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U. S.
DEPARTMENT OF
LABOR
JAMES J. DAVIS, Secretary
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
ETHELBERT STEWART, Commissioner
MONTHLY
LABOR REVIEW
VOLUME XXIII
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CERTIFICATE
This publication is issued pursuant to the
provisions of the sundry civil act (41 Stats.
1430) approved March 4, 1921.
ADDITIONAL COPIES
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Contents
Special a rtic le s :
p age
In d ex of p ro d u c tiv ity of lab o r in th e steel, autom obile, shoe, a n d
p a p e r in d u s trie s_________________________________________________
1-19
C auses of failure of c e rta in co o p erativ e societies____________________ 20-25
C olum bus u n em p lo y m e n t su rv e y ____________________________________ 25-28
In d u s tria l re la tio n s a n d la b o r cond itio n s:
A d a p tatio n of negroes to n o rth e rn in d u stria l co n d itio n s_____________ 29, 30
C onditions in th e cloak, su it, a n d s k irt in d u s try of N ew Y ork C ity _ _ -31-35
V acations w ith p a y fo r p ro d u c tio n w o rk ers_________________________ 35, 3G
F ran ce— S ixth congress on fam ily allow ances_________________________36-38
W ages an d h o u rs of la b o r:
L ouisiana— W ages a n d lab o r co n d itio n s__________________ _____ ____ 39, 40
E nglish view s of A m erican w age policies_____________________________ 40-42
A u stralia— W age fixing a n d w age ra te s in N ew S o u th W ales________ 42-44
45
Chile— P ro h ib itio n of n ig h t w ork in b a k e rie s_______________________
C uba— W ages a n d prices in C ienfuegos_____________________________45, 46
F ran ce— A verage daily w ages a n d o u tp u t in coal m ines, 1900 to 19 2 5 ..
46
M exico— W ages a n d cost of living in N a y a rit___________ ___________
47
W omen in in d u s try :
Illinois— H ours a n d w orking conditions of w om en in in d u s try i ______ 48-50
Child la b o r a n d child w elfare:
C ost of bringing u p a ch ild _________________________________________ 51-53
G reat B rita in — In q u iry in to u n em p lo y m en t am ong b oys a n d girls__ 53-55
In d u s tria l accid en ts a n d h y g ien e:
H e a lth h azard s in b rass fo u n d ries__________________________________ 56-58
A ctivities of U nion H e a lth C e n te r d u rin g 1925_____________________ 58, 59
N ew Jersey — In d u s tria l accid en ts a n d diseases, 1924-25____________ 59-61
A ustralia— L ead poisoning of m o to r-c a r p a in te rs in N ew S o u th W a le s. 61, 62
Belgium — L aw p ro h ib itin g use of w h ite lead in in te rio r p a in tin g ____
63
W orkm en’s co m p en satio n a n d social in s u ra n c e :
E xperience w ith gro u p life in su ran ce in th e m e ta l tr a d e s ____________ 64, 65
G roup w elfare in su ra n c e p la n of D elaw are & H u d so n R a ilro a d ______65, 66
R ecen t w o rk m en ’s co m p en satio n re p o rts—
C alifornia______________________________________________________ 66 67
O n ta rio ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 67, 68
R eciprocal w o rk m en ’s co m p en satio n a g reem en t b etw een A rg en tin a
a n d A u stria ______________________________
69
A ustralia— W idow s’ pension a c t of N ew S o u th W ales_______________
69
Belgium — O ld-age in su ran ce of irre g u la r a n d m ig ra to ry w o rk ers____ 69, 70
H ousing:
V olum e of building co n stru ctio n , 1914 to 1 9 2 5 ._____
71-76
N ew Y ork housing la w _____________________________________________ 77, 78
G erm any— H ousing situ a tio n , 1925_____________________________ .___78-81
C o o p eratio n :
T ren d of th e co o p erativ e m o v e m e n t________________________________ 82-84
C ooperation in foreign co u n tries—•
G erm an y -------------------------------------------------------G reat B rita in ___________________________________________________ 86, 87
H u n g a ry _______________________________
87
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h i
IV
CONTENTS
L abor organizations a n d c o n g re sse s:
Page
C an ad a— L abor o rg an izatio n , 1925----------------88
In d ia — Proceedings of th e a ll-In d ia tra d e -u n io n congress----------------- 88, 89
Ita ly — M em bership of F a sc ist unions, 1924 a n d 1925----------------------- 89, 90
W orkers’ ed u catio n :
R ecen t dev elo p m en ts in a d u lt w o rk ers’ ed u catio n in th e U n ited
91-100
S ta te s _______________________________________
S tabilization of em p lo y m e n t:
S tab ilizatio n of e m p lo y m en t in th e U n ite d S ta te s ------------------------- 101, 102
T ren d of em p lo y m en t:
E m p lo y m en t in selected in d u strie s in M ay, 1926-------------------------- 103-112
E m p lo y m e n t a n d earn in g s of ra ilro a d em ployees, April, 1925, a n d
M arch a n d A pril, 1926----------------------------------------------------------------113
R ecen t em p lo y m e n t sta tistic s—
S ta te re p o rts on em p lo y m en t—
C alifo rn ia______________________________________________ 114, 115
Illinois__________________________________________________ 115-117
Io w a ___________________________________________________ 117-119
M a ry la n d _________________________________________________
119
M a s s a c h u s e tts ___________________________________________
120
N ew Y o rk ________________________________________________
121
O klaho m a________________________________________________
122
W isconsin______________________________________________ 122, 123
P rices and cost of living:
R e ta il prices of food in th e U n ite d S ta te s -------------------------------------- 124-144
R etail prices of coal in th e U n ited S ta te s -------------------------------------- 145—148
In d ex n u m b ers of w holesale prices in M ay, 1926________________ _ 148, 149
C om parison of re ta il p rice changes in th e U n ite d S ta te s a n d in foreign
c o u n trie s .______________________________________________________ 149—151
S o u th A frica— R e p o rt on cost of liv in g ___________________________ 152, 153
V enezuela— R e ta il prices in M aracaibo, 1921 a n d 1926_____________
153
L abor ag reem en ts, aw ard s, and d ecisio n s:
A greem ents—
C leaners, dyers, a n d pressers— D e tro it_______________________ 154, 155
C om m ercial te le g ra p h e rs____________________________________ 155-157
M ineral w a te r w orkers— N ew Y ork C ity ----------------------------------157
R e ta il clerks— C hicago______________________________________ 158, 159
S tre e t railw ay s— C in cin n ati & D a y to n T ra c tio n C o---------------- 159-161
A w ards a n d decisions—C lo th in g in d u s try —-C hicago___________________________________
161
C lothing in d u s try — R o c h e ste r_________________________________
162
N ew spapers— Los A ngeles----------------------------------------------------- 163-166
N ew spapers— W ash in g to n , D . C ____________________________ 166, 167
R ailroads— D ecisions of R ailro ad L ab o r B o a rd ----------------------- 167-171
C oncilation and a rb itra tio n :
C onciliation w ork of th e D e p a rtm e n t of L ab o r in M ay, 1926, by
H ugh L. K erw in, D ire c to r of C o n ciliatio n ______________________ 172-175
Im m ig ra tio n :
S ta tistic s of im m ig ra tio n fo r A pril, 1926, b y J. J. K u n n a , chief s ta tis ti
cian, U n ited S ta te s B u reau of Im m ig ra tio n _____________________ 176-181
W hat State la b o r b u re a u s a re d o ing:
A labam a, C alifornia, Illinois, Iow a, L ouisiana, M a ry la n d , M assachu
setts, N ew Jersey , N ew Y ork, O klahom a, S o u th C arolina, an d
W isconsin______________________________________________________ 182, 183
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C O N TE N T S
Y
C urrent n o te s of in te re s t to la b o r:
P ag0
A labam a— C ivilian re h a b ilita tio n ___________________________________
184
Aims of In te rn a tio n a l A ssociation of Social P ro g ress______________ 184, 185
M eeting of L eague of N a tio n s C hild W elfare C o m m itte e_________ 185, 186
G erm any— A p p o in tm e n t of com m ission of in q u iry in to p ro d u c tio n , _
186
G u atem a la—
L im itatio n upo n e m p lo y m en t of fo re ig n e rs_____________________
186
D ecree governing strik es d isap p ro v ed by legislative a ss e m b ly . __
186
P eru— C om pulsory road-work, la w __________________________________
187
S outh A frica— O ld-age pensions u n d e r co n sid e ra tio n ________________
187
D irectory of lab o r offices in th e U nited S tates and foreign c o u n trie s___ 188-208
P u blications re latin g to la b o r:
Official—U n ited S ta te s ___________________________________________ 209-211
Official— F oreign co u n trie s________________________________________ 211-213
U nofficial..........................................................................
213-216
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This Issue in Brief
The 'productivity of labor in the steel, automobile, shoe, and paper
industries has increased markedly in the last decade. The output
per man in the automobile industry has more than doubled since
pre-war days, while that in the steel and paper industries shows
considerable increases. Even an industry like boots and shoes,
which is to such a large extent dependent on the whims of consumers,
shows an increase of nearly 17 per cent. Page 1.
A recent survey of the vacation policies as regards production workers
in various industries in Cincinnati, Ohio, shows that 111 firms in
that city give vacations with pay to all or part of their production
force. Only 13 of these establishments require more than one year’s
service in order to establish eligibility for a vacation and a vacation
of one week was given in the majority of cases. Page 35.
The reasons why certain cooperative societies have discontinued opera
tions are analyzed in an article on page 20. Most of the failures were
due to financial insecurity, but a number ceased operating simply
because the members grew tired of the task of running the business.
, The unemployment survey of Columbus, Ohio, is of special interest
because there have been so few studies of actual unemployment in
this country. The study covered the years 1921 to 1925. The
proportion of idle persons was found to fluctuate from 6.3 per cent
in 1923, to 13.4 per cent in 1921, including, however, a certain num
ber of sick and aged. Page 25.
An appraisal of the cost of rearing a child during infancy and
adolescence in a family of moderate circumstances shows that the
average amount expended for ail items, except the cost of schooling
provided by the community, is approximately $7,200. This figure,
which is based on the expenditures of a family of five having an an
nual expenditure of $2,500, is believed to be a fair estimate of the
money expended by such a family during the years when a child is
being prepared to become a contributor economically to the family
and the community. Page 51.
The volume of building construction in ISO American cities is shown
by years from 1921 to 1925 in a study made by the United States
Bureau of Labor Statistics. The purpose of the study is to show how
much the country as a whole and the cities individually have over
come in the past few years the shortage in buildings caused by war
time curtailment. Page 71.
Conditions of labor in the cloak, suit, and skirt industry of New York
City are described in a report of the governor’s advisory commission.
The commission finds that the large “ inside” shops, which replaced
the original sweat-shop system, are now threatened by the develop
ment of small “ jobber-manufacturers,” with lower labor standards.
Page 31.
The southern negro, drawn to the North by the attraction of better
economic, social, and educational conditions, is developing an unex
pected power of adaptation to the northern environment, according
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VII
V III
M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
to the research director of the National Urban League. Industrially
they are gaining ground, and are being advanced “ to fill the gaps in
semiskilled and skilled positions caused by promotion, retirement,
and death.” Under urban sanitary conditions, and a better standard
of living, their death rate is falling. Housing presents a serious
problem, and so do relations with the unions, but both of these
questions are receiving increased attention and various solutions are
possible. Page 29.
The rapid extension of the workers’ education movement is one of the
most significant of the postwar labor developments in the United
States. As late as 1920 there were very few of these undertakings.
Early in 1926 the secretary of the Workers’ Education Bureau
reported an enrollment of 40,000 students in workers’ colleges or
study classes in more than 300 industrial, centers in some 40 States.
A brief account of some of the more important undertakings is given
on page 91.
Louisiana is one of only four States allowing children to be employed
10 hours a day and 60 hours a week, according to the commissioner
of labor and industrial statistics of that State in his latest biennial
report reviewed on page 39.
The basis of American prosperity lies, according to certain English
observers, in the willingness of employers to pay high wages, pro
vided they get high output, and to their determination to secure the
latter at any cost of money, effort, and intelligence. Page 40.
Employment in manufacturing industries decreased 1.2 per cent in
May, 1926, from the previous month, but was almost 1 per cent
higher than in May, 1925. Page 103.
Recent price changes.—Retail food prices decreased almost 1 per
cent in May, 1926, as compared with the previous month, but were
6.3 per cent higher than in May, 1925. Wholesale prices of all com
modities increased very slightly between April and May, 1926, and
were 2 3A per cent lower than in May, 1925. Page 124.
The executive decree of Guatemala forbidding strikes in public services
and in certain private services has been disapproved by the legis
lative assembly of that country. Page 186.
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MONTHLY LABOR R E V I E W
vo l.
xxiii,
no.
i
W A S H IN G T O N
'
JULY, 1926
Index of Productivity of Labor in the Steel, Automobile, Shoe,
and Paper Industries1
HERE is taking place in the United States to-day a new in
dustrial revolution which may far exceed in economic impor
tance that older industrial revolution ushered in by the series of
mechanical inventions which occurred in England in the last quarter of
the eighteenth century, and which eventually transformed English in
dustrial, political, and social life. Many people to-day are aware of
the fact that great improvements in machinery, processes, management,
and output are taking place; but, except for a few magazine arti
cles from time to time, very little has been done to express this
advance in productive efficiency in comprehensive terms. Some
people have hesitated to accept as typical of industrial production
as a whole the surprising figures of improved output in partic
ular plants or establishments. And yet, even when we deal in mass
figures, the facts stand out clearly and unmistakably. We are at
the present time experiencing what is perhaps the most remark
able advance in productive efficiency in the history of the modern
industrial system. In the automobile industry the output per man
in 1925 was three times as great as it was in 1914, an almost incredible
increase in productivity in an industry which had attained, even
before 1914, a high state of efficiency. Taking the output per man
in 1914 as a base of 100, we find that the output in 1925 was for the
iron and steel industry nearly 150 and for the boot and shoe in
dustry 117; while on a 1917 base the output per man in 1925 in
the paper and pulp industry was 134. And these figures, surprising
as they are, cover only about a decade.
Until recently there has been good reason for the lack of precise
information on the question of the changing productivity per worker
in industry. With only a decennial, or at best a quinquennial,
census from which to draw material on wage earners and production,
it is not surprising that very little was done on this subject. If
there is to be any regular index of productivity in the more im
portant industries of the country, it must be worked out from
statistical data which are being frequently and regularly gathered
over the whole field of industry. This would hardly have been possi
ble before the war; it has become feasible only because of the enor
mous expansion in the gathering of all kinds of production and
employment statistics during and after the war. There is now
available a biennial census of manufactures, in which can be found
the number of wage earners and salaried employees, the standard
hours of labor per week, and very frequently a detailed summary of
the production for the year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics gathers
monthly data on employment in all the important industries in the
T
1 This is the first of a series of studies on the general subject of labor productivity indexes in American
industry, now being carried on by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. Thé studies are under
the direction of Mr. Ewan Clague, formerly of the University of Wisconsin.
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[1]
2
M O N T H L Y LABOE REV IEW
country, which can he used to supplement the census figures on
number of workers. And the Department of Commerce, in co
operation with numerous trade associations in the various industries,
now furnishes yearly and even monthly statistics on production.
There is, then, every reason to attempt the working out of at least
a crude index of productivity per worker in as many industries as
possible. The present article covers only four industries—iron and
steel, paper and pulp, boot and shoe, and automobile—but material
on other industries is in preparation and will appear from time to
time in the Labor Review. It is not pretended that these indexes
are perfect, or that they measure with absolute accuracy the pro
ductive efficiency in the industries over the period in question.
There are many gaps and uncertainties in the figures, as will be
evident from the discussion below on the methods of constructing
the indexes; but when all due allowances are made for inaccuracies
the results are still striking enough to leave little room for doubt as
to the meaning and importance of the recent developments in in
dustrial production.
Indexes of Employment
'“THE general purpose of this investigation is to measure from year to
A year, in all important industries where it is at all possible to do
so, the changing output per man-hour. Theoretically, this would
require (a) accurate statistics on total man-hours expended in the
industry in the course of each year, and (b) statistics on production
during the year in terms of some uniform unit of measurement; but
neither of these is available in any industry at the present time, nor
is it likely that both of these will ever be available in most industries.
Manufacturers do not ordinarily keep very precise records of total
man-hours per year in their plants, and it is very seldom that the
products of any industry are of such uniform character that the out
put of the various plants and processes could be added together to
form a total for the industry as a whole. In the absence of the statis
tical data necessary to work out any index of productivity of this
nature, the best that can be done is to try to approximate this result
from the figures available. The first problem is that of getting some
satisfactory index of man-hours.
The Census of Manufactures furnishes absolute figures of wage
earners and salaried employees in each industry for the years 1914,
1919, 1921 and 1923, from which a fixed-base index can easily be
derived. It is true that these figures are open to criticism: there
are occasional changes of classification which affect the comparability
of one census with another, there has been one change in the mini
mum size of establishments included, and there may be errors in the
gathering and compilation of the data. Rut, even with all these taken
into consideration, the substantial accuracy of the census figures
can hardly be open to question.
The above can be supplemented by material available in the Bureau
of Labor Statistics. In November, 1915, the bureau began to gather
month-to-month data on the number of men on the pay roll in 13
industries. In July, 1922, about 40 industries were added to the list
and a few more have been added since then. This material is in the
form of a comparison, for identical establishments, of the number
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[2]
IN D EX OF PRO DUCTIVITY OF LABOR
3
on the pay roll on a certain pay day in two successive months, together
with the percentage of increase or decrease thus shown in the number
employed. Using the average of the year 1923 as a base, the chain
index for each industry has been reduced to a fixed base. For the
original 13 industries the indexes cover the period 1916-1925; for the
others, the period 1923-1925 onfy. The four industries discussed
in this article are all in the original group; thus in each industry there
are two indexes of employment covering almost the same period.
The problem is that of coordinating these two to form a suitable yearly
employment index.
This simple unadjusted employment index for each industry
must be corrected to eliminate some of the more important errors in
it. The defects of such an index may be summarized as follows:
(1) In many industries the standard full-time daily or weekly hours
have been changed materially during the last ten years, thus prevent
ing the employment figures from reflecting the man-hours very
accurately. (2) Even though standard hours remain the same, many
workers put in overtime during prosperity and are kept on the pay
roll at part-time work during depression. (3) In a slack period the
whole plant may close down two or three days in the week for lack of
orders, but this would not appear in the employment data. (4) The
office force in some industries 'works different hours from those of
the wage earners in the factory. (5) The voluntary or involuntary
absences of individual workers increase and decrease with changes in
business conditions. (6) The amount of turnover in the working force
also varies with prosperity and depression.
Every one of these factors happens to have been particularly potent
in the period covered by the employment figures (1914-1925)—a period
in which there were extremes of prosperity and depression, of war
time regulation and post-war readjustment. Factors which in pre
war times could have been neglected as constant or insignificant
must, for this period, be taken into consideration whenever it is at all
possible. Fortunately, there are available enough supplementary
data to adjust the simple employment indexes in the direction of closer
conformity to the effective working time put in by the employees in
each industry.
The first problem is the great reduction in weekly hours of labor
which took place between the pre-war year of 1914 and the depression
year of 1921, when the movement was somewhat arrested. Some
pronounced reductions have also taken place since 1921, notably the
abolition of the 12-hour day in the steel industry in 1923-24, and the
reduction in Saturday work in certain branches of the paper industry
in 1924-25. The simple employment indexes must be adjusted for
hours of labor in two ways: For changes in full-time standard hours
per week; and for changes in the hours actually worked per week.
The Census of Manufactures contains, for the census years, a classi
fication of standard full-time hours per week in each industry, with
the number of employees in each class. From this can be determined
the average full-time hours per week per wage earner. The Bureau
of Labor »Statistics also publishes reports on wages and hours of labor
in certain industries, which are preferable to those of the census
because account is taken not only of the standard full-time hours per
week, but also of the actual hours worked during the week. This
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4
M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
furnishes the basis for an index of actual hours. This can be multi
plied by the employment index and the result is a fairly good approxi
mation of total man-hours for the industry. Unfortunately, these
bureau investigations are limited in number, and in many cases census
figures on standard full-time hours are the only adjustments which
can be made of the employment indexes.
The problems connected with the changing phases of prosperity
and depression (2, 3, 5, and 6 above) can not properly be taken into
account with the data available at the present time. As mentioned
in the preceding paragraph, there are in some instances special studies
on wages and hours which make possible an adjustment for the over
time and part time put in by the workers. But since these are not
made every year, the intervening years must be filled in by a certain
amount of guesswork. When these studies cover the odd years 1917,
1919, 1921, and 1923, it is very fortunate, because these years furnish
the peaks of prosperity and depression, and the even years can be
supplied without much error. But studies in the even years do little
more than show the general trend of standard hours. The other
factors of turnover and individual absences can not possibly be ac
counted for; there are as yet no figures available on this subject.
However, in proportion to total employment these factors would
not be large enough to make much difference.
There remains the problem of office employees. The census data
on standard hours per week are for wage earners only, and do not
include salaried employees. In general, this does not make any im
portant difference, because the office force, works the same hours as
the factory workers. There are, however, plants and industries where
this is not the case; the wage earners may work 8, 9, or 10 hours a
day and the office force only 7 or 8 hours. But even there the differ
ence in hours would not affect an employment index adjusted for
actual hours worked, except when the proportionate number of
salaried employees and wage earners was undergoing an important
change. Table 1, based on reports of censuses of manufactures,
shows how constant the proportion of salaried employees has been
in the four industries under consideration.
T a b l e 1 . — PER
CENT OP SALARIED EMPLOYEES IN TOTAL WORKING FORCE IN
FOUR INDUSTRIES, 1909-1923
Industry
Iron and s t e e l___ _ __ . . ___ __ ___
Paper and pulp ____ ______________
Boot and shoe_____ _____ _
Automobile_________ ______ _ _ __
1909
1914
8.3
6. 5
7.2
10.9
9. 5
7.2
8.4
12.4
1919
1921
11.1
8.8
10. 6
12. 9
10. 9
8. 7
10.1
14.2
1923
9. 6
9.3
9. 7
10.3
Average
9. 9
8.1
0. 2
12. 1
Average per year________________
8. 2
9.4
10.9
11.0
9.7
9.8
Average exclusive of automobiles___
7.3
8.4
. 10.2
9.9
9.5
9.1
This table shows that the salaried employees form about one-tenth
of the total workers. If the automobile industry, whose salaried em
ployees form a consistently higher proportion of the force than in
the other industries, is excluded, the average is only slightly over 9
per cent. That there is a tendency for the proportion of salaried
workers to increase is shown by the fact that with the exception of
the automobile industry, the percentages for 1923 are in every case
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IN D EX OF PRO D U CTIV ITY OF LABOR
5
higher than those for 1909, the lowest increase being 1.3 per cent in
the iron and steel industry and the highest 2.8 per cent in the paper
and pulp industry . The automobile industry changed so fundamen
tally in character from 1909 to 1923 that no conclusions can be
drawn. With this industry excluded, the percentage of salaried
employees has risen from 7.3 to 9.5 per cent.
The figures are also significant with regard to prosperity and de
pression. It happens that the census years strike the extremes of
business conditions during the period studied, 1909, 1919, and 1923
being years of great prosperity, and 1914 and 1921 being years of
severe depression. Here again the automobile industry is the only
one showing any marked variation; as far as the other three are con
cerned, it would be hard to tell which of the years 1919, 1921, or
1923 were years of prosperity. Theoretically, the percentage of sal
aried employees should increase markedly in depression years, be
cause these employees are not laid off so quickly as wage earners;
and should likewise be low in years of prosperity. Either this factor
has been overrated on theoretical grounds or else the three industries
mentioned are exceptional, which could hardly be the case, consid
ering that they cover such a wide variety of industrial conditions.
In the case of automobiles, productivity figures might possibly con
tain a slight error because of the changing percentage of salaried em
ployees, but in the other industries under consideration the propor
tion is so constant for the period 1914-1925 that any errors intro
duced into the computations on this account may be neglected.
Indexes of Production
'T ’HE second problem is that of deriving some satisfactory index
of physical production in the industry. The difficulties of doing
this have already been mentioned briefly, the most important being
the following: (1) In some industries the products are so varied and
dissimilar, chemicals for instance, that it would be almost impossible,
even though there were a common unit of measurement in the
industry, to construct any kind of an index from the figures on output.
(2) Other industries have products of such a nature that there is no
common unit of measurement which could be applied to them all.
In the cotton-goods industry, for example, woven cloth is measured in
square yards, dyed and printed cloth in linear yards, yarn in pounds,
and fine goods in pieces; and every single one of these units is inade
quate as a measure of the amount of work done on the goods in
question. Square yardage takes no account of the thickness and
fineness of the weave; linear yardage does not account for the vary
ing widths of dyed or printed cloth; the weight in pounds is seriously
affected by the amount of water which is left in the yarn or cloth,
as well as by the degree of fineness to which the yarn is spun; and
the piece has no fixed length or width in actual practice. Yet these
are the measures of output in actual use in the industry. (3) In
many cases production figures are not available. The Department
of Commerce, cooperating with numerous trade associations, is
endeavoring to get statistics of physical production in all important
industries in the United States, but the record is still very incomplete.
Despite these difficulties, indexes of physical production have
been or are being constructed by a number of individuals or asso[5]
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M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
ciations, mostly along the lines laid down by Professors Day and
Persons of Harvard University in working out an index of production
for industry as a whole. But their composite index is made up of
separate indexes for each of the important industries in the conntry.
There are several devices by which an index of physical output for a
single industry may be constructed, without taking account of all
the multitude of products which the industry may turn out:
(1) The raw materials consumed may be a good key to production,
especially in cases where a single important raw material enters
into practically all the products. Thus the output of blast furnaces
may be measured in tons of pig iron, but might also be quite accu
rately measured in tons of iron ore consumed. Sometimes, however,
the raw materials are even more varied and incommensurable than
the products.
(2) There may be one or two key products which reflect the state
of the industry to a high degree of accuracy, such products being
capable of measurement in some satisfactory unit. Practically all
indexes of iron and steel production are based on the output of pig
iron and steel ingots, though these are only two out of from fifty to
one hundred important products. These two, however, form a
satisfactory index of activity in the whole industry because they are
intermediate products, and nearly all finished products of iron or
steel have passed through either the one or the other of these stages.
(3) Again, the products of an industry, though not uniform and
homogeneous, may be tied together through their respective values.
It would not be particularly significant to add cigars and cigarettes
together indiscriminately to get a total output for cigar and cigarette
manufacturing; but it is not difficult to construct an index for each
one separately. These two indexes would then have to be combined,
and while there are a number of satisfactory bases for assigning
weights to each, the most satisfactory method is to give each index a
weight in proportion to the total value of the product at some one
time. This weight is then kept constant throughout the period.
It would be desirable to eliminate this value element entirely, but
there are very few industries in which it does not have to be intro
duced in constructing an index.
(4) Lastly, some factor may have to be used which is distinct from
either products or raw materials. In the cotton industry probably
as good an index of production as can be made is based on the total
spindle-hours, i. e., the number of spindles multiplied by the number
of hours the plant has operated during the period ; also the number of
active spindles might be used as an index.
No one of these methods can be used for all industries. In the
present study where it was at all possible, an index was constructed
from the output of products of the industry in accordance with
methods (2) or (3); and in the industries discussed in this article no
other method was necessary.
Iron and Steel industry
’T'HE method generally followed by statisticians in constructing an
index of iron and steel production is that of combining the two
series of pig iron and steel ingots in some way. As already stated,
these are the two key products and are assumed to be accurately
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IN D EX OP PRO D U CTIV ITY OF LABOR
7
indicative of the output in all branches of the industry. The only
statistical problem involved, under the assumption, is that of weight
ing the two series in making the combined index.
The weights chosen have varied widely. The first Federal Reserve
Board index was constructed by giving the pig-iron series a weight
of 18 and steel ingots a weight of 6, with the explanation that "in
the construction of the index the production of each commodity
was weighted by both the value added to it in all processes of manu
facture and by the number of men working upon it in all stages of
manufacture as shown by the Census of 1919.” 2 From this it is
not clear just how the two factors were used, but it is obviously a
value weight with some adjustment for the number of employees
in each process. In 1924, however, the weights were practically
reversed, pig iron being given a weight of 5 and steel ingots a weight
of 17, with the same explanation as before: " In manufactures wage
earners employed and total value added by the process of manufac
ture in the respective industries during the year were used jointly
to secure weights.” 3 The latter weights are the ones now used in
the Federal Reserve Board index. Professors Day and Persons, of
Harvard University, in constructing their index of physical production
for the United States as a whole, weighted the two series equally;
iron and steel as an industry was assigned a weight of 22.4 out
of 100, pig iron and steel ingots being each given 11.2.4 In the
iron and steel index of the Bureau of the Census the weights are
distributed as follows: Pig iron, 9; steel ingots, 57; locomotives,
4.5 These weights are based directly on the value added by manu
facture in 1919, with steel ingots being considered representative of
the total manufacture of all rolled and unrolled steel products. All
things considered, this system of weights is the best for the purpose
of constructing an index of productivity, though the locomotives
must be excluded, for the employment figures of the Bureau of
Labor Statistics cover only iron and steel proper. The disadvantage
of the Federal Reserve Board weights is that they include some
adjustment for number of men employed, and this must be rigidly
excluded from the production index in working out an index of
productivity. The weights used, therefore, for the present study
were pig iron 9, and steel ingots 57.
Index of Employment
The foundation upon which the final index of employment has
been built was the data in the Census of Manufactures supplemented
by the month-to-month chain index of employment of the Bureau of
Labor Statistics. The census figures are comprehensive and cover
substantially the whole industry; hence they are used without modifi
cation for the years in which they are available. The total number
of wage earners plus salaried employees in the industry in 1914 is
taken as a base, the figures for the years 1919, 1921, and 1923 being
reduced to index numbers. With these points established, there is
left the problem of filling in the gaps, and it is here that the Bureau
of Labor Statistics index is important.
2Federal Reserve Board Bulletin, December, 1922, pp. 1416 et seq.
3Idem, March, 1924, p. 184.
4Harvard Review of Economic Statistics, July, 1923, p. 209.
8 United States Department of Commerce. Survey of Current Business, January, 1923, p. 24.
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M O N T H L Y LABOE BEV IEW
The bureau index is, at first, a month-to-month chain constructed
from the employment figures of identical firms. It is later reduced
to a fixed base, originally 1916, but more recently changed to 1923.
This kind of an index is obviously not suitable for measuring employ
ment changes over any considerable period of time. In the first
place, any chain index on a fixed base has a tendency to go astray
if carried too far, and because the deviations do not occur in accord
ance with any general rule or principle, it is impossible to make
allowances for them.6 Secondly, since the bureau index is derived
from employment figures for identical firms, it is essentially a measure
of static rather than dynamic conditions. It is practically impossible
to obtain reports from all firms in the industry, and it is especially
difficult to secure adequate representation of the new firms which are
apt to appear in times of prosperity, and which are usually the ones
to close down in depression. Therefore, when reduced to a fixed
base, the index in good times is likely to be too low and in bad times
too high to measure with absolute accuracy the condition of employ
ment throughout the industry. However, when used simply to bridge
the gap between the census years, this index proves perfectly satis
factory; and by its use it is possible to get an employment index
for every year from 1914 to 1925, except the year 1915.
The census figures for 1925 are not yet available, consequently
the bureau index alone was used for the period 1924-25. The year
1924 was one of mild depression in the steel industry, while 1925 was
a year of prosperity, but it is unlikely that the bureau index hns been
seriously affected by business conditions during this period. When
the census figures become available the indexes for 1924 and 1925
can be revised, if necessary.
The next point to be taken into consideration was the change in
hours of labor in the iron and steel industry from 1914 to 1925. The
Bureau of Labor Statistics has from time to time made studies of work
ing hours, and a summary of the changes in hours was given in Bulletin
No. 381. That report contained a table giving index numbers of
full-time hours per week in. the various kinds of mills in the iron and
steel industry. Unfortunately, there are gaps in this data, for they
cover only the years 1913 to 1915, 1917 (except puddling, bar, and
plate mills), 1919, 1920, 1922, and 1924; but they furnish enough
material so that the intervening years can be filled in with probably
no great errors. The index for 1916, for instance, was assumed to
be closer to that for 1917 than to that for 1915; while 1918 was placed
halfway between 1917 and 1919. The year 1923 was the only one
causing great difficulty, and this arose from the fact that this was
the year in which the abolition of the 12-hour day was begun. The
index numbers of full-time hours for 1922 and 1924 show such pro
nounced reductions as the following: Blast furnaces, from 93 to 75;
Bessemer converters, from 98 to 75; open-hearth furnaces, from 93
to 74; blooming mills, from 95 to 78; and plate mills, from 95 to 82.
Any attempt to fill in figures for 1923 would be open to criticism,
but there is at least some basis on which an estimate can be made.
The elimination of the 12-hour day did not begin until August, 1923,
- 0 See discussion in Bureau of Labor Statistics Bulletin, No. 284: Index numbers of wholesale prices in
the United States and foreign countries, pp. 85-89.
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IN D EX OF PRO DUCTIVITY OF LABOR
and. it was announced by the steel companies that the change would
be gradual and would take considerable time. Considering then that
fully half the year was worked on the 1922 hours, and that during
the remainder of the year the reduction in hours was taking place
gradually, it is probably that not more than one-fourth of the total
eventual reduction took place in 1923. Accordingly, the working
hours from 1923 were estimated on the principle that they were 25
per cent removed from 1922 hours and 75 per cent removed from the
hours in 1924. This is probably a very liberal estimate of the amount
of reduction in hours during 1923.
The index numbers for the various kinds of mills were then combined
into a composite index of full-time hours for the iron and steel indus
try as a whole. Dividing the employment index by this full-time
hours index gives an adjusted employment index, which is as close
to actual man-hours as can be got from existing data. This does
not make any allowance for part-time or overtime work; it takes
account only of the changes in standard full-time hours.
Index of Productivity
The final step in the computation consisted in dividing the produc
tion index by the adjusted index of employment to obtain a pro
ductivity index. This is shown in Table 2.
T able 3 .— P R O D U C T I V I T Y O F L A B O R I N T H E I R O N A N D S T E E L I N D U S T R Y , 1914 T O 1925
Year
Ad
Pro justed Produc
duction employ tivity
index 1 ment
index
index
1914__________________
1916__________________
1917__________________
1918__________________
1919__________________
1920__________________
100 . 0
180.2
188. 1
186. 1
145. 5
176.4
100 . 0
146. 4
165. 2
179. 4
150. 8
150.9
100 . 0
123. 1
113. 9
103. 7
96. 4
112.4
Year
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
Ad
Pro justed Produc
duction employ tivity
index > ment index
index
82 5
146. 8
188. 7
157. 8
189.0
88 5
113 2
144 3
123 1
126.6
93 2
129 7
130 8
128 2
149.3
1 Production figures taken from the annual statistical reports of the Iron and Steel Institute.
The table seems to show that the output per worker in the iron and
steel industry increased about 50 per cent from 1914 to 1925, but this
is undoubtedly an exaggeration of the actual facts, for the year 1914
was one of severe depression, while 1925 was at least a good year, if
not one of actual prosperity. In an industry so sensitive to good
and bad times as the iron and steel industry, there is need for caution
in drawing comparisons between depression and prosperity years,
since there is in the figures no adequate adjustment for changes in
man-hours due to changes in business conditions. But it will be
noted that the production index for the industry is remarkably constantfor all good years; for the years 1916, 1917, 1918, 1920, 1923, and
1925 the maximum difference in output in any two years is less than
13 per cent on a 1914 base or 8 per cent on a 1916 base. Taking into
consideration these peaks only, the general trends in productivity
stand out quite clearly. With the expansion of production and the
102973°—26
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[9]
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M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
introduction of new workers into the industry during the war years, the
productivity fell markedly. The low index for 1919 is, of course,
due to the strike in September of that year, and it is not at all im
probable that the productivity for 1920 was also influenced by the
strike. The low index for 1921 was due to the depression of that
year, when the production fell off in greater degree than did the
number of workers. But with returning prosperity the figures for
productivity become more significant, and despite the abolition of
the 12-hour day, or perhaps because of it, the index reaches new high
figures. In view of the fact that the index for 1914 is probably
much too low for a fair comparison with the year 1925, it may be
more satisfactory to use two-year averages in each case. Taking an
average index for 1914 and 1916 as 100, the average for 1924 and
1925 is 124.4. This makes an increase of approximately 25 per cent
between the two periods.
Automobile Industry
IN THE automobile industry the production can be measured only
1 in the number of cars produced, and these of course represent a
wide variety of models, sizes, workmanship, etc. But there is no
other unit of measurement available, so this must be used for what it
is worth. The following are the most important factors which would
seriously affect an index number of production based on the total
output of cars in the industry: The somewhat disproportionate in
crease in small light cars in contrast to heavy cars, which would
lead to an index number too high for the actual production, since a
light car is not the equivalent of a heavy one; the recent sharp change
from, the open to the closed car; the production of trucks and other
business cars; and the growth of the automobile bodies and parts
industry, which has led to the development of the system of con
tracting for the production of various parts of the car, the automobile
company doing little else but assembling.
Not all these factors can be taken into account statistically.
Tli ere is no very satisfactory material on the change from heavy
to light cars. The National Automobile Chamber of Commerce
does publish figures on the tonnage of trucks produced, showing
that there is a clear and gradual trend in the direction of lighter
trucks in proportion to heavy ones; but the change has not been
sufficiently great to justify revision of production figures on that ac
count. The change in passenger cars is probably of about the same
degree, and while the failure to take account of it may lead to some
slight overestimation of production, the error would not by any
means invalidate the figures.
On the other hand the production index can be adjusted for open
cars, closed cars, and trucks. For this purpose the figures of the
National Automobile Chamber of Commerce have been used.
They agree very closely with the Census figures, and they have the
advantage over the census of being taken yearly instead of every
two years. The change from the open car to the closed car between
1914 and 1925 is shown in Table 3.
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IN D EX OF PRO DUCTIVITY OF LABOR
T ablk 3 .—PER OENT OPEN AND CLOSED CARS IN TOTAL PRODUCTION, 1914 TO 19251
Per cent of total production
Type of car
1914
Open cars ___________ ____ ___ Closed cars______________________
98.0
2.0
1919
89.7
10.3
1920
1921
83.0
17.0
77.9
22.1
1922
70.0
30.0
1923
66.0
34.0
1924
57.0
43.0
1925
42.9
57.1
> From National Automobile Chamber of Commerce pamphlets: Facts and Figures of the Automobile
Industry.
In constructing the index the weights chosen were based on the
relative prices of the three types—-closed cars, open cars, and trucks—
in the year 1923, as shown by the census of manufactures and
figures of the National Automobile Chamber of Commerce. The
year 1923 was chosen in preference to 1914 or 1919 because it is
sufficiently recent to include the cheaper type of closed car, and
because it avoids the rather serious discrepancy between the census
figures and the N. A. C. C. figures with reference to the number of
trucks produced in 1919. The price figures were found by dividing
the total value for each class, as given in the census, by the number
of cars lifted in that class in the census. The result was to give
open cars a weight of 6, closed cars a weight of 10, and trucks a
weight of 9. It is possible that since the price may also be due to
expensive materials, these weights overestimate the importance of
closed cars and make the production index too high.
Index of Employment
The employment index was constructed by the same method used
in the case of the iron and steel industry. The census index is used
as the foundation, and the bureau index, recomputed to conform to
the census index for the census years, then furnishes indexes for the
intervening years. The employment index covers both the auto
mobile industry proper and the bodies and parts industry, for it
would be a hopeless task to try to work out separate indexes of
production and productivity for each industry. The two are so
intimately connected and intertwined that the only way to handle
them was to consider them both together; and this could safely be
done without causing any errors in either employment or production
figures.
A survey of the census figures on hours of labor for 1914, 1919,
1921, and 1923 reveals that there was a drop in the hours per week
from 54 to about 50 between 1914 and 1919, but that since the
latter year there has been no appreciable change. There was then
no need for a readjustment of the crude employment figures after
1919, but the difference between that and the pre-war figure for
hours per week had to be smoothed off. This was done by decreasing
the hours per week by one hour for each of the years 1916, 1917, and
1918. The actual reduction in hours may have been accomplished
more suddenly than this, but the important point to get was the
trend. A more serious matter was the lack of figures on the changes
in actual overtime and part-time work put in by the ^workers in the
automobile industry; it was impossible to adjust the employment
index in this respect.
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M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
Index of Productivity
The employment index, adjusted for the change in full-time hours
per week between 1914 and 1919, was then used as a divisor of the
production index to get the index of productivity. This is shown in
Table 4.
T able 4 .—I N D E X O F P R O D U C T I V I T Y I N T H E A U T O M O B I L E I N D U S T R Y , 1914 T O 1925
Year
1914__________________
1916__________________
1917__________________
1918__________________
1919__________________
1920__________________
Ad
Produc justed Produc
tion employ tivity
index
index 1 ment
index
100. 0
287. 7
340.0
223. 6
352.9
383. 7
100. 0
168.0
203. 0
210. 0
250. 0
289. 0
100. 0
171.0
167. 5
2 106. 5
141.0
133. 0
Year
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
Ad
Produc justed Produc
tion employ tivity
index ' ment index
index
332. 6
553. 9
869.9
804. 2
988.4
155. 0
210. 0
295. 0
278. 0
319.0
214. 5
264.0
295.0
289.0
310.0
1Production figures from National Automobile Chamber of Commerce reports and from the census.
2The output of automobiles was cut down during the war, because the Government encouraged auto
mobile manufacturers to turn their attention to the production of war munitions and Government supplies
Hence the productivity figures for 1917,1918, and even for 1919 were seriously affected.
i Even allowing for the possibility of errors, there is no escaping
the conclusion that the output per worker has been increased enor
mously in this industry during the last 10 years. The index is 310,
which means that each worker is producing more than three times
as much as he did before the war. The amount of this increase
seems almost incredible, and it is probably too high. Since 1914
was a year of depression, post-war and pre-war comparison is more
accurate if the year 1916 is taken as indicative of conditions before
the war. On the 1916 base, the index for 1925 is slightly over 181,
indicating that output per man has not quite doubled in 10 years.
Obviously, the standardization of processes, the invention of ma
chines, and the improvements in management in this industry
during the decade have resulted in a remarkable increase in pro
ductivity of labor.
Boot and Shoe Industry
STATISTICS on production in the boot and shoe industry are very
scanty. There are no production figures at all prior to 1921,
except those in the census of manufactures for 1914 and 1919, a
fact which necessitates the omission from the productivity index
of the years 1915-1918 and 1920. The production unit of the in
dustry is one pair of shoes, an exceedingly variable and unsatisfac
tory unit in view of the variation in styles, sizes, and quality. The
census gives separate production statistics for men’s, women’s,
youths’ and boys’, girls’ and misses’, and “ all other” shoes, but
there is so little uniformity within these classes that it is doubtful
if any system of weigh ting or adjusting would add anything to the
accuracy of the production index. Therefore the pair has been taken
as the unit, and the figures for the various classes have been added
together indiscriminately to obtain a figure for total production,
from which the index of production has been constructed.
Index of Employment
The employment index for the boot and shoe industry has both
weak and strong points. The Bureau of Labor Statistics index
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IN D EX OF PRO DUCTIVITY OF LABOR
deviated farther from that of the census for this industry than for
any other industry and required considerable adjustment upward
after 1919. In view of the fact that this adjustment amounted to
approximately 10 per cent for 1923, there may be some question as
to whether the census figures for employment in the boot and shoe
industry may not be too large in recent years. Practically all the
more important firms reporting to the bureau have shown decreased
employment in 1923 as compared with 1919; but in order not to over
state the productivity the census figures have been used as in other
industries, the bureau index being adjusted to them and then used
to bridge the intercensal years. On the other hand, the index can
be strengthened because of the fact that the Bureau of Labor Statis
tics made special studies of the actual time worked by the employees
in 1920, 1922, and 1924.7 One of the points covered in these studies
is the percentage of actual time worked in relation to the full-time
standard hours of the plant, which comes as close to furnishing data
on the actual man-hours as anything available in this or any other
industry. It is unfortunate that the data do not cover the more
spectacular years 1919, 1921, and 1923, in order that there might be
some figures on the best and worst years in the industry; but the
material as it is makes possible some very important adjustments
in the employment index as derived from the bureau index and cen
sus figures on employment. It has been assumed that the year 1919
would have shown about the same proportion of actual to full-time
hours as 1920, that 1921 and 1922 would show about the same per
centage, and that the 1924 figures would apply to 1923 and 1925.
This probably overestimates the time actually worked during 1921,
and underestimates it for 1923 and 1925, but in the absence of data
for these years the substitution of the estimates is better than leaving
the employment figures unadjusted.
»
Index of Productivity
From the census data on hours of labor it appears that the standard
full-time hours per week in 1914 were nearly 55, while by 1919 these
had been reduced to 52, where they remained for the rest of the period.
Thus the original employment index was adjusted in two respects—
by an index of the changing standard hours per week, and by another
index of actual time worked. The final adjusted index was then
used as a divisor of the production index to obtain the index of pro
ductivity shown in Table 5.
T able 5.—IN D EX OF PRODUCTIVITY IN THE BOOT AND SHOE IN DUSTRY, 1914, 1919,
AND 1921 TO 1925
Year
1914
1919
1921
1922__________________
Pro
duc
tion
index °
100. 0
113. 2
98. 0
110.7
Ad
justed Produc
employ tivity
index
ment
index
100. 0
98. 5
80. 0
91.0
100. 0
115. 0
122. 5
120. 5
Year
1923__________________
1924__________________
1925__________________
Pro
duc
tion
index °
120.0
107. 0
110. 6
Ad
justed Produc
employ tivity
ment index
index
99. 0
93. 0
95.0
121.0
115. 0
116. 5
®Production figures from United States Department of Commerce. Survey of Current Business,
February, 1926, p. 53.
7 See Bulletins Nos. 278, 360, and 374.
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M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
The difference between the boot and shoe industry and the indus
tries already shown is evident at once. The employment index for
1920 (not shown in the table) is 93, but the absence of a production
index prevents the computation of a productivity index for that year.
Nevertheless, it is clear that b}^ 1921 the working force had been
reduced and productivity increased to a point which has not been
exceeded since. The existence of this high point of productivity
however, could not have been shown had it not been for the bureau
studies on actual and full time worked. The situation in this in
dustry would seem to indicate that the low productivity shown in
1921 in the other industries may have been due, in part at least, to
a lack of data on actual hours with which to adjust the employment
index; the latter would thus overstate the time really put in by the
workers and understate their productivity.
Two important features distinguish the boot and shoe productivity
index from the indexes for other industries: First, the relatively small
increase since 1914, and, second, the marked decline in productivity
since 1921. A comparison of the depression years of 1914 and 1924
shows an increase of only 15 per cent, which certainly can not be con
sidered large; and even the good years show an increase of only about
20 per cent. It is equally clear that productivity has shown a slight
tendency to decline in recent years, which is in contrast with the ex
perience of most industries.
There is one other source from which data are available as a check
upon this point. In 1916 and in 1923 the Bureau of Labor Statistics
made a detailed study of the time and labor cost of manufacturing
100 pairs of shoes (Bui. No. 360), which showed that when the 1916
cost figures were compared with the 1923 cost figures of the same es
tablishment the time cost in 1923 was 25.1 per cent less than in 1916.
Translating the comparison into one of productivity in a given time,
we have the following:
L abor tim e required fo r m a n u fa c tu rin g 100 p a irs of shoes:
1916
M in u te s____________________________________________ 8, 560. 10
H o u rs_______________________________________________
142. 70
P ro d u c tiv ity in d ex _____________ _________________________
100. 0
1923
7, 411. 74
106. 86
133. 5
These figures were taken in the same establishment for as nearly
the same type of shoe as could be found in the year 1923. They
seem to indicate a clear and definite increase of productivity during
the period, but this would not prove very much as far as the whole
industry is concerned, for a particular establishment such as this one,
working on a particular style of shoe, might easily show improve
ments which would not be indicative of conditions in the industry
generally.
There remains the problem of why this industry should be so dif
ferent from other industries. Discussion with manufacturers and
factory superintendents in the industry brings out the fact that there
have been two pronounced tendencies in production during recent
years. One is the change from the high shoe to the low shoe, though
the only effect this has is to reduce the consumption of leather, for
the labor involved is practically the same. The other is the great
increase in demand of retailers for varied and fancy styles. This
affects production directly, because it means a decrease in standardi
zation; instead of running off thousands of pairs of shoes on one
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IN D EX OF PRO D U CTIV ITY OF LABOE
15
pattern, the lots have heen reduced to hundreds and even dozens,
each lot differing from the others by-some insignificant variations of
stitching or perforation. This in itself would probably be quite suffi
cient to account for the decreased productivity in shoe production,
since it tends to prevent the substitution of machinery for hand
labor. In some factories, even in the year 1926, the lots are so small
that it is cheaper to have the cutting clone by hand than to have new
dies made for the cutting machines. This is a clear case of the effect
of demand upon productivity and probably explains quite satisfac
torily the decline in productivity in recent years.
Paper and Pulp Industry
'"THE computation of an index of production for the paper and pulp
*■ industry involves the problem of weighing correctly the relative
importance of some 10 or 12 distinct, products. It is possible to
reduce the classes of manufactured paper to six—newsprint, boxboard, book, wrapping, fine writing, and “ all other” paper—but
even this simplification does not dispose of the problem. Of course,
it would not be impracticable to add the tonnage of these various
kinds together to get a figure for the total amount of paper produced,
but this procedure would certainly result in a rather questionable
production index, for there are differences in the relative amounts
of time and labor involved in each case, and the production of each
kind does not fluctuate with the others. For pulp there is the same
problem, with at least four kinds to be considered in constructing
the index. These can be reduced to two by combining the chemical
pulp (sulphite, sulphate, and soda) and adjusting the resultant figure
to the production of mechanical or ground-wood pulp. All pulp other
than that made wholly or largely from wood has been disregarded.
The production figures for the chemical pulps and for mechanical
pulp were turned into indexes with a 1919 base, and the two series
were combined to form a general pulp index, each series being weighted
according to the relative values of the two kinds of pulp in 1919—5
for mechanical and 17 for chemical pulp. These two weights were
arrived at only after extended computation, from census data; the
census gives the value only of the pulp which was sold from one
plant to another, though it gives figures for the pulp produced and
consumed in the same plant. The method used in arriving at these
weights was to assign to the pulp used directly without being sold
the same value per ton as that which was sold, and these new values
being then added to the census values for pulp sold. The result
was the total value of each kind of pulp produced. There can hard
ly be anv serious mistake in assigning market values to unsold
pulp in this way, since it is logically correct and is in line with the
practice of economists in imputing values to stored or unsold prod
ucts.
In the construction of the paper index the same method was used.
An index was computed for each kind of paper produced, and these
indexes were then combined, with weights in proportion to the value
of each kind as shown in the census of 1919, newsprint 99, box board
124, book 142, wrapping 123, fine writing 88, and all other 123.
These weights are not so accurate as could be desired, for some paper,
such as newsprint, is composed of an 80 per cent-20 per cent com
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M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
bination of ground-wood and sulphite pulp, while fine writing paper
is made largely from the more expensive sulphite and still more
expensive rag pulp. This causes the value of the finished paper to
be due partly to the expensive materials. The preferable weights
for purposes of this kind are those based upon the value added by
manufacture in a given year; but these figures are not available in the
census for all kinds of paper. Some kinds of paper, such as news
print and fine writing paper, had, up to within the last year, scarcely
recovered the ground lost in 1921, while the production of wrapping
and book paper has increased about 50 per cent since 1919. It is
evident that if the relative weighting had been based upon 1923
total values, the composite index for the last four years would be
somewhat higher, since it would be strongly influenced by book and
wrapping paper figures.
The pulp and paper indexes were combined to form an index for
the industry as a whole, for so many mills produce paper from the
wood in a continuous process that there is no way of separating the
two branches. The process of combining the paper and pulp indexes
also involves much roundabout computation in order to get satis
factory weights. It is largely a problem of assigning values to unsold
pulp. The net result was that pulp was weighted 225 and the paper
index 563. Table 6 shows the two indexes and final composite index.
T able 6.—PRODUCTION IN D E X FOR THE PAPER AND PULP INDUSTRY, 1917 TO 1925
Year
Pulp Paper
index i index i
1917__________ ____ ___
1918__________________
1919__________________
1920__________________
1921__________________
99.0
96.1
100.0
114.9
81. 1
95.3
98.8
100.0
119. 3
85. 4
Com
posite
index
96. 4
98.0
100.0
118.0
84. 2
Year
1922 _________________
1923
1924
1925__________________
Pulp Paper Com
index i index i posite
index
102. i 2 106. 7
113. 4 118. 5
122.8
122.0
131.1
124.6
105.5
117.0
122. 2
129. 2
! Production figures from United States Department of Commerce. Survey of Current Business,
February. 1926, pp. 56-59.
2 Estimated. Figures as given in the Survey of Current Business are the result of a clerical error.
Index of Employment
The employment index was derived in exactly the same way as in
the case of industries previously considered, the census figures and the
Bureau of Lahor Statistics index being combined to form a continu
ous index for the years for which there are production figures
(1917 to 1925). The index was then adjusted for the hours of labor
as shown by the census reports. The average standard full-time
hours per week in 1914 were 5 8 ^ ; in 1919, slightly under 52; 1921,
about 523^; and 1923, slightly over 52. There was evidently very
little change after 1919, but a very marked change during the war.
In order not to overestimate the man-hours for 1917 and 1918, it
was assumed that the working week was 54 hours in 1917 and 53
hours in 1918, which is probably conservative enough. At the
suggestion of the Department of Labor in 1924, the paper box-board
industry agreed to reduce the working week to 5 days with clean-up
on Saturday, and it is reported that about 80 per cent of the industry
is observing this agreement; but this change did not take place soon
enough to have had any influence at all prior to 1925, and it is such
a small change in relation to the paper industry as a whole that it
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IN D E X OF PRO D U CTIV ITY OF LABOR
would be very slight even at present. No material at all is available
on the actual hours worked, but since the pulping process at least is
largely continuous, it is probable that any adjustments on this
account would not be very great, even if the figures were available.
índex of Productivity
The following table shows the production index, the employment
index, and the resulting productivity index for the industry .
T able 7.—IN D EX OF PRODUCTIVITY FOR THE PAPER AND PULP INDUSTRY
[Base, 1919=100.0]
Year
1917____ ______
1918___________
1919_______
1920________________
1921__________
Pro
duc
tion
index
Em
ploy
ment
index
96.4
98. 0
100.0
118. 0
84.2
100. 0
102.8
100. 5
119.1
93.3
Produc
tivity
index
93. 8
97. 5
100. 0
99. 1
90.2
Year
1922
1923
1924
1925
Pro
duc
tion
index
Em
ploy Produc
ment tivity
index index
105 5
117 0
122 2
129.2
J-Ul. 0
102.8
VI .
I
108. 7
110. 0
120. 3
125.7
The trend of productivity shown in the table is clear and pro
nounced. With the usual exception of the years affected by the
postwar depression, there is an annual increase in productivity from
1917 down to date. It is important to note that the employment
indexes for 191 / and 1925 are the same, while the output for the same
period increased 34 per cent, indicating that the increased output
has been the result of improved methods of production. If there
were any data at all on actual hours worked, the decline in 1920
would undoubtedly be corrected, though it is doubtful if the 10 per
cent drop in 1921 would be eliminated entirely. Much new and
improved machinery is being introduced into the industry at the
present time, and this probably accounts for the 34 per cent increase
m productivity which took place in the 9 years from 1917 to 1925.
Conclusion
HPWO points must be emphasized in order to guard against any
misinterpretation of the import of this study. The first involves
the validity of the use of an index of employment or man-hours
without taking into consideration the differences in skill and ability
oi fhe various classes of workers. There are office employees on the
one hand and wage earners on the other; there are the managers
and the workers, engineers and ditch diggers, labor direct and in
direct, workers skilled and unskilled, and even within the same class
there are fast workers and slow ones, good workers and poor ones,
in the indexes as constructed, these were considered equal and lumped
together, each man counting as one. The objection is often raised
that an average of this sort does not mean much. A . factory owner
may introduce a labor-saving machine which eliminates five unskilled
workers^ but may have found it a financial loss because it requires
two highly trained men to tend it. Theoretically, this machine
saves physical labor; but at the same time it increases the use of
trained or skilled labor which is much more scarce and more costly.
This point becomes of some importance when the changing pro
portions of wage earners and salaried employees in most industries
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M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
is noted. As shown in Table 1, the high percentage of salaried em
ployees in a highly mechanized and standardized industry like auto
mobile manufacturing stands in sharp contrast with the low percent
age in some of the other industries. This might be partly taken
care of by weighting the man-hours of an engineer very much higher
than those of an ordinary workman; though there would still remain
the more difficult problem of adjusting for skilled artisans and un
skilled laborers, for fast, willing workers, and for loafers. When all
kinds of labor were thus weighted according to some rule, the final
adjusted man-hours would then be the basis of comparison with
production to obtain the productivity.
There are several reasons why this can not and should not be done.
For one thing, it is clearly impossible to get data on all the variations,
and even were the data available, there would be no sound rule for
fixing weights.
Ricardo wrestled with this problem a hundred
years ago, and he finally came to the conclusion that the laborers
should be weighted according to the wages which each brought on
the market. Economists since Ricardo have regularly and frequently
exposed the fallacies of this procedure. And even apart from the
logical fallacies of this method, there is the practical difficulty that
labor is not a commodity in the sense that its value (wages) has any
pronounced tendency to fall to the cost of production of the laborer.
Due to the immobility of labor, to custom and habit, to artificial
restrictions, and to a dozen other influences, the wages of laborers
can and do vary from place to place, from time to time, and from trade
to trade, with no apparent tendency to even up for many generations
of workers. For the purpose of measuring physical productivity, it is
doubtful if a system of weighting different kinds of labor by the
wages paid to each would be a sound method of procedure.
Moreover, it is open to question whether any weighting at all
should be considered. Economists call attention to the fact that
man is both the end and the means of production, and in a study of
this kind these two aspects can not be treated separately. Legally,
politically, socially, men are theoretically equal; one man’s vote is
supposed to count for as much as another’s, and his legal rights are,
in theory at least, as well protected. There is no more reason for
counting one man’s labor for more than another’s than there is for
giving one man two votes, speaking now from the social point of
view. The change in the skill, education, and willingness of the
population over a period of years can not be measured. What can
be measured is the increase in population, and in what industries
that population expends its productive efforts. Therefore, we can
legitimately charge up against each industry the total number of
workers which it employs in any capacity, ignoring the quality or
the nature of the men and women involved. Of course, this question
is at present purely theoretical. From an engineering viewpoint, a
good case can be made out for weighing the changing proportions
of skilled and unskilled workers in an industry during the last 10
years, for adjusting the index to the sudden jump from men to
women or whites to negroes, and for taking into consideration the
increasing proportion of clerical and research workers in relation
to the total. But even though the engineering viewpoint be accepted,
there is at present no satisfactory theory upon which to base a
system of weights; hence the method of equal weighting must be used.
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IN D EX OF PE O D U CTIVITY OF LABOR
19
The second point which must be emphasized is that there is in
this study, and particularly in the use of the wo'rd “ productivity,”
no implication as to which group among those cooperating in pro
duction was responsible for the increased output, and no suggestion
as to whom the benefits are being, or should be, given. These are
theoretical questions of imputation, while this study is primarily
concerned with measuring and fact finding. The ‘'productivity ” is a
matter of the whole industry rather than of labor specifically. "There
are three general classes of men cooperating in production—workers,
capitalists, and executives or managers. The output may be in
creased through an invention of one of the workers, through research
carried on at the expense of the capitalists, or through new processes
installed by the managers. It is recorded, for example, that the
pulling-over machine in the shoe industry was finally perfected at a
cost of over $1,000,000; and the remarkable increase in production
in the automobile industry has been due largely to new methods of
routing materials and establishing endless belts for carrying the work
along. In some industries increased productivity can be traced
directly to large-scale use of capital, with its resultant saving in
overhead expense and reduction of waste. The problem of assigning
the credit for the increase in production is a difficult one. The
“ productivity” of labor is often confused with what might more
properly be called the “ efficiency” of labor, used in a very narrow
and restricted sense to refer to the specific contribution which labor
makes to production. The contribution of labor as a whole, as
distinct from what individual w o rk e r s m a y succeed in suggesting or
inventing, consists largely of (1) productive capacity or ability and (2)
willing cooperation. It must not be denied that these are very
important factors.producing or preventing results in output, but it
is evident that of all factors these are the most intangible and the
least susceptible to quantitative measurement. If laborers could
be tested out in identical factories, with the same tools, under the
same conditions, for ten or twenty years, it might be possible to work
out some measure of these two factors; but as it is any changes in
these factors are hopelessly mixed in with the changes due to
machinery and management.
Likewise, the problem of the distribution of the gains, if there
should happen to be any benefits accruing from the increased pro
duction, is entirely outside the scope of this article. In addition to
the three classes mentioned above, there is a fourth class—the con
sumers—who must be considered. The benefits of increased output
may not go at all to the class largely responsible for it. When the
capitalists succeed in establishing a partial or complete monopoly,
either through patents on the invention or through financial power,
they are often in a position to reap most of the benefits that result.
In the case of the linotype machine, a powerful union of the workers
enabled them to get first chance at learning the new machine and
secured for them a fairly good share of the benefits of this invention.
Sometimes, especially when competition is severe, nearly everything
may go to the public in reduced prices. But all these matters are
outside the sphere of this study, which is concerned only with measur
ing the extent to which changes in productivity per worker have
taken place.
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M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
Causes of Failure of Certain Cooperative Societies
HE Bureau of Labor Statistics in the course of its study of
cooperative societies has been collecting data on the dead as
well as the living societies. Thus far, of a total of some 3,200
societies from which reports have been requested, information has
been received of 750 societies that have for one reason or another
discontinued business during the six-year period 1920 to 1925.
T
Voluntary Liquidations
FAR the greatest number of these societies were financial
failures and were forced into bankruptcy. Several, however,
discontinued operations voluntarily, mainly for the reason that the
members grew tired of the task of running the business. In some of
these cases, failure threatened, largely because of insufficient patronage
by the members. The secretary of one such society reports that
“ we made some money but not enough to satisfy us,” the affairs of
the organization became involved through the granting of too much
credit, and the members lost interest and were doing their trading
at other stores. This was a society of 48 members with a small
capital. In 1920, after having been in business 13 years, the paid-in
share capital amounted to $4,800, there was no reserve fund, and the
undivided surplus amounted to $29,545. This made a total working
capital of $34,345. Of this nearly one-third was tied up in credit
extended to members. The merchandise inventory was valued at
$23,482, and stock turnover averaged only 2.4 per year. So, after
having struggled along for nearly 19 years, the members sold out,
A store in one city was formed just before the war by a group of
well-to-do people who felt that they were being charged unduly high
prices. It carried a higher grade of goods than is usually handled
and was a success from the first, twice having to move to larger quar
ters. The store had the policy of paying its employees, in addition
to wages, a bonus on business done. After having operated success
fully for 10 years “ the members grew tired of conducting it and
voted to close out. ” The former treasurer reports that the store had
returned purchase dividends aggregating more than 200 per cent of
the capital stock. His report concludes with the statement; “ The
fixtures and some goods were junked in closing out, so we could not
pay up our obligations in full.”
A third society which liquidated voluntarily, but with the wolf not
far from the door, had an interesting and, for cooperators anxious to
avoid the pitfalls into which others have fallen, an instructive history,
Organized by a group of farmers at a time when prices were rising, it
began without capital stock, depending for funds on a small member
ship fee. It nevertheless prospered in a small way. With a change
in management a change in policy was made. Capital stock was
issued, most of which was invested in fixtures, real estate, and
buildings. This necessitated conducting the business itself on bor
rowed money at 7 per cent interest. The manager branched out into
new lines of business and extended credit freely, such accounts rising
as high as $30,000 on a paid-up capital of about $45,000. Due to the
cost of the borrowed money, the very small margin on which goods
were sold, the reckless buying of goods, and the loss through giving
DY
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CAUSES OF FA IL U R E OF COOPERATIVE SO CIETIES
21
credit, there were no profits. What the directors and members were
do mg all this while the report fails to state. About the time they
found the society was “ losing o u t/’ however, the manager resigned.
Several successors in the position tried to save the business but
were unable to do so and the society finally liquidated to avoid a
receivership. The assets were sufficient to cover the claims, and the
stockholders received 20 per cent of the value of their stock and, it
is expected, will receive 30 per cent more. That the members and
directors are even now far from recognizing their own responsibility
or power in the society is indicated by the following opinion of the
secretary:
A n u m b er of th e stockholders have asked m e to reorganize. T h ey w ould be
read y to ta k e stock a n d a ssist in cooperating. B u t th e m a n a g e m e n t m ig h t in
th e fu tu re pass in to b ad h an d s a n d again be a failure. I am sure th e success of
cooperative w ork is m th e m an ag e r of th e business. A nd m oney needed a t a low er
ra te of in te re s t th a n our local b an k s will furnish.
Several societies closed out for no apparent reason. One of these
sold out at a time when the operations were yielding a trade rebate
and interest of 8 per cent on capital stock. The society was free of
aebt, and each $20(3 share had assets of $325 behind it. Another
society quit voluntarily, paying all claims and returning to members
$ i 1 tor each $10 share. The store was running successfully and was
not m debt. A third successful association composed of teachers
voted to discontinue because "we were so busy we had to drop
something.’’ A fourth organization discontinued operations because
ot the financial condition of the country.’' Still another society in
successful operation for more than half a century dissolved because
its members and others abused its delivery service and credit.
I t g o t to be a h a b it am o n g custom ers to p u rch ase [at neighborhood stores] w h a t
th e y could carry hom e, a n d p a y cash, th e n p h o n e o u r sto re a n d o rd er som ething,
say, for in stan ce, p o ta to e s o r kerosene oil, h av e i t delivered a n d h av e i t ch arg ed !
We g o t ra th e r tire d of t h a t d ie t a n d decided to close, a n d did so. I t w as n o t a
case ot being obliged to do it, b u t sim ply t h a t we g o t sick of being th e g o at. I t
goes w ith o u t saying t h a t a sto re t h a t solicits orders as w e d id a n d th e n m akes
d elivery can n o t com pete on every ite m w ith th e so-called " c h a in sto re s,” a n d it
is a policy of th e buy in g p ublic to tr y th e " c a s h a n d c a r r y ” idea. T im es h a v e
changed g reatly since o u r sto re sta rte d . F o r in stan ce, th e tim e of p a y in g off
help in o u r ch air factories w as som etim es only once in th re e m o n th s, la te r th is
w as changed to m o n th ly , a n d finally i t w as th e cu sto m to p a y w eekly, so th e
excuse for having groceries charged is n o t as necessary as in th e old days.
, When the store closed, members received about $23 for each $5
share of stock, “ a record unequaled by any corporation of its kind
in this State. As a matter of fact, at the time it ceased doing
business, it was the oldest corporation in [the Statel if not in New
England. It did the largest (strictly grocery) business of any con
cern m this vicinity.”
The Failures
JWATA more or less complete are at hand concerning 249 defunct
societies. Of the 210 for which the year of establishment is
known, 171, or 81.4 percent, were established during the period 1914
to 1920 when prices were rising so rapidly that wages could not keep
pace and the necessity was felt for some means of stretching the
income to make it cover the family needs. This was the boom
period for the formation of cooperative societies, many of which
were started without any adequate conception of cooperative ideals,
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M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
of what benefits could reasonably be expected from a cooperative
society, or of business principles. They lasted, on an average, 4.7
years; 9 of those reporting held out for less than one year, 26 for
three years, and only 9 for more than ten years.
The years following the boom period of 1919-20 were extremely
difficult for even the well-established, experienced cooperators, due to
falling prices and the industrial depression with its accompaniment
of decreased purchasing power. The year 1923 seems to have been
the most disastrous year. Of 750 societies known to have failed dur
ing the six-year period 1920 to 1925, the year of failure is known for
190 and of these 72, or nearly two-fifths, failed in 1923.
Most of the societies which failed were small and remained so.
Even in tlie peak year of 1920 they averaged only 222 members and
sales of less than $75,000 a year. Only 23 attained a membership of
400 or more and 118 had a membership of 150 or less.
Causes of Failure
The causes of failure as reported by 154 societies and the number
of cases in which each cause figured as either sole or contributing
cause are as follows:
D ue to m em bers:
Number of cases
Insufficient c a p ita l________
78
L ack of p a tro n a g e a n d s u p p o rt_____________________________________
13
L ack of co o p erativ e s p irit__________________________________________
6
Loss of in te r e s t- ..__________________________________________________
10
2
F a ctio n al d isp u te s_________________________________________________
Undue interference in management_________________________________
2
T o ta l____________________________________________________________
Due to directors:
L ack of experience_________________________________________________
L ack of in te re st an d o v e rsig h t______________________________________
T o ta l____________________________________________________________
D ue to m an ag er:
Inefficient m a n a g e m e n t____________________________________________
O verstocking___________
P oor b o o kkeep in g __________________________________________________
D ishonesty of m a n a g e r or c le rk s ___________________________________
lU
9
2
11
18
11
2
7
T o ta l____________________________________________________________
Due to members and manager, jointly:
U nwise extension of c re d it_________________________________________
D isp ro p o rtio n ately h igh expense of o p e ra tio n _______________________
O peration on too sm all a m a rg in ___________________________________
O peration on borrow ed m o n e y _____________________________________
M oney tie d u p in fixed a sse ts______________________________________
38
T o ta l____________________________________________________________
G eneral:
D eclining p rices____________________________________________________
P oor lo catio n of sto re ______________________________________________
S trik e ______________________________________________________________
D epression or u n em p lo y m en t in tra d e s of m e m b e rs__________________
F ire _______________________________________________________________
Purchase of old, slow-turning stock_________________________________
88
T o ta l____________________________________________________________
89
27
19
1
28
13
77
1
2
4
2
3
It is evident from the above statement that the outstanding causes
of failure since 1920 have been insufficient capital with its consequence
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CAUSES OF FA IL U R E OF COOPERATIVE SO CIETIES
23
of having to operate by borrowing money, unwise extension of credit
to members, and declining prices. In other words, while lack of
mterest, patronage and support by members, inefficient management
and disproportionately high operating expenses were serious defects’
financial matters were still more serious. In general, however it
s ould be noted that the difficulties of these societies were in lar^e
parr the result of an economic situation (including price and employ
ment conditions) over which the members had no control, although
01 ^ °Urse • re we.re contrikuting factors of incompetence.
One society which failed through no fault of its own started with
a capital of nearly $15 000. It owed no bills, gave no credit, and had
good management. It had been stocked at the peak prices of 1920
however, and the sudden drop in the market, followed by the miners5
and railroad strikes, m which its membership was involved, proved
too much for the new society to stand.
1
Estimates of the minimum amount of capital necessary to undertake
a cooperative store in 1920 ranged from $1,000 to $5,000, these sums
being predicated on the members’ absolute lovalty in trading with the
store Of 199 dead societies, 4 had less than $500 paid-in share
capital (2 had $250 and $260, respectively, and 1 which operated on
^ ennnSti 91Uf ?
?. had a caPital of 1500 and less than
W
* 0f l J ’00(?,and ]ess than $2,000; and 46 of $2,000 and less
tnan $5,000. In other words, one-third had less than the highest
E
as a saf
Sum with which to start business.
Nearly three-fifths (114 societies) had what might be called a fair
amount of capital ($o,000 to $25,000) and less than 10 per cent (16
societies) an ample amount. One society had capital of $130,000 but
endeavored with this sum to keep a main store and five branches
going, and failed in the attempt; in 1920, after 13 years of operation,
its fixed assets formed 72.8 per cent of its capital, its debts 107 7 per
cent, and accounts receivable 21.8 per cent.
K
Insufficient capital and too great extension of credit together form
a handicap most difficult to overcome, as is shown in the following
statement regarding 12 societies which failed:
&
R E L A T IO N OF D E B T S A N D OF A C C O U N TS R E C E IV A B L E TO W O R K IN G C A PITA L
Society
Society No. 1__
Society No. 2
Society No. 3 ..
Society No. 4 _
Society No. 5
Society No. 6
Society No. 7 2___
Society No. 8 8_
Society No. 9 A _
Society No. 10 _
S ociety N o .il ___
Society No. 12____
— ------------------------------ 1
Relation of—
Date of establish Amount of Bills and
working notes pay Accounts
ment of society
capital i
receivable
able to
to capital
capital
M a,rob 1Q?o
M arph 1QOfi
Alignst 1919
March 1911
November 1916
.Tannary 1920
•Tanuary 1917
SonlpmVipvj L
1Q
GCptOJilUci
U1A
1u___
November 1920
•Ta.nnary 1Q1S
July 1Q10
.Tnl\7 1Q1R
Lapitm, iTOBi ve, ana surplus.
Fixed assets amounted to 174.1 per cent of working capital,
tixed assets amounted to 161 per cent of working capital.
Fixed assets amounted to 66.3 per cent of working capital.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[23]
$3, 950
3, 700
1, 441
12,066
4, 623
12,400
6,600
3,010
Percent
104. 9
112. 9
116. 6
96. 3
108.7
96. 9
95. 0
95.3
286.2
107. 5
59. 6
77. 6
Percent
88. 9
76.7
22. 8
48. 7
35.3
36.1
10. 5
21.9
73. 3
92. 1
147. 0
80. 4
24
M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
One defunct western society, not included in the above table (for it
gave no credit and therefore did not present that particular cause of
failure), was started on the rising market with only $3,000 capital.
It invested more than the total amount of its capital in fixtures and
real estate, as a result it had to borrow money for operating expenses,
and soon its debts represented 193 per cent of its capital. With care
ful management and loyalty from the membership the organization
might have surmounted even these circumstances. But the members’
purchases, at the period of highest prices, averaged only $169 per year,
each.
An organization in a kirge middle western city, which had 6,000
members and nearly a million dollars of paid-up capital, spent over
$200,000 for organization expenses, had nearly half of its capital in
fixed assets, and owed money amounting to nearly three-fourths of
its capital. Accounts receivable amounted to only 15.7 per cent,
but the stock was turned less than twice a year. This was a “ pro
moted” society not on a strictly Rochdale basis and one in which the
members apparently had little to say with regard to the management.
A remarkable instance of decline in cooperative spirit after a bad
start is shown by the following report:
T his store w as s ta rte d w ith a m em bership of a b o u t 40 w ith a fo u n d a tio n
c a p ita l of $10 p er m em b er a n d organized as a b ra n c h of th e older------ store.
T h ey p u t up a building w o rth a b o u t $4,000 a n d b o u g h t goods for a b o u t $15,000.
T hey h a d to borrow a b o u t $15,000 fo r a s ta r t p a y in g 7 to 8 p e r c en t fo r sam e.
A fter ru n n in g a b o u t a y ear a n d a h alf th e y in c o rp o ra te d a n d h a d tw o m en to
ru n it. T h ey h ad drives now a n d th e n to increase m em b ersh ip w ith a change
of m em bership fees from $50 to $500. M em bers d ro p p ed off now a n d th e n .
Some of th e m sold th e ir sto ck for less th a n half v alue. In 1919 a n d 1920 th e
o rg an izatio n m ad e a little m oney, b u t 1921 a n d 1922 follow ed w ith losses very
n ear ju s t as m uch, m ain ly because th e help h ad d em an d e d an d g o tte n a 100 p er
cen t increase in th e ir wages.
D uring 1922 we trie d to sell th e business th ro u g h som e w holesale houses, b u t
failed to get an offer. In th e beginning of 1923 we succeeded in tu rn in g it over to
a couple of local boys w ith o u t a n y cash p a y m en ts. As th e se boys are doing fine,
we renew ed th e lease for a n o th e r th re e -y e a r period. B y t h a t tim e I expect t h a t
th e stockholders will get th e ir m oney b ack w ith in te re st a t from 3 to 4 p e r c en t
p er y ear for th e 20-year p eriod th e y h av e h ad th e ir m oney in v ested .
Indifference and utter lack of recognition of the responsibility of
the members to the welfare of the society are illustrated by a report
from a mining community: “ The by-laws called for 6 per cent on
capital stock and the balance of earnings on purchases, credit being
extended up to 80 per cent of the stock held. The small stockholders
soon learned they could deal 75 per cent out and still get all of the
earnings and have 6 per cent on capital.”
A society which was forced out of business by losses due to falling
prices sold its real estate and stock but was still in debt:
A ssets of th e co m p an y failed to p ay in d eb ted n ess b y $4,230, w ith was p a rtly
m ade u p by a b o u t 20 stock h o ld ers who p a id th e ir p ro p o rtio n a te share of deficit,
$36.78 each. T h e b alan c e h as been p a id in g re a te r p a rt b y d irecto rs w ho h a d
indorsed no tes of th e com pany. A m o u n t p aid b y d irecto rs will be a b o u t $400
each. A b o u t 90 sto ck h o ld ers refuse to p ay a n y th in g .
That the two societies whose reports are quoted below failed is not
surprising. The wonder is that they lasted as long as they did.
T h e m em bers raised a b o u t $15,000 in m oney to s ta r t w ith . I t w as s ta rte d
along a b o u t 1917 or 1918 w hen prices w ere a t th e ir h ig h est a n d th e first of a
long series of m istak es w as m ad e w hen it b o u g h t o u t one of th e local sto res here,
as it w as fou n d o u t la te r t h a t e v e ry th in g w as n o t only invoiced a t a very high
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[24]
CO LU M BU S U N E M P L O Y M E N T SURVEY
25
price, b u t m an y articles w ere invoiced o ver a n d o ver again, so th a t it p ro b ab ly
lost a b o u t $3,000 in its first deal. I t w as also fo u n d o u t a fte rw a rd s t h a t th e
m an we h a d em ployed as m an ag e r w as ta k in g a salary from th e m an from w hom
we b o u g h t th e store.
A n o th er cause, or ra th e r a co n tin u in g cause, w as th e difficulty of g e ttin g a n y
body w ith th e c a p acity for m an ag e m en t.
A nother cause of failure w as too liberal credit. O ur by-law s p ro v id ed t h a t only
th e sto ck h o ld ers should receive cred it a n d th e n only u p to 75 p er c e n t of th e
value of th e ir sto ck , upon th e sto ck being h y p o th e c a te d w ith th e co m p an y ; th is
p a rt of th e by-law s w as n ev er lived u p to an d a t th e final w in d -u p we h a d p ro b
ably tw o o r th re e th o u s a n d dollars of b a d bills w hich n ev er h a d been collected.
