnover which have
adequate housing around them have a turnover below 50 per cent, while only onethird of the plants where housing is insufficient report as low a turnover as this.
Combining all plants reporting a turnover of less than 100 per cent, the figures are
only slightly in favor of those which have adequate housing; above this point the
advantage rests with the well-housed plants.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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216
MONTHLY LABOR REVl LAV.
B a r th o u , L o u is .
L 'E f f o r t de la. F e m m e F ra n ç a is e . P u b lic a tio n s du. C o m ité -“ L 'E f f o r t
de la F ra n c e e t de ses a ll i e s ."
“ L ’H o m m a g e F r a n ç a i s P a r i s , B l o u d & G au,
191 7 . $ î p p .
Reprint of a lecture on the work undertaken by French women during the War,
delivered by M. Barthou under the auspices of the committee for lectures on “-The
effort of France, and her Allies. ’’ The pamphlet includes an appendix which gives
the introduction of M. Barthou to- his audience by M. Maurice Barres, messages
received by the organization from the women of Montreal and New York, and other
matter.
B re w s t e r , E d w in T e n n e y .
M c N a lly & C o ., 191 7 .
V o c a tio n a l g u id a n c e f o r the p ro fe ssio n s ..
211 p p . I llu s tr a te d .
C h ica g o , R a n d
In three parts: The general question, the personal problem, and the particular
profession, the last of which takes up different professions individually with regard,
to their requirements and possibilities.
C a r n e g ie E n do w m en t
f o r I n tern a tio n a l . P ea ce .. D i v i s i o n o f E c o n o m ic s a n d
H is to r y . P r e lim in a r y e c o n o m ic studies, o f the W a r.
W ar a d m in is tr a tio n o f the
r a ilw a y s i n th e U n ite d S t a t e s a n d G r e a t B r i t a i n . B y F m n k H a ig h D i x o n a n d
J u l i u s H . P a rm e le e . N e w Y o r k , O x fo r d U n iv e r s ity P r e s s , 1918. 155 p p .
—----- ----------.
E c o n o m ic effects o f the W a r u p o n w o m e n a n d c h ild re n i n G rea t B r i t a i n .
B y I r e n e O sg o o d A n d r e w s , a ss iste d b y M a rg a re t A . H o b b s . N e w YorJc, O x fo r d
U n iv e r s ity P r e s s , 191 8 . 190. p p .
In this monograph the author points out the difficulties and evil results of the
hasty influx, of women and children into industrial‘fields vacated b y men who had
gone into the army, but reaches the conclusion that on the whole the permanent
effects are likely to he good.
F is h e r , I r v in g . H e a lth a n d w a r .
P r e s id e n tia l address d e liv e re d a t the e le v e n th a n n u a l
m e e tin g o f the A m e r ic a n A s s o c ia tio n f o r L a b o r L e g is la tio n ,, in. j o i n t se ss io n w ith th e
A m e r ic a n S t a t i s t i c a l A s s o c ia tio n , P h ila d e lp h ia , P a .,, D ece m b er 2 7 , 1917. F r o m the
A m e r ic a n L a b o r L e g is la tio n R e v ie w , V o l. V I I I , N o . 1, 1918. N e w Y o r k , M . B .
B r o w n P r i n t i n g & B i n d i n g C o ., 19 1 8 . 1 1 p p .
A plea for an increase of study and effort directed toward improving the hygienic
conditions under which the large majority live and work. The .establishment of
health insurance throughout the Nation is strongly urged as one of the necessaries
for an efficient democracy. The author believes “ the labor problem and the health
problem really fit one- into the other. And we can answer labor’s question ‘ What
will the. country da for us? ” very largely by giving health to labor. The- greatest
asset of the laboring man is his health.” The solution of the problem of industrial
discontent, which the author believes will menace the. country when the workers
return from soldiers’ life to the monotony of the shop, will, in his opinion, lie along
the line of making the workman genuinely interested in his work. An understanding
of the psychology of the workman involving an effort to satisfy his great funda
mental human instincts, is one of the lessons which it is hoped the War may teach.
‘>1 think that if employers would * * * try to adapt the conditions of work to
the needs and yearnings of labor, labor discontent will be diminished far more than
by any other method I know of.”
L a b o r P arty -. L a b o r a n d the n e w so c ia l order.
S tr e e t, L o n d o n ,
-S'IL.,
L a p p , J ohn A.
1 918 .
A r e p o r t o n re c o n str u c tio n ..
1 V ic to r ia
1 [1918], 22. p p .
F e d e ra l ru le s a n d reg u la tio n s...
1140 p p .
I n d ia n a p o lis , B . F . B o w e n . &
Co . .
A compilation designed to meet the need of lawyers and business men.
L ’O ffic e I n ter n a tio n a l
I — L o is e t o rd o n n a n c e s..
du
T r a v a il .
1 5 e année.
B u l l e t i n . P r o te c tio n o u v riè re n a tio n a le .
N o . 8 - 9 , 191 6 . P a ris,. B e r g e r - L e v r a u t,. 1 9 17.
This number of the Bulletin of the International Office of Labor deals with the
national protection of working women, a summary being given of the laws and ordi-
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[216}
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.
217
nacres on this subject in Germany, the United States, including Federal laws and
laws of several States, France, Great Britain, and Ireland, British colonies, Norway,
Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland. An appendix is devoted to war measures
for the protection of working women in the warring countries.
M orim oto , K o k ic h i , Ph. D. T h e S ta n d a r d o f L i v i n g i n J a p a n . J o h n s H o p k in s
U n iv e r s ity s tu d ie s i n h is to r ic a l a n d p o litic a l scien ce.
m o re , J o h n s H o p k in s P r e s s , 191 8 . 147 p p .
S e r ie s X X X V I , X o . 1.
B a lti
This study was made during the period 1913 to 1915 by the author while teaching
political economy in the Imperial University, Sapparo, Japan. The results of the
study show—
that in 1913 in the large cities a normal family of 3.3 units with an income of less than
200 yen [$99.60] could not maintain existence, and with an income less than 960 yen
[$478.08] could not maintain a standard of efficient living. In the small cities the
respective figures are 180 yen [$89.64] and 860 yen [$428.28], In short, the minimum
cost of living in Japan (Tokyo) is 960 yen [$478.08], and the distribution of this
expenditure is 336 yen [$167.33] for food, 96 yen [$47.81] for clothing, 168. yen [$83.66]
for housing, and 360 yen [$179.28] for other items. This amount of income, if expended
in the most economical way, permits the normal mode and scale of activities adjusted
not only to the necessity wants, but also in a slight degree to the decency and comfort
wants.
I t is noted, however, that at the time of the study the purchasing power of Japanese
money in Japan was about twice as much as that of American money in Americat
making 960 yen [$478.08] furnish about as good a living in Japan as $1,000 in America.
I t is also noted that (1) “ The habitual use in Japan of cheap but nutritious foodstuffs
such as fish, rice, beans, miso, tofu, and so on, serves to lessen the sum of money
expended for food. Cutting down the food expenditure, then, is not so difficult a
problem in Japan as it is in America. (2) The apportionment for rent is much less in
Japan, and a lower cost of living as a whole is therefore practicable. (3) The common
belief that the standard of living in Japan is very much lower than in the United
States is not scientifically proved. Probably it is a misconception. (4) The low cost
of living does not necessarily mean a low standard of liv in g /’
N ational A malgamated U n io n
e n d in g D ece m b er 3 1 , 191 8 .
oe L a b o u r . R e p o r t a n d bala n ce sheet f o r q u a rte r
N e w c a s tl'e -o n -T y n e , R ic h a r d M a y n e , 1 9 18. 8 8 p p .
N ational C h ild L abor C o m m ittee .
C h ild la b o r i n w a r r in g c o u n tr ie s , b y A n n a
R o ch ester. P a m p h le t 2 8 6 (5c. p o s t p a i d ) . R e p r i n t e d f r o m C h ild L a b o r B u l l e t i n ,
V o l ‘. V I , N o . 4 , F e b r u a r y , 1 9 1 8 . 12 p p .. C h ild la b o r a n d j u v e n i l e d e lin q u e n c y
i n M a n h a tta n , b y M a b el B r o v m E l l i s . P a m p h le t 2 8 2 (10c. p o s tp a id ) . R e p r in te d
f r o m C h ild L a b o r B u ll e t i n , V o l. V I , N o .. 3, N o v em b er,. I p l l .
43 p p .
P h y s ic a l
w e lfa re o f e m p lo y e d c h ild re n , b y F lo r e n c e I . T a y lo r . P a m p h le t 2 8 5 (5c. p o s tp a id ) .
R e p r in te d f r o m C h ild L a b o r B u l l e t i n , V o l. V I , N o . 4 , F e b r u a r y , 1 9 1 8 . 12 p p .