A nother cause of failu re w as in a b ility to co ntrol stealin g fro m w ith in ; I m ean
by th e asso ciatio n ’s ow n em ployees. W hile, of course, th e re is no w ay of saying
w h a t th is item a m o u n te d to , it u n d o u b te d ly a m o u n te d to several th o u sa n d
dollars.
So fa r as I know , th is is th e only concern in th is c o m m u n ity engaged m th e
m ercan tile business t h a t h as ever failed so com pletely, as fo r m an y y ears th is
has been a grow ing co m m u n ity an d , as I know from an a c q u a in ta n c e of 35 years,
I h av e nev er know n of a m ercan tile business failing t h a t h a d cap ab le m an ag e m en t
and, as I see i t now , th e only w ay to g et cap ab le m a n a g e m e n t is to h av e so m e
body in w ho h as an in te re st, preferab ly a controlling in te re st, to m ak e it good.
A t one tim e I w as q u ite in te re ste d in co o p erativ e societies a n d believed in th e
principle of such societies, w hich I now certa in ly do n ot.
The second society went into business in 1920 with about $14,000
in the treasury.
T h ey b o u g h t aro u n d $4,500 w o rth of goods to s ta rt w ith , a n d w ith in a m o n th
from th e tim e th e y b o u g h t sam e th e y could h av e b o u g h t it $1,000 ch eap er as th e
prices w ere a t p eak a n d w ere to p p lin g a t th e tim e. T h ey b o u g h t tw o one-ton
tru c k s t h a t cost th e m so m eth in g like $1,800 or m ore, a n d w ith in fo u r m o n th s
th e y could h av e b o u g h t th e m fo r aro u n d $800 o r $1,000. In sta rtin g m th ey
b o u g h t th e h ighest-priced fixtures th e y could find, a n d h a d a b u n ch of clerks th a t
m ade w orlds of errors, a n d of course all erro rs t h a t w ere a g a in st th e custom ers
th e y h e a rd from , b u t th e e rro rs t h a t w ere in fav o r of th e cu sto m er th e y never
h eard from an d th e sto re lo st. T h e clerks pilfered a n d did as th e y pleased.
T hey co u ld n ’t get a m an ag e r th a t w ould ta k e th e in te re st th e y should have.
T hey b o u g h t ev ery th in g in sight w h eth er th e y could use it or n o t. W orlds of
perishables w ere lost.
. ,
T hey h a d som ething like 350 stockholders. T hey th o u g h t because rh ey h ad
stock in th e sto re t h a t th e y ow ned th e w orks, a n d w ould call u p a n d b ro w b eat
th e h elp a n d w ould n o t p ay th e ir acco u n ts, a n d m ak e claim s a g a in st th e store
t h a t w ere sim ply o utrageo u s, a n d w ould go to th e corner grocery ra th e r th a n
b u y from th e ir ow n store, a n d finally th e sto re g o t to a place w here th e y owed
a b o u t $3,300 a n d I w as a p p o in te d c h airm an of liq u id a tin g co m m itte e to w ind
up th e affairs. T h e sto ck h o ld ers lo st ev ery th in g , th o se t h a t d id n ’t owe th e
store, b u t th e re w ere a lo t of th e m t h a t ow ed a n d w e co u ld n ’t m a k e i t o u t of them .
All d eb ts w ere p aid 100 cen ts on th e dollar, b u t v ery little m ore w as ev er collected.
I
w as a d irecto r for a b o u t tw o years, th e la tte r p a rt of th e tim e, b u t couidn t
get th e d irectors to realize th a t th e sto re w as failing.
Columbus Unemployment Survey
A SIDE from the very great local interest of the report on unemZ \ ployment in Columbus, Ohio, 1921 to 1925, by Frederick E.
^ Croxton, published as Bulletin No. 409 of the United States
Bureau of Labor Statistics, the study is of special value because
there have been so few investigations made of actual unemployment.
Indexes as to conditions of the labor market are at present largely
dependent upon volume of employment statistics and ratios of
applicants for jobs to workers placed by employment offices or to
jobs available.
102973°—26 ------ 3
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[ 25 ]
26
M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
Surveys of the present kind over a series of years, which show
definitely the unemployment situation in representative sections of a
city or town, constitute a scientific basis for the formulation of plans
for stabilizing employment and for other improvements in industrial
and social conditions.
Columbus has large areas of native white population and only a
few negro districts. Immigrant populations predominate in a com
paratively small number of districts. The author aimed to include
a fair sample of the wage-earning population of the city. He cau
tions, however, that in drawing deductions from these statistics it
must be remembered that the findings for each year represent only
a particular period—approximately the last week in October. The
1921 survey covered slightly over 10 per cent of the employed persons
18 years of age and over in Columbus. The numbers included in the
succeeding four years varied somewhat.
Approximately 50 per cent of the persons enumerated were in the
manufacturing and mechanical industries, over 25 per cent in the
trade and transportation group, 10 per cent in domestic and personal
service, slightly over 7 per cent were self-employed, and the remainder
were included in other general industrial groups.
In the individual industries the heaviest percentages of enumerated
persons were found in iron and steel and their products, railway and
express, building trades, and wholesale and retail trade.
W h eth e r th e n u m b er of persons w orking full tim e , p a r t tim e , or idle be con
sidered, o r w h eth er th e p ro p o rtio n of e m p lo y m en t a n d idleness in th e p o p u la
tio n e n u m erated be ta k e n as a criterio n , th e g re a te st a m o u n t of em p lo y m en t
w as p resen t in 1923, w hich w as follow ed in o rd er by 1922, 1925, 1924, a n d 1921,
an d th e la rg e st a m o u n t of u n em p lo y m en t existed in 1921, w ith 1924, 1925, 1922,
a n d 1923, each show ing, resp ectiv ely , so m ew h at less. If only t h a t idleness
re p o rted as due to slack w o rk be considered th e o rd er of im p o rta n c e of th e
years becom es 1921, 1924, 1925, 1923, a n d 1922.
Employment Status
IN EACH of the five years for the districts included in the survey
* the effort was made to ascertain whether each person (male or
female) 18 years of age or over was “ (1) working full time; (2) working
part time, and if so what fraction of the usual full time for the in
dustry in which the individual was engaged; or (3) idle, and if so,
how long continuously at the time of the visit and for what reason.”
The following table shows the percentage of those of both sexes on
full time, part time, or who were idle for the five years under review:
EM PLOYM ENT STATUS OF ALL PERSONS ENUM ERATED, 1921 TO 1925
Employment status
Employed—
Full time__________________ .
1921
. .
__
.
Part time:
Two-thirds but less than full time - ________
One-half but less than two-thirds tim e ____
One-third but less than one-half time______
Less than one-third tim e ____ __________
1922
1923
1924
1925
76. 5
86.2
87.5
79.3
82.4
2.5
5.8
1.2
.6
2.2
3.2
.7
.5
2.6
2.9
.6
.1
5.0
4.9
1.7
.5
4.3
3.9
1.0
.5
Total, part time______________________
10.1
6.6
6.2
12.1
9.7
Idle_________________________________________
13.4
7. 1
6.3
8. 7
7.9
Total, both sexes, _______________________
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[26]
27
CO LU M BU S U N E M P L O Y M E N T SURVEY
The table below shows the percentages of those unemployed from
different causes, slack work being the predominant cause in all the
periods covered except 1922. In that year 34.1 per cent or the
unemployment was due to sickness and 28.2 per cent to slack work.
Even in 1923, however, those unemployed because of sickness con
stituted 33.8 per cent of the total idle—only slightly below the 37.4
per cent idle in that year because of slack work. ^ Referring to the
low percentage of unemployment in 1921 because of old age or retire
ment, it is thought probable that during the acute industrial-situ
ation’in that year a number of elderly persons took temporary work
because the regular wage earners in the family were unemployed.
CAUSE OF UNEM PLOYM ENT OF PERSONS ENUM ERATED, BOTH SEXES, 1921 T O 1925
[Includes only persons reporting as to cause of unemployment]
Per cent of total unemployed
Cause of unemployment
1921
1922
1924
1925
76.9
14.4
8.5
.2
2 8 .2
34.1
18.3
1.3
0. 4
37.4
33.8
23.5
4.9
0. 2
54. 3
24. 1
15.9
5.4
42. 2
31. 1
21.5
5. 1
100. 0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
18.1
Old age or retirement----------------------------------------Miscellaneous______ -- -----------------------------------
1923
F u ll-tim e employment, part-time employment, and idleness for the
five-year period covered varied more for all males than lor all females
enumerated. This is partly attributable to the fact that the males
were not so largely engaged in salaried occupations as were the
females. For male heads of households, however, the fluctuations
over the five years in the percentages of those employed part time
and those who were unemployed are greater than for females.
The average employment status for all males enumerated for the
five periods was as follows: “ 82.3 per cent employed full time; 3.4
per cent employed two-thirds but less than full time; 3.8 per cent
employed half but less than two-thirds time; 0.8 per cent employed
one-third but less than half time; 0.3 per cent employed less than onethird time; 9.4 per cent idle.” The greatest divergences from these
averages of full-time employment occurred in 1921 when 75.1 per
cent were fully employed and in 1923 when 87.4 were on lull time.
The record for unemployment in 1921 was 14.6 per cent, while m
1923 only 6.8 per cent were idle, which, it will be noted, is consider
ably lower than the percentage for the five-year period
The average status of employment for all enumerated females was:
“ 83.8 per cent employed full time; 3.1 per cent employed two-thirds
but less than full time; 5.3 per cent employed half but less than twothirds time; 1.9 per cent employed one-third but less than halt time;
0.9 per cent emploved less than one-third time; 5 per cent idle.
The percentage of females employed on full time for the separate
years differed most from the average for the five years m 1924 and
1923, being respectively, 81.3 and 87.6 per cent, while the unemployed
females in the individual years ranged from 3 percent m 1922 to 7.,
per cent in 1921.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[27]
28
M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
Employment Fluctuations in Certain Industries
one of the five more important industry groups exhibits
throughout the five years the highest proportion of employment
or the greatest amount of idleness, although retail and wholesale
trade was in the lead in full-time employment for the first four of
the five years, the percentages of persons so employed being more
than 89 per cent in 1921, just under 93 per cent in 1922, 94.7 per cent
in 1923, and 92.7 per cent in 1924. Of these five groups, the indus
tries showing the largest proportion of idle persons were, in 1921,
iron and steel, 26.8 per cent; in 1922, railway and express, 13.2 per
cent; in 1923-, iron and steel, slightly over 8 per cent; and in 1924
and 1925, the building trades, with 11.8 per cent and 12.3 per cent,
respectively.
Considering all the industry groups, paper, printing, and pub
lishing, which in 1922 and 1923 nearly equaled retail and wholesale
trade in the percentage of persons on full time, was in this respect
ahead of all industry groups except professional service in 1925, with
a record of 92.8 per cent of the persons in that industry on full-time
employment. In the same year, except for agriculture, the building
trades (wage earners and contractors) were reported as having the
greatest relative number of idle persons, 12.3 per cent.
In the matter of full-time employment the trade and transporta
tion group was more stable for the 5-year period than the manufac
turing and mechanical group of industries, the percentage of persons
on full time in trade and transportation ranging from 88.3 per cent in
1921 to 93.4 per cent in 1923, and in the manufacturing and mechan
ical industries group, from 72.2 per cent in 1921 to 88.8 per cent in
1922. The unemployed in trade and transportation constituted 3.5
per cent in 1923 and 7.4 per cent in 1922 and in the manufacturing
and mechanical group, 4.6 per cent in 1922 and 13.9 per cent in the
previous year.
Trend Toward Stabilization of Employment
variety in the industries of Columbus has a tendency to level
employment conditions affecting the city as a whole. The fact
also that these industries are to a great extent owned locally makes
for a very definite sense of responsibility among employers and has
resulted in the adoption by several important establishments of pro
gressive methods for regularizing employment. This policy is
reflected in the notable amount of part-time employment in 1924, a
number of establishments having held a large percentage of their
working force on a part-time basis rather than a smaller percentage
on full-time work.
Value of Definite Unemployment Statistics
\Y /'HILE it is evident that not all of the unemployment disclosed in
™ a survey of this kind represents actual need, yet the continuing
study of conditions from year to year, especially when the data include
the causes and duration of idleness, is a genuine social service.
Through such service, as already suggested, communities, particu
larly cities like Columbus with highly coordinated social activities,
may outline more intelligently their economic programs and esti
mate more closely for their coming requirements.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[28 ]
IN D U STR IA L
R E L A T IO N S A N D LA B O R C O N D ITIO N S
Adaptation of Negroes to Northern industrial Conditions
r~ p H E research director of the National Urban League, Charles S.
Johnson, has an article in Industrial Psychology for June,
A
1926, on “ How the negro fits in northern industries,” in
which after dealing with the history and causes of the northward
migration of the negro, he gives a brief summary of the good and
bad features of the present situation. The migration is funda
mentally an economic movement, he considers, and he points out
that the same causes produced among the white population of the
South even a greater tendency than among the colored to seek
new fields. “ Actually, their rate of mobility was calculated by the
census at 20 per cent as compared with 16 per cent for the negroes.”
Other conditions offered strong inducements to the negroes for their
mass move to the North, hut these were, after all, only secondary
motives.
Their entrance into industrial employment could hardly have
been brought about but for the shortage of white labor due first to
the war, and later to the restriction of immigration. At first, their
unfamiliarity with the conditions of northern industry put them at
a disadvantage, but they soon proved themselves sufficiently adapt
able to make their way, “ and of necessity they are being advanced
to fill the gaps in semiskilled and skilled positions created by pro
motion, retirement, and death. ” The negro’s ability to speak and
understand English has been one point to his credit in the large
plants, his strength and general docility have added to his accept
ability, and the fact that in general he has not been unionized has
counted in his favor.
Of the problems precipitated by the arrival of the migrants in
large numbers, the article dwells especially upon housing, health,
and unions. The difficulties of the housing situation are much the
same whatever the particular locality under consideration. The
newcomers are generally crowded into former residence sections,
near what have become the business parts of the city. Because of
the location, the property is too valuable for the negroes to be able
to purchase it to any extent; and because of the probability that
the houses will soon have to give wav to the encroachments of busi
ness, the owners do not care to go to the expense of keeping them
in repair, so that the tenants suffer from a double disadvantage.
Moreover, any attempt on their part to move into other residence
districts meets with keen hostility, and they find themselves with
increasing numbers confined to a strictly limited area, with the
natural results that rents are raised, lodgers are taken to meet the
cost of the higher rents, congestion grows greater, and normal family
life is seriously disturbed.
In regard to health, the situation is hopeful. The greater severity
of the climate and the change from rural to urban conditions at
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[29]
29
30
M O N T H L Y LAB OB. REVIEW
first told heavily on the newcomers, but they seem to have adapted
themselves very quickly to the change. Under the better sanitary
regulations of northern cities, with the benefit of hospital treatment
■which they could not get in the rural South, and with the improved
standards of living which they have quickly adopted, the mortality
of negroes is now actually showing a decrease. The studies of the
Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., which has more than a million
and a half of negro policyholders, show that between 1911 and 1922
there was a decrease of 22 per cent in the death rate. “ In Chicago,
while the population increase was 182 per cent between 1910 and
1920, the death rate declined 17 per cent, and in New York 12.5 per
In regard to the unions the situation is dubious. Some unions
definitely exclude colored workers, some permit the formation of
separate negro locals; some give them a qualified form of member
ship; and some admit them on precisely the same terms as white
workers. Where this last is the case, the negroes seem to take to
unionization very readily.
Of th e 5,386 negro longshorem en in N ew Y ork C ity , a b o u t 5,000 a re organized
Oi th e /3 5 negro c arp en ters, 400 a re m em bers of th e U n ited B ro th erh o o d of
C arp en te rs a n d Joiners. Of th e 2,275 sem iskilled clo th in g w orkers, p rac tic a lly
all are m em bers of th e In te rn a tio n a l L adies’ G a rm e n t W o rk ers’ U nion
T he
m usicians are 50 p e r c e n t organized. T h e g re a t p re p o n d eran ce of negro iobs is
still in lines w hich a re n o t organized. T h e p o rte rs, lau n d resses (outside of
laundries), a n d se rv a n ts h a v e no organization. T h e negroes listed as p a in te rs
are n o t m th e p a in te rs ’ union, m a n y of th e m being m erely w hitew ashers
T he
tailors are m la r g e p a r t cleaners a n d pressers. T h e w aiters a n d e lev a to r te n d e rs
(except fem ale) a re po o rly organized.
In considering the outlook for the future the author points out, as
one of the most promising features, that the breaking up of the black
belt in the South will, by weakening the fear of negro domination,
lessen the violence of prejudice and lead to better relations between
the races. “ The creation of more than 800 interracial bodies in
counties of the South is an evidence of altered sentiment in the
section.” Moreover, it will also mean the breaking up of the planta
tion system, and should benefit both white and negro tenants by
making available large fertile tracts of land for more intensive indi
vidual cultivation as small farms.
As other probable developments, the author sees an increase in the
number of skilled workers among the negro migrants as they gain
industrial experience. The housing problem may improve through
the tendency of some industries to desert the large cities and to carry
their workers with them. The cultural contacts to which the new
comers are daily exposed, when they do not merely live in trans
planted southern colonies, have already raised the standard of living
and this process is apt to be cumulative. The rapid growth of north
ern industries demands workers at a rate beyond the capacity of the
native-born-white population to supply, so that the migration from
the South to satisfy this need will probably continue for years to
come, to the advantage of both sections.
T h e realig n m en t of rela tio n s w ith th e w h ite p o p u la tio n will d o u b tless be
accom panied a t first w ith conflicts m ore o r less severe, as fo r exam ple, in th e
seven o r e ig h t rio ts w hich developed aro u n d th e first su d d en c o n ta c ts of S o u th
a n d N o rth , b u t th e u ltim a te relatio n s, th e re is w a rra n t fo r believing, will be b o th
m ore p e rm a n e n t a n d m ore m u tu a lly to lerable.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[30]
M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
31
Conditions in the Cloak, Suit, and Skirt industry of New York City
T
HE Governor’s Advisory Commission appointed in 1924 to study
conditions in the cloak, suit, and skirt industry recently made
its final report and recommendations.1
Improvement of Conditions in the Industry
A GENERATION ago the cloak, suit, and skirt industry was ifa
sweatshop industry, characterized by the home labor of women
and children, by unregulated hours, and by absence of sanitary stand
ards with an almost total lack of organization, and with abuses too
numerous to be described. The building up of cohesive forces and
institutions was most sorely needed and in a real measure it has been
achieved.”
Collective agreements regulate the relations between the union
(the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union, including in its
membership about 90 per cent of the workers in the industry) and
the employers (the Industrial Council, with 184 members repre
senting more than 70 per cent of the “ inside” production, the Mer
chants’ Ladies’ Garment Association with 127 members, representing
fully 75 per cent of the jobbing business, and the American Cloak
and Suit Manufacturers’ Association, with 847 members, represent
ing more than 70 per cent of the submanufacturing business). An
effective machinery has been built up for the settlement of disputes
and during the past two years an impartial chairman has had final
authority on questions arising under the collective agreements. As
an indication of the effectiveness of this machinery in preserving
amicable relations in the industry, the report cites the fact that more
than 95 per cent of the complaints are adjusted in the shops. Only
the more difficult questions are referred to the impartial chairman
and in every instance his decision has been accepted.
The joint board of sanitary control was established in 1910 as a
joint enterprise of workers and employers for improving sanitary
conditions in the industry.
Its m ethods of inspectio n a n d of research, a n d its efforts to p re v e n t accid en ts
and disease h av e served as m odels in th is c o u n try a n d elsewhere. T o th e cred it
of th e different facto rs in th e in d u s try be it said th a t, alth o u g h th e p a s t fifteen
y ears h av e been m ark e d by dissensions w hich a t tim es reach ed th e p o in t of
in d u stria l w arfare, th e y n ev er lo st in te re st in th e w ork of th is b o ard , b u t con
tin u ed it w ith o u t in te rru p tio n u n d er a b le im p a rtia l m a n a g e m e n t and_ w ith in
creased facilities a n d g re a te r o p p o rtu n itie s fo r usefulness to th e e n tire in d u s try .
At the suggestion of the Governor's Advisory Commission the system
of “ fictitious discounts” has been abolished, the sanitary label has
been adopted, and an unemployment fund established, supported by
both workers and employers.
Evils of the Jobbing-Submanufacturing System
rT ,HE industry is now confronted by a problem which has been gradually increasing in seriousness—the problem of u outside” pro
duction. The commission has been making a special study of this
situation. It finds that due to the suddenly changing styles, the
'N ew York. Governor’s Advisory Commission in the Cloak, Suit, and Skirt Industry, New York
City. .Final recommendations, May 20, 1926. [New York], 1926.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[31 ]
32
M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
multiplicity of the producing units in the industry, and the higher
costs of materials and trimming, revolutionary changes have taken
place m the retailing methods. Whereas the retailers formerly
placed a large proportion of their orders in advance, now they wait
till the last moment in order to insure getting styles that have estab
lished their popularity in the current season. This has led to intense
production during short periods, followed by months of depressionand this in turn has caused significant structural changes in the
industry.
The industry had gradually changed from a sweat shop trade with
much home work to one in which the manufacturing was done
mainly in large “ inside shops” under employers who were directly
responsible for both manufacturing and marketing the product.
Gradually, however, these manufacturers have in turn been displaced
by so-called “ jobbing-manufacturing,” 2 which has developed “ partly
as a device to escape labor responsibilities and partly as an adaptation
to the newer methods of retail buying.”
An inside m a n u fa c tu re r c reates sty les, em ploys a p e rm a n e n t co m p lem en t of
w orkers, a n d seeks, so fa r as possible, to g et ad v an ce o rd ers from th e re tailers
placing his chief em phasis u p o n q u a lity of p ro d u ctio n . T h e jo b b e r in th e cloak
an d su it in d u s try differs from th e jo b b e r in o th e r in d u strie s. In s te a d of m erely
being a w holesale d is trib u to r, he is a n in d ire c t m a n u fa c tu re r. H e purchases his
m aterials an d th e n farm s o u t th e p ro d u c tio n to a n elastic a n d sh iftin g groun
of sm all su b m a n u fa c tu re rs, w ho follow his in s tru c tio n as to style. H is em phasis
is on m ass p ro d u ctio n a n d on selling finished g a rm en ts fro m th e racks. W hile
th ro u g h ow ning th e cloth a n d th ro u g h d irectin g th e flow of orders in to th e subm a n u factu rin g shops, th e jo b b ers are th e re a l c a p ita lists in th is large b ran ch
of th e m an u factu rin g process, th e y do n o t d irectly em ploy lab o r, a n d consider
them selves free from resp o n sib ility fo r lab o r sta n d a rd s. In c id e n ta lly th e y have no
incentive for leng th en in g th e season, fo r th e m a n u fa c tu rin g o v erh ead is carried by
th e m u lü tu d e of sm all m a n u fa c tu re rs, each w ith a little lo ft a n d a few m achines.
wi t h +V Æ ï ï fa? Ureîn \°-n th f,
h an d , u su ally h av e no c o n ta c t w h atev er
w ith th e re ta il tra d e . T h eir o u tle t is th ro u g h th e jobbers. T h ey can n o t create
a dem an d for th e ir p ro d u ctio n . T h ey h av e, fo r th e m o st p a rt, n o t enough
c a p ita l to purch ase m aterials. T h ey seek w ork a n d m a te ria ls from th e jobbers.
In soliciting orders from th e jo b b ers th e y co m pete w ith each o th e r fiercely.'
th i s co m p etitio n is in ten sified b y a n o th e r u n d erly in g condition. A ny one w ith
a few h u n d red dollars of c a p ita l can re n t space in a sm all loft, g et to g e th e r a
h an d fu l of w orkers w ho h av e been idle d u rin g th e d u ll season, a n d th ro w him self
c S o iithn comPetl4tloj1 f ° r orders from th e jo b b ers. L iterally h u n d red s of such
sm all shops are sta rte d , a n d h u n d red s a re ab an d o n e d ev ery year.
There is a great deal of waste under this system. “ Counting all
the partners m the submanufacturing shops, there are several thou
sand men whose energies are mostly spent in going from one jobber
to another m search of orders.” Their shops are too small for wellorganized systematic production methods, their capital is small, and
hundreds of them fail each year, leaving their creditors in the
lurch. I he j obbers suffer increasingly through cancellation of orders
and return of goods because of faulty workmanship, etc. But the
greatest burden falls upon the workers through shortened periods
and substandard conditions ” of employment.
m
^ r +mpetltl0n
the market in the securing of orders throws upon the subW pS
a CrUel ? rf,ssurf oat of a11 Proportion to their powers of resistance.
^
prefs.'jre ,f e^ only by the manufacturers the situation would not
o p e n in g T p of pew sh“ p s
“ S ° W" ° Ure thr0U gh disc° ” aS“ g » e p e rp e tu a l
systemf ^
progressed to such a point that now about three-fourths of the production is controlled by this
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
132]
CO N D ITIO N S IN CLOAK, S U IT , AND SK IR T IN D U ST R Y
33
B u t th e fa c t is t h a t a large p ro p o rtio n of th e su b m a n u fa c tu re rs succeed in
sh iftin g th e b u rd en o n to th e w orkers. T h e shops being sm all, th e re is a com
p a ra tiv e ly close re la tio n b etw een th e firm a n d th e w orkers. W hen w o rk is
scarce, a s i t usu ally is ex cep t for a few w eeks in each season, th e w orkers are
to ld th a t , in order to m e e t th e exigencies of price co m p etitio n a n d to b rin g som e
w ork in to th e shop, th e y m u st e n te r in to secret arra n g e m e n ts c o n tra ry to th e
m inim um lab o r sta n d a rd s w hich h av e been agreed u p o n , a n d w hich a re p re tty
successfully enforced in th e la rg e r shops of th e in sid e m an u factu rers.
T hese concessions b y th e w orkers ta k e v ario u s form s. T h ey chiefly involve
w ages, hours, ra te s of p a y fo r ov ertim e, w ork on holid ay s, a n d th e su b s titu tio n
of piecew ork for p a y b y th e hour. All th is is done w ith o u t th e know ledge of th e
union officials a n d is fre q u e n tly concealed in th e books of th e firm. In cid en tally ,
it su b jects th e inside m a n u fa c tu re rs to such u n fa ir c o m p etitio n as te n d s to driv e
o u t of leg itim ate m an u fa c tu rin g in to jo b b in g all except th o se p ro d u cin g garm en ts
of th e m o st exclusive a n d expensive styles.
Studies made for the commission show that workers in the submanu
facturing shops had during 1925 only 26.8 full weeks of employment,
as compared with 37.4 full weeks in the inside shops, while the aver
age yearly earnings in the two types of shops were $1,374.90 and
$1,750, respectively.
In d eterm in in g th e rela tio n sh ip betw een jo b b er, su b m a n u fa c tu re r, a n d w orkers
we should be concerned n o t so m u ch w ith th e form as w ith th e su b stan ce. By
w h atev er nam e he m ay call him self, th e jo b b e r co n tro ls w orking c o n d itio n s; he
controls em ploym ent, a n d t h a t elem ent of co n tro l im poses upo n h im th e responsi
b ility t h a t he shall so co n d u ct his business t h a t p ro p er w orking sta n d a rd s m ay
be upheld in ste a d of u n d erm in ed , a n d t h a t em p lo y m en t m ay be stab ilized in ste a d
of dem oralized.
T he p resen t m eth o d of doing business in v ite s th e sp littin g u p of p ro d u ctio n
u n its to a p o in t w hich defies a n y re a l degree of supervision b y th e in stitu tio n s
in th e in d u s try , a n d w hich m akes im possible th e m ain te n a n c e of a n y satisfa c to ry
sta n d a rd s of em ploym en t.
To secure this end the commission recommends that the number
of submanufacturers with whom the jobber be allowed to deal be
limited, the jobber selecting at determined intervals the particular
submanufacturers to handle his production, and binding himself not
to give work to any others.
Because of the fact that the inside shops maintain better sanitary
conditions, higher rates of pay, and longer periods of employment,
though often subjected to unfair competition from the jobbers, the
commission recommends that there be “ some relaxation in the appli
cation of existing regulations in regard to the tenure of employment.”
Greater encouragement should be given to the inside system of pro
duction and to larger productive units throughout the industry.
“ Firms will be more willing to increase the number of their workers
if they have some assurance that they can make reasonable changes
later on in response to the needs of their business.” The commission
suggests, therefore, that all such shops having 35 or more regular
employees be given the right to reorganize their shops once a year
at the beginning of a season. Not more than 10 per cent of the
workers should be displaced, workers dropped should be given a
week’s pay or a week’s notice, there should be no unfair discrimina
tion, and an endeavor should be made to place the displaced workers
through the employment bureau. “ This right should be accorded
only to establishments which are parties to the collective agreements
and under the jurisdiction of the impartial machinery.”
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[33]
34
M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
Recommendations
'T ’HE commission presents for the consideration of the industry
* six suggestions:
1. That the impartial chairman be given even greater powers than
at present, and that he be given an accountant, permanently at
tached to his staff, to make investigations in any establishment in
the industry, to see that the contracts are being carried out.
2. ( a ) That the system of contribution of submanufacturers to
the unemployment fund be changed so that the jobbers’ contribu
tions will again be paid through the submanufacturers at the same
rates as are paid by inside manufacturers. In 1925, because of the
disproportionate payments from the fund to workers in the outside
shops, it was decided to increase the contributions of the outside
employers to 3 per cent, the payments to be made directly by the
jobbers instead of by the subcontractors, who then collected from the
jobbers. The change, however, did not work well. It has been
found that since that time the jobbers’ contributions have aggre
gated considerably less than those of the inside manufacturers
though their volume of business is much greater.
( b ) That an employment office be established under the direction
of the trustees of the unemployment insurance fund.
3. That the minimum wage rates for the various crafts be increased
as follows:
P resen t scale
C loak a n d dress c u tte rs ------------------------------------------------------ $44. 00
Sam ple m a k e rs_______________________________________
36. 00
Ja c k e t, co at, reefer, a n d dress o p e ra to rs____________________
50. 00
43. 00
Piece ta ilo rs _______________________________________________
R eefer, ja c k e t, a n d c o a t finishers___________________________
41. 00
Ja c k e t, co at, a n d reefer finishers’ h elp ers_______________
32. 00
Ja c k e t, co at, reefer, a n d dress u p p e r
p re sse rs_______ 42. 00
Ja c k e t, co at, reefer, a n d dress u n d e r
p re sse rs____
37. 50
C loak b ushelers________________
25. 00
B ushelm en w ho also do pin n in g , m ark in g , a n d general w ork
on g a rm e n ts_____________________________________________
34. 00
S k irt c u tte rs _______________________________________________
39. 50
S k irt o p e ra to rs_____________________
48. 00
S k irt u p p er p ressers________________________________________ 38. 00
S k irt u n d er p ressers________________________________________ 37. 50
S k irt b a ste rs_______________________________________________
25. 00
S k irt finishers______________________________________________ 20. 50
D ra p e rs_________________________- _________________________
27. 50
B egraders on sk irts ________________________________________
32. 00
G irls’ b eg rad ers____________________________________________
27. 50
N e w scale
$50.00
42.00
54.00
46.00
44.00
36.00
47.00
42.00
30.00
38.00
45.00
52.00
42.00
42.00
28.00
25.00
30. 00
35.00
30.00
4.
That, in the interests of the unionization of the industry (which
is “ highly desirable”), the existing contracts be amended so as to
afford opportunities for speedier examination when any party to the
agreement hies a complaint in regard to dealings with nonunion
shops. “ Consideration should be given in this connection to the
advisability of a joint committee, headed by the impartial chairman,
and charged with the duty of checking up on the sending of work
through unauthorized and substandard channels.”
The principle of unionization in the cloak and suit industry is not challenged.
All employers and jobbers have agreed in their contracts with the union that they
will deal only with union shops and union workers.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[34]
VACATIONS W IT H PAY FOR PRO D U CTIO N W ORKERS
35
During 1924, although there were some complaints of nonunion
manufacturing, only about 15 per cent of the total production was
nonunion and this was mainly of lower-priced garments. During
the past year, however, conditions have admittedly become worse.
T he p ercen tag e of n o n union m an u fa c tu rin g h as g re a tly increased a n d th is has
h a d serious effects. I t is highly desirable, as all fa cto rs ad m it, th a t n o n union
m an u fa c tu rin g be reduced an d , if possible, e n tirely elim inated.
5. That more effective methods be taken to enlarge the use of the
prosanis label, which is the guaranty that the garment was made
under healthful conditions; and that there be more adequate pro
vision for inspection and a system of penalties for evasion or misuse
of the label.
6. That the bureau of research, constituted to aid the commission
in its studies, be permanently continued as an adjunct of the un
employment insurance fund and financed partly by contributions
from independent manufacturers, submanufacturers, and jobbers
in proportion to the amount of business done by them, but the major
part to be paid by the independents. This bureau would make
investigations and would gradually build up a body of information
about the industry which “ will enable problems of unemployment,
productivity, and wages to be dealt with intelligently.”
T h e reco m m en d atio n s m ad e above se t fo rth in g eneral te rm s th e a d ju stm e n ts
a n d m odifications of existing relatio n sh ip s t h a t th e com m ission hopes will be
agreed to in th e new co n tra c ts. T hese reco m m en d atio n s should n o t be con
sidered as isolated rem edies for different situ a tio n s; th e com m ission desires th a t
th e y be considered as a whole— as a p ro g ram w hich, if accep ted , will effect a
general b e tte rm e n t of existing conditions in th e in d u stry .
As its nam e indicates, th e g o v ern o r’s com m ission h as been a n “ a d v is o ry ”
bo d y ; i t h as n o t a rb itra te d , b u t h a s m ed iated . T h e reco m m en d atio n s ab o v e
given are urged upon th e p a rtie s in in te re st w ith th e hope t h a t th e fairn ess an d
good sense of th e proposals will com m end them selves to th e m a n d lead to a c c e p t
ance. If th e recom m en d atio n s are accep ted in principle, th e com m ission will
be w illing if so req u ested , to a c t as a n a rb itra tio n body, a n d to decide on th e
specific m a tte rs w hich should be em bodied in c o n tra c ts to m ak e th e reco m m en d a
tions effective— th e com m ission’s decision on th ese p o in ts to be bin d in g on th e
p a rtie s w hich h av e agreed to th e a rb itra tio n . O therw ise, th e com m ission feels
t h a t w ith th e subm ission of th is, its final rep o rt, its lab o rs are com pleted.
Vacations With Pay for Production Workers1
SURVEY of the vacation policies for production workers in
factories, stores, and miscellaneous establishments in Cin
cinnati, Ohio, has been made recently by the Consumer’s
League of that city. Of 272 firms replying to a preliminary ques
tionnaire, 145 stated that they had no vacation policy, 16 refused
information, and 111 reported that paid vacations are given to all
or part of their production force. The establishments granting
vacations include 52 factories, 50 stores, and 9 miscellaneous estab
lishments, and 15,948 of the 23,729 employees of these companies
were entitled to receive vacations at the time the study was com
pleted. Sixty-seven of these firms grant vacations to the entire
production force and 44 to a part only of these workers.
The length of vacation varies from one day to two weeks, one
week being given in the majority of cases. The minimum period of
service required in order to establish eligibility for vacations ranges
A
1 For other articles on this subject see Labor Review, May, 1926, pp. 1-7; June, 1926, pp. 41-45.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[35]
36
M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
from 1 week to 10 years; only 13 of the establishments, however,
require service of more than 1 year before a vacation is granted.
Although there is a minimum service requirement in all cases, the
length of the vacation is not as a rule graduated according to length
of service, as less than a third of the firms reporting on this point
stated that they have a graduated scale. Of the 32 firms which
stated that the length of vacation depends on the length of service,
the minimum length of vacation given is less than a week in 7 cases
and 1 week in 25 cases, while the maximum vacation is 2 weeks in
30 cases and 4 weeks in 2 cases. In the latter instance service of
10 years or more is required and women having that length of service
are given six weeks.
In general, the vacations granted by these firms are given during
the summer months, although in some cases employees are allowed
to take their vacation at any season of the year which they choose.
Several factories reported shutdowns during which time employees
entitled to vacations are paid, and one store reported that it closes
for a week twice a year when all employees are paid for each period.
Another store had tried the shutdown vacation for two years but
had decided to discontinue it and allow the employees to take their
vacation when they please.
The time of paying for the vacation is important from the stand
point of the employee. Of 86 companies replying to this question,
52 reported that they pay before the vacation; 17 after; 10 when
the employee wishes; 5 on the usual pay day; and 1 firm, giving
2 weeks, pays part before and part after the vacation, while another
retains the entire amount until the first week in December.
The policy in regard to giving pay for legal holidays varies among
the firms having vacation plans. Fifty-four companies reported
that thay paid for from 3 to 7 legal holidays in addition to the
vacation allowed, 4 reported no pay for such holidays, while in 53
cases the number of holidays paid for was not specified.
A number of these companies have been granting vacations for
many years, one store stating that it originated its vacation plan
66 years ago. The majority of both stores and factories, however,
have adopted the practice within the last few years.
Although the majority of the employers interviewed failed to
express their personal opinions regarding the results of giving vaca
tions, a number regarded them as of importance in reducing turnover
and in improving the morale, the health of the workers, and the
quality of work and efficiency, or in increasing loyalty to the firm.
Sixth French Congress on Family Allowances'
HE Sixth National Annual Congress of the family-allowance
funds of France met in the Mediterranean region May 10-13,
1926. Sessions were held at Marseille, Toulon, Cannes, and
Nice, with some 300 persons in attendance.
Various reports made at this convention indicate that within the
last year the family-allowance movement in France has further
T
1 La Journée Industrielle, Paris, May 12 (p. 1), May 15 (p. 1), and May 16-17 (pp. 1 and 5), 1926.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[361
37
F R E N C H CONGRESS ON FA M IL Y ALLOW ANCES
expanded. Not only have the number of funds and the rates of
allowances increased, but the funds are making further progress
through the creation of additional benefit features such as sick insur
ance and by the adherence of new corporations, notably in agri
culture and the liberal professions.
G r o w t h o f t h e f a m i l y - a l l o w a n c e s y s t e m . —Among the statistics pre
sented by the secretary of the central committee on family allow
ances are the following showing the extension of the payment of
benefits through family-allowance funds:
As reported
June, 1925
N u m b er of fu n d s__________________
176
N u m b er of e sta b lish m e n ts_________
11, 200
N u m b er of w o rk ers_______________
1, 210, 000
A nnual a m o u n t d is b u rs e d --fra n c s 2 160, 000, 000
As reported
May, 1926
195
14, 000
1, 300, 000
200 , 000, 000
The secretary estimates that if the disbursements of private em
ployers who are not members of family-allowance funds are added to
the above totals for May, 1926, they would be increased to 700,000,000
francs among 2,600,000 workers. It is also estimated that the inclu
sion of the allowances paid to the personnel of public administrations
would augment the annual distribution to 1,152,000,000 francs over
a population of 3,600,000 persons. This expansion is said to be due
not only to the “ spontaneous attraction of the funds” but also to
the legal obligation to pay family allowances to those employed on
public works.
It was reported to the Congress that the number of agricultural
funds had increased from 16 to 27 and also that the National Asso
ciation of the Notaries of France was studying, with the purpose of
adoption, a general scheme of social insurance. The first step has
already been taken in the institution of family allowances by the
Seine Chamber of Notaries.
F a m i l y - a l l o w a n c e r a t e s . — In general the family-allowance rates of
the funds have been recently increased not only relatively because
of the depreciation of the franc but also in actual value. Because
of the revision of a large number of scales it was not possible, M.
Bonvoisin stated, to estimate the present general average for all
funds but for the 30 principal funds the following monthly averages
were presented:
Francs
1
2
3
4
5
child___________________________________________________ 25. 23
ch ild ren _______________________________________________
63. 02
ch ild ren _______________________________________________ 109. 47
ch ild ren _______________________________________________ 240. 34
ch ild ren _____________________________
318. 00
F a m i l y a l l o w a n c e s a n d t h e b i r t h r a t e . —A statistical inquiry made by
Colonel Guillermin, director of the iron and metal fund of Lyon,
indicated that for the population included under the family allow
ance-funds there was an increase of 6 per cent in the birth rate from
1924 to 1925. In comparison with the most recent general statistics
for the French population, the birth rate among the families of the
funds is 25 per cent higher. It has been pointed out, however, in
previous discussions of the effect of family allowances on the birth
2 Franc at par=19.3 cents; exchange value on May 15, 1926=3.02 cents.
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M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
rate that the reaching of solid conclusions in this matter is next to
impossible.
H y g i e n e a c t i v i t i e s o f t h e f u n d s .—The attention of the Congress was
drawn to the notable and increasing activities of the funds for pre
natal and postnatal hygiene, the medical supervision of infants and
adolescents, and the extension of fresh-air work.
The number of children sent by the funds to Vacation colonies or
placed in families shows a recent marked increase and the results
secured are reported as more satisfactory. A special tribute was
paid at the Congress to zeal and delicacy of the funds’ social service
visitors.
S i c k a l l o w a n c e s .—There are now 10 funds granting sick allowances
and 14 centers which have either already decided upon the establish
ment of sick allowances or have them in contemplation.
H o u s i n g .—The possibilities of a new departure in welfare work for
family-allowance funds were suggested by a report of certain facili
ties extended to workers by the Armentières fund. Through this
organization, it was reported, in a few months 300 gardens have been
apportioned and 10 houses constructed and turned over to their
proprietors, due to a system of loans which has made the work possi
ble without the large capital ordinarily required.
O t h e r r e p o r t s .—The president of the committee of family-allowance
funds of the Mediterranean region spoke on the payment of these
grants in that section of the country.
A report dealing with the compulsory principle in the matter of
family allowances was presented to a general assembly of the Union
of Compensation Funds of the National Federation of Building and
Public Works. At the same meeting a resolution was passed that
the obligation of making these grants “ be generalized and imposed
by law on all employers with the least possible delay, and that the
service of allowances be assured by all funds now existing or to be
created, such funds being administered by employers.”
The founder of the agricultural fund of Bu emphasized the problem
involved in the membership in funds of agricultural employers with
small holdings and few workers.
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[38]
W AGES A ND H O U R S O F LA B O R
Wages and Labor Conditions in Louisiana
HE following table showing wages and hours of labor of un
skilled and semiskilled workers in Louisiana in 1922-23 and
1924-25 are taken from the thirteenth biennial report of the
department of labor and industrial statistics of that State.
T
D A IL Y W A G E S A N D H O U R S O F L A B O R O F C O M M O N A N D S E M IS K IL L E D W O R K E R S ,
*
1922-23 A N D 1924-25
1924-25
1922-23
Industry
Canning industries__ . . . __ . _ ________ _______
Clothing workers.. _______ : _______ .. _________
Cottonseed products.. ____ ___ _ _________ ______
Ice, light, and bottling........... . . _ ____ _____ . .
Lumbering _ ___________________ ___ __________
Naval stores_____________ _________ _________ ___
Oil-field workers _ _ ___ ____ __________ ___
Rice-mill workers
_ . ________ ____ _ . . _ .
Sugar-cane and farm workers.. . _________ ______
Hours per Wages per Hours per
day
day
day
10
10
12
10
10
10
10
12
10
$1.25
1.25
2.00
1.75
2.00
2.00
3. 25
2. 00
1. 25
10
10
12
10
10
10
10
12
10
Wages per
day
$1. 25
1.25
2.25
1.50
1.75
1.75
3.50
2.26
1.25
According to the above statistical report no change is shown in
1924-25 as compared with 1922-23 in the wage rates for canning,
clothing, sugar-cane, and farm workers. The rates, however, for
workers in cottonseed products and for oil-field and rice-mill labor
were 25 cents higher for the later period while the wages in ice and
light plants, bottling works, and lumbering were 25 cents lower in
1924-25 than in 1922-23.
T h e p r o b l e m o f f a r m l a b o r — Because of a number of complaints
about the shortage of farm labor in Louisiana the commissioner of
labor and industrial statistics made a personal investigation in various
sections of the State in order to establish the facts in the matter.
He visited certain localities where the unemployed ordinarily gather
and found substantial numbers of men and 'women who had no regular
employment. When cotton pickers were greatly needed there were
hundreds of men and women idle in north Louisiana and a similar
situation was found to exist in the rice belt and “ sugar bowl” dis
tricts during the rice harvesting and cane grinding season. Man
power was plentiful. Industrial employers were actually turning
away would-be workers but at the same time agricultural help was
scarce. Among the objections of the workers to farm labor are the
irregular wages, there being no legally established pay days and in
many cases the hands hired during the harvesting or grinding season
are paid only for the days worked. The long waits for money
necessitate trading at a company store or at a commissary on the
premises which is frequently leased to an outside party. Either ar
ms]
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M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
rangement means nigh prices, especially in the latter instance, as the
lessee contends he must have u ample returns to pay rental or share
the profit with the property owner, which they claim is sometimes
exacted/’
T h e w orkers fu rth e r com plained th e y som etim es needed cash to m eet an
em ergency, b u t because of th e long p eriod b etw een p a y d a y s th e y a re forced
to b u y a tra d e book on th e com m issary a n d th ese books a re disco u n ted , th is
being done b y som eone on th e prem ises, b u t n o t supposed to be d irectly con
nected w ith th e em p lo y er’s business, since th e law p ro h ib its th is b eing done,
an d th e law also p ro h ib its forcing th e w orkers to tra d e a t a n y d esig n ated place,
b u t confro n ted w ith th ese conditions, an en d is accom plished in doing in d irectly
t h a t w hich th e law p ro h ib its being done d irectly.
Other causes of the farm labor shortage are undiversified crops,
the exodus of young men from the country, and the employment of
negroes in certain occupations in the cities in preference to white
men.
Because of the difficulty in securing native agricultural laborers
several thousand Mexicans were brought into the State. This, how
ever, is not a new policy and the results have not been encouraging.
The Mexicans are reported “ as not altogether acceptable in agri
cultural pursuits.” Moreover, most of these imported people soon
leave the farms for railroad work or city employment.
U n p a i d w a g e s .—Repeated appeals have been made to the State
legislature that the commissioner of labor and industrial statistics or
his representative be authorized “ to investigate and adjust unpaid
wage claims ” without expense to the claimant. In the report under
review recommendation is made for legislation along this line. For
the purpose of securing evidence to justify the enactment of such a
law, a record of complaints concerning unpaid wages (ranging from
50 cents to $7) was kept for a period of more than four months. The
amount aggregated about $8,000.
C h i l d - l a b o r l e g i s l a t i o n .—Louisiana’s unprogressiveness in the matter
of child-labor legislation is emphasized by the commissioner of labor
and industrial statistics, who points out that his State is one of 18
that do not legally require certificates of physical fitness for employ
ment; one of 19 States that do not require “ certain standards of
educational advancement” and one of 4 States allowing children to
be employed 10 hours per day and 60 hours per week.
English Views of American Wage Policies
WO recent reports upon conditions in the United States as com
pared with those in England have attracted much attention in
the English press. The first w~as made by two members of the
Federation of British Industries who visited this country in the
autumn of 1925 and published a brief summary1 of what they found,
dwelling especially upon the prosperity of the United States. The
second was issued by two engineers, Messrs. Lloyd and Austin, who
at about the same time made an. intensive tour of some of our indus
trial regions, “ with the object of wresting from America the secret
T
1 Federation of British Industries. Report on visit to the United States of America, by F. Vernon Willey
and Quy Locock. London, [1925?]. 12 pp.
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[40|
E N G L IS H V IEW S OF A M ERICA N WAGE PO L IC IE S
41
of her rapid industrial progress/’ and have published their conclu
sions under the title "The Secret of High Wages.” 2
In both cases the visitors were impressed by the attention given
to productive efficiency in the United States. The first report deals
with this as only one factor in the general situation, but a highly
important one. As an illustration, they quote figures showing that
in the two years ending December 31, 1923, the index number for
installed primary power increased by 8.4 per cent, for number of
wage earners by 26.7 per cent, but for volume of production by 42.5
per cent, a result which, they hold, shows clearly the improvement
in the utilization of power resources and the increasing efficiency of
American production.
This efficiency is ascribed to two reasons, the spread of education,
both technical and general, and the labor situation. The outstand
ing features of the latter are the restriction of immigration, the high
-wages paid, the lack of restriction on output and the utilization of
labor-saving devices, and the satisfactory relations between employ
ers and employed. The high output is directly attributed to the
high wages, both as cause and effect. The cost of labor makes it
imperative for the employer to use every means of avoiding waste
and increasing output, while the fact that he has a share in the pros
perity which he produces makes the worker entirely willing to accept
labor-saving devices, cooperate in reducing waste, and avoid any
restriction upon output.
The report of the two engineers ascribes the prosperity of the
Lnited States almost wholly to the enlightened policy of paying high
wages, securing high productivity, and lessening costs by increased
efficiency and the elimination of waste, whether of material, time,
strength, or machinery. There is abundant proof, they hold, that it is
possible continually to reduce prices of manufactured goods to the
consumers while at the same time increasing the wages of the pro
ducers, and by doing this to insure prosperity. They lay down nine
principles of industrial management which they observed in opera
tion in the Lnited States as being especially important in producing
such results:
1. T he success of a n en terp rise is, in a Jarge m easure, d ep e n d e n t upon a stric t
adherence to th e policy of p ro m o tio n of staff by m e rit a n d a b ility only.
2. I t is m ore a d v a n ta g e o u s to in crease to ta l pro fits b y red u cin g prices to th e
consum er, a t th e sam e tim e m a in ta in in g or im p ro v in g q u a lity , w ith a co n seq u en t
increase in th e volum e of sales th a n b y a tte m p tin g to m a in ta in o r raise prices.
3. R a p id ity of tu rn o v e r m akes fo r co m p a ra tiv e ly sm all re q u ire m e n ts of b o th
fun d ed a n d w orking cap ital, i. e., th e c a p ita l req u ired fo r shop space (including
eq u ip m en t) a n d th e finance of w ork in progress.
4. T he p ro d u ctiv e c a p a c ity p er c a p ita of la b o r can be increased w ith o u t lim it
depending upon th e progress m ad e in tim e a n d tro u b le -sa v in g appliances.
5. I t is b e tte r t h a t la b o r should be re w ard ed b y w ages b e a rin g som e re la tio n to
o u tp u t ra th e r th a n b y a fixed w age, th e a m o u n t of th e w ages e a rn e d b y a n y one
m an being in no w ay lim ite d . C o n tra ry to th e g en eral belief in E u ro p e, h ig h
w ages do n o t necessarily m ean a high level of prices. I t is to th e a d v a n ta g e of
th e co m m u n ity t h a t th e policy of in d u s tria l m an a g e m e n t should be d irected
to w ard raising w ages a n d red u cin g prices.
6. A free exchange of id eas betw een com peting firm s should be a d v o cated .
7. E lim in atio n of w aste is a n essen tial fa c to r in th e a tta in m e n t of n a tio n a l
p rosperity.
2
Austin, Bertram and Lloyd, W. Francis: The Secret of High Wages. London, T. Fisher Unwin (Ltd.),
)2fi.
111 DD.
102973°— 2G
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42
M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
8. I t is im p o rta n t t h a t ev ery possible a tte n tio n be p aid to th e w elfare of
em ployees.
9. R esearch a n d ex p erim en tal w ork a re of p rim e im p o rta n c e to progress.
Contrasted with these conditions, the authors assert that condi
tions in England are very different. In their opinion there is a
tendency of British manufacturers to conclude “ that the only way of
reducing costs is to reduce the rate of wages and to lengthen the work
ing hours.”
If em ployers will reduce w ages th e y m u st expect a red u ced o u tp u t fro m th e
m en since, as i t is show n in C h a p te r V I, w ages should b e a r som e re la tio n to
'o u tp u t. W hen o u tp u t is red u ced , o v erh ead charges go u p a n d i t is th erefo re by no
m eans c e rtain t h a t th e final to ta l cost of th e p ro d u c t will be p ro p o rtio n a te ly less
w ith th e sam e m eth o d s of m a n u fa c tu re . I t follows t h a t a policy of red u cin g
ra te s of w ages is retro g ressiv e, since i t is n o t one w hich can be p u rsu e d indefi
n itely. Inefficient m an a g e m e n t is d irectly a n d solely responsible fo r “ c a ’ c a n n y .”
In brief, the secret of high wages, as these authors see it, is for the
employers to adopt the principles of efficiency engineering, to play
fair with their workers, to pay high wages and to see that they are
earned, to be on the alert to discover and to test every apparent
improvement in methods or machinery and to adopt whatever stands
the test, discarding without scruple the good in order to make way for
the better.
Wage Fixing and Wage Rates in New South Wales
HE Official Year Book of New South Wales in the issue for 1924
presents some comparative figures showing the living and the
minimum wage for a number of years and giving a comparison
between the index figures of the nominal and real wages since 1911.
Minimum wage rates are fixed for nearly all classes of workers by
industrial tribunals, which take as a basis the so-called “living wage,”
to which a secondary wage is added, depending upon skill or other
special qualifications. The living wage is defined as the standard
wage “ which will do neither more nor less than enable a worker of
the class to which the lowest wage would be awarded to maintain
himself, his wife, and two children, in a house of three rooms and a
kitchen, with food, plain and inexpensive, but quite sufficient in
quantity and quality to maintain health and efficiency, and with an
allowance for miscellaneous expenses.” For a woman the living wage
is an amount which will cover the cost of living for an adult female
worker of the lowest class, without dependents, but receiving no aid
of any kind from her family. The principle of a minimum wage for
women was not adopted until 1918, after the board of trade had
conducted its first inquiry into the cost of living.
The living wage, as distinct from the minimum wage, is fixed by
the board of trade, which formerly issued a declaration as to living
costs, and consequently as to the living wage, once a year. Of late
years this has been found inadequate to the needs of the situation,
and under legislation passed in November, 1922, the board may now
declare living wages at intervals of not less than three months. No
industrial tribunal may fix a minimum wage lower than the living
wage set by the board of trade, but the court of industrial arbitration
may refrain from making an award, or may cancel an award or an
T
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WAGE F IX IN G IN N E W SO U T H W ALES
agreement already made, if it is proved that serious unemployment
within the industry affected may result from its operation.
The living wage in interstate industries may be set by the common
wealth court of conciliation and arbitration, which uses as a standard
the so-called Harvester wage, adopted in 1907, which fixed 7s.1a day as
the amount needed for a man to support himself, his wife, and three
children. This rate is adjusted to fluctuations in the cost of living
so as to secure for the worker the same degree of comfort which the
7s. provided in 1907. As the cost of living may vary widely during
the term of an agreement, it became necessary to provide for a period
ical revision of this basic wage, and several methods have been tried.
U n d er th e existing m eth o d , in tro d u c e d in D ecem ber, 1921, i t is a general rule
to m ak e th e a d ju s tm e n ts q u a rte rly on a basic ra te w hich is a sc e rta in e d b y a p p ly
ing to th e H a rv e ste r w age th e index n u m b e r of th e co st of food, groceries, a n d re n t
for th e preceding q u a rte r, a n d ad d in g 3s. p e r w eek to th e resu lt. T h e sum of 3s.
per w eek, th o u g h a n a rb itra ry figure, w as chosen a fte r d elib eratio n as a fair
a d d itio n to cover possible increases in th e co st of liv in g in th e q u a rte r succeeding
each a d ju s tm e n t, a n d to s e t off p a s t losses suffered b y th e w orkers d u rin g th e
period w hen w ages h ad been lagging b eh in d th e ra p id ly rising prices.
Each of the Australian States has its own method of fixing a living
wage, and each is affected, so far as interstate agreements are con- •
cerned, by the determinations of the commonwealth court. In
practice, however, the various determinations do not show much
difference. The following table gives the living wage as set in each
of the States, and as it would have been if fixed by the commonwealth
court, in 1914 and 1925:
“ L IV IN G W A G E ” P E R W E E K F O R A D U L T M A L E S IN A U S T R A L IA
[P ou n d at par=$4.8665, shillin g= 24.3 cents, p en n y= 2.03 cents; exchange rates approxim ately at par]
Metropolitan area
Sydney (New South Wales)_________________________________________
Melbourne (Victoria)______________________________________________
Brisbane (Queensland) „ _______________ ________ __________________
Adelaide (South Australia) ________________________ ___ ______ _ __
Perth (West Australia)__ ______________________ _______________ _
Hobart (Tasmania). . _____________________________________________
Commonwealth_____________________ _________________ ___________
July, 1914
£ s. d.
2 8 0
2 5 0
2 2 0
2 8 0
2 14 0
2 8 0
2 13 6
June, 1925
£ s. d.
4 2 0
4 4 6
4 0 0
4 2 0
4 0 0
3 18 0
4 4 0
This seems to show that increases in the living wage have been fairly
uniform during the period covered, although there has been a certain
evening up process; in 1914 the difference between the lowest and
the highest wage set was 12s., while in 1925 it was only 6s. 6d.
The actual wage fixed differs from the living wage by the amount
of the so-called secondary wage, which is considered separately for
each occupation. It is a general custom to preserve unaltered the
established margin of difference between different grades of workers,
and to vary all rates of wages by the amount by which the living
wage has been increased or diminished. A study of the wage rates
in different industries shows that from 1913 to 1921 there was a gen
eral increase, but that since 1921 there has been a fall in most in
dustries. The average rate for all industries stood in 1921 at 95s.
1Shilling at p ar=24.3 cents;
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exchange rate approxim ately at par.
44
M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
10d. and at 93s. 6d. in 1924. The movement of real wages has varied
somewhat from that of nominal wages. The method of discovering
the real wages is thus described:
In ord er to show th e effective valu e of th ese a m o u n ts [the m oney wages] i t
is necessary to consider th e m in re la tio n to th e p u rch asin g pow er of m oney.
Food a n d re n t a re th e only elem en ts of ex p en d itu re of w hich satisfa c to ry records
a s to v a ria tio n s in th e p u rch asin g pow er of m oney a re av ailab le, a n d in th e
follow ing s ta te m e n t th e re la tio n betw een th e co st of th ese ite m s a n d th e av erag e
ra te s of w ages is illu stra te d . F o r th is p u rp o se th e av erag e ra te s of w ages h av e
been reduced to index n u m b ers, w h ich h a v e been d iv id ed b y th e in d ex n u m b ers
of food a n d re n t. T h e re su lts in d ic a te th e v a ria tio n s in th e effective w age.
Using this method the following table was constructed:
AVERAGE NOMINAL WAGE AND IN D E X NUM BER OF NOMINAL WAGE, EFFECTIVE
WAGE, AND FOOD AND RENT COMBINED
Average nomi
nal wage per
week
Year
Index
Amount num
ber
s. d.
1901___________
1906___________
1911___________
1912___________
1913___________
1914___________
1915___________
1916____ ______
43 11
45 4
51 5
54 3
55 9
56 0
56 10
59 7
854
882
1,000
1,055
1,084
1,089
1, 105
1,160
Index
num
ber of
food
and
rent
848
901
1,000
1,113
1, 144
1, 171
1,283
1, 351
Average nomi
nal wage per
week
Index
num
ber of
effec
tive
wage
1, 007
979
1, 000
948
948
930
861
859
Year
Index
Amount num
ber
1917___________
1918___________
1919___________
1920___________
1921___________
1922___________
1923___________
1924___________
s. d.
63 6
65 1
70 10
86 3
95 5
93 2
92 7
93 10
1,236
1, 266
1,377
1,677
1,855
1,812
1,801
1,826
Index
num
ber of
food
and
rent
1, 365
1,383
1,531
1, 791
1,672
1, 586
1,685
1,662
Index
num
ber of
effec
tive
wage
905
915
899
936
1, 109
1,142
1, 069
1,099
In commenting upon this table, attention is called to the fact that
for the five years following 1911, although the nominal wage was
rising, the cost of living was rising so much more rapidly that there
was a real decrease in effective wages, which in 1916 were 14 per
cent lower than in 1911. Thereafter effective wages began to gain
on the cost of living, hut it was not until 1921 that they passed the
1911 figure; in 1922 they reached their highest point, standing at
14 per cent above the level of 1911, and then began to decline, being
in 1924 only 10 per cent higher.
This calculation of effective wages is based entirely upon wage
rates, making no allowance for either overtime or unemployment,
and consequently can not be taken as showing the course of actual
earnings. According to the census records, there was much greater
unemployment in 1921, when effective wages stood at 1,109, than in
1911 when they stood at 1,000, so that the financial condition of
the worker did not reflect the full increase in the wage rate. More
over, the calculation takes no account of the variations in different
industries. “ In the building trade, for instance, there has been re
markable activity in recent years, and competent men have been
receiving wages above the rates prescribed by awards, and have
probably suffered less intermittency than in periods of normal trade;
meanwhile some of the other industries have experienced slackness.”
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[44]
45
WAGES AND PR IC E S IN C IE N FU E G O S, CUBA
Prohibition of Night Work in Chilean Bakeries
HE Chilean decree law (No. 24), published in the official journal,
Diario Oficial, on October 4, 1924, prohibits night work in
bakeries, pastry shops, candy factories, and similar under
takings between 9 p. m. and 5 a. m. Members of the proprietor’s
family are included in the prohibition. The above-named estab
lishments are obliged to comply with the sanitary requirements to
be laid down by the regulations issued in connection with this law.
The first violation of the law is punishable by a fine of 100 pesos 1
for each employee working illegally, the second by a fine of 500 pesos,
and the third by the closing of the establishment for at least a month.
Any agreement made by employers and workers contrary to the
provisions of the law is declared illegal.
T
Wages and Prices in Cieniuegos, Cuba
REPORT from the American consul at Cienfuegos, Cuba,
dated April 15, 1926, gives figures on the cost of living and
wages in this district.
The following statement shows the average retail prices of certain
staple articles:
A
Price
Beef, so u p ___________
Steak, r o u n d ._______
P o rk ________________
F resh fish_______ ____
D ried fish___________
R ice________i _______
Y am s_______________
B a n a n a s __________
F lour, w h e a t_________
S u g a r_______________
Coffee, com m on grade
B u tte r_______________
C heese______________
E g g s-------------------------
pound. _
. . d o -----. . d o ____
__ d o .__
. . d o ____
-_do____
-_do____
_d o z e n ._
p o u n d ._
. . d o ____\
-. d o ____.
. . d o __ _q.
$ 0 .3 0
. 30
.3 5
. 30
. 20
. 09
ros
no
.no
,• 05
. 60
f 75
$0. 65-1. 00
"dozenlT
f 72
Data giving the maximum, minimum, and average. daily wages
of the specified workers as well as the average number'of .working
hours per day are given below:
M AXIM UM , M INIM UM , AND AVERAGE DAILY WAGES AND HOURS PER DAY
BY OCCUPATION
Wages per day
Occupation
Maximum Minimum
Carpenters......... ........................
Masons______ ____ _______
Painters- ___________________
Plumbers.............. _______ _____
Mechanics, electricians____
Stevedores, longshoremen____
Seamen. . . _____________ .
Common laborer..................
Chauffeurs_________
Clerks, store.....................
Clerks, office_________
School-teachers...........................
$4.00
4.00
3.50
3. 50
4.00
3.80
2 3.80
2.10
2. 75
33.00
4.50
4.00
1 Peso at par = 36.5 cents; exchange rate is approximately 12 cents.
2 Seamen are usually furnished the noon meal.
3 Store clerks are usually given board and room free.
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[45]
Anvp
$3.00
3.00
3.00
3.00
2.50
3. 80
3.80
1.85
2. 25
2. 00
2. 50
2.00
Average
$3.50
3.50
3.25
3. 50
3. 50
3.80
3. 80
2.00
2. 50
2. 50
3. 50
3.00
Hours per
day
8-9
8-9
8-9
8-9
8-9
8-9
8-10
8-10
8-10
8-10
8-9
6-9
46
M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
The report states that a medium-grade pair of shoes costs from
$5 to $9; shirts cost from $1.50 to $3; and trousers, from $2 to $6.
Houses in the cheaper districts of the city having 4 to 6 rooms
rent for between $20 and $40 a month while a single man usually
pays from $10 to $15.
According to the report, the sugar market affects both wages and
prices, the latter being higher from January to July, during the
grinding season in the sugar mills, than during the rest of the year.
Average Daily Wages and Output in French Coal Mines, 1900 to 1925
HE following table, showing the average daily wages and out
put of underground, and of underground and surface workers
combined in French coal mines and the labor cost per ton
extracted, is taken from the 1926 report1 of the Central Committee
of the Coal Mines of France:
T
AVERAGE DAILY WAGES AND OUTPUT OF UNDERGROUND, AND OF U N D E R
GROUND AND SURFACE WORKERS AND LABOR COSTS PER TON M INED IN
FRENCH COAL MINES
[Franc at par=19.3 cents, exchange rate for December, 1925=3.59 cents; metric tons converted to tons of
2,000 pounds]
Average daily wages
Year
nderground U nderground U nderground
U nderground Uand
and surface
surface
workers
workers
workers
workers
Francs
1900--______________________
1901-- ____________________
1902 _ ____________________
1903
____________________
_______________
1904 1905________________________
1906-_- _____________________
1907 _ . _________________
1908 - ___________________
1909-_- _____________________
1910 _
_________________
1911 _ - _________________
1912 _
_______________
1913 _
_______________
1914--___________________
1915
1916 ____________
1917
1918
1919 _______________________
1920--_________________
1921 _
__________
1922-______ ________________
1923________________________
1924. ______________________
1925-. _____________________
Average daily production
(tons)
5.11
5.28
4.99
4. 96
4.93
4.94
5. 22
5.38
5.41
5. 46
5.50
5.58
5.70
5. 96
5.88
5. 64
6. 35
7.83
11.15
15. 21
20. 84
20. 49
18.81
21. 55
24. 67
25.60
Francs
4. 66
4.82
4. 57
4. 55
4. 53
4. 53
4. 75
4. 90
4. 96
4.97
5.01
5.12
5.19
5. 40
4.94
4. 78
5. 49
6. 92
10.12
13. 44
16. 25
18.84
17. 17
20. 05
22.80
23. 59
Labor costs
per ton
mined
Francs
1.11
1.05
1.05
1.09
1.07
1.10
1.09
1.07
1.03
1.03
1.04
1.06
1.08
1.08
1.07
.94
1.01
.96
.91
.88
.84
.85
.84
.88
.88
.89
0. 79
.75
.74
.78
.76
.78
(2)
.77
.74
.74
.74
.75
.77
.77
.74
.69
.67
.70
.62
.56
.52
.55
.54
. 60
.62
.64
6.46
7.08
6.89
6.05
6. .56
6.38
6. 81
7.05
7. 36
7.40
7.46
7.45
7.44
7. 77
8. 10
28.68
40.25
38.90
32. 85
36.61
40. 21
40. 95
1 Comité Central des Houillères de France. Rapport présenté a l’assemblée générale ordinaire du 26
Mars, 1926. Paris, 1926, p. 20.
2Figures given are incorrect.
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M O N T H L Y LABOR RE V IE W
47
Wag es and Cost of Living in Nayarit, Mexico
HE Mexican Department of National Statistics lias published
information 1regarding the average monthly wages paid as well
as the average family expenditure in the State of Nayarit,
Mexico, in December, 1925, from which the following table is taken.
In this study the family is considered as consisting of from three to
five persons.
T
AVERAGE MONTHLY WAGES AND EXPEN D ITU R E OF WORKERS’ FAMILIES IN
NAYARIT, MEXICO, IN DECEM BER, 1925, BY CLASS OF WORKERS
[Exchange value of peso“ 48.8 cents]
Average monthly expenditure for—
C lass of w o rk ers
m o n th ly
w age
T e ach ers _ ................................ ................................. ...........
Office w orkers:
P u b lic —
C lass A .. _________ __________
_______
C lass B __________ .
. ____ ___ _
C lass C _____ ______ __________________ _
P riv a te —
C lass A _________________ _____ ______ _
C lass B . .............................................. ..
.
C lass C ............ ............................... ........... .............
M a n u a l w o rk ers:
M e c h a n ic s ...................... ......................................... .......
C a r p e n te r s ........................................................... .........
B ric k la y e rs ______________ ____ ___ ________ _
___ _________________________
S h o em akers
W o rk ers in general . . _ _____ . . .
R u ra l w o rk ers: D a y la b o re rs ........... ............... ...............
C lo th
R ent
in g
B ev
erages
R ec
rea
tio n
M is
c e lla
n eo u s
Pesos Pesos Pesos Pesos Pesos Pesos Pesos
87
45
11
12
4
4
7
1México. Departamento de la Estadística Nacional.
1926, p. 48.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
F ood
[473
5
6
2
4
2
9
3
2
5
3
2
8
2
1
8
2
2
2
3
10
2
2
3
3
100
68
39
52
39
22
13
9
6
15
10
5
90
60
38
47
34
22
12
9
14
9
6
5
2
120
62
15
18
27
7
7
4
48
6
5
23
32
30
18
52
57
54
30
7
6
8
7
3
8
7
3
4
3
4
4
2
Estadística Nacional, Federal District, Feb. 28,
W OM EN IN IN D U STR Y
Hours and Working Conditions of Women in Illinois Industries
N THE late winter and spring/of 1924 the United States Women’s
Bureau, at the suggestion of the Illinois League of Women
Voters and with the cooperation of the State and local authori
ties, carried on a survey of the hours and working conditions of
women in industrial employment in Illinois.1 The survey covered
429 establishments in 50 cities and towns, employing 48,730 women,
and included workers in 31 manufacturing industries, in stores, laun
dries, hotels, and restaurants. Data as to hours and working condi
tions were obtained by interviews with employers and managers, by
inspections of the plants, and from shop records opened to the invest
tigators. Personal data were obtained by means- of questionnaires
filled in by not far from 19,000 women, the number reporting on the
different items varying.
I
The Workers
18,376 women reporting on nativity, 76.7 per cent were native^
bom whites, 4.6 per cent were native-born colored, and 18.7
per cent were foreign born. In this respect Chicago differed from
the rest of the State. Practically all of the negro women report
ing were employed in Chicago, while the proportion of foreign-born
whites was 28.7 per cent in Chicago and 8.7 per cent elsewhere. The
majority of the negro women were employed in slaughtering and
meat-packing establishments, in the manufacture of house furnishings
and miscellaneous textiles, and in laundries. Foreign-born women
formed over a third of the total number reporting in slaughtering and
meat packing, in the manufacture of bread and bakery products, of
glue, and of tobacco products. In the slaughtering and meat-packing
industry only a quarter of those reporting were native-born whites.
Of the 18,256 women who reported on age, practically one-third
(32.2 per cent) were under 20 years old, 40.9 per cent were 20 but
under 30, and 26.9 per cent were 30 and over. Of the 17,966 who
gave information as to marital status, 22.4 per cent were married,
and 12.3 per cent were widowed, divorced, or separated, making a
total of 34.8 per cent who were or had been married. The great
majority (83 per cent) of those reporting on living conditions were at
home, 6.4 per cent were with relatives but away from home, and only
10.6 per cent were living independently.
Hours
'"THE Illinois law permits a 10-hour day for women, but compara1 tively few of the employers took advantage of this limit,
though there was a difference in this particular between Chicago
1 United States. Department of Labor. Women’s Bureau. Bulletin No. 51: Women in Illinois
industries—a study of hours and working conditions. Washington, 1926.
48
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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49
H O U E S , E T C ., OF W O M E N IN IL L IN O IS IN D U ST R IE S
and the rest of the State. Honrs for hotel and restaurant workers
were too irregular to he grouped with those of other employees. For
the women employed in stores, factories, and laundries, the following
table shows the distribution by locality and scheduled daily hours:
SCHEDULED DAILY HOURS, BY LOCALITY
Per cent of women having specified daily hours
Locality
U nder 8
State ........... ..................................... ...........
Chicago ____ _______________________
Other places_____________ _________
4. 1
5.9
1. 6
8
26.9
29.9
22.8
Over 8
and
under 9
36.9
51.0
16.7
9
Over 9
and
under 10
23. 3
10. 6
41.2
3.3
1.9
5.2
10
5.4
.4
12.5
It will be noticed that long hours were more common elsewhere
than in Chicago, only 2.3 per cent of the women surveyed in that
city having a scheduled day of over 9 hours, as compared with a
trifle over one-sixth of the women in other parts of the State.
The short Saturday was quite general, so that the scheduled week
rarely amounted to six times the daily schedule. Taking the State
as a whole, 62 per cent had a scheduled week of 48 hours or less,
24.5 per cent had over 48 up to and including 50 hours, and 13.5 per
cent one of over 50. Only 5.7 per cent had a scheduled working week
of over 54 hours. In Chicago 83.7 per cent had a scheduled week of
48 hours or less, and only 1 per cent one of 54 hours or over.
The hours actually worked differed considerably from those sched
uled, since it was necessary to take into consideration both lost time
and overtime. Almost one-half (46.3 per cent) of the women had
lost time during the week taken, labor turnover, absence for personal
reasons, and slack work being the causes assigned. The same woman
might both lose time and work overtime within the same week, so
that it was difficult to draw any conclusions as to the average time
worked. For 35,636 women employed in factories, stores, and laun
dries the actual hours worked during a given week were obtained,
showing the following results:
HOURS WORKED DURING THE WEEK, BY LOCALITY
Per cent of women who worked during the week—*
Locality
U nder 44
hours
State _________________________________
Chicago_______________ _______________
Other places . ______
________________
30.1
35.8
23.5
44 and under 52 and under 60 hours and
52 hours
60 hours
over
55.4
54.3
56.8
14.1
9.7
19.1
0.4
.1
.8
For women employed in restaurants, workdays of less than 8 hours
were more common than for those employed in stores, factories, or
laundries, but so also were long workdays. The schedules of the
restaurant workers were apt to be irregular, and their working hours
were stretched over a longer period than was the case in other occu
pations.
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[4 9 ]
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M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
No great difference was found as to working conditions between
Chicago and the smaller places.
Neither group of establishments was uniformly good nor bad. Modern fac
tories, satisfactory on the whole, were found both in Chicago and in the smaller
community; so also were establishments which were poorly arranged and badly
managed. Probably there was a greater proportion of large modern plants in
Chicago than in the smaller towns, but even in such establishments matters im
portant from the point of view of the workers’ comfort and health often had
been overlooked, and standards of general workroom conditions or of sanitation
failed to come up to a satisfactory level.
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[501
CH ILD LA B O R A N D CHILD W EL FA R E
Cost of Bringing Up a Child
SERIES of articles in which an attempt is made to arrive at the
average expenditure required to bring a child through the
period of infancy and adolescence when he is being fitted to
take his place in the world has appeared in recent issues of the
Statistical Bulletin 1 published by the Metropolitan Life Insurance
Co, This appraisal of the cost of bringing up a child is based on the
cost-of-living studies of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics
and on studies of the Federal Children’s Bureau and other agencies.
In such a study interest centers naturally in the family of moderate
or average circumstances; a family of five, consisting of father,
mother, and three children, having an annual expenditure of $2,500,
has been taken, therefore, as the basis upon which the estimates have
been made.
In a consideration of the expense involved in the rearing of a child,
the first item to be considered is the cost of being born. This first
cost varies greatly according to the economic status of the parents
and even among people of the same class, particularly those in
moderate or poor circumstances, there is much difference as a result
of racial customs or the degree of intelligence exercised in apportion
ing expenses among the different items of the family budget. Numer
ical estimates of the cost of childbirth, therefore, represent only a
rough average about which the cost in individual cases will range.
The minimum cost of maternity care given by a general practitioner
either in the patient’s home or in a hospital ward is said to be around
$150, while better care, including a semiprivate room, can be obtained
for about $100 more. The service of a specialist increases this
minimum to between $400 and $500. Treatment by midwives and
the outdoor hospital service cost considerably less than the minimum
hospital care. In 1924, 80 per cent of the births in New York City
were attended by physicians and half of these took place in hospitals.
In round figures, therefore, it is estimated that the average cost of
being born ranges from $200 to $300. Although this is not a large
outlay when considered in relation to the mean length of life, which
is about 55 years, it is an item which has to be met at one point of
time and does impose, therefore, a considerable burden upon families
of moderate means.
The cost of food is the next most important item in building the
human machine. Here, also, conditions vary according to the
economic and social status of the parents. In computing the average
expenditure, the study of Prof. William F. Ogburn which was based
on the scale of relative food consumption for persons of different ages
prepared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, has been used. Com
puted on the basis of a family (of three children and father and mother)
A
1 Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., Statistical Bulletin, November, December, 1925, and February-April,
1926.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[51]
51
52
M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
having an annual expenditure of $2,500, it is estimated that the total
cost of food for a boy from birth to age 18 would be approximately
$2,400, and of a girl $2,330. Making allowance, however, for a
somewhat higher consumption of food per adult male unit established
by a similar study by Raymond Pearl, the total cost of feeding a
child from birth to the 18th birthday is placed at $2,500, or one
year’s total expenditure for the family as a whole.
The next item in the account is the cost of clothing and shelter.
The expenditure for clothing is an individual concern, while that for
shelter (including such elements as housing, fuel, light, household
furnishings and upkeep) covers joint expenses which have to be con
sidered as a whole. Estimates of expenditures for these items are
based^ on the cost-of-living study published in 1924 by the Bureau
of Labor Statistics. The cost of clothing for the boy up to the age
of 18 is placed at $912 after deducting $20 for clothing during the
first months of life which was included in the estimate of the average
cost of being born; the clothing expenditure for the girl, after making
the same deduction, is estimated to be $1,002.
The amount spent annually for shelter depends to a large extent
upon the locality in 'which the family lives. The estimate, however,
is based on present conditions in large cities where rents are notori
ously high and where persons of small incomes are forced either to
live in homes that seem inadequate to persons living in small towns
or on farms, or spend too large a proportion of their income on rent.
The choice between these two evils will depend largely upon the
social habits of the individuals concerned. It is probable that the
man with the white-collar job will choose the more expensive place
to live, while the artisan and skilled laborer will be more inclined to
seek a cheaper dwelling. As the second of these social classes is the
larger it is given greater weight in estimating the expenditures for
shelter. It is assumed, therefore, that out of an expenditure of
$2,500 a year, from $40 to $50 per month is spent for a 4-room apart
ment, or, fixing an average of $45, the rent bill would amount to $540.
For this amount spent for rent there would be two bedrooms, com
bined living and dining room, which might also contain a folding
bed, and in some cases a bathroom. Apportionment of this and
similar items on a satisfactory basis among the different members
of the family is difficult but for want of a better method the cost
has been distributed so that in the course of 18 years each child is
charged with about one-sixth of the family expense for shelter. The
total rent for this period would be $9,720 and the share for one child
$1,620. This figure does not allow for fuel and light, the family
cost of which is placed at $100 per annum, or $300 for each child
during the 18-year period. On the same basis of a one-sixth share in
the expenses for each child the cost of furniture, household equip
ment and upkeep during the 18 years is estimated to be $351. The
total cost of the various items included under clothing and shelter
during the 18 years is $3,327 for a boy and, because of the somewhat
greater expense for clothing $3,417 for a girl, or an average of about
$3,400 for both sexes.