T h ir te e n th a n n u a l r e p o r t o f the g e n e ra l secretary f o r the fis c a l y e a r e n d in g S e p te m b e r
SO, 1 9 1 7 . J a n u a r y , 191 8 . 19 p p . P a m p h le t 2 8 3 (5c. p o s tp a id ) . R e p r in te d f r o m
C h ild L a b o r B u lle tin ,. V o l. V I , N o . 3, N o v e m b e r, 1 9 1 7 . 19‘ p p .
C h ild r e n i n a g ri
c u ltu r e , b y R u t h M c ln tir e . P a m p h le t 2 8 4 . N e w Y o r k , 105 E a s t 2 2 d S tr e e t, F e b r u
a ry , 1 9 1 8 . 14 p p . N e iv Y o r k , 105 E a s t 2 2 d S tr e e t , 1918.
N ational H
o usin g A sso cia tio n .
W a r h o u s in g p r o b le m s i n A m e r ic a . A. s y m p o s iu m
o n w a r h o u s in g , h e ld u n d e r th e a u sp ic e s o f the N a t.io n a l H o u s in g A s s o c ia tio n , F e b
r u a r y 2 5 , 19 1 8 , P h ila d e lp h ia . N a t io n a l H o u s in g A s s o c ia tio n , 105 E a s t 2 2 d S t . ,
N e w Y o r k C ity , 1 9 1 8 . 141 p p .
The subjects discussed at this symposium were, To what extent shall war workers
be housed in temporary barracks—in permanent homes? Shall houses for war
workers be rented or sold? Shall we- provide for housing many women workers?
What is the best way to house the woman worker? Shall we encourage or discourage
the “ Take a roomer” campaign? There was a pronounced preponderance of opinion
a t the conference in favor of permanent as against temporary housing.
N ational I n du stria l . C o n f e r e n c e B o a rd .
t i o n t R esea rch
24 p p .
re p o r t N o . 6,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
M ay,
S ic k n e s s in s u r a n c e o r sic k n e ss p r e v e n
1 9 1 8 . B o s t o n ,. 15 B e a c o n S tre e t,. 1918.
[2 1 7 ]
218
-----
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW,
T h e C a n a d ia n I n d u s t r i a l D is p u te s I n v e s tig a tio n A c t .
A p r i l , 191 8 . B o s to n , 15 B e a c o n S tr e e t, 191 8 . 2 8 p p .
R e sea rch re p o r t N o . 5,
Contains a brief history of the act since its outgrowth in 1907 from eaflier legislation;
statistical data showing the effect of its operation, and a summary of the attitude of
labor and of employers toward it. An abridged text of the act is given in the appen
dix.
N ew J e r s e y Ch a m b e r
op C o m m erce . B u r e a u o f S t a t e R e se a rc h ; P o lic e , fir e m e n ’s,
a n d o th er lo ca l e m p lo y e e s p e n s io n s y s te m s i n N e w J e r se y . N e w J e r se y S ta te R esea rch ,
C o n s e c u tiv e N o . 11, 1 9 1 8 . C lin to n B u il d i n g , N e w a r k , N . J . 2 4 p p .
An analysis of the benefits, revenues, and methods of financing the New Jersey
pension funds for police, firemen, and other local employees, exclusive of teachers.
The report was prepared by Mr. Paul Studensky, who directed the investigation,
assisted by Mr. Alexander Gourvitch and Mr. R. K. Bissell. Since 1887, when the
first pension fund for police was established in Jersey City, some 60 funds have come
into existence, covering 3,100 policemen, 2,150 firemen, and about 350 other em
ployees.
---------■— T eachers' r e tir e m e n t s y s te m s i n N e w Jersey : T h e ir fa lla c ie s a n d e v o lu tio n .
N e w Jerse y S ta te R e se a rc h , C o n s e c u tiv e N o . 1 0 ,1 9 1 8 .
N . J . 48 p p .
C lin to n B u il d i n g , N e w a r k ,
The retirement of teachers in New Jersey is taken care of by two systems—the
teachers’ retirement fund, established in 1896 and supported by contributions of
the teachers, and the thirty-five year service pension, established in 1903 and paid
at the expense of the State. As a result of dissatisfaction and criticism actuarial inves
tigations of these systems were made in 1917, and a monograph based on the data
collected has been prepared by Mr. Paul Studensky, supervisor of the pension staff
of the bureau of state research.
The part of the monograph under review is a historical summary of the teachers’
retirement fund, divided as follows: 1. Establishment of retirement fund and its
fallacies; 2. Failure of the “ 1-per-cent fund” ; 3. Compulsory clause and the con
fusion of 1906; 4. Period 1907-1917; 5. The State pension and its effect on the fund.
Documents and statistics are presented in appendixes.
The second part, containing an analysis of the present retirement situation, is to
appear in a subsequent issue of the same publication.
N e w I n ter n a tio n a l Y ea r B o o k .
A c o m p e n d iu m o f the w o r ld ’s p ro g re ss f o r the year
1 9 1 7 . F r a n k M o o re C o lb y , ed ito r; A l l e n L e o n C h u r c h ill, asso cia te e d ito r. N e w
Y o r k , D o d d , M e a d & C o ., 1 9 1 8 . 797 p p .
T ex a s S tate F ed er a tio n
of L a b o r . P ro c e e d in g s o f the tw e n ty - fir s t a n n u a l c o n v e n
tio n h e ld a t S a n A n to n i o , T e x ., M a rch 1 8 -2 3 , 1 9 1 8 . I n c lu d e s the c o n s titu tio n a n d
la w s . S a n A n to n i o , 19 1 8 . 1 1 8 p p .
U n iv e r sit y
of Ca lifo rn ia P ublications in E conom ics . C o llective b a r g a in in g a n d
trade a g re e m e n ts i n the brew ery, m e ta l, te a m in g , a n d b u ild in g trades o f S a n F r a n c is c o ,
C a l. B y I r a B . C ross, v o l. 4 , N o . 4 , p p . 2 3 3 -3 6 4 . M a y 2 0 , 1 9 18. B e r k e le y ,
U n iv e r s ity o f C a lifo r n ia P r e s s , 191 8 .
This study traces briefly the history of the four unions, the practices followed by
them being typical of the remaining trades in San Francisco; gives the story of the
development of the trade agreements; and presents in detail the terms of those
agreements in force in 1915.
------ T h e c o n flic t o f ta x la w s , by R o w la n d E s tc o u r t. V o l. 4 , N o . 3 , p p . 1 1 5 -2 3 1 . A p r i l
2 , 1 9 18.
B e r k e le y , U n iv e r s ity o f C a lifo r n ia P r e s s , 1918.
The object of this inquiry into the subject of tax laws is “ to show that, in view of
the trend of economic progress, the lack of harmony between the existing systems
of taxation indicates the need for coordination, and that any scheme for remedying
the defects, to prove satisfactory, must involve a general consideration of certain
vital facts underlying the whole problem of taxation.” Part I deals with Preliminary
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1218]
MONTHLY LABOE REVIEW.
219
considerations, Major.and minor taxes, Limitations of jurisdiction, Variations in State
taxation, and Evolution of faculty; Part II, Coordination and adjustment, Assessment
of taxes, and Collections of taxes.
V a n d e r v e l d e , E m il e .
L e so c ia lis m e c o n tre V E ta t .
B e r g e r -L e v r a u lt, 1 9 1 8 . 1 7 4 p p .
P r o b lè m e s d ’a p rè s-g u e rre .
P a r is ,
In this volume the author has expressed his theories concerning socialism versus
the State, as an after-the-war problem, in two parts: The conquest of political power,
and The socialization of the means of production.
65801°—18------ 15
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[2 1 9 ]
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
SERIES OF BULLETINS PUBLISHED BY THE BUR EAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
[T h e p u b lic a tio n o f th e a n n u a l a n d s p e c ia l r e p o r ts a n d o f th e b im o n t h l y b u lle tin was
d is c o n tin u e d in J u ly , 1912, a n d s in c e t h a t t im e a b u lle tin h a s b e e n p u b lis h e d a t irre g u la r
in te r v a ls . E a c h n u m b e r c o n ta in s m a t t e r d e v o te d to o n e o f a serie s o f g e n e r a l s u b je c ts .
1 h e se b u lle tin s a re n u m b e r e d c o n s e c u tiv e ly b e g in n in g w ith N o , 101, a n d u p to N o . 23S th e y
also c a rry c o n s e c u tiv e n u m b e r s u n d e r e a c h serie s. B e g in n in g w ith N o . 237 th e s e r ia l n u m
b e rin g h a s b e en d is c o n tin u e d . A lis t o f th e serie s is g iv e n b elow . U n d e r e a c h is g r o u p e d all
th e b u lle tin s w h ic h c o n ta in m a te r ia l r e la tin g to th e s u b je c t m a t t e r o f t h a t series. A lis t
o f th e r e p o r ts a n d b u lle tin s o f th e b u r e a u is s u e d p r io r to J u ly 1, 1912, w ill be fu r n is h e d o n
a p p lic a tio n .]