The remaining items to be considered on the cost side of the
account during the formative years of the individual are the expend
itures for health, recreation, and sundries, and for education.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[52]
U N E M P L O Y M E N T AMONG BOYS AND GIRLS IN EN GLAN D
53
The annual cost of putting a child through the elementary schools
in New York State has been shown in a study by the American
Council on Education to be $107 and through the secondary schools,
$200. Including $100 for a year’s attendance at kindergarten, the
total cost of a complete grammar and high school education is $1,750.
These figures are somewhat higher than for the country as a whole,
however, owing to the lower standards in some sections. All children
do not complete both grammar and high school but the minimum
time for school is in almost all cases seven years, so that the average
cost of schooling is considered to be approximately $1,100. This
item, of course, does not appear explicitly in the family budget and
the parent may not even pay direct taxes, but indirectly they share
in the tax burdens through the sums paid for rent and in the prices
paid for other necessities. While the cost of education directly borne
by the parents amounts to only about $50 in the course of the school
years, for such items as books, stationery, and incidentals, the whole
cost of education is of interest because of the great importance of
this element in the making of the citizen.
The cost of health items, such as the services of physicians, dental
care, medicines, and hospital and nursing care, is estimated to be
$284. Recreation costs for the period are fixed at $130, insurance at
$54, and sundries at $570.
The following statement brings together the cost of all these items
and shows the average cost of rearing a child to the age of 18 years:
Cost of being born_____________ ..._____________ ____________ $250
Food_____________________________________________________ 2, 500
Clothing and shelter______________________________________ 3, 400
Education, minor items met by the individual family purse_
50
Education, major items, cost of schooling provided by the
community— $ 1,100.
Health______________________
284
Recreation________________________________________________
130
Insurance_________________________________________________
54
Sundries__________________________________________________
570
Total (exclusive of item 5 )_ _ _______________________ 7, 238
The difference in the amounts spent for boys and girls are consid
ered to be so small that no distinction for sex has been made in this
summary, and the sum arrived at—approximately $7,200—is believed
to be a fair representation of the money expended by a family of the
$2,500 income class during the years when the child is being prepared
to take his place in the world and become a contributor economically
to the family and the community.
Inquiry into Unemployment Among Boys and. Girls in England
N JUNE and July, 1925, an inquiry was made into the personal
circumstances and industrial history of 3,331 boys and 2,701 girls
who were registered for employment at the labor exchanges and
juvenile employment bureaus in England and Scotland, and a sum
mary of its results are given in the Ministry of Labor Gazette (Lon
don) for May, 1926.
[53]
I
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
54
M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
The group was chosen carefully so as to furnish a fair sample of work
ing-class boys and girls. About 28 per cent were under 16, the rest
being 16 hut under 18. Two per cent were still at school, 14.7 per
cent had not been employed since leaving school, and the remainder
had held one or more positions. Nearly 70 per cent were described
as of good physique, and over 84 per cent were in good health. It was
a noteworthy fact that the older boys and girls were markedly superior
in health and physique to the younger.
Nearly four-fifths of the children (77.9 per cent) had both parents
living. One or both parents of 68.3 per cent of the boys and of 73.6
per cent of the girls were employed. In one of every five families
represented, unemployment benefit was being drawn by some person
other than the boys and girls concerned. Poor relief was drawn in 6
per cent of the families.
The principal industries for which the unemployed boys were
registered were engineering, colliery work, shipbuilding, transport,
and the building trades. Of the girls who had had employment, 16.3
per cent were registered for domestic service, and 15.3 per cent for the
textile industries; 14 per cent had been shop assistants, and 9.4 per
cent had been in the dress trades.
In general there had been no long interval between leaving school
and obtaining work. A little over one-half of those who had had any
employment had secured it within one month of leaving school, and
about three-quarters within 6 months. There seemed a tendency to
hold on to positions when they ha,d once been obtained, Less than
a third (29.5 per cent) of the situations were left for reasons within
the control of the boys and girls themselves, and 70.5 per cent for
reasons outside their control, of which trade depression accounted
for 35.7 per cent.
The results obtained do not support the view that boys and girls tend to leave
their first situations at the earliest possible moment from sheer love of change.
More than two-thirds of the boys and slightly less than two-thirds of the girls
held their first situations for more than 6 months. The textile, coal-mining, and
engineering industries in the case of boys, and the textile and dress trades in the
case of girls, provided the highest portion of first situations held for more than
a year.
The average number of weeks spent in each situation was about 41.
On an average the boys had been unemployed, since losing their last
situation, for 8.4 weeks, and the girls for 7.2 weeks. The older boys
had been unemployed for longer periods than the younger, but no
such difference was observable among the girls. The inquiry seemed
to lend some confirmation to the theory that there is a tendency to
discharge young workers when they reach the age of 16, in order to
avoid the necessity for paying increased wages and to escape meeting
the requirements of the health and unemployment insurance acts.
Of the boys who had been in trade board occupations, 2.9 per cent
were discharged on reaching 16, and of those in other insurable occupa
tions, 6.6 per cent. For girls the corresponding proportions were 7.8
per cent and 2.8 per cent.
As to employability, the boys and girls were divided into three
classes: (a) Those who in normal times would probably have been
trained for a trade, commercial occupation, or profession; (b) those
who would have entered an occupation providing for steady employ
ment; and (c) those who would have taken up any job that was
[54]
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
U N E M P L O Y M E N T AM ONG BOYS AND GIRLS IN EN GLAN D
55
available. This classification was then correlated with the kind of
situation obtained and the number of situations held.
The results indicated that there were more boys and girls of the best type
than there were situations of the best type; that there was in general a substantial
correspondence between the type of boy or girl and the type of situation obtained,
but that a comparatively high proportion of boys (though not of girls) of the best
type had obtained casual or seasonal situations, or had had four, five, six or more
situations.
In general, the worse the physique, health, or appearance of the
boy or girl the longer was the average total period of unemployment
between situations; the boy with poor physique, for example, is
unemployed for a period nearly twice as long as the boy of, good
physique.
The final conclusions are of interest in connection with the state
ments often made as to the effect the present depression is having
upon the young people who are entering industry.
The results of the inquiry suggest that the great bulk of the boys and girls who
were registered for employment were simply young workers of ordinary type who
had been unemployed for a comparatively short period; there is no indication of
a large class of boys and girls, verging on the unemployable, who have deteriorated
markedly in consequence of long-continued unemployment. On the other hand
the inquiry shows that there is a residue of difficult cases, which in themselves
constitute a problem of the first magnitude. Perhaps the most significant fact
disclosed is the unsatisfactory character of much of the employment which the
boys and girls were seeking, and the apparently high proportion of situations
which, though providing possibly some security of tenure, offered few or no
prospects of training for a definite occupation.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[55]
L
IN D U STR IA L A C C ID EN TS A N D H Y G IEN E
Health Hazards in Brass Foundries1
STUDY of the health hazards of the brass foundry trade,
made recently by the United States Public Health Service,
included field investigations covering 22 foundries, both large
and small establishments, and laboratory experiments of the effects
upon animals of the inhalation and ingestion of zinc oxide.
The 22 plants visited in the course of the investigation employed
approximately 340 men. The foundries were of both modern and
old-fashioned construction and the working conditions were con
sidered typical of the trade generally at the present time. The
metals used in making brass castings are an alloy of copper and
zinc in varying proportions, with sometimes other metals, such as
phosphorus, copper, manganese, lead, tin, iron, aluminum, and
antimony, depending upon the type of casting to be produced.
The principal hazards present were found to be exposure to dust,
inadequate illumination and glare, poor ventilation, the presence of
fumes, gases, smoke, heat, cold, and dampness, and in some instances
unsatisfactory personal service facilities.
The dust hazard in the foundry rooms comes mainly from sand
during its preparation for molding and in knocking out the castings,
while a considerable quantity of dry sand accumulates on the floor
and is stirred up by the men’s feet. The metallic dusts present in
the foundry rooms consist usually of cadmium oxide, copper, manga
nese, iron, antimony, tin, and lead, and are formed during the melt
ing, casting, and cleaning processes. Zinc oxide, which is always
present in the air of foundries, but is present in enormous quantities
during the casting, is particularly important in its effect upon the
workmen. There are also the “ parting dusts” which are trade
products and contain, either singly or in combination, such sub
stances as ground bone, lycopodium, flour, sand, fuller’s earth,
graphite, and lampblack. These dusts are sifted over the surfaces
of the molds and are inhaled to some extent by the workers during
the sifting. It was the general impression among the workers that
the parting dusts were harmful and it was claimed that they caused
an irritation of the nose and throat, resulting in a hacking cough.
An analysis of the dust in air samples obtained from several
foundries showed that, in the rooms in three foundries where there
was an appreciable amount of zinc dust, from 33 to 64 per cent of
the men had been affected at various times by the zinc, while in
one case all the men examined gave histories of frequent attacks of
zinc intoxication.
During the melting and pouring of the alloy in the molding room
oi a foundry dense white clouds, composed chiefly of zinc oxide,
A
1 United States. Treasury Department. Public Health Service. Public Health Bulletin No, 157,
Health hazards of brass founders, by Dr. John A. Turner and Dr. L. R. Thompson. Washington, 1926.
56
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H E A L T H HAZARDS IN BRASS FO U N D R IE S
57
escape from the crucibles and ladles. These fumes, which rise first
to the ceiling, spread through the room unless sufficient exit is pro
vided for them at the top of the room. In bad weather the increased
water saturation of the air also interferes to some extent with the
escape of the fumes from the room.
In the cleaning department, the dust to which the workers are
exposed is chiefly siliceous in character, and the methods followed in
cleaning the castings are important from a health standpoint. Sand
blasting is an extremely dusty process and workers can not remain
at this work for more than a year or two without serious detriment
to health unless the work is done in an inclosed sand-blasting chamber.
Chipping the rough and uneven surfaces of castings exposes the
worker to injury from metallic particles which are too large to be
classed as dust hut which may be injurious, especially to the eyes,
while in grinding, workers are exposed to both siliceous and metallic
dust as well as to particles from the grinding wheels.
In the foundries studied, physical examinations were made of 212
workers, of whom 102 were exposed to zinc oxide during the melting
and pouring of brass and had suffered from “ brass found.rymeiTs
ague,” 68 had been exposed but were not affected, and 42 had not
been exposed. The workers who gave histories of zinc-oxide poisoning
were shown to be in somewhat poorer physical condition than those
who were exposed to the fumes but not affected by them, but on
account of the small number of workers examined it wras not possible
definitely to relate these conditions to their exposure to zinc.
Of the 102 men giving a history of attacks of the ague, 26 per cent
had an average of one attack a week, 11 per cent had two a week,
and 2 per cent, three a week; while the frequency of the attacks
varied m the remainder from an average of one per month to one or
two a year. The majority stated that the attacks occurred only
during the winter months, and that in inclement weather an attack
was almost certain, while symptoms were generally said to be milder
during the summer than during the winter months. An appreciable
degree of toleration—that is, less severe symptoms—was said to have
been developed by 18 per cent of the men. Of 84 men reporting on
the length of employment before ill effects of the zinc oxide were
produced, 25 per cent reported that the first symptoms occurred
within periods varying from one day to less than one month; 25 per
cent, from one month to less than three months; 6 per cent, from
three months to less than six months; 5 per cent, from six months to
one year; 14 per cent, from one to two years; and the remainder
from two to five years. Those men who had been employed for years
without experiencing any ill effects considered that then’ escape was
due to the good ventilation in the shops in which they were employed,
as well as to acquired immunity. Premonitory symptoms of the
attacks were experienced by 75 per cent of the men, either in the
middle of the afternoon, upon leaving work and coming in contact
with the cold outside air, or later in the evening. In the majority
of cases no disabling effects were present the day following the attack.
The premonitory symptoms are a general feeling of illness, followed
by a chilly sensation, and sometimes accompanied by a stiffening of
the back and arms. Other symptoms frequently present are dull
headache, metallic taste, irritation of the throat, coughing, burning
102973°—26-5
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M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
of the eyes, and thirst. After the development of the premonitory
symptoms, the chilly sensation may develop into a severe chill, after
which there is a fever with more or less profuse sweating, the other
symptoms gradually subsiding. Sixty-six of the men reported that
they felt no ill effects on the morning following the attack, while the
remaining 38 stated that the effects lasted part or all of the following
day.
Supplementing this study in brass foundries, 19 workers who were
exposed to zinc oxide dust in a zinc oxide plant were examined.
Twelve of these men gave a history of oxide chills, the similarity in
the symptoms and the severity of the attacks being so constant in
all stages that there seemed to be no question that the basic causative
factor was the same in both industries. The symptoms among brass
foundry men, however, were present only in acute attacks, while
among the oxide -workers they were fairly constant, due to the fact
that the oxide workers work in an atmosphere heavily laden with the
oxide dust
Activities of Union Health Center During 1925 1
HE Union Health Center, New York City, which was organized
about 13 years ago by the International Ladies’ Garment
Workers’ Union to take care of the health of the more than
50,000 members of the union, is to extend the facilities of its clinics
to members of other labor organizations. The services of the medical
and dental departments will be available to members of other tradeunions on the same terms as to its own members, and it is hoped to
develop the medical organization to a point where it will become a
workers’ health center representing the cooperative efforts of organ
ized labor along these lines.
A complete medical clinic is maintained at the health center which
provides for general medical care; physical examinations, electric,
baking, and light treatments; eye examinations and refraction; nose,
adenoid, and tonsil operations; and also contains a laboratory and a
fully equipped X-ray department. The dental clinic, which has
recently been enlarged at an expense of $25,000, is said to be the
largest in the world. It now occupies 10,000 square feet of floor
space, with 22 chairs or dental units, and has a capacity of 500
patients a day. Since the clinic was established nine years ago,
nearly 20,000 patients have been treated. All kinds of dental work,
extractions, X rays, prophylaxis, fillings, children’s work, and making
of plates, bridges, etc., are done in the department. The charges are
based on the actual cost of the services rendered, but show a small
deficit. During 1925 the actual cost of every hour’s work in the
clinic was $4.12, while the income per hour was $4.08. Patients
treated during the year totaled 4,611.
The medical clinic had an attendance of 21,963 during the year
1925, and 23,362 examinations and treatments were given. In this
department also there was a deficit, amounting to about $4,200, due
to the fact that while the charge for the physical examination is $1
the actual cost of the examination is $1.49.
T
1 Union Health Center News, New York, February and May, 1926.
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IN D U ST R IA L ACCID EN TS AND DISEASES IN N E W JE R S E Y
59
The attitude of this organization toward self-help by trade-union
organizations in securing better health conditions and in providing
insurance against sickness and accident is shown in the following
statement from the Union Health Center News:
L abor unions should extend th e ir ac tiv itie s to w orkers’ h e a lth a n d h e a lth
ed ucation.
T h e fu n ctio n of lab o r unions w as a n d is to im p ro v e th e econom ic conditions of
th e w orkers a n d th e m em bers of th e ir o rganizations. By econom ic conditions
are m e a n t a living w age, reaso n ab le hours of labor, d ecen t w orking conditions
a n d a n A m erican sta n d a rd of living.
D ecen t w orking a n d liv in g conditions im p ly also safe a n d fire-p ro tected b u ild
ings to w ork in, clean a n d sa n ita ry shops, safeguarded m ach in ery a n d th e p re
v en tio n of accidents, e lim in atio n of o ccu p atio n al diseases, a w orking-day sh o rt
enough to p re v e n t fatig u e , good food, d ecen t housing, tim e for recreatio n , in
suran ce a g a in st acciden ts, u n em p lo y m en t, sickness, a n d old age.
L ately th e unions h av e ex ten d e d th e ir activ itie s to b a n k in g a n d to th e care
of th e sayings of th e w orkers. If th e care of th e m o n e ta ry savings of th e w o rk
ers is of im p o rtan ce, how m u ch m ore im p o rta n t is it for th e union to ta k e care
of th e h e a lth of th e w orkers a n d save th e ir lives. If th e unions a re beginning to
in tro d u ce in su ran ce fo r u n em p lo y m en t, w hy n o t also in a u g u ra te in su ran ce°fo r
accidents a n d for sickness a n d o th e r h a zard s of th e w o rk er’s life in his tra d e a n d
in his hom e?
. T h ere is a big p ro je c t am ong th e w orkers for th e ir own life in su ran ce in s titu
tion. W hy n o t also in a u g u ra te a n in su ran ce ag a in st sickness? Is n o t sickness
m an y tim es a cause of u n em p lo y m en t a n d of th e general m isery of th e w orkers?
T h e tim e has com e for a b ro a d e r conception of th e care of th e w orkers b y th e ir
ow n organizations^ T h ere is no reason w hy w orkers should be com pelled to
depend u pon c h a rity or p h ila n th ro p ic o rg an izatio n s for care d u rin g sickness.
T he unions should enlarge th e ir scope to include h e a lth as well as “ b read a n d
b u tte r.”
J u s t as ib is im p o rta n t to e d u cate w orkers in th e ir econom ic problem s, it is
equally im p o rta n t to sp re a d th e gospel of h e a lth ed u catio n am ong th e w orkers,
to m ak e th e m h e a lth ie r a n d stro n g er un io n m em bers, a n d to fu rn ish th e m w ith
h e a lth facts a b o u t them selv es a n d th e ir in d u stry .
Industrial Accidents and Diseases in New Jersey, 1924-25 1
H P H E Industrial Accident Bureau of New Jersey reports for the
j[
fiscal year 1924-25 more than 45,000 accidents causing death,
permanent disability, or a time loss exceeding the remainder
of the shift or day during which the injury was received. This num
ber, however, represents a decrease of almost 3,000 as compared with
that of the previous year.
. The following table gives some of the details of the 1924-25 ac
cident record:
NUM BER OF ACCIDENTS IN NEW JERSEY, BY INDUSTRIAL GROUPS, YEAR
ENDING JUNE 30, 1925
Industrial group
Fatal
Nonfatal
Factories and workshops.
Building and construction. ..
Mines and quarries_________
Miscellaneous group_____________
Agriculture.. ___ _______
Domestic service........................
111
121
5
88
7
1
26, 092
8,763
330
9, 791
543
783
Total_____________________
325
44, 976
Total
1 New Jersey. Department of Labor. Report, July 1, 1924, to June 30, 1925. [Trenton, 1925?]
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26, 203
8,884
335
9, 879
550
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M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
Of the 111 fatal accidents in factories and workshops, the greatest
number, 28, were caused by explosions; 15 were due to occupational
diseases, and 12 to the workers being run over or run down by cars,
trucks, etc. In the causes of nonfatal accidents, power-working ma
chines lead with a record of 8,775 injuries, while 6,384 injuries were
received in the handling of objects, 1,921 by stepping on or striking
objects, and 1,897 through the falling of objects not being handled.
A further analysis of the accidents in the factory and workshop
group discloses that the chemical and chemical products industry
was charged with the highest number of deaths (32). The metal
goods industry was responsible not only for the next highest number
of deaths (17), but also outstripped all the other industries in the
number of nonfatal accidents (4,235). The machinery and instru
ments industry, however, was not so far behind, with a record of
3,990 nonfatal injuries.
Of the 121 deaths from accidents in building and construction, 78
were due to the following causes: Falls from buildings, scaffolds,
ladders, etc. (27); railway operations (21); contact with electric
apparatus (17); and falls from or being run down by cars, auto
mobiles, trucks, etc. (13). Of the 8,763 nonfatal injuries in the same
industrial group, more than one-half (4,827) were due to falls of
material, while the handling of sharp objects was accountable for
1,196 injuries.
The leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal accidents in mining
and quarrying in 1924—25 was “falls of ore, rock, earth, etc.”, 3 deaths
and 84 nonfatal injuries occurring in this connection.
In 1924-25 there were 16 deaths from occupational diseases in
New Jersey, according to the report under review, 12 of these being
duo to tetraethyl lead, 2 to lead refining, and 1 each to aniline and
benzol (silk finishing).
The 224 cases of nonfatal occupational disease are recorded as
follows:
A n th rax
_
____B enzine (petroleum p ro d u c t)__
Benzol:
A niline.
_
------- --Benzol (silk finishing)
D in itro c h lo rb e n z o l__
O rth o to lu id in e
________
P a ra n itra n ilin e
_ __
P aran itro c h lo rb en zo l __
C aisson disease
C arbon m onoxide
_ .
C hrom e poisoning
C yanam id __
_
D erm atitis
_
.
In flam m atio n of eyelids (from
lacquer)
______
L ead:
C hem ical p la n t
__ _
E nam eling
__ _ __
In k m an u fa c tu re
. . .
In sectic id es__ __ _
. . .
15
1
4
2
2
1
1
1
3
1
4
1
29
5
1
8
1
2
L ead — C o n tin u ed .
Ju n k y a rd
_
__ __
L ead b a tte rie s ___
____
Lead cables
—
L ead refin in g .
M a n u fa c tu re of lead o x id e .
O ilcloth
Oil refining
P a in t a n d d rv colors —
P a in te rs _
. . .
Red lead
Soldering
_ _
T e tra e th y l le a d ___ —
M e rc u ry :
P rim a ry b a t t e r i e s __ —
C hem ical m a n u fa c tu re -----Storage b a tte rie s
Zinc poisoning _ _ _ _ _ _
T o tal
1
1
2
19
1
1
1
9
12
3
3
85
1
1
1
1
224
Under date of November 15, 1924, the Commissioner of Labor of
New Jersey sent out a letter to all the plants in that State that were
engaged in processes hazardous to the health of their workmen,
recommending that consideration be given to selecting workers
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LEAD PO ISO N IN G OF MOTOR-CAR PA IN T E R S
61
physically lit for their jobs; to warning them of dangers involved in
their occupations; to providing for their periodical physical examina
tion by a competent physicain; to making the premises safe; to pro
viding safe equipment, safety devices, clean working clothes, stand
ardized sanitary equipment, expert medical attention for all workers
-whose health may be impaired by their employment; and to report
ing to the proper authority on every case of sickness resulting from
the occupation.
The above-mentioned letter also declared that a solemn reciprocal
obligation requires workmen engaged in dangerous trades to coop
erate with plant managements to the fullest extent.
During the year covered by the report the Bureau of Education and
Inspection Service has carried on a vigorous safety education cam
paign throughout New Jersey with the cooperation of various organiza
tions, 122 meetings being held in this connection in 48 cities and towns.
The commissioner of labor also recommends that insurance car
riers should provide the employers whose risks they carry with practi
cal posters for properly placed bulletin boards. Furthermore, these
carriers should encourage the inauguration of the educational pro
grams adopted by the New Jersey Compensation Rating and Inspec
tion Bureau. The eighth annual report of that office includ es a table
showing that there are about 4,000 New Jersey plants subject to
safety credit, approximately 2,000, however, being too small to
justify the keeping of safety records. Although the other 2,000 are
‘‘reasonably large” only 184 “ are receiving full credits for maintain
ing a safety campaign.”’ Moreover, it is reported that only 235 out
of the 4,000 plants have a credit rating for the posting of safety
bulletins.
Lead Poisoning of Motor-Car Painters in New South Wales 1
A
N INVESTIGATION of lead poisoning among employees in the
motor-car painting trade in Sydney, Australia, in 1924 covered
^ 100 of the 120 members of the coachmakers’ union in that city.
Complete medical examinations were made of each man, including
a record of the blood pressure, hemoglobin estimation, examination
of the blood for punctate basophilia or stippling of the red cells, and
chemical or microscopical examination of the urine. As a result of the
examinations and the various tests, a positive diagnosis of lead poison
ing was made in 14 of the 100 men examined, while 12 were considered
to bo slightly affected by lead poisoning and 17 had symptoms which
were suspicious but not sufficient to justify a positive diagnosis of
lead poisoning.
In the examination of these workers the lead line was found in 11
cases. Of these men a diagnosis of lead poisoning was made in 6, of
slight lead poisoning in 4, and of no disability in 1. The significance
to be attached to the blue line is the same as that of lead in urine,
but it relates to the recent past while lead in the urine shows present
absorption. The blue line shows that active transportation of lead
has taken place in the body and that the tissues have been exposed
to its harmful effects. A blue line therefore is an indication for
1 Australia (New South Wales). Director-General of Public Health. Annual report, 1924. Section
I-C, Industrial Hygiene, pp. 90-100. Sydney, 1926.
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M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
examination for punctate basophilia to see if the blood-forming tissues
have been poisoned and for granular casts to determine whether the
kidneys have been affected. A blue line is a particularly suspicious
symptom in the otherwise healthy gum.
A fatal case of lead poisoning in which a blue line on the gum was
practically the only symptom came under the observation of the
writer of the report. The case was that of a man engaged in repair
ing wine casks which had been painted with an exceedingly dangerous
mixture of white-lead and turpentine. In handling the casks this
mixture came off as fine dust. The man, who was 33 years old, had
been engaged at this work for two years. His only complaint of
ill health was of muscular pains, but examination of the blood showed
marked basophilia and anemic changes and examination of urine and
feces showed a considerable elimination of lead. He was advised to
change his work and did so, but died in a few weeks of rupture of a
blood vessel in the brain.
Only recently has the significance of finding lead in the urine of
workers exposed to any form of this element received a satisfactory
explanation. Recent researches have shown that the presence of
lead in the urine or in the majority of the body tissues indicates that
lead is being actively transported by the blood and therefore absorp
tion has recently taken place or else considerable amounts have just
been liberated from the bones. Therefore, if a person is engaged in a
process in which there is a known exposure to lead or its compounds
and lead is found in his urine, it is certain this is the result of recent
absorption. There is no definite knowledge, however, of the amount
of lead excreted daily by individuals either poisoned or not affected
by the lead taken in, but it is considered probable that a large amount
is more generally associated with severe cases of poisoning than a
small amount. If through intensive study the amount excreted in
the urine could be correlated with the intake it might help to do
away with the term ‘‘lead absorption” which although it is used in
its legitimate sense to mean merely the presence of lead in the body,
is often used to cover up or belittle signs or symptoms of poisoning.
The tests showed that lead was being excreted by 62 of the men exam
ined and lead in amounts of 0.05 miligram per liter or more was found
in the urine of 9 of the 14 men diagnosed as affected by lead poisoning,
in 6 of the 11 men diagnosed as having slight lead poisoning, and in 21
of the remaining painters. Three of the men whose cases were pro
nounced lead poisoning had been away from work for some time.
Although punctate basophilia are present in practically all cases of
lead poisoning, they may be absent or present only intermittently.
They were found to be present in 18 of the men examined, 6 of these
were among those diagnosed as being affected by lead poisoning and
5 among those considered to be only slightly poisoned. Degenera
tive changes were indicated by granular casts in the urine and by
increased blood pressure in a considerable number of the men exam
ined. In summing up the study it is stated that the incidence of
lead poisoning was sufficiently grave in this industry to call for the
suppression of all processes creating lead dust, for periodical exami
nation of employees, and for better ventilation of the paint shops,
and that “ to forbid the use of lead compounds in any painting process
done indoors is an obvious remedy.”
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M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
63
Belgian Law Prohibiting Use of White Lead in Interior Painting1
LxiW passed in Belgium, March 30, 1926, effective six months
from that date, prohibits the sale of white lead and other pig
ments or colors containing white lead and their use in paint
ing the interior of buildings or in painting any article to be used in
the furnishing of buildings. White pigments' of any kind may not
contain more than 2 per cent of metallic lead by weight.
Exceptions are allowed in the case of the sale of white lead pig
ments in tubes containing less than 500 grams, and in the use of these
pigments in painting articles for export in cases where the orders call
for the use of white lead. Their use is also allowed in painting indus
trial establishments in which there is escape of sulphurous gas.
The dry scraping and sandpapering of surfaces painted with white
lead paint is forbidden.
Violations of the law are punishable by a fine of from 200 to 1,000
francs,2 which will be doubled in case the offense is repeated.
A
i Comité Central Industriel de Belgique, Bulletin, May 5, 1926, pp. 639, 640.
2 Franc at par=19.3 cents; exchange value in March, 1926=4.2 cents.
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W O RK M EN ’S C O M PE N SA TIO N A N D SOCIA L
IN SU RA N CE
Experience With Group Life Insurance in the Metal Trades
MIE department of industrial relations of the National Metal
Trades Association has recently made a study of the extent
to which group insurance plans are in force among its members.1
The study was carried out by means of a series of questionnaires and
by individual plant studies. From the returns received from the
first questionnaire it was found that 135 companies belonging to
this association had group insurance in force, while 17 companies
had tried it but had given it up. The field study covered 64 plants
which had had experience with group insurance, 8 of these having
abandoned it.
.
.
.
I t is estimated that the total amount of group insurance carried by
all companies in the United States in 1925 was in excess of $3,500,000,000, this protection being provided for approximately 2,500,000
employees and their dependents.
Under the group insurance plan a master policy is issued to the
employer, covering all the eligible employees, but the individual policy
may be either a fixed amount for each employee, an amount based
upon the annual wages of the employee, or an amount increasing
with the employee’s length of service up to a fixed maximum. This
insurance may be paid for entirely by the employer or the employees
may contribute a part of the cost.
The reasons for taking out group insurance as reported by 75 of the
companies were either humanitarian motives or such economic
reasons as the reduction of labor turnover or the general promotion
of the employees’ good will. The results of the plan were said to be
satisfactory by 57 of the 82 companies reporting on this point, while
10 reported that it was only partially successful, and 15 declared that
it had not produced the results hoped for at the time it was started.
Only two of the companies which adopted group insurance for the pur
pose of reducing turnover reported that it had had the desired result, the
general opinion seeming to be that there can be no very decided effect
upon the turnover since the class of workmen known as “ floaters”
are usually not covered. In almost all cases employees are _not
eligible for group insurance until they have been on the pay roll for a
stated period, usually six months, thus eliminating the most unstable
part of the force from participation in the plan. The effects on pro
duction can not be measured with any exactness but it is bcILved
in some instances to exert some effect, while it is considered by some
of the firms reporting to promote good will among the employees.
The attitude of employees toward group insurance in 60 plants
having had it in force for five years was said at the end of that period
T
1National Metal Trades Association. Committee on industrial relations. Experience with group insur
ance Chicago, 122 S. Michigan Avenue, 1626.
64
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GRO UP W ELFA RE IN S U R A N C E PL A N
65
to be more favorable in 22 eases and favorable in 24. while in 7 plants
the employees were less in favor of it, in 1 plant they were indifferent,
and 6 plants had given up the plan.
In general it is said the cost of group life insurance may be esti
mated at slightly more than 1 per cent of the pay roll, varying, how
ever, with the scale of benefits and the average age of the employees
covered. The average net cost to 46 companies which had a non
contributory plan was $14.10 per year per employee covered, while
of 22 companies having a contributory plan the average net yearly
cost per employee was $7.36. In reply to the question as to the
advantages of group insurance to the company, several firms stated
that it helped to stabilize the working force and that it improved the
general morale and a few considered that its value lay in the oppor
tunity it furnished to provide for the employees’ dependents in a
nonpaternalistic manner. The cost of the plan was mentioned most
frequently by those firms replying as to the disadvantages of the plan,
and a few companies stated that it led the men to neglect personal
insurance, that the men would rather haAre the money in the pay
envelope, and that the real effect was uncertain.
Group Welfare insurance Plan of Delaware & Hudson Railroad
COMPREHENSIVE plan of group insurance providing pro
tection against the five major hazards of life—death, accident,
sickness, unemployment, and old age—which was put in effect
by the Delaware & Hudson Railroad in January, 1922, is described in
the Bulletin of the Taylor Society for April, 1926.
Every employee of the company who had been employed for at
least six months at the time the plan was adopted was given a life
insurance policy without cost and without medical examination.
If the length of service was more than six months but less than two
years the policy was for $250, while for those who had been with the
company more than two years the policy was for $500 with a total
and permanent disability provision. This plan was amended a few
months later to permit the employees to secure additional insurance
by paying part of the premium on such supplementary insurance.
Under this plan employees having less than two years’ service could
subscribe for $250 additional insurance while those having more than
two years’ service to their credit could take out $500 more or, if they
wished, an amount equal to their average annual compensation for
the preceding two years but not to exceed $5,000.
The employees may also take out insurance covering sickness and
accident, exclusive of injuries covered by workmen’s compensation
laws. This pays a benefit of $15 per week for a period of 26 weeks
beginning with the eighth day of incapacity. Further, employees
may obtain insurance covering death and dismemberment from any
accidental cause, including accidents covered by workmen’s com
pensation laws, the amount of such insurance not to exceed the total
amount of life insurance carried under the plan. The total cost
of these two forms of insurance is paid by the employee.
Insurance against unemployment, which is carried by the company,
provides that in case an employee has subscribed for and contributed
toward the cost of at least two of the three forms of insurance he will
A
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[65]
66
M O N T H L Y LABOE REV IEW
be insured against unemployment resulting from dismissal from any
cause. This provides for a payment of $10 a week to employees
whose average annual wages during the preceding two years did not
exceed $1,000, and $15 for those whose wages were in excess of that
amount, for a period of six weeks or so much of that time as the
employee is unable to find employment.
A pension system is maintained by the company which provides
for retirement at 70 years of age or, if totally incapacitated, at the
age of 65, provided the employee has been in the service of the com
pany 25 years.
During the three years 1922 to 1924 a total of $933,086.66 was paid
out for pensions and benefits under the different insurance plans.
In 1924, 123 out of 159 employees who died were insured under the
group insurance plan. For the entire period during which, the in
surance has been in effect the average amount paid for the various
claims has been: Death, $1,182.51; sickness, $105.12; accident, $77.73;
accidental death and dismemberment, $1,616.66; total and perma
nent disability, $399.06; and unemployment, $73.28, while the aver
age annual pension has been $449.21.
Prior to the inauguration of the group insurance plan comparatively
few of the employees of this company carried any accident*insurance
and there was practically no sickness insurance carried. That the
plan has been of benefit to the employees is said to be unquestionable
both from the standpoint of the aid furnished to employees and their
families in meeting expenses in the case of death, injury, or sickness
and from the inculcation of thrift through the contributory features
of the plan.
There was active opposition to the plan among some of the em
ployees when it was inaugurated but this opposition is said to have
disappeared, and in September, 1925, 11,417 employees, or 90.7 per
cent of those eligible, were insured under the contributory provisions.
Unemployment insurance, which is comparatively rare in this
country, varies in its details in the different companies having insti
tuted it and according to the particular conditions of the industry.
In the railroad industry, although the business fluctuates, there 'is
little unemployment unless there is unusual business depression.
For this reason and because the greatest turnover occurs among
employees with less than two years’ service the number of claims
paid has been very small. Although about 68 per cent of the em
ployees of the company were eligible for this form of insurance, ac
cording to a recent check only 103 claims were paid during the first
three and one-half years that the insurance was in effect. The plan,
however, is said by the writer to have materially aided in the stabiliza
tion of employment.
Recent Workmen’s Compensation Reports
California
r i TIE report of the Industrial Accident Commission of California
J[
for the year ending June 30, 1925, shows an increase of 2.7
per cent in the number of cases filed over the preceding year, the
number being 3,163 as against 3,079 in 1924. The report is chiefly
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[66]
W O R K M E N 's C O M PE N SA T IO N ---- ONTARIO
67
administrative in its nature, and covers various departments of the
commission—accounting, compensation, legal, medical, permanent
disability rating, and safety—though statistics and a report of the
State compensation insurance fund are also included.
The number of accidents reported during the year was 211,178, of
which 89,069, or 42.1 per cent, caused disability lasting longer than
the day of injury. The remaining cases caused no disability, but
required medical attention other than ordinary first-aid treatment.
Of the tabulatable injuries, 645 caused death, 1,215 caused a perma
nent impairment of at least 1 per cent, and 87,209 caused temporary
disability. Of the fatalities, public utilities were responsible for 95,
engineering construction for 75, lumber and wood manufacturing for
66, and building construction for 59. Farming, excluded in the great
majority of States, caused 32 fatal cases, 40 permanent injuries, and
and 5,115 injuries of a temporary nature.
The handling of objects caused 22,378 injuries, machinery 14,385,
and falls of persons 11,721. The largest number of fatalities (174)
was due to vehicles, machinery coming next with 120 cases, and
falling objects not being handled by the injured person, 93. Cuts
and lacerations numbered 26,793, and bruises and contusions 23,344.
The State fund is competitive with other insurance carriers, and
rates for all are fixed by the insurance commissioner of the State.
These rates are so made that about 59.4 per cent of the premiums
go to pay compensation and medical expenses, the remaining 40.6
per ^cent being for expenses of operation. Inasmuch as the State
ran d ’s expenses of operation have averaged less than 15 per cent
for the entire time that it has been in business, some 25b£ per cent
available as operation costs is returnable as dividends to policyholders.
For some years sums were set aside to build up a catastrophe surplus
as provided in the act. This amounted on June 30, 1925, to
$2,156,988.78, which is deemed sufficient to take care of any catas
trophe that may occur; this leaves the appropriation formerly made
for this fund available for added returns to policyholders. Total
premiums paid into the fund during its life amount to $37,499,332.65,
and total dividends for the same period to $9,521,699.29. This does
not include dividends on policies issued in 1925 and on unexpired
policies of 1924.
Ontario
rTHIIF Workmen’s Compensation Board of Ontario, in its eleventh
annual report, covers in general the calendar year 1925, with
revised final data for the operations of the act for the year 1924.
In the year 1925, benefits were awarded amounting to $5,565,443.39.
This is more than a half million dollars less than for 1924, when
awards totaled $6,122,820.34. There are two principal schedules,
1 and 2, the first including private industries in general, the second
the operation of railroads, steamboat companies, and other public
utility companies, and public employments. The first, by far the
larger group, involved awards to the amount of $4,511,366.28, while
in the second schedule the amount was $1,054,077.11. Medical aid
formed about 19 per cent of the total, amounting for Schedule 1, to
$875,836.01.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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68
M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
The number of accidents reported for the year was 60,012, as
against 58,675 in 1924. Of these, 345 were fatal, as against 402 for
the previous year. Medical aid only was required in 21,986 cases
in Schedule 1 industries; temporary disability cases, 28,397; perma
nent partial disability cases, 2,036; and permanent total disability
cases, 18. Death cases in Schedule 1 numbered 296.
Estimated pay rolls for the year amounted to 8395,619,000 (25,681
employers), as compared with $387,085,000 in 1924 (25,155 em
ployer's). Administrative expenses for the year were somewhat
increased, and since the compensation awarded was less than the
previous year the ratio of such costs was advanced, being 4.84 per
cent for 1925, as compared with 4.16 per cent for 1924. Average
assessment rates in Schedule 1 for the year are provisionally $1.13
on every hundred dollars of pay roll. The average for the life of the
act (11 years) was $1.10.
There are 24 classes of industries embraced in Schedule 1, each
maintaining its own fund. The largest amount of premiums col
lected was from lumbering, $577,392.78; mining and explosives
coming next with $542,990.09; building is third with an assessment
total of $324,913.77. Compensation, pension reserves, medical aid,
and other expenditures and charges amounted for lumbering to
$674,086.32, for mining and explosives to $599,051.73, and for
building to $423,477.73. A few industrial classes show deficits for
the jmar, but an aggregate surplus of $165,787.94 results. The
same conditions exist as to the totals for all years, 9 of the 24
funds showing deficits, but with a total surplus for all classes of
$114,774.07.
In Schedule 2 industries each employer is individually liable for
accidents to his workmen, As already stated, compensation awarded
during the year in this class amounted to $1,054,077.11. Dominion
Crown cases involved the largest amount, $468,747.65; steam rail
roads following with $281,726.33; and municipal corporations, etc.,
coming next with $166,764.86.
The entire operation of insurance is in a provincial fund including,
besides the fund from which temporary payments are made, a
pension fund, a disaster reserve, and a fund known as “ compensation
deferred, ” the last being made up of money held at interest for
claimants to whom payments are deferred by reason of minority, or
for other cause. The first two of these show an increase for the year,
the pension fund now exceeding $13,000,000, the disaster reserve
$265,610.03, and the deferred compensation fund $129,687.89.
Accident data for the year 1924 show total numbers, frequency
rates, nature, cause, duration, etc. Cuts, lacerations, and punctures,
are most numerous in temporary disability cases (8,801) followed
by bruises, contusions, and abrasions (7,366), these two representing
more than one-half of the total of 25,980 cases
The average time loss in temporary disability cases was 20.21 days,
in permanent disability cases 85.92 days, while an average of 12.82
days intervened between injury and death in fatal cases. The
average age in all cases was 34.76 years, and the average weekly wage
$22.96.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
168]
OLD-AGE IN S U R A N C E IN B E LG IU M
Reciprocal Workmen’s Compensation Agreement Between Argentina
and Austria 1
N MARCH 22, 1926, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Argen
tina and the diplomatic representative of Austria in Argentina
signed a convention providing for the reciprocal treatment of
their nationals as regards compensation for industrial accidents
suffered by workers resident in the contracting countries. This
agreement provides that workers of one of the contracting countries
injured in the territory of the other shall have the same right to
compensation which the local law concedes to its nationals. Govern
ment officials of both of the contracting countries are to notify the
consuls of the other country as to the number of fatalities due to
industrial accidents which have occurred in the respective countries.
O
Widows’ Pension Act of New South Wales'
N DECEMBER, 1925, the Legislature of New South Wales passed
a widows’ pension act, which, according to the Australian Worker
of January 6, 1926, it was hoped to have in operation by February,
1926. This is the first act of the kind adopted in Australia. The
pension is noncontributorv and is to be awarded, subject to proof of
character and need, to widows having one or more dependent children
under 14. Its maximum amount is £ 1 3 a week for the widow and
10s 3 for each child under the given age. The widow’s total income
from pension and all other sources must not exceed £78 a year, and
if necessary the pension will be reduced to meet this requirement.
The act is to be administered by a registrar and his deputies in each
locality, and the whole cost both of pensions and administration is to
be borne by the State.
I
Old-Age Insurance of Irregular and Migratory Workers in Belgium4
A LAW was passed in Belgium, December 10, 1924, providing
/A
for the compulsory insurance of workers against old age and
1
k premature death. By the terms of two decrees dated Janu
ary 5 and 6, respectively, the provisions of the law are extended to
irregular or migratory workers occupied in loading and unloading
and repairing ships and boats and to workers employed by the day or
half day at the homes of several employers.
Persons engaged as longshoremen or in the repair of boats are
required to pay ’10 centimes 5 into the insurance fund for each half
day they are employed, while the employer is required to pay an
equal amount. These payments are made each time the worker is
paid, by means of a retirement stamp of 20 centimes affixed to the
worker’s insurance card by the employer. The worker is required
’- R e p o rt fro m P e te r A . J a y , th e A m e ric a n a m b a s sa d o r a t B u e n o s A ires, A rg e n tin a , d a te d M a r . 24, 1928.
U n te rn a tio n a l L a b o r Office. I n d u s tr ia l a n d L a b o r In fo rm a tio n , G e n e v a , M a y 3, 1926.
s P o u n d a t par= $4.8665, s h illin g = 24.3 cents; exchange ra te a p p ro x im a te ly a t p a r .
.
4 C o m ité C e n tra l In d u s trie l d e B elgique, B u lle tin , F e b . 10, 1926, p p . 270-274. See L a b o r R ev iew A p ril
1925, p p . 155-157.
6 C e n tim e a t p ar= 0 .1 9 3 ce n t; exchange ra te in M arch, 1926, w as 0.042 c e n t.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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70
M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
to turn this card in to the retirement fund each month and a new
card is issued to him.
In the case of women and unmarried male workers under 18 years
of age who are employed by the day or half day at different houses
the employer is required to affix a stamp of 10 centimes for each
half day’s work and a stamp of 20 centimes for men over 18 years of
age. Half of this payment is made by the employer. Four hours
and less are considered as a half day and more than four hours as a
full day’s work. The insurance card is deposited with the insurance
fund annually during the first eight days of the month following that
in which the birthday of the insured person occurred.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[70]
H O U SIN G
Volume of Building Construction, ! 914 to 1925
n r^ H E Bureau of Labor Statistics in the July and September, 1925,
numbers of the Labor Review published articles showing
the relative changes in the volume of construction in 130
identical cities year by year from 1914 to 1924. The 1925 figures
as to volume of construction are now available.1 The purpose of the
present article is to show how much the country as a whole and the
cities individually have, in the past few years, overcome the shortage
in building occasioned by the war-time curtailment of construction.
The only figures of any considerable scope available concerning the
value of buildings constructed each year are those shown by building
permits issued by city building inspectors. The bureau has such
figures for the period 1914 to 1925 for 130 Identical cities.
In issuing a permit the builder or owner is required to state the
cost of the proposed building. This cost ma}^ often be an under
estimate, but it is believed that the percentage of underestimation has
continued to be about the same. Further, a building planned is
not always constructed within the calendar year of the date of the
permit and in a few instances, perhaps is not constructed at all.
However, as a grand total, it is believed that permit valuations afford
a fair indication of the change in value of buildings constructed from
year to year.
In using these figures it must be borne in mind that they relate to
new construction of all kinds, covering both residential and non resi
dential buildings. They are limited to the 130 cities for which the
bureau has permit figures each year from 1914 to 1925. Further,
-the figures are restricted to city limits, and thus do not include build
ings erected in suburbs.
T able 1.—IN D E X
NUM BERS OF VOLUME AND COST OF NEW BUILDING CON
STRUCTION IN 130 CITIES, BY YEARS
[1914=100]
Index numbers of—
Year
1914____
1915____
1916____
1917____
1918____
1919____
1920____
1921____
1922____
1923____
1924____
1925____
Aggregate value
of all building
construction, as
shown by
permits issued
$748, 209, 763
776, 228, 606
980, 323, 685
649, 961, 875
401, 565,104
1, 258, 875,108
1,342, 630, 686
1, 602, 232, 041
2, 427, 734, 079
2, 959,051, 393
3, 068,161, 900
3, 550, 572, 815
Permit
valua
tion
100
104
131
87
54
168
179
214
325
396
410
475
Cost of
Wage
Cost of rates
con
Amount
In structing
building building
of build
materials trades a typical ing done
building
100
102
130
■171
187
218
287
179
183
205
190
191
100
101
104
111
124
142
193
196
183
203
220
228
100
102
115
137
152
176
235
189
183
204
207
212
Popula
tion
100
102
114
64
36
95
76
113
178
194
198
224
100
102
104
107
109
111
113
115
118
120
122
124
Ratio of cost
of material
to labor
44.1
44.3
49.7
54.9
54.3
54. 8
54.0
41.9
44.1
44.3
40.5
39.8
1 For detailed data on building permits see June, 1926, issue of the Labor Review.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[71]
7Ì
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
55.9
55.7
50.3
45.1
45.7
45.2
46.0
58.1
55.9
55.7
59.5
60.2
72
M O N T H L Y LABOE REVIEW
Table 1 shows the aggregate value of all buildings erected as stated
on permits issued in the 130 identical cities, from 1914 to 1925,
inclusive, together with the index numbers of this value, of cost of
building material, of wage rates in the building trades, of cost of
construction with material and labor combined, of volume of con
struction, and of population.
The index number of the aggregate value of all buildings con
structed was obtained by using the cost of buildings (as shown by
permits issued) during 1914 as 100. The building material and wage
rate indexes are those of wholesale prices of building materials and of
union wages in the building trades published by the Bureau of Labor
Statistics.
To obtain the index numbers of cost of construction it was necessary
to get the proportionate cost of material and labor in building as of
some one year, and to apply to these figures the change in price from
year to year in the two items, material and labor. According to
figures compiled by Mr. Barclay White, a builder of Philadelphia,
and presented to both the Philadelphia and the national conference
of construction industries early in 1921, skilled and unskilled labor
together formed 36.99 per cent of the cost of building; and costs of
materials, 42.88 per cent. The remainder of this cost is chargeable
to supervision, insurance, engineering, etc. These figures are as
sumed to be as of 1920.
Mr. White’s figures were based on records kept on eight build
ings described as follows:
T he re lativ e valu es of th e various p a rts of th e build in g h av e n o t been v ery
carefully stu d ie d h ereto fo re b u t w e h a v e m a d e a n a tte m p t to fix an ap p ro x im ate
p ro p o rtio n covering th e w hole b u ild in g field in th is te rrito ry . W e h a v e gone
a b o u t th is b y ta k in g a com posite of building, w hich includes a reinforced concrete
facto ry b u ilding; slow b u rn in g o r h eav y c o n stru ctio n w arehouse b uilding w ith
b rick w alls; th e ty p ic a l sty le of tw o -sto ry dw elling; d e ta c h e d brick a n d fram e
residence; sto n e schoolhouse w ith w ood floor c o n stru c tio n ; fireproof in stitu tio n a l
building; th e a p a rtm e n t house; a n d th e steel fram e office building. I th in k you
will agree w ith m e t h a t th e se e ig h t classifications com e p re tty n ear to covering
th e whole field in p riv a te b u ild in g w ork.
According to Mr. White’s figures the ratio of cost of materials to
labor in construction in 1920 was 54 to 46. In 1920 the buildingmaterial wholesale price index number of the Bureau of Labor Sta
tistics stood at 287 and the union wage index number at 193. From
these figures it was found that the relative cost of material to labor
in 1914 was 44.1 to 55.9. The year 1914 is the base year of the table
as it is the earliest year for which permit valuation figures are avail
able.
Assuming that the percentages of supervision, engineering fees,
etc., have not changed, then the actual money costs of these items
have advanced at the same rate as the composite increase of building
material and wage rates. Adding this cost will make no difference
in the index numbers for cost in the construction.
The index number for the amount of building done was obtained
by dividing the aggregate valuation index for each year specified by
the cost-of-construction index. The population index number was
arrived at by using the population as estimated by the Census Bureau
for 1914 as 100 in connection with the estimated or actual figures for
the later years.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[72]
BUILDING CONSTRUCTION, 1914 TO 1925
73
The chart illustrates in graphic form the information carried in
Table 1.
As shown on the chart the aggregate value of all buildings con
structed, after a sharp decline in 1917 and 1918, reached a peak of
475 in 1925; that is, for every dollar spent in building construction
in 1914 there were spent $4.75 in 1925. On the other hand the cost
of construction climbed steadily until a peak of 235 was reached in
1920; it declined to 183 in 1922, after which it rose each year, but
in 1925 was still behind the level of 1920. In other words, a house
which cost $5,000 in 1914 would have cost $11,750 in 1920, $10,350
in 1924, and $10,600 in 1925.
102973°-—206
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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74
M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
Chief interest, however, attaches to the lines showing the trends
in amount of construction and in population. Assuming that the
buildings existing in 1914 cared for the needs of the population at
that time, then the line of population increase would be the normal
line of necessary construction increase. I t can readily be seen from
the chart how the line of actual construction has varied from this
normal trend.
The two lines were at the same point, 102, in 1915. In 1916, the
amount of building done was 10 points over the population index.
For the next five years, 1917 to 1921, the index of building done fell
below the population index. This curtailment of building during the
war and early reconstruction years is what brought about the great
shortage of buildings, especially of dwellings. The low point in
building was 36 in 1918, or 73 points below the building requirements
for that year. The year 1922 was the first year after the war in which
there was a surplus of building over normal requirements as measured
by 1914 standards. The next three years, 1923, 1924, and 1925,
each showed an excess of building over normal requirements for the
specified year, as shown by the population line. The figures show
that at the end of 1924 the shortage during the war period had been
more than made up. At this time the 11-year average of building
done stood at 115.5 while the average population index for the same
period was 111. The year 1925 shows a surplus of 100 points over
the normal needs for the year, making the 12-year average (1914 to
1925, inclusive) of building done 124.5 as compared with a 12-year
average of normal population requirements of 112. That is, over
this period there is a 12^-point surplus of construction over the
normal needs, or in other words, the country as a whole as indicated
by the 130 cities at the end of 1925 was 11.2 per cent overbuilt as
compared with the year 1914.
This situation however, is not true for very many of the individual
cities. Table 2 lists the 130 cities separately, showing the index of
building done and the population index for each year since 1921.
The figures for 1914 stand at 100 for both items in all cities. Because
of lack of space the figures for 1914 to 1920 are not shown in the
table but were used in .making the 12-year average.
Unfortunately, comparison of volume of building with growth of
population can not be made in some of the cities because the Census
Bureau did not care to estimate the population of certain cities in
which conditions were so unusual that the ordinary rules for esti
mating population changes evidently did not apply. For instance,
for Los Angeles the Census Bureau estimated the population up to
1923, for which year the population index was 155 and the building
index 565. Thus, while in this article the building construction
index for the average of the 12 years can be given, it can not be com
pared with that of population because after 1923 the Census Bureau
decided not to venture an estimate on population. Detroit, Mich.,
and Akron, Ohio, are other cities for which the Census Bureau has
not made an estimate for each year. However, for most of the
cities the population figures are available. In arriving at the popu
lation for the 130 cities as a whole the last estimate made was used
where no estimate was made for the specified year.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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75
B U IL D IN G C O N ST R U C T IO N , 1914 TO 192S
Table 2.—I N D E X N U M B E R S O F P O P U L A T I O N A N D O F V O L U M E O F C O N S T R U C T I O N
I N 130 I D E N T I C A L C I T I E S , 1921 T O 1925
[1914=100]
1921
City
1922
1923
1924
12-year
average
1925
Vol
Vol
Vol
Vol
Vol
Vol
Pop ume of Pop ume of Pop ume of Pop ume of Pop ume of Pop ume of
ula con ula con ula con ula con ula con ula con
tion struc tion struc tion struc tion struc tion struc tion struc
tion
tion
tion
tion
tion
tion
Akron, Ohio _ . ___ (')
50 0)
90 P)
61 P)
Allentown, P a . . ___ 133
140
50 136
144
96
124
Altoona, Pa________ 112
114
164 116
139 117
85
Atlanta, Ga _ . . . _ 118
130
130
125
127
246
221
108
Atlantic City, N. J._ 107
142 109
133
121 110
Baltimore, M d__ _ 127
117 133
122 129
136 131
Bayonne, N. J
130
124
213
142 127
273 134
Berkeley, Calif . . . .
81
130
127
147 133
216 137
Binghamton, N. Y.._ 123
48 127
122 130
114 134
Birmingham, Ala___ 121
128
188 131
139
112 125
108
Boston, Mass______ 100
58 107
141
94 109
Bridgeport, Conn---- <«>
32 (U
51 P>
45 <*>
Brockton, Mass____
111
113
74
86 114
96
116
98
Buffalo, N. Y ______ 113
115
132 117
137 119
Butte, Mont. ____
105
7 105
25 106
53 106
39 104
Cambridge, Mass___ 103
42 105
16 104
Camden, N. J. ._
100 119
168 121
115
42 117
Canton, Ohio -------- 140
157
234
143 152
294
163
148 112
Charleston, S. C
110
283 113
156 115
110
Chattanooga, Tenn.. 108
144
111
149
121
135
Chicago, 111 ______
197
115
151 120
122
85 118
Cincinnati, Ohio___
101 103
177 103
104
103
145
110 134
Cleveland, Ohio____ 125
170 1 2 8
132
137
Columbus, O hio___ 120
159 130
71 124
144 127
Covington, X y_____ 100
108 106
107
203 107
103
Dallas, Tex________ 151
200 161
243 170
154 156
113
117
264 0)
Denver, Colo. . __
262
141 115
140
Des Moines, Iowa__ 128
99 132
386 136
206
Detroit, Mich____
109 (
«
>) 181 P) 225 0)
Dubuque, Iowa____ 101
68
101
87 102
154 102
Duluth, Minn
117
70 119
119 124
152 122
East St. Louis, 111__ 110
80
149
112
111
146 114
120
218 (>)
Elizabeth, N. I .
234 125
146 122
El Paso, Tex. .
179
58 187
155
126 1.71
93
Fall River, Mass___ 101
38,5 101
60 101
173 101
108
Fitchburg, M ass.. .
99
106
39
107
83 108
185
182
475 192
695 (>)
Flint, Mich _
17.2
128
108 126
Fort Wayne, Ind___ 123
230
250 131
Fort Worth, Tex___
138
191 168
109
120
176 163
Galveston, Tex
38 119
113
62 115
86 117
Grand Rapids, Mich. 115
136 121
83 117
186 119
Harrisburg, Pa . . . .. 114
165 118
363 119
238 116
141 135
Hartford, Conn . . . . 0)
98 :
(») 130 0)
119
44 121
Haverhill, Mass.. ._ 115
61
35 117
33 (
Hoboken, N. J_____ (
30 (
38 P)
i)
>)
’)
112 104
127 104
48 103
Holyoke, M a ss____ 103
132 142
247 IB
180 146
Houston, Tex______ 137
122 126
167 132
Indianaoplis, Ind___ 122
188 129
144
222 151
Jacksonville, F la ___ 140
161
187 147
174
109
295 110
277 111
Jersey City, N. J___ 108
175 121
Kalamazoo, Mich___ 115
130 117
140 119
82
125
167 127
199 134
Kansas City, Kans... 114
124 128
122
Kansas City, Mo._
119
81
123 125
674 193
Knoxville, Tenn . . . 178
345 186
790 200
102 110
Lancaster, Pa ____
109
228 111
269 112
291
107
123
108
218 109
110
Lawrence, Mass
Lincoln, Nebr______ 116
278 121
156 123
90 119
252 147
381
155
565 (i)
Los Angeles, Calif__ 141
221
102
112
Louisville, K y_____
98 111
240 112
104
255 106
99 105
98 105
Lowell, Mass. ____
32 109
43 110
Lynn, M a ss_______ 108
65 111
72 122
128 124
108 126
Macon, Ga________ 120
107
111
108
119 109
195 110
Malden, Mass_____
39 109
78 110
59 112
Manchester, N. H ._
108
312 123
119
387 122
168
120
Memphis, Tenn _.
222
115
172 117
119
113
137
Milwaukee, W is__ .
107 122
106 124
117
79 119
Minneapolis, Minn.
72 116
98 118
68 114
Mobile, Ala________ 112
176 118
Newark, N. J ______ 113
100 115
157 117
i No estimate of population made by the Bureau of the Census,
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[75]
103
135
148
193
154
138
176
217
96
300
123
39
97
128
29
64
129
296
22
145
180
143
113
218
157
264
324
225
275
76
124
164
238
34
144
118
559
236
244
93
128
261
216
30
39
134
219
155
211
248
143
173
103
770
332
145
150
418
264
99
82
126
290
78
348
223
72
109
202
(*>
148
119
i1)
111
135
137
140
128
134
109
U)
107
117
107
112
124
168
116
123
124
104
141
136
108
176
121
136
182
100
127
115
(!)
195
108
111
212
134
175
121
125
121
138
102
0)
104
(i)
135
141
112
124
127
131
207
113
104
125
U)
133
101
110
128
112
113
125
122
127
119
120
170
216
132
105
175
132
17S
229
96
259
145
48
67
118
13
88
158
301
62
244
213
186
119
202
218
264
312
148
303
60
119
248
319
55
120
153
385
220
183
60
160
127
255
27
95
136
436
148
415
309
179
159
178
734
284
109
331
417
318
161
98
122
240
68
246
151
92
217
187
0)
122
109
0)
105
118
119
120
118
117
105
P
>
108
110
104
103
112
134
108
108
112
102
120
116
105
137
(>)
(>)
121
101
113
107
P)
145
101
105
P)
117
129
no
112
110
0)
no
(i)
102
0
)
118
126
106
112
114
115
161
107
105
113
('-)
106
103
100
116
106
106
112
110
113
no
no
160
93
88
129
109
88
137
117
72
120
98
83
73
98
84
49
112
193
124
121
112
114
108
104
100
143
156
158
158
69
124
117
165
03
107
88
306
133
163
60
93
152
147
54
70
90
143
111
150
161
112
111
94
382
151
124
149
218
132
157
56
100
132
71
173
128
81
69
117
76
M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
T able 2.—IN DEX NUM BERS OF POPULATION AND OF VOLUME OF CONSTRUCTION
IN 130 IDENTICAL CITIES, 1921 TO 1925—Continued
1921
City
New Bedford, Mass..
New Britain. Conn...
New Haven, Conn ..
New Orleans, La. . . .
Newton, Mass_____
New York, N. Y ___
Norfolk, Va________
Oakland, Calif_____
Oklahoma City, Okla
Passaic, N. J _____
Paterson, N. J ____
Pawtucket, R. I
Peoria, 111 . ...........
Philadelphia, Pa----Pittsburgh, Pa____
Portland, Me______
Portland, Oreg____
Providence, R. I
Pueblo, C o lo ..____
Quincy, 111. _______
Reading, Pa_______
Richmond, Va_____
Rochester, N. Y __ _
Sacramento, Calif___
Saginaw, Mich_____
St. Joseph, Mo_____
St. Louis, Mo____
St. Paul, M inn. ___
Salem, Mass_______
Salt Lake City, Utah.
San Diego, Calif
San Francisco, Calif.
Savannah, Ga____ .
Schenectady, N. Y___
Scranton, Pa_______
Seattle, Wash______
Somerville, Mass___
South Bend, Ind___
Spokane, Wash_____
Springfield, 111. ___
Springfield, Mass___
Superior, Wis______
Syracuse, N. Y ____
Tacoma, Wash_____
Tampa, Fla________
Terre Haute, Ind ..
Topeka, Kans__ _ .
Trenton, N. J ______
Troy, N .Y . ______
Utica, N. Y _____ ..
Washington, D. C .
Waterbury, Conn . . .
Union City, N . J.2. . .
Wheeling, W. Va___
Wichita, K ans..........
Wilkes-Barre, Pa___
Woonsocket, R. I . ..
Worcester, Mass____
Yonkers, N. Y_____
York, Pa__________
Youngstown, Ohio...
1922
1924
1923
12-year
average
1925
Vol
Vol
Vol
Vol
Vol
Vol
Pop ume of Pop ume of Pop ume of Pop ume of Pop ume of Pop ume of
ula con ula con ula con ula con ula con ula con
tion struc tion struc tion struc tion struc tion struc tion struc
tion
tion
tion
tion
tion
tion
117
122
114
110
111
112
127
127
126
111
106
116
110
112
108
112
116
104
102
103
109
126
123
114
122
101
109
106
<»>
117
147
114
117
114
104
(>)
114
118
100
110
127
<»>
117
111
120
109
110
115
(>)
121
<>)
116
109
0)
123
107
110
115
117
104
(>)
101
69
77
157
102
203
133
177
209
172
171
98
29
65
68
76
94
114
185
30
180
145
97
108
237
3
00
51
20
84
158
42
84
85
75
53
62
185
114
108
59
31
90
165
90
91
131
101
161
95
137
93
36
46
754
76
301
60
174
112
79
119
125
116
111
112
114
131
130
130
113
107
118
111
114
109
114
118
105
103
103
110
128
126
116
124
101
110
107
0)
120
153
116
119
116
105
<‘>
116
121
100
111
131
<*>
119
112
123
111
112
117
(L
124
(>)
119
110
(>)
126
108
111
117
119
105
(>)
124
149
120
255
203
305
142
283
224
254
203
128
46
181
93
146
148
130
245
77
229
237
109
221
215
107
107
83
26
83
202
88
52
146
160
85
134
465
177
220
100
107
158
158
104
125
244
137
119
213
269
70
123
132
625
184
469
78
333
145
95
121
128
118
112
114
115
166
134
133
114
107
121
112
115
110
116
120
105
103
103
111
130
128
117
126
101
111
108
i1)
122
160
118
122
118
106
(')
117
124
100
113
135
0)
121
114
126
112
113
120
<‘>
126
0)
121
112
<‘>
129
109
112
119
121
106
(')
138
136
143
232
184
335
130
283
198
212
342
210
39
181
90
194
149
174
132
114
187
226
129
204
133
143
159
100
20
105
215
81
51
186
113
89
99
550
124
175
106
28
147
183
112
115
430
199
233
185
243
75
99
136
615
119
553
96
369
204
93
1 N o estim ate of p opulation m ade b y th e B u reau of th e C ensus.
* F orm erly W est H oboken.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[76]
124
131
120
114
115
117
172
138
137
116
108
123
114
117
112
117
122
106
103
103
112
132
131
119
128
101
112
109
(0
124
177
120
124
126
106
(>)
119
127
(')
114
139
(>)
124
115
152
114
115
122
(>)
128
129
0)
113
(')
133
110
114
122
124
106
146
110
244
92
278
230
350
157
319
197
250
243
156
48
198
86
131
170
224
244
140
255
194
157
159
202
105
150
69
48
87
266
99
79
249
154
104
101
219
162
285
125
43
134
275
197
139
229
160
426
210
226
107
99
174
400
193
400
125
458
301
189
111
134
122
115
125
114
(Q
142
(>)
118
109
122
115
119
113
119
124
116
103
(i)
113
134
128
121
130
101
113
110
99
126
195
122
127
116
107
(>)
118
129
104
117
133
(>)
120
117
212
115
119
124
97
124
132
(')
169
(')
144
111
123
119
128
107
151
129
301
87
263
321
418
68
391
139
369
237
276
55
234
136
83
219
173
334
111
281
271
153
230
204
172
202
93
33
93
310
84
57
215
170
115
170
337
211
248
141
99
165
228
668
77
275
216
296
137
298
134
124
108
460
162
423
150
673
328
185
112
117
111
108
109
109
(0
121
(>)
109
104
112
107
109 .
106
110
113
104
102
(0
108
122
117
111
114
100
107
105
(>)
113
139
111
113
111
103
(H
110
115
(*)
108
121
(L
113
108
124
107
108
112
(')
115
0)
0)
112
(>)
118
105
108
111
113
103
(0
104
130
99
154
144
192
118
173
151
167
161
114
56
121
73
102
101
116
161
74
152
146
93
114
157
111
102
66
38
80
127
61
80
113
95
72
83
212
130
148
89
67
109
138
133
80
171
128
168
117
154
132
67
74
435
99
283
81
236
135
109
M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
77
New York Housing Law
T ITS last session the New York Legislature passed a bill in
tended to facilitate the provision of low rental housing, which
L was signed by Governor Smith on May 10. The law provides
for a State board of housing and for the formation of public limiteddividend corporations, the former to plan and supervise and the
latter to undertake actual building projects. The State board is to
consist of five members, appointed by the governor and serving with
out salary though receiving actual expenses. They are to study
housing needs throughout the State, investigate alleged monopolies of
building materials, prepare plans for housing projects, supervise the
activities of limited-dividend corporations, appoint one member of the
board of every such corporation, and exercise other supervisory and
consultative functions.
The public limited-dividend corporations must consist of at least
three members. The rents for housing erected by them must not
exceed, in New York City, $12.50 a room per month, the bathroom
not being counted as a room. Outside of the city the maximum is
less, running down to as low a figure as $9 per room per month.
Their dividends are not to exceed 6 per cent per annum. Should
returns reach a figure which, after proper allowance for maintenance,
depreciation, etc., would justify a higher dividend, the rents are to
be lowered proportionately.
In order that these corporations may secure the land needed for the
large-scale operations necessary in order to reduce costs, they are
given the right of eminent domain. This power is not to be exercised
except upon the specific authorization of the State board, which is
not to give the authorization unless, after public hearings on the plan
proposed by the corporation, it is apparent that there is urgent need
for the accommodations which the corporation intends to provide and
that the condemnation is in the public interest.
Public limited-dividend corporations are required to furnish,
through the actual sale of stock for cash, one-third of the total costof any project undertaken, the remainder being secured through
bonds bearing 5 per cent interest on first mortgage and 5 ^ per cent
on debenture bonds. No project may be undertaken without the
approval of the housing board.
The corporations are to be exempt from the payment “ of any and
all franchise, organization, income, mortgage recording, and other taxes
to the State, and also from all fees to the State or its officers.” The
bonds and mortgages of such corporations, together with the interest
thereon and the dividends on the stock, are exempt from State
taxation. The State can not exempt the corporations from loyal
taxes on the buildings and improvements, but it empowers munici
palities to do so and provides that whenever a municipality takes
advantage of this permission the buildings and improvements shall
be to the same extent exempt from State taxation.
Provision is also made for the formation of private limited-dividend
housing corporations, which are not to have the power of eminent
domain, but whose buildings and improvements are to be tax free so
long as they remain in the hands of the corporation.
A
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[77]
78
M O N T H L Y LABOR RE V IE W
Public limited-dividend corporations are not permitted to dispose
of property once acquired nor to make any real estate transfers.
Private corporations organized under this law will, however, have this
privilege.
Housing Situation in Germany, 1925 1
Results of Housing Censuses
N ORDER to obtain authentic data on present-day housing con
ditions in Germany the Federation of German Municipal Statis
ticians resolved at its conference held in April, 1925, at Wies
baden to combine with the preliminary investigation for a general
population and occupational census a real estate and housing census.
In pursuance of this resolution nearly all large and medium-sized
German cities have taken housing censuses during the year 1925.
A recent issue of the Reichsarbeitsblatt summarizes the results of
these censuses and draws conclusions from them as to prevailing
housing conditions.
Before giving here a summary of these results it must be noted that
in former German housing censuses the term “ Wohnung” (dwelling,
apartment) was used as equivalent to household. Owing to the
housing scarcity in postwar times many instances are to be found
now in which two or more households (families) share one dwelling
(apartment). In order to obtain a correct idea of actual housing
conditions it was therefore decided to consider as a housing unit a
dwelling (apartment) covered by a lease concluded directly with the
owner of the house, or a dwelling occupied by the owner himself.
Rooms sublet by the original lessee even when sublet to families are
not considered as housing units, but are included in the dwelling of
the original lessee. In addition, the number of households (families)
sharing one dwelling was also enumerated.
On the basis of the housing censuses taken in various cities the
German statistical office has computed the relative increase in popu
lation and in dwellings and the housing density per dwelling and per
room in 1925 as compared with 1910. On the basis of the population
and housing censuses it has further computed the present shortage
of housing in the individual cities if every household (family) were to
occupy a separate dwelling (house or apartment). The data result
ing from these computations have been combined in the table fol
lowing.
I
1 Germany. Reiehsarbeitsministerium.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Reichsarbeitsblatt. Berlin, May 9, 1926. pp. 314*-318*
178]
79
H O U S IN G SIT U A TIO N IN GERM A NY, 1925
HOUSING CONDITIONS IN GERMAN CITIES, 1910 AND 1925
Per cent of in
crease from
1910 to 1925
City
Halle on the Saale_______________
______________________
Leipzig
Mannheim
__ ____________
____________
Hanover
_ _
Berlin
Bochum________________________
Cassel _____________________ _
Hagen
Düsseldorf
Rheydt_____ __
Bremen_________________________
Hamburg_______________________
Nuremberg
__ ______
Liegnitz
___
_ __________
Königsberg in Prussia . ________
Brandenburg on the H a v el_______
Regensburg_____________________
Würzburg _____ _____________ .
Speyer. ________________________
Elbing .
Merseburg______________________
Sagan _____________ ___________
Coblenz_________________________
Stolberg.................................................
Num
ber of Popudwell lation
ings
17.1
26. 3
29. 5
21. 0
24.4
12.5
9. 6
15. 2
20. 2
13. 7
7. 5
12. 7
i 23. 6
37.0
2. 6
17. 7
3.4
Average number of persons
living in—
One dwelling
1910
1910
1925
3. 97
4.30
4. 46
4.10
3. 72
3. 90
4. 14
3. 80
0. 96
4.68
4.30
4.63
4.00
1. 29
1. 25
1.18
1.27
1.16
1.16
4. 40
3.92
3. 70
3. 49
4. 05
3. 45
3.68
1
»
1925
One room
1. 15
0. 93
1.08
1.15
Per
cent of Short
age of
dwell dwellings oc ings in
cupied 1925 per
by 2 or 1,000
more inhab
fam- itants
lies
10. 5
7. 3
9.1
6.5
10.1
6.6
7.3
13. 6
6. 4
9. 4
2. 0
5.0
7.5
7. 0
5. 9
7.4
4. 7
8. 0
6.4
21. 0
24.4
27. 1
39.8
20. 4
18. 7
35.1
18.2
18.4
40. 3
28. 7
24. 2
32. 5
13.7
19.1
18.0
26.2
29. 6
16.0
30.0
16.0
i 1914.
At first glance the preceding table conveys the impression that
the dwellings newly built in the period 1910-1925 ought to suffice for
housing the increased population, for the statistics on increase in
dwellings and in population indicate that in practically all cities the
relative increase in dwellings was considerably greater than the
relative increase of the population. This impression is still more
strengthened by the statistics on housing density, which show that
in all cities covered the housing density per dwelling and per room
lias decreased in 1925 as compared with 1910. It should, however,
be noted that these statistics on housing density are not always
comparable and are therefore misleading, for in postwar times in
many of the old dwellings large rooms were partitioned off into two
rooms and in newly built dwellings the rooms are as a rule smaller
than in old dwellings. Thus many dwellings although composed
of the same number of rooms, now have less floor space than formerly.
The figures on housing density would therefore convey a more cor
rect impression if they were based on the floor space available per
person in 1925, as compared with 1910.
It would also be a mistake to draw conclusions as to the housing
situation by comparing the relative increase in dwellings with the
relative increase of the population. In the first place, the number
of German households (families) has very considerably increased
in postwar years. The recent housing censuses show in all cities
covered a relatively high percentage of dwellings occupied by two
or more families. This percentage ranges from 2 to 13.6 per cent,
and, since it is the aim of the average family to found a home of its
own and to occupy a separate dwelling, it must be concluded that
a scarcity of dwellings really exists if “ a dwelling for each family ”
is to be the housing standard. The number of new dwellings needed
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[79]
80
M ONTHLY
LABOR
R E V IE W
per 1,000 inhabitants in the various cities in order to provide a
dwelling for each household varies between 14 and 40.
The large increase in postwar times in the number of households
in Germany is due to the extraordinary increase in marriages during
the years 1919 to 1923. In 1913 the number of marriages of residents
within the present German territory was 462,744, in 1919 it was
798,657; in 1920, 871,973; in 1921, 720,208; in 1922, 681,891; and
in 1923, 581,277. In 1924 it fell to the normal figure of 440,071.
On December 1, 1910, the married couples in the present German
territory numbered about 10.5 million, while around the middle of
1925 their number was estimated to be 12.8 million. This means
an increase of 22 per cent, while during the same period the popula
tion increased only 8.2 per cent. The number of households was
also increased by German refugees who came from all parts of the
world and by the large number of war widows who maintained
separate households.
The housing censuses have also shown that in 1925 the households
have become smaller than they were in 1910. In 1910 the average
household was composed of 4.53 persons, in 1925 of 4.07 persons.
This diminution in the size of the households is chiefly due to de
creased births, discharge of servants, and losses in persons killed in
the war.
Thus, the number of households in Germany has increased abso
lutely and relatively, while the households themselves have grown
smaller. The number of dwellings has increased but the number of
housing units has remained far behind the number of households
(families). In spite of this unfavorable housing condition the
average housing density has decreased as compared with pre-war
times. Statistics have shown that the housing density is greatest
in small and medium size dwellings, and that the construction of new
small dwellings is therefore urgently needed.
The Government intends to make a general housing census in
the spring of 1927. The results of this census will make possible
the drafting of a building program and of effective measures against
the .housing scarcity.
Building Activity, 1 9 1 9 to 1924
rT’HE German statistical office collects monthly statistics on building activity throughout Germany. These statistics go back to
1919. In the following table is shown the housing construction for
the years 1919-1924:
BUILDING ACTIVITY FOR HOUSING PURPOSES, 1919 TO 1924
New buildings for
housing purposes
Year
Total
Increase in dwellings
One and By new
By retwo-story construc modeling
tion
buildings
rPnt„,
lotaI
Net increase in
Loss of
dwellings
dwellings
by de
1,000
molition, Number Per
inhabit
fire, etc.
ants
35, 596
25, 265
1919
________
21, 465
18, 792
32, 379
75, 928
38, 506
43,411
1920
________
32, 902
59, 570 108, 596
1921..
________
66, 786
30, 697
65,
835
124,
273
1922..
. .................. ....................
74, 693
....................
....................
25, 539
54, 824
45, 233 100, 401
1923_______________
20, 569
94, 807
54, 377
46, 185
1924..
. ..............
60, 861
108, 307
141, 498
154, 970
125, 940
115, 376
4,147
5,215
7, 275
8,355
7, 607
8, 874
56, 714
103, 092
134, 223
146, 615
118, 333
106, 502
167, 351
706, 952
41, 473
665, 489
1919 to 1924.................
315, 556
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274,121
539, 601
[80]
0. 94
1.71
2. 23
2. 48
1. 89
1. 70
—
H O U S IN G
S IT U A T IO N
IN
GERM ANY,
1925
81
From the preceding table it will be seen that in 1919 housing
activity was at low ebb. The net increase in dwellings in that year
was equivalent to about one-fourth of the average annual increase
in pre-war times. Even in 1922 when the building activity had
reached its highest postwar level the production of new dwellings
amounted to only three-fourths of the pre-war figures. In 1923 and
1924 there was a considerable falling off in building activity; the
net gain in dwellings in the latter year fell short, by 27.4 per cent,
of the net gain in 1922. Estimates for 1925 give the number of newly
constructed dwellings as 130,000.
The table also shows that remodeled houses account for a large
percentage of the increase in dwellings. In 1919 this percentage was
41.5 and in 1920, 29.9, falling to 17.8 in 1924 by reason of the fact
that the number of houses suitable for remodeling became gradually
exhausted.
Of the new houses built a very large percentage were one and twostory houses. In 1921 these small houses (Kleinhduser) formed 89.2
per cent of all the new houses built. In 1919 each house built con
tained on an average three dwellings. In the five subsequent years
(1920 to 1924) the average number of dwellings per house fell to
2.5, 2.2, 2.1, 2.3, and 2.2, respectively.
That the building activity in postwar times has been far from
adequate is indicated by the fact that even in 1922 when postwar
building activity had reached its highest level the gain in dwellings
per 1,000 inhabitants was only 2.48, while the housing censuses in
Baden and Saxony have shown that in 1924 the shortage in dwell
ings per 1,000 inhabitants was 12.
In view of the attempts to stop the influx of the rural population
into the large cities it is also of interest to know how the building
activity was distributed among the industrial and agricultural dis
tricts. " The building statistics show that in spite of these attempts,
construction in postwar years was greater in the central and western
districts of Germany where the industrial population predominates,
than in the eastern districts where agriculture is the principal occu
pation. They also show that in localities with less than 2,000 in
habitants, i. e., in rural towns, and in large cities with over 100,000
inhabitants building construction in postwar times has been con
siderably below the average for the whole c o u n try .