W holesale Prices.
B ui. 114. W holesale prices, 1S90 to 1912.
B ui. 149. W holesale prices, 1890 to 1913.
B ui. 173. Index num bers of w h o lesa le p rices in
countries.
B u i. 181. W holesale prices, 1 890 to 1914.
B ui. 200. W holesale prices, 1890 to 1915.
B ui. 226. W holesale prices, 1890 to 1916.
th e
U n ited
S ta te s
and
foreign
Retail Prices and Cost o f Living.
B ui. 105. R eta il prices, 1890 to 1911 : P a r t I.
R e ta il prices, 1890 to 1911 : P a rt I I — G eneral tables.
B ui. 106. R e ta il prices, 1890 to June, 1912 : P a r t I.
R eta il prices, 1890 to June, 1912 : P a rt I I — G eneral tab les.
B ui. 108. R e ta il prices, 1890 to A ugust, 1912.
B ui. 110. R e ta il prices, 1890 to October, 1912.
B ui. 113. R e ta il prices, 1890 to D ecem ber, 1912.
B ui. 115. R eta il prices, 1890 to February, 1913.
B ui. 121. Sugar prices, from refiner to consum er.
B ui. 125. R e ta il prices, 189 0 to A pril, 1913.
B ui. 130. W heat and flour prices, from farm er to consum er.
B ui. 132. R eta il prices, 1 890 to Ju n e, 1913.
B ui. 136. R eta il prices, 1890 to A ugust, 1913.
B ui. 138. R eta il prices, 1890 to October, 1913.
B ui. 140. R e ta il prices, 1890 to Decem ber, 1913.
B ui. 156. R e ta il prices, 1907 to Decem ber, 1914.
B ui. 164. B u tter prices, from producer to consum er.
B ui. 170. F oreign fo o d p rices as affected by th e W ar.
B ui. 184. R eta il prices, 1907 to Jun e, 1915.
B ui. 197. R eta il prices, 1907 to D ecem ber, 1915.
B ui. 228. R etail prices, 1907 to D ecem ber, 1916.
W ages and Hours of Labor.
B ui. 116. H ours, earn ings, and d u ration o f em ploym ent of w age-earn in g w om en in
selected in d u str ies in th e D is tr ic t o f Columbia.
B ui. 118. T en-hour m axim um w o rk in g day for w om en and youn g persons.
B ui. 119. W orking hours o f w om en in th e pea can n eries of W iscon sin .
B ui. 128. W ages and hours o f labor in th e co tton , w oolen, and silk in d u stries, 1890
to 1912.
B ui. 129. W ages and hou rs o f labor in th e lum ber, m illw ork, and fu rn itu re in d u s
tries, 1890 to 1912.
B ui. 131. U nion scale o f w a g es and hours o f labor, 1907 to 1912.
B ui. 134. W ages and hours o f labor in th e boot and shoe and hosiery and k n it goods
in d u stries, 1890 to 1912.
B ui. 135. W ages and hours o f labor in th e cigar and c lo th in g in d u stries, 1911 and
1912.
B u i. 137. WTages and hours o f labor in th e bu ildin g and rep airing of steam railroad
cars, 1890 to 1912.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[I]
Wages and Hours of Labor—Concluded.
B ui. 143. U nion scale o f w ages and hou rs o f labor, M ay 15, 1913.
B ui. 146. W ages and reg u la rity o f em ploym ent in the dress and w a ist in d u stry of
N ew York City.
B ui. 147. W ages and reg u la rity o f em ploym ent in th e cloak, su it, and s k ir t’in d u stry.
B ui. 150. W ages and hours o f labor in the cotton , w oolen, and silk in d u stries, 1907
to 1913.
B ui. 151. W ages and hours o f labor in th e iron and s te el in d u stry in th e U nited
S ta tes, 1907 to 1912.
B u i. 153. W ages and hours o f labor in th e lum ber, m illw ork, and fu rn itu re in d u s
tries, 1907 to 1913.
B ui. 154. W ages and hours o f labor in th e boot and shoe and h osiery and underw ear
in d u stries, 1907 to 1913.