Another fact brought out
the building statistics is that the aver
age size of the new dwellings constructed in postwar times has de
creased as compared with pre-war dwellings. In Hamburg, for in
stance, dwellings of from 1 to 3 rooms formed 44 per cent of all
dwellings built in 1921-1922 as compared with 27.5 per cent in 19121913. In Leipzig the pre-war percentage formed by dwellings of
this size was 10.7 and the corresponding postwar percentage is 35.2.
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C O O P E R A T IO N
Trend of the Cooperative Movement
T INDER the title “ The Cooperative Republic” the CooperaI I tive Union of Great Britain has recently published a translation
^
of a book by Ernest Poisson, secretary of the French National
Federation of Consumers’ Cooperative Societies.1
The cooperative society, it is pointed out, presents a thoroughly
democratic organization, dividing its surplus in exact proportion to
the member's purchases—i. e., to his loyalty to it—regardless of his
capital investment; giving absolutely equal rights to every member
and making the accumulated reserve fund the common property of
all the members, no individual member having any claim upon it.
The movement presents unlimited capabilities of expansion along
economic lines. Membership is open to all consumers, and it is to
the interest of the original members to gather new recruits, for each
new member brings a certain purchasing power which helps to in
crease the business of the society and proportionally to reduce its
expenses and increase its opportunities for serving the members.
As the society grows, it naturally sells increasingly to the general
public and as it sells at the normal or market price tends to become
a regulator of prices in its locality, thus serving not only its own
membership but all the consumers. Expansion into new lines of
goods follows naturally as the society becomes more firmly estab
lished, with the idea of satisfying more and more all of the needs
of its members. Food is the first want satisfied, clothing next, then
heat, then housing and furnishings, “ and afterwards, and only after
wards, the other requirements of consumers.”
Presently arrives a time when joint purchase by the societies of a
district becomes advisable and there results the establishment of
a wholesale society organized on the same principles as the retail
member societies. “ The capacity for expansion of the wholesale
societies is enormous and becomes greater as the base of the move
ment extends—-that is, as the retail societies develop.” When op
portunity or need arises for production this is undertaken by the
wholesale. “ Day by day, one branch of production is added to
another; extensions are made without ceasing. Cooperative whole
sale societies will before long penetrate all spheres of industry.”
The transactions engaged in by the wholesale make a bank also a
necessity and although at first cooperative wholesale societies make
use of private banks, before long they undertake this business also,
establishing either a banking department or a separate bank for
the purpose.
Agriculture has been the ultimate step thus far engaged in by the
consumers’ cooperative movement. Only the oldest, most powerful,
and most advanced of the wholesale societies have actually engaged
1
Poisson, Ernest: The Cooperative Republic. (Translated by W. P. Watkins.)
The Cooperative Union (Ltd.), 1925. xvii, 226 pp.
82
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Manchester, England,
TREN D OF COOPERATIVE M O V E M E N T
83
in it up to the present, “ but that all will do so is a foregone conclu
sion.”
All this has taken place in the midst of the present economic
system, and the author points out that (with the exception of the
United States) cooperation has existed and become most prosperous
just where the organization of capitalism is most highly developed.
On the other hand, though it has originated under these circum
stances, cooperation “ succeeds at length in developing by itself a
creative power which operates in all kinds of social circumstances.”
Effect of Universal Cooperation
ASSUMING that cooperation included in its scope all the consumers of the world and supplied all their material needs,
controlled wholesale commerce, manufacture, finance, and agricul
ture—in other "words that the cooperative republic came to pass—*
the author endeavors to show the results upon the present system,
economically, socially, politically, and morally.
He is of the opinion that the cooperative republic would bring to
an end the increasing divergence between the methods and interests
of consumer and producer. Whereas, at present, the emphasis is
put upon the rights of the producers, disregarding the interests of
the consumers who compose the whole body of citizens, under the
cooperative republic the interests of the consumers would be para
mount and production "would be only incidental, being carried out
only to fill the consumers’ wants. The means of production and ex
change would become the common property of the whole body of
consumers.
Although, socialization of means of production and of exchange is
the end sought, the cooperative movement starts with society as it
is, and works within it, transforming it and creating gradually but
completely a new society. The cooperative movement educates as
it goes, giving the members practical business experience, and de
veloping their capacity. Cooperation, while recognizing the value of
production and of the worker does not exalt labor as such. “After
all, the end of life is not labor.”
The author notes that “ there are not many social movements
which have called forth more disinterested service” than the cooper
ative movement. “ Volumes would be needed to contain the histories
at once simple, sublime, and so frequently repeated, of leaders of
cooperation who had given their time, their health, and their savings
in order to build up their store.”
Limits of Cooperation
A LTHOUGTI cooperation is possessed of limitless possibilities in the
economic field, the author points out that “ society does not
consist simply of economic relations.” Society has certain rights
which are superior even to the rights of the consumer. Certain
questions of morality, the administration of justice, social insurance,
esthetics, etc., may be given attention by cooperative organizations,
“ but even when they take effective action they can not be said to do
so in the consumers’ interests. Undeniably it is the duty of society
to deal with them for the sake of its own safety, but the cooperative
movement may lend it assistance.”
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84
M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
Organization of Labor
I TNDER the cooperative republic every producer would also be a
^
member of a cooperative society. “ Tims everyone would be at
once a servant of the republic and as a consumer a partner in its man
agement, sharing in the new sovereignty/' ’ There would, however,
remain the question of whether the present system of organizing labor
should be retained or whether different methods should be sought.
Various methods have been tried by cooperative societies to induce
in their employees an active interest in the welfare of the society.
These methods have included profit sharing, participation in control,
and responsibility in management. Profit sharing has been found
unsatisfactory and discontinued by those societies (including the
English Cooperative Wholesale Society) which have tried it. Partici
pation in control also “ does not seem to have worked very happily
in practice/’ for the workers’ delegates to the board of directors
ordinarily give more attention to advancing the claims of the em
ployees than to the good of the society. Some societies, however,
have appointed employees to the board of directors, but as consumers,
not as producers.
The author suggests responsible government as a possible solution—
i. e., making the manager responsible for the success of the store
and pajdng him according to sales. This, however, has the limitation
of being workable only in a one-man or small-staffed store; otherwise
there would always be the possibility of the manager’s adopting
speeding-up practices with the other employees in order to increase
his own gains. The “ commandite” system (the responsibility of the
group) would, in the author’s opinion, meet this objection.2 An
association of the workers would be intrusted with the labor organiza
tion of the store, factory, etc., and would be paid a sum reckoned on
the sales or output.
Conclusion
’"‘T HERE are great and innumerable difficulties in the way of realizing
the cooperative republic and these are recognized by the author.
Whether it will ever be fully attained depends in his opinion, on
“ how fully consumers understand its purpose and the alacrity with
which they attach themselves to cooperative societies.” How long
it will take depends upon “ the fitness of the means chosen to bring
it to pass.” The principal factors are coordination of effort and
knowledge of the goal. The logical line of development sketched by
the author is from local to regional society, to the establishment of
the wholesale for commerce, manufacturing and production, and
finance, then to the national society, then to international exchange
and an international wholesale society.
The author emphasizes that the hypothesis of a cooperative com
monwealth is not a product of fancy but is supported by the laws of
evolution of human society.3
2
The operation of the commandite in the printing industry of France was described in the Labor Review
for February, 1926, pp. 208-211.
8In support of this statement mention might be made of the fact that the movement has spread to nearly
40 countries, many of which have also established their own wholesale society. No national movement
has as yet taken the step of forming one national society embracing all the local societies, though this has
been seriously discussed in Great Britain. International exchange of cooperative goods is already taking
place and the question of establishing an international wholesale is being studied. The proportion of
population served by consumers’ cooperation (i. e., cooperators and their families) ranges as high as 50
per cent, for example, in Hungary.
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85
M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
Cooperation in Foreign Countries
Germany
HE 1926 yearbook of the Central Union of German Consumers’
Cooperative Societies 1 gives detailed statistics covering the
various provincial unions as well as the Central Union and the
Wholesale Society (“ G. E. G.”). The following table, compiled from
the report, gives certain statistics of operation for the societies affili ated with the union and for the wholesale society, for the years 1924
and 1925:
T
STATISTICS OF OPERATION OF GERMAN CENTRAL UNION OF CONSUMERS’ COOP
ERATIVE SOCIETIES AND WHOLESALE SOCIETY, 1924 AND 1925
[Mark=23.8 cents].
Societies affiliated with
Central Union
Item
1924
Number of affiliated societies___________________
Number of societies reporting____________ ______
Number of members ............ .....................................
Number of persons employed____ _______________
1925
1924
1,166
1, 023
3, 506, 629
42, 350
1, 113
1,054
3, 383, 765
42, 641
Marks
Marks
Total sales _____ _____________________________ 555, 553, 082
Value of goods produced. - _____________ ______ 116, 698, 969
Sales of goods produced _ _____________________
90, 068, 340
R e s e r v e f u n d s ____________________________________
12, 818, 820
Wholesale Society
(“ G. E. G.”)
854, 368, 720
205,981, 117
160, 630, 841
15, 408, 336
1925
821
894
3, 598
4,327
Marks
Marks
168, 466, 278
26, 298, 325
228,169, 471
35, 339, 389
4, 033, 180
5, 714, 821
As the above table shows, the sales of the societies of the central
union and of the wholesale increased 53.8 and 35.4 per cent, respec
tively. The goods bought from the wholesale society formed 26.7
per cent of the retail societies’ sales and goods produced by the
societies themselves, 18.9 per cent.
The table below shows the occupational distribution of the member
ship of societies affiliated with the union, in so far as reports were
received on this point.
OCCUPATIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF MEMBERS OF GERMAN CONSUMERS’ COOP
ERATIVE SOCIETIES, 1924 AND 1925
1924
1925
Occupational classification
Number
Independent tradespeople____ . . . _____________ Independent farmers________________________ __ __
Professional and public employees-.. _________ ____
Wage earners i n i ndustry_________ ___________ ____
Wage earners in agriculture- _________
_____
No fixed occupation (pensioners, persons living on their
income, etc.)---------------------------------------------------Total
______ ____ _
____________________
199, 952
116, 417
328, 651
2, 207, 274
99, 586
Per cent
6.0
3.5
9.9
66. 5
3. 0
Number
194, 272
113, 080
316, 473
2, 210, 735
92, 381
Per cent
5.8
3.4
9.5
66.5
2.8
365, 559
11.0
398, 288
12.0
3, 317, 439
100. 0
3, 325, 229
100.0
An interesting account of a more or less uncommon type of workers’
society is given in cooperative press release No. 34 of the International
i Zentral verband deutscher Konsumvereine. Jahrbuch, 1926. Erster Band. Hamburg, 1926.
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86
M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
Labor Office. These societies are the inland navigation societies of
Germany.2 The origin of these societies dates from the twelfth
century, when regulations were established by special corporations
to protect the boatmen. To-day these societies include 80 per cent
of the German boatmen engaged in inland navigation. The report
points out that u this percentage is the more remarkable, as organiza
tion is attended by greater difficulties in a trade the members of which
are scattered and have no fixed domicile. ”
These societies undertake, through their agency, contracts for the
transport and towage of goods. One of the largest societies is located
in Berlin; this was founded in 1889 and in 1923 had 3,407 members.
Recently these workers’ societies have established auxiliary organiza
tions to assist them along various lines.. These secondary societies
include those for repairing and building boats, supply societies,
credit societies, etc.
The boatmen’s societies have no federation of their own nor are
they affiliated with any other federation. They have, however, agree
ments which enable their members to enjoy reciprocal advantages
throughout the whole inland-navigation system.
Great Britain
Machinery for Settling Disputes With Employees
8
SCHEME providing for procedure in cases of disputes between
the cooperative societies and their employees has been approv
ed by the labor advisory committee of the British Cooperative Union
and by the trade-unions concerned. It will still have to be ratified
by the Trades Union Congress and the Cooperative Congress.
In case of failure of negotiations on wage questions or on general
labor conditions, the matters of controversy are to be referred to a
national conciliation board within 7 days and the board must take
up the case within 14 days. Strikes and lockouts, in the meantime,
are prohibited.
Panels of employers’ and workers’ representatives are to be estab
lished consisting of four representatives from each union and each
section of the Cooperative Union. A trade-union directly concerned
in any dispute has the right to select from the workers’ panel six
persons, in which number may be included its own four representa
tives on the panel. These six, together with six employers’ repre
sentatives chosen in similar manner by the Cooperative Union,
and an impartial chairman, form the board. The chairman is to
be drawn from a panel of six persons serving in rotation.
A unanimous vote of the board must be accepted by both parties.
If the vote is not unanimous but there is a majority in favor of
terms of settlement the parties may agree to accept the decision,
which shall then be binding. Failing either of the above, the parties
shall be asked to accept the impartial chairman as arbitrator and
if they agree to this his award is to be binding.
The expenses of the employers’ representatives are to be borne
by the Cooperative Union and those of the workers’ representatives
2 A similar, but deep-sea, navigation society was formed in 1918 in Italy (see issues of January, 1921, p. 135,
and August, 1921, p. 199), but late reports indicate that it has been either seized or destroyed by the Fascists.
3 International Labor Office, Industrial and Labor Information, Geneva, Apr. 12,1926, pp. 50, 51.
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COOPERATION IN FO R EIG N COU NTRIES'---- H U N G A R Y
87
by the unions concerned. Other expenses are to be borne equally
by the Cooperative Union and the trade-unions.
It is pointed out that arbitration is not compulsory and that this
new agreement does not interfere with the functions of the wages
and hours boards. It comes into play only if their efforts fail of
acceptance.
Hungary
ie cooperative movement of Hungary
arc uiiuuum w uuwuu. certain information as to the activities
and status of the “ Hangya” (cooperative union and wholesale
society) are given in cooperative press release No. 34 of the Inter
national Labor Office. According to this report the affiliated societies
in 1924 numbered 1,951 and their membership 870,549, which, taking
into account the fact that the members of Hungarian societies are
nearly all heads of families, means that in that year these societies
supplied more than half of «the population of the country.
At the end of 1925 the Hangya had in its employ 1,020 workers.
Notwithstanding a considerable fall in prices of certain articles the
Hangya’s sales increased 31.35 per cent over those of 1924, and
amounted to 719,839,188,000 kroner.4 Its capital aggregated
30,178,581,000 kroner, and members’ deposits (used as working
capital) 46,471,151,503 kroner.
iKrone at par=20.3 cents; exchange rate is about 0.0014 cent.
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[87]
LA BO R O R G A N IZA TIO N S A ND C O N G R ESSES
Labor Organization in Canada, 1925
’HE following figures on trade-union membership in Canada in
1925 are taken from the fifteenth annual report on labor or
ganization in Canada for that year, published by the Dominion
Department of Labor:
T
Branches
In te rn a tio n a l c ra ft u n io n s__________________ 1, 985
In d u s tria l W orkers of th e W o rld ___________
6
O ne Big U nio n __________________________r __
53
N o n in tern atio n a l o rg an iz a tio n s_____________
311
In d e p e n d e n t u n its __________________________
40
N atio n al and C atholic u n io n s_______________
99
T o ta l____________________________________
2, 494
Membership
172,
10,
17,
34,
1 12,
25,
573
000
256
070
165
000
271, 064
The 1925 membership of the international unions was 17,908 less
than that for 1924, while the members of the noninternational and
independent unions gained, respectively, 12,309 and 264 members.
The membership of three locals of the independent unions, however,
is not included in the report. The number of members in the national
and Catholic unions was the same in 1924 as in 1925. In this latter
year the Industrial Workers of the World lost 1,500 members. The
One Big Union’s 1925 membership was 17,256, according to the first
report received from that organization’s headquarters since 1919.
Balancing the losses and gains of the four groups of unions other than
the One Big Union and the Industrial Workers of the World, it will
be noted that the combined membership of the international, non
international, independent, and national Catholic unions decreased
in 1925 by 5,335 members.
Of the 87 international craft organizations with one or more local
unions in the Dominion, 13 have more than 5,000 members in the
Dominion while the Canadian membership of four of these bodies is
above the 10,000 mark, being 14,409 in the Brotherhood of Railroad
Trainmen, 13,700 in the Canadian Brotherhood of Railroad Em
ployees, 12,500 in the United Mine Workers of America, and 11,584
in the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen.
Proceedings of the All-India Trade-Union Congress2
IIE sixth session of the All-India Trade-Union Congress was
held in Madras, January 9-10, 1926, with 110 delegates in
attendance. The report of the general secretaries showed that
• 52 unions, with a membership of over 125,000, are affiliated with the
T
1 For 34 branches.
2 All-India Trade-Union Congress. Report of the sixth session and eongress constitution. Bombay, 1026.
88
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M E M B E R S H IP OF FA C IST U N IO N S IN ITALY
89
congress. Of these, 15 are railway unions, 10 textile unions, 7 are
organizations of general laborers, 7 those of transport workers
other than railwaymen, 3 those of seamen, 2 those of postal and
telegraph workers, 2 those of commercial employees, 2 those of
employees in the paper and printing trades, and 1 each those of
workers in the engineering, mining, iron and steel, and chemical
industries.
The president’s address contained a review of trade-unionism in
India, in which he pointed out that practically the whole develop
ment of the movement has taken place since 1918. The congress was
founded four years ago as a means of coordinating the work of the
unions in different industries, and has been successful along these
lines. _An account of the leading unions was given, with particular
attention to the principal strikes during the last year and to the help
that the congress has been able to give, notably in the case of the long
and finally^ successful strike in the Bombay textile industry. (See
Labor Review, February, 1926, p. 226.)
A number of resolutions were passed, covering the whole field of
labor interests. _A very strong protest was made against the proposed
anti-Asiatic legislation in South Africa, and an appeal was made to
the South African Labor Partjr to withdraw support from these
measures ' ‘in the interest of the international solidarity of the work
ers. ’ In the way of general labor demands, the congress asked for a
standard ^eight-hour day,- for primary and technical education for
workers, for equality of treatment in the civil service, for legislation
forbidding deductions from wages on account of fines, for public
employment bureaus, and for measures of social insurance. In view
of the number of woman workers, they asked for more woman factory
inspectors, for maternity benefits and the grant of a period of leave
before and after confinement, for the establishment of day nurseries
for the children of woman employees, and for the prohibition of the
employment of women underground in mines. A number of resolutions_ dealt with the grievances of workers in special industries.
Modifications of the trade-union bill now before the legislature were
asked, such as would make it agree with the provisions of English
law on the subject. Finally, a carefully worked out scheme was
indorsed for giving labor adequate representation in the central and
provincial legislatures of the country, with the further proviso that
the representatives should be elected, not appointed bv the Govern
ment.
Membership of Fascist Unions in Italy, 1924 and 1925
ECENT statistics published by the Confederation of Fascist
Corporations 1 show that the membership of the corporations
(unions) has increased from 1,764,393 on December 31, 1924, to
2,150,511 on December 31, 1925. The table following shows the
distribution of the total membership among the individual corpora
tions.
R
1 Confédération des Corporations Faeistes. Bureau de presse. Bulletin d’informations syndicales,
Rome, M a y 8, 1926.
102973°—26------7
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M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
90
MEMBERSHIP OF FASCIST CORPORATIONS, DECEM BER 31, 1924 AND 1925
Kind of corporation
Agriculture.........................
Mining.......................... .......
Metal working.................—
Textile_________________
Chemical industry_______
Water, gas, and electricity.
Glass industry__________
Building and construction.
Paper and printing......... .
Food industries_________
F u rn itu re in d u str y ...............
Clothing industry_______
Transport................ ............
Dec. 31,
1924
694,842
45, 565
134, 070
57, 595
63,765
18,825
14, 665
124, 665
15, 789
31, 925
13, 230
19, 885
100,125
Dec. 31,
1925
Kind of corporation
724, 900
76, 390
184, 200
111, 800
110, 991
23.100
18, 910
142, 476
23, 630
62.100
21, 436
31,108
125, 495
Hotel industry------------------Fishing......................... ........ .
Sanitary industries------------Intellectual workers_______
Teachers______ ____ ______
Actors, artists, etc_________
Private salaried employees...
Manual workers, Government
Forest workers____________
Miscellaneous occupations...
Dec. 31,
1924
41, 650
21, 203
22, 475
40, 534
30, 335
32, 920
185, 000
19, 735
Dec. 31,
1925
47,850
26,450
26, 825
56, 994
38, 855
45, 420
192, 500
24, 841
34, 210
35,595
Total_______________ 1, 764, 393 2,150, 511
The confederation publishes at Rome a journal, II Lavoro d’ Italia
(Italian Labor), which up to April 21, 1926, was issued weekly.
Since that date the journal has been published as a daily paper, which
in addition to local and foreign labor news prints all the important
local, national, and foreign news of general interest. The confedera
tion and the national corporations have raised an initial fund of 2,450,000 lire 1 for the support of this daily journal, and the 76 provincial
federations have each contributed 10,000 lire to this fund.
1 Lira at par=19.3 cents; exchange rate in April, 1926, was approximately 4 cents.
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Recent Developments in Adult Workers’ Education in the United
States
NE of the most significant of the postwar labor developments
in the United States is the rapid extension of the workers’
education movement. The purpose of this movement is to
provide better facilities for the training of labor leaders and for the
broader education of all workers. At the close of the war only
occasional experiments of this kind had been made in this country.
As late as 1920 a survey made by the United States Bureau of Labor
Statistics of adult working-class education in Great Britain and the
United States (Bulletin No. 271) found ver}?- few examples of workers’
educational undertakings in the United States.
Thereafter, however, the movement spread rapidly, and early in
1926 the secretary of the Workers’ Education Bureau reported an
enrollment of over 40,000 students in workers’ colleges or study
groups in more than 300 industrial centers in some 40 States.1 By
1926, also, there were full-time directors of workers’ education in a
number of States. Practically all of these activities, it is interesting
to note, are financed by labor itself.
The present article summarizes some of the more interesting of
these enterprises, as reported in various published sources.
O
Workers’ Education Bureau
DROBABLY the most important present influence in workers ’educa
tion is the Workers Education Bureau. This organization was
founded in April, 1921, by a small group of teachers and tradeunionists who were convinced of the need for “ a national clearing
house of information and guidance for American workers ’education.”2
The aims and activities of the central agency were made the
subject of careful study by the executive council of the American
Federation of Labor, and the bureau was given the “ most cordial
support” by the education committees of the 1922 and 1923 conven
tions of the federation, while the delegates at the latter meeting recom
mended the affiliation of the various unions with the bureau. At
the 1924 convention, held at El Paso, the following plan of the
executive council of the federation was unanimously adopted:
1.
T h a t each n a tio n a l a n d in te rn a tio n a l union pro v id e each y ear an ed u catio n
fu n d eq u iv a le n t to one-half c e n t p e r m em b er p e r an n u m .
2.
T h a t th is ed u c a tio n a l fu n d be p a id q u a rte rly to th e W o rk e rs’ E d u c a tio n
B ureau fo r th e e d u c a tio n a l service to th e ir m em bership.
3.
T h a t th e local u n ions be urg ed to u n d e rta k e activ e affiliation w ith th e
W o rk ers’ E d u catio n B u reau a n d p a y an a n n u a l m em bership fee of one dollar
fo r th e reg u lar ed u c a tio n a l service of th e b u reau .
i American Federationist, Washington, March, 1926: “ Five years of American workers’ education.’’
aidem, p. 336.
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The report of the executive council of the American Federation of
Labor to the 1925 convention of that body declared that “ the
Workers’ Education Bureau of America * * * may now be said
to constitute an essential part of the educational service of the
American Federation of Labor.”
In the first half of 1925, 41 unions became actively affiliated with
the bureau in conformity with the plan agreed upon at the El Paso
meeting, and at the present time the affiliated bodies include almost
500 national and international unions, State federations of labor, and
central and local labor unions in various parts of the United States.
(American Federationist of March, 1926.) According to its amended
constitution the purpose of the bureau is to collect and disseminate
information concerning organized labor’s educational efforts and to
coordinate, assist, and stimulate such efforts. Any labor organization
not dual or seceding in character is eligible for membership, as are
also “ all workers’ educational enterprises under trade-union con
trol and devoted to general education for workers.” Annual mem
bership dues for the different groups of organizations and individuals
are as follows:
1. In te rn a tio n a l a n d n a tio n a l trad e-u n io n s, one-half cen t p er m em b er p er
year, p ay ab le q u arterly .
2. S ta te fed eratio n s of lab o r, $10; c e n tra l la b o r unions, $5; local unions, $1;
o th e r form s of tr a d e a n d la b o r o rganizations, $5.
3. A m erican F e d e ra tio n of L abor, $100.
4. W orkers’ s tu d y classes a n d tra d e -u n io n colleges, $2 p er class o r $1 fo r each
local u n ion affiliated th ere w ith .
5. H o n o rary m em bers, $100; su stain in g m em bers, $25; c o n trib u tin g m e m b ers
$10; coop eratin g m em bers, $5; associate m em bers, $2.
The constitution provides that the bureau’s executive committee
shall consist of the president and secretary of the association and 9
other members to be selected or elected as follows: One to represent
State federations of labor, city central bodies, local unions, and
other forms of labor organization; two to represent workers’ educa
tional enterprises; three to represent the American Federation of
Labor; and three to represent international and national tradeunions.
The constitution provides for biennial conventions. Among the
problems discussed at the 1925 convention of the bureau were:
Education and social program, education and industrial peace, and
education and international peace. At this meeting James H.
Maurer, president of the Pennsylvania State Federation of Labor,
was reelected president of the bureau and Mr. Spencer Miller, Jr.,
was again chosen to serve as secretary.
The character of the education aimed at places emphasis upon
economic and labor subjects but by no means neglects the so-called
cultural branches. Thus, at the 1925 convention recommendation
was made to include in a labor college curriculum the following
subjects: 3
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
L abor h isto ry ; T rad e-u n io n problem s, policies, a n d aim s; L ab o r a n d S tate.
H isto ry , w ith em phasis on social a n d econom ic forces an d system s.
E conom ic geography.
E conom ics, p a rtic u la rly in relatio n to th e in d u s try of th e group ta u g h t.
Social psychology a n d sociology.
L abor law a n d legislation.
8 Workers’ Education, New York, August, 1925, p. 5.
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7. Public speaking a n d p a rlia m e n ta ry law , as fa r as possible in connection
w ith th e su b ject m a tte r of o th e r classes.
8. L ite ra tu re , w ith em phasis on social in te rp re ta tio n .
9. E nglish, w ith use of tex tb o o k s t h a t a re of valu e from a lab o r p o in t of view
a n d w ith exercises of p ra c tic a l valu£ to trad e-u n io n ists.
10. H e a lth , w ith special reference to in d u s tria l conditions.
The bureau has instituted a monthly news service for its members,
for labor colleges, and for the labor press, and also furnishes outline
lessons on psychology, economics, and other subjects to some of the
official labor organs. Correspondence courses on various subjects
are in preparation.- An increasing amount of literature especially
adapted to labor’s needs is being issued under the auspices of the
Workers ’ Education Bureau.
The titles of some of these publications as given in the report of the
executive council of the American Federation of Labor to its 1925
convention (p. 64) are as follows:
W orkers’ B ookshelf:
Vol. 1. Joining in P ublic D iscussion, by A lfred D w ig h t Sheffield.
Vol. 2. T h e C o n tro l of W ages, b y W alton H am ilto n a n d S tacy M ay.
V °l. 3. T he H u m an izin g of K now ledge, b y Jam es H a rv e y R obinson.
Vol. 4. W om en a n d th e L ab o r M ovem ent, b y Alice H en ry .
Vol. 5. T he L ab o r M o v em en t in a G o v ern m en t In d u s try , b y S terling D.
Spero.
Vol. 6. A S h o rt H isto ry of th e A m erican L ab o r M ovem ent, by M ary B eard.
Vol. 7. R eadings in T rad e-U n io n ism , by D av id Saposs.
W orkers’ E d u c a tio n P a m p h le t Series:
1. H ow -to S ta r t W o rk ers’ S tu d y Classes, by B roadus M itchell.
2. H ow to R u n a U nion M eeting, by P aul B lanshard.
3. tV orkers’ E d u c a tio n , b y A rth u r Gleason.
4. T he V o lu n tary B asis of T rade-U nionism , b y S am uel G om pers.
5 . T he A m erican F ed e ra tio n of L abor, by M a tth e w Woll.
6. C hild L abor, by W illiam Green.
7. H ow to K eep U nion R ecords, by S tu a rt Chase.
8. T he W om en’s A uxiliary a n d W o rk ers’ E d u c a tio n , by T h eresa W olfson.
9. T he P ublic L ib ra ry a n d W o rk ers’ E d u catio n , by E. C. L indem an.
The following volumes and pamphlets were in active preparation:
W orkers’ B ookshelf:
C ooperative R ailroading, by O tto S. Beyer, Jr.
Econom ic In s titu tio n s, b y W illard T horpe.
Policies of A m erican T rade-U nions, by Leo W olm an.
O ur A ncient H eritag e, by A lexander G oldenw eiser.
C ase Book on In d u s tria l A rb itra tio n , b y G eorge Soule,
C ooperative M ovem ent, b y D r. Jam es W arbasse.
W orkers’ H e a lth , b y D r. E m ery H a y h u rst.
P am p h lets:
W orkm en’s C om pensation, by T h o m as D onnelly.
W orkers’ H ealth , b y D r. G eorge M. Price.
T he L ab o r In ju n c tio n , b y Jo h n P. F rey.
The president of the American Federation of Labor has requested
the Workers’ Education Bureau to u direct studies of specific prob
lems upon which the labor movement needs additional data and
dependable research information.” 5 One of the first studies the
bureau is undertaking at President Green’s request is on labor-saving
devices in the home.
4 The American Labor Year Book, 1925, New York, 1925, p. 207.
* American Federation of Labor. Report of executive council to the forty-fifth annual convention, held
at Atlantic City, Oct. 5, 1925. Washington, 1925?, p. 65.
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Brookwood Labor College
Labor College, at Katonah, 40 miles from New
York City, entered its fifth yea£ of existence October 19, 1925,
with a registration of 40 students, representing 18 trade-unions and
13 nationalities, exclusive of students from foreign countries. This
resident coeducational institution was established to “ provide special
training for leaders in the labor and farmer movements.” 6 The
regular Brookwood course extends over two school years of eight
months. Special provision is made, however, for students who are
unable to remain for more than a year. Most of the domestic work
of the college is done by the students themselves under a scheme of
weekly assignment by a special committee. The subjects taught
include American and foreign labor history, trade-union organization
and administration, social psychology, economics, use of English,
public speaking, parliamentary law, labor journalism, and dramatics,
the last two mentioned courses having been added for the 1925-26
session. Brookwood is supported mainly by scholarships and
donations from international, State, and local trade-unions, which
are supplemented by individual contributions and endowment funds.
The minimum annual charge for a student who pays his own way is
$ 200 .
In both 1924 and 1925 teachers engaged in workers’ education met
in conference at the Brookwood school. The subject of the first
conference was “ The technique of classroom teaching” ; that of the
second conference, “ The technique of mass education.”
The members of the faculty, recently increased by four, have all
had active experience as workers and officers in the labor movement,
and “ are organized as Local 189, American Federation of Teachers.”
On February 20-22, 1926, under the auspices of this local the third
annual conference of teachers in the workers’ educational movement
was held at the college. In addition to the monthly publication of
the Brookwood Review, a weekly syndicated labor education service
has been inaugurated by the college.
Railroad Labor Institute
The Railroad Labor Institute in session from August 2 to 9, 1925,
at Brookwood College was a pioneer undertaking of its kind. Among
those who attended the conference were locomotive firemen, boiler
makers, sheet-metal workers, stationary engineers, firemen, oilers,
machinists, maintenance-of-way men, carmen, railway clerks, and
presidents and vice presidents of railway labor organizations.7 In
cluded in the numerous subjects discussed were the activities of the
Cuban railway unions, labor’s gains through legislative activities,
the operation of the so-called Rockefeller plan in the Colorado steel
plants and coal mines, and the giant power movement.
In the judgment of the president of the railway employees’ depart
ment of the American Federation of Labor, this railroad conference
“ constitutes one of the most significant steps yet taken in workers’
education.” 8
• The Brookwood Review, Katonah, N. Y., Dee., 1925, pp. 1, 4.
7 American Federationist, Washington, October, i925, p. 935.
0 Idem.
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ED U CA TIO N ---- U N IT E D STATES
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The railroad institute was followed by a general labor institute
open to all trade-unionists. Students came from most of the States
north of the Ohio and east of the Mississippi, representing a variety
of trades. A number of university men were invited to the institutes
as guests.
✓.
A giant power conference organized by the International Brother
hood of Electrical Workers and the faculty of Brookwood College
will be conducted at that school from July 16 to 31, 1926. Engineers,
economists, and political leaders will be among the speakers. As a
preparation for the summer meeting the subject was discussed briefly
at a preliminary conference of the college in March, 1926.
This power institute will be followed by the second annual railroad
conference. The college is also planning a summer institute for
textile workers and a general labor institute of two weeks.
Educational Activities of International Union of Ladies’ Garment Workers
T H E International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union was one of the
first labor organizations in the field of workers’ education in the
United States.9 The principle was approved at the Cleveland con
vention of the organization in 1914, and in the winter of 1917-18 the
New York Board of Education allowed the use of four public schools
as unity centers where popular lectures and courses might be given
and meetings held under the auspices of the union The Workers’
University, which opened early in January, 1918, under the same
auspices, is located in the Washington Irving High School, New York
City.
By 1923-24 there were eight unity centers operating in New York
City and two others were organized, one in Boston and the other in
Philadelphia. According to a report made to the eighteenth con
vention of the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union, held
in December, 1925, the educational department of the organization
had expanded and improved its work in the preceding 18 months.
Numerous educational, health, and social activities were being carried
on in the unity centers, and classes of an advanced character were
being conducted at the Workers’ University and at the I. L. G. W. U.
Building.
Among the subjects offered for study at the centers and the uni
versity are: Trade-union policies and tactics; current labor problems;
economic problems of the working woman; woman’s place in the labor
movement; labor situation in the basic industries; the place of workers
in history; a social study in literature; the development of industry
and the trade-union movement in the United States; economics and
the labor movement; public speaking; social factors in American
history; the making of industrial America; recent social developments
in Europe; economic basis of modern civilization; psychology and the
labor movement; and English.
The extension division was continued for the convenience of those
workers who found it difficult to attend the classes. Educational
programs were also planned for the members of the executive boards
of local unions, and for promising young men and women, members
8 Levin®, Louis: The Women’s Garment Workers, A History of the International Ladies’ Garment
Workers’ Union, New York, 1924.
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96
of the organization, while higher courses were to be arranged for
business agents and officers of the local unions of the international
body.
The union health, center has inaugurated a special health education
campaign among the members of the organization and has in prepa
ration leaflets, for distribution on request, concerning diet and the
various diseases to which garment workers are subject.
Program of the Cloth Hat, Cap, and Millinery Workers
T T IE fifteenth biennial convention of the Cloth Hat, Cap and Milli£ nery Workers’ International Union, May 1 to 11, 1925, approved
the educational work of the organization and its affiliation with the
Workers’ Education Bureau of America and decided upon more sys
tematic and intensive educational activities for the next two years.10
All locals were instructed to appoint educational committees to coop
erate with the general education committee to be appointed by the
general executive board.
The following plan was agreed upon by the general education
committee and approved by the general executive board, in August,
1925.
1. T h e co m m ittee shall h a v e a m eetin g w ith th e ex ecu tiv e b o a rd of ev ery
local union in N ew Y ork C ity to discuss a n d agree u p o n a p ro g ram of e d u
catio n al w ork. E v ery local u n io n m ay a rran g e its ow n e d u catio n al w ork as
it deem s best. W liatev er w ork th e local m ay arran g e, such as classes, forum s,
etc. will h av e th e full co o p eratio n of th e general e d u catio n co m m ittee.
2 . T h e locals shall be urged to d istrib u te th e h isto ry of o u r un io n am ong our
m em bership a n d to p ro m o te th e sale of books on v arious phases of th e lab o r m ove
m e n t o u blished by th e W o rk ers’ E d u c a tio n B ureau.
3. An open forum shall b e estab lish ed on general lab o r problem s to consist of a
series of lectures a n d discussions u n d er th e auspices of th e general ed u catio n
com m ittee.
.
.
,
4. A rrangem ents shall be m ad e for 12 m usical evenings Avith lectu res a n d
ta lk s on c u rre n t problem s of th e lab o r m ovem ent, to ta k e place d u rin g th e fall
an d w inter.
. ,
. , ,
.
~
,
5 . [T he lib ra ria n of th e com m ittee] was in stru c te d to p re p a re a series of o u t
lines to be used by th e local officers a t reg u lar shop m eetings fo r a n in tro d u c tio n
to a discussion on vario u s tra d e -u n io n a n d lab o r problem s connected as fa r as
possible w ith th e c u rre n t problem s of th e organization. Such a n in tro d u c tio n
n o t to ta k e m ore th a n 20 m in u tes. T h e o u tlin e shall also co n ta in recom m ended
readings on th e subject.
6. T o in v ite ac tiv e m em bers a n d shop ch airm an to w rite to t h e H eadgear
W orker a b o u t general un io n a n d shop problem s, m ak in g a n y in q u iries w hich are
to be answ ered a n d explained by th e e d ito r in a special colum n demoted to th is
purpose. T h e He&dge&r W orker shall also d ev o te som e space to th e outlines^ of
lectures or ed u catio n al articles w hich are especially necessary fo r th e locals o utside
7.
T h e expenses of th e ed u catio n al activ ities shall be m e t p a rtly by th e local
unions a n d p a rtly b y th e general office, th e c o n trib u tio n of th e general office to
be used p rim arily for th e sm aller locals who are n o t in a positio n to spend m uch
for ed u catio n al w ork.
Educational Activities of the Fur Workers 11
¡70K the winter season, 1924-25, the International Fur Workers’
Union of the United States and Canada promoted an educa
tional program for the union’s members and their families. This
*
10 The Headgear Worker, Long Island City, May 29, 1925, and Sept. 25, 1925.
» The Fur Worker, Long Island City, October, 1925, pp. 9-10.
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97
plan included a class in elementary arithmetic and English and also
higher courses in the Rand School of Social Science. Lectures were
given on current topics and occasional concerts were also included in
the educational program.
The contribution of the international office to these educational
activities in New York was over $1,100. The office also allocated
$200 to a Chicago local and $100 to the St. Paul locals for similar
programs.
Schools for Women
A MONG the more important educational undertakings for woman
^ * workers are the National Women’s Trade Union League school
for woman organizers, the Bryn Mawr Summer School, and the sum
mer sessions attended by woman workers at the University of Wis
consin.
National Women’s Trade Union League Training School
The establishment of a school to train women in trade-union or
ganization work was recommended at the 1913 convention of the
National Women’s Trade Union League of America and within the
year the school was started in Chicago under the management of
the officers and members of the league’s executive board and a
special committee. This school makes special academic training
possible for trade-union girls who have shown an aptitude for leader
ship through work in their own locals. Under an arrangement with
the educational department of the league the woman workers of this
school are admitted as “ unclassified students” for three months in
the labor problems class under the general political economy course
at the University of Chicago. This three months’ course is followed
by field work and office practice. All five students for 1924-25
passed their university course. The educational opportunities af
forded by this training school are made possible through the prac
tical cooperation of friends of the National Women’s Trade Union
League of America.12
Classes in English, parliamentary discussion, psychology, eco
nomics, literature, and sex hygiene have been organized by the
Women’s Trade Union League of New York and several other
branches of the national league are cooperating in the workers’ edu
cational activities in their respective localities.
Bryn Mawr Summer School
13
The Bryn Mawr summer school was inaugurated in 1921. The
fifth session of .eight weeks held in 1925 was attended by over 100
working women. About 400 others from numerous industries had
previously availed themselves of the opportunities afforded through
this educational venture.
All the students follow courses in economics, English composition,
public speaking, and hygiene. English literature, general science
or psychology, music, and history are elective. The subjects are
taught by 11 instructors from eastern and middle western colleges
and universities.
12 Life and Labor Bulletin, Chicago, May, 1925, p. 3.
13 American Federationist, Washington, August, 1925, pp. 654, 655: “ Bryn Mawr summer school,” by
Dr. Amy Hewes.
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The composition courses are especially popular. When there was
some question of the money needed to enlarge the teaching staff for
such courses, the president emeritus of the college, M. Carey Thomas,
declared: “ We must have this additional assistance even if it means
cutting somewhere else, for the school will he missing one of its real
opportunities if it does not do all it can to help the labor movement
find a voice and pen.”
The sense of freedom at the Bryn Mawr summer school is due to
the fact that its operation is completely in the hands of a council
made up of the faculty and students, which is responsible only to
the joint administrative committee which has charge of the college
building and grounds in summer.
Miss Mary Anderson, Director of the United States Women's
Bureau, has voiced her expectations concerning the experiment as
follows:14
F ro m th e stu d e n ts in th e B ry n M aw r school we hope to d evelop lead e rs am ong
th e w om en w orkers w ho w ill be a v ita l fa c to r in b ro ad en in g th e life a n d e n v iro n
m e n t as w ell as b e tte rin g th e w orking co n d itio n s of th e ir sisters. O n th e o th e r
h a n d , th e w om en w orkers w ill m a k e a definite c o n trib u tio n to th e e d u catio n al
sta n d a rd of th e colleges. T h ey are th e ex p o n en ts, th e co n crete e m b o d im en t
of th e resu lt, of existing econom ic con d itio n s. T h e differen t q u a lity of th e know l
edge, a n d th e u tilizatio n of i t in o u r e d u c a tio n a l system s, is fu ll of possibilities.
B ry n M aw r College h a s perceived th is. H e r lead e rsh ip in th e e sta b lish m e n t of
th is school is full of significance a n d hope fo r b ro a d e r fu tu re basis in p ublic
edu catio n .
Wisconsin University Experim ent 15
A summer school for working women was started in 1925 at the
University of Wisconsin and fitted into the regular summer sessions,
which were attended by over 3,000 men and women. The 40 work
ing women from 9 middle western States who constituted the newly
inaugurated school took courses in English, economics, and physical
education which were especially adapted to meet the needs of women
wage earners. Teachers acted as leaders and counselors in class
discussions, many of which were held in the open on the university
campus.
The expenses of these students were defrayed by various organiza
tions—alumnæ groups, women’s clubs, local sections of the Young
Women’s Christian Association, and trade-unions.
Characteristics oi Trade-Union Colleges
A S STATED above, there are workers’ colleges or classes in more
than 300 industrial centers in some 40 States. Lloyd M. Crosgrave, field representative of the Workers’ Education Bureau, sets
forth some of the prevailing practices in such enterprises as follows: 16
1. T h e w o rk ers’ college u su ally consists of one o r m ore classes co n d u cte d by
a d e q u a te in stru c to rs. In a d d itio n to th is, th e re is usually an open forum w here
m a tte rs of im p o rta n c e a re th o ro u g h ly discussed.
2. T h e college is, as a ru le, c arried on u n d e r th e auspices of a local lab o r o rg an i
zation. G enerally i t is th e c e n tra l tra d e s a n d lab o r assem bly in th e p a rtic u la r
u Gleason, Arthur: Workers’ Education, revised edition; American experiments, New York, 1921,
p. 59.
. ,
, , ,
15 American Federationist, Washington, October, 1925, pp. 943-945: “ Wisconsin’s summer school for
working women,” by John P. T roxell.
w American Federationist, Washington, August, 1925, pp. 687, 688.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[98]
ADULT W ORKERS
EDUCATION!— -U N IT E D STATES
99
c ity w here th e college exists, alth o u g h th e re are cases in w hich trad e -u n io n s
h av e th e ir ow n college.
3. T he stu d e n ts in th e w o rk ers’ college are, for th e m ost p a rt, a d u lt w age
earners.
4. T he w orkers’ college is co n d u cted fo r th e pu rp o se of m ak in g its m em bers
m ore useful to them selves, to th e lab o r m o v em en t a n d to society in general.
5. T he w orkers’ college is self-determ ining so fa r as its practices are concerned.
I t decides w h a t i t shall stu d y , w hen a n d w here i t sh all m eet, w ho shall be its
in stru c to rs, how the_classes shall be carried on, etc. As a rule, of course, i t m eets
in th e evening an d if possible, it assem bles in one or m ore lab o r halls, alth o u g h
freq u en tly i t is necessary to g et o th e r places because th e halls m ay n o t be large
enough or num erous enough. T h e teac h ers are u su ally persons w ho a re con
nected w ith n earb y ed u catio n al in s titu tio n s a n d w ho specialize in th e su b ject
th e y are called u p o n to te a c h . T hey are generally p a id a sum of m oney for
th e ir assistance, $5 a n ig h t being a v ery com m on wage.
6. T he m ost com m on su b jects stu d ie d are: P ublic speaking, E nglish com posi
tio n , E nglish lite ra tu re , h isto ry of organized lab o r, a n d c u rre n t lab o r problem s.
A notable feature of some of the workers’ colleges and classes is
their liaison with important institutions for higher education. This
relation has already been pointed out in the case of several schools
for woman workers. Another outstanding instance is the inaugura
tion of courses for workers at Springfield and Holyoke, Mass., by a
joint executive committee comprised of two members of the faculty
of Amherst College and two representatives each from the Holyoke
Central Labor Union and the Springfield Labor Union. The Boston
trade Union College is in close touch with neighboring universities
and avails itself of academic instruction and advice. The teachers at
the Columbus (Ohio) Workers’ College are members of the faculty of
the State University and the Workers’ College at Hamilton, which is
controlled altogether by the local cooperative trades and labor coun
cil and draws its instructors mainly from Miami University. The
Federated Trades Council of Colorado Springs has recently decided
to maintain a chair in labor problems at Colorado College.17
The annual appropriation of $10,000, which in former years had
been used by the University of California’s extension department for
adult education work, has recently been turned over to a committee
of whom the majority are trade-unionists, and the newly organized
enterprise has become affiliated with the Workers’ Education
Bureau.18
The multiplication of summer courses and institutes for workers is
another indication of the increasing momentum of their educational
movement.
The labor chautauquas conducted in 1925 in Mine District No. 2,
Pennsylvania, are a new development and had for their object the
popularizing of the miners’ problems and the convincing of the com
munity that these problems were its problems. The chautauquas
are reported as having been very effective in holding the miners
together during the recent strike.
Other Workers’ Education Institutions
U^OMMONWrEALTH College,19 at Mena, Ark., which just rounded
out its third academic year, is a resident school for the higher
education of young men and women from working class families.
17 The Brookwood Review, Katonah, March, 1926, p. 4.
!f The Nation, New V'ork, October 1, 1924, p. 333. “ Workers’ Education in the United States.”
18 Labor Review, Washington, June, 1925, pp. 10, 11: “ A new experiment in education for workers,’?
by Harold Coy; press release from Commonwealth Workers’ School, received Apr. 26, 1926.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[991
100
M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
Three 30-week years of instruction are open to students who
have a secondary-school education or its equivalent, while promising
applicants who are not ready for college may be allowed to enter a
two-year preparatory course as probationers. The general aim is to
fit these young men and women “ fora life of cultural richness, coupled
with practical social usefulness/’ with the special purpose of train
ing them for social service work and activities in the labor movement.
^The tuition fee at Commonwealth College is $100 per annum.
Students work four hours a day at plowing, building, or whatever
needs to be done in exchange for lodging, board, and laundry services.
The te a c h e rs also t a k e p a r t in the c o m m u n a l or in d u s t r ia l work. The
purpose of the scheme is “ to cut expenditures to a minimum, to make
the group a democratic unit, and to bind the members to concrete
realities.”
Under this arrangement the college can at present provide for only
50 students. Its 320-acre farm, however, is being developed, a can
nery is to be operated this summer, and the setting up of small shops
is in contemplation. The extension of such activities the manage
ment hopes will ultimately make the college entirely self-supporting.
The hand School of Social Science, one of the oldest institutions
in the United States for educating adult workers, is under the direc
tion of the American Socialist Society. I t receives support from the
International Ladies Garment Workers, the Amalgamated Cloth
ing Workers, and the Workmen’s Circle.20 This institution offers
‘ 1opportunities for study of the aims and methods of the labor move
ment in the economic and political fields” and endeavors “ to give
to participants in the movement such instruction and training as
will make them more efficient workers for the cause of labor.” Many
thousands of young men and women have received instructions at
this school and large numbers of them are taking an active part in the
industrial and political organizations of the labor world.
The Workmen’s Circle is a Jewish socialistic fraternal organization
which has schools in about 40 cities in the United States and Canada.
In 1924 approximately 5,000 students took about 10 hours’ work a
week after public school hours in Jewish history and literature and
in the American and international labor movement.21 The MarchApril, 1926, issue of the “ Friend,” the official organ of the Work
men’s Circle, states (p. 1) that a committee representing eight New
York branches of the organization has already been formed and is
laying plans for entertainments and lectures “ for the whole string of
English branches.”
sc Hodgon, Margaret T.: Workers’ Education in England and the United States, New York and London,
1925, p. 216.
21 American Labor Year Book, 1925, New York, 1925, p. 219.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[100 ]
STA BILIZA TIO N O F E M PL O Y M E N T
Stabilization oi Employment in the United States 1
HE coordinated efforts of public authorities to get at the economic
roots of the unemployment problem and to reach a practical
_solution for the adjustment of the labor market are still in an
experimental stage in this country, according to a report on stabiliza
tion of employment in the United States, by J. R. Bellerby, of the
international labor office. He also characterizes as yet empirical
the numerous attempts made by independent industrial units to
lessen unemployment or to alleviate its effects.
In many quarters the investigator found a lack of practical interest
in the unemployment question. He attributes this in some degree
to a failure to realize the existence of an unemployment problem,
such failure being due in part to the fact that there are no compre
hensive unemployment statistics in the United States.
The main purpose of the author is to report on measures for the
stabilization of industry that may be applied by central agencies,
namely, public authorities and Federal reserve banks, although he
gives considerable space to certain schemes and systems outside the
scope of centralized preventive action which, if they were made general,
would do much to reduce unemployment.
From an observation of current trends he makes the following
prediction on the matter of unemployment insurance:
T
T he responsibility of th e in d iv id u al w orker for his own w elfare will be assum ed
collectively th ro u g h th e m edium of th e trad e-u n io n . T h e responsibility of th e
com m unity will be b o rn e largely b y th e em ployer. W orking to g eth er, these
tw o groups will se t u p in su ran ce schem es of a very diverse n a tu re . T h e ir jo in t
a tte m p ts m ay a t som e fu tu re d a te be su p p o rted by th e S ta te o r F ed eral G overn
m en ts b y m eans of ad d itio n a l in d u cem en ts to se t u p schem es. T h ere seem s no
im m ediate likelihood of pu b lic a u th o ritie s p ro viding th e org an izatio n o r ad m in is
tra tiv e m achinery for u n em p lo y m en t insurance on a general scale.
Mr. Bellerby reports a recent gradual but continuous development
in the employment services of the States, which has been accom
panied by an increasing public interest in these activities. The
cooperation between the States and the United States Employment
Service is also the subject of favorable comment.
The Federal reserve system’s credit control is discussed in some
detail. The writer holds that the object of such control “ is to insure
the commensurate growth of production and consumption”—a de
tailed and scientific application of “ the ideal of industrial stabiliza
tion.” If consumption could be kept approximately even with pro
duction capacity so that stocks would not accumulate and “ clog the
wheels of industry” the trade cycle would be ruled out—booms and
depressions would be eliminated. He also stresses the importance
of the cooperation of private industry with the Federal reserve system
in the interest of stabilization.
1
International Labor Office. Studies and reports, Series C (employment and unemployment), No. 11.
Stabilization of employment in the United States, by J. R. Bellerby. Geneva, 1926.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[101 ]
101
102
M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
In discussing the advance planning and financing of public works,
some American suggestions and schemes are given, notably a pro
vision for public works recommended by President Harding’s Un
employment Conference Committee, which dealt with seasonal activi
ties in the construction industries, and a statement by President
Coolidge in 1925 before the Associated General Contractors of
America.
The passage of the Federal highway act during the great depres
sion of 1921, appropriating $75,000,000 for road construction, is
cited as typical of American methods in times of industrial crisis.
It is pointed out, however, that only two States, California and
Wisconsin, have made legal provision for the advance planning of
public works.
Statistical Progress
QUFFICIENT advance has been made in the United States in the
^ development of forecasting indexes to enable a body centralizing
credit control “ to direct its policy consciously and with full apprecia
tion of the situation.”
The hope is expressed that the Federal reserve policy will be per
fected and the suggestion made that “ the evolution of forecasting
indexes offers a most fruitful line of progress, for it would allow of
prompter and more effective application of the remedies available.”
Further delays might be avoided “ by simplifying the organization
and control of the system.”
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[ 102]
T R E N D O F E M PL O Y M E N T
Employment in Selected Industries in May, 1926
MPLOYMENT in manufacturing industries decreased 1.2 per
cent in May as compared with April, and pay-roll totals
decreased 1.6 per cent. As compared with May, 1925, however,
there was an increase of 0.9 per cent in employment and an increase of
1.3 per cent in pay-roll totals.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics' index of employment for May is
91.7, as compared with 92.8 for Ajiril and with 90.9 for May, 1925.
The index of pay-roll totals for May is 95.6, as compared with 97.2
for April and 94.4 for May, 1925.
The decline in May was most marked in the textile, vehicle, metal,
and chemical groups of industries, while such seasonal industries as
brick, cement, and ice cream showed their usual spring increases.
This report is based on returns from 9,836 establishments, in 54
industries, having in May, 2,974,031 employees whose combined
earnings in one week were $79,502,277.
E
Comparison of Employment and Pay-Roll Totals in April and May, 1926
'TTIE volume of employment increased in May, as compared with
April, in the Pacific and Mountain geographic divisions alone,
the increase in each instance being 3.3 per cent. The decreases in
the remaining seven geographic divisions were greatest in the New
England and East (North and South) Central divisions—2 per cent
or over in each case. The South Atlantic States dropped 1.8 per
cent of their employees and the Middle Atlantic 1.1 per cent.
Four groups of industries—food, lumber, paper, and stone, clay,
and glass—were the only ones, of the 12 groups, showing improved
employment conditions, the largest gains being in the last-named
group, which includes cement and brick. The declines in employ
ment in the textile and vehicle groups were marked in every industry
included.
Gains in employment appeared in May in only 10 of the 54 1
separate industries, improved conditions being found, almost entirely,
m decidedly seasonal industries alone, while sharp drops were shown
in many of the largest industries, for example: Automobiles, 3.8 per
cent in employment and 4.9 per cent in pay-roll totals; cotton goods,
2.6 per cent in employment and 7.3 per cent in pay-roll totals; iron
and steel, 1.3 per cent in employment and 3 per cent in pay-roll
totals; boots and shoes, 1.5 per cent in employment and 4 per cent
in pay-roll totals; furniture, 4 per cent in employment and 5.1 per
cent in pay-roll totals; and silk goods, 3 per cent and 1 per cent in
the two items, respectively.
For convenient reference the latest figures available relating to all
employees, excluding executives and officials, on Class I railroads,
drawn from Interstate Commerce Commission reports, are given at
the foot of Table 1 and Table 2.
1 Cast-iron pipe appears in this comparison for the first time.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[103]
103
104
M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
T able 1.—COMPARISON OF EM PLOYM ENT AND PAY-ROLL TOTALS IN IDENTICAL
ESTABLISHMENTS DURING ONE WEEK EACH IN APRIL AND MAY, 1926
[The per cents of change for each of the 12 groups of industries, and for the total, are weighted]
Number on pay roll
Industry
lishments
Food a n d kin dred p ro d u cts . .
Amount of pay roll
Per
Per
cent of
cent of j
change j April, 1926 May, 1926 change
1
April,
1926
May,
1926
1,354
189,227
191,781
+ 1 .4
64, 753, 656
$4,925,970
82
268
186
348
454
16
69, 956
30, 462
8, 162
14,345
54, 752
11, 550
71, 406
30, 252
9, 339
14, 171
55, 391
11,222
+2.1
-0 . 7
+14.4
-1 .2
+1.2
-2 .8
1, 755, 230
558, 435
274, 246
371, 967
1,446, 713
347, 065
1, 831,161
562, 850
313, 246
371, 792
1, 504, 284
342, 637
+4.3
+0.8
+14.2
-0 )
+4.0
-1 .3
Cotton goods _____________
Hosiery and knit goods ---Silk goods___________ ___
Woolen and worsted goods---Carpets and rugs -------- -----Dyeing and finishing textiles..
Clothing, men’s ---------------Shirts and collars --------------Clothing, women’s -------------Millinery and lace goods------
1,886
496
253
197
195
29
89
273
88
187
79
594,193
231, 835
83, 083
56, 733
59, 292
23,025
29, 634
58, 039
21, 302
18, 730
12, 520
580,010
225, 886
81, 686
55, 041
58, 808
22, 246
28,910
56, 543
20,941
17, 977
11,972
-2 .5
-2 . 6
-1 . 7
-3 .0
-0 .8
-3 . 4
-2 . 4
- 2 .6
-1 .7
-4 .0
-4 .4
11,507.323
3, 755, 333
1, 548, 573
1,186,160
1, 281, 977
594, 296
717,126
1, 318,036
364, 023
452, 928
288, 871
11,000,369
3, 481, 775
1, 550, 094
1,174, 472
1,284, 549
556, 812
683, 836
1, 254,410
343, 701
414, 775
255, 945
-4 .7
-7 .3
+0.1
-1 .0
+0.2
-6 .3
-4 .6
-4 .8
-5 .6
-8 .4
-11.4
Iron a n d steel a n d th eir prod
u c ts _________________ ______
1,674
662,792
2 -0 .9
20,089,989
19,736,678
+1.8
8, 760, 756
379, 774
684, 550
2- 1 .6
+ (>)
9,027,093
378,942
668,184
Slaughtering and meat pack
ing---- --------------------------Confectionery___
...
Ice cream .................................
Flour. ____________________
B ak in g_____ _____ ____
Sugar refining, cane-------------
T extiles a n d th eir p r o d u c ts ___
Iron and steel_____ ________
Cast-iron pipe......... .............
Structural ironwork..............
Foundry and machine-shop
products________________
Hardware__ ______________
Machine tools. . . . . . ---Steam fittings and steam and
hot-water heating apparatus
Stoves.________ ____________
L u m b er a n d its p r o d u cts_____
Lumber, sawmills-----------------Lumber, mill work_________
Furniture___ ____ _________
L eath er a n d its p r o d u c ts. . . .
Leather--------------------------------Boots and shoes....... .......... ........
Paper a n d p r in tin g . _ . ______
211
52
153
292, 646
15, 395
23,141
288, 746
15, 401
23, 557
820
65
105
212, 808
35,212
32,466
211, 561
34,305
32, 039
-0 .6
-2 . 6
-1 .3
6,445,199
879,857
999, 608
6,416,912
871,383
975, 875
-0 .4
- 1 .0
- 2 .4
113
95
41, 316
16, 963
40, 582
16, 601
-1 .8
-2 .1
1, 206, 384
484,722
1,185, 968
461, 460
-1 .7
-4 .8
1,033
205,830
205,360
+ 0 .2
4,583,965
4, 595,676
2, 435,800
795, 342
1, 364,534
410
238
385
-1 .6
2, 624,055
2,531,169
725, 516
1, 805, 653
-2 .3
-4 . 0
5, 415, 214
0)
-0 .4
-0 .4
-0 .5
+0.8
167,655
+ 0.1
5,413, 791
56,085
19, 241
44, 282
47,961
56, 244
19, 089
44, 096
48, 226
+0.3
-0 .8
- 0 .4
+0.6
1, 499, 593
427, 774
1,549, 096
1, 937, 328
80,922
- 7 .8
- 1 .7
-33. 7
-0 .1
2,449,191
+ 3 .1
2, 863,871
3,012, 510
728,162
780, 411
345, 588
1,009, 710
783, 960
883, 747
338, 348
1,006, 455
254
28,657
87,183
84,997
94
105
55
22, 887
10, 832
51, 278
22, 500
7,186
51, 236
651
109, 283
112, 716
Cement ................... ...........
Brick, tile, and terra cotta___
Pottery_______ ____________
Glass....................... ......................
94
375
60
122
25,105
31, 525
13,013
39, 640
M etal p r o d u cts, o th er th a n
iron a n d s te e l_______________
186
T ob acco p r o d u cts. __________
-4 .0
167,569
C h em ica ls a n d allied p ro d u cts.
Stamped and enameled ware..
Brass, bronze, and copper
products......................... ......
-1 . 1
2, 355, 494
790.210
1,438, 261
899
29, 239
88, 503
+ 1 .2
+2. 0
115,840
140
221
-3 .0
+0.2
+2.4
115, 543
32,126
57, 691
117,742
205
180
303
211
S to n e , clay, a n d glass p ro d u cts
113,238
32, 477
60,115
-1 . 3
361
Paper and pulp____________
Paper boxes__________ ____ _
Printing, book and job......... .
Printing, newspapers_______
Chemicals._______ ________
Fertilizers____________ . . .
Petroleum refining................. .
669,947
+3. G
-2 . 0
- 1 .5
742, 461
1,881, 594
595, 576
199, 723
1, 653,892
1,493, 805
426. 034
1, 542, 026
1,953, 349
2,402,808
588, 603
140, 625
1, 673, 580
+3.4
+0.6
-5 .1
- 3 .4
- 4 .6
-1 .2
-29.6
+1.2
+ 4.9
+7.7
+13.2
-2 .1
-0 .3
26,401
34,046
12,858
39,411
+5. 2
+8.0
49, 736
15,740
48, 495
14, 946
-2 .5
-5 .0
1, 375, 338
1, 322, 398
359, 781
-10.0
141
33, 996
33, 549
-1 .3
975,473
962, 617
-1 .3
181
39,323
38,987
- 0 .5
681,065
675,041
- 0 .7
45
-1 .2
-0 .6
399, 865
—3. C
Chewing and smoking tobacco
-2 .4
and snuff. ___ ______
9, 007
-3 . 1
137, 088
33
8, 728
140, 469
-0 .5
Cigars and cigarettes . . . . . . .
-0 .2
540, 596
537,953
148
30, 316 ! 30,259
1 Less than one-tenth of 1 per cent.
2 Cast-iron pipe is not included in this per cent; data for the industry index are not yet all available.
8 No change.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[104]
105
EM PLOYM ENT IN SELECTED INDUSTRIES
T able 1.—C O M P A R I S O N O P E M P L O Y M E N T A N D P A Y -R O L L T O T A L S I N I D E N T I C \ L
E S T A B L I S H M E N T S D U R I N G O N E W E E K E A C H I N A P R I L A N D M A Y , 1926— C ontinu ed
E stablish m ents
In d u stry
V ehicles for la n d tr a n sp o r ta
tio n .- ________ _______ __ __
945
200
68
A u to m o b iles__________ _____
Carriages an d w a g o n s____. . .
Oar b u ild in g and repairing,
__
electric-railroad_____
Car b u ild in g and repairing,
steam -railroad_____________
A pril,
1926
M ay,
1926
526,019
351, 635
2,016
512,041
338, 324
1,937
- 3 .8
-3 . 9
- 1 . 9 $17,048,949 816,431,437
11,927, 597
46, 42?
11, 339, 081
5, 495
cent of
chang9
-2 .8
-4 .9
-2 . 0
18, 394
18, 344
- 0 .3
553, 086
548, 988
465
153,974
153, 436
- 0 .3
4, 521, 845
4,497, 873
- 0 .5
412
88
261,643
28, 678
257,432
27, 569
- 1 .1
-3 .9
7,641,325
833, 012
7,453,007
798, 835
- 2 .6
- 4 .1
171
40
11
62
40
120, 842
8, 368
18, 884
57, 551
27, 320
120, 417
8,233
18, 410
55, 577
27, 226
-0 .4
-1 . 6
-2 . 5
-3 . 4
- 0 .3
3, 517, 062
249, 960
460, 615
1, 767, 452
813, 224
3, 478,
243,
447,
1, 692,
792,
- 1 .1
-2 . 6
- 3 .0
- 4 .3
- 2 .5
9,836 3,015,509 2,974,031
-1 .2
81,032,518
A gricultural im p le m e n ts_____
E lectrical m ach in ery, appara
tu s, and s u p p l i e s . ______
P ianos an d o r g a n s ... _ ____
R ub b er b oots and s h o e s .. . . .
A utom ob ile tir es. . _________
S h ip bu ildin g, s te e l. . _______
_ _____
A m o u n t of p a y roll
Per
cent of
change A pr 1, 1926 M a y , 1926
212
M iscella n eo u s in d u s tr ie s .. . . .
All in d u s tr ie s __
N u m b er on p a y roll
714
410
001
326
721
-0 . 7
79,503,277
- 1 .8
R e c a p i tu l a t i o n b y G e o g r a p h ic D i v i s io n s
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
N ew E n glan d . ________________
M id d le A tla n tic_______ __________
E ast N orth C en tral. _______ __
W est N orth C en tral_____________
South A tlan tic ________________
E ast South C e n t r a l._______ . . .
W est South C en tral.. __________
M ou n tain
...
...
P a c ific .. ____ _________________
A ll division s
_
_ ___
1,352
2,379
2, 523
890
1,100
443
365
161
623
432, 493
849, 979
985, 592
152, 672
276, 435
107, 324
71,412
24, 809
114, 793
423, 312
840, 522
966, 067
152 562
271, 501
104, 773
71,124
25, 632
118, 538
9,836 3,015, 509 2,974,031
-2 . 1
-1 . 1
-2 . 0
-0 . 1
- 1 .8
-2 . 4
-0 . 4
+3. 3
+3. 3
10, 523, 644
24, 033, 014
29, 860, 587
3, 882, 583
5, 231, 616
2,129, 024
1, 532, 874
682, 728
3,156, 448
10,189, 451
23, 679, 861
29,121, 894
3, 896, 004
5, 042, 377
2,047,198
1, 540, 501
710, 475
3, 274, 516
- 3 .2
-1 . 5
-2 . 5
+ 0 .3
- 3 .6
-3 .8
+ 0 .5
+ 4 .1
+ 3 .7
- 1 .2
81,032,518
79, 502,277
- 1 .6
E m p l o y m e n t o n C la s s I R a i l r o a d s
M arch 15, 1926.
A pril 15, 1926..
1, 728, 639
1, 766i 615
T+ 2.2
4 8242 179 456
4 235, 478, 375
4 A m ou n t of p ay roll for one m onth.
Comparison of Employment and Pay-Roll Totals in M ay, 19 25 , and M ay, 1926
JTMPLOYMENT in manufacturing industries in May, 1926, was
0.9 per cent greater than in the same month of 1925 and em
ployees 1 earnings were 1.3 per cent greater.
The volume of employment in this 12-month period increased in 6
of the 9 geographic divisions, the increases in 3 of the 6 divisions—•
South Atlantic, Pacific, and West South Central—ranging from 3.5
per cent to 3.9 per cent in employment and from 3.4 per cent to 4.7
in pay-roll totals. The New England division dropped 1.5 per
cent of its employees and pay-roll totals were decreased corre
spondingly.
Eight of the 12 groups of industries show marked improvement
over 1925, the iron and steel group, which covers the largest number
of employees, having gained 5.8 per cent in employment and 6.9
per cent in pay-roll totals.
The groups not in as good condition now as a year ago are.: Tex
tiles, leather, lumber, and tobacco, the textile group having lost 3.6
per cent of its employees and pay-roll totals having been decreased
5.4 per cent.
-8
102973°—26
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1105]
106
M O N TH LY LABOR REVIEW
Machine tools have over 20 per cent more employees and foundries
and machine shops nearly 8 per cent more than in May, 1925, while
woolen and worsted goods have lost one-eighth of their employees
and cigars over one-tenth of theirs.
T able 2.—COMPARISON OF EM PLOYM ENT AND PAY-ROLL TOTALS—MAY, 1926, COM
PARED WITH MAY, 1925
[The per cents of change for each of the 12 groups of industries, and for the total, are weighted]
Ind u stry
Per cen t of change
M a y , 1926, com
pared w ith M ay,
1925
Per cent of change
May, 1926, com
pared with May,
1925
Industry
Number Amount
on pay of pay
roll
roll
N um b er A m ou n t
of p ay
on pay
roil
roll
S to n e , clay, a n d glass prod
u c ts __ __________
- -
F o o d a n d k in d r e d p r o d u c t s ..
Slaughtering and m eat packin g ----------------------------------C onfection ery_______
___
Icecr ea m ________ _________
F lour______________________
B ak in g
____________ . . .
Sugar refining, cane________
+ 0 .3
+ 1 .5
-3 .0
+ 3 .6
+4. 5
-1 .9
+2. 6
- 7 .2
-0 .9
+ 4 .3
+ 9 .1
- 0 .9
+ 3 .8
- 5 .0
T e x tile s a n d th e ir p r o d u c t s ...
C otton g ood s____ ____ . . .
H osiery and k n it goods. . . .
Silk g ood s_____ ____________
W oolen and w orsted g o o d s.
C arpets and rugs. . _____
D y e in g an dfin ishing textiles.
C loth in g, m en ’s . . _________
Shirts and collars__________
C loth in g, w o m en ’s ________
M illin e ry and lace goods___
- 3 .6
- 3 .0
(')
-4 . 0
-1 2 . 5
-4 . 0
-3 .3
-0 . 5
—4. 5
+ 0 .1
- 1 1 .0
- 5 .4
- 7 .1
+4. 5
-5 .4
- 1 4 .4
- 1 0 .0
-4 . 3
- 5 .3
- 6 .3
+ 0 .9
- 1 3 .9
+ 5 .8
+2. 8
. + 8 .0
+ 6 .9
+2. 2
+ 7 .9
+ 7 .7
-3 .1
+ 2 2 .0
+ 1 1 .0
+1. 3
+ 2 4 .9
+ 3 .9
+ 3 .7
♦
+ 5 .9
+ 2 .7
L u m b e r a n d it s p r o d u c t s ___
L um ber, saw m ills __ ____
L um ber, m illw ork _________
F u rn itu re__________________
—1.5
- 2 .2
- 1 .3
+ 0 .9
- 0 .1
- 1 .2 !
- 0 .7
+ 4 .1
L e a t h e r a n d it s p r o d u c t s ___
Leather . . . .
B oots and sh o e s___________
- 4 .4
+ 1 .6
- 6 .2
-8 .7
+2. 1 1
- 1 3 .3
P a p e r a n d p r in t in g ____
P ap er and p u lp .
.
....
Paper b oxes_______ . . . . . .
P rin tin g, book and jo b ___ _
P rin tin g, new sp ap ers______
+ 2 .9
+ 1 .4
+ 1 .1
+ 2 .5
+ 5 .4
C h e m ic a ls a n d a llie d p r o d u c t s ______ __________ . .
C hem icals_______________
F e r tiliz e r s.. . . __
_____
P etroleu m refining______ .
+ 7 .1
+ 3 .7
+ 15. 6
+8. 5
ir o n a n d s te e l a n d t h e ir
p r o d u c ts. . . .
. .
Iron and steel ___________
Structural ir o n w o rk ._______
F ou n d ry and m achine-shop
p rod ucts___________ ______
H ard w are__ ______________
M achine to o ls_____________
S team fittin gs an d steam
and h ot-w ater heating
ap paratus______________
S toves___________________
+3.0
-4 .4
- 0 .6
+3.0
+9.4
Cement_____________
Brick, tile, and terra cotta..
Pottery.. _______________
Glass______ ______ _ . ..
+1.0
-6 .1
- 0 .3
-1 .1
+8.5
M eta l p r o d u cts, o th e r t h a n
iro n a n d s te e l_________ . . .
+2.7
+3,0
+4.9
+0,4
+1.7
- 8 .6
+2.5
-10.3
+3.8
-10.2
“f*l. 4
-11.7
+1.3
-1 .1
- 0 .6
(0)
- 4 .0
+1.5
Stamped and enameled
ware_____________ _____
Brass, bronze, and copper
products.............................
T ob acco p r o d u cts_________ .
Chewing and smoking to
bacco and snuff
Cigars and cigarettes______
V ehicles for la n d tr a n s p o r ta
t i o n .. . . . . _____
____
Automobiles___ ________
Carriages and wagons_____
Car building and repairing,
electric-railroad.
Car building and repairing,
. steam-railroad_____ ■___
M iscella n eo u s in d u s tr ie s ... _■
Agricultural implements__
Electrical machinery, appa
ratus, and supplies___ . . .
Pianos and organs________
Rubber boots and shoes
Automobile tires _____ _
Shipbuilding, steel_______
AH in d u str ies __
+1.0
-0 .3
+3.4
+3.7
+9.9
+3.8
+1.1
+14.5
+9.5
+1.5
-j-8. 2
-7 . 0
+1.2
+7.1
+2.5
+8.3
-8 .7
(0
+0.9
+1.3
R ecapitulation
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
New England_____ . _.
Middle Atlantic...- . ________
East North Central... ______
West North Central.
. . .
South Atlantic_____________
East South Central____ _ . ..
West South Central__________
+ 8 .5 1 Mountain.._____ . . ______
+ 5 .4
Pacific__. . . ____ ______. . ._
+ 7 .0
+ 3 .8
+ 5 .1
+8. 7
+ 8 .7
+ 1 7 .1 !
+ 4 .9
All divisions_____
+3. 5
-3 . 6
+3. 9
- 1 .5
+1.5
+0.2
+ 0.5
+4.7
+0.2
+3.4
- 1 .3
+4.1
+0.9
+ le 3
- 1 .5
+ 0.4
+ 1.2
+ 0.5
+ 3.8
-
0. 1
E m p l o y m e n t o n C la s s I R a i l r o a d s
Number on Per cent
of change
pay roll
Month and year
April 15, 1925___
___
April 15' 1926___ ______________________________
i No change.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1, 729,134
1, 766, 615
+2. 2
Amount of
pay roll
2 $227, 537,021
2 235, 478, 375
2Amount of pay roil for one month.
[ 106]
Per cent
of change
+3.5
EMPLOYMENT IN SELECTED INDUSTRIES
107
Per Capita Earnings
D E R CAPITA earnings in May were 0.4 per cent lower than in
^ April and 0.4 per cent higher than in May, 1925.
Twenty-five of the 54 separate industries show increased per capita
earnings in May as compared with April and one industry showed no
change, leaving 28 industries with decreased earnings per employee.
These monthly variations in per capita earnings are largely seasonal—
tor example, the list of gains is headed bv the fertilizer industry, which
having nearly completed its shipping''season, had dropped a large
number of low-paid laborers, while its skilled men were retained. The
next largest gain was in the brick industry where owing to the spring
season rush the operating time had been considerably increased.
One large decrease, however, was of special significance—that of 4.9
per cent in the cotton-goods industry.
. The changes in the yearly comparison, on the other hand, are
indicative of the general trend of business in manufacturing industries.
.
May, 31 industries showed gains in the 12-month period, the
mcreases in the lour industries of the paper group being especially
noticeable. The outstanding decrease—7.2 per cent—was in the
boot and shoe industry, followed by 5.9 per cent in the carpet industry
and 4.6 per cent in the cotton-goods industry.
T able 3.—COMPARISON OP PER CAPITA EARNINGS, MAY, 1926, WITH APRIL 1926 AND
TVTAV 10OP»
Industry
Fertilizers___
Brick, tile and terra cotta
Baking___
Cement - .
Slaughtering and meat packing.
Silk goods
Carriages and wagons . . .
Hosiery and knit goods
Lumber, mill work.
Hardware. . . .
Sugar refining, cane..
Confectionery. .
Lumber, sawmills..
Petroleum refining__
Flour __
Woolen and worsted goods .
Chewing and smoking tobacco
and snuff
Structural ironwork.
Chemicals
Paper boxes . .
Glass__
Printing, newspapers.._
Cast-iron pipe _.
Foundry and machine-shop prod u c t s .__
Steam fittings and steam and hotwater heating apparatus . _
Brass, bronze, and copper products . . .
Printing, book and jo b ..
1 Data not yet available.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Per cent of
change May,
1926, compared
with—
April,
1926
May,
1925
+6.1
+4. 8
+2. 8
+2. 4
+2.2
+2. 1
+2. 0
+1.8
+1. 8
+1. 6
+1. 6
+1.5
+1.3
+1.3
+1.2
+1.0
+1.4
-0 .1
+1.3
+1.9
+2.5
-1 .5
+4.3
+4.2
+2. 5
+0. 7
+0.9
-3 . 2
+0.5
-2 .0
+0.7
+0. 7
+0. 5
+0. 4
+0.3
+0. 3
+0.2
0)
+0.1
+3.3
+0.1
+2.5
(3)
+0. 7
+6.4
_ ( 3)
-2 .4
—0. 3
+1.5
+4.1
+0.9
Industry
Per cent of
change May,
1926, compared
with—
April,
1926
Agricultural implements_______
Car building and repairing, steamrailroad___________________
Ice cream______________
Cigars and cigarettes___
Leather........ ..............................
Car building and repairing,
electric-railroad_____________
Rubber boots and shoes________
Electrical machinery, apparatus,
and supplies________________
Paper and pulp_______ A l l
Automobile tires______ A A A '
Pottery_________________ A A
Pianos and organs_____________
Machine tools__________ I.IT T !
Automobiles________ A A A "
F urniture_____________A A A
Iron and steel____ ____
Shipbuilding, steel________1.1A
Dyeing and finishing textiles____
Clothing, m en’s_______________
Boots and shoes_______________
Stoves_______________________
Carpets and rugs______________
Shirts and collars______________
Clothing, women’s___________
Cotton goods_________________
Stamped and enameled ware____
Millinery and lace goods_______
s No change.
[107]
3
-
May,
1925
0.2
+ 4.1
0.2
0.2
+ 0.2
-0 .3
-0 .3
+4.5
-1 .7
+0.5
-0 .5
-0 . 5
+ 0.1
-0 .7
-0 . 7
- 2.0
+ 2.0
-
-
0.8
- 0 .9
-
1. 0
1.1
1. 2
1.2
-1 . 7
-
2. 2
-2 . 3
-2 . 3
-
2. 6
-2 . 7
- 3 .0
-4 . 0
-4 . 6
-4 . 9
-5 . 2
-7 .3
-1.0
-1 .7
+4.2
+ 1.1
+ 2.6
- 3 .1
+2.7
-0 .4
-
1.0
1. 2
-4 .5
-7 .2
- 0 .9
-5 .9
- 2.1
+0.9
-4 .6
-4 .3
-3 .1
Less than one-tenth of 1 per cent.
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
108
Wage Changes
C"\NE hundred and one establishments in 24 industries reported
^
wage-rate increases for the month ending May 15. These
increases, averaging 7.6 per cent, affected 28 per cent of the total
employees in the establishments concerned. Twenty-six of the 101
establishments were in the foundry and machine-shop products
industry.
Wage-rate decreases were reported by 4 establishments in 4 indus
tries. These decreases, averaging 6.9 per cent, affected 82 per cent
of the total employees in the establishments concerned.
T able 4 .—WAGE ADJUSTMENT OCCURRING BETW EEN APRIL 15 AND MAY 15, 1926
Establishments
Per cent of increase
or decrease in
wage rates
Employees affected
Per cent of employees
Industry
Total
num
ber
report
ing
Number
reporting
increase
or
decrease
in wage
rates
Range
Average
Total
number
In all
In estab
lishments estab
lish
reporting
increase or ments
decrease in report
ing
wage rates
Increases
Slaughtering and meat packing.
Ice cream.. ________________
Baking _______ _ _ _______
Iron and steel_______________
Cast-iron p ip e.. ___________
Structural ironwork . _
___
.Foundry and machine-shop
products.. _______________
Machine tools_______________
Stoves__________________ . . .
Lumber, mill work... ___ ...
Furniture_____________ . . .
Leather____________ _____ _
Boots and shoes____________
Paper and pulp. _____ ____ _
Printing, book and job_______
Printing, newspapers________
Chemicals________ _________
Fertilizers____
_. _______
Brick, tile, and terra cotta..
Brass, bronze, and copper products___ __________________
Automobiles__ _____________
Electrical machinery, apparatus, and supplies___________
Pianos and organs___________
Shipbuilding, steel___________
82
186
454
211
52
153
820
165
95
238
385
140
221
205
303
211
94
105
375
1
4
8
4
1
6
6
3 -30
3. 4- 9.1
1. 5- 8
5
5 -10
6.0
9.0
5.1
6. 5
5.0
6.5
43
35
193
1,775
114
190
3
35
29
69
100
12
(!)
('•)
«
1 -15
26
3 5 -11
1
5.7
4 1. 6-10
2 8 -10.5
1
8
1
17
3 3 -4
3 0. 8-15. 2
5 2 -8
3 5 -10
2 10 -14
8 5 -15
6.8
7.5
5.7
3. 5
.0
8.0
17.0
3.7
10.3
4.8
9.0
12. 9
9.4
04
41
50
147
29
10
16
241
30
434
1,239
56
622
13
4
24
32
8
15
5
16
7
32
43
59
83
(>)
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
141
200
2
3
10 -33.3
5 -10
13.9
7.0
12
249
44
12
(9
(9
171
40
40
6
1
3
5 -11
10
7.1-10
6. 7
15.0
9; 9
86
15
1,323
6
9
82
(9
(9
8.0
10.0
10.0
5.0
5
95
50
232
71
100
40
97
(9
(9
(9
1
1
1
1
6
1
2
5
Decreases
Baking_____ _______________
Woolen and worsted goods___
Furniture__________________
Leather____________ ______ _
454
195
385
140
1
1
1
1
1 Less than one-half of 1 per cent.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1108]
8
10
10
5
1
109
E M PL O Y M E N T IN SELECTED IN D U ST R IE S
Indexes of Employment and Pay-Roll Totals in Manufacturing industries
INDEX numbers for May, 1926, and. for April, 1926, and May, 1925,
showing relatively the variation in number of persons employed
and in pav-roll totals, in each of the 53 2 industries surveyed by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics, together with general indexes for the
combined 12 groups of industries, appear in the following table.
The general index of employment for May, 1926, "is 91.7, this
number being 1.2 per cent lower than the index for April and 0.9 per
cent higher than the index for May, 1925. The general index of
pay-roll totals for May, 1926, is 95.6, this number being 1.6 per cent
lower than the index for April and 1.3 per cent higher than the index
for May, 1925.
In computing the general index and the group indexes the index
numbers of separate industries are weighted according to the impor
tance of the industries.
T able 5 .—INDEXES OF EMPLOYMENT AND PAY-ROLL TOTALS IN MANUFACTURING
INDUSTRIES, MAY, 1925, AND APRIL AND MAY, 1926
[Monthly average, 1923=100]
—
1925
1926
Industry
May
April
May
Employ Pay-roll Employ Pay-roll Employ Pay-roll
ment
totals
ment
totals
ment
totals
General Index
90.9
94.4
92.8
97.2
SI. 7
95.6
Tood and kindred products
Slaughtering and meat packing.
Confectionery
Ice cream_________
Flour.
___
Baking
... _
Sugar refining, cane_____ _
88.6
80. 2
75. 1
99. 6
82. 8
97. 4
104.0
90.4
82. 1
82. 1
103. 2
84. 3
102. 2
105. 7
85.6
76. 2
78.3
91.0
82. 2
98. 8
99.2
88. 6
78.1
85.0
98. 6
83. 5
102. 1
101.7
86. 8
77. 8
77.8
104. 1
81. 2
99. 9
96. 5
91 8
81. 4
85. 6
112.6
83. 5
106. 1
100.4
Textiles and their products
Cotton goods ___
Hosiery and knit goods____
Silk g o o d s..___ _____
Woolen and worsted goods. . .
C arp ets.___ . . .
Dyeing and finishing textiles______
Clothing, men’s ...
Shirts and collars...
Clothing, women’s . . .
Millinary and lace goods___
88.9
86. 4
98. 4
101. 7
87. 8
97. 7
100. 6
80. 6
88. 4
81.0
86. 5
87.8
85. 9
106. 4
110. 1
86.6
95. 3
102. 3
73. 0
92. 4
76. 6
90.1
87.9
86. 0
100. 2
100. 6
77. 4
97. 0
99. 7
82. 3
85. 9
84. 5
80.6
87.2
86. 1
111. 1
105. 2
74.0
91. 6
102. 6
72. 5
91.7
84. 4
87.6
85. 7
83. 8
98. 4
97. 6
76. 8
93. 8
97. 3
80. 2
84. 4
81. 1
77.0
S3 1
79 8
111. 2
104 1
74.1
85 8
97. 9
69 1
86. 6
77. 3
iron and steel and their products
Iron and steel ..
Structural ironwork ___
Foundry and machine-shop products._
Hardware . . .
Machine tools..
Steam fittings and steam and hotwater heating apearatus .
S to v e s..______
87.3
96. 2
90. 7
81. 0
91. 8
83. 7
91.7
100. 9
98. 7
83. 0
98. 0
90.0
93.2
100. 2
96.3
87. 7
91.4
103.4
99.6
106. 3
104. 0
92.4
100. 3
115. 2
92.4
98. 9
98. 0
87. 2
89 0
102. 1
98.0
103.1
106. 5
92.1
99. 3
112.4
93.9
82. 9
97.0
85.6
99.3
87.8
104.5
92.3
97.6
86.0
102. 7
87.9
93.3
91. 5
100. 2
95.0
98.4
97. 6
106. 6
96.0
91.7
87. 8
100.0
99.9
97.1
93. 2
105.2
105.3
91. S
89. 5
98. 9
95.9
88.3
96. 4
105.9
99.9
89.6
87. 9
90. 1
87.0
89. 7
85.9
87.1
91. 1
85.8
82.2
93. 8
77.6
85.7
89. 3
84.5
79.4
91. 6
74.5
102.5
111.0
102.6
HJ.O
102.7
106. 3
Lum ber and its products
Lumber, saw m ills.______
Lumber, millwork.
1 u m itu re_____ ____
Leather and its products
Leather . . . .
Boots and shoes...
Paper and printing
.. .
99.7
95. 1
96. 5
99. 5
105. 7
2 The total number is 54, but the indexes for cast-iron
Paper and pulp . . .
Paper boxes______
Printing, book and job
Printing, newspaper
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[109]
103.7
98.9
101.1
103.2
109.5
pipe have
96.1
103.1
96. 4
98.4
106. 8
97.6
102. 4
112.8
102.0
118.1
110.7
111.4
not yet been computed.
77.a
112.2
119.0
110
M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
T able 5.—INDEXES OF EM PLOYM ENT AND PAY-ROLL TOTALS IN MANUFACTURING
INDUSTRIES, MAY, 1925, AND APRIL A ND MAY, 1926—Continued
[Monthly average, 1923=100]
1926
1925
April
May
Industry
May
Employ Pay-roll Employ Pay-roll Employ Pay-roll
ment
totals
totals
ment
totals
ment
C h em ica ls a n d allied p r o d u cts _______
Chemicals________ ____ _________ _
Fertilizers________ ___________ -.
Petroleum refining-------------------------
S to n e , clay, a n d glass p ro d u cts
_____
Cement____ __________ _______
Brick, tile, and terra cotta________ _
Tottery________________ _______
Glass.—____ _________ ____________
M etal p ro d u cts, o th er t h a n iron and
s te e l___________________________ - -
Brass, bronze, and copper products---Stamped and enameled ware______ _
________ _____
Chewing and smoking tobacco and
snuff. _ __________ _____________
Cigars and cigarettes......... ....................
T ob acco p r o d u c ts.—
V ehicles for la n d tr a n s p o r ta tio n _____
Automobiles . . . . ______________
------- -----Carriages and wagons’. . .
Car building and repairing, electricrailroad____ _____ . . . ___ ___
Car building and repairing, steamrailroad.................................................
M iscella n eo u s in d u s tr ie s .. __________
Agricultural implements-----------------Electrical machinery, apparatus, and
supplies____ ___________________
Pianos and organs________________
Rubber boots and shoes____________
Automobile tires. ______ _________
Shipbuilding, steel-------------------------
89.9
90.7
78.9
91.1
93.9
97.4
82.9
93.2
103.4
95.7
137. 5
98.9
104.8
103.9
137. 9
96.6
95.3
94. 1
91. 2
98.8
ICO. 0
102.7
97.1
97.8
100.4
98.8
106.6
109.5
91.6
106. 9
102. 7
113. 0
116. 0
99.9
99.2
88.2
98.4
109.6
100.0
105.0
91.1
99.2
122. 1
109.6
102.3
92.8
106.3
108. 3
99.4
110.1
98.2
112.3
119. 5
109.3
95.0
97.8
91.8
97.9
100.8
90.1
191.0
100.8
101.4
103.6
104.7
100.6
98.5
99.5
96.3
99.9
103.3
90.5
91.9
92.8
84.4
83.9
84.0
83.3
90.3
92.1
97.3
92.3
96.7
82.8
101.2
81.9
93.7
82.7
98.7
81.5
92.3
111. 4
91.0
96.8
120.3
92.1
95.3
114. 5
94.2
99.4
121. 5
95.4
93.5
110. 2
90.5
96.8
115.5
93.5
89.1
92.5
90.3
92.9
90.0
92.2
80.4
82.1
83.4
85.7
83.1
85.2
93.0
91.9
99.1
101.1
96.6
105.1
102.9
120.8
95,5
101.0
100.2
115.8
88.3
92. 2
82.2
115.9
89.2
94. 1
100.0
90. 1
121.7
94.9
97.0
95.1
91.1
101.9
105.3
100. 7
116.1
97.3
98.7
93.6
88.9
107.8
90.3
ICO. 8
102.5
07.6
111. 6
90.5
111. 1
94.9
The following table shows the general index of employment in
manufacturing industries from June, 1914, to May, 1926, and the
general index of pay-roll totals from November, 1915, to May, 1926:
T able
6
—GENERAL IN D EX OF EMPLOYMENT AND OF PAY-ROLL TOTALS IN M AN
UFACTURING INDUSTRIES
E m p l o y m e n t { J u n e , 1 9 1 4 , to M a y , 1 9 2 6 )
[Monthly average, 1923=100]
Month
January____
February___
M a rch ..___
April______
May_______
June
July
Alignst
fip .p tp .T T i b p . r
O n to h p r
November.
December__
1914
98. 9
95. 9
92. 9
94 9
94. 9
93.9
92.9
Average ‘ 94.9
1915
1916
91.9
92.9
93. 9
93.9
94.9
95. 9
94. 9
95. 9
98. 9
117.0 115. 5
117.5 114.7
117.4 116. 5
115.0 115.0
115.1 114.0
110. 0 114. 8 113. 4
110. 3 114. 2 114. 6
110. 0 112. 7 114. 5
111. 4 110 7 114. 2
112. 9 113. 2 111. 5
114. 5 115. 6 113.4
115. 1 117.2 113. 5
100 8
103.8
105.9
97.0
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1917
1918
104.6
107.4
109. 6
109. 0
109. 5
110.4
115.0
114.2
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
110.1
116.1
115.6
116.9
117. 1
117.4
117.9
87.0
87.7
83. 2
82.4
84.3
87.1
101. S
101. 8
10 1 .8
101. 9
98.0
99.6
8 6 .8
8 8 .0
113.2
109. 7
107. 0
102. 5
97.3
91. 1
76.8
82.3
83.9
83.0
84.5
84. 9
84. 5
85. 6
87.0
88. 4
89.4
89.9
90. 6
92. 6
94. 5
96.6
100. 4
99. 7
99. 8
99. 3
98. 7
9o. 9
95.4
96.6
96. 4
94. 5
90.8
87.9
84.8
85.0
86. 7
87.9
87.8
89. 4
90.0
91. 6
92.3
92. 1
90.9
90. 1
89. 3
89. 9
90.9
92. 3
92. 5
92. 6
108.2
109. 9
85.1
88.4
100.0
90.3
91.2 a 93,2
103.2
104.0
103. 6
106. 3
108. 7
110. 7
109. 9
112. 1
106. 8
1 1 0.0
[ 110]
110. 0
1928
93.3
94.3
93.7
92.8
91.7
E M P L O Y M E N T IN SE LEC TED IN D U S T R IE S
1H
T able 6.—GENERAL IN D E X OF EM PLOYM ENT AND OF PAY-ROLL TOTALS IN MANTTFACTURING INDUSTP.IES—Continued
( N o v e m b e r , 1 9 1 5 , to M a y , 1 9 2 6 )
P a y - r o l l to t a l s
Month
1915
1916
1917
53.8
56.0
52.1
57.8
60.0
59. 7
62. 1
62. 5
58. 7
60.9
92.9
65. 5
69.2
71.0
69.8
70.5
73.6
69.4
75.8
76.1
73. 1
75.0
74.4
82.2
87.4
87.8
Average... 3 54.9
61.9
76.3
January. ...........
February_____
March ............
April________
M a y ................
June______
July____
A ugust______
September........
October . . .
November____
December
1Average for 7 months.
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
104. 2
95. 0
95.4
94. 5
94. 5 96. 7
94.3 1 0 0 . 2
97. 5 102. 5
105.3 105.3
106.6 1 1 1 . 6
110.3 105. 5
104. 1 111.3
111.2
121.5
126.6
124.8
133. 0
130.6
135. 7
138.0
124.9
132. 2
128.2
123.0
111.3
102.4
80.6
82.4
83.3
82.8
81.8
81.0
76.0
79.0
77.8
76. 8
77.2
81. 5
71.5
91.8
76. 7 95. 2
74. 2 100. 3
72. 6 101. 3
76.9 104.8
82. 0 104.7
74. 1 99.9
79.3
99.3
82.7 1 0 0 . 0
86.0
102. 3
89.8 1 0 1 . 0
92.9
98.9
94.5
99.4
99.0
96.9
92.4
87. 0
80.8
83.5
88.5
87. 6
91.7
90.0
95.1
96.6
94.2
94.4
91. 7
89.6
91.4
90.4
96.2
96.2
97.3
135.9
80.0
79. S
90.6
03. 6
79.6
79.8
88. 2
8 8.8
96.7
2
103.6
Average for 5 months.
3
100. 0
8 6.0
1926
94.9
98.9
99. 1
97.2
95. 0
2
97.1
Average for 2 months.
Proportion of Time Worked, and Force Employed in Manufacturing Industries in
May, 1926"
D E PO R T S from 7,525 establishments indicate that in May the
plants in operation were employing an average of 86 per cent of a
normal full force of employees who were working an average of 93
per cent of full time. These averages indicate a decrease of 1 per
cent in number of employees as compared with April.
One per cent of the reporting establishments were idle, 67 per cent
were operating on a full-time schedule, and 32 per cent on a part-time
schedule; 45 per cent had a normal full force of employees and 54
per cent were operating with reduced force.
T able 7.—ESTABLISHMENTS WORKING FULL AND PART TIME AND EMPLOYING
_______________ FULL AND PART WORKING FORCE IN MAY, 1926
Establish
ments re
porting
Industry
Total Per
num cent
ber idle
F ood a n d kin dred p r o d u cts____
Slaughtering and meat packing.
Confectionery.............................
Ice cream._.......... .............. ........
Flour____________________ 7
Baking................. ..................
Sugar refining, cane_________
T extiles a n d their p r o d u c ts____
Cotton goods_______________
Hosiery and knit goods______
Silk goods__________________
Woolen and worsted goods___
Carpets and rugs____________
Dyeing and finishing textiles...
Clothing, men’s_____________
Shirts and collars____________
Clothing, women’s___________
Millinery and lace goods______
: Less than one-half of 1 per cent.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
J, 055
49
207
94
305
389
(>)
Ï
1
11
1,333
422
162
156
173
15
73
150
54
83
45
till]
2
2
1
4
Per cent of
Per cent of
establish Aver establish
ments
age
ments oper
operating
per
ating—
with—
cent
of full
time
oper
ated
in
Full Part
estab
Full Pdrt lish nor nor
time time ments
mal mal
oper force force
ating
58
53
51
93
32
75
55
56
53
50
64
60
47
36
68
4
72
71
33
41
47
49
6
67
25
45
42
45
50
35
36
53
64
34
28
25
67
88
90
90
99
75
94
92
91
93
87
95
90
83
85
92
95
77
Aver
age
per
cent
of nor
mal
full
force
em
ployed
' by
estab
lish
ments
oper
ating
47
29
9
9
44
83
45
52
71
91
90
55
17
55
84
69
82
84
97
91
45
57
40
44
35
33
27
43
61
43
13
54
41
60
55
61
67
73
57
39
53
87
91.
82
90
84
85
81
85
92
85
86
88
66
112
M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
T able
7
.—ESTABLISHMENTS WORKING FULL AND PART TIM E AND EMPLOYING
FULL AND PART WORKING FORCE IN MAY, 1926—Continued
Establish
ments re
porting
Industry
Total Per
num cent
ber idle
Iron an d steel and their products ________ 1,314
Iron and steel ___ _____________________ 151
39
Cast-iron pipe------ ----------------------- ----------Structural ironwork__ _________ ________ 119
649
Foundry and machine-shop products. ___
52
Hardware....... .................... ............. - ..................
Machine tools
__ ______________ 140
Steam fittings and steam and hot-water heating
81
apparatus
_ ______________________
83
Stoves
_________________________
1
1
13
2
L u m b er a n d its p r o d u c ts__________ . ---------
807
309
185
313
1
2
L eather a n d its p ro d u cts_______________
279
106
173
1
Lumber, sawmills----- ------ - --------------------Lumber, mill work_______________________
Furniture------------------------- ---------------------Leather
____________________
Boots and shoes________________________
Paper a n d p r in tin g ______ _ _______
___
Paper and pulp__________________________
Paper boxes
___________________
Printing, book and job ________________
Printing, newspapers ---- ------ ------------------
013
137
127
234
145
C h em ica ls a n d allied p r o d u c t s ____ ____ ____
215
72
102
41
Chemicals
_____________________
Fertilizers
_ ------------- -------------------Petroleum refining--------- ------ -------------------
1
1
1
i
2
S to n e , clay, a n d glass p r o d u cts _____________
520
73
Cement
_ _ _______ ___ _____
Brick, tile, and terra cotta_________________ 292
49
Pottery
__________________
__
Glass_________________ ________ _________ * 106
M eta! p ro d u cts, o th er th a n iron a n d ste el __
Stamped and enameled w^ye
Brass, bronze, and copper products _________
T ob acco p r o d u c t s ____ __
110
22
88
V ehicles for land t r a n s p o r t a t io n . ----- ---------
791
150
61
185
395
M iscella n eo u s in d u s tr ie s . __________
307
71
134
28
9
43
22
_____
Agricultural implements __________ - - _
Electrical machinery, apparatus, and supplies.
Pianos and organs _____________________
Rubber boots and shoes___________________
Automobile tires _________ _____________
Shipbuilding, steel
All in d u str ies _______
________
- - 7, 525
i Less than one-half of 1 per cent.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
7
3
151
35
116
- _______ . . _
Chewing and smoking tobacco and snufi:____
Cigars and cigarettes --------------------------------
Automobiles . . . _ -----------------------------Carriages and wagons. . . __ -------- ------ ----Car building and repairing, electric-railroad--Car building and repairing, steam-railroad___
4
[ 112 ]
1
1
3
3
1
2
7
(0
(>)
1
1
Per cent of
Per cent of
establish Aver establish
ments
ments oper age
operating
per
ating—
with—
cent
of full
time
oper
ated
in
Full Part
estab
Full Part lish nor nor
time time ments mal mal
oper force force
ating
Aver
age
per
cent
of nor
mal
full
force
em
ployed
by
estab
lish
ments
oper
ating
65
84
33
37
3o
18
34
33
16
94
94
93
96
94
96
98
31
27
56
38
30
23
17
69
72
31
62
70
75
83
81
89
93
82
79
84
69
67
36
33
64
94
83
54
28
46
72
92
86
71
78
79
59
28
20
21
41
95
97
97
93
39
44
38
35
00
54
62
65
88
89
90
85
03
88
47
37
12
51
90
97
86
33
31
34
60
69
65
84
84
84
80
80
50
84
100
20
20
50
16
98
96
89
97
100
05
57
39
66
96
35
43
61
34
4
94
95
88
94
99
74
72
71
88
25
28
28
10
95
96
93
99
30
61
10
56
03
39
89
41
74
92
54
93
05
88
62
49
66
31
12
32
51
31
93
96
92
91
93
59
82
63
43
42
37
18
31
57
56
91
97
93
89
84
77
74
78
22
26
21
90
96
96
38
34
40
01
66
59
84
88
83
05
41
72
32
59
25
93
88
94
38
41
38
59
59
59
' 88
89
88
80
73
57
96
79
19
25
36
4
21
97
96
91
99
97
59
59
41
77
54
40
39
52
23
46
89
91
77
97
86
74
75
82
75
44
37
100
26
24
18
90
97
97
96
92
89
100
43
55
44
57
22
26
23
57
44
56
43
78
74
77
86
91
87
90
81
86
63
07
32
93
45
54
86
07
62
51
82
56
63
VOLUME OF EMPLOYMENT--- CALIFORNIA
113
Employment and Earnings of Railroad Employees, April, 1925, and
March and April, 1926
r 'p .H E following tables show the number of employees and the
earnings in various occupations among railroad employees
in April, 1925, and in March and April, 1926.
.File figures are for Class I roads—that is, all roads having operatinop
revenues of $1,000,000 a year and over.
EM PLOYM ENT AND EARNINGS OF RAILROAD EMPLOYEES APRIL , 1925, AND MARCH
AND APRIL, 1926
[From monthly reports of Interstate Commerce Commission. As data for only the more important occu
pations are shown separately, the group totals are not the sum of the items under the respective groupsthe grand totals will be found on pp. 105 and 106]
6
y ’
Number of employees at
middle of month
Total earnings
Occupation
April,
1925
March,
1926
P rofessio n a l, clerical, a n d g e n e r a l... . 281,266
283,132
Clerks_____ __________ ____
Stenographers and typists___
. 166,551
. 25,145
M a in te n a n c e o f w a y a n d stru ctu res - 379,377
Laborers, extra gang and work train.
Laborers, track and roadway section
52, 854
199,939
M a in te n a n c e o f e q u ip m e n t a n d
stores............... .................... ....... ..............
527,423
C arm en____________________________ 116,216
Machinists....... ................................... 62,178
Skilled trades helpers......................... 115,363
Laborers (shops, engine houses,
power plants, and stores)_______
43, 698
Common laborers (shops, engine
houses, power plants, and stores)... 59, 571
T ra n sp o rta tio n , o th er t h a n tra in ,
engine, a n d y a r d .........................
Station agents....... ..............................
Telegraphers, telephoners, and
towermen_____ :______ ____
Truckers (stations, warehouses, and
platforms)________________ ____
Crossing and bridge flagmen and
gatemen...................................... .....
166, 466
25,295
359, 751
April,
1926
March,
1926
April,
1926
283,631 $38, 062, 895 $39, 430, 537 $38, 790,883
166, 606
25, 359
21, 322, 264
3, 074, 321
403,858
34, 810, 231
48. 885
183, 068
62, 383
208, 451
525, 584
522,613
113, 878
61, 679
115, 680
April,
1925
113,178
61, 523
114,876
4, 005, 634
14, 567, 280
67, 247, 877
16, 604, 395
9, 553,178
12,358, 278
22, 084, 403
3, 158, 678
34, 563, 565
21, 557, 495
3,122,423
37,351,227
3, 861,159
13, 873, 695
4, 819, 207
15, 317, 478
17, 448, 225
10, 287,127
13, 320, 437
71, 250, 338
67, 906,896
16,615, 582
9,731,957
12,627,811
44, 249
43, 342
4, 069, 615
4, 275, 093
4,026, 247
60, 509
60, 804
4, 804, 514
5,155,066
1,955, 718
31,031
207, 808
30, 702
207,308
30, 697
24, 802, 449
25, 919, 460
25,047, 242
26, 064
25, 869
25, 799
3, 774, 207
206, 821
4, 709,171
4, 836, 762
4, 712, 569
3, 949, 327
3,806,026
39,138
39, 507
39,105
3, 587,424
3, 810, 056
3, 605,142
22,630
22,237
22, 371
1, 701,104
1, 675,568
1, 6 6 8 ,745
T ra n sp o rta tio n
(yard
m a sters,
sw itc h ten d ers, a n d h o stle r s).......... .
23, 901
24, 287
24,045
4, 317, 660
4,584, 73S
4,419,778
T ra n sp o rta tio n , tra in a n d e n g in e ...
310,846
328,107
325,160
58, 295, 909
7, 913, 094
11, 658, 734
8 , 225, 202
10, 524, 749
7, 851, 349
66,430,818
61,872,351
Road conductors........................
Road brakemen and flagmen............
Yard brakemen and yard helpers....
Road engineers and motormen____
Road firemen and helpers.................
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
35, 322
71, 347
51, 005
41, 737
43,465
36, 635
74, 416
55, 139
43, 557
45, 332
[113]
36, 474
73, 944
54, 407
43, 495
45, 214
8,743,492
13, 037, 942
9, 727, 200
11, 8 6 6 , 047
8 , 833, 987
8 , 284, 685
12,215, 976
8,915,222
H, 117, 373
8 , 257,821
114
M O N TH LY LABOR REVIEW
Recent Employment Statistics
State Reports on Employment
California
HE following data, taken from the May, 1926, Labor Market
Bulletin, issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of California,
shows changes in volume of employment and pay roll from
March to April, 1926, in 744 establishments in that State:
T
PER CENT OP CHANGE IN NUMBER OP EMPLOYEES AND IN TOTAL AMOUNT OP
WEEKLY PAY ROLL IN 744 CALIFORNIA ESTABLISHMENTS BETW EEN MARCH
AND APRIL, 1926
Weekly pay roll
Employees
Per cent
of in
crease
Number
of firms Number (+ ) or de Amount
reporting in April, crease
in April,
(—) as
1926
1926
compared
with
March,
1926
Industry
Stone, clay, and glass products:
Miscellaneous stone and mineral products----Lime, cement, plaster------ ------------------------Brick, tile, pottery-----------------------------------Glass--------------------- --------------- ---------------Total___ _____________________________
Metals, machinery, and conveyances:
Agricultural implements__ ________________
Automobiles, including bodies and parts,-, ,.
Brass, bronze, and copper products------------Engines, pumps, boilers, and tank s,,, --------Iron and steel forgings, bolts, nuts, etc----------Structural and ornamental steel _ __ ____
Ship and boat building and naval repairs,, ,
Tin cans____
, _______ , , -------- ,, Other iron foundry and machine shop products.
Other sheet metal products,,_
------------Cars, locomotives, and railway repair shops----
Per cent
of in
crease
C+) or de>
crease
(—)as
compared
with
March,
1926
5
1,821
2,125
3,237
798
- 1 .6
+ 6 .2
+ .6
+ 8 .0
$50, 855
61, 891
80, 837
25,450
- 8 .0
- 3 .5
- 3 .0
+ 6 .1
45
7,981
+ 2 .2
219,033
-3 .4
6
+12.7
+5.4
+. 4
-16.3
+2.3
- 4 .2
- .5
- 2 .9
+2.9
- .9
+ .3
46,978
120, 789
30, 542
37,238
94.770
139,615
154,822
60,900
249,489
48,215
250,246
+13.1
+9. 5
—.4
-14.4
+3.6
-9 .9
—1 .4
- 1 .6
+4.0
-3 .4
+. 5
+ .4
1,233, 604
+ .3
11
8
21
15
1,674
3,630
1,117
1,090
2,980
4,723
4,729
2,259
7,966
1,614
8,233
Total____________________________ , - ,,
181
40,015
Wood manufactures:
Sawmills and logging_____________________
Planing mills, sash and door factories, etc------Other wood m a n u fa ctu res,---------------------
24
50
44
11,553
11,438
5,078
■4 - 11 .
+15. 8
5
- 3 .2
320, 561
315, 942
142,080
+19.5
+7.5
- 2 .6
118
28,069
+ 1 0.2
778, 583
+
8
6
8
842
529
2,736
- .9
- 1.1
+3. 2
23, 794
10,935
75,441
---
22
4,107
+ 1-8
110,170
-
Chemicals, oils, paints, etc.:
E xplosives,,-------- -------------- ----------------Mineral oil refining____ ___________ , , . . . ,
Paints, dyes, and colors..,
, --------- --------Miscellaneous chemical products
, ,
10
8
11
491
14,033
680
1,817
+5.4
+ 2. 2
-4 .0
-6 .3
14, 714
517,381
18, 784
49, 850
+ 1 .6
- .3
+1.7
- 4 .0
33
17,021
+ 1 .0
600, 729
- .5
Total__________ _____________________
Leather and rubber goods:
Tanning,,,
. , ____________
Finished leather products_____________ , , ,
Rubber products_______________________ Total___________________ __________
Total_________________________________
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[114]
15
9
12
8
14
6
3
72
21
4
1 0 .0
- 3 .9
—5, 0
- .7
1 .8
VOLUME OP EM PLO YM ENT---- ILLINOIS
115
PER CENT OF CHANGE IN NUM BER OF EMPLOYEES AND IN TOTAL AMOUNT OF
WEEKLY PAY ROLL IN 744 CALIFORNIA ESTABLISHMENTS BETW EEN MARCH
AND APRIL, 1926—Continued.
Employees
Per cent
Per cent
of in
of in
Number
crease
crease
of firms Number (+) or de
(+)
or de
Amount
reporting in April, crease
crease
in April,
(
)
as
( - ) as
1926 compare!
1926
compared
with
with
March,
March,
1926
1926
Industry
Printing and paper goods:
Paper boxes, bags, cartons, e tc ............
Printing______ ____
Publishing____________
Other paper products...............
Total..
Weekly pay roll
9
56
17
9
_____________
2,139
2,322
1,080
$53, 547
82,409
89,034
25,461
+1.9
- 3 .2
- .9
- 5 .2
.o
250,451
-1 .5
•O
21, 957
35,108
+1. 4
+ 2 .2
-fl. U
57,063
+1.9
65,196
18, 622
15,280
73,654
- 3 .5
+14.1
- 6 .9
+ .6
i L3
39
0
91
Textiles:
Knit goods_____ ____ ___
Other textile products...........
12
7
T o ta l...............................
1,573
19
Clothing, millinery, and laundering:
Men’s clothing__ _ _
Women’s clothing____
Millinery....... .
Laundries, cleaning, and dyeing
22
T otal................................
63
1
24
10
7
Foods, beverages, and tobacco:
Canning and preserving of fruits and vegetables.
Canning and packing of fish
Confectionery and ice cream.
Groceries, not elsewhere specified
Bread and bakery products____
Sugar_____________
Slaughtering and meat products___
Cigars and other tobacco products_____
Beverages.. ____
Dairy products.. _____ ____
Flour and grist mills_____
Ice manufacture_________
Other food products_____
T o t a l ...................
25
7
29
4
22
6
14
5
4
10
9
6
14
870
780
3,192
11, 586
84
1,646
383
3,657
3,098
2, 574
'980
514
2,409
941
978
903
4
-1 .9
172, 752
+169. 6
-92.2
- 1.8
-13. 5
+ 1 .0
+5,0
-6 .4
+5.0
229,367
2, 072
42,280
8,633
101, 536
84,035
74,645
18,132
+3.6
-8 .4
+4.3
+ 1.1
77’ 267
24,954
155
Water, light, and power________
Miscellaneous__ _
5
744
1 .0
20,911
+211.7
-87. 6
+1.5
-14.9
+ .4
- 2 .1
- 6 .6
+1.3
+ 6.6
- 2 .3
-11.9
+ 1 .8
+ 2 .1
728, 896
+ 21. 8
8 , 937
+4.8
262, 056
53,471
156,361
+6.7
4,466, 808
12
Total, all industries____
-
+3.8
Illinois
Ihv May, 1926, issue oi the Labor Bulletin, published by the Illinois
department of labor, contains the following statistics showing the
course of employment in April, 1926, as reported by 1,507 Illinois
firms:
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[115]
116
M O N TH LY LABOR REVIEW
COURSE OF EM PLOYM ENT AS REPORTED BY 1,507 ILLINOIS FIRMS, APRIL, 1925, AND
MARCH, 1926, COMPARED WITH APRIL, 1926
Per cent of increase (+
or decrease (—)
April, 1926
Industry
March, April, 1925,
Number of Number of
firms re employees
1926, to
to April,
April, 1926
porting
1926
Stone, clay, and glass products:
Miscellaneous stone and mineral products-----------Lime, cement, and plaster... -------- ------------------Brick, tile, and pottery-------------------------- ---------Glass................................................................- ...........
Total ________________
.. ------------ ---------
Metals, machinery, conveyances:
Iron and steel-----------------------------------------------Sheet-metal work and hardware---------------- ------Tools and cutlery________ ____ __________-..........
Cooking, heating, ventilating apparatus-------------Brass, copper, zinc, babbitt metal ------------ ------Cars and locomotives ----- -- ------- --------------Automobiles and accessories_____________ ____
Machinery____________________________ _____
Electrical apparatus------------------------------- --------Agricultural implements_________________ _____
Instruments and appliances-----------------------------Watches, watchcases, clocks, and jewelry......... .
1,953
494
5, 301
5,191
+4.7
+ 19.6
+ 1.1
3
+7.5
-2 .4
-5 .1
+25. 9
86
12, 939
+ 1.7
+11.3
1 21
34
16
26
23
14
29
52
29
30
9
15
35, 784
8,897
1,496
4, 495
3, 060
1 0 , 610
1 1 , 662
18, 717
34, 873
10,149
2, 065
7,917
-f 2 . 0
-2 . 5
-5 .0
+1.3
- 1 .0
+11.5
+5.4
+ .5
+ .4
-2 .4
- 1.1
- .4
-1 .3
—. 7
- 7 .8
+4.4
-1 .3
-18.3
+25. 8
+ 10.3
-14. 2
+17. 4
+ 2 0.8
+2.5
25
9
34
18
398
149, 725
+ 1.4
+3.3
Wood products:
Saw mill and planing mill products— ---------------Furniture and cabinet work. .
--------------------Pianos, organs, and other musical instruments---Miscellaneous wood products. ------------------------Household furnishings ----------- ------- ------------
32
46
16
23
7
2,834
7, 568
2,915
2, 807
772
+2.5
-2 .7
+9.0
+18.8
+1. 5
+23.8
Total------------------------ --------------------------------
124
16, 896
+ .9
+4.1
Furs and leather goods:
Leather..
-------- ------ ------------------------- -----Furs and fur goods............ ............. ..................-........
Boots and shoes. . . . . ---------------------------- -Miscellaneous leather goods------------------------------
2,107
29
9
11,268
1,600
86
-3 .1
+45.8
-5 .3
-7 .5
-3 .8
+45.7
+ .7
+215. 4
56
15,061
-5 .1
21
10
10
2, 093
2, 053
5,484
4, 203
+3.8
+• 8
- 2. 1
+4.5
+4. 4
+18.8
+3.9
i 55
14, 433
+ 1.1
+ 6 .8
40
16
75
13
9
4, 328
-1 .4
+ 1.1
-4 .5
3,846
1,465
.0
+32. 4
+3.7
+7.6
fj
153
19, 041
2 .0
+9.9
8
9
7
1,255
3, 255
597
24
5,107
7
5
9, 615
1,127
644
27
1,447
Total_____________________________________
Total___ ___ ______________________________
Chemicals, oils, paints, etc.:
Drugs and chemicals--------------------------------------Paints, dyes, and colors------------------------- ---------Mineral and vegetable oil--------------------------------Miscellaneous chemical products...............................
Total_____________________________________
Printing and paper goods:
Paper boxes, bags, and tubes----------------------------Miscellaneous paper goods................ ........................
Job printing------ -------------------------- ------- ------Newspapers and periodicals-----------------------------Total----------- ----------- - ............. ...... ......................
Textiles:
Cotton and woolen goods_______ ______________
Knit goods, cotton and woolen hosiery---------------Thread and twine____________________________
Total----------------------- -------------------------------Clothing, millinery, laundering:
Men’s clothing.. . . .
-------------------------------Men’s shirts and furnishings----------------------------Overalls and work clothing---------- ------ -------------Men’s hats and caps------------- -------------------------Women’s clothing._______ _________ ______ ____
1 As given in the report; not the correct sum of the items.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[116]
10
8
24
10
2
22
-
1,1 1 0
8 , 292
+ .6
2 .2
- .8
- .6
+
1 .2
- .8
+2.9
-
-
-
- 1 .0
-2 . 5
1 0.1
-3 .5
+11.4
-16.8
-3 . 1
+3. 5
-7 .2
- 2 .0
-4 . 5
-12.3
-27. 0
+3.1
10.0
- 5 .6
1 0.0
-1 .5
\YI
VOLUME OF EM PLO YM ENT---- IOWA
COURSE OF EM PLOYMENT AS REPORTED BY 1,507 ILLINOIS FIRMS, APRIL 1925 AND
MARCH, 1926, COMPARED WITH APRIL, 1926—Continued
Per cent of increase (+)
or decrease (—)
April, 1926
Industry
Number of Number of March,
April, 1925,
firms re employees
1926, to
to April,
porting
April, 1926
1926
Clothing, millinery, laundering—Continued.
Women’s underwear______ ____________
Women’s h a ts _______ ________ _
Laundering, cleaning, and dyeing_________ .
Total_____________________ ___________
Food, beverages, and tobacco:
Flour, feed, and other cereal products______
Fruit and vegetable canning and preserving
Miscellaneous groceries__ ____ , _____
Slaughtering and meat packing__________
Dairy products_______________ ___
Bread and other bakery products __________
Confectionery.____________ ______
Beverages______________ _ _____
Cigars and other tobacco products...........
Manufactured ice__________ .
Ice cream___________ _
808
622
2, 714
-21.5
-3 .4
-. 1
98
17, 004
- 6. 5
19
17
27
19
878
502
4, 815
19, 821
3,692
2,792
1,997
1,459
1,118
228
756
- 1. 2
+12.3
-. 1
- 3 .6
+1.7
- 6 .6
+ 1. 1
- 3 .0
+10. 7
+1.9
10
19
20
19
13
22
16
Total____________________
i 204
Total, all manufacturing industries . .
Coal mining______________
Building and contracting:
Building construction _________
Road construction .. _________
Miscellaneous contracting_________
Total_________________
Total, all industries_____________
1
+10.3
-45.2
+ 1 .2
- 1.6
+4.1
- 2 .8
- .3
+4.9
+11. 4
-3 .5
0 .0
+5.7
-. 3
+3. 7
6
2, 869
479
593
12, 898
+ 1 .6
-. 6
- .7
-1 . 5
+12.3
-4 .4
- 6 .1
- 20.8
>37
16, 839
-
1 .0
-15.2
9
28
26
8
15,192
28, 847
27,036
11, 760
+2.4
+1.7
+ 1 .2
- 1 .0
+ 8 .2
+7.8
+ 2 .0
- 2 .8
71
82,835
+1.3
+3.9
53
15, 713
- .9
+28.6
114
13
27
6,515
215
1,711
+ 2 .0
+44.3
+38.2
+29.8
-47.8
+62.1
154
8,441
+ 8 .6
+32.6
1, 507
412, 092
+ .2
+3. 7
5
Total____________________
1 .8
- 2. 0
6
Public utilities:
Water, light, and power__________ ____
Telephone ________________
Street railways.. . _______
Railway car repair shops .. . . . . .
-
38, 058
24
Total_________________
+46.7
-25.1
+5.6
288, 264
1 1,2 0 2
Trade, wholesale and retail:
Department stores________ _
Wholesale dry goods.......... ......
Wholesale groceries..... ........ .............
Mail-order houses_______
1
9
7
36
)
As given in the report; not the correct sum of the items.
Iow a
The bureau of labor of Iowa, in its Iowa Employment Survey for
May, 1926, gives the following statistics showing the per cent of
changes m the number of employees in specified industries in that
State in May, 1926, as compared with the previous month:
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[117]
118
M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
CHANGES IN VOLUME OF EM PLOYM ENT IN IOWA, APRIL TO MAY, 1926
Employees on pay roll
May, 1926
Number of
firms re
porting
Industry
Food and kindred products:
Meat packing-------------------------------------Cereals.--------------------------------------------Flour______________ ______ __________
Bakery products---------------------------------Confectionery------------------- ------------------Poultry, produce, butter, etc-----------------Sugar, starch, sirup, glucose, e t c ........... —
Other food products, coflee, etc...................
5
9
4, 472
1,178
40
1,037
329
1,094
1,478
324
+ 2 .8
—4. 6
-7 .0
+5.5
- 8 .6
+2.5
-5 . 2
—7. 2
49
9, 952
+0.5
7
681
6
548
673
493
+4.0
+ .9
-1 .3
+ 2 .0
-5 .0
23
2,506
-3 .6
30
5
7
4
9
7
2, 284
425
1,949
537
388
1, 113
565
-3 .2
+4.2
-}-l. 2
- 2 .2
+1.5
-3 .0
-2 .9
6
3
2
9
7
8
Total_____________________ _________
Textiles:
Clothing, men’s_______________________
Millinery_____________________________
Clothing, women’s, and woolen goods------Hosiery, awnings, etc----------------------------Buttons, pearl-------------- ----------- ----------
111
2
3
5
Total______________________________
Iron and steel works:
Foundry and machine shops------ ------ ----Brass, bronze products, plumbers’ supplies.
Autos, tractors, and engines------------------Furnaces_______ ______ _________ _____
Pumps______________________________
Agricultural implements------ ------ ---------Washing machines________ ___________
Number
Per cent of
increase
(+) or de
crease (—)
as com
pared with
April, 1926
6
Total______________________________
67
7,261
-1 .3
Lumber products:
Millwork, interiors,, etc----------------- ------Furniture, desks, etc---------------------------Refrigerators-------------------------------------Coffins, undertakers’ supplies----------------Carriages, wagons, truck bodies--------------
16
9
3
5
6
2, 004
1,065
170
176
178
_ 2
+ .5
-2 .9
+. 6
-7 .3
Total______________________________
39
3,593
-1 .3
Leather products:
Shoes_________ ________ ____ ________ Saddlery and harness---------------------------Fur goods and tanning-------------------------Gloves and mittens____________________
3
5
5
3
344
204
130
257
+2.7
-3 .8
+ 2 .4
-3 .4
Total______________________________
16
935
- .5
Paper products, printing and publishing:
Paper products_______________________
Printing and publishing------------------------
4
16
171
2, 523
-5 .5
- .4
Total______________________________
20
2,694
Patent medicines and compounds......... ...........
8
371
•
Stone and clay products:
Cement, plaster, gypsum .................. .........
Brick and tile (clay)_____________ ____ _
Marble, granite, crushed rock and stone . . .
1 , 660
12
1,104
78
7
+ 8 .0
- 4 .9
22
2, 842
+5. 5
7
3
Total_________________ _______ ____
- .8
-3 .6
Tobacco and cigars......... ................................ .
5
337
- .3
Railway car shops............................................. .
5
7, 321
—1.7
3
142
195
3,435
+4.8
+•7
Various industries:
Auto tires and tubes...................... ........... .
Brooms and brushes___________________
Laundries___________________________
Mercantile...... ........................................ . . . .
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
J
[ 118 ]
10
.0
V O LU M E OF E M P L O Y M E N T ---- MARYLAND
H 9
CHANGES IN VOLUME OF EM PLOYM ENT IN IOWA, APRIL TO MAY, 1926—Continued
Employees on pay roll
May, 1926
Number of
firms re
porting
Industry
Various industri es—Continued.
Public service ______________
__________
Seeds..
Wholesale houses
_
Commission houses____
Other industries___
Total _ . . .
Grand total . ___
Number
4
2
23
9
13
68
•
!
322
-----------------------------------------------------
Per cent of
increase
(+ ) or de
crease (—)
as com
pared with
April, 1926
1, 428
366
1 , 228
365
1,786
8,945
46,757
+1.9
-4 .9
- 1 .2
- .3
- 1 .2
+ . 04
- .4
Maryland
The commissioner of labor and statistics of Maryland has furnished
the following statistics on changes in volume of employment in that
State from April to May, 1926:
COMPARISON OF EM PLOYM ENT IN IDENTICAL MARYLAND ESTABLISHMENTS IN
APRIL AND MAY, 1926
Employment
Industry
Bakery______________
Beverages and soft drinks
Boots and shoes. . .
Boxes, paper and fancy..
Boxes, wooden ............
Brass and bronze.. .
Briek, tile, e t c ____
Brashes _______ _
Car building and repairing______
Chemicals _ _____
Clothing, men’s outer garments________
Clothing, women’s outer garments_______
Confectionery_____
Cotton goods___________
Fertilizer- . _________
Food preparation.________ _
Foundry____ . . .
Furnishing goods, men’s________
Furniture___
Glass manufacturing. ______
Ice cream __ . .
Leather goods____________
Lithographing. __ ______
Lumber and planing
_ . ________
Mattresses and spring beds_______
Patent medicines'.. . _. _ ________ ..
Pianos
Plumber’s supplies______ _____ ___________
Printing___
Rubber tire manufacturing _____________ _
Shipbuilding__ _______
Shirts, e t c . . _______
Silk goods_________ ___________
Stamping and enameled w are____ ____
Tinware_______ .
Tobacco_____________
Umbrellas____________
Miscellaneous. _______
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Pay roll
Per cent
Per cent
Number
of in
of in
of estab Number crease (+)
crease (+)
lishments of em
or de
or de
Amount
reporting ployees crease (—)
(—)
May, crease
for both
as com
as com
May,
1926
months
pared
pared
1926
with
with
April,
April,
1926
1926
4
3
8
9
6
3
G
5
4
5
5
7
6
4
4
4
9
5
9
3
3
G
5
279
161
1,028
499
359
2,443
866
700
4, 387
622
2,306
1,003
700
1,728
496
152
Q42
993
574
672
191
716
600
8
3
4
3
4
9
1
3
3
4
4
8
3
17
1119]
91
835
946
1, 541
1,290
2,650
802
840
505
750
2, 841
835
342
4, 298
+13.4
+21.9
87
-6 .7
-6 .1
+3.0
+2.0
+• 4
2 fi
+3.4
- 3 .0
—4 4
- 4 .6
9.5
-16.8
+10.9
+3.1
—2 3
—1.1
+11.0
+1.5
+1.1
+1.4
—6. 2
—. 6
+2.7
+7.4
—3. 0
—4. 7
+9.8
+• 1
-6 . 2
+3.1
+2.3
—5. 1
—8. 4
-i. i
4, 720
+19.0
+25.8
7, 597
6, 761
58,906
23, 881
- 3 .7
154, 689
16,100
39, 349
13,294
10,355
30, 377
10,960
3, 684
26, 200
12, 725
14, 677
15, 228
5,690
13, 614
17, 494
14, 564
2, 237
13, 528
27,136
44, 562
45, 969
142, 661
24, 843
11, 283
6,885
15,198
63, 955
13, 205
5, 502
105, 312
+ 4 2 !2
+ 3 .1
- 1 0.1
- 2 .0
+ ‘7
—3 . 5
-15.9
+5.9
+. 4
- 6 .0
+1.3
+3.9
+6.5
+ .7
g
+1. 8
37
+ .6
+2.2
+13.8
—1.4
-21.9
+22.2
9
-IE 1
+4.5
+2.8
- 1 .6
-9 .1
-1 .7
M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
120
Massachussetts
The department of labor and industries of Massachusetts press
release shows the following changes in volume of employment in
various industries in that State from March to April, 1926:
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN 984 MANUFACTURING ESTABLISHMENTS IN MASSA
CHUSETTS, WEEK INCLUDING OR ENDING NEAREST TO MARCH 15 AND APRIL 15,
1926
Number of wage earners employed
Number
of estab
lishments
reporting March,
1926
Industry
•
4 utomobiles in eluding bodies and parts__
______
Bookbinding
______ ____________ _____
Boot and shne cut stock and findings
_ ____
Boots and. shoes
_ ___________
Boxes paper
_ _______ _____
___ _______
RoxeQ wooden packing
Bread'and other bakery products
_ ________
Carpets and rugs
- ___________
Cars and general shop construction and repairs,
steam railroads
* ___________________
Clothing men's
____ ____________
Clothing women’s
_ __________________
Confectionery
__________________
Copper till shept ivnr) etc
Cotton goods
- - _________
Cutlery and tools
____ __________ Dyeing and finishing textiles
_ __ _____ _
Electrical machinery, apparatus, and supplies-------Foundry prod nets
_ ________________ ___
Furniture
_ ____________________
Gas and bv-products
- _
yrnsicry and knit goods
_ __________________
J
ry
_____ ______________
Leather tanned curried, and finished___________
Machine-shop prod nets
_ _ _____ _____
Machine tools
_ _ ___________
Musical instruments
_ _______________
Paper and wood pulp
_____________
Printing and publishing, book and job__ _________
Printing and publishing, newspaper
_ _______
Rubber footwear
- - _____
Rubber goods
__________________ ____
pilk goods
- - __________________
Slaughtering and meat paeking
____
Total all industries
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
______________
[ 120 ]
Full time Part time
Total
17
15
45
69
27
13
51
5
5, 616
973
2, 027
22, 265
2, 105
1 , 186
4, 032
3,818
4, 733
609
661
6 , 445
852
1,085
3, 536
1,835
99
363
1,267
14,129
1, 191
95
419
1,943
4, 832
972
1, 928
20, 574
2,043
1,180
3, 955
3, 778
4
29
34
13
15
54
25 ■
8 13
27
32
13
2 , 861
3, 995
1, 720
3,181
402
41, 521
5,351
6,966
13, 441
2, 990
3, 631
1 , 208
5, 227
2, 954
4,202
8 , 246
2 , 0 01
1, 267
6,024
3,320
2, 346
10,326
2, 697
4,091
1, 556
1,374
2, 723
3,032
1,350
1.206
444
22, 378
4, 851
723
10, 791
2 . 028
3, 074
1,185
2, 244
1,803
2 , 621
7, 260
1,479
905
5,061
2, 408
2, 365
10, 295
1,268
1, 918
197
1, 353
160
919
34S
1, 718
2, 883
3, 951
1,693
2,924
444
41,321
5, 367
6,853
12, 969
2,948
3, 452
1 , 185
5,125
2,818
4,106
8,318
1,974
1, 297
6 , 022
3, 364
2,395
10, 295
2,503
4, 085
1,469
1, 353
5
14
5
56
127
8
1, 858
1,835
5, 343
792
19, 653
30, 453
1,776
612
3,106
92
7, 321
16,101
44
1,159
2,017
148
11, 564
14, 432
1,820
1, 771
6,123
240
18, 885
30, 533
984
244, 854
143, 726
95, 027
238, 753
12
35
24
43
22
12
21
39
19
3
7
10
5
8
Steam fittings and’ steam and hot-water heating
apparatus
____ ________ _____
Ptoves and stove linings _ ____________________
Textile machinery and parts __ _ ___________ ___
Tobaceo
__________________
Woolen and worsted goods
______ _____
All other industries-------------- ------- --------------------
April, 1926
18, 943
516
6 , 130
2, 178
920
378
2,881
1, 015
1, 485
1,058
495
392
961
956
30
1,235
2, 167
1,272
121
V O LU M E OF E M P L O Y M E N T — N E W YORK
New York
The New_York State Department of Labor has furnished the follow
ing tabulation of changes in employment and pay rolls in New York
State factories in April, 1926. The table is based on returns from a
fixed list of approximately 1,700 factories. The weekly pay roll for
the middle week of April was $14,691,148.
CHANGES IN EM PLOYM ENT AND PAY ROLL IN NEW YORK STATE FACTORIES
FROM APRIL, 1925, AND MARCH, 1926, TO APRIL, 1926
Per cent of increase (+) or decrease (—)
Industry
Cement..................................
Brick____ ______________
Pottery................................ .
Glass_________ _________ _
Pig iron.................... .............
Structural iron......................
Hardware________ ______ _
Stamped ware.................. .
Cutlery____________ _____
Steam and hot water....... .
Stoves_________ _________
Agricultural implements__
Electrical machinery, etc__
Foundry___ ____ ________
Autos and parts_____ _____
Cars, locomotives, etc_____
Railway repair shops______
Millwork________________
Sawmills.................................
Furniture and cabinet work.
Furniture__________ ____
Pianos_________ _________
Leather......... ............. ...........
Boots and shoes__________
Drugs________ ______ ___
Petroleum___________ ____
Paper boxes............ ...............
Printing, newspaper______
Printing, book and job.........
Silk goods_______________
Cp'pets_____ ____ _______
Woolens........... ......................
Cotton goods_____________
Cotton and woolen________
D yeing,_______________ _
Men’s clothing....................
Shirts and collars...... ...........
Women’s clothing________
Women’s headwear_______
Flour_____ _______■
.______
Sugar___________________
Slaughtering_____________
Bread___________________
Confectionery_______ _____
Cigars_____;_____________
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Employ
ment
Employ
ment
2
+ .3
0
-3 .7
- .4
-15.1
- 3 .8
+1.5
+• 5
-4 . 2
+ .8
+ .5
-5 .6
- 2. 2
-1 . 5
+6.7
+3.1
-2 .7
+ 1 .6
-2 . 4
-1 .4
0
+ .2
-6 .7
-. 7
- .8
-1 . 4
- .8
- .6
-9 . 6
-3 .1
- 6 .6
+9.1
-3 . 9
- 1 .2
- 2.0
-2 . 7
-7 .3
-3 .3
Pay
roll
+15.0
+48. 2
+4.4
-6 .9
-4 .3
-1 . 4
-. 4
- 2.8
-1 .4
-3 . 1
+4.7
-14. 6
- 2. 2
+4.2
+ 2. 2
-4 .4
-. 1
+ 1. 1
-3 .8
-3 .6
-4 . 1
+ 8. 0
+5.4
- 2. 7
+1.9
-4 .3
- 1 .1
+ 1 .0
+ .4
- 11. 2
+1.3
+3.4
- .3
-2 .3
+• 1
- 20. 2
+• 7
-19.4
+14. 6
-4 .6
+ 1 .0
+1. 7
-9 .4
- 10. 2
- 2 .6
-1 .4
Less than one-tenth of 1 per cent.
I 02913°—26----- 9
April, 1925, to April,
1926
+10.3
+72. 9
+3.6
- 6. 9
-5 .7
-2 . 9
Total---------------------1
March, 1926, to April,
1926
rm]
2
2 .0
No change.
+19.4
+38.3
- 1 .1
-2 .9
+13.6
+2.5
+ 12.6
+7. 7
-8 .5
+17.9
+ 1 2.0
- 2 .6
+5.1
+4.2
- .4
+18.0
+2.4
+3.3
-13.0
+5.9
+ 6 .2
+4.4
+19. 7
- 6. 4
+4.1
-8 .5
+ 2.8
+ 1 1 .0
+ 1.0
- .3
- 1 .1
+4.9
-. 4
-2 .3
-. 2
+ 2. 0
-7 .6
-4 .7
+1.3
-4 . 8
-2 .9
- 2 .0
+2.7
+ 2. 6
-21.3
+ 1 .6
Pay
roll
+23.1
+37. 0
+3. 8
-2 .7
+ 1 G. 2
-¡-8 . 3
+12.4
+5. 4
-7 .6
+28.0
+13. 1
- 2 .2
+9.8
+13.3
+26.9
+5.1
+7.7
-9 . 3
+ 8 .8
+7.6
+19.9
-{-34. 2
-8 .3
+ 6 .0
-7 .6
+5. 7
+20.3
+6.4
-3 .6
-4 .2
+7.3
- 2 .6
+G. 8
+6.9
-5 .6
-4 .2
+14. 6
-1 .4
+4.4
+3. 3
0
+ 8 .0
- 8.9
+ 6 .0
122
M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
Oklahoma
The May 15, 1926, issue of the Oklahoma Labor Market, published
by the bureau of labor statistics of Oklahoma, shows the changes in
employment and pay rolls in 710 establishments in that State from
March to April, 1926, as follows:
CHANGES IN EM PLOYM ENT AND PAY ROLLS IN 710 INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS
IN OKLAHOMA, MARCH TO APRIL, 1926
April 1926
Number of
plants
report
ing
Industry
Employment
Pay roll
Per cent
of increase
(+ ) or de
Number of crease
(—) Amount
employees compared
with
March, 1926
Per cent
of increase
(+ ) or de
crease ( —)
compared
with
March, 1926
13
320
-18.6
$6 , 558
-10. 7
35
7
44
33
14
532
46
113
344
318
1,340
+3.1
-4 .2
+ 1 .8
- .9
+ 11. 6
-12. 9
13, 892
800
2, 381
7, 906
8 , 762
33^ 015
-. 1
—. 5
+ 8.8
+18. 8
-7 .2
46
17
2, 975
2,007
-1 6 .0
- 3 .0
83,930
55,956
-19.2
- .3
29
38
16
1,230
928
709
-4 .3
+ 1.3
+7.1
37, 771
25, 720
17,247
+84.2
+ 1.4
+5.1
4, 476
264
+ .9
+4.3
+ 6 .0
137,293
193,144
8,1 0 1
+5. 1
+5. 8
+3.0
11
6
1,794
699
1,025
+4.3
- .9
- 2 .3
49,482
17, 651
29, 390
+7.5
+8.7
+ 6. 5
11
6
6
419
988
268
1,149
+ 1 2 .0
+3. 5
+32. 7
+ 8 .8
7, 722
22, 098
4,804
29,804
+4.7
-9 .8
+77.4
+32.6
9
472
1,378
+8.3
8 , 680
24, 393
+14.0
+ .9
371
358
+ 2 .8
20
- .8
6 , 085
9,671
710
30, 539
- .7
842, 252
Cottonseed-oil mills..................... .......................
Food production:
Bakeries_________ _________ _________
Confections______ __________________
Creameries and dairies_______ ________
Flour mills________________ __________
Ice and ice cream--------- ----------------------Meat and poultry_____________________
Lead and zinc:
Mines and mills___________ ___________
Smelters... ___________ _____________
Metals and machinery:
Auto repairs, etc _________ __________
Foundries and machine sh o p s .____ _____
Tank construction and erection... _____
Oil industry:
Production and gasoline extraction........... .
Refineries___ ________________________
Printing: Job work___________________ ____
Public utilities:
Steam railroad shops___ _______________
Street railways_____ ______ ___________
Water, light, and power_______________
Stone, clay, and glass:
Brick and tile _______ ___ ___________
Cement and plaster______ ____________
Stone___________ __________________ .
Glass manufacturing_________ ________ _
Textiles and cleaning:
Textile manufacturing________________
Laundries and cleaning________________
Woodworking:
Sawmills_________________ __________
Millwork, etc ________ ____________ .
123
Total, all industries___ ______________
11
66
24
50
9
52
14
6 , 016
- 2 .0
.0
+19.9
'
+ .1
+3. 7
Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Labor Market for May, 1926, issued by the State
industrial commission, contains the following data on volume of
employment in Wisconsin industries in April, 1926:
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[ 122 ]
VOLUME OF EMPLOYMENT--- WISCONSIN
123
PER CEINT OE CHANGE IN NUM BER OF EMPLOYEES AND IN TOTAL AMOUNT OF
PAY ROLL IN IDENTICAL ESTABLISHMENTS IN WISCONSIN INDUSTRIES FROM
APRIL, 1925, AND MARCH, 1926, TO APRIL, 1926
Per cent of increase (+ ) or decrease (—)
Industry
March to April, 1926
April, 1925, to April,
1926
Employ
ment
Employ
ment
Pay roll
Pay roll
Manual
Agriculture............................................................. ...........
Logging................ ........................................... .................
Mining............................................................ ..................
Lead and zinc__________ ______ _______ _____
Iron_______________________________________
Stone crushing and quarrying'............................. ..........
Manufacturing_____ ____________________________
Stone and allied industries........... ...........................
Brick, tile, and cement blocks_____________
Stone finishing____________________ _____
M etal..____ _______________ ________________
Pig iron and rolling mill products__________
Structural-iron work........... ........ .......................
Foundries and machine shops______________
Railroad repair shops_____________________
Stoves_______________ __________________
Aluminum and enamel ware________ ______
Machinery__________________ ___________
Automobiles_______ _______ _____________
Other metal products..___________________
Wood______________________________________
Sawmills and planing mills________________
Box factories_______ _____ ________________
Panel and veneer mills______ _____ ________
Furniture_______________________________
Sash, door, and interior finish................ ...........
Other wood products_____________________
Rubber_______________ _____________________
Leather____________________________________
Tanning________________________________
Boots and shoes..________ ____ ___________
Other leather products.___ __________ ?____
Paper______________________ _______________
Paper and pulp mills..........................................
Paper boxes________ _______ ___________
Other paper products.____ ______________ _
Textiles____________________________________
Hosiery and other knit goods______ ________
C lothing..._______ ___ ____ ______________
Other textile products__________ _____ ____
Foods__ ___ _______________________ _____ _
Meat packing..................... ........ ...... ..................
Baking and confectionery_________________
Milk products.................................. ..................
Canning and preserving_____________ _____
Flour mills_______________ ______________
Tobacco manufacturing___________________
Other food products______________________
Light and power____ ________________________
Printing and publishing_________ _______ _____
Laundering, cleaning, and dyeing______________
Chemical (including soap, glue and explosives)___
Construction:
Building____ _____________ _________________
Highway.......... ........................................... ................
Railroad_______________ ____________________
Marine, dredging, sewer digging.................... ...........
Communication:
Steam railways______________________________
Electric railways_____________________________
Express, telephone, and telegraph______ ________
Wholesale trade............................. .................. ..................
Hotels and restaurants_____________ ______________
-10. 5
-3 .4
13.1
+31. 6
+4. 0
- 1 .1
+13. 2
+50.0
+4.7
- 1 .0
-1 .3
+8.9
-5 .1
+1. 5
-1 .7
-3 .4
+ .9
+3.8
-3 .4
- 1. 8
- 2. 8
+3.1
+4.8
- .9
-4 .5
—1. 5
—. 7
+ .2
-5 .8
+5.4
+3.1
+ 2 .2
+3.5
- .8
- 1 .0
- 6 .1
-3 .3
- 8. 8
-10.3
- 2 .8
-10. 4
-1 .4
-. 4
-3 .8
-9 . 6
-2 .9
+ 2- Ö
+7.8
- 1 .9
+36.4
+5.1
- 1 .4
+ 6 .0
+45.6
+ .3
—1 . 0
- 8 .5
+ 2 .8
-9 . 1
+• 7
+1.9
-9 .0
- .4
+ 1 2 .2
- 6 .6
- 2.2
+3.0
+2.7
-5 .4
-9 .9
- 2 .6
- 1. 1
-2 .7
- 1 .0
-5 .5
+5.2
-4 .3
+4.3
+7. 2
-3 .0
-4 .3
- 11. 1
- 2 .8
- 22. 0
-18.0
-
1. 1
+ 1 .8
+1.3
-3 .2
- 6. 6
+ .7
-1 .4
+ .3
-3 .8
- 2 .2
+ 2 .0
+1.5
+3.0
+1.9
- 2 .8
+ 1 .6
+83.5
+9.2
+17.9
+5.7
+10.3
+7.6
+14.9
+30.0
-1 .9
+4.7
-24. 2
+ 2 .6
-12. 5
- 1 2 .8
-12.4
+8.7
-14.1
+17.4
+11.7
-4 .3
+15.4
-6 .5
+25.9
+13.0
+ 1.0
- .5
-5 .3
+ 12.2
+7.4
- .2
+ .5
+1.5
-5 . 6
-1 .7
-4 .4
-2 . 7
+4.9
- .4
-. 1
- 2. 1
- —. 3
-1 .7
-5 .0
+26. 5
+ 6. 6
+5.0
+ 1 0.1
-25.4
+6.3
—11. 4
—19.8
- 9 .5
+12.9
—21.5
+ 2 1.1
+18.4
- 3 .2
+16.1
- 5 .8
+26.7
+17.9
+ 1 0 .8
+ .6
- 2 .9
+ 1 0 .8
+6.3
+7.1
+ .4
-5 .3
-13.8
+ 8.1
+4.7
+17.4
+ .3
+ .4
+ .2
+2.7
-11.4
- 1 .6
+3.8
- 2. 2
-12.4
-28. 7
+ 2 1.2
+3. V
+14.9
+7. 1
+3.8
-1 .9
-3 .7
+ 1 1.0
-5 .7
-1 .9
-1 .3
+ .7
- 8 .1
- + 6 .8
+18.7
+ 1 1.2
—7. 6
-30.4
+9.2
+5.3
+18.7
+3.4
+8.4
- 6 .6
- .4
-15. 7
-44. 1
+1.5
+141.7
+2.5
+184.4
- .6
-4 .9
+ 8 .0
+4.1
+3.3
- 2 .1
- 6 .6
+■ 9
+ 2 .0
+7.2
+4.1
+7.3
- 2. 2
+ .3
-3 .1
+ •1
+ 2 .1
+ 1 .0
+2.9
+2 .0
- .9
- 1.0
+4.9
+3.7
-7 .0
+3. 2
+3.4
-
8 .0
+5.6
+3.8
+13.0
Nonmanual
Manufacturing, mines, and quarries_____ __________
Construction_____ ____ __________________________
Communication___ _____________________________
Wholesale trade........... .................................... 1.1.III” !
Retail trade—sales force only______________________
Miscellaneous professional services..................... .............
Hotels and restaurants______________ ____ _____ ____
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[123]
- .6
+3.2
+ 5.4
• -3 .1
+5.4
+11.1
+9.8
-3 . 5
+ 2 .1
-.3
+4.3
+4.9
+4.1
+ 5.7
P R IC E S A N D C O S T O F LIV ING
Retail Prices of Food in the United States
HE following tables are compiled from monthly reports of
actual selling prices 1 received by the Bureau of Labor Statis
tics from retail dealers.
Table 1 shows for the United States retail prices of food, May 15,
1925, and April 15 and May 15, 1926, as well as the percentage
changes in the year and in the month. For example, the retail price
per pound of potatoes was 2.7 cents in May, 1925; 6.7 cents in April,
1926; and 6 cents in May, 1926. These figures show an increase
of 122 per cent in the year and a decrease of 10 per cent in the month.
The cost of the various articles of food combined shows an increase
of 6.3 per cent May 15, 1926, as compared with May 15, 1925, and
a decrease of 0.8 per cent May 15, 1926, as compared with April 15,
1926.
T
T able 1.—AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES 0E
SPECIFIED FOOD ARTICLES AND PER
CENT OF INCREASE OR DECREASE MAY 15, 1926, COMPARED WITH APRIL 15, 1926,
AND MAY 15, 1925
[Percentage changes of five-tenths of 1 per cent and over are given in whole numbers]
Average retail price on—
Article
Unit
Sirloin steak _____________________
Round steak
___________
Rib roast
_____________
fill nek roast
_ ________
Plate beef
________________
Pound-.
_-_do___
__ do___
__do.......
___do.......
Pork eh ops
__ _________
__________________
Bacon
_
ITam
_____________
Lamb, leg of
__- ___ ______
Hens
_________ __________ ___
__do___
___do___
___do___
_ _do___
-__do___
May 15,
1925
Apr. 15,
1926
May 15,
1926
Cents
Cents
Cents
40. 8
35. 0
29.8
22. 1
14. 0
41. 1
35. 2
30. 2
22. 3
14.7
41. 5
35. 8
30.4
22. 5
14. 6
Per cent of increase
(+ ) or decrease
(—) May 15,1926,
compared with—
May 15,
1925
+2
+2
4-2
+2
44
Apr. 15,
1926
+1
+2
+1
+1
- 1
36. 0
46. 4
53. 0
38. 6
37.9
38. 3
48. 5
54. 5
37.9
40. 5
40.3
49. 3
55. 9
39. 9
41. 0
+
Salmon, canned, red_
__________ __ _do___
Quart-.Milk, fresh.-. .
-- Milk, evaporated ___________________ 15-16 oz.
can.
Butter
______ ______ _ ------------ P ound._
Oleomargarine (all butter substitutes)___ __-do.......
31. 2
13. 7
11. 2
37.8
13. 9
11.5
37.9
13. 9
11. 5
+21
51.9
30.0
50.9
30. 5
50. 0
30.2
-4
+1
- 2
- 1
___do___
__do___
. _do___
Dozen__
Pound. -
36.3
22. 6
25. 7
39. 3
9. 4
36.5
21. 5
25. 7
38. 6
9.4
36. 0
21. 5
25. 6
38. 9
9.4
- 1
-1
0
Cheese
__ ______________
Lard
________________
Vegetable lard substitute. _ ____ ___
Eggs, strictly fresh_______ ___________
Bread-.............------- ----------------------------
6. 1
6. 1
Flour
___________ ___do___
5. 1
5.4
Corn meal
____________ _____ __do___
9.
1
9.3
__d
o
_
_
Rolled oats
____ ________
11. 0
1 1.0
8 -oz. Dkg.
Corn flakes
25.4
28-oz.
pkg
24.6
Wheat cereal_________________________
i In addition to monthly retail prices of food and coal, the bureau publishes
tricity from each of 51 cities for the dates for which these data are secured.
124
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[124]
6. 1
5. 1
9. 1
11. 0
12
45
+3
+8
+1
+3
-5
-0 .4
- 1
0
0
- 6
- 2
0
_i_2
+3
+5
+1
+0.3
0
0
-0 .4
+ 1
0
0
0
0
0
0
25.4
+3
the prices of gas and elec
R E TA IL PR IC E S OP POOD
125
T able 1
— AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF SPECIFIED FOOD ARTICLES AND PER O FM T
MAYNl S - C 0 B tta °d ° REASE MAY 15’ 192<i’ C0M PARED WITH A P m L ?5,PS (CS D
Average retail price on—
Article
Macaroni......................
R ice._______________
Beans, n avy._..............
Potatoes____________
Onions.._____ ______
Unit
Pound..
__.do___
May 15,
1925
Apr. 15,
1926
May 15,
1926
Cents
Cents
Cents
20. 5
11. 0
10. 3
2. 7
8. 7
20. 2
11.7
9. 3
G. 7
6.3
Per cent of increase
(+ ) or decrease
( - ) May 15,1926,
compared with—
May 15,
1925
20. 3
11. 7
9. 2
6. 0
7. 7
- 1
+6
-1 1
+ 122
-1 1
Apr. 15,
1926
+0.4
0
- 1
-1 0
+22
Cabbage____________
Beans, b ak ed ......... .
Corn, canned________
Peas, canned..................
-_-do___
No. 2 can
j.-.do-----
5. 6
12. 5
18. 1
18. 5
16. 5
17. 6
6. 2
11.9
16. 5
17. 5
+ 11
-5
-9
-5
Tomatoes, canned........
Sugar, granulated____
Tea________________
Coffee_____ _________
-.-d o___
Pound..
13. 8
7. 2
75. 6
52.2
12 . 0
6. 6
76. 3
51.1
11. 9
6. 7
76. 4
51. 0
-14
-7
+1
17. 3
14. 5
37. 3
55. 5
17. 1
14. 6
35. 5
52.6
17. 1
14. 7
35. 4
53. 1
- 1
0
+1
-5
-4
+1
-0 .3
+1
+ 6.3
-
Prunes___ ____ ______
Raisins................ ..........
Bananas____________
Oranges............ ............
All articles combined__
Dozen. .
___
1
!
1
7.4
12. 0
- 2
-16
- 1
0
- 1
- 1
+2
+ 0 .1
- 0 .2
0 .8
Table 2 shows for th e U n ite d S ta te s a v e ra g e re ta il prices of speci
fied food articles on May 15, 1913, and on May 15 of each year
irom 1920 to 1926,_ together with percentage changes in May of
each of these specified years, compared with May, 1913. 'For
example, the retail prices per pound of sugar was: 5.4 cents in May
1913; 25.4 cents m May, 1920; 8.4 cents in May, 1921; 6.6-cents in
M a^ .19??; n -2 cents m May, 1923; 9.2 cents in May, 1924* 7 2
cents m May, 1925; and 6.7 cents in May, 1926.
As compared with May, 1913, these figures show increases of 370
per cent m May, 1920; 56 per cent in May, 1921; 22 per cent in
May, 1922; 107 per cent in May, 1923; 70 per cent in May, 1924*
33 per cent m May, 1925; and 24 per cent in May, 1926.
Ih e cost of the various articles of food combined shows an increase
of 66.7 per cent in May, 1926, as compared with May, 1913.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[125 ]
126
M O N T H L Y LABOE REV IEW
T able 3 .—AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF SPECIFIED FOOD ARTICLES AND PER
CENT OF INCREASE OR DECREASE, MAY 15, OF CERTAIN SPECIFIED DATES COM
PARED WITH MAY 15, 1913
[Percentage changes of five-tenths of 1 per cent and over are given in whole numbers]
Average retail price on May 15—
Unit
Article
Per cent of increase May 15 of each
specified year compared with May
15, 1913
1913 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926
!
Cts. Cts. Cts.Cts.Cts. Cts.Cts. Cts.
Sirloin steak______
Round s t e a k ...___
Rib roast. ____ .
Chuck roast_______
Plate beef.............. .
Pound.. 25.6 43. 4 40.1 37.7 38.7 40.6 40. 8 41. 5
..d o ___ 2 2 . 2 39. 9 35. 6 32. 5 33.0 34. 6 35. 0 35. 8
...d o ___ 2 0 . 0 33.4 30.2 27.9 28.2 29.4 29. 8 30. 4
...d o ___ 16. 1 26.5 2 2 . 0 19.8 19.9 21.3 22. 122.5
...d o ___ 1 2 . 2 18.8 15.0 13.0 12.7 13.4 14.0 14.6
70
80
67
65
54
57
60
51
37
23
47
46
40
23
7
51
49
41
24
4
59
56
47
32
Pork chops... . . . . .
Bacon......................
Ham ___________
Lamb, leg of___ ._
Hens........................ .
...d o ___ 2 0 . 9 42. 5 35. 1 34.4 30.0 29.9 36. O'40. 3
...d o ___ 26.9 52.6 43. 5 39.8 39. 1 36. 146. 4 49. 3
_._do___ 26.7 55. 5 48.7 51. 3 45.3 44.7 53.0,55.9
...d o ___ 19.4 42. 134.7 39.2 36.7 39.4 38. 6 '39. 9
...d o ___ 2 2 . 2 47.1 41.3 37.7 36.2 36.6 37.9141.0
103
96
108
117
68
62
82
79
65
4.8
92
112
86
70
44
45
70
89
63
43
34
67
103
65
Salmon, canned, red.
Milk, fresh____
Milk, evaporated .
Butter _______ . . .
Oleomargarine (all
butter substitute).
i 37.1 37.9 32.3 31.2 31. 131.2 37.9
...d o ___
Quart. . . 8 . 8 16. 2 14.4 12. 5 13.5 13.6 13. 7! 13. 9
14. 7 14.3 1 1 . 0 1 2 . 2 11. 7 1 1 . 2 11.5
(2)_____
Pound.. 35. 9 71.6 42.5 44.9 52.1|46.1 51.9150.0
...d o ___
39.6 29.4 27.1 28.3 29. 2 30.030.2
84
64
42
53
99
18
25
45
Cheese__________
Lard . . . ___
Vegetable lard substitute.
Eggs, strictly fresh..
Bread. .....................
__d o ___ 21.9 42.9 31.5 30.8 35. 5 34. 6 36. 3 36. 0
__ do___ 15. 8 29. 8 16. 7 17.0 17.3 17.1 22.6121. 5
...d o ___
37.2 21.7 2 2 . 2 2 2 . 6 24. 5 25. 7 25. 6
96
89
44
41
6
8
D ozen.. 26.3 52.9 33.4 33. 5 35. 132.8 39.3 38.9
P ound.. 5.6 11. 5 9.9 8 . 8 8.7 8.7 9.4 9.4
101
27
77
Flour___________
Corn m ea l............. .
Boiled oats________
C orn flakes...____
Wheat cereal....... .
__do...
3.3 8 . 7 5.7 5. 3 4. 8 4. 6 • 6 . 1 6 . 1 164
...d o ... . 2.9 6 . 7 4.5 3.8 4.0 4.4 5.4 5. 1 131
...d o ___
10. 5 9.9 8 . 7 8 . 8 8 . 8 9.3 9. 1
14.1 )2 . 6 1 0 . 0 9. 7 9.7 1 1 . 0 1 1 . 0
w ____
(<)_____
30.1 29. 8:25. 8 24. 5 24.3 24.6 25. 4
73
55
Macaroni_________
Rice ._ _________
Beans, N a v y ...___
Potatoes.. _______
Onions................. .
P ound..
...d o ___
...d o ___
__do__
...d o ___
Cabbage__________ ...d o ___
Beans, baked ____ (5)_____
Corn, ca n n ed __ . 0 ) _____
Peas, canned......... . (*)_____
8 .6
1. 6
20.7 2 1 . 0 2 0 . 1 19.7 19. 5 20. 5 20.3
18. 7 8 . 8 9. 5 9. 4 9. 9 1 1 . 0 11. 7
1 1 . 8 7. 9! 9. 7 11.4 9.8 10.3 9. 2
9.6 2 . 2 3.0 2. 7 2. 9 2. 7 6 . 0
8 . 0 5.6j 9.8 7.8 6.7 8.7 7.7
105
72
72
99
99
71
93
83
109
106
85
55
56
58
28
45
39
62
9
58
66
8
43
64
36
27
57
33
55
25
55
49
48
68
68
61
31
45
38
39
52
85
86
85
76
36
102
117
2
10
9
15
28
38
88
69
81
69 275
56
29
22
21
20
107
27
28
70
31
42
33
39
75
Tomatoes, canned...
Sugar, granulated...
T e a .._____ ______
Coffee____________
(«)_____
P ound..