B ui. 160. H ours, earn ings, and co n d itio n s o f labor o f w om en in In d ian a m ercan tile
esta b lish m en ts and garm ent fa cto ries.
B ui. 161. W ages and hours o f labor in th e c lo th in g and cigar in d u stries, 1911 to
1913.
B ui. 163. W ages and hours o f labor in th e bu ild in g and rep airing of steam railroad
cars, 1907 to 1913.
B ui. 168. W ages and hours o f labor in th e iron and ste el in d u stry in th e U nited
S ta tes, 1907 to 1913.
B ui. 171. U nion scale o f w ages and hours o f labor, M ay 1, 1914.
B ui. 177. W ages and hours o f labor in th e h o siery and underw ear in d u stry, 1907 to
1914.
B ui. 178. W ages and hours o f labor in th e boot and shoe in d u stry, 1907 to 1914.
B ui. 187. W ages and hours o f labor in th e m en’s clo th in g in d u stry, 1911 to 1914.
B ui. 190. W ages and hours of labor in th e c o t t o D , w oolen, and silk in d u stries, 1907
to 1914.
B ui. 194. U nion scale o f w ages and hou rs o f labor, M ay 1, 1915.
Bui. 204. S treet ra ilw a y em ploym en t in th e U n ited S ta tes.
B ui. 214. U nion sca le o f w a g es and hou rs of labor, M ay 15, 1916.
B ui. 218. W ages and hours o f labor in th e iron and ste el in d u stry, 1907 to 1915.
B ui. 225. W ages and hou rs o f labor in th e lum ber, m illw ork, and fu rn itu re in d u s
tries, 1915.
B ui. 232. W ages and hours o f labor in th e boot and shoe in d u stry, 1807 to 1916.
B ui. 238. W ages and hours o f labor in w oolen and w o rsted goods m a n u factu rin g,
1916.
B ui. 239. W ages and hours o f labor in co tto n goods m a n u fa ctu rin g and fin ish ing,
1916.
B ui. 245. U nion scale o f w ages and hours o f labor, M ay 15, 1917. [I n press.]
Employm ent and Unemployment.
B ui. 109. S t a tis tic s o f un em ploym ent and th e w ork o f em ploym en t offices in the
U n ited S ta tes.
B ui. 172. U nem ploym ent in N ew York C ity, N. Y.
B ui. 182. U nem ploym ent am ong w om en in departm en t and oth er reta il stores of
B o sto n , M ass.
B ui. 183. R eg u la rity o f em ploym ent in th e w om en’s ready-to-w ear garm ent in d u stries.
B ui. 192. P roceed in gs of th e A m erican A sso cia tio n o f P u blic E m ploym en t Offices.
B ui. 195. U nem ploym ent in th e U n ited S ta tes.
B ui. 196. P roceed ings o f th e E m ploym en t M anagers’ Conference held a t M inneapolis,
Janu ary, 1916.
B ui. 202. P roceed ings o f th e conference o f th e E m ploym en t M anagers’ A sso cia tio n of
B o sto n , M ass., held M ay 10, 1916.
B ui. 206. T he B r itis h sy stem o f labor exch anges.
B ui. 220. P roceed ings o f th e Fou rth A nnual M eeting o f th e A m erican A sso cia tio n of
P u blic E m ploym ent Offices, Buffalo, N. Y., J u ly 20 and 21, 1916.
B ui. 223. E m ploym en t o f w om en and ju v en ile s in G reat B rita in during th e War.
B ui. 227. P roceed ings o f th e E m ploym en t M anagers’ C onference, P h ilad elp h ia, Pa.
A pril 2 and 3, 1917.
B ui. 235. E m ploym en t sy stem o f th e Lake C arriers’ A ssociation .
B ui. 241. P u b lic em ploym ent offices in th e U n ited S ta tes. [I n p ress.]
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Women in Industry.
B ui. 116. H ours, earnings, and du ration o f em ploym ent o f w age-earn ing wom en in
selected in d u stries in th e D istr ic t of Columbia.
B ui. 117. P roh ib ition of n ig h t work o f youn g persons.
B ui. 118. T en-hour m axim um w orking-day for w om en and youn g persons.
B ui. 119. W orking hours o f w om en in th e pea canneries o f W isconsin.
B ui. 122. E m ploym ent o f w om en in pow er lau n d ries in M ilw aukee.
B ui. 100. Hours, earnings, and co n d itio n s o f labor o f w om en in In d ian a m ercan tile
esta b lish m en ts and garm ent fa cto ries.