...d o ___
._ do___
Prunes___________
Raisins__________
Bananas............ ......
Oranges...................
...d o ___
. . d o ___
Dozen...
...d o ___
28.3 18. 7 20.4 19. 5 17. 6 17.3 17.1
27.4 31.0 24. 2 17.8 15. 5 14. 5 14. 7
43.2 40. 7 36. 2:37. 0
37.3 35. 4
71.8 46. 7 62.0 55 3 41. 6
53. 1
com-
10
500
8.4 5.6 5.7 8 . 0 7.7 5.6 6 . 2
16.8 14. 6 13.1 13. o! 1 2 . 7 12. 5 11.9
18.6 15. 9 15. 5 15.4115. 8 18.1116.5
19. 1 17. 5 17.8 17.5 18.1 18. 517. 5
1
|
1
15.1 11. 4 13. 7 13. 0 13.0 13. 8 11. 9
5.4 25.4 8.4 6 . 6 1 1 . 2 9.2 7.2 6.7 370
.54. 4 74. C70.0 67.9 69.3 71.1 75. 6 76. 3 36
29.8 49. 2 36.1 35.9 38.0 42. 2 52 2 51 0
65
All articles
bined. 9
59 62
58 61
49 52
37 40
15 2 0
25
24
40
71
I
122. 9 49.8 44.0 48.3 45.9 56.9 66.7
JBoth pink and red.
2 15-16 ounce can.
3 8 -ounce package.
4 28-ounce package.
3 No. 2 can.
beginning with January, 1921, index numbers showing the trend in the retail cost of food have been
composed of the articles shown in Tables 1 and 2 , weighted according to the consumption of the average
family. From January, 1913, to December, 1920, the index numbers included the following articles:
Sirloin steak, round steak, rib roast, chuck roast, plate beef, pork chops, bacon, ham, lard, hens, flour,
corn meal, eggs, butter, milk, bread, potatoes, sugar, cheese, rice, coffee, and tea.
Table 3 shows the changes in the retail prices of each of 22 articles
of food for which prices have been secured since 1913, as well as the
changes in the amounts of these articles that could be purchased for
$1 in specified years, 1913 to 1925, and in April and May, 1926.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[ 126 ]
R E TA IL PR IC E S OF FOOD
127
T able 3.—AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF SPECIFIED ARTICLES OF FOOD AND AMOUNT
PURCHASABLE FOR $1, IN SPECIFIED YEARS, 1913 TO 1925, AND IN APRIL AND MAY,
Sirloin steak
Y ear
1913_________
1920_________
1921_________
1922........... ......
1923...................
1924.......... ......
1925...................
1926:
April_____
M ay_____
43. 7
38. 8
37. 4
39. 1
39. 6
40.6
2. 3
2. 6
2. 7
2. 6
2. 5
2. 5
39. 5
34. 4
32. 3
33. 5
33. 8
34. 7
2. 5
2. 9
3. 1
3.0
3. 0
2.9
33. 2
29. 1
27. 6
28. 4
28. 8
29. 6
5.1
3.0
3.4
3.6
3.5
3. 5
3.4
16. 0
26. 2
21. 2
41.1
41.5
2.4
2.4
35. 2
35.8
2 .8
2 .8
30. 2
30.4
3. 3
3.3
Ham
Plate beef
Pork chops
Aver
age Amt.
retail for $ 1
price
Hens
20. 2
20. 8
21.6
19. 7
6.3
3.8
4. 7
5. 1
5. 0
4. 8
4.6
12. 1
18. 3
14. 3
12. 8
12. 9
13. 2
13. 8
8. 3
5. 5
7. 0
7.8
7. 8
7.6
7.2
21. 0
42. 3
34. 9
33. 0
30. 4
30. 8
36. 6
4.8
2.4
2. 9
3.0
3.3
3.2
2.7
22. 3
22. 5
4. 5
4.4
14.7
14.6
6 .8
6 .8
38.3
40.3
2.5
Milk
Butter
2 .6
Cheese
Cents
Cents
Cents
Cents
ents
Cents
perlb. Lbs. perlb. Lbs. perlb. Lbs. perat. Qts. pC
erlb. Lbs. perlb. Lbs.
27. 0
3. 7 26. 9
3. 7
52. 3
42. 7
39. 8
39. 1
37. 7
46.7
48. 5
49.3
1.9
2. 3
2. 5
2. 5
2. 8
2.9
2. 8
2. 7
8.9
16. 7
14. 6
13.1
13. 8
13. 8
14. 0
11. 2
6 .0
6. 8
7. 6
1.9
21. 3
44. 7
39. 7
36. 0
35. 0
35. 3
36. 6
1 .8
1 .8
40. 5
41.0
2. 5
2.4
13. 9
13.9
2. 1
55. 5
48. 8
48. 8
45. 5
45. 3
52. 6
1. 8
2 .0
2.0
2 .2
2. 2
2. 1
2 .0
54. 5
55.9
2 .6
2. 7
Eggs
4. 7
2. 2
Bread
7.2
7. 2
7.1
38. 3
70.1
51. 7
47. 9
55. 4
51. 7
54. 8
1 .8
22. 1
41. 6
34. 0
32. 9
36. 9
35. 3
36. 7
7. 2
7.2
50. 9
50. 0
2. 0
2 .0
36. 5
36.0
Flour
2 .6
1. 4
1. 9
2. 1
1. 8
1. 9
Corn meal
4. 5
2.4
2. 9
3. 0
2.7
2 .8
2. 7
2. 7
2 .8
Rice
Cents
Cents
Cents
Cents
Cents
ents
perlb. Lbs. perdoz. Lozs. perlb. Lbs. perlb. Lbs. perlb. Lbs. pC
erlb. Lbs.
15. 8
34. 5
29. 5
18. 0
17. 0
17. 7
19. 0
23. 3
6.3
3. 4
5. 6
5. 9
5. 6
5. 3
4. 3
68. 1
50. 9
44. 4
46. 5
47. 8
52. 1
21. 5
21. 5
4.7
4. 7
38.6
38.9
Potatoes
1913...................
1920.................
1921________
1922......... ..........
1923_________
1924..............
1925...................
1926:
April____
M ay_____
| Chuck roast
Cents
Cents
Cents
Cents
ents
Cents
perlb. Lbs. perlb. Lbs. perlb. Lbs. perlb. Lbs. pC
erlb. Lbs. perlb. Lbs.
25. 4
3. 9 22. 3
4. 5 19. 8
Lard
1913....................
1.920......... ..........
1921____
1922...........
1923_________
1924................
1925..............
1926:
April . . .
May_____
Rib roast
Aver
Aver
Aver
Aver
Aver
age Amt. age Amt.
age Amt.
age Amt.
age Amt.
retail for $ 1 retail for $ 1 retail for $ 1 retail for $ 1 retail for $ 1
price
price
price
price
price
Bacon
1913_________
1920________
1921________
1922..............
1923.......... ........
1924................
1925_________
1926:
April_____
May_____
Round steak
2. 9
1. 5
1. 9
5. 6
11.5
9. 9
8. 7
8. 7
8. 8
9.4
11. 5
11. 5
11. 4
10. 6
2.6
2. 6
9.4
9.4
1 0 .6
10. 6
2.0
2. 3
2. 2
2. 1
Sugar
17.9
8. 7
10 1
Tea
3. 3
8. 1
fi S
5 1
4. 7
4.9
3. 0
6. 5
4 fi
3 Q
4.1
4. 7
5. 4
33. 3
15. 4
8. 7
17. 4
11.5
5. 7
24. 4
21. 3
18. 5
9. 5
6 .1
30. 3
12. 3
17 ?
.
19 fi
21. 3
20.4
16. 4
10. 1
1 1.1
10. 5
9.9
9.0
6 .1
6. 1
16.4
16. 4
5. 1
5. 1
19.6
19.6
11.7
11.7
8.5
8.5
Coffee
Cents
Cents
Cents
Cents
perlb. Lbs. perlb. Lbs. perlb. Lbs. perlb. Lbs.
1. 7
2.9
2.7
3.6
58. 8
15. 9
32. 3
35. 7
34. 5
37. 0
27.8
5. 5
19.4
8.0
7. 3
10. 1
9. 2
7.2
18. 2
5. 2
12. 5
13. 7
9. 9
10. 9
13.9
54. 4
73. 3
69. 7
68. 1
69. 5
71. 5
75. 5
1.4
1. 4
1.5
1.4
1.4
1.3
29. 8
47. 0
36. 3
36. 1
37. 7
43. 3
51. 5
6. 7
6. 0
14.9
16.7
6 .6
6. 7
15. 2
14.9
76. 4
76.4
1.3
1.3
51. 1
51. 0
6. 3
3. 1
2 .8
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[127]
1 .8
3. 4
2. 1
2.8
2.8
2. 7
2. 3
1.9
2. 0
2. 0
M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
128
Retail Prices of Foods in
A VERAGE retail food prices are shown in Table 4 for 39 cities for
12 other cities prices are shown for the same dates, with the ex
until after 1913.
T A B L E 4 —AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF THE PRINCIPAL
* *
[Exact comparisons of prices in different cities can not be made for some articles,
Article
Unit
Birmingham, Ala.
Baltimore, Md.
Atlanta, Ga
May 15—
May 15—
Apr. May
Apr. May
Apr. May
15, 15,
15, 15,
15, 15,
1926 1926 1913 1925 1926 1926
1913 1925 1926 1926 1913 1925
May 15—
Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts.
Pound____ 24.0 38.4 40.6
Sirloin steak
______ ___ do____ 2 1 . 0 34.4 36. 5
Round steak
Rib roast--................ . ....... do-------- 19.1 29.3 31.5
___ do_ __ 14.9 21.7 24.2
Chuck roast
___ do ___ 1 0 . 8 13.5 14.3
Plate beef
....... do_____ 22.5 35. 0 36.5
Pork chops
40.8 23.3 41.5 39. 5 40.3 26.8 38. 4 39.8 40.0
36.3 2 2 . 0 37.2 35.5 36.4 22.5 34. 0 34.9 34.9
31.8 18.7 32.4 30.0 30.1 19.9 2 S. 2 27. 3 26. 5
Bacon, sliced ________ ___ do_____ 31.0 43. 6 47.5
___ do_____ 29.0 56.3 54. 2
Ham, sliced
....... do____ 2 0 . 0 37. 1 36.1
Lamb, leg of
___ do ___ 19.6 34.0 37.4
Hens
33. 0 38. 1
do _.
Quart_____ 1 0 . 0 16. 0 2 0 . 0
Milk, fresh
47. 5 23.3 41.3 43.8 45.3 33.1 45.9 47.9 48.8
54. 6 31.0 55. 7 59. 1 59.1 30.0 52. 5 53. 0 55. 5
36.4 18.0 41.6 39.0 42.4 21.7 37.0 36.3 38.1
Milk, evaporated ___
Rutter_______
Oleomargarine (all butter substitutes).
24.6 15.7 2 2 . 8 21.7 2 2 . 0 16.8 22. 7 22.4 2 2 . 8
13.6 1 2 . 8 15. 3 14.8 14.4 10.5 14.8 14.7 15.5
37.3 18.3 37.0 38.2 39.5 2 0 . 8 34.5 36.2 37.9
38.1
38. 1
2 0 .0
2 2.6
8 .8
39.8 42.8 43. 2 18.0 33.8 36.1 37.6
32. 1 41. 4 41. 5
27.7 36.8 36. 7
13.0 13.0 13.0 10.3 19. 0 2 0 . 0 2 0 . 0
12. 4 12.5 1 2 . 6
1 1 . 1 11.3 11.3
13.1 13.5 13.5
15-16 oz. can.
Pound....... . 39.3 55. 7 55.2 54.5 38.6 58.1 55.8 54.2 41.0 56.1 57. 2 56.1
35.6 36. 2 36.2
28.1 30.8 30.8
32. 2 31. 9 32.5
___d o ------
___ do_____ 25. 0 34. 8 33.7 34.3 2 2 . 0 36. 6 34.9
Cheese_________
___do_ ____ 15. 5 22. 3 21. 5 21. 4 14.3 2 2 . 1 19. 6
Lard _
25.4 24.1
Vegetable lard substi- ___ do_____ ___ 25. 0 24.4 24.2
tute.
2 2 . 6 36.2 37.9 39.0 22.4 37.4 35.9
Eggs, strictly fresh____ Dozen. ..
5.4 9.4 9.8
6 . 0 10.3 10.4 1 0 . 2
Bread____ I . . . ______ Pound____
Flour_____
___ do_____ 3.7 6.9 7.1 7.0 3. 2 5.6 5.8
34.4 2 1 . 8 36.2 35.8 35.1
19.7 15.8 23.3 2 2 . 0 22.3
2 2 .2 2 2 .1 22. 0
24.1
36. 2 23.8 37.9 38.2 38.9
9. 8 5.3 10.4 10.3 1 0 . 2
5.8 3.8 7.1 7.2 7.3
Corn meal- __________ ___ do ___ 2. 5 4.7 4.0 4.0 2.4 4.3 3.9 3.9
9.0 8 . 5 8.4
9.8 9. 5 9. 7
Rolled oats
do ___
10.4 1 0 . 2 1 0 . 2
Corn flakes ...................... 8 -oz. pkg___ ....... 11.3 11.3 11.3
22.9 24.4 24.4
25.5 2 0 . 2 26.2
Wheat cereal
28-oz. pkg
19. 2 19. 0 19.0
2 2.0 21. 6 21. 6
M acaroni
Pound
Rice _
___ do_____ 8 . 6 1 0 . 6 11.3 11.3 9. 0 10.4 1 0 . 8 1 0 . 8
Beans, navy
___do ____
Potatoes __________ ___ do ___
Onions
_ _ _ _____ ___do_____
10.7 10.5
3.2 7.6 7. 5 1.9
9. 5 7.9 8.5
12. 6
2 .0
5.3
7.8
Cabbage
Beans, baked
Corn, canned _
___ do ___
No. 2 can
___ do_____
11.7
17.7 17.7 17.7
Peas, canned
Tomatoes, eanned
Sugar, granulated___
___ do. ___
__do __
Pound____
19.1 19.1 19.2
13.9 11. 4 11.3
5.3 7.7 7.1 7.2
12. 1
9.4
3. 1
9. 6
6. 6
1 1 .6
6 .2
1 1 .6
8. 1
6. 7
6.1
8 .2
1 0 .6
7.9
6.9
7.9
2 .2
1 2 .2
8 .2
4.2
1 0.1
1 2.1
1 1.1
1 2 .2
1 2.1
11. 5 1 1 . 1
3. 7 7.4 7.7
9.3 8 . 1 8.7
12.2
1.9
5. 6
1 2.8
8. 1
6 .8
1 2 . 8 12.5
19.0 18. 0 18.0
6.6
1 0 .6
17.0 15.8 15.7
12. 5 9. f 9. t
6 .0
6. 7
6 .0
4.1
10.1
1 2.2
25.5 26.6 26.6
19. 3 18.9 18.9
17.3 15. 7 15. 5
4. 5
4.5
9.9
5.2
22. 5
13. (
7.7
2 1.8
11. 2
7. 1
___ do ___ 60.0 98.8 103. 7 103. 7 56.0 76.4 74.6 74. 6 61.3 91.8 94.4
Tea
Coffee
___ ______ ___ do_____ 32.0 51.0 50.7 50.7 25.2 49. 6 47. 7 47. 7 28.8 54.0 54. 4
19. G 19.4
16.7 14. 5 14.5
17.5 18.1 18.7
Prunes _______ _____ ___ do_____
15.7 15.2
13.4
13.2
13.
5
15.7 14.9 17.6
___ do_____
Raisins
39.4 38. 9
29.2 25. 8 25.8
29. 2 27. 7 30. 0
Bananas
Dozen ____
55.
9 49. 1
55.0
51.
6
56.3
51. 5 47. 0 48.8
Oranges
___ do_____
21.9
11.0
7.2
95.5
54.3
19.0
15.0
37.2
52.7
1 The steak for which prices are here quoted is called “rump” in this city, but in most of the other cities
included in this report it would be known as “ porterhouse” steak.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[ 128]
BETA IL PB IC E S OF FOOD
129
51 Cities on Specified Dates
May 15, 1913 and 1925, and for April 15 and May 15, 1926. For
ception of May, 1913, as these cities were not scheduled by the bureau
ARTICLES OP POOD IN
51 CITIES ON SPECIFIED DATES
particularly meats and vegetables, owing to differences in trade practices!
Bridgeport,
Conn.
Boston, Mass.
Buffalo, N. Y.
Butte, Mont.
Charleston, S. C.
May 15—
1913
1
Apr. May Maj Apr . Maj May 15— Apr Maj May Apr. May May 15— Apr
May
15,
15,
15,
15,
15 15
1925 1926 1926 1925 1926 1926 1913 1925 1926 1926 1925 1926 1926 1913 1925 1926 1926
Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts.
37. 1 61. 1 65. 165. 47. 48. 48. 2 2 . 1 39. 1 39. 40.
32. C 31.i 31.8
34.
24.
17.
—
23.
49.
38. 3
50.
38.
26.0 27.
17. 3 18.
37. ( 40.
51.
39.
39.
35.
41. 41. 19.
36.' 36.' 17.
27. 26.3 27.
18.1 1 1 . 0 1 1 .
43. ( 38.2 39.
27. 15.
11. < 11.
42. 19.
33.
29.
45. 0 46.8 47. ( 51. 1 52. 52.9 22. C 42.
57. 2 58.
60. 3 59. 0 57. 59. 9 25.7 50. '
39. 5 38. 9 42.3 39.6 37. ( 40. 0 18. 7 34.9
25.6 41.4 43.9 45.2 41.9 44.3 45.0 22. 5 40.1
3U. 5 37. 9 37. 9 29. 8 33.7 34.2
29. (
8.S
13. 3 14. 9 14. 9 15.0 16.0 16.0 8 . 0 13.2
......... 11.5 1 2 . 2 12.3 1 1 . 1 1 1 . 6 11.4
1 1 .0
30. 0 54. 5 52. 1 50. 2 53. 5 51.3 50. 1 34. 1 52. '
30. 3 30. 7 29. 7 29. I 29.4 29.5 —
29. 1
22. 1
j 16.0
! 32.1
5. 9
! 3.7
!
1 3.6
J------1
27.
27.6
26.
26.'
22.
22. S 22. S 19. 1 18.
13.1 14.' 14.3 12.7 1 2 .
38.5 41.9 42.5 34.0 37.
25.4
31.
23.
1------
33.3 34.2
29. 30.
27.3
27.9
21.
20.
20.
Cts.
34. 34
33 4
31. 31 30 9
29.5 27.2 27.5
19.0 15. 20. 7 2 1 . 2 20 4
12. 9 1 2 . 14. 7 15 4 14 9
37.4 22.3 34. 35.2 37.3
44. 7 45.4
53. 2 55.4
34.2 36.4
56. 7 55.
57. 1 25. 5 42. 9 43. 2 43 7
57.9 58. 3 59. 6 26. 7 49. 7 50. 3 51 9
40. 1 40. 5 40.3 21.3 41.9 42. 5 42.5
41.9 41.7 37. 4 40.0 39.8 2 1 . 4 37. 5 40. 8 42. 3
37. h 37. 7 28.8 33. 6 32. 5
30. 5 39 1 39 2
13.0 13.0 14.3 14.3 14.3 11. 7 18.0 18.0 18.0
11.3 11.3 10. 5 1 1 . 1 1 1 . 2
1 1 . 2 11. 9 12. O
51. 2 49.4 46. 0 49. 1 48. 3 36. 2 52. 9 52 1 49 4
30.0 28.8 32. 4 —
30.9 31.5 31.7
37.9
22. 6
26. 0
39.0 37.4 38.7 39.8 39.4 19.0 37.3 38. 1 37.5
21. 5 2 1 . 0 22. 3 20. 7 20. 9 14.3 2 1 . 8 20.4 2 0 . 2
25. 4 25.1 25.2 25. 6 25. 6
26. 1 26.3 25.8
35.8
26. 2
28.2
37. 1 37. 1 20. 3 33. 0 33. 6 31 7
24.6 24.6 15.0 23. 4 23. 6 22. 9
29.8 29.6
24. 5 23.9 23.9
52.5
9. 0
6. 5
50.5 52.0 48.7 46.8 48.6 25.4 40. 1 41.4
9. 1 9. 1 8 . 9 9.0 9.0 5.6 8 . 9 9. 0
6. 7
6. 6
5. 9 6.3 6 . 2 3.0 5.6 5.6
6.5
6.5 7.8 7.8 7.7 2.5 5. 5 5.4
9. 4 9. 4 8 . 8 8 . 8 8 . 6
9. 1 8.7
10. 9 10. 7 10.5 10. 5 10. 5 ....... 10.4 10.4
44.2
9.8
6.3
42.0
9.8
5. 9
6.5
9. 6
11. 3
1____
j-------
41.3
9.0
5. 6
5.5
8 .8
10.4
6.4
7. 7
12.2
5.9
7.4
12. 2
42.2 25. 4 39. 5 42. 0 39. 6
9.8 6 . 0 1 0 . 8 1 0 . 8 1 0 . 6
5.9 3. 7 7.3 7.4 7.3
6 .0
7.4
12.3
2. 3 4. 1 4. 0 3. 9
9. 3 9 4 9 4
1 2 . 0 11. 7 1 1 . 8
24. 5 25.0 24.9 23. 7 24. 6 24.6
23.8 24. 5 24. 6 26.9 29. 0 28.8
25.0 25. 9
23. 3 23. 0 22. 9 22.9 22. 7 22. 7
2 2 . 2 21. 5 2 1 . 8
19. 7 18.9 18.9
19. 2
0
11. 8
12. 7 12. 7 1 1 . 0 11.7 11.9 9.3 10.9 11.5 11. 4, 1 1 . 6 1 2 . 2 1 2 . 2 5.5 8.7 19.
9.6
10.9 10.3 1 0 . 0 1 0 . 6 9.8 9.9
1 0 .2
9. 5 9.1 1 1 . 1 10. 5 1 0 . 6
1 0 . 8 10. 5
1. 8
2. 1
7. 7 5. 5 2 . 0 7. 2 6 . 2 1.4 1.4 6.9 6 . 2
2.5
5.0
4. 6 2 . 0 2.4 7. 9
9. 2 6.9
7.7 8.3 6 . 5 8.9 ....... 8.9 7.8 8 . 71 7.7
4.8
5.6
7.8 7.0
7.1
8 .8
7.4 5. 6 8 . 6 8 . 0
5.6 8 . 0 6 . 8
6.9
8 .6
7.8
3.5
6. 1
14. 1 13. 9 13. 4 11. 9 11. 5 11. 3
10.3 1 0 . 0 10.3 14.7 14.9 14.6
10. 5 1 0 . 0
20. 4 19. 3 19. 0 20. 7 19. 5 19.3
17.7 15.9 15.6 16.9 15. 7 15.8
17.5 15.6
......... 21.7 20.9 2 0 . 6 2 1 . 6 21.3 2 1 . 1
17.2 16.3 15.9 16.9 15.2 14. 5
18. 9 17. 6
—
13. 6 1 2 . 6 1 2 . 1 14. 6 12. 9 13.2 __ 15. 2 13. 7 13. 6 14.1 13.3 1 2 . 8
11. 9 1 0 . 1
5. 2 7. 1 6 . 4 6 . 7 6 . 7 6.3 6.4 5.3 6.9 6 . 2 6.3
8.7
7.9
7.9 5.0 6 . 8 6 . 2
58.6 75. 1 74. 3 75.3 60.9 59.9 60.3 45.0 67. 7 71.9 71.9 81.7
5 83. 5 50. 0 72. 6 76. 7
33. 0 56. 0 55. 6 55. 4 48. 2 48.4 48.3 29.3 48. 7 49.2 48. 7 55. 5 83.
56. 9 57.0 26. 0 45.8 46. 1
16. 8 16. 8 16. 5 17.8 16.2 16.0 — 16.8 16. 1 16.4 17. 1 17.5 17.3
16.5 15.*7
13.8 14.2 14.1 14.0 14.0 13.9
13.8 14. 1 14.2 15.4 15.6 15.9
14. 2 14. 1
47. 8 45. 6 46.3 36.4 35.0 36.1
45.8 42.9 41.8 216.2 2 15.3 214. 8
37. 9 38. 8
68. 4
60. 0 56.8 57.9 57.7 65.2.
56.1 55.0 56.8 55.7 49.0 49.1
48. 5 48.5
9. 2
2
Per pound.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[129]
26. 0
18. 9
9.5
10. 0
7. 2
8.4
4. 6
10. 0
15.0
17. 9
10. 1
6 .2
76 7
46. 8
15.5
14. 2
37. 9
49.4
M O N T H L Y LABOR RE V IE W
130
T able
4 .—AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF THE PRINCIPAL
Article
Unit
Cleveland, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Chicago, 111.
May 15—
May 15—
\p r. May
A.pr. May
\p r. May
15, 15,
15, 15,
15, 15,
1926 1913 1925 1926 1926
1926
1926
1926
1925
1913
1913 1925
May 15—
ts.
Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. C
39.2
Sirloin steak__________ Pound____ 22.6 43. 6
__do_____ 19. 1 33. 2
■Ronnd steak
Rib roast............. ........... ........do......... . 19. 1 33.3
Chuck roast__________ ____do_____ 15.2 22.6
Plate beef........................ ___ do_......... 11.3 13.8
Pork chops........ ............. ___ do........... 18.0 34.7
43.8 43.4 23.9 37.9 37.2 38. 1 25. 2
35.6 35.7 21.0 34.2 33.3 33. 5 22.0
33.7 34. 2 19.3 30.1 29.7 29.7 20.0
24.9 24.9 15.6 20.8 21.3 21. 5 17.2
14.6 14.8 12.4 16.7 15.6 15.5 12.1
36.9 38.9 19.5 36. 5 35.8 38.8 21.0
Bacon, sliced............ ...... ____do.......... 31.4 50.1 52.3 53.7
Ham, sliced__________ ____do_____ 32. 5 53.0 54.1 55.0
Lamb, leg o f.................. ........do........... 20.3 36.7 37.6 40.2
___do_____ 21.2 37.8 41.9 41.6
Hons
32.9 38.6 39.6
do_____
Salmon panned
Milk, fresh___________ Quart-------- 8.0 14.0 14.0 14.0
38.4 37.6
32. 7 31. 6 33.1
27.1 27. 5 28.0
22. 3 22.6 23.3
12.8 13.8 13.7
38.3 39.3 42.6
25.7 41.3 44.6 44.6 27.1 47. 4 49.7 50.6
28. 5 53. 3 53. i 55.8 36.0 56. 5 57.3 59.3
16.8 39.4 36.6 39. 1 21.0 36.3 36.3 39.2
24.6 41.7 43.0 43.3 22.9 40.5 44.3 43.7
31.0 38. 6 39.1
29. 5 37.4 37.0
8.0 12.0 12.0 12.0 8.0 14.0 13.7 13.7
10.7 10.8 . 10.8
10.7 10.9 .10.9
Milk, evaporated_____ 16-16 oz.can.
Butter _ _________ Pound____ 32. 5 49.4 47.3 47.2 35.9 50.8 49.6 49. 1
30.5 30. 1 29.6
27. 2 27.7 26. 7
Oleomargarine {all but ___ do......... .
ter substitutes).
Cheese
_______ ___ do_____ 25.3 40. 1 41. 1 41.4 21.0 36.1 35.9 35.0
_________ ____do_____ 14.7 22. 1 21. 1 20.8 14. 1 21.0 19.0 19.4
Lard
26 0 25. 3 25.4
26.3 26.3 26.3
__
do
Vegetable lard substitute
35.6 34.0 35.0
41.
5
22.0
40.5
41.7
23.7
Dozen_____
Eggs, strictly fresh------6. 1 9.9 9.8 9.8 4.8 9.3 9. 1 9.1
B read_______________ Pound____
5.9 6.3 6.3
5.5
3.3
5.4
5.6
2.8
___
do_____
Flour
4.7 4. 1 4. 1
6.0
2.6
6.2
6.
1
2.9
.......
do..........
Corn meal___________
8.9 8.6 8.6
8.7 8.4 8.3
Rolled oats
.do_____
10.2 10.3 10.3
10.1 10.0 9.9
Corn flakes
8-oz. p k g __
10.8 11.2 11.2
36.8 53. 2 51. 1 51. 9
31. 7 32. 0 31. 7
23.7 24.7 24.7
24.2 24. 5 24.4
19.7 18.3 18.3
20.0 19.0 19. 1
8.7 11.4 11.7 11.9 8.8 10.8 11.1 11.5
24.7 25. 3 25.3
21. 6 21.9 21.9
8.5 11.1 12.0 12. 1
Wheat oereal
ATaearoni
Rfoe
28-oz. pkg__
Pound. __
___do_____
do_____
Potatoes______ ______ ___ do_____
___do_____
Onions
1.3
Tea
Coffee
Prunes
do
__
_ __do__.......
Pound____
4.9
17.9 17.2 16.8
15.0 13.8 13.7
6.9 6.4 6.4
_________ ___ do_____ 53.3 74.
30.7 51.
__do____
18.
.do_____
Raisins
Bananas
Oranges
_do___ _
Dozen . . . .
. _do........
9.4 9.1
6.3 5.7
6. 2 7.9
1.6
15
40.
60.
8.6 7.9
2.4 6.4
9. 2 6.0
25. 6 40. 39.9 39.8
5.5 8.0 8.0 8.0
3.2 5.9 6.1 6.1
2.7
7. C
6.5 1.5
7.6
5.9 5. 2 5.2
9.4 9. 4 9.4
11.2 11. 11. 3
9.7 7.8 7.7
2. 6 7. C 6. 4
8.3
9.0 6.
5.3 6. 9 5. 6 . . . _ 4.9 7.2 0.0
11.6 11. 10. S __ 13.3 12. 12.8
18.8 17. 17. 3
16.7 15.7 15.6
5.6 7.4 6.3
12.7 12.7 12.
18.3 16.8 17. :
Cabbage..................... . ___ do_____
Beans, baked_________ No. 2 can__
Corn panned
_do_____
Tomatoes, canned
Sugar, granulated_____
9.9
2.3
8.6
23.0 35.9 38.7 37.3
16. 5 24. 1 22. 5 22. 5
27.0 27. 2 27.1
18. 17.C 17.
13.9 12. 11.8
6." 6.6
5. C 7.
.....
.....
5.1
18.0 17." 17.8
14. 13. 13.3
7.4 6." 6.9
72.:: 72. 60.0 75. C 78. i 78. 50. C 79. 81.
51. 51." 25. 46. 46. 46. 26. 52.6 54.
19. 17.
18.- 18. ....... 17. ( 17. f 17.'
15.
41.
58.
15.
41.
56.
.....
__
__
14.4 15. 14."
39 36. 38.8
54 52.1 54. i
.....
.....
14 . 14.
54 i 50.
59 57.
81.0
54.1
17.4
14.6
50.0
53.1
1 The steak for which prices are here quoted is called “ ramp" in this city, but in most of the other cities
included in this report it would be known as “ porterhouse” steak
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[130]
RETA IL P R IC E S OF FOOD
131
ARTICLES OP FOOD IN 51 CITIES ON SPECIFIED DATES-Continued
Columbus,
Ohio
Dallas, Tex.
Denver, Colo.
Detroit, Mich.
Fall River, Mass.
May 15—
May 15—
May 15—
May 15—
May Apr. Mai
Apr May
Apr May
Apr May
Apr. May
15, 15, 15,
15, 15,
15, 15,
15, 15,
15,
15,
1925 1926 1926 1913 1925 1926 1926
1926
1926
1926
1926
1913 1925
1913 1925
1913 1925 1926 1926
Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts.
39.9 37.8 38. f 22. 5 34.9 36.2 36.8 23.9 34.2 32.6 33.8 23.8 41.3 40.l
. 41.5 134.5
8 159.4 ‘ 61.0
33.8 33.1 34. 2 20. i 31.8 32. 5 32.3 21.8 29.8 28.6 29.6 19.4 33. 6 34.0 34. i 27.0 159.
43.5 44.1 46.1
29.9 30.1 30.5 19.2 28.4 27.7 28. C
17.8 23.8 24. 2 24.4 19.2 29.2
24.0 23.3 24.4 16.3 21.9 22.8 21.9 15.8 19.7 19.0 19.5 15.0 22.4
15.8 15.4 15.6 12. 9 15.9 16. 8 17.0 9.4 11. 1 11.9 11.6 11.5 13. 2
33.9 35.6 37.3 20.8 35.6 36.2 37.9 20.3 33.5 36.4 39.1 19.2 38.3
48. 7 48.3 49. 1 38.0 46.4 45.8 43.6 28.0 49.0 50.2 49.1 23.5 47.2
55.6 54.1 55.4 31.3 56.9 57. 5 59.3 30.0 55. 7 54.3 55.9 25.0 56.3
41.4 43.7 45.0 22.0 42.3 44.9 42.0 17.9 35.8 35.3 36.8 17.8 39.3
38.2 40.7 41.9 19.1 30.9 33.4 33.8 21.6 32.3 35. 7 36.0 22.4 40.4
32. 7 39.8 40.3
33.1 42. 1 42.1
33. 7 38.4 38.4 ______ 32.0
11.0 11.0 11.0 ¡0.0 15.0 12.3 12.3 8.4 10. 5 12.0 12.0 8.0 14.0
11. 2 11.4 11.3
13.3 13.3 13.2
10.6 11.2 11.0
10.8
50.4 48.0 48.0 36. Ö 52. 2 51.8 48. S 34.3 47.3 46.4 45. 4 34.7 52. 3
29.4 29.8 29. 2 ....... 33.7 34.1 33.8 —
29. 5 29. 2 29.2 —
29.2
36.2 36.9 35.3 20.0 37.1 34.7 34.3 26.1 39. 1 38.2 37. 6 20.3
20. 5 18. 7 18.7 17.0 24. 2 26.0 25.0 16.3 24.2 21. 7 22. 5 16.1
25. 8 25.9 25.8 —
24.8 24.4 24.2 —
24. 7 23.7 23.8 —
32. 8 32.8 33.5 21.0 35.0 34.0 33.4 23.6 35.5 35.0 35.0 25.0
8. 1 8.1 8.1 5. 5 8. 5 8.5 9.5 5.4 8.3 8.4 8.4 5.6
6. 2 6. 1 6.1 3.3 5.8 6.1 6.0 2.6 5.0 5.1 5.1 3.1
4.5 3.7 3.8 2. 7 5.0 4. 4 4.5 2.4 4.3 4.3 4.2 2.8
9.4 9. 4 9.3
10. 7 10. 6 10.0
9. 2 8.9 8.8
11.0 11.0 11.0 ------; 11.3 11.1 11.0 —
11.9 11.8 11.7 —
23.8 24.8 25.0
26.6 27.5 27.4
24. 5 25. 7 26.0
23.2 22.0 22.0
21.5 21. 3 21. 1
18. 9 18.8 20.5 ______
12.1 13.8 13.9 9.3 13.2 12. 9 12. 9 8.6 11.3 12.0 11.7 8.4
9.1 7.9 7.7
12.8 10.7 10.1
11.0 10.2 10.2
2. 1 6. 6 6.1 i. 8 5.0 6.9 7.0 1.2 2.8 5.9 5.2 1.3
9.3 6.8 8.5
8.2 7.8 8.1 —
8.8 5.6, 7.2
6.1 7.5 7.0
5. 5 5.7 5.4
5.9 6. 5 5.2
13. 7 12. 6 12. 5
14.9 14.0 13. 9
13.7 12.4 12. 2 ______
17.3 15.7 15.7 —
20.5 18.0 18.0 —
18.5 15.6 15.6
16.5 15. 4 15.4
20. 8 21.7 21.6
17. 4 15.9 15.9
14.6 13.2 12.3
14. 5 11. 7 11.6
14.5 13.3 13.1 ______
7.7 6.7 7.0 5.7 8.2 7.5 7.4 5.3 8.1 7.3 7.5 4.9
89.1 89.3 89.3 66.7 102.7 106. 6 106.6 52.8 66.4 66.9 67.1 43.3
52.3 51. 6 51. 6 36.7 60.2 60. 2 59.9 29.4 51. 7 52. 7 51. 9 29.3
18.6 18.0 18.0 ....... 21.0 21.1 20.9 —
18.4 18.3 18.1
14.8 15.0 15.0
16.9 16.8 16.6
14. 6 14.9 14.8
39. 5 36. 7 37.8
32.0 31. 7 35.0
*13.8 12.5 212.0 ______
51.0 50.3 54.4 ....... 57.6 55.3 56. 6
49.8 49.6: 47.5
.....
2Per pound.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[131]
30.0 30.8 23.8 28.9
31.3 31.9
22. 7 22.6 18.5 22. 5 22.5 23. 2
14.1 14.3
13.0 13.1 12.9
40.6 42.4 22.5 35.0 38.0 39.5
51.1 52.0 25.8 44.2
59.2 60.9 31.2 51.3
39.1 41.6 20.5 41.6
44.5 45.7
53. 6 54.2
41.6 42.5
43.2 43.8 25.8 42.8
39.8 39.8
31.8
14.0 14.0 9.Ö 13.0
42. 9 46. 3
38.9 39.3
14.0 14.0
11.1 11.1
12. 7 12 ß 12 fi
51. 1 51.3 36.4 51.9 51. 7 4 9 . 7
29.5 29.0 ....... 31. 6 30.4 30.4
37.5 37.5 37.4 23.8
23. 6 22.0 22. 2 15.0
26.9 27.3 27.3 ........
40.1 39.6 39.0 30.3
8.7 8.4 8.4 6.2
5.9 6.0 6.0 3.3
38.2 39. 1 37.7
21. 9 20.1 20. 4
27.3 27.1 27.0
50.1
9.1
6.1
46.1 49.0
9. 2 9.3
6.5 6.4
6.1 5.8 5.8
9.7 9.4 9.4
10.6 10. 7 10.6
7.7
9.7
11.2
7.2 6.9
9. 8 9. 5
11.6 11.6
24.9 25.8 25.9
26.2
21. 9 21.8 21.9
24.6
11.2 12.2 12.1 10.0 10.8
25. 8 25.5
24. 5 24.8
12.2 12.4
9.2
1.7
9.5
8.2
6.2
6.2
8.3
5.2
7.6
3.4
—
10.5
1.8
9. 6
10.2
7.3
6. 2
6.5
12.3
17.6
8.8 7.9
12.1 12.3
17.1 17.2
19.0
13.6
7.4
18.7 19.0
12.6 12. 7
6.7 6.8
73.5 73.3 73.3 44.2 59.7
52.0 51.9 51.9 33.0 53.5
18. 8 18.0 18.0
15. 2
60.3 59.6
53.7 52. 4
15 H
1.8
5.8 7.4 6.3
11.4 11. 7 11.5
18.9 15.9 15.9 .......
17.6 16.8 16. 5
13.7 12.0 11.9
7.3 0.9 6.9 5.3
9.9
6.1
S3
15.0 15.0 15.2
14.5 14.2 14.3
38.6 33.8 35.3
211.8 2 9.8 29.6
58. 7 52.4 54.7 ....... 61.3 55.2 55.3
M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
132
T able 4 .—AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF THE PRINCIPAL
Houston, Tex.
Unit
Article
Indianapolis, Ind.
Jacksonville, Fla.
May 15—
May 15—
Apr. May
Apr. May
May Apr. May
15, 15,
15, 15,
15, 15, 15,
1926
1926
1925 1926 1926 1913 1925
1913 1925 1926 1926
Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts.
_________ Pound___- 30. 7 33.2
__________ ___ do_____ 29. 6 31.9
_______ __ __do_ ---- 23.9 26. 3
nbnck roast,
___ ___ do ___ 19. 0 20.0
Plate beef
_ _________ _ ___do ---- 16. 1 18.2
Pork chops________ _______ ____do-------- 32. 7 36.3
Sirloin steak
"Round steak
Rib roast,
33. 2 24. 7 38. 3 37.4 38.6 26. 0 35. 7 38.0 37.4
31.9 23.3 36.4 36. 1 37.4 22. 0 30.9 32. 8 32. 8
26.3 17.9 28.8 29. 1 29.8 23.3 25.9 29. 4 27.9
20.2 16. 1 24. 2 24.9 24. 6 14. 0 19. 1 21. 2 20. 8
17.5 12. 1 15. 1 15. 1 15.4 10.3 11.8 13.6 13. 2
37.5 21. 7 35. 7 36. 0 39.5 21.3 32. 5 36. 7 39. 2
Jlseon slieed
___ ____do_____ 48. 1 49.3 49.4 29.0 43.3
Ham, slieed ______________ ___ do ___ 52.0 50.8 52. 1 30. 3 53.8
Lamb, leg of
__________ ____d o ------ 35.0 36.0 37.0 20. 7 40. 7
Hens
_ ___________ ___ d o ------ 35.6 39.5 39. 2 22.0 37.0
32. 2
___ do_____ 31. 2 36.5 37. 1
palmnn eanned
16.0 16.0 15.8 8. Ö 11.0
Milk, fresh
_______ Quart____
10.4
Milk, evaporated,................. 15-16 oz.can. 11.8 11. 6 11.5
Butter
__- ______ Pound____ 52.6 47.8 46.9 34. 7 50.5
Oleomargarine (all butter sub29. 4
__ __do_ ___ 31.5 31. G 31.2
stitiites)
Cheese
___________ ___ do ___ 33.9 31.4 30.9 20.8 37. 1
__ __do __ 22. 7 22. 5 22. 2 15. 2 21.0
Hard
26. 5
Vegetable lord substitute
__d o____ 18.9 18.5 19.4
45. 6 46.0 26.3 42. 0 47.3 47.3
56.4 57. 5 28. 3 52. 1 52. 8 53.3
40.0 41. 4 19. 3 35. 5 37.0 40. 3
4L 0 4L 8 22.0 34. 8 4L 2 40.6
30. 8 38.2 38. 7
36. 1 36. 1
12.0 12. 0 12.5 18.8 22.0 22.0
11.9 12. 2 11.9
10. 8 10.7
49.4 48. 4 39. 2 54. 4 55. 0 52. 7
36. 1 35. 8 22.5 34.1 33.7 31.9
19. 0 19. 2 15.5 23.2 23. 1 23. 1
23.9 24.5 24.4
26. 1 26.7
Eggs, strictly fresh_________ Dozen_____ 33. 5 33.2 32.8 21.8 33. 8 33.2
8.9 9.0 9.0 5. 1 8. 1 8.0
Bread
_ ____________ Pound .
Flour
___ ___ do ___ 6.2 6.0 6.0 3. 2 5. 8 6.0
Corn meal________________ _ ___do_____ 5. 1 3.9 3.9 2.5 4.8 4.2
7.7 8. 1
___do
_ 9. 5 9. 1 8.9
Rolled oats
10. 1 10.2
Corn flakes......... .................. . 8-oz. pkg---- 11.9 11.8 11. 7
Wheat cereal.............. ............ 28-oz. pkg__. 24.9 25.8 26.0
, 19.2 18. C 18.3
Macaroni _______________ , Pound.
Riee
_ _______ ___ do ___ 9.6 10.3 10.3
___ d o ____ 11.2
4.4
do
__d o ____ 8.9
Beans, navy
Onions
9.5
6.4
7.3
9.5
6. 4
6.5
Tea
____
Coffee
Prunes
Raisins
Bananas
Oranges
4.2 2.9 4.4 4.2 4.1
8. 1
9.9 9. 7 9. 3
10.2
11.3 11,4 11.3
9. 1 7. 7 7.9
1.9 6.4 5.6
8.3 6.2 8.6
24.5 24. 7 24.9
20. 8 20.0 19. 7
6.6 10.4 11.0 11. 2
2.3
5.6
16.6 14.6 14.8
14.4 11.7 11.
7.4 7.0 7.0
11.1 10.8 10.4
3.0 7.8 7.4
8.3 8.3 8.3
4.4 6. 8 5.3
11.2 11.1 10.9
20.8 19.7 19.9
5. 5 7.4 5.5
11.7 10.4 10.1
17.5 14.8 14.8
Pah have
__do ___ 5.0 5.8 3.7
Beans, baked______________ No. 2 can, . 12.6 12.0 11.6
Horn eanned
___ do ___ 18.5 16.2 15. 7
Pears eanned
__d o ____ 18.1 14.3 14.2
Tom at,oes, ean ned
_ __do ___ 13.9 10.2 10.2
Sugar, granulated__________ Pound_____ 7.2 6.7 6.7
34. 1 28.8 36.4 41.0 39.1
8. 0 6. 5 11.2 11.0 11.0
5.9 3.8 6.8 7.0 7.0
24. 6 24.6 24.6
20.4 19. 1 19.0
9.2 11. ] 11.7 11.7
1.3
30.4 31.5 31.5
30.4 30.0
5.9
20. 19.7 18.9
12. 5 10.9 10.5
7.4 7.1 7.0
____________ ___ do ___ 77.3 81. 6 80.8 60.0 80.5 85.3 87.0 60.0 96.2 96.0 98.4
___________ ___ do_ ___ 44.7 45.5 44. 8 30.8 51. 51. 50.9 34. 5 50.9 51.3 50. 2
17.8 19.2 18.8
___ do_____ 17.0 16. 16. C__ 19.9 19.3 19.3
__
___ ___ do_____ 15.4 14.9 14.
30.4 28. C 28.5
_________ Dozen
______ ___ d o ___ 47.7 47. 42.5
I
15.5 16.3 15.9
31.5 30.9 30.9
50. 49.0 49.
1
..
.
15. 15.
30. 26.
48.9 46.
15.6
28.0
48.8
1 The steak for which prices are here quoted is called “ sirloin” in this city, but in most of the other cities
included in this report it would be known as “ porterhouse” steak.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[132]
RETAIL PRICES OF FOOD
133
ARTICLES OP FOOD IN 51 CITIES ON SPECIFIED DATES—Continued
Kansas City, Mo.
Little Rock, Ark.
Los Angeles, Calif.
Louisville, Ky.
Manchester, N . H.
May 15—
May 15— Apr.
May 15—
May 15—
May
Apr. May
Apr. May
Apr. Mav
Apr. May
15, 15,
15, 15,
15, 15,
15, 15,
15, 15,
1926
1926
1926
1926
1926
1926
1926
1926
1926
1926
1913
1925
1913 1925
1913 1925
1913 1925
1913 1925
May 15—
Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts.
24.7 39.6 38.2 38.9 26. 3 33.4 34. 3 34. 4:24. 0 37.0 36.0 36.9 23.2 34. 3 34.0 35. 4 ‘35.8 ‘57.3 ‘ 56.6 ‘56.6
21.6 34. 0 32. 1 33.9 20.0 29. 4 31. 3 31.4 20.8 30. 5 30. 0 30.3 19. 6 30. 7 29. 6 31. 7 28. 8 45. 9 45.3 45.5
18.4 26. 4 26. 5 26.7 19.4 25. 0 26. 6 27.7 19. 1 28.9 29.0 29.9 17.6 25.4 25.4 27.3 20.7 28. 3 28.3 28.2
14.9 19.9 19.9 19.9 16.3 19. 8 20. 0 21.6 15. 5 19.8 19. 4 19.5 14.9 19. 1 18. 6 19.2 16.8 22. 7 22.9 23.5
15. 8 16.0 16. 7
12.0 12.4 13.3 13.6 13. 5 15. 2 15. 7 16. li 12. 4 14. 1 14. 2 14. 5 12.4 14.4 15. 6 16. 1
19.2 33.3 37.2 38. 7 21.3 31.9 34. 6 37. 3:25. 4 42.1 44.8 45. 4 19. 6 33. 7 34.8 38.8 20. 5 35 9 37.3 39.2
28.8 48. 7 50.0 51.0 37.0 46.9 49. 3 50. 0;33. 8 52. 5 55.9 58.3 27.8 44. 5 46.1 49.4 23. 5 42. 1 41.9 42.8
27.8 54.9 55. 4 56. 131. 3 50.0 52. 1 52. 9Î35. 0 64. 3 66.0 66.8 28.6 47. 0 49. 1 52. 3 28.5 44. 9 45.6 47.4
18. 7 35. 5 33.8 34.9 20.2 42.9 41.4 40. 7 19. 2 36.2 36. 1 35.8 17. 5 38.8 39. 0 41.0 20. 7 38. 3 36.6 38.9
00
00
18.7 32.8 36. 3 35.8 20.0 29. 2 32. 8 33. 2 25. 8 42.9 45. 2 45.9 24. 1 38.4 40.0 39.6 24.7 43. 1 44. 3 44.7
30. 7 38. 5 38. 4
28. 5 36. 2 36. 5
28.8 38. 1 38.4
34. 6 38. 1 38.9
31. 5 41. 7 41. 7
12.0 12.0 12.0 8. Ö 12.3 14.0 14.0
8. 7 13.0 13.0 13.0 10.0 15.3 15.0 15. 0 10. 0 15.0 15. 0 15.0
'll. 9 12.3 12. 3
9.9 9.7 9.9
11. 7 11.5 11.5
12.8 13.0 12.8
11. 8 11.8 11. 7
35.3 50.3 48.8 47. 6 39. 6 52. 1 52.6 50.9 35.0 50.8 50.7 50.4 38. 6 52. 7 52.0 49.1 38.3 56.1 53.1 51.3
27. 3 27.8 27. 7 —
—
30.8 31.4 31.0 —
30. 5 31.1 30.3 —
30. 7 32. 3 33.2 —
27.8 28.0 26.0
21. 7 37. 0 36.2 35.1 21. 7 37. 3 36.9 35.1|19. 5 38. 1 39. 1 38.9 21. 7
16. 2 22. 4 21. 0 21. 1 15.6 23. 7 23.8 23.5117.9 23. 7 22.9 23.2 15. 4
27.2 27.0 26.8 . . . . 23. 5 23.8 23. 7 —
25. 4 26. 1 26.3 ---—
21.4 34. 5 35.8 35.9 23.0 33.9 34. 6 34. 8 27. 5 41. 7 37. 8 39.8 21. 7
6. 0 9. 6 10. 1 10.0 6. 0 8. 7 9. 5 9. 5 6. 2 9.3 8. 6 8.6 5. 7
3.0 5.9 6.0 6.0 3.6 6.6 6.8 6.9 3.6 5.9 5. 7 5. 6 3.6
35.9 37.5 36.6 22.0 36.8 36.4 36. 1
21. 2 20. 5 21.2 16.0 21.9 20.6 20.8
25.9 26.2 25.2
28.8 28. 5 28. 5 —
5.7 5.3 5.3 2. 3
9. 8 9. 6 9.6
10.2 10.0 10.0 — 23.7 24.8 24.9
17. 6 17. 6 17. 6
11.1 11.3 11.4 8. 1
4.4 3.8 3.7 3.6 5.6 5. 1 5. 3
8.7 8. 3 8. 5
9.0 9. 0 8. 8
11.4 11. 4 11.0
10.7 10.8 11.0 —
2. 5 5.7 5.1 5.0 2.4 4.3 4. 2 4. 1 3.2
10.4 10.8 1 0 .8 ....
9.5 9. 2 9. 2
12. 1. 12. 2 12. 1 — 12.2 12. 2 12. 2 —
—
24.7 25.0 25. 3 ..._
25. 0 27. 1 27. 1
21. 6 20. 5 19. 7
21. 6 20. 5 20. 3
8. 7 10.6 11. 1 11. 1 8.3 10. 3 10.6 10.7 7.7
—
10.4 9.7
10. 1 9. 3 9.2
2. 3 6. 1 5. 2 i. 8 3. 5 6.6
9.5 7.9
8.8 6.9 8.0 —
—
6. 5 5.8 5.4
13. 7 13. 3 13.3
17.4 14. 7 14.3 . . . .
1.4
9. 5
10.4 9.4 9.3
6.8 L i 4.6 6. 2 5. 7 i. 7
7.9 —
8. 5 6.4 6.4 ---4. 5 6.1 5.3
4.2 4.9 4.7
12. 2 11.3 11.3
11. 5 11. 5 11. 5
20.6 16.9 16.5 —
17.6 16.1 16.2 . . . .
CO
17.0 15.5 15.1
19. 1 18.2 17.5
14. 5 11.8 12.2
13. 6 11.4 11.4
5. 5 7. 7 7. 1 7.3 5. 5 8.0 7.2 7.4
34.3 32.9 34.0 28.3 44. 5 43.6 44. 7
9.3 9.4 9.4 6. 1 8.4 8. 5 8.7
6.8 6. 7 6.9 3.4 6. 1 6. 4 6.4
24. 6 25. 5 25. 6
24.2 24. 3 24.3
24. 4 24. 2 24. 1
18. 7 19. 2 19. 5
10.8 11.3 11.3 8.5 10.6 11.4 11. 2
9.5
2.4
8.9
18.7 17. 2 17.2
17.9 16.1 15.6
12.8 10. C 9.8
215. 7,215. 6 215. 6
6. 7 6.4 6.4 5.1 7.4 7.0 7.0
2'Acan.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
7. 7
9. 7 9. 1 9.0
7. C 1. 5 1.7 6.8 4.9
8. 7 5.7 7.0
8.1 —
7. 1 8.4 7. 5
14. 3 14. 1 14. 3
18.6 17.4 17.5
5.3 7. 7 6.0
11. 5 10.9 10. £
19. 2 16. 5 16.6 —
54. 0 82. 1 82. 5 82.7 50.0 99.9 100.6 105.1 54.5 75.0 74.9 76.8 62. 5 76.2
27.8 53.3 53. 3 53. 5¡30. 8 53. 5 55. 1 55.5 36.3 51. 8 54. ( 54. S 27.5 51. 5
18.9 18.2 18.5 . . . . 16.4 16.4 16.2 — - 16.6
17.8 17.3 17.7 —
—
16.6 15.8 15.8
11.9. 12.9 13.2
14.7
15.5 15. 3 15.5
310. C 3 9.0 3 9. (
10. 5| 9. 6 10. 1
36. 7
311. 4 311. 1 310. 9
54.
2
51.
7
48.0
49.9
49.
0j
46.
8
46.
1
47.8
51.
2
... .
48.9
... .
—
—2 No.
7.9
6.5
6.3
20. 5 19.2 19. 1
14. 3 12. 5 11. 5
5. 1 7. 3 6.7 7.0
79.9 79.9 46.3 61.2 63. 1 63.9
50. ( 49. 5 32. ( 52. 4 51. 5! 51. 8
16.4 16. 1 16.2
16.7 16.9 —
15. 5 15.7
38. 8 36.3
46.8 47.7
8 Per pound.
[133]
14.3 14.3 14.4
310. ] 3 9. 8 3 8. 6
55.9 51.8 50. 2
M O N T H L Y LABOR RE V IE W
134
T able
4.— AVERAGE
RETAIL PRICES OF THE PRINCIPAL
Memphis, Tenn.
Unit
Article
Milwaukee, Wis.
Minneapolis, Minn.
May 15—
May 15— |
Apr. Way
Apr. Way
Apr. May
15, 15,
15, 15,
15,
1926 928
1926
1926
1926
1926
1925
1913
1913 1925
1913 1925
May 15—
Cts. Cts.
Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. 31.7
Sirloin steak__________ Pound. ---- 23.2
__ do__ __ 19.3
Round steak
Rib roast................... . ___ do_____ 21.1
15.5
nfanrsk roast,
do.
___do_____ 12.2
Plate, beef
Pork chops...................... -___do-------- 20.4
34.8 35. 5 35.9 22.0 37.5 37.8 38.2 22. 2 33. 5
30. 9 32.7 33.6 20.5 33. 1 33.4 33.7 20.0 29. 5 28. 4
25.7 25.8 26.9 18.5 27.6 28.1 28.3 19. 0 25.1 24.6
18. 5 19. 0 19.1 16.5 23.0 23.7 24. 0 15. 5| 19.9 19.6
14.4 15. 0 15. 5 11. 5 13.5 14.5 14.6 10.3 11. 2 11. 7
28.7 34.2 36. 6 19.5 34.6 37.2 39.8 18.4 34.1 35.8
Bacon, sliced-------------- ___do_____ 30.0 41.4 43. 5
__ do_____ 29.3 50.0 50. 8
Ham, sliced__________
Lamb, leg of.................... ........do_____ 20.8 38. 1 38.3
_ d o ____ 20.0 31.8 34.2
TLPtiq
32.3 33.3
_ do_____
Salmon nannod
Milk, fresh__ _______ Quart.......... 10.0 15. 3 15.0
Wheat cereal
M aearoni
Rice
28-nz. nkg
Pound ___
_ ___ ___do_____
Beans, navy
..do____
Potatoes
__________ __ _do_____
Onions
___ do_____
Cabbage
Beans, baked
Corn, canned
__ do_ ___
No. 2 can__
__do_____
4.
9.3
1 1.2
3. 7 3.7
9.4 9.4
11. 1 11. 1
3.0
36.2
39. 5
11. 0
11.8
45. 7
28. 2
33.5
19. 9
27. 2
35.0
9.9
5.7
5. 5 5.6 2.4 5.6 5.6 5.6
8. 5
8. 4
8. 5
8. 5
10.9 10.7 1 0 . 6
10. 5 10.3 10.3
5.7
8 .8
8. 6
24.8 25.9 25.7
23.7 24.5 24. 5
24.2 25.9 25.7
18.8 17.9 18.0 __ _ 18.5 19.3 19.3
19. 19. 5 19. 5
7.5 9. 1 0 . 8 1 0 . 8 9.0 1 1 . 0 11.7 1 1 . 8 9.1 1 1 . 2 11.9 11.9
9.2 9.1
9.5 8.3 8.3 |------ 9.
9.8 9. 5 9.4
3.
7.1 7.0 1 . 1 1 . 8 5.9 5. C 1 . 1 1 . 6 5. 8 4.9
1 .6
7. 9
8
.
6.
6.4
8.3
9. C
7A 5.6 6 . 1
4.
12.
17.
5.2 6.9 5.4
6 . .......
10.9 ___ 13. 13. 12.9
15.3 14. 8
16.8
15.
18.1 16.:
5.8
4.8
6 .0
11.9 1 1 . 8
16.4 16.
1 1 .'
7.5
11.
17.
17.9 16. 16.
18.- 18.1 18.1
15.1 13. 13. ........ 15.
12.
1 0 . 8 ___
11.
7.
5.
5.2 7.2 6 . 8 6.9 5.8 6.9 6. a 6.
62.
Tea
_ _________ ___ do____ 63.8 95. 96.9 96. 50. 71. 71.4 71. 45. C 53.
27. 50. 51. 50.9 27. 48. 47. 47. 30.8
_-do__
Coffee
17.
17. C 17. 17.
16. 17. 17.
__ _do__ __
Prunes
14.
___
14.8
14.8
14. 15.8 15.8 ___ 14. f
Raisins
__do_
3 9.8 3 9.8 3 9.8 ___ 3 1 2 . 2
34. 36.3 32.
Dozen____
Ban an as
54. t
54.: 50. : 51.1 —
55. 52. 52.
O r a n ges
__do__
Peas canned
do
Tomatoes, canned------- ___d o ____
Sugar, granulated. __ Pound____
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
20.3
12. 4
38. 5
43.3 26.8 46.4 47. 5 48. 2 25.0 49.2 49.4 49.9
53. 3 27.3 49.0 50.3 51.7 27. 5 51. 3 52, 4 53.4
40.0 20.0 38.5 37.7 39.6 17.0 35. 8 35. 0 36.3
34.8 22. 0 36.1 40. 2 39.9 21.2 33.7 36. 2
29.9 32.1 32.1 ___ 33.3 39. 3
33.3
15.0 7. Ö 10.0 11.0 11.0 7.0 11.0 1 1 . 0
1 1 . 2 11.7
10.9 1 1 . 2 41.2
11.3 11.4 11.3
Mj IIt evaporated
15-16 oz. can.
____ Pound____ 38.6 48.8 50.8 48.1 33.5 48.0 46.2 46.5 33.4 47.0 46.3
Butter
27.8 28. 8
27.7 27.5 27.2
Oleomargarine (all but- ....... do_____ ___ 28. 5 27.7 27.7
ter substitutes).
nhee.se
__ _ _ _do_____ 21. 3 32.9 32.3 31.9 21. 3 34.1 33.8 33.2 19.8 34.9 34.4
3
Lard
_ _______ ___do______ 15. 5 19. 9 19.3 19.4 15.5 23.1 2 1 . 6 21.3 15.4 2 1 . 8 20.
27.1 27. 4
26.9 26. 7 26.5 —
Vegetable lard substi- ....... do........... — 23. 7 22. 9 23.0
tute.
Dozen ___ 22.9 34.2 35. 1 35. 7 21.3 35.0 34.1 34.5 21.4 33.4 34.3
Pgps, strietly fresh
9.6 9. 7 9.7 5.6 9.0 9.0 9. 0 5.6 1 0 . i 9.9
6. 0
Bread
______ Pound . . .
Flour.............................. ___ do-------- 3.6 6 . 8 6.9 6.9 3.1 5.2 5.7 5.6 2.9 5. 5 5. 7
2 .0
Corn meal _________ ___ do__
Rolled oats
__ do_____
Corn flakes............. ........ 8 -oz. pkg---- —
33.6
30.4
25. o
i Whole.
2
[134]
Per pound.
15.7 15.6
14. 14.2
6. 8
6.
63.2 62. 8
54. 54. 0
17. a 17. 2
15.4 15.3
3 1 1 . C 31 0 . 7
51.4 50. 9
RETA IL PR IC E S OF POOD
135
ARTICLES OP POOD IN 51 CITIES ON SPECIFIED DATES-Continued
Mobile, x\.la.
Newark, N. J.
New Haven, Conn.
New Orleans La.
New York, N . Y.
May 15—
May 15—
May 15—
May 15—
May Apr. May
Apr. May
Apr. May
Apr. May
Apr. May
15, 15, 15,
15, 15,
15, 15,
15, 15,
15,
15,
1925 1926 1926 1913
1926
1926
1926
1926
1926
1926
1925
1913 1925
1913 1925
1913 1925 1926 1928
Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts.
34. 35. (; 34. 26.8 46.3 44. 44.9 31. 51. 54. : 53. (
32. £ 34. 5 34.2 26.fi 44. 41.8 41. 28.4 42. 44. t 44.1
j '
¿1.i 29.1 28.8 21. 2 35.9 35. 35.3 23.4 34. fl 35.3 36.1
21.7 23. 6 24. 2 17. 6 24.4 23. 6 23. 5 18.8 25.8 26. 6 26.7
I 17. J 18. 6 18. 1 12. 0 13.0 13. 7 13.1 ___ 13.3 15. 7 15.8
37.9 40. 5 40. 8 22. 6 36.6 37.8 39.5 23. 0 3o. 5 37.8 39.6
} 42.7 47.2 46.9 24.4 43.5 45. 1 46. 1 28. 2 46.2 49.9 50.2
1 4y. ( 51. 2 51.2 120. 3 52.3 53.8 54.8 32.4 57.5 57.9 59. 6
140. 0 41.4 42. 1 20.8 39. 6 36. 8 40.2 19.3 39.9 37.4 40.4
34.6 39.6 39.0 23.4 40. 1 41. 7 41.9 23.8 41.4 43.9
20. 7 40. 7 41. 0 —
27.7 37. i 37.0 ___ 29.9 34. 7
.17. 8 18. 5 18.5 9.0 15.0 15.1 15.0 9.0 15.0 16.0
11.5 11. 7 11.7
10. 5 11.3 11.3
11.6 12.1
55. 6 55. 6 53. 2 '36."6 54.1 49.5 50.8 35.8 52. 6 52. 4
30. 6 31: l 31.6 ....... 30. 4 30.9 30.6 —
31.3 31.8
Cts.
Cts
22. f 34.0 36. 0 35. 8 26. 44.
44 9 4f) Ò
19. C 30.2 30. fi 30. 8 25. ( 42. 2 42 9 48 8
20. C 29.3 i 29.8 30. 5 22. 38.3 38.8 38.9
15. 20.3 21.3 21.4 16. 23. 7 24. 5 24 6
11.1 16.2 i 17.4 16. 9 14. 19. 4 20 5 20 2
22.5 33.9 37.8 39.8 21.8 39.2 40.9 42.8
29.8 43.8 46.8 47. 5 25. 3 45. 8 50. 8 51 1
26.0 50. 7 52.3 52. 9 29. 0 57.4 59.1 61. 2
20.1 38.4 37.9 39.6 17.6 37.6 36.1 38.5
45. 6 21. 1 37.8 39. 2 39.7 22.2 39. 5 42. 0 43. 4
34.7
37.4 37.1 37. 4
29. 5 36. 4 36
16.0 10.0 12.3 14.0 14.0 9.0 15.0 15.0 15.0
12.1
11. 1 11. 1 11.1
10. 7 11. 2 11. 1
50. 6 35.0 52. 2 51. 6 49.7 35.4 52. 4 49. 5 50. 3
31.3 —
30. 6 31.1 30.3
29.4 30.7 29.9
35. 0 36.7 35.3 24.5 38.3 39. 8 40. 2 22.0 37.7 39.1 39.2 22.0 35.4 33. 7 33.9 19. 4 37.4 38. 4 38 3
23.1 21. 6 21.5 15.8 22.5 22.2 21.3 15.7 22.4 21.8 21.4 14.9 21.5 21.1 20.9 15.7 23. 1 21.
9 22. 0
21.1 22. 2 21. 7 —
26.0 26.3 26.1 —
25.2 26.0 25.6
26.1 25.7 25.9
....... 22. 1 22.4 22.4
34.8 37.5 35.3 32.8 47.8 46.8 48.3 31.3 48. 6 46.4 47.1 23. 6
9. 7 9. 6 9. 6 5.6 9. 1 9. 3 9.4 6.0 8.3 9. 1 9.1 5.2
6. 8 6. 7 6.7 3. 6 5. 9 6. 1 6. 1 3.2 6.0 6.3 6. 2 3.8
4. 5 3.8 3.9 3. 6 6.6 6. 6 6.6 3.2 6.7 6.8 6.8 2.6
8. 9 8. 7 8.6 __ 8.3 8. 5 8.4 ___ 9. 5 9. 6 9.4
11. 2 11. 2 11.3 —
10.1 10.1 10.1 —
11.1 10.7 10.6 .......
24. 1 24.9 25.5 __ 23.4 24.3 24.3
24.1 24.9 24.9
19. 9 20. 9 21.1 __ 21.1 21. 1 21. 1 __
23.0 22. 8 22.8
10. 1 11. 6 11.2 9.0 10. 4 11.5 11.3 9.3 11.6 11.9 12.1 7.4
10.2 9.3 8.9 . . .
10. 5 9.7 9.8
10.1 9. 8 9.5
2. 9 7. 2 7.2 2.4 3.0 7.4 7.4 1.8 2.0 7.5 5.9 1.9
6. 9 5. 5 7.6 —
9.5 6.9 9.5 —
8.8 7. 0, 8.5 —
3.6 5.1 3.9
11. 6 11.0 10.9 __
17. 5 16.8 17.5 —
6.5 9. 6 7.7
11.4 10.8 10.8 ___
18.0 16.7 16.4 —
17.3 16.2 16. 2
18.2 17.2 17.2
12. 7 11. 2 10. 9
12.2 10.9 10.9
7. 4 6.7 6. 7 5.1 6.9 6.0 6.2
5.2
4. 5 3.8 3.9 3.4 6. 8
9. 1 9.1 9.1
8. 8
10.8 10.5 10.4 —
10.0
6. 5
8. 6 8. 6
10.0 10.0
24.2 24. 9 24.7
23. 0 23. 9 24.0
9.8 9. 5 9. 6
20. 9 21. 1 20. 8
9.9 10. 5 10.1 8.0 10. 5 10.7 10.8
9.8
3.2
5.5
8.8
6.8
5.0
8.2
6.2
5.2
11.3
2. 5 2. 9
8. 7
10. 3 10.4
7.5 7.2
7.0 8. 5
6.2 8.7 7.4
3.6 5.3 4. 5
5. 8
11.8 11.4 11. 5
12.0 10.9 10.9
11.3
18.8 18.1 18.3 ..... 18.7 14.9 14.4 ..... 16.9
8. 6' 7. 6
11. 2 11.0'
15. 3; 15.3
20.4 19.5 19.5
13.6 12.3 12.3
7.2 6.5 6.5
15. 7 15.6
10. 7 10. 6
5.8 6.0
5.1
80.8 83.0 81. 5 53.8 61.5 63.5 63.5 55.0 58.6 59. 5 59.7 62.1
49. 8 50. 6 50.3 29.3 48.7 50.2 49. 9 33.8 53.3 53.4 53. 5 26.7
16.6 16.4 17.3 —
16.0 15. 6 15.8 —
17.0 16.4 16.3 —
15.4 14.6 14.5 __ 13.8 14.0 14.1
14. 1 14.3 14.0
26.4 25. 2 25.2 __ 38.3 37.5 37.5
35.7 35. 0 34.0
46.4 51. 0 54.7 —
61.2 57.5 56.3 —
61. 6 52.7 57.0 —
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
37.5 35.3 37. 1 30. 8 49. 2 48. 3 49.1
8.9 8.9 8. 9 6. 0 9. 6 9. 7 9. 7
7.4 7. 6 7. 5 3. 2 6. 1 0. 2 6. 2
[135]
16.9 17.1 17.2
13.4 10.0 10.1
6.4 5.9 6.0
4.8
17.1
13. 0
6.2
83.2 82.9 82.2 43.3 63. 9 64. 9 65.0
37.4 36.8 36.3 27. 5 46.0 48. 1 47.7
18.8 18.4 18.4
15.6 15.8 16.0
14.2 14.3 14.4
21.4 17.5 17.5
49.9 52. 5 54.4
—
14.2 14. 5 14. 5
41.2 39. 6 39.3
68. 5 63. 4 63,8
136
M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
T able 4 .—AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF THE PRINCIPAL
Omaha, Nebr
Norfolk, Va.
Article
Unit
May Apr. May
15,
15,
15,
1925 1926 1926
C ts .
C ts .
C ts .
May 15—
Peoria, El,
Apr. May May Apr. May
15,
15,
15,
15,
15,
1926 1926 1925 1926 1926
1913
1925
C ts .
C ts .
C ts .
37.4
34.9
25.8
36.3 37. 1 35. 3 34. 0 35. 2
33. 3 34. 0 32. 1 33. 1 33.3
26. 2 26. 1 24.3 24. 2 24. 5
C ts .
C ts .
C ts .
C ts .
Sirloin steak........ ......... . Pound_____
Round steak
___ __do...........
Rib roast__
_______ . __do........
39.9
32.9
30.9
40. 2 41. 1 25.1
34. 1 34.7 22.0
32.3 32.6 18.1
Chuck roast___________ _ ^__do____
Plate beef_____________ ___ do_____
Pork chops____________ ___ do_.........
21.9
15.0
32.4
24. 0 23. 1 15. 6 21. 7 21. 5 22. 0 21. 3 20. 7
16.0 16. 1 10. 4 11. 3 12.4 12. 7 13.6 13.6
36.4 38.4 19.0 34.3 36.7 37.8 32.8 35.2
Bacon, sliced__________ ___ do_____
Ham, sliced __________
__do_____
Lamb, leg of___________ ___do_____
40.4 44.8 46. 1 28.0 51.4 52. 1 52. 4 48. 5 49.3 51. 1
42. 3 48. 1 48. 1 29.0 56. 1 56. 6 57. 1 52. 8 52. 7 53.8
39.0 39.5 41. 4 18. 8 38. 5 37. 4 38.4 37.8 36.9 39.2
Hens..... ............................ __do______
Salmon, canned____
_do_____
Milk, fresh........................ Quart_____
37.8
30.9
17.0
41. 4 41.3
37.7 37.2
17.5 17.5
Milk, evaporated........ ___ 15-16 oz.can.
Butter________________ Pound .. .
Oleomargarine (all butter ___ do_____
substitutes).
10.8
52.9
28.7
11.4
11. 1 11.3
54. 6 53. 0 35. Ò 48.2
____
30.0
29.5 28.6
Cheese............................... ___ do_____
Lard __ __ _ ______ __ ___ do_____
Vegetable lard substitute. ....... do...........
33.4 33.4
20.7 20.8
22. 4 22.1
33.0
21. 0
22. 0
Eggs, strictly fresh
...
Dozen_____
B read______ ____ _____ Pound____
Flour........ .................. ......
__do_____
37.4
9.4
6.1
38.7
9.5
6.3
38. 1 22.3
9. 5 5.2
2.8
6.3
32.7
9.8
5.2
33.2 33.3 34.2
10. 1 10. 1 10.0
5.4
5.4
5.9
Corn meal...... ........ ........ ___ do_____
Rolled oats____________
__do ___
Com flakes..................... . 8-oz. pkg___
4. 7
9.0
10.6
4.4
8.4
10.4
4.4
2.3
8.3
10.4 —
5.3
10.7
11.9
4.9
10. 3
12. 5
Wheat cereal__________ 28-oz. p k g...
M acaroni__
Pound _
Rice........ ........................ . ___ do__........
23.8 23.9
19. 0 19.1
11.8 12.1
B ea n s, n a v y ___________
7.9
32.9
33.9
11.6
35.7 35. 3 35.7 36. 5 36.8
38.8 39. 2 32. 8 38.4 39. 1
11. 1 10.3 12.0 11.3 11.3
11.9
47.0
30.4
11.9 11.6 11.8 11. 5
47. 2 48. 0 45,5 46.1
30.3 29.9 29. 7 29.5
22. 5 35.8 35.7 34.2
17.8 24.6 24. 0 23.9
27. 2 27.9 27.8
4.9
10. 3
12.5
36. 1 34. 7 34.7
23. 2 22. 1 22.0
27. 2 27.0 27.3
8. 2
6.6
7.3
C abbage___ __
_do_____
Beans, baked. ________ No. 2 can__
Corn, canned____ _____ ___ do...........
4. 3 6.8
10. 1 9.8
18.0 15. 3
6. 1
10.0
15.3
Peas, canned_________ ___ do_____
Tomatoes, canned______
__do_____
Sugar, granulated........... Pound____
21.6 19.8
12. 1 10.3
6.4
6.0
20. 1
10. 1
6.2
Tea _________________
_do_____
Coffee..... ........... .............. ___ do_____
Prunes_______________
do. . . .
93.6
51.
16.8
88.8 88.8 56.0
50.3 50.3 30.0
16. 1 16. 7
Raisins_______________ ___do______
Bananas____________ _ Dozen_____
Oranges................... .......... ___ do_____
13.9
33.8
53.7
13.9 14. 0
33.8 33.3
51. 7 57.5
1.3
5.7
10.4
2.4
9.5
9.9
6.2
6.0
9.7
5.6
8.9
5.4
14.6
10.3
7.2
13.7
15.9
5.7
13.7
16.1
33.7 32.4
10. 1 10. 1
6.0
5.9
5. 1 4.9
9.3
8.9
12. 1 11. 8
24.6 28.3 28.3 25.8
21. 2 21. 1 21. C 20.9
8. 5 10.2 11.6 11.8 10.9
8.1
7.0
6.7
..d o ..........
Potatoes............................ __.do_____
Onions. .............................. ___ do..........
9.9
2. 6
7.7
24. 0
19. 1
12.0
19.5
21.0
13. 8
37.2
4.8
8.9
11.8
25.3 25.4
20. P 20. 2
11. 7 12.0
8.7
5.9
6.5
8.4
5, 3
8.4
6. 1 7.4
12.0 11.9
16. 8 15.6
6.4
11.6
15.6
16.4 16.7 16.5 19. 1 18.3
1& 1 14.3 14. 1 15. 4 13.8
8.2
7.3
7.9
7. 1 7.1
18.0
13.8
7.4
9.7
2. 1
10.4
76. 5 80. 3 80.3 66. 2 65. 1 66.4
57.7 57.3 57. 5 51. 8 51.9 51.6
17.4 17.6 17.7 19.2 20.2 20.0
16.3 15.8 15.7 ,15. 2 15.8 14.9
‘ 11.9 4 11. 4 4 11.4 <11.8 <9.9 <9.6
50. 4 47.8 44. 2 49. 5 48. 3 47. 1
! The steak for which prices are here quoted is called “sirloin” in this city, but in most of the other
cities included in this report it would be known as “ porterhouse” steak.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
R ETA IL PR IC E S OF FOOD
137
ARTICLES OP FOOD IN 51 CITIES ON SPECIFIED DATES—Continued
Philadelphia, Pa.
May 15—
Pittsburgh, Pa.
May 15—
Portland, Me.
Portland, Oreg.
Providence, R. I.
M ay 15—
May 15—
Apr. May
Apr. May
15, 15,
15, 15,
1913 1925 1926 1926 1913 1925 1926 1926 1925 1926 1926 1913 1925 1926 1926 1913 1925 1926 1926
C ts .
C ts .
Apr. May
C ts .
C ts .
C ts .
C ts .
Apr. May May Apr. May
C ts .
C ts .
C ts .
C ts .
C ts .
C ts.
C ts .
C ts .
C ts .
C ts
CtR m<i
‘ 30.1 ‘53.3 ‘55.5 ‘54.8 27.0 45.9 45. 7 46.6 ‘60.8 ‘ 61.4 ‘62. 2 23. 5 29. 2 29. 2
25. f 40. 1 41.2 41.4 23.3 38. 1 38. 1 38. 9 46. ( 45.9 47.3 21. 2 27. 1 26.8
22.3 35. 7 36.8 37.1 21.8 33.6 33.7 34.0 29.4 30. 2 30.6 19.3 25. 2 25.3
17. C 22.3 24.4 24.9 16.5 23.9 23.9 24.2 20.1 20.9 21.4 16.9 17.9 18,4
11.8 10.8 13. 1 12. 4 11.9 11. 7 12.5 12.7 14. 9 16. 7 17. 2 14.0 13.5 13.8
20.8 39. 7 41.8 45.1 22.0 38.5 41. 1 43.1 37.2 38.6 41.6 21. 1 35.3 38. 2
25. f 42.9 46.7 47.8 28.8 48.7 52.7 53.9 43.9 44.9 44.8 30. 0 50.0 53.4
30.8 58. 0 57.9 60. 1 29.4 57.8 60.5 62.0 53. 7 55.3 56.9 30. f 52.8 54. 4
21.4 40. 2 39.4 42. 2 21.2 41.0 39.8 41.7 37.0 35. 1 41.8 19. 1 35.9 36.9
23.0 41.0 43.5 44.6 27.3 44.3 46.0 45.3 41.2 41.9 42.1 22.0 35.1 37.5
28.5 38. 0 38. 0
—
28. 9 37.4 37.5 29.4 39. 1 39.1
32.1 37.1
8. 0 12. 0 12.0 12.0 8.6 14.0 14.0 13.0 13. 0 13. 5 13.5 9.3 11.7 12.5
__ 11.4 11.4 11.5
11. 1 11.5 11.6 12. 2 12.4 12. 4
10.1 10.4
40. 3 55. 5 53. 6 53.3 37. 2 53. 2 51.9 51.3 56. 2 54. 2 51. 6 35. 5 48.8 48.7
—
30. 2 30. 4 29. 9 —
30.8 30.8 30.5 29.6 29.4 29.4
29.8 30.3
29. 5 1 3 9 r 168 7 171
26. 8 30 f 47 6 49 2
25.3 23.8 37. 6 38. 1 38.7
18.3 19 0 28. 5 28 1 98 8
13.3
18 7 19 3
38.8 21.8 40.3 41.« 43.5
54. 2 22. 4 45. 8 44 ,r 44 6
56. 1 31 0 58 0 57 2 58 8
37.4 20.3 42.4 39.6 4L0
37.7 24. 4 42.8 44. 9 45 8
37. 1
30. 5 38. 0 37 6
12. 2 9.0 13. 5 14.7 14.7
10.4
11. 5 12. 2 12 9
47. 4 36. 6 51. 5 52. 0 51 1
30.3
29.3 29.7 29.7
25.0 38. 1 40.3 39.8 24. 5 38. 4 39.0 38. 2 37.2 38.4 37.9 20.5 36.7 38.7
15.3 22. 0 21. 1 21. 1 15. 5 21. 8 20.6 20.9 23.3 20. 2 20. 1 18. 2 24.3 24. 2
25. 0 25. 3 25.5 —
26. 2 26.6 26.6 25.9 24.9 24.4 —
28.9 27.8
20. 1 40.3 41.6 41.8 24.1 41.5 39. 2 40.4 42.6 42.4 43.3 25.0 36.3 30. 6
4. 8 9. 4 9. 4 9. 4 5.4 9. 2 9.3 9.3 10. 4 10. 1 10. 1 5. 6 9. 6 9. 4
3.1 5. 7 6. 1 6.1 3. 1 5. 8 5. 9 5.9 6.0 6.1 6. 1 2.9 5. 8 5. 2
2.7 5.1 4.7 4.7 2.7 5.7 5.9 5.9 5.5 5. 2 5.0 3.3 5. 9 5.3
8. 7 8. 7 8.6
9.3 9.4 9.2 7.8 8. 1 8. 1
10. 3 10 3
—
10.0 10.0 10.0 —
10.5 10.6 10.5 11.4 11.6 11.6
11.4 11.3
23.8 24. 4 24.3
25. 2 25.1 25. 3 25. 2 25. 9 25. 8
26. 2
__ 21.5 21. 0 21. 0 ___ 23.3 22. 8 22.
7 24. 2 25. 2 25. 4
17. 9 18.1
9.8 12.0 12. 2 12.2 9.2 11. 4 12. 2 12. 2 11.8 13.0 12.8 8.6 10.7 11.1
____ 10. 1 8.7 8.8
9.6 8.4 8.0 10. 4 9.9 9.4
10. S 9.7
2.3 3. 6 7. 4 7.0 1. 6 2.9 6. 5 5.9 1.6 7.4 5. 2 Ö. 5 3.3 4. 7
8.2 5.7 8.5 —
—
9. 0 7.1 8.6 8. 1 6.1 7.8 —
8. 5 4.7
____ 5.5 7.9 7.0
5.8 7.9 6. 5 5.0 8.9 7.4
6. 7 6. 5
10. 9 10.7 10.6
12.8 12.8 12. 9 15. 2 15. 4 15. 2
14. 6 U 0
—
16.4 14. 9 14.6 —
17.3 17.1 17. 2 18. 1 16. 1 16.2 —
20. 9 19.9
16.0 14.7 14.3
18. 2 18.0 17. 6 19. 9 18. 3 18.3
19 4 19
__ 12.7 11.1 11.0 ______ 13. 9 11.8 11.9 222. 7 220.
6 20.0
17. 0 16. 9
4. 9 6.3 6.0 6.2 5. 5 7.2 6.8 6.8 7.1 6.4 6.6 6.1 7.6 6.8
54.0 70.3 71.3 71.9 58.0 79.1 85.2 85.7 63.5 60.9 60.3 55.0 76.0 76.8
25. 0 45. 9 45.6 44.6 30.0 51.3 50.9 50.9 54.4 54. 1 53. 4 35.0 52. 2 52. 4
--- -- 14.8 14.8 14.4 ----- 19.8 18.5 18.9 16.2 15.7 15.6 ..... 12.1 14.3
13. 5 13.7 13.7
14.3 14.4 14.6 13.4 1376 13.8
13. 5 13 9
—
34. 1 31.0 30.6 ______ 42.6 38.1 38.3 <11.6 <10.3 <10.6
<14.2 13.0
64. 9 59. 3 58.6
59.3 63.6 54.2 58.2 56. 3 59. 9
50.3 50.1
37. 1 21. 3 35. 1 36. 3 36 3
23.8 15. 2 22. 3 20. 7 20. 6
28.0
27.0 26.8 26.7
—
2No. 3 can.
.102973°—2&
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
8No. 2J^ can.
30
[137]
32.8 30. 5 49. 5 46. 3 47 2
9.4 5. 9 9. 2 9. 2 9 2
5. 2 3.4 6.4
6. 6 6.5
5. 2 2. 9 5.3
5. 1 5. 1
10. 2
11.3 —
10.8 11.0 10.8
26 9
°1 s
18.0
23.8 23. 5 23. 5
11.0 9.3 11.1 11.8 11.9
9.6
4.4
5.2
10. 3
1.8
8.7
9. 6 9. 2
7. 4 5. 1
6.2 7.9
5.2
6. 0
13 9
19.7 ............. 1&5
17.8 17.8
19 4
16. 9
7.0
1. 7
5.0
8. 6 6. 9
15. 1 13. 5 13.3
6.9
6. 2 6. 5
76.6 48.3 61. 5 61.1 61. 5
52. 3 30.0 53. 7 54. 1 54. 2
14.4
17.5 16.4 16.5
14 3 14 9 14 9
13. 8
13.1
35. 0 32. 6 34. 3
51.3 ....... 64.3 59. 7 61.2
<Per pound.
138
M O N T H L Y LABOR RE V IE W
T able
4 .—AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF THE PRINCIPAL
Richmond, Va.
Article
U nit
Rochester, N. Y.
St Louis, Mo.
May 15—
Apr. May May Apr. May
Apr. May
15, 15, 15, 15, 15,
15, 15,
1925
1926
1926
1926
1926
1913 1925
1913 1925 1926 1926
May 15—
Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts.
Sirloin steak..___ ______ . . . Pound ......... 21.8 39.4 39.3 39.5 40. 5 41. 2 41.9 23.3 37. 7 36.3 38. S\
Round steak__________ ____ ........do_____ 19.6 34.1 34.9 35.2 33.9 33. 9 34.9 21. 1 35. 5 34. 1
Rib roast
___________ ____ do _____ 18.9 31. 1 31.5 32. 1 29.9 30.6 30.9 18.0 30.0 30. 1 29. 9
Obnok roast ________ - ___ ........do_____ 15. 3 22.8 23.3 23.9 23.6 24. 1 24. 5 13. 7 21. 0 20. 5 20.7
Plato b o o f_______________ ____do_____ 12.4 15.3 16. 3 16.3 12. 5 13. 7 13.2 11. 0 13.4 13. 9 13. 7
Pork chops________________ ........do....... — 20.8 36.2 38.7 40.6 39. 1 40.4 42.7 19. 5 31.6 35.8 37. 5
Baoon, sliced __ _ ________ ____do____
25. 0 40. 9 44.6 44.6 42.3 44. 1 44. 5 25. 3 45. 6 44.9 46. 7
Ham, sliced.............................. ....... do........ . 25.7 42.4 45.1 45. 1 52.4 53.8 55.4 26.7 50.8 51. 7 53. 3
Lamb, leg of................. ........... ........do........... 19.7 45.3 45.6 45.8 38.8 38.5 41. 1 19.0 39.6 36.4 38.8
Hens
. ___________ _ ....... do_____ 21. 0 37.8 42.2 41.2 41.8 44.8 45.4 18.5 36.1 38. 8 39. 5
Salmon, canned
32. 7 36. 8 35. 7 30.8 37. 5 38. 3
32. 7 39.9 38.9
__do_____
Milk, fresh..
..
_____ Quart_____ 10.0 14.0 14.0 14.0 12.5 12.5 12. 5 8.0 13.0 13. 0 13. 0
12.5 12.6 12.7 11.6 11.6 11.6
10. 1 10.5 10.4
Milk, evaporated______ ____ 15-16 oz. can.
Butter _
_____ _ Pound____ 39. (i 57.3 58. 1 56. 1 53.2 51. C 49. 0 33. 3 52. 5 51. 7 50.8
31.1 31. 9 31.9 30.0 30.9 30.6
27. 1 28.5 28.3
Oleomargarine (all butter sub- ....... do...........
stitutes).
___do.......... - 22. 3 36. 1 36. 1 36.0 37. 6 37.6 37.6 19. 2 34. 6 33. 4
Cheese
Bard
_ _________ _____ ....... do_____ 15.0 21.6 21.1 21.4 22.3 20.5 20.1 13.7 18. 2 16.9 17.8
26.1 25.9 25.9 24. 9 23. 7 24. 1
25. 9 25.9 26. 1
Vegetable lard substitute____ ....... do— ---Eggs, strictly fresh................... Dozen........ . 24.0 37. 1 37.8 37. 1 37. 5 38. 1 37.4 20.0 36. 1 35. C 35. 5
5.5 9.1 9.5 9.5 8.9 8.9 8.9 5. 5 9. 5 9. 8 9.8
Bread____________________ Pound____
___ do_____ 3.3 6.0 6. 1 6.1 6.0 5.9 5.8 3.0 5. 7 5. 8 5. 7
Flour. .
Corn meal
Rolled oats.
Corn Hakes
_______ ___ d o ____
__________. . . ___ do_____
____ _______ 8-oz. pkg___
2.0
5.1 4.8 4.8 6. 5 6.3 6. 3
9.3 9.0 9.0 9. 5 9.1 9.2
10.9 11.1 11.2 10.6 10.3 10.3
Wheat cereal__ _ __ ___ 28-oz. pkg__
Macaroni.
. . . _______ Pound____
Rice. . -- __________ ___ ___ do_____
25. 5 25. 4 25.4 24.3 25.2 25.0
20.6 20.4 20.4 22. 5 22.5 22. 3
9.8 12. C 13.2 13.3 11.2 11.3 10.8
Beans, navy____
........do........ .
___do....... .
Potatoes. _
Onions
________ _____ ___do_.........
1.7
9.0
7.9
7.5
9. 10.1
7. 7 1.2
7.8 9.1
9.3
6.4
5. !
9. 1
5. 7
8.2
5.0
20. 9 20. 1 20. 19. < 18.4 18. 4
12.5 10.0 10. (j 15.0 13.4 13.8
6.8 6.6 6.5 6.4 6.1 6.2
4. 8 4. 3 4 a
8. 9 8. 7 8.8
10. 2 10. 3 10.1
23.6 24.3 24. 3
21. 7 20.9 20.8
8.3 10.2 11.1 11.1
1.3
5. 7 8.9 6.9 5. 9 8.3 6. 7
10.6 10. 1 10. 11.1 10. 5 10. 5
16.1 15. 3 15. 3 17.6 16.4 16. 6
___ do_____
Cabbage .. __ ____ _
Beans, baked
__ No. 2 can__
Corn, canned______________ ____d o ____
Peas, canned______________ ___ do_____
Tomatoes, canned____ ____ __ ..d o _____
Sugar, granulated--------------- Pound.........
11.1
3.1
8.6
2.1
9.0 7.6
2. 8 6.4
7.3 6. 0
7. 4
6. 1
6.3
5.1 5. 4 5. 3
11.1 10. 6 10. 6
17.0 16.0 L6. 0
5.2
17. 0 17.1 16. 9
13. 4 11. 4 11. 3
7.3 6.7 6.8
Tea _____ ______________ ___ do_____ 56.0 86. ( 88.1 88. 68. 7 66.9 66. 9 55. 0 70. 0 73.0 73. 0
C offee................................... ___ do__........ 26.8 49. 49. 6 49. 50.4 48.5 48.1 24.3 48.8 47.9 47. 9
Prunes___________________ ____do_____
18.1 18. i 18. ’ 18.8 17.2 17.4
19. 5 19. C
Raisins___________________ __ -_do____
Bananas.. _______________ Dozen____
Oranges__________________ ___ do_____
14.4 14.4 13. 9 14.1 14. 2
la
37. 7 36.4 36. 41. 9 37. 7 38.2
58. 5 54.2 56. £ 53. 5 51.2 50. 6
1 No. 2Vican.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[138]
14. 5 14. 7 14. 7
34.2 32. 1 33. 5
51. 2 50. 0 48. 8
RETAIL
PRICES OP FOOD
139
ARTICLES OF FOOD IN 51 CITIES ON SPECIFIED DATES—Continued
St. Paul, Minn.
May Apr. May
1925
1926
Salt Lake City, Utah
San Francisco, Calif. Savannah, Ga.
May 15—
May 15—
1926 1913 1925
May 15—
Apr May May Apr May
Apr May
15, 15, 15, 15, 15,
11,
1926 1913 1925 1926 1926 1925 1926 1926
1913 1925 1926 1926
Apr. May
1926
Scranton, Pa.
Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts.
36. 0 34. 8 36.0 22. 5 31.1 29. 8 30.0 20. ; 32.7 32.4 32. ] 33.5 35. 5 36. 0 24. 3 49.9 49.6 50.8
29. 9 29. 0 31. 0 20. 0 2a 3 2a 9 26.9 19. ( 29. 2 29. 5
29. 2 29.0 29. 6 19. f 23.3 23.7 23.6 20. 7 31.2 30.0
23. 1 22.4 23. 5 15.7 18.7 18.8 ia 2 14.6 20.0 19. 2
12. 0 13. 2 13. 2 11. 7 13.4 13. 2 12. 8 13.; 15.6 15. c
33. 3 35. 6 38.1 23. 1 35.8 36.7 37. 5 24.0 42.2 42.5
47. 1 48.6
50. 5 49.8
33. 1 33.9
49.3 30.8
50.9 29.3
35.8 19.6
47.8
52.7
34.5
32.9 35.2 35.6 24.3
34. 2 37. 1 36. £
11. 0 11. 0 11.0 8. 7
30.2
33.8
11.5
11. 8 12.0
46.9 45.8
28.3 27.6
19. 1 18. 1 19.3 19.6 17.0 27.1 27.6 28.3
14. 7 13.8 16.0 1&5 12. 1 10.9 12.4 12. 3
43.8 31. 3 34. 5 36.4 20.5 39.5 42. 1 45.1
48. 1 48. 1 32.8 57. 4 62. 7 62.0 41.4 45. 7 45.7 27.3 48. 1 49.6 50.1
54.6 55.8 30.0 61. C 64. S 64.3 42.5 45.0 45.5 29.3 57.7 58.8 60.0
32.4 34.0 16. 7 38.2 38.0 37.2 41.4 43.0 41.0 21.7 46.2 44.1 47.5
33.0 33.9 25. 2 42. 6 44.9 45.2 34.6 36.6 37.6 23.7 45.3 46.9 48.3
35.9 34.4
28.3 35.8 36. 5 30.4 39.9 41. 3
31. 8
36. 0
10.0 10.0 10. 0 14.0 14.0 14.0 17.5 17.0 17.0 8.6 12.0 12! 0 12.0
12. 1
9.9 10. 6 10. 6
46.4 35. 6 48.4 48.0 46.6 33.6
27.6
30. 1 29.8 29.3 —
33.7 34.6 33.6 22.3
22. 1 20. 5 20. 6 19. 2
27.2 27.4 27.1 ........
34.2 34. 3 33.8 23.8
10. 2 10.2 10. 2 5.9
5. 8 5.8
5.8 2.6
30.3 29.9
25. 3 23.6
29. 5 29.4
5.7
9.8
12. 0
36.6
10.8
5.3
29. 5 27.3 29.0 29.0 21.0 41.1 41. 4 41.8
29.9 27.0 27.5 27.5 22.3 36.0 38.0 36.8
29.9 20.0
23.9 18.3
29.4 ........
11 o 19 1
10.0 10. 1 10. 1 10 8 11 3 11 3
51.9 50.8 50.3 56.0 54.3 5a 7 36.6 51.3 51.4 49. 7
29.2 30.8 30.8 33.9 35.7 35.7
31.0 29.4
36.2 38.2 38.4 35.1 35.4 34.8 18.3 35. 3 35. 2 35. 3
25. 1 24.2 24. 1 22.2 23. 2 22. 3 15.6 23.0 21.8 21. 7
27.9 27.8 28.1 19.2 19.4 19.5
26.2 26.1 26.2
5.4
9. 6
12.1
5.3 3.3
9.6 __
12.1
5.7
8.9
11.9
30. 1 30.7 24. 5 39.3 35.3 36.4 37.8
10.0 9.8 5.9
9.9 9.8 9.8 10.2
4.7
4.7 3.3
6.5 6.1 6.0 7.0
5.1
5.2 3.4
5.9 6.3 6.3 4.1
8.9
8.9
9. 7 9.5 9.6 9.0
12.8 12.4
10. 7 10. 5 30 5 10 3
25.0 26.4
18.7 18.9
10. 7 12.1
26.6
18.7 __
12. 1 8.2
24.9
19.7
11.3
25.4
20.1
11.3
25.4
20.4
11.3
9.6
4.0
7.2
9.8
1.4
8.9
9.6
5.8
6.0
9.3
5.3 L Ï
7. 1 ........
10.9
3.0
9.0
9.7
4.7
4.0
5.3
13.9
16. 2
7.3
13.8
15.3
5.9
13.9 __
15.3 ........
5.8
15.0
17.3
7.0
14.4
16.1
16.9
14. 8
7. 7
16.3
14.0
7.2
16.1
14. 2
7.2
16. 6
16.1
8.1
16.4
14.9
7.4
5.9
72.9 69.6 69.6 65.7 84.4
53. 1 52. 5 52. 5 35.8 56.6
17.9 17.3 16.8 ........ 16. 1
14.9 15.3 15.8
13.4
211.9 2 11. 0 2 10. 9 __ 2 16.2
55. 3 54. 9 51. 9
46.2
2
8.5
1.4
3. 5 3.5
8.9 8.9
10 3
10.4
4.1
7.6
9.6
5.9
4.9
9.5 11.3 10.9 10. 5
12.7
5.9 2.6 7.1 7. 5 1.5 2.2
4.7 8.4 7.8 ao
8.4
6.1
14.3
15.9 ........
4. 0 6. 6 4. 8
14.2 13.4 13.5 12.4 12.2 12.3
18.8 18.4 18.5 19.3 16.1 16.1 ........
16.2
18.9 18.6 18.8 18.1 15.7 16. 0
14.9
1 16. 0 15. 4 115.4 11. 8 9. 9 9. 7
7. 5 5.3
7.2 6. 5 6.6 6.9 6. 5 6.7 5.5
87. 5 87.5 50.0
57.4 56.8 32.0
16.4 15.7 ........
14.3 14.3
2 15.0 2 15.2 _
45.4 47. 6
7.4 7.5 7. 5
10. 0 10.0 10. 0
24.6 25.3 25.3 23. 8 24. 4 24. 4
20 0 25 7
14.2 14.6 14.9 18.0 18.1 18.1
23.8 2 a 2 23. 5
11.3 11.6 11.9 10.1 10.7 10.6 8; 5 10.9 1 1 . 7 11.6
11.3
6. 9 6.4
6. 0 8.5
11.7
5. 8 9 8 7 4
12.1 1 1 . 3 1 1 . 0
18.1 17.3 17.2
19. 1 18.1 17.9
18 8 12 2 11 Q
7.2 6 . 4 6 . 5
67.7 68.0 68.6 7a 2 76.9 77.4 52.5 66.8 6 6 . 2 6 6 . 7
51.4 52.8 52.6 48.6 48.4 48. 7 31.3 54. 1 52.9 52.6
15.1 14.9 15.3 15.4 15.9 16.3 —
17.5 18.3 18.1
13.0 12.6 12.7 13.7 13.8 14.6
37.2 33. 3 34.4 33.0 32.3 32.3
50. 2j 49.6 49.8 52. 4 49.3 49.9
Per pound.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
38.8 38.7 25.0 40.3 41.7 41. 3
10.4 10.6 5.6 10.2 10.4 10.4
7.0 7.0 3.5 6.5 6.5 6.5
L139]
14.4 14.3 14.5
35.6 33.3 33.0
60.8 53.4 59.6
140
M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
T able 4 .—AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OP THE P R IN C IPA L ARTICLES OP FOOD IN
51 CITIES ON SPECIFIED D A T E S—Continued
Seattle Wash.
Article
Unit
Washington, D. C.
Springfield 111.
May 15—
Apr. May
Apr. May May Apr. May
15, 15,
15,
15,
15,
15,
15,
1926 1926
1913 1925 1926 1926 1925 1926 1926 1913 1925
May 15—
Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts.
Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts. Cts.
Sirloin steak__________ Pound____ 23. 8 34. 0 33. 4 33. 8 35. 3 34.9 35. 4 27.5 44.9 45. 5 46. 6
Round steak _________ ____do_____ 21. 5 29. 2 28. 7 29. 6 35. 1 34.4 34.9 23.6 38.9 38. 7 40. 1
do_____ 19. 6 27. 2 27. 4 27.0 24. 8 24. 1 24. 1 21. 9 34. 3 34. 8 34.8
Rib roast_____________
Chuck roast..................... ___ do_____ 16.8 1 8 . 8 19. 2 19.6
Plate beef--..................... ___do_____ 12.9 14. 5 14.9 15.0
__do_____ 24. 6 38. 7 40. 7 41. 0
Pork chops___________
21. 0 21. 8
13. 1 13.7
33.0 34.7
22. 3 17. 6 23. 2 24. 3 24.4
13.9 12. 1 12.9 13. 7 13.5
37. 2 21. 1 40. 1 41. 8 43.9
Bacon, sliced..-.............- ___ do_____ 31.7 54.5 57. 3 57.0 46. 1 46.8 47.5 26.5 44.9 48.0 50.0
Ham, sliced _________ ____do_____ 30.8 57.7 59. 3 60. 2 52. 7 51. 4 52. 1 2 8 . 0 58.6 59. 2 60.0
Lamb, leg o f _________
__do_____ 20. 8 35. 8 36. 3 38. 1 38. 8 38. 1 40. 5 20.9 43.5 40.7 44. 6
____________
Hens
Salmon, canned_______
Milk, fresh___________
d o ____ 24. 5 34. 7 35. 8 36. 7
do ___
32. 1 37.9 38. 5
Quart-------- 8.5 12.0 12. 7 12.7
36.1
33.4
12.5
37. 4 36.8 22. 4 40. 3 44. 2 45. 1
41. 1 41. 4
28.4 38. 1 37.9
12. 5 12. 5 8.0 14.0 15.0 14.0
10. 4 10. 6 10.7 11.6 11.8 11.7
11. 6 11.8 11.9
Milk, evaporated— ....... 15-16 oz. can.
Butter_______________ Pound- __ 35. 0 49. 0 50. 5 49. 7 50. Ü 48. 6 48. 3 38.7 55. 1 53. 7 53. 4
29. 8 31. 1 30.7 30. 0 30. 4 29.8
29. 6 31. 3 31.3
Oleomargarine (all but- ___ do_____
ter substitutes).
do_____ 21. 7 34. 3 36. 5 36. 3 36.5 36. 4 35. 6 23. 5 39. 5 38.9 38. 5
Cheese ____________
Lard.. _____________
do_____ 17. 6 23.9 24. 1 23.9 22. 4 20.8 20. 6 14. 8 21. 3 20. 5 20.9
29.3 28. 7 28.7 28. 2 28.0 28.0 ___ 24.9 25. 1 25.1
Vegetable lard sub- ___ do-------stitute.
Rggs, strictly fresh ___ D ozen ____ 25. 0 36. 8 34. 5 35. 3
Bread _____________ Pound____
5. 5 10. 3 9. 7 9. 7
Flour . _____________
do_____ 3. 0 6.0
5. 2
35. 3 33. 5 33. 1 23.9 38. 8 39. 5 39 9
10. 3 10. 1 10. 1 5. 6 8. 2 8. 1 8 1
6.2
6. 2 6. 2 3. 7 6. 4 6. 6 6. 6
4.9
9.0
11.9
5. C 5. 1 5. 1 2. 4 5. 4 5. 2 5. 2
10. 3 9.8 10.0
9. 5 9. 2 9. 2
11.9 11.9 11.9
10. 6 10. 6 1(C_6
26.5 27. 2 27. 3
18.2 1 8 . 2 18.2
12. 3 12. 9 13.0
26. 2 27. 1 26.9
23. 8 24. 8 24.9
20. 1 19. 1 19. 1
23. 2 23. 7 23. 8
10. 6 11. 4 11.6 9. 4 11. 5 13. 0 13. 0
Corn meal____________
_do__ _
Rolled oats___________
do__
Corn flakes___________ H-D7. p k g __
3. 0
Wheat cereal.-............
28-oz. p k g...
Macaroni____________ Pound ___
Rice____ __________ __
do_____
Beans, navy__________
Potatoes ___________
Onions_______________
..d o _____
__d o____
do_____
1. 0
Cabbage_____________
d o ____
Beans, baked.................. No. 2 can—
Corn, canned_________
do ___
do _____
Peas, canned_________
do_____
Tomatoes, canned_____
Sugar, granulated_____ Pound ____
5.9
Tea ________________ ____do_____ 50.0
Coffee_______________
.do__ _ 28.0
Prunes._____________ ____do_____
Rnisins._____ ________
Bananas ___________
Oranges_________
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
do
Dozen
__1___
do_____ I___
5. 6 5. 0
9. 1 9. 0
12. 1 11. 8
11. 3
3. 5
8.5
10. 4
5. 2
5. 3
10. 4
4.8
5. 6
9.7
2.3
10. 1
14.4
19. 8
7. 3
13.9
18. £
7.0
13.6
19. 0
5.8
11.5
18.2
7. 2 6. 5
11. 1 11.0 ___
15. 7 15.7
5.8 7. 8 5. 9
10.9 10.5 10.7
1G. 7 15. 7 15. 6
18.
17. 3
13. 6
7. 2
16. 9 16. 8 16 7
12. 2 10. 4 10. 2
7.0 6. 5 G. 5
20. 8 20. 4 20. 5
1 8 . 5 >17.9 L7.9
7.7
6.9
7. 0
6
15. 3
7.8
8.7
6. 6
5. 5
8.6
5.8
9.5
9. 7 8. 8 8. 6
2. 1 3. 6 7.9 7. 5
9.0 6. 4 7. 8
16. 7
13. 6
7.4
4.9
80.0 78. 0 78. 3 77.7 78. 6 76. 1 57. 5 8 2 . 1 89. 2 89. 2
52. 0 52. 2 52. 2 53. 3 53. 4 53. 1 28. 8 47. 4 48. 3 48. 3
18. 2 18. 2 18. 4
14. 6 15. 4 15. 3 17.3 16.8 17. 4
14. 5 14. 8 14. 6 14.9 15. 5 15. 3
213. 9 213. 5 213. 5 210. 2 2 9. 8 «10.0
53. 9 50.1 50. 5 53. 8 54. 8 56. 5
1
2 Per pound
1 No. 23^ can.
[140]
13. 5 14. 5 14. 5
37. 7 36. 1 34. 4
60. 0 58. 7 55. 8
141
RETAIL PRICES OF FOOD
Comparison of Retail Food Costs in 51 Cities
HTABLE 5 shows for 39 cities the percentage of increase or decrease
in the retail cost of food2 in May, 1926, compared with the
average cost in the year 1913, in May, 1925, and in April, 1926.
For 12 other cities comparisons are given for the one-year and the
one-month periods. These cities have been scheduled by the bureau
at different dates since 1913. These percentage changes are based
on actual retail prices secured each month from retail dealers and
on the average family consumption of these articles in each city.3
T able 5.—PERCENTAGE CHANGE IN THE RETAIL COST OF FOOD IN MAY, 1926, COMPARED WITH THE COST IN APRIL, 1926, MAY, 1925, AND WITH THE AVERAGE COST
IN THE YEAR 1913, BY CITIES
City
Atlanta.....................
Baltimore_________
Birmingham______
Boston.....................
Bridgeport________
Buffalo. ____
Butte____________
Charleston, S. C___
Chicago................. ...
Cincinnati................
Cleveland________
Columbus________
Dallas___________
Denver__________
Detroit___________
Percentage increase
Percent
May, 1926,
compared with— age de
crease
May,
1926, com
1913
May, 1925 pared
with
April,
1926
65. 9
69. 5
69. 8
60. 4
8. 7
4. 7
6 .1
7.6
q3
67. 2
9. 8
65. 8
71. 7
64.4
7.3
8. 2
8.5
63. 8
8.5
55. 5
45. 5
70.4
Fall River________
Houston ______ .
Indianapolis______
Jacksonville_______
Kansas C ity ............
57.6
58.8
59.3
Little Rock____. . .
Los Angeles_______
Louisville_________
Manchester______
Memphis_________
Milwaukee...............
54.4
46.4
59.1
55. 0
54. 3
63.9
58.3
X5
1 .6
5. 6
7.5
9.6
0 8
9. 7
9. 8
6.7
6 .8
1 .0
6. 7
7.3
6.3
8.9
Percentage increase Percent
May, 1926,
age de
compared with—
crease
May,
1926, com
pared
1913
May, 1925 wrth
April
1926
City
0.2
1 0 '6
10.6
3. 1
0.9
Minneapolis_____
Mobile . _______
Newark_________
New Haven
New Orleans...........
1. 2
0.6
1.8
1.0
i 1.0
New York_______
Norfolk____ __ __
Omaha__. _______
Peoria __ ............
Philadelphia_____
0.3
0.0
10.7
1.0
1.4
Pittsburgh______
Portland, Me____
Portland, Oreg___
Providence_______
Richmond
____
1.0
0.9
0. 9
1.4
1.4
Rochester________
St. Louis________
St. Paul_________
Salt Lake City___
San Francisco....... -
10.5
0.2
11.9
2.6
0. 1
1.4
Savannah _______
Scranton______
Seattle.......... ........
Springfield, 111.
Washington, D. C.
1 Increase.
61.4
7.9
69
8.3
qX
5.2
1.2
0 5
1 1.0
? 3
0.8
59.5
8.7
9. 1
6.3
65. 2
7.6
i 0. 4
0 3
1. 6
08
i 0. 1
60. 7
5.0
6. 8
0. 6
7. 4
8.0
1.3
3 1
0.8
3.0
0.6
8 0
7. 6
89
2 3. 2
1.7
10
C. 1
0 4
]. 2
i 0. 1
9. 5
8. 4
1. 4
6. 8
7. 1
l0 8
0.4
0.5
0. 7
0.4
57.0
59 X
56.9
67.1
40. 0
59.9
72.2
05. 8
33.9
53.5
66. 8
48.8
69.7
2 Decrease.
Effort lias been made by the bureau each month to have all sched
ules for each city included in the average prices. For the month
of May 99.4 per cent of all the firms supplying retail prices in the
51 cities sent in a report promptly. The following-named 47 cities
had a perfect record; that is, every merchant who is cooperating
with the bureau sent in his report in time for his prices to be included
in the city averages: Atlanta, Baltimore, Birmingham, Boston,
Bridgeport, Buffalo, Butte, Charleston, S. C., Chicago, Cincinnati,
2 For list of articles see note 6, p. 126.
8 The consumption figures used from January, 1913, to December, 1920, for each article in each city are
given in the Labor Review for November, 1918, pp. 94 and 95. The consumption figures which have
been used for each month beginning with January, 1921, are given in the Labor Review, for March 1921,
p. 26.
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[141]
142
M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Fall River, Houston, Indianapolis,
Jacksonville, Kansas City, Little Rock, Los Angeles, Louisville,
Manchester, Memphis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Mobile, Newark,
New Haven, New Orleans, New York, Norfolk, Omaha, Peoria,
Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland,Me., Portland, Oreg., Providence,
Richmond, Rochester, St. Louis, St. Paul, Salt Lake City, Savannah,
Scranton, Springfield, 111., and Washington, D. C.
The following summary shows the promptness with which the
merchants responded in May, 1926.
RETAIL PRICE REPORTS RECEIVED DURING MAY, 1926
Geographical division
Item
Percentage of reports received_____ __
Number of cities in each section from
which every report was received____ __
United
States
North
South
Atlantic Atlantic
99.4
47
100.0
100.0
14
8
North
Central
South
Central
99.7
100.0
97.0
8
4
13
Western
índex Numbers of Retail Prices of Food in the United States
IN TABLE 6 index numbers are given which show the changes in
* the retail prices of specified food articles, by years, from 1907
to 1925,4 and by months for 1925, and for January, through May
1926. These index numbers, or relative prices, are based on the
year 1913 as 100 and are computed by dividing the average price
of each commodity for each, month and each year by the average
price of that commodity for 1913. These figures must be used with
caution. For example, the relative price of rib roast for the year
1923 was 143.4, which means that the average money price for the
year 1923 was 43.4 per cent higher than the average money price
for the year 1913. The relative price of rib roast for the year 1922
was 139.4, which figures show an increase of 4 points, but an increase
of slightly less than 3 per cent in the year.
^ In the last column of Table 6 are given index numbers showing
changes in the retail cost of all articles of food combined. Since
January, 1921, these index numbers have been computed from the
average prices of the articles of food shown in Tables 1 and 2,
weighted according to the average family consumption in 1918.
(See March, 1921, issue, p. 25.) Although previous to January,
1921, the number of food articles has varied, these index numbers
have been so computed as to be strictly comparable for the entire
period. The index numbers based on the average for the year 1913
as 100.0 are 162.4 for April and 161.1 for May, 1926.
The curve shown in the chart on page 144 pictures more readily to
the eye the changes in the cost of the food budget than do the index
numbers given in the table. The chart has been drawn on the
logarithmic scale, because the percentages of increase or decrease
are more accurately shown than on the arithmetic scale.
4 For index numbers of each month, January, 1913, to December, 1920, see February, 1921, issue, pp.
19-21; for each month of 1921 and 1922 see February, 1923, issue, p. 69; and for each month of 1923 and 1924,
see February, 1925, issue, p. 21.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[142]
T a b l e 6.—IN D E X NUMBERS SHOWING CHANGES IN THE RETAIL PRICES OP THE PRINCIPAL ARTICLES OF FOOD IN THE UNITED STATES BY
YEARS, 1907 TO 1925, AND BY MONTHS FOR 1925 AND JANUARY THROUGH MAY, 1926
[Average for year 1913=100. 0]
Year and month
b iA lE b ,
Sirloin |Rounc Rib Chuck Plate Pork Ba
But
Pota
steak steak roast roast beef chops con Ham Hens Milk ter Cheese Lard Eggs Bread Flour Corn
meal Rice toes Sugar Tea
71. 5
73.3
76. 6
80.3
80.6
91.0
68. 0
71. 2
73. 5
77.9
78. 7
89.3
76.1
78.1
81. 3
84.6
84. 8
93.6
1913...
1914.. ..
1915.
1916____
1917... .
1918..
1919.
1920
1921____ . . . . ______
1922
. _____
1923_________________
1924................. ................
1925................. ................
100.0
102.0
101.1
107.5
124.0
153.2
164.2
172.1
152.8
147.2
153.9
155. 9
159, 8
100. 0
105.8
103.0
109. 7
129.8
165. 5
174. 4
177.1
154.3
144.8
150. 2
151.6
155.6
100.0
103.0
101.4
107.4
125.5
155.1
164.1
167. 7
147. 0
139.4
143.4
145. 5
149.5
100.0
104.4
100.6
106.9
130.0
166.3
168. 8
163.8
132.5
123. 1
126.3
130.0
135.0
1925: January...................
February____ ___
March _________
April... ________
May____________
June_________ ..
July___ _________
August__________
September............
October._ _______
November____ .
December..............
152.4
151. 6
155. 9
159.1
160. 6
161.4
166.1
165.4
163.8
162.2
158. 7
158.7
147.1
146.6
150.7
155.2
157.0
157. S
163.7
162.3
159.6
158.7
154.3
154.3
143.9
143.4
147.0
150. 0
150.5
150.5
153.5
153.0
152.0
151. 5
149.0
149.5
1926: January________
February_____ . __
March_______
Aorii______
May____________
160.6 157.0
159.8 156.1
160.2 156. 5
161. 8 157.8
163.4 160.5
74 2
76. 1
82 7
91. 6
85.1
91. 2
74 4
76. 9
82 Í)
94. 5
91 a
90 5
100.0
104.1
100.0
106.0
129.8
170.2
166.9
151. 2
118.2
105.8
106.6
109. 1
114.1
100.0
104.8
96.4
108.3
151.7
1S5.7
201.4
201.4
166. 2
157. 1
144.8
146.7
174.3
100.0
101.8
99.8
106.4
151.9
195.9
205.2
193.7
158.2
147.4
144.8
139.6
173.0
100. 0
101.7
97.2
109.2
142.2
178.1
198. 5
206.3
181.4
181.4
169.1
168.4
195.5
ICO. 0 100.0 100. 0
94.4
97.5, 99.2 93.4
110.7 102. 2 103.0
134. 5 125. 4 127.2
177.0 156.2 150.7
193.0 174. 2 177. 0
209. 9 187.6 183.0
186.4 164.0 135.0
109. 0, 147. 2 125.1
164.3 155.1 144. 7
105.7 155.1 135.0
171.8 157.3 143.1
103.6
105.0
116.7
150. 4
162.4
192.8
188.2
153.9
148.9
167.0
159. 7
166.1
98.6 102.3
93. 4 98.7
111.0 108.8
174.9 139.4
210.8 164. 9
233. 5 182.0
188.7 197.4
113.9 147. 5
107.6 128.7
112.0 134.8
120.3 138.6
147.5 151.0
128.1
127.5
131.3
135.0
138.1
136.3
140.0
138.1
137.5
137.5
135.0
135.6
109.9
109.1
111.6
114.1
115.7
114.0
115.7
114.9
114.9
116.5
116.5
116.5
146.2
144.3
178.1
175.2
171.4
172.4
186.7
190. 5
192.4
186.2
178.6
170.0
149.3
150.4
164.4
172.6
171.9
174.1
180.4
182.6
183.0
183.7
182.2
180.0
177.0
178.8
190.3
198.0
197.0
197.0
202.2
204.1
204.1
201.9
198.9
197.4
168.1
169.5
173.2
177.9
177.
173. 2
171.8
170.0
171.8
171.4
168. 1
171.4
156.2
156. 2
155.1
155.1
153.9
153.9
155.1
156.2
159.6
160. 7
160.7
160.7
136.0
132.1
144. 9
139.2
135.5
137.6
138.9
141.3
145.7
155.1
155.9
153.0
162.4
164.7
165.2
165.2
164.3
165.2
165.6
166.5
167.4
168.3
169. 2
169.7
144.3
144.3
146.2
146.8
143.0
144. 9
148. 7
153.8
151.9
152.5
147.5
143.0
151.5 138.1
148. 0 138.1
151.0 138.1
152.5 139.4
153.5 140.6
119.8
120.7
120.7
121.5
120.7
173.8
172.9
177.1
182.4
191.9
178.5
181.1
179.3
179. 6
182.6
198.1
199.3
200.7
202.6
207.8
181.2
182.6
185.0
190.1
192.5
159.6 144.6
159. 6 142. i>
157. 3, 139.9
156. 2 132. 9
156. 2, 130.5
170.1
169.7
168.3
165.2
162.9
141.1
140.5
138.6
136.1
136.1
81.4
77 n 83.0
88.5
91 4 93.6
89 2 91.0
90 0 93.5
87.2
89.6
91.3
94.6
95. 5
97.4
85.3
85.5
90.1
93.8
87.9
97. 7
102.2 100.5
130 articles in 1907; 15 articles 1908-1912; 22 articles 1913-1920; 43 articles 1291-1926.
80.7
80.5
90.1
103.8
88.4
93.5
84.1
86.1
92.6
97.7
93.5
98.9
aY
All
Cof arti
fee cles 1
95.0
101. 5
109.4
108.2
101.6
105.2
87.6
92.2
93.9
94.9
94.3
101.6
105.3 105.3
111. 2 107. 7
112. 3 106 6
101. 0 109. a
130. 5 111 4
132.1 115.1
100. 0
112.5
125.0
130.4
164.3
175.0
178.6
205. 4
176. S
155.4
155. 4
157. 1
167.9
100.0
103.9
125.8
134.6
211.2
203.0
218.2
245.5
175.8
154. 5
142.4
148.5
184.8
100.0 100.0
105.1 101.2
108.4 104.3
112.6 104.6
192.2 119.0
226.7 148. 3
213. 3il73.6
216. 7 200.0
150. 0 109.2
130.0 109.2
136.7 109.2
156. 7 116.1
180.0 127.6
100.0
108.3
88.9
158.8
252. 7
188.2
223.5
370.6
182.4
164.7
170.6
158.8
211.8
100.0
108.2
120.1
146.4
169.3
176.4
205.5
352. 7
145.5
132. 7
183.6
167.3
130.9
100.0
101.4
100.2
100.4
106.9
119.1
128.9
134. 7
128.1
125.2
127.8
131.4
138.8
100. 0
99.7
100.6
100.3
101.4
102. 4
145.3
157. 7
121. 8
121.1
126. 5
145.3
172.8
102.4
101.3
113.7
146.4
168.3
185. 9
203.4
153.3
141. 6
146.2
145.9
157.4
204. 4
154.8
113.3
110.4
113.9
122.6
133.9
141. 7
150.4
174.8
201.2
191.9
164.3
169. 6
167.9
167.9
167.9
167. 9
167.9
167.9
167.9
167. 9
167.9
167.9
181.8
193.9
193.0
184.8
184.8
184.8
184. 8
184. 8
184.8
178.8
181. 8
184.8
180.0
183.3
183.3
183.3
180.0
180.0
180.0
180.0
180.0
176.7
176. 7
173.3
123.0
124.1
125.3
126.4
126.4
126.4
128.7
129. 9
129. 9
129. 9
131.0
131.0
147.1
152.9
147.1
141.2
158.8
205.9
258.8
258.8
211.8
217.6
305.9
305.9
147.3
140.0
140.0
136.4
130.9
130.9
129.1
127.3
127.3
123.6
120.0
121.8
136.4
137.6
138.1
138.8
139.0
139.3
139.3
139.5
139.3
139.3
139.2
139.3
173.2
174.8
175.5
174. 8
175. 2
170. 5
170.5
170.8
171.4
171. 5
171.8
172.1
154.3
151.4
151.1
150.8
151.6
155. 0
159.9
160.4
159.0
161.6
167.1
165.5
156.2
127.0
111.6
111.9
112.8
167.9
167.9
167.9
167.9
167.9
187.0
190. 9
187.9
184.9
184.9
173. 3
173.3
173. 3
170.0
170.0
133.3
133.3
134.5
134.5
134.5
341.2
335.3
329.4
394.1
352.9
121.8
121.8
121.8
120.0
121.8
139. 9
139.9
139.9
140.3
140.4
172.1
172.1
172.1
171. 5
171.1
164.3
161.5
159.9
162.4
161.1
100. 0 100.0 100.0
82.0
84.3
88.7
93.0
92.0
97.6
100.0
B E TA IL PR IC E S OF FOOD
1907, _______ __________
1908___ ____________
1909................................
1910.._____ _________
1911— .
1912... .
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
ujnliilu
OO
144
T rend
op
R eta il P rices
op
F ood
in t h e
U n i t e d S t a t e s , J a n u a r y 1917,
to
M ay 1926
M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
^
¡317
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
9!6
¡9 13
¡9 20
1921
1922
¡9 23
1224
1925
¡923
145
R E TA IL P R IC E S OF FOOD
Retail Prices of Coal in the United States a
HE following table shows the average retail prices of coal on
January 15 and July 15, 1913, May 15, 1925, and April 15
and May 15, 1926, for the United States and for each of the
cities from which retail iood prices have been obtained. The prices
quoted are for coal delivered to consumers but do not include charges
for storing the coal in cellar or coal bin where an extra handling is
necessary.
In addition to the prices for Pennsylvania anthracite, prices are
shown for Colorado, Arkansas, and New Mexico anthracite in those
cities where these coals form any considerable portion of the sales
for household use.
The prices shown for bituminous coal are averages of prices of the
several kinds sold for household use.
T
■^yjSRAGE RETAIL p r i c e s o p c o a l p e r TON OP 2,000 POUNDS, FOR HOUSEHOLD
USE, ON JANUARY 15 AND JULY 15, 1913, MAY 15, 1925, AND APRIL 15 AND MAY 15, 1926
1913
Jan.15
United States:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove . . . ___
Chestnut
Bituminous-- _
Atlanta. Ga.:
Bituminous____
Baltimore, Md.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove_____ . . .
Chestnut_____ _
Bituminous
Birmingham, Ala.:
Bituminous___
Boston, Mass.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove________
Chestnut.__ _
Bridgeport, Conn.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove ..............
Chestnut_________
Buffalo, N. Y.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove . . . ___ _
Chestnut__________
Butte, Mont.:
Bituminous____
Charleston, S. C.:
Bituminous____ _
Chicago, 111.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove
C h estn u t.______
Bituminous__
Cincinnati, Ohio:
Bituminous______
Cleveland, Ohio:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove_______ ____
Chestnut.. ____
Bituminous_____
Columbus, Ohio:
Bituminous_____
1926
1925
City, and kind of coal
July 15
May 15
Apr. 15
May 15
$7. 99
8 15
5.48
$7. 46
7. 68
5.39
$14. 98
14.78
8. 63
5.88
4. 83
6. 67
‘ 7. 70
‘ 7. 93
i 7.24
i 7.49
i 15. 50
i 15. 00
7.45
4.22
4.01
6. 73
8 25
8. 25
7. 50
7. 75
15.75
15. 50
16. 00
15. 75
-t*. U
rxU
n.
ID
15.00
15.00
15.00
15.00
15 00
15 00
13.39
13.02
13. 78
13. 44
13. 39
10.83
11.04
11.07
6. 75
6.99
6.54
6.80
15. 37
9. 11
$15.41
^
-IT
t. 6
7
i 15. 50
7.71
1 16. 00
1 15. 50
„ A„
/. U5
i 6. 75
» 6. 75
11. 00
11. 00
11. UU
8. 00
8. 25
4.97
7. 80
8. 05
4. 65
16.10
15.98
8.06
16.86
16. 69
8. 39
R 19Z
ö.
3. 50
3.38
6.50
6. 53
C. 56
7. 50
7. 75
4.14
7. 25
7. 50
4.14.
14.48
14. 37
7.93
14. 75
14. 75
8. 48
14. 75
14. 75
8. 57
5.99
6.59
6. 59
1 Per ton of 2,240 pounds.
•Prices of coal were formerly secured semiannually and published in the March and September issues
of the Labor Review. Since June, 1920, these prices have been secured and published monthly.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[145]
146
M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OP COAL PER TON OF 2,000 POUNDS, FOR HOUSEHOLD
USE, ON JANUARY 15 AND JULY 15, 1913, MAY 15, 1925, AND APRIL 15 AND MAY 15,1926—
Continued
1925
1913
1926
City, and kind of coal
Jan. 15
Dallas, Tex.:
Arkansas anthracite—
Egg
_______________
Bituminous___ ___________________
Denver, Colo.:
Colorado anthracite—
Furnace, 1 and 2 mixed___ _____
Stove, 3 and 5 mixed____________
Bituminous_______________________
Detroit, Mich.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove ___ _ _ __________
Chestnut-. _ _ _ ______________
Bituminous______________________
Fall River, Mass.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove..
__
. _ _ _ _____
Chestnut_____________________
Houston, Tex.:
Bituminous _____________________
Indianapolis, Ind.:
Bituminous______________________
Jacksonville, Fla.:
Bituminous___ ________________ —
Kansas City, Mo.:
Arkansas anthracite—
Furnace-. ___________________
Stove No. 4______ __________ Bituminous_________________ .
Little Rock, Ark.:
Arkansas anthracite—
Egg__________________________
Bituminous______ ________________
Los Angeles, Calif.:
Bituminous_____ _________________
Louisville, Ky.:
Bituminous_______________________
Manchester, N. H.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove. _____________________
Chestnut_____________________
Memphis, Tenn.:
Bituminous_______________ _______
Milwaukee, Wis.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove.. _____________________
Chestnut. _________ ________ .
Bituminous
.. ___________ _____
Minneapolis, Minn.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove.. ______________________
Chestnut_____________________
Bituminous._____________________
Mobile, Ala.:
Bituminous_______________________
Newark, N. J.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove.. _________________ _
Chestnut________________ .
New Haven, Conn.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove.. ___ . ______________
Chestnut________________ _____
New Orleans, LaBituminous______________________
New York, N. Y.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove_________________________
Chestnut__________________
Norfolk, Va.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove_________________________
Chestnut_____________________
Bituminous_______________________
2 Per 10-barrel lot (1,800 pounds).
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
July 15
May 15
Apr. 15
May 15
$8.25
$7.21
$14. 50
11.22
$15.33
12.39
$15.17
11. 72
8. 88
8. 50
5.25
9. 00
8. 50
4. 88
15. 33
15. 58
9. 39
15. 00
15. 06
8.83
15. 50
15. 56
9.19
8.00
8.25
5.20
7.45
7. 65
5. 20
15. 08
15.08
8.70
16. 42
16. 42
10. 45
16. 00
15. 50
9.33
8.25
8. 25
7.43
7. 61
15. 63
15.46
16. 75
16.25
16. 75
16. 25
10.83
11.50
11.50
3. 81
3. 70
6. 53
7.01
6. 56
7. 50
7.00
12. 00
14.00
13. 00
4.39
3.94
14. 58
15.94
8. 07
13.90
15. 50
7.97
13. 50
15.33
7. 84
6.00
5.33
14.00
10. 30
14. 00
10. 60
14. 00
10.00
13. 52
12. 50
15.94
15.31
4.20
4.00
6.17
6. 37
6. 33
10.00
10. 00
8. 50
8. 50
16. 50
16. 00
17.00
17.00
17. 00
17.00
2 4. 34
2 4. 22
7.13
7.84
6.75
8. 00
8.25
6. 25
7. 85
8.10
5. 71
16.40
16. 25
9.08
16.80
16.65
11.42
16. 80
16. 65
9.43
9.25
9. 50
5.89
9. 05
9. 30
5. 79
17. 70
17. 55
10. 86
18.10
18.04
11.19
18.10
17. 98
11. 09
9. 00
9. 31
9. 23
6. 50
6. 75
6. 25
6. 50
13.18
12. 93
14.00
13. 50
14. 00
13. 50
7. 50
7.50
6. 25
6.25
14. 55
14. 55
15.80
15.80
15. 05
15.05
3 6. 06
2 6. 06
9.29
9. 86
9.32
7.07
7.14
6. 66
6.80
14. 02
13.68
14. 75
14. 54
14. 75
14. 50
15. 00
15. 00
8. 57
17. 00
17. 00
9. 34
15. 50
15. 50
8.46
[146]
R E TA IL PR IC E S OF FOOD
147
AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES FOR COAL PER TON OF 2,000 POUNDS, FOR HOUSEHOLD
USE, ON JANUARY 15 AND JULY 15, 1913, MAY 15, 1925, AND APRIL 15 AND MAY 15,1926—
Continued
1913
1925
1926
City, and kind of coal
Jan. 15
July 15
May 15
Apr. 15
May 15
Omaha, Nebr.:
Bituminous..........................
$6.63
$6.13
$9. 50
$10. 29
$9. 46
Peoria, 111.:
Bituminous___________
6.44
7.05
6.93
Philadelphia, Pa.:
m*
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove_____________
i 7.16
i 6.89
1 14. 57
4 15. 79
4 15. 79
Chestnut__________
4 7. 38
4 7.14
1 14.11
4 15. 54
4 15. 54
Pittsburgh, Pa.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Chestnut___ ____
1 8.00
4 7.44
14.38
16. 38
15. 25
Bituminous_____
83.16
8 3. IS
6.72
6.13
6.13
Portland, Me.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove. . . . ________
16 08
Chestnut.
16.08
16. 56
lfi 56
Portland, Oreg.:
Bitum inous...............
9.79
9. 66
13.23
13.11
12. 27
Providence, R. I.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove. __ _________
4 8. 25
4 7. 50
4 15. 75
4 16. 25
4 36. 25
Chestnut________
4 8. 25
4 7. 75
4 15.50
4 16. 00
4 16. 00
Richmond, Va.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove________
8.00
7. 25
15.13
15. 50
15, 00
Chestnut . . . ____
8.00
7.25
15.13
15. 50
15. 00
Bitum inous..............
5. 50
4.94
8.00
8. 66
8. 68
Rochester, N. Y.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove_____________
14 60
14 60
13. 99
Chestnut___ _______
13. 67
14. 15
14.15
St. Louis, Mo.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove ._ ________
8. 44
7.74
16.20
17.20
16.70
Chestnut____________
8.68
7.99
15. 95
17. 00
16.45
Bituminous__________
3. 36
3. 04
6.02
6. 59
5. S7
St. Paul, Minn.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove.. . _______
9.20
9.05
17. 68
18.10
18.10
Chestnut_________
9.45
9. 30
17.53
18.01
18.04
Bituminous_________
6.04
6. 07
10. 37
11.47
11.32
Salt Lake City, Utah:
Colorado anthracite—
Furnace, 1 and 2 mixed. ________
11.00
11. 50
18.00
18.00
18.00
Stove, 3 and 5 mixed........ ..............
11.00
11. 50
18.00
18. 00
18.00
Bituminous. ______ _
5. 64
8.41
5. 46
8.43
8.43
San Francisco, Calif.:
New Mexico anthracite—
Cerillos egg___________ _______
17.00
17.00
25. 00
26. 50
25. 00
Colorado anthracite—
Egg------------------------------------- 17.00
17.00
24. 50
25. 50
24. 50
Bitum inous...............
12.00
12.00
16. 39
17. 06
16. 22
Savannah, Ga.:
Bituminous_________
s 10. 25
* 10 88
5 10. 88
Scranton, Pa.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove. . . . _____________ _____
4. 25
4.31
10.28
10.92
10.92
Chestnut_________
4. 50
4. 56
10. 20
10.67
10. 67
Seattle, Wash.:
Bituminous _______
7. 63
7.70
10.15
9. 96
8. 21
Springfield, 111.:
Bituminous_______________
4.35
4. 38
4. 38
1 Per ton of 2,240 pounds.
8 Per 25-bushel lot (1,900 pounds).
4 Fifty cents per ton additional is charged for “binning. ” Most customers require binning or basketing
the coai into the cellar.
6 All coal sold in Savannah is weighed by the city. A charge of 10 cents per ton or half ton is made. This
additional charge has been included in the above prices.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[147]
M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
148
AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES EOR COAL PER TON OF 2,000 POUNDS, FOR HOUSEHOLD
USE, ON JANUARY 15 AND JULY 15, 1913, MAY 15, 1925, AND APRIL 15 AND MAY 15,
1926—Continued
1925
1913
1926
City, and kind of coal
Jan. 15
Washington, D. C.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove------- -------- ------------------Chestnut_____________________
Bituminous— .
Prepared sizei,*iow volatile_____
Prepared sizes, high volatile_____
Hun of mine, mixed____________
May 15
July 15
i $7. 50
i 7. 65
i $7. 38
i 7. 53
Apr. 15
May 15
1 $15.11
i 14. 57
i $15. 53
i 15. 22
i $15. 53
i 15. 22
i 10. 38
i 8. 38
i 7. 44
» 11. 67
i 9.00
i 7. 75
i 11. 08
i 9.00
i 7. 75
1
i Per ton of 2,240 pounds.
Index Numbers of Wholesale Prices in May, 1926
SLIGHT increase in the general level of wholesale prices from
April to May is shown by information gathered in representa
tive markets by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United
States Department of Labor. The bureau’s weighted index number,
which includes 404 commodities or price series, registered 151.7 for
May compared with 151.1 for April, an increase of nearly one-half
of 1 per cent. Compared with May, 1925, with an index number of
155.2, there was a decrease of 2 per cent.
Farm products averaged slightly lower than in April, due to de
creases in grains, sheep, cotton, potatoes, and wool. Clothing mate
rials, metals, building materials, and house-furnishing goods, also
were somewhat cheaper. In other groups prices were higher than
in the preceding month, ranging from one-third of 1 per cent in the
case of foods and chemicals and drugs to 2 % per cent in the case of
fuels.
Of the 404 commodities or price series for which comparable
information for April and May was collected, increases were shown
in 84 instances and decreases in 152 instances. In 168 instances no
change in price was reported. The large increase reported for fuels
was responsible for the net increase in the general price level.
A
IN D E X NUM BERS OF WHOLESALE PRICES, BY GROUPS OF COMMODITIES
[1913=100.0]
1926
May, 1925
Commodity group
April
Farm products_________________ _______ _________
Foods.... ....................................................................... ........
Clothing materials___ ____ ___________________ ____
Fuels....... ..............................................................................
Metals and metal products________________________
Building materials__________ _
_ _______ ______
Chemicals and drags_________ ____ ________________
House-furnishing goods ____________ ____________
Miscellaneous. ____ __________ __________________
All commodities................... ........ ...................................
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[148]
151.9
153. 2
188.4
168.2
127.2
173.6
133. 1
170.5
131. 3
155.2
144.9
153. 2
176.8
174.0
126. 5
173.2
130.3
163. 4
126. 5
151.1
AI ay
144.2
153.8
176.1
178.7
125. 2
171. C
130.7
162.2
124.7
151.7
COM PARISON OP R E TA IL PR IC E CHA NGES
149
Comparing prices in May with those of a year ago, as measured by
changes in the index numbers, it is seen that farm products and mis
cellaneous commodities declined 5 per cent and clothing materials
6 H per cent.
In all other groups also, except foods and fuels, prices
averaged lower than in May, 1925, ranging from nearly 1 % per cent
for building materials to 4% per cent for house-furnishing goods.
Foods, on the other hand, were one-third of 1 per cent higher and
fuels were 6M per cent higher than in May of last year.
Comparison of Retail Price Changes in the United States and in Foreign
Countries
HE principal index numbers of retail prices published by foreign
countries have been brought together with those of this bureau
in the subjoined table after having been reduced in most cases
to a common base, namely, 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 numerous instances satisfactory informa
tion for 1913 was not available. A part of the countries shown in
the table now publish index numbers of retail prices on the July,
1914, base. In such cases, therefore, the index numbers are repro
duced as published. For other countries the index numbers here
shown have been obtained by dividing the index for each month
specified in the table by the index for July, 1914, or the nearest
period thereto as published in the original sources. As stated in the
table, the number of articles included in the index numbers for the
different countries differs widely. These results should not, there
fore, be considered as closely compara ble with one another. In
certain instances, also, the figures are not absolutely comparable
from month to month over the entire period, owing to slight changes
in the list of commodities and the localities included at successive
dates.
T
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1149]
150
M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
IN D EX NUM BERS OF RETAIL PRICES IN THE UNITED STATES AND
COUNTRIES
nited
Country... UStates
Number of
localities.
Canada
Czecho
Belgium slovakia
Den
mark
Finland
France
(except
Paris)
21
320
60
59
22
100
Commodi
ties in 43 foods
cluded...
29 foods
56
(foods,
etc.)
32
(17 foods)
Foods
C om p ut Bureau
ing agen of Labor
cy_____ Statistics
Depart Ministry
Indus Office of
ment of oftry
and Statistics
Labor
Labor
Base=100.
51
July,
1914
July,
1914
April,
1914
July,
1914
IN OTHER
France Germany
(Paris)
71
1
13
13
36 foods (11 foods)
(11 foods)
Foods
Govern
Federal
Central
ment
Statis
Ministry
Statisti Bureauof Ministry
of Labor tical
of
Labor
Statistics
cal DeBureau
partment
July,
1914
January- August,
June, 1914
1914
July,
1914
October,
1913
July, 1914
Yearand
month
1923
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
M ay
June
July
Aug_____
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
141
139
139
140
140
141
144
143
146
147
148
147
142
142
145
143
140
138
137
142
141
144
144
145
383
397
408
409
413
419
429
439
453
458
463
470
941
934
926
927
928
933
921
892
903
901
898
909
180
1924
Jan
F e b . ___
Mar.
Apr __
May___
June
July.........
Aug_____
Sept___
Oct . . .
Nov
D e c .. ..
146
144
141
138
138
139
140
141
144
145
147
148
145
145
143
137
133
133
134
137
139
139
141
143
480
495
510
498'
485
492
493
498
503
513
520
521
917
917
908
907
916
923
909
897
908
916
922
928
194
151
148
148
148
148
152
521
517
511
506
502
505
509
517
525
533
534
534
i 899
i 911
1 904
i 901
i 894
i 914
1 916
1 894
l 884
1 875
1 863
1 866
215
157
156
158
164
162
145
147
145
142
141
141
141
146
146
147
151
156
161
158
156
157
155
154
527
526
521
854
845
832
177
1925
J an.
Feb
___
M ar.
Aur
__
M ay_____
June
July Aug ____
Sept.
Oct
N ov_____
Dec______
1926
Jan. .
Feb_____
Mar ____
1 Revised index (29 foods) since January, 1925.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[150]
188
200
210
1108
1103
1096
1047
1016
1004
1003
1087
1103
1140
1133
1112
1089
1070
1067
1035
1037
1040
1052
1125
1125
1156
1160
1160
1130
1120
1152
1137
1097
1101
1145
1222
1187
1165
1164
1138
1090
1106
1100
331
337
349
373
400
393
400
426
440
434
451
471
503
309
316
321
320
325
331
321
328
339
349
355
365
376
384
392
380
378
370
360
366
374
383
396
404
127
117
120
123
125
120
126
122
125
134
135
135
408
410
415
409
418
422
421
423
431
433
444
463
137
145
146
144
141
146
154
154
153
151
147
148
480
495
497
143
142
141
CO M PARISON OF R E TA IL PR IC E CH A N G ES
151
IN D E X NUM BERS OF RETAIL PRICES IN THE UNITED STATES AND IN OTHER
COUNTRIES—Continued
Country..
Number of
localities
Italy
47 .
Commod 20 foods
ities in
and
cluded... charcoal
Computing
agency...
Ministry
of Na
tional
Econo
my
Base=100__
1913
U nited
Nether Norway
Sweden Switzer
King
lands
land
dom
South
Africa
India
(Bom
bay)
Aus
tralia
New
Zea
land
9
1
30
25
6
31
49
33
29 (27
foods)
Foods
40
(foods,
etc.)
Foods
Central Central
Bureau Bureau
of Sta of Sta
tistics
tistics
Social
Board
Labor Ministry Office
of Cen
Office
of
sus and
(Re
Labor Statis
vised)
tics
Labor
Offico
(Re
vised)
July,
1914
July,
1914
July,
1914
January June,
1914
July,
1914
600
21 foods 18 foods 17 foods 46 foods 59 foods
July,
1914
1914
Bureau Census
of Cen and
sus and Statis
Statis
tics
tics
Office
July,
1914
July,
1914
Yearand
month
•
1923
Jan__.........
F eb ...........
Mar___
Apr......... .
M ay...........
June. . . .
July______
A u g ...........
Sept ___
Oct______
N ov ___
D e c ...........
542
527
524
530
535
532
518
512
514
517
526
528
148
149
149
149
147
145
145
143
142
145
149
149
214
214
214
212
214
213
218
220
218
217
221
226
166
165
166
163
161
161
160
161
165
165
164
164
160
158
159
161
164
166
166
166
167
167
171
172
175
173
171
168
162
160
162
165
168
172
173
176
117
117
117
117
118
118
116
115
115
117
120
118
151
150
149
150
148
146
148
149
149
147
147
152
145
144
145
152
156
162
164
165
161
157
157
156
139
140
141
142
143
142
142
143
145
146
147
1.47
1924
Jan. ....... .
Feb.............
Mar ___
A p r _____
M ay_____
June ____
July______
Aug--------Sept ____
Oct______
N ov. ___
Dec______
527
529
523
527
530
543
538
534
538
556
583
601
150
151
152
152
151
151
150
150
152
154
156
157
230
234
241
240
241
240
248
257
261
264
269
274
163
162
162
159
159
158
159
163
165
172
172
172
173
172
171
169
169
170
170
170
170
174
175
175
175
177
176
167
163
160
162
164
166
172
179
180
120
122
122
122
122
120
117
177
117
120
122
121
154
151
147
143
143
147
151
156
156
156
157
156
155
153
152
150
151
149
148
147
146
146
147
148
150
149
150
150
150
150
148
146
145
145
148
150
1925
Jan______
Feb______
Mar_____
Apr______
Mav____
June . ___
July--------Aug______
SeDt ___
Oct______
N ov. ____
Dec______
609
609
610
606
600
602
605
619
642
645
652
653
156
157
157
155
154
152
152
152
152
149
149
148
277
283
284
276
265
261
260
254
241
228
223
221
170
170
171
170
169
169
169
170
168
166
165
164
172
172
171
169
168
169
169
169
170
168
168
167
178
176
176
170
157
166
167
168
170
172
172
174
120
120
121
124
123
122
120
119
118
119
117
116
152
152
155
153
151
149
152
147
146
148
149
151
148
149
151
152
154
155
156
1.56
156
157
156
155
147
146
149
149
150
149
151
152
153
155
156
154
1926
Jan______
F eb ...
Mar ___
658
649
636
148
147
147
216
212
205
162
160
159
165
163
161
171
168
165
116
117
118
151
150 |
151
155
154
159
154
153
152
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[151]
152
M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
South African Report on Cost of Living
HE Government of South Africa has recently issued a report on
the cost of living, prepared by a committee the date of whose
appointment is not given, but whose study deals with condi
tions in 1925.1 The most important charge given the committee
was to report on the expenditure required to maintain in certain typi
cal industrial areas, ( a ) o n an average regimen and ( l ) on a minimum
regimen, a civilized standard of living for a typical family of man,
wife, and three children.
With a view to securing light on this question, actual budgets were
collected from a number of families. To overcome the difficulty
caused by differences in local prices, a quantity budget form was
prepared by the committee, on which returns were made. Some of
the budgets received were either incomplete in some essential respect
or contained figures so unusual as to arouse suspicion, but after all
doubtful ones were eliminated 442 budgets remained covering families
in all the industrial areas of South Africa, and ranging, as to^ occu
pation of the head, from laborers to bankers and Government officials.
The budgets were divided into three groups, according to whether
the family income was under £20 2 a month, £20 but not exceeding %
£30 a month, or over £30 not exceeding £41 13s. 4d. per month—
i. e., £500 a year— and for each of these groups expenditures were
tabulated under the headings of food, fuel and light, rent, and
sundries. As a result of this analysis, the committee reached the
conclusion that the expenditure of the second group might be taken
as representing an average regimen.
T
W e are asked to s ta te w h a t th e cost of living on a n av erag e regim en is. T he
definition of w h a t m a y be looked u p o n as a n av erag e regim en is a m a tte r of som e
difficulty, b u t ta k in g a ll th e fa c ts in to consid eratio n , w e a re of th e opinion t h a t
th e figure £ 2 7 16s. 9d. given in re sp e c t of all a re a s com bined in G ro u p 2— i. e.,
incom es exceeding £ 2 0 b u t n o t exceeding £ 3 0 p e r m o n th — m ay be acc e p te d as
ap p ro x im atin g closely th e m o n th ly ex p en d itu re necessary to m a in ta in in S outh
A frica a fam ily of five consisting of m an , wife, a n d th re e children, on a n av erag e
regim en on a civilized sta n d a rd of living.
Converted into United States money this amounts to about
SI,625 per year. The “ typical family” whose needs it is supposed
to supply differs somewhat from the family taken as a standard by
the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the ages of the children
being taken as 12, 9, and 5, instead of 12, 6, and 4, as in the bureau’s
studies.
The committee did not feel that it had the time and money needed
for the thorough investigation necessary in order to establish the
cost of a minimum regimen under a civilized standard. Accordingly
it made a careful study of minimum budgets drawn up by various
investigators and reached its conclusion from these data interpreted
in the light of South African conditions.
A ccurate resu lts can only be o b ta in e d , as we h av e a lread y said, b y a n extensive
an d in ten siv e in v estig a tio n , b u t on th e evidence a v ailab le a t th e p re s e n t tim e
a n d ta k in g a ll th e circu m stan ces in to co n sid eratio n w e th in k t h a t th e co st of a
m inim um regim en on a civilized s ta n d a rd of living in th e 9 p rin cip al to w n s m ig h t
be ta k e n as ranging from £ 9 0 to £11 0 p e r an n u m .
1 Union South Africa. Department of Labor. Cost of Living Committee. Report, 1925. Capetown,
1925
a Pound at par =--$4.8655, shiiiing=24.3 cents, penny=2.03 cents; exchange rate approximately at par.
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R E TA IL PRICES IIST MARACAIBO, V E N E Z U EL A , 1921 AND 1926
Apparently this conclusion mot considerable adverse criticism,
and the Social and Industrial Review, the publication of the South
African Department of Labor, in discussing the report, explains that
this amount is meant only to provide data on which any assessment
of old-age pensions, disability pensions, or poor relief might be based.
“ To suggest that the committee recommended this minimum as a
possible standard of wage payment is to be entirely wide of the mark;
but if those responsible for poor relief would even approximate the
minimum suggested, there can be no doubt that the position of the
unemployed and the poor would be vastly improved in comparison
with the standard of relief which is considered adequate or otherwise
passes muster at the present time.”
The proportion of the income expended on various items by the
different income groups is shown by the following table:
PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF EXPENDITURE, BY INCOME GROUPS
Income not
over £20 a
month
Item
Food_ - __
Fuel and light,- ............
Rent____________
Sundries (including clothing)- ______ ____
Total ____________ -_
Income over Income over
£20 but not £30 but not All incomes
over £30 a over £41 13s. up to £41 13s.
month
4d. a month 4d. a month
41. 62
7.56
20.91
29.91
40.11
5.11
17.48
37.30
34.65
4. 80
18. 02
42.53
36.63
5. 05
18. 04
40.28
100. 00
100.00
100.00
100.00
Retail Prices in Maracaibo, Venezuela, 1921 and 1926
REPORT from the American consul at Maracaibo, dated April
30, 1926, gives the following table showing the average retail
prices of some of the principal articles of food in Mara
caibo for the j^ears 1921 and 1926:
A
Article
1921
(bolivares) 1
B eef_________ __________________
C hickens, la rg e ___:________ ___ _
E ggs---------------------------------------S u g a r__________________________
P la n ta in fr u it_________ ________
C ucu m b ers_______ ______ ;______
T o m ato es______________________
C o rn _____ :__ l : ______________ _
-k ilo g ra m ,_ 2. 00
--------- e a c h ,, 4. 00
------- d o z e n ,, 2. 00
____ p o u n d -. 20
_______ 100-_
3 .0 0
______ each__
. 20
_____d o z e n ., 1. 00
100 p o u n d s -- 10. 42
1 Bolivar at par =19.3 cents; exchange rate varies; kilogram=2.2 pounds.
102973°— 2611
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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1926
(bolívares)
9.
10.
4.
.
25.
2.
3.
45.
00
00
00
75
00
00
00
00
LA B O R A G R E E M E N T S, AW ARDS, A N D DECISIONS
AGREEM ENTS
Cleaners, Dyers, and Pressers—Detroit
T
HE following extracts are taken from the agreement of Cleaners,
Dyers, and Pressers’ Union, Local No. 17834, Detroit, effective
March 22, 1926, to March 1, 1927:
A r ticle 1. T h a t from a n d a fte r th e d a te hereof a n d up to M arch 1, 1927, th e
em ployers b in d them selv es to th e e m p lo y m en t in th e ir cleaning a n d d yeing
p la n ts only good-stan d in g m em b ers of th e said C leaners, D yers, a n d P ressers’
U nion, L ocal No. 17834, a n d no o th ers, said un io n to be th e sole ju d g e of its
good-standing m em bers, on th e follow ing w ork of cleaning, dyeing, sp o ttin g ,
pressing, tailoring, steam in g , m ark in g , sorting, a n d ail o th e r w ork in th e fa c to ry
end of th e business.
A r t . 2. T h e union shall a t all tim es, to th e u tm o s t of its ab ilities, fu rn ish th e
em ployers skilled help, cap ab le of p ro p erly doing th e w ork req u ired in th e
resp ectiv e p la n ts of th e cleaners a n d d y ers o p e ra te d b y th e em ployers.
A r t . 3. W hen th e u n ion is u n ab le to furnish h elp , th e em p loyers m a y hire
help w h ich d oes n o t b elon g to th e un ion, p rovid ed su ch help m ak es a p p lic a tio n
for m em b ersh ip w ith in tw o w eek s of th e b egin n in g o f su ch e m p lo y m en t; in th e
e v e n t of failu re or refusal of m em b ersh ip w ith in said period , su ch help sh all be
im m ed ia te ly d ism issed and n o t reem p loyed b y a n y em p lo y er u n til m em b ersh ip
is acquired.
A r t . 4. A 44-hour w eek shall c o n stitu te th e w om en’s w eekly hours. T h e daily
h o u rs n o t to com m ence before 7.30 a. m . a n d finish n o t la te r th a n 5 p. m ,, 8
hours w ork c o n stitu tin g a d a y ’s w ork stra ig h t tim e, ex cep t one-half h o u r for
lunch from 12 to 12.30. A ny h o u rs before 7.30 a n d a fte r 5 p. m . a re to be
considered overtim e.
M en em ployees m ay be s ta rte d to w ork an y tim e a fte r 6 a. m . or before 10
a. m ., b u t th e ir d a y ’s w ork shall consist of 4 h o u rs on M o n d ay a n d n o t to exceed
9 h o u rs on T uesday, W ednesday, T h u rsd a y , a n d F rid a y . S a tu rd a y w o rk d ay to
consist of 6 U hours, which m u s t be finished n o t la te r th a n 3 p. m. T h e 10-o’clock
s ta rtin g tim e shall n o t a p p ly on M onday. T his m ak es a to ta l of 46U h o u rs p e r
week.
A r t . 5. All o v ertim e shall be p aid a t th e ra te of tim e a n d one-half. W ork on
S u n d ay s an d h o lid ay s sh all be p a id a t th e ra te of d o u b le tim e.
A r t . 8 . T h e m inim u m w age scale shall be as follow s: Sam ple dyers, $75;
sta n d a rd color dyers, $55; h ead fan cy sp o tte r, $85; fan cy sp o tte r, $70; gray
sp o tte r, $53.50; d ark sp o tte r (1 y ear experience, 30 d ay s on jo b ), $45; head
cleaners (in charge of tw o or m ore helpers), $75; cleaners, $50; cleaners’ helper,
$37.50; h ead w et fan cy cleaner, $55; m ach in e a n d h a n d pressers, $40; beginners,
m ale, $25; bushelm en, u n io n scale of ta ilo rs’ un io n ; sh o rtag e m an , $45; so rte r
(m an), $35; so rter (w om an), $25; m ark er, $40; dressm akers, $30; fem ale
pressers, $25; fem ale m ark ers, $25; beginners, fem ale, $15.
Should th e raise as specified fail to b rin g th e in d iv id u a l’s ra te up to th e m ini
m um , th e n such ad d itio n a l raises as a re necessary to m ak e th e m in im u m will be
g ran ted . B eginners a re n o t included.
C o m bination w orkers shall be p aid a t th e h ig h est ra te of a n y class of w ork th e y
perform .
A r t . 9. I t is hereb y u n d ersto o d by b o th p a rtie s t h a t piecew ork is stric tly
p ro h ib ited .
A r t . 11. M em bers of th e u n io n shall n o t be req u ired to w ork on orders placed
b y firm s u n fair to said union, a n d refu sal of such m em b ers to w ork on such orders
shall n o t be considered a v io latio n of th is ag reem en t.
A r t . 12. T h e em ployer shall h a v e th e ab so lu te rig h t to discharge a n y em ployee
a t a n y tim e w ith in a p eriod of tw o w eeks from th e d a te of em p lo y m en t. T his
rig h t of th e em ployer sh all be ab so lu te a n d n o t su b je c t to a n y review.
154
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155
A r t , 13. I t is hereb y agreed by b o th p a rtie s t h a t one w eek’s n o tic e should be
given in’ cases of q u ittin g o r discharging. Such no tice shall be in w ritin g a n d
give cause w hen d em an d e d .
A r t . 14. I t is also agreed a n d u n d ersto o d b y a n d betw een th e p a rtie s hereto
t h a t if th e re should be a n y grievance b etw een a n y em ployee a n d his or h er
em ployer, i t shall b e referred to th e un io n business a g e n t fo r se ttle m e n t. In
th e e v e n t such grievance is in cap a b le of se ttle m e n t b y th is m eth o d , th e em ployers
an d th e u n ion shall a p p o in t a grievance co m m itte e consisting of tw o m em bers,
respectively, to se ttle such g rievance; in th e e v e n t of th e ir failu re to agree, th e y
shall m u tu a lly agree u p o n som e in d iv id u a l to sit w ith th e m as a b o ard of a rb i
tra tio n . T h e decision of a m a jo rity of said b o ard shall be final, a n d binding.
I t is u n d ersto o d t h a t all em ployees shall rem ain a t w ork, a n d t h a t th e re shall be
no “ lo c k o u t” pen d in g th e se ttle m e n t of a n y grievance. A ny d is p u te arisin g
b etw een th e em ployer a n d th e u n io n , w h e th e r re la tin g to th e co n stru c tio n or
in te rp re ta tio n of th is ag reem en t, shall be a d ju s te d by th e b o ard o f a rb itra tio n
in th e sam e m an n er.
A r t . 15. T h e union shall h av e th e rig h t to select one of th e m em bers to a c t as
shop ch airm an , a n d i t sh all be th e d u ty of said shop ch airm an to see t h a t all
m em bers of th e union live u p to th e rules a n d reg u latio n s laid dow n by th e
union a n d th e firm. Shop ch airm en shall n o t be d iscrim in ated a g a in st in a n y
w ay b y th e em ployer.
A r t , 17. Should any member of the union be suspended or expelled from the
union the employer agrees to discharge such member w ithin one week after being
notified by the union.
A r t . 18. T he em p lo y er agrees to keep w orking room s in a clean a n d s a n ita ry
co ndition a n d to fu rn ish its em ployees w ith cool d rin k in g w a te r d u rin g th e
su m m er m o n th s.