B ui. 167. M inim um -w age le g isla tio n in th e U n ited S ta te s and foreign countries.
B ui. 175. Sum m ary o f th e rep.ort on condition o f w om an and child w age earners in
the U nited S ta tes.
B ui. 176. E ffect o f m inim um -w age d eterm in a tio n s in Oregon.
B ui. 180. The boot and shoe in d u stry in M a ssa ch u setts as a vocation for women.
B ui. 182. U nem ploym ent am ong wom en in departm en t and oth er r etail stores of
B oston, M ass.
B ui. 193. D ressm aking as a trade fo r wom en in M a ssa ch u setts.
B ui. 215. In d u stria l experience of trade-school g irls in M assach u setts.
B ui. 223. E m ploym en t o f w om en and ju v en iles in G reat B rita in du rin g th e War.
Workmen’s Insurance and Compensation (including law s relating thereto).
B ui. 101. Care o f tuberculous w age earners in Germany.
Bui. 102. B ritish N a tio n a l In su ran ce A ct, 1911.
B ui. 103. Sickn ess and a ccid en t insu ran ce la w of Sw itzerland.
B ui. 107. L aw r ela tin g to in su ra n ce o f salaried em ployees in Germ any.
B ui. 126. W orkm en’s com pensation la w s o f th e U n ited S ta te s and foreign countries.
B ui. 155. C om pensation for accid en ts to em ployees o f th e U n ited States.
B ui. 185. C om pensation le g isla tio n o f 1914 and 1915.
B ui. 203. W orkm en’s com pensation la w s o f th e U nited S ta te s and foreign countries.
B ui. 210. P roceed ings of th e T hird A nnu al M eeting o f th e In te r n a tio n a l A ssociation
o f In d u stria l A ccid en t B oard s and C om m issions.
♦
B ui. 212. P roceed ings o f th e conferen ce on so cia l in su ran ce called by th e In ter
n a tio n a l A sso c ia tio n o f In d u str ia l A ccid en t B oards and C om m issions.
B ui. 217. E ffect of w orkm en’s com pensation la w s in d im in ish in g th e n e c essity of
in d u str ia l em ploym en t o f w om en and child ren.
B ui. 240. C om parison o f w orkm en’s com pensation la w s o f th e U n ited S tates.
Bui. 243. W orkm en’s com pensation le g isla tio n in th e U n ited S ta te s and foreign coun
tries.
[I n press.]
industrial Accidents and H ygiene.
' B ui. 104. Lead p o ison in g in p o tteries, tile w orks, and porcelain enam eled sa n ita ry
w are fa cto ries.
B ui. 120. H ygiene o f th e p a in te rs’ trade.
Bui. 127. D angers to w orkers from d u sts and fu m es, and m eth ods of protection.
B ui. 141. Lead poisonin g in th e sm eltin g and refining o f lead.
B ui. 157. In d u stria l a ccid en t sta tis tic s .
B ui. 165. L ead p o iso n in g in th e m an ufacture o f sto ra g e batteries.
B ui. 179. In d u str ia l p o iso n s used in th e rubber in d u stry .
B ui. 1S8. R eport o f B r itish departm en tal com m ittee on danger in th e use of lead in
th e p a in tin g o f bu ildin gs.
B ui. 201. R eport o f com m ittee on s ta tis tic s and com pensation insu ran ce cost of the
In tern a tio n a l A sso c ia tio n o f In d u str ia l A ccid en t B oard s and Com m is
sions.
[L im ited e d itio n .]
B ui. 205. A n th ra x as an o ccu p a tio n a l disease.
B ui. 207. C auses o f d ea th by occupation.
B ui. 209. H y g ien e o f th e p rin tin g trades.
B ui. 216. A ccid en ts and accident preven tion in m achine building.
B ui. 219. In d u str ia l p o iso n s used or produced in th e m an u factu re of explosives.
B ui. 221. H ours, fa tig u e, and h e a lth in B ritish m u n ition factories.
B ui. 230. In d u stria l efficiency and fa tig u e in B r itis h m u n ition factories.
B ui. 231. M o rta lity from respiratory d isea ses in d u sty trades.
[In p ress.]
B ui. 234. S a fety m ovem ent in th e iron and s te el ind ustry, 1907 to 1917.
B ui. 236. E ffect o f th e air ham m er on th e hands o f sto n ecu tters. [In p ress.]
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[Ill]
Conciliation and Arbitration (including strikes and lockouts).
B ui. 124. C onciliation and a rb itra tio n in th e bu ild in g trades o f G reater N ew York.
B ui. 133. R eport o f the in d u stria l council of th e B r itis h B oard of T rade on its in
quiry in to in d u str ia l agreem ents.
B ui. 139. M ichigan copper d is tr ic t strik e.
B ui. 144. In d u stria l court o f th e cloak, su it, and sk irt in d u stry o f N ew York C ity.
B ui. 145. C onciliation, a rb itra tio n , and s a n ita tio n in th e dress and w a is t in d u stry of
N ew York City.
B ui. 191. C o llective b argaining in th e a n th r a cite coal ind ustry.
B ui. 198. C ollective agreem ents in th e m en’s clo th in g Industry.
B ui. 233. O peration o f th e In d u stria l D isp u te s In v e stig a tio n A ct of Canada.
Labcfr Laws of the U nited States (including decisions of courts relating to labor).
B ui. 111.
B ui. 112.
B ui. 148.
B ui. 152.
B ui. 106.
B ui. 169.
B ui. 186.
B ui. 189.
B ui. 211.
B u i. 213.
B ui. 224.
B ui. 229.
Bui. 244.
B ui. 24G.
Foreign Labor
B ui. 142.
Labor le g isla tio n o f 1912.
D ecisio n s o f co u rts and opin ions affectin g labor, 1912.
Labor la w s o f th e U n ited S ta tes, w ith decision s of courts r ela tin g thereto.
D ecision s of courts and opin ions affectin g labor, 1913.
Labor le g isla tio n o f 1914.
D e cisio n s o f co u rts a ffectin g labor, 1914.
Labor le g is la tio n o f 1915.
D ecisio n s o f courts affectin g labor, 1915.
Labor la w s and th eir a d m in istra tio n in th e Pacific S ta tes.
Labor le g isla tio n o f 1916.
D ecision s o f courts a ffectin g labor, 1916.
W age-paym ent le g isla tio n in th e U n ited S ta tes.
L abor le g isla tio n o f 1917.
[In p ress.]
D ecisio n s o f courts affectin g labor, 1917. [I n press.]
Laws.
A d m in istra tio n o f labor la w s and fa c to r y In sp ection in certain European
countries.
V ocational Education.
B ui. 145. C onciliation, a rb itra tio n , and sa n ita tio n in th e dress and w a is t in d u stry of
N ew York City.
B ui. 147. W ages and reg u la rity o f em ploym en t in th e cloak, su it, and sk ir t ind ustry.
B ui. 159. S h ort-u n it courses fo r w age earners, and a fa ctory sch ool experim ent.
B ui. 162. V o ca tio n a l education su rv ey o f R ichm ond, Va.
B ui. 199. V o ca tio n a l education survey o f M inneapolis.
Labor as
B ui.
B ui.
B ui.
B ui.
B ui.
B u i.
B ui.
Affected by the War.
170. F oreign food prices as affected by th e W ar.
219. In d u str ia l poisons used or produced in th e m an ufacture o f explosives.
221. H ours, fa tig u e, and h ea lth in B ritish m u nition factories.
222. W elfare work in B ritish m u n ition fa cto ries.
223. E m ploym en t o f w om en and ju v en iles in G reat B rita in during th e War.
230. In d u stria l efficiency and fa tig u e in B r itis h m u n ition fa c to r ie s.
237. In d u str ia l u n rest in G reat B rita in .
M iscellaneous Scries.
B ui. 117. P ro h ib itio n o f n ig h t w ork o f youn g persons.
Bui. 118. T en-hour m axim um w orking-day fo r w om en and youn g persons.
B ui. 123. E m p lo y ers’ w elfa re w ork.
B ui. 158. G overnm ent aid to hom e o w n in g and ho u sin g o f w orking people in foreign
countries.
B ui. 159. S h ort-u n it courses for w age earners, and a fa ctory sch ool experim ent.
B ui. 167. M inim um -w age le g isla tio n in th e U n ited S ta te s and foreign countries.
B ui. 170. F oreign food prices as affected by th e War.
B ui. 174. Subject in d ex o f th e p u b lica tio n s o f th e U n ited S ta te s B u reau of Labor
S t a tis tic s up to M ay 1, 1915.
Bui. 208. Profit sh a r in g in th e U n ited S ta tes.
B ui. 222. W elfare work in B r itis h m u n ition fa c to r ie s.
B ui. 242. Food situ a tio n in C entral Europe, 1917.
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