A r t . 19. Should th e slackness of business w a rra n t th e lay in g off of help,
em ployer agrees to div id e as m uch as possible th e w ork eq u ally am o n g st all
em ployees. N ew em ployees w ho h av e been em ployed less th a n six m o n th s
shall be laid off before th e re shall b e a n y division of wort;. L a s t em ployee laid
off shall g et first preference to be re tire d in th e ir fo rm er e m p lo y m en t unless laid
off for cause. W hen a m em b er is ask ed to re p o rt fo r w ork a t th e re g u lar sta rtin g
h o u r in th e m orning t h a t m em b er sh a ll receive a fu ll d a y ’s pay.
A r t . 21. I t is hereby agreed by all th e em ployees w ho a re u n d e r th is c o n tra c t
a n d wdio are m em bers of th e union, o r w ho h av e m ad e a p p lic a tio n to jo in th e
union, t h a t th e em ployers a re a u th o rized a n d d ire c te d to d e d u c t from th e first
w eek’s p a y in each m o n th a n d in no case la te r th a n th e 1 0th of th e m onth,, th e
a m o u n t of th e union dues t h a t are to be p aid b y each in d iv id u a l to th e union,
in accordance v d th th e rules a n d reg u latio n s of th e union.
A list of such em ployees will be fu rn ish ed th e em ployers b y th e shop ch airm an
a t least 10 d ays p rio r to th e p a y d ay m en tio n ed above, to g e th e r w ith th e a m o u n ts
to be d ed u cted from each p a y envelope. T his m oney shall be tu rn e d over to
th e shop ch airm an a n d he shall receip t fo r sam e.
A r t . 22. I t shall be the duty of the association to see that all their members
sign this agreement as individuals and further to see that they live up to it.
A r t . 23. T his ag reem e n t shall rem ain in effect u n til a n a rb itra tio n b o a rd has
definitely decided an d b o th p a rtie s h av e agreed on a newT ag reem en t. T h e
a rb itra tio n b o ard shall m ak e its decision n o t la te r th a n 30 d a y s a fte r ex p iratio n
of th is p re se n t ag reem en t. A ny decision of th e b o a rd of a rb itra tio n shall be
re tro a c tiv e to M arch 1 , 1927.
Commercial I elegraphers
'T H E Canadian Marconi Wireless System, Division No. 59, of the
Commercial Telegraphers’ Union of America, made a three-year
agreement with the Canadian Marconi Co., March 8, 1926, effective
April 1, from which the following extracts are taken:
Article 1, Clause A. A list show ing th e sen io rity as a t D ecem ber 31, 1925, of
all telegraphers a n d th e divisions to w hich th e y are a tta c h e d , shall be supplied th e
general ch airm an a n d th e general se c re ta ry -tre a su re r of C an a d ia n M arconi
W ireless System , D ivision No. 59, C om m ercial T eleg rap h ers’ U nion of A m erica,
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
M arch 1, 1926, an d such list shall be k e p t up to d a te m o n th ly b y ad vising these
officers of a n y changes. S u b seq u en t lists shall show divisions of new e n tra n ts.
C l a u se B. T h e rig h t of sen io rity shall govern in all cases, a b ility , tech n ical an d
otherw ise, being equal.
C l a u se C. All sen io rity shall be d eterm in ed b y a c cu m u lated service, an d
seniors u n d er th is clause w ho h a v e th e re q u isite ab ility , tech n ical a n d otherw ise,
shall be eligible for, a n d shall receive consideration in th e m a tte r of ap p o in tm e n ts
to th e higher positio n s in th e service. A bsence c o n seq u en t u pon au th o rized
union or com pany conferences shall n o t affect sen io rity.
A r t . 2, C la u se A. A ny telegrap her in good sta n d in g w h ose services h a v e been
disp en sed w ith on a c co u n t of red u ction in staff, sh all be g iv en preferen ce in the
filling of n ew p o sitio n s or v a ca n cies, a b ility , te ch n ica l an d oth erw ise, b ein g equal.
A r t . 3, C l a u se A. In case of red u c tio n of staff, th e ju n io r te leg rap h er shall be
dispensed w ith first, h a v in g due re g a rd to th e exigencies of th e service, ab ility ,
technical an d otherw ise, being equal.
A r t . 4, C l a u se A. T w o w eeks’ leave of absence, w ith full w ages an d m ain
ten an ce allow ance as p e r scale shall be due to teleg rap h ers upo n com pletion of each
one full y e a r’s service a t co ast sta tio n s. A pplications in w ritin g th e re fo r shall be
m ade w ith in 30 days, su b se q u e n t to ex p iry of d a te due, a n d shall be g ran ted , a t
th e co m p an y ’s convenience, as soon as possible th e re a fte r.
C l a u se B. C asu al service a b o a rd ship by w ay of te m p o ra ry relief s"kall n o t be
deem ed a.reaso n for d enial of a n n u a l v acatio n .
C l a u se C. V acatio n periods shall n o t be c u m u lativ e a n d p a y m e n t in lieu of
lapsed v acatio n s shall n o t be m ade.
C l a u se D . G enerous effort shall be m ad e to g ra n t v acatio n s of u n c e rta in an d
v ariab le d u ra tio n , a n d w ith full w ages as p er scale, to sh ip s’ teleg rap h ers who have
been on extended voyages im m ed iately p rio r to th e ir re tu rn , a n d who have been
unable to secure v aca tio n fo r a prolonged period.
A r t . 5, C l a u s e A. In th e e v e n t of a th re e -m a n sta tio n being short-staffed,
th e re b y m ak in g i t necessary for th e rem ain in g tw o teleg rap h ers to keep co n sta n t
w atch betw een th em , o v ertim e fo r th e e x tra d u ty in excess of 8 h o u rs p er d ay shall
be p aid a t th e ra te of tim e a n d one-half of th e re g u lar daily w age c o m p u ted on th e
basis of 365 wrorking-d ay s p e r y ear, exclusive of allow ances.
Art. 6, C l a u se A. T h e com pany shall, u pon re q u e st of th e general chairm an,
m eet a co m m ittee to deal w ith m a tte rs in disp u te, such as w ages, w orking condi
tions, grievances, etc., w h eth er th e foregoing be a c tu a l o r alleged.
Art. 7, C l a u se A. T eleg rap h ers leaving th e service of th e ir own accord shall
be req u ired to give th e co m p an y 15 d a y s’ p revious n otice in w riting, a n d acknow
ledgm ent of th e receip t of su ch n otice shall be se n t w ith o u t delay, by th e pro p er
au th o rity .
C l a u se B. T h e com pany shall be req u ired , in th e e v e n t of re d u ctio n in staff, to
give 15 d a y s’ previous n otice in w ritin g , or 15 d a y s’ wages inclusive of all allow
ances in lieu thereof.
C l a u se D . N o tele g ra p h e r shall be suspended or discharged, except for in
vestigation, a n d a n y te le g ra p h e r who has been suspended or discharged an d
disproving th e charge(s) m ad e ag a in st him , shall be re in sta te d w ith o u t prejudice,
an d shall be reim b u rsed fo r all loss of pay .
C la u se E . A teleg ra p h e r leav in g th e service shall, upon ap p licatio n , be fu r
nished w ith a certificate b y th e co m p an y , sta tin g le n g th of service, c a p acity in
w hich em ployed, a n d if desired by th e teleg rap h er, a reco m m en d atio n as to
c h aracter an d ab ility , a n d such certificate shall be a v ailab le to th e te leg rap h er w ith
his settle m e n t check a n d w ith in a reaso n ab le tim e.
A r t . 8. W a g e s c a l e a n d a l l o w a n c e s . C l a u se A. F irs t y ear, $70 p er m o n th ;
second year, $75 p e r m o n th ; th ird y ear, $85 p er m o n th ; fo u rth y ear, $95 per
m o n th ; fifth y ear, $105 p e r m o n th ; sixth y ear, $115 p er m o n th .
C la use B. In a d d itio n to th e ab o v e scale, an allow ance of $40 p e r m o n th shall
be p a id w here m ain te n a n c e is n o t furnished.
C l a u se C. F u ll m a in te n a n c e allow ance shall be p a id in all cases w here a_coast
statio n teleg rap h er h a s been te m p o ra rily assigned to ship service fo r a period of
tw o w eeks or less.
C l a u se D . In a d d itio n to th e ab o v e scale a n d allow ances, a bonus of $15 p er
m o n th shall be p ay ab le to reg u larly ap p o in te d officers in charge of coast statio n s,
and a bonus of $10 p er m o n th shall be p a y ab le to officers in charge of ship sta tio n s
carrying tw o or m ore teleg rap h ers.
C la u se E . R egularly a p p o in te d officers in charge of coast sta tio n s shall suffer
no loss of bonus th ro u g h absence on reg u lar v acatio n s b u t such bonus shall n o t be
p ay ab le to su b stitu tes.
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C l a u se F. In th e e v e n t of a reg u larly a p p o in te d officer in charge being on leave
of absence o th e r th a n v a catio n , th e bonus p a y a b le to his positio n shall be p aid to
th e teleg rap h er perform ing th e d u ties of officer in charge.
C l a u se G. All uniform trim m in g s shall be supplied by th e com pany free of
charge to w ireless officers serving on ships w here uniform s are re q u ired to be
worn.
A r t . 9, C l a u se A. F uel shall be supplied by th e com pany in accordance w ith
a c tu a l req u irem en ts for o p eratin g in d iv id u al sta tio n s o th e r th a n dw ellings, it being
u n d ersto o d t h a t th e foregoing shall n o t a p p ly to coast sta tio n s w here m ain ten an ce
allow ance is n o t paid.
C l a u se B. T he com pany shall su p p ly lig h t for all sta tio n s a n d dw ellings a t
tach e d th ereto .
C l a u se C. T he com pany shall p a y all taxes on sta tio n p ro p e rty a n d buildings.
C l a u se D . R en tals on dw ellings shall n o t be m ore th a n $9 p e r m o n th .
C l a u se E . T he com pany shall n o t be held liable for loss b y fire o r th ro u g h
o th e r causes, to teleg rap h ers’ p erso n al p ro p e rty in sta tio n s or dw ellings.
A r t . 10, C l a u se A. W ages shall com m ence from a n d shall include th e d a te
upon w hich th e teleg rap h er is engaged by th e com pany, w hich d a te of en gagem ent
shall m ean th e d a y upon w hich th e te leg rap h er receives w ritte n in s tru c tio n s to
proceed a n d does proceed to m ove to assum e th e d u ties to w hich he has been
ap p o in ted .
C l a u se B. C hecks in p a y m e n t of wages shall be av ailab le to all teleg rap h ers
as soon as possible a fte r th e first of th e m o n th follow ing th a t fo r w hich p a y m e n t
is due a n d n o t la te r th a n th e 15th.
. C l a u se D . A s h ip ’s tele g ra p h e r w hose vessel is laid up a t a p o in t aw ay from
Ins divisional h e a d q u a rte rs, a n d th e re being no fu rth e r w ork a v ailab le fo r said
teleg rap h er, necessitatin g his being laid off, he shall be e n title d to w ages, tra n s
p o rta tio n , a n d expenses u n til his re tu rn to his divisional h e a d q u a rte rs.
A r t . 11, C l a u se A. In all cases of tran sfe r, sufficient fu n d s shall be ad v an ced
to cover reasonable expenses incurred, a n d teleg rap h ers tra v e lin g upo n th e
c o m p a n y ’s service shall be e n title d to first-class rail a n d steam sh ip fare, hotel
accom m odation, a n d board.
C l a u s e B. V ouchers (w here procurable) shall be o b tain ed a n d shall be filed
w ith th e com pany w hen sta te m e n ts of expenses a re su b m itted .
C l a u se C. O rders of tra n sfe r shall be in w ritin g a n d m ay be com m unicated
by message, le tte r, or tra n sfe r cards.
C l a u se D . N o telegrap her shall be transferred u n ju stly or un fairly, and
m arried m en w h en being transferred on th e in itia tiv e of th e com p an y shall,
im m ed ia te ly prior to transfer d ate, and w ith o u t m o n eta ry loss to th e m se lv es’
be freed Irom sta tio n (coast sta tio n ) d u ty for four d ays.
A rt . 12, C la u se A. T h e com p an y un dertak es to ' insert in its fu tu re agree
m en ts w ith shipow ners, for th e provision of telegrap hers ’ service, a clau se pro
vid in g th a t th e sh ip ow n ers sh all furnish w ireless officers w ith m ed ical an d other
a tten d a n ce and com fortab le sleep in g accom m od ation s in accord an ce w ith th e
term s of th e s h ip ’s articles, an d w here m ore th a n on e w ireless officer is em p loyed ,
to p rovid e sleep in g a ccom m od ation s for th em in a su ita b le room sep arate from
th e w ireless cabin.
C l a u se B. T he teleg rap h er ab o ard ship shall hold th e title “ wireless officer.”
A r t . 13, C lause A. N o ded u ctio n from wages or allow ances shall b e m ade
w here a teleg rap h er is tra v e lin g on th e c o m p a n y ’s service.
C l a u se B. In th e case of tra n sfe r of a teleg rap h er from one sta tio n to a n o th er,
trav elin g expenses shall be p aid in lieu of m a in ten an ce allow ance.
A r t . 14, C l a u s e B. I t is un d ersto o d a n d agreed t h a t th is a g reem en t does
n o t a p p ly to th e coast sta tio n s in N ew foundland o p erated by th e co m p an y u n d er
c o n tra c t w ith th e N ew foundland G o v ern m en t, a n d t h a t a n y a rra n g e m e n t gov
erning th e w ages a n d conditions of em p lo y m en t on such sta tio n s shall be in °th e
n a tu re of a su p p lem en tary agreem ent.
Mineral Water Workers— New York City
TPHE agreement of the Mineral Water Workers7 Union, Local 311
of New York City, expiring March 15, 1926, outlined on page
63 of the Labor Review, June, 1925, has been renewed for another
year with the addition of the following paragraph:
E a c h em ployer g u aran te e s 52 w eeks’ em p lo y m en t to ev ery w orker in h is shop.
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
Retail Clerks—Chicago
N o. 195 of the Retail Clerks’ International Protective
LOCAL
Association has made two agreements with retail men’s stores
in the west side of Chicago, effective for two years from April 1, 1926.
The first of these, with the Cook County Merchants’ Association,
reads as follows:
1.
(a) T h a t all sales people w ith th e exception of a son or d a u g h te r of an
em ployer, em ployed in th e sto res ow ned a n d co ntrolled by th e p a rty of th e
first p a r t shall be m em bers in good sta n d in g of th e R e ta il C le rk s ' A ssociation,
L ocal 195.
(6) All te m p o ra ry sales people m u s t first a p p ly to th e association for a w orking
c a rd , w hich will be issued fo r th e first tw o w e e k s’ d u ra tio n w ith o u t cost, a fte r
w hich tim e said em ployee m u s t becom e a m em b er of L ocal 195, a n d all e x tra
sales people m u s t ca rry "a special w orking c ard w hich is issued b y th e association.
(c) I t is u n d ersto o d a n d agreed t h a t w henever p a rty of th e first p a r t shall
need ad d itio n a l help, e ith e r p e rm a n e n t or te m p o ra ry , t h a t th e association be
given th e preference to fu rn ish such help as req u ired . I t is fu rth e r u n d ersto o d
th a t sales people se n t b y th e association fo r v a c a n t positio n s m u st be satisfac
to ry to th e p a rty of th e first p a r t w ith in tw o w eeks. If th e association fails to
fu rn ish th e req u ired h elp w ith in th re e days, th e p a rty of th e first p a r t m ay em ploy
sales people from o th e r sources.
2.
( a ) T h e follow ing schedule of h o u rs shall be a d o p te d : Stores open 8.30
a. m . a n d close M ond ay 6 p. m ., T u esd ay close 9 p. m ., W ednesday close 6 p. in.,
T h u rsd a y close 9 p. m ., F rid a y close 6 p . m ., S a tu rd a y close 1 0 p . m ., S u n d ay close
1 p. m . T h e follow ing legal h olidays, D eco ratio n D a y , L ab o r D ay , a n d T h a n k s
giving D ay , shall close th e sam e as S u n d ay . T h e sam e schedule of 54 hours
shall be m u tu a lly a rra n g e d w here sto res are closed 'on S u n d ay s a n d holidays.
Sales people shall be off one full d a y each w eek, th is d ay to be agreed upo n by
th e em ployer a n d em ployee.
(6) In case of em ergency w hen o v ertim e w ork is req u ired , all o v ertim e m u st
be a p p ro v ed b y th e association o r its re p re se n ta tiv e a n d com pensation shall be
one tim e a n d a half b ased on salary received.
(c) All sales people shall be e n title d to one h o u r noon lu n ch a n d one h o u r for
din n er w hen w orking evenings. Sales people m u st b e in th e ir resp ectiv e p osi
tions a n d re a d y for business by 8.30 a. m ., a n d n o em ployee shall re m a in on
d u ty a fte r specified w orking h o u rs unless d e tain ed by unfinished sales.
3.
I t is u n d ersto o d a n d agreed t h a t em ployees of th e p a rty of th e first p a rt
shall be off a n d receive full p a y on th e follow ing legal h o lid ay s: N ew Y e a r’s
an d F o u rth of Ju ly . I t is fu rth e r u n d ersto o d a n d agreed t h a t stores m ay be
opened evenings one week before C h ristm as, an d sales people m u st be com pensated
for sam e if w orking th o se evenings.
4.
(a ) N o em ployee engaged in th e selling of m erchandise shall receive less
th a n th e m inim um of $45 p e r w eek in cloth in g a n d '$ 4 0 sh all be th e m inim um
w age in th e m e n ’s fu rn ish in g s a n d shoe d e p a rtm e n ts, ex cep t ap p ren tices. Any
sales person engaged in a m an ag in g o r b u y in g p o sitio n t h a t is ac tiv e ly engaged
in selling of m erchand ise or w aitin g on tra d e m u st also becom e a m em b er of th is
association. H is salary m ay be m u tu a lly agreed upo n b etw een th e em ployer
an d him self.
(c) All sales people engaged in th e business less th a n 18 m o n th s shall be classed
as app ren tices a n d th e ir w ages will be o p tio n al to th e em ployer a n d em ployee
for a period of th e first 18 m o n th s’ experience a n d th e m in im u m w age scale of a
salesm an th e re a fte r. A pprentices shall be lim ited to n o t m ore th a n one a p p re n
tice for every tw o salesm en in each sto re , tw o to each six salesm en in each sto re,
an d a p ro p o rtio n al n u m b e r th e re a fte r.
5.
N o em ployee of th e p a rty of th e first p a r t shall suffer a n y re d u c tio n of
wages or com m ission th ro u g h th e o p eratio n or because of th e ad o p tio n of th is
agreem ent. I t is also agreed t h a t sales people of th e p a rty of th e first p a r t shall
receive a t le a st one w eek’s v a c a tio n w ith full p a y w hen in p re se n t em p lo y m en t
fo r one y e a r or m ore.
6.
I t is u n d ersto o d a n d agreed t h a t sales people of th e p a rty of th e first p a rt
shall n o t b e req u e ste d n o r re q u ire d to do p o rte r w ork of a n y d escrip tio n .
7.
A ny difficulty t h a t m ay arise, n o t covered b y th is ag reem en t, w hich can n o t
be a d ju s te d b y th e re p re se n ta tiv e s of th e p a rtie s h e re to shall be su b m itte d to
a rb itra tio n , consisting of a n a rb itra tio n b o a rd of th re e on each side. B o th of
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A G R EE M E N T S---- ST R E E T RAILW AYS
159
the parties hereto shall agree upon a third party to act as arbitrator within
three days after they have failed to adjust the difficulty. No lockout by the em
ployer shall be instituted and no strike by the employees shall be engaged in
pending decision of the arbitration.
8.
It is agreed that upon signing this agreement by the party of the first part
and with full compliance of all provision thereof that the association will furnish
without cost the official store card of the Retail Clerks’ International Protective
Association, Local 195, to be displayed in the window. It is expressly under
stood and agreed that the business representative of the Retail Clerks’ Associa
tion, Local 195, is to have the privilege of entering upon the premises, during
business hours, of the party of the first part for the purpose of interviewing its
employees, providing they are not occupied in waiting on trade.
. 9-, This agreement and wage scale shall go into full force and effect upon
signing of same, and shall remain in full force and effect until March 31, 1928,
or until another agreement has been presented to the employer by the associa
tion.
It is further understood and agreed that any violation of this agreement will
be sufficient cause to remove the store card furnished by the association without
due notice.
. The second agreement with the Maxwell Street Merchants’ Asso
ciation reads as follows, omitting articles 1 (a) (b), 4 (c), 5, 6, and the
final paragraph, which are the same as articles 1 (a) (6), 7 8, 9, and
final paragraph of the agreement with the Cook County Merchants’
Association, above:
1. (c) The following schedule of hours shall be adopted where stores are opened
Sunday: Fifty-four hours shall constitute a week’s work, with one full day of
rest each week. Work starts 8.30 a. in. on week days and 8 a. m. on Sunday.
No employees shall remain on duty more than three evenings a week later than
9 p. m. and 6 p. m. on the rest of the evenings. Girls must not work more than
48 hours per week. Their schedule to be mutually agreed upon between employer
and employee.
2. It is further understood and agreed that stores will close at 1 p. m. on the
following legal holidays: Fourth of July, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. It
is further agreed that during the months of July and August stores will close at
6 p. m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
3. Employees shall receive no less than a minimum wage scale of the following
classifications: Salesmen, class 1, $45; class 2, $40; salesladies, class 1, $30; class
2 , $ 20 .
’
’
No employee shall get less than one week’s vacation with full pay when in
service one year or more.
4. (a ) None of the sales people shall be required to wash windows or do porter
work of any description.
(b) If party of the first part shall close stores on his own accord on religious
holidays or for other reasons the employees must receive full pay for the time the
store is closed.
Street Railways—Cincinnati & Dayton Traction Co.
A WAGE award by a board of arbitration in April, 1926, in a contro1 versy between the receiver of the Cincinnati & Dajhon Trac
tion Co. and Division 738, Amalgamated Association of Street and
Electric Railway Employees of America, omitting the preamble,
reads as follows
r
Effective February 1, 1926, the rate of wages for trainmen shall be as follows:
Interurban division: First three months, 50 cents per hour; next nine months,
52 cents per hour; and thereafter, 54 cents per hour.
Wages for Hamilton city division and Dayton city division shall be as follows
for two and one man cars: First three months, 48 cents per hour; next nine
months, 50 cents per hour; and thereafter, 52 cents per hour. Helpers on freight
cars shall receive 44J^ cents per hour. Section 7 of the working agreement
executed on the 1st day of February, 1925, shall stand without change, for the
year beginning February 1, 1926.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
Following this award an agreement between the two above-named
parties was made May 18, 1926. Section 5 embodies the rates men
tioned in the above award. Other important sections read as follows:
S e c t i o n 1. This agreement shall cover all passenger and freight trainmen
employed by the company who are now or who hereafter shall become members
of the'association, and no employee of the company, in any branch of its service,
shall be discharged or discriminated against by reason of his membership in the
association.
S e c . 2. The company, for itself, its successors, lessees, and assigns, agrees
to fully recognize and treat with the association on all questions, grievances, and
complaints that may arise between them. Grievances of individual employees
shall first be taken up by the individual with the head of his department before
becoming a complaint to the association. In the event of failure to adjust such
grievance in this manner, it shall be taken up by the duly accredited officers of
the company and the association, who shall attempt to adjust and settle same.
If the case involves the suspension or dismissal of any employee, and he is not
found sufficiently at fault to warrant such dismissal or suspension, he shall be
reinstated in his former position and paid for all the time lost, in the event of
failure to reach an amicable adjustment, the matter shall be submitted to arbi
tration as hereinafter provided.
S e c . 3. Grievances complained of shall be formally submitted to the com
pany by the association and discussed by the accredited representatives of the
company and the association. If they should fail to reach an agreement, then
the grievance shall be submitted immediately to arbitration. One arbitrator
shall be elected by the company and one by the association. If the two thus
selected shall fail within five days to settle the matters in dispute, they shall forth
with select a third arbitrator. If the two arbitrators selected by_ the company
and the association shall within five days fail to agree upon a third arbitrator,
then one of the Federal judges of the southern district of Ohio shall select the
third. The decision of any two of the arbitrators thus selected shall be final and
binding upon both parties. If a third arbitrator is necessary, the company and
the association will bear the expense of such equally.
S e c . 4. Ten hours shall constitute one day’s work.
S e c . 6. All regular runs, working five hours or more, shall be rated as a day’s
work.
No work shall pay less than two hours.
S e c . 7. All extra men shall be guaranteed a minimum wage of $85 per calendar
month, to be paid in semimonthly installments of $42.50 on each pay day: P r o
v i d e d , h o w e v e r , That any man missing a show-up shall forfeit one day’s proportion
of said monthly guaranty for the day on which the miss shall occur; and any
man absent on account of sickness, leave of absence, or under suspension shall
lose one day’s proportion of said monthly guaranty for each day of absence or
suspension.' Men earning more than the guaranteed minimum of $85 per cal
endar month, or $42.50 per pay day, shall receive in full the amount which they
earn.
S e c . 8 . The seniority of all trainmen shall be determined from the date of
their last employment with the company. There shall be a selection of runs at
least every six months, on the first of April and the first of October of each year,
such selection being made by the employees of the company successively, in
accordance with their seniority, beginning with the oldest man in the service.
S e c . 9. Where any trainman accepts any other position with the company,
he, after six months in said position, forfeits his seniority rights on the road.
S e c . 12. All regular crews shall be required to report 5 minutes before sched
uled leaving time of cars, except that crews on late runs on the Hamilton city
lines shall report 10 minutes before scheduled leaving time.
S e c . 13. Whenever regular motormen or conductors shall be required to take
out extra runs from places other than their places of residence, or shall be re
quired to take out regular runs which begin or end at a place other than their
place of residence, they shall be paid for their deadhead time necessary to make
such runs and return to their place of residence. Place of residence shall mean
where regular run starts and finishes.
S e c . 14. The vestibule of all cars shall be made as nearly storm-proof as possi
ble and heated, as governed by State law.
S e c . 15. Conductors on the city lines in Dayton and Hamilton shall not be
required to pay in advance for tickets supplied for sale during the day, but shall
make settlement daily for all tickets sold.
[160]
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AWARDS AND D ECISIO N S----C L O T H IN G IN D U ST R Y
16]
S e c . 16. T rain m en em ployed by th e C in cin n ati & D a y to n T ra c tio n Co. shall
be fu rn ish ed free tra n s p o rta tio n on all lines o p e ra te d by th is com pany.
S e c . 21. All in te ru rb a n cars o p e ra tin g in single u n its on in te ru rb a n division
shall have b o th a m o to rm a n a n d con d u cto r, except in em ergency.
A W A R D S
A N D
D E C IS IO N S
Clothing Industry—Chicago
T W O decisions of the impartial chairman in the men’s clothing
industry, Chicago market, one relating to a change in machinery
and the other to a nonunion worker doing union work, were made
April 1, 1926. Both are printed practically in full.
Case N o . 996
1 he union complains that the speed of the edge-stitching machines has been
reduced by the use of a smaller pulley, causing a decrease in earnings, and requests
that pulleys of the size used formerly be installed.
1 he petition is modified at the hearing to request an adjustment of rate to
compensate for the loss in earnings.
It appears that the pulleys were standardized in 1922, some being increased
in size while others were reduced. The result was a decrease in average earnings.
To counteract the effect on earnings a rate increase was put into effect. Sub
sequently earnings increased much beyond the level prevailing prior to the change
in pulleys. In the fall of 1925 the pulleys were reduced in size to insure better
v,r°rk. Earnings have been affected, but, when the several adjustments since
1922 are taken into account, are still considerably better than they were prior
to the first change in pulleys.
From the point of view of practice and the agreement the issue is d e a r changes in work or in conditions that affect work must be accompanied by corre
sponding changes in rate. The firm has the option of adjusting the rate or
restoring the conditions. In making this ruling the board would suggest that
the price committee review the situation with reference primarilv to what should
be expected in the way of earnings and quality. It is clear that earnings ad
vanced beyond what was expected when the first adjustment was made. Some
of the advance may have been due to longer experience-; some to excessive speed
ing. The size of the pulley may arbitrarily fix the limit of speed but it does not
follow that the workers were warranted in attaining the maximum speed with
the larger pulley. The firm is entitled to acceptable work. Reducing the size
of the pulley is merely a device to compel the workers to stitch less rapidly in
the expectation that they will do better work. It may well be that thev should
have stitched iess rapidly with the larger pulley.
Case N o. 999
The union complains that a position held formerly by a union worker was
filled by a nonunion worker and without requisitioning the union. The union
requests that the position be filled in accordance with the agreement.
The position is in the shortage_department. The work consists of sorting and
putting away ends from the cutting room. Some joker sewing has been done in
connection with shortages. A t the time the agreement was signed these people
joined the union. The firm offered no objection but claims never to have
regarded the work as within the jurisdiction of the union. On occasion nonunion
boys have been employed without protest from the union. Recently a union
girl quit and her place was filled with a nonunion worker.
F rom in q u iry in th e m a rk e t th e b o ard finds t h a t th e w ork of receiving, sorting,
an d p u ttin g aw ay ends from th e c u ttin g room is n o t generally perfo rm ed by
union people. T he fa c t t h a t people doing th is w ork jo in e d th e u n io n does n o t
ap p e a r to be significant in view of th e hirin g of no n u n io n boys from tim e to tim e.
T he actio n of th e firm is sustained.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
Clothing Industry—Rochester
arbitrator in the Rochester clothing industry has recently
decided three cases of discharge, the principal facts in the cases
being as follows:
C ase N o . SOSO, A p r i l 15, 1926
T h e union com plains t h a t th e firm h as discharged a w orker w ith o u t ju s t cause
an d asks t h a t he be re in sta te d w ith com pensation fo r tim e lost. T h e co n ten tio n
of th e union is t h a t th e w orker w as sick a n d h a d given th e u su a l n otice to th e
firm. T h e firm ad m its th e re c e ip t of p ro p e r notice, b u t co n ten d s t h a t th e w orker
w as n o t ta k e n b ack because of co n tin u a l absence; th e y also su b m it ai record^ of
p a s t absences. T h e a rb itra to r is obliged to ru le t h a t fcne p ro p er no vice h av in g
been given b y th e w orker a n d accep ted by th e firm , th e w orker should h av e
been re tu rn e d to his position. If th e re w ere reasons fo r n o t w an tin g th e w orker
because of his p a s t actions, it should be tre a te d in a differen t m a n n e r from th a t
followed in th is case. T h e a rb itra to r also w ould advise th e w orker t h a t it is
business to ta k e p ro p e r care of his position. I t is ordered t h a t he be re in sta te d
im m ediately w ith back pay.
C ase N o . 2081, A p r i l 15, 1926
T h e evidence in th e case, agreed to by b o th sides, w as t h a t th e w orker w as
o u t sick som e w eeks ago a n d notified th e firm to th is effect; la te r, a n d before
re tu rn in g to w ork, h e r m o th e r becam e sick a n d she notified th e firm again. I t is
also claim ed by th e un io n t h a t a re p re se n ta tiv e of th e firm called a t th e house a n d
to ld h er t h a t she w ould h a v e h e r jo b back w hen she w as well. Un re tu rn in g to
w ork th is w eek she w as to ld t h a t th e re w as no room . T h e firm ’s c o n ten tio n is
t h a t th e y h ad to p u t on o th e r w orkers a n d t h a t th is w orker w as to ld to com e in
in a couple of d ay s a n d th e y w ould tr y to p u t h e r on. On ag ain in q u irin g fo r h e r
position, she w as told th e firm w ould do th e b e st th e y could b u t w ould n o t g u a r
a n tee an y th in g . A fter w eighing a ll of th e evidence, a n d ta k in g in to considera
tio n t h a t th e wmrker h as been in th e em ploy of th e firm fo r th e p a s t 11 years, a n d
t h a t she h a d reason to rely on h e r p o sitio n b ein g open on h e r re tu rn , i t is th e
opinion of th e a rb itra to r t h a t ju stice req u ires t h a t th e firm a rran g e to re in sta te
th e w orker by M onday, A pril 19. I t is so ordered.
C ase N o . 204-1, A p r i l 28, 1926
T he evidence in th is case discloses a pecu liar situ a tio n . W hile th e u n io n ’s
claim is t h a t th e firm discharged th e w orker, on th e o th e r h a n d th e firm co n ten d s
th a t th ey h ad n o t discharged her, it h av in g been th e in siste n t d em an d of th e shop
chairm an t h a t she be le t o u t. In general, th e testim o n y discloses th e follow ing
facts, a d m itte d b y b o th sides: T h e w orker w as h ired te m p o rarily for a sick w o rk
e r’s job, a n d on th e re tu rn of th e la tte r th e w orker in q u estio n w as tra n sfe rre d to
a n o th e r job an d becam e a p e rm a n e n t w orker. Som e tim e la te r th e shop c h a ir
m an com plained a b o u t a n overcrow ded section, a n d on his co n tin u a l in sisten ce
for several w eeks th e firm agreed in good fa ith w ith th e shop c h airm an a n d his
req u est for discharge w as com plied w ith . T h e a rb itra to r is a c q u a in te d w ith th e
general rules u n d er th e ag reem en t, a n d know s t h a t th e re a re arra n g e m e n ts m ad e
w ith shop ch airm en t h a t c arry o u t th e p rinciples of th e ag reem en t, t h a t are p ro p e r
an d binding. H ow ever, i t can n o t be m a in ta in e d t h a t a n y a rra n g e m e n t a t all
can be m ad e, as som e m ig h t h av e th e effect of nullifying th e ag reem en t. I t m u s t
be a d m itte d t h a t th e ag reem en t is for th e p ro te c tio n of th e w orkers as well a s th e
firms, an d here com es a wro rk er w ho testifies t h a t she w as n o t a p a rty to o r ac
q u ain ted w ith a n y arra n g e m e n ts for h er discharge. T h e a rb itra to r feels it his
d u ty to m a in ta in th e rig h ts of th is w orker a s she did n o th in g w rong, a n d to
decide t h a t th e shop ch airm an h a d no a u th o rity to a rra n g e fo r h e r discharge. I t
is directed t h a t she be re in sta te d im m ediately a n d as th e good fa ith of th e firrn is
n o t in question, i t is d irected t h a t th e unio n p a y h er b a c k p ay because of th e m isju d g m en t of one of its officers.
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AWARDS AND DECISIONS— NEWSPAPERS
163
Newspapers—Los Angeles
IN THE L abor R e v ie w for April, 1926,. pages 84-86, were printed
extracts from an agreement made between Local No. 174 of the
International Typographical Union and three newspapers in the city
of Los Angeles, December 12, 1925. The form and contents of the
agreement were drawn up by a board of arbitration, consisting of
Burt A. Heinly, D. G. Keeler, Francis Drake, John F. Dalton, and
B. P. Guild.
lhis decision, which was not at hand at the time the extracts from
ihc agreement were printed m the April L abor R e v ie w , is umcpie in
that it is signed by all members of the board, but is also accompanied
by a dissenting opinion signed by the two arbitrators representing
the newspapers, and contains an explanatory statement signed by the
two arbitrators representing the union.
i The award grew out of an arbitration agreement made March 26,
1924, to cover a period of three years from April 1, 1924, in which it
was agreed that differences should be settled by conciliation or, as a
Last resort, by arbitration. The agreement also provided that either
parly desiring changes in it could make demand for the changes desirea under certain conditions, tbe cjuestion to bo referred if necessary
to a board of arbitration, to consist of two members selected by the
pubiisners, two by the union, and a fifth selected by these four.
On December 6, 1924, the union filed notice of a desire to chance
certain provisions in the agreement, The publishers filed a counter
proposal. Conciliation proceedings began December 26, 1924 The
union demanded arbitration March 30, 1925. The fifth member of
the board was selected September 26, 1925. Twenty-two sessions
were held between November 12 and December 8, 1925, and the de
cision of the board was made December 12, 1925.
The wage scale as provided in the agreement called for $48.50 per
week. The union desired to increase this to $55.20 oer week and
i lie publishers to reduce it to $45.50. The chairman placed the
wage scaie at $51.30. In doing so he said in part:
,, Aa L 1?
risne involved, a large m ass of te stim o n y w as in tro d u c e d on
_ U T d e c 'j by Doth sides. T h e q u estio n of re d u ctio n of w ages m av be dism issed
y»it,i lew w ords by th e chairm an . Irresp ectiv e of th e m in d of th e b o ard , n e ith e r
union n U , e p ublish ers in th e ir p re se n ta tio n seem ed to consider i t a likely
decision a n d th e p rin cip al q u estio n a t issue ap p eared th e re te n tio n of th e wage
scale as a t p re s e n t or th e po ssib ility of increase.
W ith th e p re se n t know ledge of scientific ra te fryim* ».vailn.Wp« i.ho ohaiVmon
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p o in t. T he m ind of th e com m on citizen in th is d ay h as le t escape him th e tre n d
of ra te s a n d prices in 1920 b u t finds no difficulty in e stab lish in g p re se n t econom ic
conditions b y com parison w ith th e y e a r ju s t preceding th e cata cly sm . T he
ch airm an accepts 1914 as a t lea st a s ta rtin g p o in t on m an y of th e econom ic phases
of th is su b ject.
T h e ch airm an can n o t a d m it of th e ju stice of g ra n tin g th e w age increase in full
a m o u n t asked by th e union. In 1914 th e w age scale w as $29. T h a t th is a p p e a rs
to h av e been a satisfa c to ry ra te to p u b lish ers a n d un io n alike in t h a t n o rm al
period is show n by th e fa c t t h a t i t c o n tin u ed in effect from 1914 (or earlier, th e
record does n o t sta te ) to Ja n u a ry , 1917, a n d th e n from 1917 to d a te increases
h av e been m ad e a t sh o rte r in te rv a ls. T a k in g 100 as th e index n u m b e r fo r th e
cost of living in Los A ngeles in 1914, th e U n ited S ta te s B u reau of L ab o r S ta tistic s
re p o rts cost of living in Los A ngeles in Ju n e , 1925, a t 176.9, or a n in crease of
76.9. In th e sam e p ro p o rtio n of increase, th e corresponding 1914 wTage of $29
w ould n o t be $48.50 b u t w ould be increased to $51.30.
T h e union in ju stify in g its d em an d fo r in crease s u b m itte d T ab le 9 show ing
th e G roup 1 cities of th e U n ite d S ta te s (as defined a n d used in sta n d a rd co m p ari
sons b y th e U n ited S ta te s Census) w ith 1914 a n d 1925 ra te s of p a y in th ese cities;
also a w eighted averag e of 96.8 increase. T h e ch airm an disreg ard s th e w eighted
increase in th is ta b le , b u t a g eneral av erag e of 1925 w age scales fo r th e 12 cities,
including Los Angeles, a m o u n ts to $51.33 p e r w eek.
In a tte m p tin g to d eterm in e a ju s t basis of w age scale for th is a g reem en t, th e
ch airm an ta k e s in to co n sid eratio n th e foregoing fa c ts a n d conditions. H e fixes
as th e m inim um w age scale of jo u rn ey m en th e sum of $8.55 o r $51.30 p e r 45-hour
w eek. T his serves as th e base fo r o th e r w age changes t h a t show in th e agreem en t.
T h e b o ard h as h a d before it, fo r im p o rta n t decision, th e d e te rm in a tio n of
w h eth er on m orning p a p e rs th e d ay scale fo r d a y w ork should p rev ail as d em anded
by th e publishers or t h a t th e n ig h t scale fo r su ch w ork should c o n tin u e to govern
as dem an d ed b}^ th e union. I t a p p e a rs to th e ch a irm a n t h a t th is is a c o n d itio n of
w ork w hich should h av e been am icab ly se ttle d b y his colleagues w ho a re fam iliar
b y long experience w ith th e situ a tio n , w hich section 6 governs. A deadlock
existed. As in th e case of th e w age scale, th e c h air Avas re q u ired to steer b y his
ow n com pass. H e learn ed t h a t th e ru le of n ig h t-tim e scale fo r d ay -tim e w ork
on m orning p ap ers h as long prev ailed . N evertheless, to th e ou tsid er, th is
ap p ears en tirely incongruous, w hen, in th e sam e section of th e 1924 ag reem en t
th ere a p p ears th e prov isio n “ n ig h t w ork on evening p a p e rs to be a t th e n ig h t
scale.” I t is a p oor ru le t h a t can n o t w ork b o th w ays. W ith th e conflicting
in fo rm atio n a t h a n d , th e ch airm an could n o t a c c u ra te ly gauge th e im p o rt of a
decision ad v erse to a custom of long stan d in g . In view of all circum stances,
how ever, he c a st his b a llo t Avith th e publishers, d esp ite th e vigorous p ro te s t of
u n ion rep resen tativ es.
O n o th e r sections of th e a g reem en t th e c h airm an h as freely v o ted for or ag a in st
union or p u b lish er as he deem ed rig h t a n d pro p er. In several in stan ces w here
from th e varian ce of th e sections a n d th e discussion, h e AAras a t a loss to d eterm in e
th e eq u ity , he has m ad e custom his guide a n d found recourse to parallel sections
in th e p re se n t ag reem en t.
In arriv in g a t a decision, th e re h as been little u n a n im ity on th e p a r t of th e
board. T he ch airm an h as been req u ired to decide all m a jo r q u estio n s or to
force a lte rn a tiv e s to b o th union a n d p u b lish er proposals. T h e ch airm an h as had
no disposition to escape resp o n sib ility a n d th is he is p re p a re d to assum e in full
m easure A\henever a n d Avherever he w as called u p o n to a c t. F ro m th is it will be
ev id en t t h a t th e inclu d ed decision as a w hole receives th e approAral of n eith er
of th e factions. T h e fa c tio n a l differences existed as a co n d itio n long a n te d a tin g
these proceedings a n d i t is to o m u ch to ex p ect t h a t th e se differences could be
shed as a cloak Avhen th e m a n tle of a rb itr a to r w as d onned. In th e lig h t of th is
condition, indeed, th e c h airm an desires to express h is a p p re c ia tio n of t h a t for
bearance w hich w as show n n o t only b y colleagues to each o th e r b u t to him self in
th e difficult a n d um velcom e role he A\ras called u p o n to fill. T h e opinion is
signed by all th e m em b ers of th e b o ard in com pliance w ith th e te rm s of th e a rb i
tra tio n ag reem en t of A pril 1, 1924, a n d b y reason of se p a ra te a g reem en t betAveen
th e ch airm an a n d his colleagues d a te d O cto b er 6, a n d being to th e sam e end.
The “ discussion ” of the chairman is followed by the decision,
which is a detailed account of the changes made in the former agree
ment. The first and last paragraphs read as follows:
R eferring to th e u n io n ’s form of p ro p o sal a n d th e p u b lish e rs’ form of proposal
a s su b m itte d to th is b o ard of a rb itra tio n a n d in accord w ith th e jo in t le tte r of
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th e ch airm an of th e special sta n d in g co m m ittee, A m erican N ew spaper P u b lish ers’
A ssociation, a n d t h e p re sid e n t of th e In te rn a tio n a l T y p o g rap h ic al U nion, h erein
a fte r called th e jo in t le tte r, th is b o ard , w ith th e p u b lish ers’ c o u n terp ro p o sal as
th e basis, m ak es its decision as follows:
[D ecision.]
T h e form of ag reem e n t in accord w ith th e ab o v e findings is a tta c h e d h ereto
a n d m ad e a p a r t hereof, a n d th e p a rtie s a t in te re st are in s tru c te d to sign a n d
execute said agreem ent.
Of the sections (18-23) relating to apprentices and printed in the
April L abor R ev iew , sections 18 and 20 were taken from the pub
lishers’ proposal, sections 21, 22, and 23 from the union’s proposal,
and section 19 is the same in the proposals of both parties.
The dissenting opinion of the employers’ representatives is as
follows:
N eith er of th e undersigned, rep resen tin g th e new spapers on th e b o a rd of
a rb itra tio n , m oved nor seconded, a n d are n o t in fa v o r of, a n d did n o t v o te for
th e a tta c h e d decision.
In th e opinion of th e p u b lish ers’ rep rese n ta tiv e s, th e a tta c h e d decision is n o t
in accord w ith th e facts a n d evidence b ro u g h t o u t in th e proceedings.
We h old t h a t th e c h a irm a n ’s m e th o d of m u ltip ly in g th e B u reau of L ab o r
S tatistics index n u m b er in 1925, w ith th e w age p aid in 1914, a n d a d d in g th e resu lt
to th e 1914 scale is n o t an e q u itab le w ay to arriv e a t a w age fo r 1925, as th e
index_num ber for 1925, is based on th e index n u m b er 100 in 1914, a n d is th e cost
of living w hile th e scale p a id in 1914 w as n o t m erely th e cost of living, b u t th e
cost of living plus a sav in g a n d p ro v ed to have been a sav in g ■wage, as it wras in
effect fo r th re e years, 1914, 1915, a n d 1916, w ith o u t a n y d em an d s fo r increase
from th e ty p o g ra p h ic a l un io n u n til ju s t p rio r to 1917.
W e fu rth e r hold t h a t a com parison of scales in cities lim ited to G roup 1, w hich
includes N ew Y ork an d C hicago, is n o t a fair m e th o d of arriv in g a t a scale for
Los Angeles.
W e also hold t h a t th e c h a irm a n ’s a ttitu d e of ignoring a w age se ttle m e n t by
conciliation in M arch ,_ 1924, is in co rrect, as th is was a sa tisfa c to ry se ttle m e n t
to th e u n ion a t t h a t tim e , a n d th e in crease g ra n te d in th e a tta c h e d decision is
e n tirely u n w a rra n te d , as th e re has been a slight dow n w ard tre n d in th e cost o f
living since M arch, 1924, in Los Angeles.
The explanatory statement of the employees’ representatives is
as follows:
A t an in fo rm al m eetin g of th e m em b ers of th e b o a rd of a rb itra tio n , held p rior
to its first reg u lar m eeting, all th e m em b ers signed th e follow ing a g reem en t
w hich h a d been p re p a re d b y th e c h a irm a n :
. “ D esiring th a t th e first a rb itra tio n shall re su lt in a u n anim ous re p o rt as p ro
vided in th e a rb itra tio n ag reem en t, w hen th re e m em bers of th e b o ard h av e come
to a full agreem ent as to its findings, I a m willing a n d will sign th e ag reem en t
w ith o u t a n y fu rth e r discussion, disp u te, or d em an d for m ore tim e or changes as
set u p in section 5 of a rb itra tio n ag re e m e n t.”
T he m em ber of th e b o ard wrho afte rw a rd was elected sec re ta ry asked th e c h air
m an , in th e presence of th e en tire b o ard , if th e p u rpose of th e foregoing agree
m en t w as to p re v e n t th e subm ission of a m in o rity or “ r u m p ” re p o rt. H e
replied t h a t such w as his purpose.
A t th e conclusion of th e open h earings th e b o a rd w ent in to executive session.
In alm o st every in stan ce th e v ote of th e b o ard w as th re e to tw o on each q uestion
a t issue, th e ch airm an of th e b o ard castin g his v o te ag a in st th e rep re se n ta tiv e s
of th e union on a m a jo rity of th e d isp u ted poin ts. W e h av e no criticism w h atso
ever as to th e actio n s of th e ch a irm a n ; he w ould h av e been en tire ly w ith in his
rights h a d he v o ted to su sta in ev ery a rb itra b le prop o sitio n of th e publishers
an d ag ain st ev ery a rb itra b le p roposition of th e union vice versa.
N o tw ith sta n d in g t h a t th e ir co n ten tio n s were su sta in e d b y th e affirm ative
v ote of th e ch airm an of th e b o ard in a m a jo rity of in stan ces, th e p u b lish ers’
rep resen tativ es e m p h atic a lly declined to a p p ro v e th e a w ard as a whole. T h ey
annou n ced t h a t while th e y w ould a tta c h th e ir sig n atu res to th e decision upon
th e affirm ative votes of th re e m em bers of th e b o a rd , th e y w ould follow such
action w ith th e subm ission of a m in o rity rep o rt.
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
We are convinced t h a t th e re p re se n ta tiv e s of th e p u b lish ers v o te d ag ain st
ad o p tin g th e aw ard in th e h o p e t h a t th e ir n eg ativ e v o te s w ould c re a te th e im p res
sion t h a t th e aw ard in its e n tire ty w as sa tisfa c to ry to th e union. Co-uld th is
erroneous im pression be created , th e g en tlem an w ho a c te d as counsel fo r th e
publishers in th is c ity a n d w ho also is counsel fo r p u b lish ers in o th e r cities w ould
be in a position to cite th e L os Angeles a w ard to th e d isa d v a n ta g e of th e union
elsew here in p en d in g or fu tu re w age scale a d ju stm e n ts.
T his sta te m e n t is w ritte n in o rd er t h a t th e p o sitio n of Los Angeles T y p o
graphical U nion N o. 174 m ay n o t be m isin te rp re te d or m isconstrued.
Newspapers—Washington, D. C.
of the agreement of Typographical Union No.
A T101THEwithexpiration
the newspaper publishers of Washington, November
11, 1925, the union asked for an increase in wage rates which the pub
lishers at first refused altogether, though later they offered an increase
of 30 cents a day-. Finally they offered to arbitrate the matter,
suggesting that Justice Hitz, of the Supreme Court of the District
of Columbia, be the arbitrator. The union accepted him.
Justice Hitz on May 12 rendered an award modifying the exist
ing contract in a few respects, granting in the main the requests of
the union—$9 per day and $10 per night, increasing the day rate
by $1.30 and the night rate by $1.60, the number of hours to remain
at seven, Washington’s birthday added to the list of recognized holi
days, and the provision allowing an office to work its force up to
four hours a week at a single price removed. The remaining clauses
in the award are as follows:
1. T h e u rin te rs ’ pro p o sal th at; section 2 of th e existing c o n tra c t re la tiv e to
ra te s for d ay w ork, n ig h t w ork, a n d d ay a n d n ig h t w ork a n d d a y ra te on Sun
d ay aftern o o n or evening p ap ers, be chan g ed to th e ra te s req u e ste d b y th e
p rin te rs, is g ra n te d , a n d th e a m o u n ts proposed b y th e p rin te rs shall be th e scale
of w ages em bodied in th e new c o n tra c t in effect on a n d a fte r N ovem ber 11,
1925.
,
. , J ,
2. T he p rin te rs ’ pro p o sal rela tiv e to lin o ty p e o p era to rs, w hen re q u ire d to do
m echanical w ork on ty p e s e ttin g m achines o th er th a n o p e ra tin g th e k ey b o ard ,
is denied..
. . .
.
3. T he p u b lish ers’ p ro p o sal relativ e to a n y m em b er of th e union who, by
reason of ad v an ced years or o th e r cause, m ay n o t be capable of p ro d u cin g an
average d a y ’s w ork, e tc. is g ra n te d , w ith th e s u b s titu tio n of th e “ p re sid e n t of
th e u n io n ” in lieu of th e “ fo rem an of th e office” as s ta te d b y th e pub lish ers
proposal.
4. T he p rin te rs ’ pro p o sal t h a t “ if m en are re q u ire d to w ork a t such tim e t h a t
th e seven hours fall p a rtly in th e h o u rs d u rin g w hich th e d ay ra te p rev ails a n d
p a rtly d u ring th e h o u rs in w hich n ig h t ra te o b ta in s, th e y sh all receive th e n ig h t
scale, except t h a t , e tc .” is g ra n te d to ta k e effect on a n d a fte r M a y 24, 1926.
5. T he p u b lish ers’ p ro p o sal in re g a rd to th e sam e condition-—n a m e ly , t h a t
“ if m en are req u ired to w ork a t such tim e t h a t th e eig h t h o u rs fall p a rtly in th e
hours d u rin g w hich t h e d a y ra te p revails a n d p a rtly d u rin g th e h o u rs in w hich
th e n ig h t ra te o b ta in s, e tc. ”— is denied!
6. T he p u b lish ers’ re q u e st fo r no change in th e provision governing in case
of a recall a fte r th e m en h av e left th e office fo r th e d a y , is g ra n te d .
11.. I t is th e finding of th e a rb itra to r t h a t th e c o n tra c t sh o u ld ru n for one
y ear from N ovem ber 11, 1925, except as otherw ise p ro v id ed herein.
13. Section 9 is to re m a in th e sam e, dealing w ith jo u rn ey m en , as it is in th e
p resen t co n tract.
14. T he p rin te rs’ p ro p o sal to lim it ap p re n tic e s in th e ra tio of 1 to 10 jo u rn e y
m en w ith th e fu rth e r lim ita tio n t h a t n o t m ore th a n five m a y be em ployed in
an y one office, is den ied .
15. T h e p rin te rs ’ p ro p o sal u n d e r “ (d )” p a ra g ra p h o f section 2, “ sphere of
w o rk ,” re la tin g to th e th ird y e a r of a n a p p re n tic e , is g ra n te d , th e pub lish ers
h av in g agreed to it.
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16. T he change req u e ste d b y th e p u b lish ers u n d e r section 3 w ith re g a rd to
s u b s titu tio n of an eig h t fo r a seven h o u r d ay is denied.
17. T he scale governing ap p ren tices a fte r th e first y ear, referred to in section
4, shall rem ain as in th e p resen t c o n tra c t w ith o u t change e ith e r in d ay w ork or
n ig h t w ork.
Railroads— Decisions of Railroad Labor Board
Discharge
|N DECISION No. 4164, May 6, 1926, the Railroad Labor Board
rendered an opinion relative to four clerks discharged by the
American Railway Express Co.
They were among six warehousemen at the Cincinnati agency
whose positions had been abolished May 16, 1924, and who were now
requesting restoration, as they had been denied the right to exercise
their seniority rights over the junior employees.
ih e carrier accom plished th e red u c tio n in force by abolishing po sitio n s of
em ployees oldest m age ra th e r th a n la y in g off em ployees h a v in g th e le a st senior
ity , on th e th e o ry t h a t should th e old er em ployees be re ta in e d in th e service
th e y w ould be p h ysically u n ab le to p erfo rm th e ir p ro p o rtio n of th e w ork re
q u ired of th e cu rtailed force. T he evidence in th is case show s t h a t p rio r to th e
force re d u ctio n th e a g e n t a t C in cin n ati h a d betw een 170 a n d 188 em ployees
u n d er his supervision, 82 of w hom w ere w arehousem en. R ule 24 re a d s:
. I o sitio n s a b olish ed. E m ployees whose positions are abolished m ay exercise
th e ir _sen io rity rig h ts o ver ju n io r em ployees. O th er em ployees affected m ay
exercise th e ir sen io rity in th e sam e m a n n e r.”
T he carrier denies t h a t a n y in ju stic e has been done these em ployees or th a t
a n y v iolation of a rule h as occurred. I t a d m its a c ita tio n of rule 24 b u t calls
a tte n tio n to the fa c t t n a t such ru le specified th e exercise of sen io rity rig h ts a n d
asserts t h a t th e use of th e te rm “ sen io rity r ig h ts ” a s d istin g u ish ed fro m “ senior
i t y ” is in te n d e d to provide, p e r rules 28 a n d 4, th e elem ents of fitness a n d a b ility
as well as seniority. T h e carrier a sserts t h a t w hile th ese m en possess sen io rity
th e y lack fitness a n d a b ility . R ules 28 a n d 4 re a d a s follow s:
R u l e ^8. E x e r c is in g se n io rity .
T h e exercise of sen io rity in re d u ctio n s of
force or displacing ju n io r em ployees p ro v id ed for in th is a rticle is su b je c t to th e
provisions of rule 4 of th is article.
R u le 4. P ro m o tio n b a sis .— E m ployees covered bv th ese rules shall be in
line fo r p rom otion. P ro m o tio n shall be based on sen io rity , fitness, a n d a b il it y
fitness a n d ab ility being sufficient, sen io rity shall p re v a il; except, how ever, th a t
Lie tr a in m essenger service a n d office sen io rity shall n o t be in terch an g eab le,
t n e sen io rity of eacn shall d a te from th e d a te of th e p a rtic u la r service in w hich
the_ sam e shall be in s titu te d ; pro v id ed , how ever, th a t em ployees shall re ta in
th e ir sen io rity as accepted on ro s te r of Ja n u a ry 1, 1920.
“ N o t e — T he w ord ‘su fficien t’ is in te n d e d to m ore clearly estab lish th e rig h t
of th e senior em ployees to bid in a ‘new p o sitio n ’ or ‘v a c a n c y ’ w here tw o or
m ore em ployees h av e a d e q u a te ‘fitness a n d a b ility .’ ”
O p in io n .— T he evidence p resen ted show s t h a t th e fo u r m en in v o lv ed were
em ployed a t a tim e w hen la b o r w as scarce a n d t h a t d u rin g n o rm al tim e s th e ir
age w ould p ro b ab ly hav e p re v e n te d th e ir em p lo y m en t, all being o v er th e age
lim it ap p ly in g to new em ployees. H ow ever, th e ir fitness a n d a b ility w as n o t
q uestioned d u rin g t h a t p eriod of th e ir em p lo y m en t a n d no claim is m ad e t h a t a n y
sudden change h a a ta k e n place in th e ir phy sical con d itio n . T h e re te n tio n of
these m en as w arehousem en for a perio d of over fo u r y e ars w ith o u t q u estio n in g
kou a iility
P erf01'111 th e d u ties of th e p ositions estab lish es th e ir fitness an d
a b ility to p erfo rm th e d u ties o rd in arily re q u ired of w arehousem en a t th e C in
cin n ati agency. In th e opinion of th e b o ard th e ir dism issal is in v io latio n of th e
ru les governing red u c tio n in forces.
D e c isio n , f l o u r m en nam ed], shall be re sto red to service w ith sen io rity
u n im p aired a n d co m pen sated fo r w age loss su sta in e d , less a n y a m o u n t e a rn ed in
o th e r em ploym ent.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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168
MONTHLY LABOR BEVIEW
Reclassification
DISPUTE involving the reclassification and reduction in the
rate of pay of 43 positions of agent-telegrapher and_ agenttelephomer was decided by the Railroad Labor Board in Decision No.
4119, April 29, 1926.
The facts were as follows: The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy
Railroad discontinued telegraph service at several of its stations
between March 1, 1924, and June 1, 1925, and created the position
of agent or agent custodian in place of the former agent telegrapher
or telephoner. The old rate ranged from 54 to 65 cents per hour.
The new rate ranged from $60 to $75 a month.
The employees contended that this action of the carrier was in
violation of the following rules of the agreement, that there had been
no change in the duties and responsibilities of the position,_and that
the stations were not small nontelegraph, within the meaning of the
term-as used in the orders of the Labor Board. They asked that the
earlier rates be restored and retroactive adjustment in the compensa
tion of the employees affected he made.
A
R u l e - 1. T he follow ing ru les a n d ra te s of p a y shall a p p ly to positions held by
teleg rap h ers, telephon e o p e ra to rs (except sw itch b o ard o p erato rs), ag en ts, agentteleg rap h ers, ag ent-telep h o n ers, p rin te r-o p e ra to rs, w ire chiefs, tow erm en, leverm en, to w er an d tr a in d irecto rs, block o p erato rs, a n d staff m en show n in w age
scale, w ho shall be h e re in a fte r considered te leg rap h ers w ith in th e m eaning of
th ese rules.
R u l e 10. (a) T h e e n t e r i n g of t e l e g r a p h e r s i n t h e p o s i t i o n s o c c u p ie d in t h e
s e r v ic e o r c h a n g i n g th eifr c la s s if ic a tio n o r w o r k s h a ll n o t o p e r a t e t o e s t a b l i s h a
le s s f a v o r a b l e r a t e o f p a y o r c o n d i t i o n o f e m p l o y m e n t t h a n is h e r e i n e s t a b l is h e d .
The carrier contended that the action was in accordance with the
provisions of rule 2, as follows:
" R u l e 2. W hen new positions are created , th e y will be ad d ed to th e list
covered b y rule 1, a n d co m p en satio n will be a rran g ed in c o n fo rm ity w ith positions
of th e sam e class show n in th is schedule. T h e ra te s so m ad e to be su b je c t to
revision bv agreem en t, if a p p eal is m ad e w ith in 30 d a y s.”
T he carrier fu rth e r c o n ten d s t h a t a new p o sitio n is cre a te d w hen telegraph
service is rem oved and t h a t such a ctio n c o n stitu te s a su b s ta n tia l change in th e
d u ties a n d responsibilities because th e teleg rap h ic d u tie s are th e m ain elem ents
w hich cause a te leg ra p h o p e ra to r to be p aid on a h ig h er scale th a n an o rd in ary
sta tio n em ployee; t h a t th e provisions of ad d e n d u m No. 1 to su p p lem en t No. 13
m u s t be considered in th e a p p lic a tio n of ru le 10, a n d t h a t th e a c ti° n ta k e n is fully
in accordance w ith th e in te rp re ta tio n c o n tain ed in ad d e n d u m No. 1; a n d t h a t th e
only question involved in th is d isp u te is th e ju stn e ss an d reasonableness of th e
ra te s established fo r th e reclassified positions.
O p in io n .— T he evidence in th is case show s t h a t positions d esignated as sm all
n o n teleg rap h ag en ts are n o t in cluded in th e a g reem en t betw een th is carrier an d
its em ployees; therefo re, th e c o n te n tio n t h a t a v io latio n of th is a g reem en t has
occurred can n o t be su p p o rted . I t also a p p e a rs t h a t in th e n e g o tiatio n s reg ard in g
th is m a tte r th e carrier offered to estab lish a ra te of 48 c en ts fo r each of these
positions w ith th e u n d e rsta n d in g t h a t th is a m o u n t m ig h t be jo in tly d istrib u te d ,
ra tin g some of th e positions a t a low er ra te a n d som e a t a hig h er ra te , re tro a c tiv e
to th e d a te of th e change a t each sta tio n . T h e c a rrie r sta te s in e x p lan a tio n of
th is offer t h a t i t w as m ad e in a n effort to se ttle th e d isp u te a lth o u g h i t did n o t
consider t h a t m a n y of th e p ositions w ere e n title d to th e 48-cent ra te . T he
board does n o t su p p o rt th e c o n ten tio n th a t th e ag en t-te le g ra p h e r classification
and ra te of p ay should be co n tin u ed in effect a n d n o t changed u n til a fte r confer
ence an d ag reem en t w ith th e co m m ittee, nor does i t believe t h a t a ra te below th e
m inim um established b y decisions of th is b o ard fo r positions of sm all n o n teleg rap h
agents, 48 cents a n hour, should be m ad e effective unless i t is done b y a g reem en t.
T h e q uestion of th e p ro p e r ra te of th e reclassified p o sitio n is one w hich is d e p e n d
e n t upon th e ex te n t of th e decrease in th e d u ties a n d responsibilities of th e position.
T h e evidence su b m itte d on th is p o in t is conflicting a n d should be th e su b je c t
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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AWARDS AND DECISIONS--- RAILROAD LABOR BOARD
169
of a jo in t in v estig atio n by th e rep rese n ta tiv e s of th e p arties for a sufficient p erio d
of tim e to develop th e a c tu a l conditions.
D e c is io n — A ra te of 48 cen ts a n h o u r shall be estab lish ed fo r each of th e se
positions w ith re tro a c tiv e a d ju s tm e n t in th e com p en satio n of th e em ployees
affected to th e d a te th e positions w ere reclassified. P a rtie s shall confer a n d
endeavor to agree on th e p ro p er ra te th a t should be estab lish ed fo r th ese positio n s.
In th e e v e n t a n ag reem en t c an n o t be reach ed a n d i t is necessary to re s u b m it
th e d isp u te to th e R ailro ad L ab o r B o ard a jo in t check shall be m a d e a t each
of th e sta tio n s involved a n d a d etailed re p o rt of th e d u tie s a n d resp o n sib ilities
of each position w ith full in fo rm atio n as to th e e x te n t such d u ties a n d resp o n si
bilities h av e been changed shall be su b m itted .
Seniority—Sleeping-Car Conductors
A CONTENTION relative to seniority was settled by the Railroad
J s>' Labor Board in Decision No. 4159, May 5, 1926/
On May 1, 1925, the Pullman Co. took over the sleeping-car
business of the Central of Georgia Railway Co. and with it three
ticket collectors who were placed on the seniority roster of the com
pany with the seniority date acquired by them on the Central of
Georgia Railway.
Prior to May 1, 1925, the three collectors had been operating on
line No. 2786 between Savannah and Atlanta, Ga., in addition to
men in the pool of the Pullman Co. After that date two of the col
lectors operated regularly on the same line with a weekly relief, and
eight Pullman conductors were operated on lines between Savannah
and Montgomery via the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad and between
Savannah and Macon on the Central of Georgia Railway.
On Ju ly 11, 1925, th e carrier decided to pool all ru n s o u t of S a v a n n a h w ith 11
co n d u cto rs on line No. 2784 betw een S av a n n a h a n d A tla n ta , line No. 2026-2032
betw een S av an n ah a n d M ontgom ery, a n d on line No. 3199 b etw een S av a n n a h
a n d M acon.
_ T h e em ployees conten d t h a t u n d er ru le 7 -b of th e a g reem en t th e th re e fo rm er
tic k e t collectors of th e C e n tra l of G eorgia R ailw ay Co. should c a rry seniority
d a te as of M ay 1, 1925, th e d a te th e y w ere ta k e n over b y th e P u llm an Co., if
th e y are p e rm itte d to o p e ra te on o th e r th a n C e n tra l of G eo rg ia R ailw ay Co.
te rrito ry . T h e ru le referred to re ad s as follows:
“ W here conductors are tra n sfe rre d to o th e r d istricts to w ork on seasonal ru n s
or o th e r te m p o ra ry assignm ents, th e y will re ta in th e ir sen io rity in th e d is tric t
from w hich tra n sfe rre d a n d will ra n k as ju n io r to all co n d u cto rs in th e districtto w hich tra n sfe rre d .”
T h e carrier co n ten d s t h a t its actio n in g ra n tin g th e th re e tic k e t collectors in
q u estio n th e sen io rity rig h ts th e y accrued in th e ir sim ilar p ositions w ith th e
C e n tra l of G eorgia R ailw ay Co. is in accordance w ith th e long-established p ractice
of th e P u llm an Co. in sim ilar cases a n d w ith th e u n d e rsta n d in g b etw een th e tw o
com panies w hen th e sleeping-car service w as ta k e n over.
D e c is io n .— U nder th e fa c ts a n d circum stances su rro u n d in g th is p a rtic u la r case*
th e position of th e carrier is sustained.
Sunday Work
rTTIE question of proper compensation of regularly assigned tower^ men on the terminal division for Sunday work performed at
different hours from those constituting the regular week-day assign
ment was considered by the Railroad Labor Board April 29, 1926, in
Decision No. 4120.
On the terminal division of the Boston & Maine Railroad, at Boston,
there are six interlocking towers. The present agreement provides
in article (Ji) that “ terminal division towermen assigned to work
seven days per week will be allowed 13 Sundays off per year.”
102973°—2R
12
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[1691
170
M O N TH LY LABOR REVIEW
In order to comply with this rule, it has been the practice for several
years for some oi the employees to work on Sundays in a different
tower than they worked on week days, and in the case of several
levermen to work different tricks on Sundays than on week days.
T h e q uestion is: Should a lev erm an who w orks a d ifferent tric k on S u n d ay s
th a n h e does on w eek days, w hen all th e h o u rs of su ch d ifferent tric k on S u n d ay s
are outside th e assigned h o u rs on w eek days, be p a id p u n itiv e ra te s fo r all th e
tim e w orked on S undays?
T h e te rm in a l division to w erm en o b ject to w orking different ho u rs a n d assign
m e n ts S un d ay s th a n w eek d a y s because th e y claim t h a t such a n a rra n g e m e n t
places th e m u n d e r m ore stren u o u s a n d try in g cond itio n s as well as u n d e r g reater
responsibility S un d ay s th a n w eek d ay s. T h e em ployees c o n ten d t h a t th is w ork
should be done b y th e re g u lar relief m en or given to sp are to w erm en ; a n d fu rth e r
t h a t D ecision N o. 2060 p lain ly decides t h a t tim e w orked S u n d ay s o u tsid e th e
w eek-day sp read should b e p a id fo r a t p u n itiv e rate s.
T h e carrier co n ten d s t h a t p ro -ra ta ra te s sh o u ld be p a id fo r all tim e w orked
on Sundays u n d e r th e S u n d ay a n d h o lid ay ru le of D ecision No. 757 [L abor
R eview , A pril, 1922, p . 123], w hich ru le is a p a r t of its ag reem en t, a n d read s:
“ R u l e 8. S u n d a y a n d h o lid a y w o r k .— E m ployees will be excused
from S un
d a y a n d holiday d u tie s as m u ch as th e co n d itio n of business will p e rm it.
“ T im e w orked on S u n d ay s a n d th e follow ing holid ay s— nam ely, N ew Y e a r’s
D ay , W ashington’s B irth d a y , D eco ratio n D ay, F o u rth of Ju ly , L ab o r D ay ,
T han k sg iv in g D ay , a n d C h ristm a s (p rovided w hen a n y of th e ab o v e h olidays
fall-on S u nday, th e d ay observ ed b y th e sta tio n , N a tio n , or b y p ro clam atio n shall
be considered th e h o lid ay )— shall be p a id fo r a t th e re g u la r h o u rly ra te w hen
th e en tire n u m b er of h o u rs c o n stitu tin g th e re g u la r w eek-day assig n m en t are
w orked.
“ W hen notified or called to w o rk on S undays a n d th e ab o v e specified holid ay s
a less n u m b er of h o u rs th a n c o n stitu te a d a y ’s w ork w ith in th e lim its of th e
reg u lar w eek-day assig n m en t, em ployees shall be p a id a m in im u m allow ance of
tw o ho u rs a t ov ertim e ra te fo r tw o h o u rs’ w ork or less, a n d a t th e re g u lar ho u rly
ra te a fte r th e second h o u r of each to u r of d u ty . T im e w o rk ed before o r a fte r
th e lim its of th e reg u lar w eek-day assig n m en t shall be p aid fo r in accordance
w ith o v ertim e a n d call ru le s.”
T h e carrier fu rth e r co n ten d s t h a t th e re is n o th in g in D ecision No. 2060 t h a t
specifically deals w ith th e m e th o d of p a y in g fo r S u n d ay a n d h o lid ay service
w here th e e n tire n u m b e r of h o u rs c o n stitu tin g th e re g u la r w eek-day assig n m en t
a re w orked a n d no p o rtio n of such S u n d ay o r h o lid ay w o rk is w ith in th e lim its
of th e reg u lar w eek-day assig n m en t; t h a t th e second p a ra g ra p h of ru le 8 of
D ecision No. 757, w hich pro v id es t h a t tim e w orked on S u n d ay s sh all b e p a id
for a t th e reg u lar h o u rly ra te w hen th e e n tire n u m b e r of h o u rs c o n stitu tin g th e
regular -week-day assig n m en t a re w orked, is ap p licab le in th is case; a n d t h a t th e
p e n a lty w hich th e o rg an izatio n claim s should be p a id in th is case is a n o th e r
good reason w hy th e re should be no ru le w hich req u ires t h a t th is p a rtic u la r group
of m en should be relieved 13 S u n d ay s a year.
D e c i s i o n .— C laim of th e em ployees is su stain ed .
Vacation Allowance
A CLAIM of the employees that the carrier should not deduct
from the vacation allowance of employees the time they are
absent from duty on Saturday afternoon when such employees lay off
before the regular quitting time on that day was settled by the Railroad Labor Board in Decision No. 4162, May 6, 1926.
An employee in the office of the auditor of freight receipts of the
Northern Pacific Railway Co. at St. Paul, on a Saturday, after
working 2 hours and 35 minutes was excused from duty for the rest
of the day and on that day his vacation allowance was debited with
5 hours and 25 minutes. Lie protested the deduction, contending
that his vacation allowance should have been reduced 6}^ 1 hour
and 55 minutes only, because the office in which lie was employed did
not require Saturday afternoon service.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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AWARDS AND DECISIONS---- RAILROAD LABOR BOARD
171
T he carrier sta te s t h a t it has been th e p ractice since A pril, 1922, w hen a n
em ployee re p o rts fo r d u ty on S a tu rd a y m o rn in g a n d is excused a t his re q u e st
before th e reg u lar closing tim e on t h a t d ay , to charge a g a in st th e v a c a tio n allow ance
of th e em ployee th e difference betw een th e tim e a c tu a lly w orked a n d e ig h t hours.
T h e carrier co n ten d s t h a t th e q uestion of reg u la tio n of v a c a tio n s is a m an ag e rial
one, an d w hen occasion arises w hich n ecessitates th e esta b lish m e n t of a practice
to cover th e c o m p u ta tio n of tim e in co nnection w ith g ra n tin g v acatio n s, th e
c arrier m u s t necessarily lay dow n such principles as in its ju d g m e n t will p roduce
a fair an d eq u itab le re s u lt to b o th th e em ployees a n d th e carrier.
D e c i s i o n .— C laim of th e em ployees is sustain ed .
Pending Disputes Remanded
HPHE last decision of the Railroad Labor Board is No. 4197, dated
x
May 12, 1926. In it the board makes the following state
ment and decision:
S t a t e m e n t .— B oth houses of C ongress h a v e passed a bill w hich pro v id es fo r th e
rep eal of T itle I I I of th e tra n sp o rta tio n a c t, 1920, a n d s u b s titu te d th e re fo r a n o th e r
m e th o d of procedure fo r disposing of d isp u tes betw een th e carrie rs a n d th e ir
em ployees, a n d it is reaso n ab ly c ertain t h a t th e bill will becom e a law a t a n early
d a te .
T he R ailro ad L abor B o ard h as on its cale n d ar fo r co n sid eratio n 426 dockets
covering 468 d isp u tes w hich h av e been p ro p erly filed in accordance w ith th e
provisions of th e tra n s p o rta tio n a c t a n d dock eted u n d er th e rules of th e b o ard ,
w hich can n o t be considered a n d disposed of in th e u su a l m an n e r. Of th is
n u m b er, 424 d isp u tes are of a local n a tu re affecting in d iv id u a l ro ad s a n d th e ir
em ployees in one or m ore classes of service or possibly tw o or th re e railro a d s a t
one p o in t; and 44 are of a general n a tu re affecting larg e groups of em ployees in
m an y o r all classes of service, such as g eneral re q u e sts fo r w age increases or
general revision of ru les governing w orking conditions.
D e c is io n .— U nder th e circu m stan ces ab o v e cited , th e R ailro ad L ab o r B oard
hereb y rem an d s all pen d in g d isp u tes to th e p a rtie s in in te re st for th e p u rpose of
fu rth e r discussion a n d ag reem en t, if possible.
If, fo r a n y reason, o th e r p en d in g d isp u tes h av e n o t been inclu d ed in th e cases
specified herein, such d isp u tes a re h ereb y re m an d ed w ith th e sam e force a n d
effect as if th e y h a d been o riginally included.
The act here referred to was approved May 20, 1926, and was
printed in the June Labor Review, pp. 33 to 41.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[171]
CONCILIATION AND ARBITRATION
Conciliation Work of the Department of Labor in May, 1926
B y H u g h L. K e r w i n , D i r e c t o r
of
C o n c il ia t io n
HE Secretary of Labor, through the Conciliation Service, exer
cised his good offices in connection with 71 labor disputes
during May, 1926. These disputes affected a known total
of 58,561 employees. The table following shows ^ the name and
location of the establishment or industry in which the dispute
occurred, the nature of the dispute (whether strike or lockout or
controvers}7" not having reached strike or lockout stage), the craft
or trade concerned, the cause of the dispute, its present status, the
terms of settlement, the date of beginning and ending, and the
number of workmen directly and indirectly affected.
On June 1, 1926, there were 49 strikes before the department for
settlement and, in addition, 13 controversies which had not reached
the strike stage. Total number of cases pending, 62.
T
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[172]
LABO jv DISPUTES H ANDLED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTM ENT OF LABOR THROUGH ITS CONCILIATION SERVICE, MAY, 1926
Company or industry and location
Nature of
controversy
Duration
Craft concerned
Plumbers, Cedar Rapids, Iowa___ Strike......... Building.
Plasterers, Columbus, Ohio............ Controversy. ___ do__
Contract shops, Erie, Pa____
Carpenters, Philadelphia, Pa.
Electrical work.
Building______
.do.
Paper-box work.
-do.
Hat making.......
-do.
_do.
Fishing industry...
Building.................
Carpenters, South Bend, Ind____ .......do_____ ___ do................. .
[173]
Ohio Power & Light Co., Akron, .......do.......... Traction..............
Ohio.
Zolo Bros., Boston, Mass................ .......do.......... Clothing industry..
County Builders Association,
Beaver County, Pa.
Montgomery and Delaware Coun
ties, Pa.
William Provost, jr., contractor,
Chester, Pa.
Building Association, Charleston,
W. Va.
Teamsters, Hammond, Ind.............
___ do.......... Bricklaying.........
Controversy. Carpenter work__
Strike........... ___ do___________
Asked $1 per day increase.. Adjusted. Allowed $1 day increase; $10
per day.
.......do___________ ______ Adjusted. Allowed 50 cents per day
increase.
.do.
Adjusted. Allowed $1 per day increase..
Asked $1.25 per hour— Adjusted. Allowed 12j^ cents per hour
123 ^-cent increase.
increase.
Organization dispute____ Unable to adjust. Mediation not de
sired.
Distribution of work by Pending______ ______________ _____
foreman.
Price offish.................... .
.do.
Wages___________ ____ Adjusted. Allowed 80 cents per day
increase—$10.80.
Asked 10 cents per hour Adjusted. Returned; submitted to
increase.
arbitration.
Wages and working con Adjusted. Returned; accept former
ditions.
rates.
Piecework system ............ Adjusted. Returned; conditions ad
justed.
Asked 12^ cents per hour Adjusted. Returned; increase allowed..
increase.
Asked wage increase____ .....d o ...
_do.
.......do_____ Building trades___ Association demanded de
crease.
Controversy. Teaming________ Asked 5 cents per hour
increase,
Federal Baking Co., Pittsburgh, Pa. ___ do.
Baking trade.
f1) ------------------------------Kelly Silk Mills, Scranton, Pa___ Strike..
Textile_____
Wage cut of 2}^ cents per
yard.
Structural-iron workers, Philadel ___ do_____ Building____
Asked $1.50 per hour.
phia, Pa.
Adjusted.
Keiser Co., Pottstown, Pa............. ___ do_____ Carpentering.
Wage increase...................
Structural-iron
workers,
Des .......do_____ Building____
.do.
Moines, Iowa.
Thos. Monyhan Co., Indianapolis, ___ do.......... Bricklaying and Wages and agreement.
Ind.
engineering.
Tivoli Theater, Indianapolis, Ind._ Controversy. Sheet-metal work.. Nonunion labor...........
1Not reported.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Present status. Terms of settlement
Begin
ning
Ending
1926
1926
May 1 May 4
May 3
Men involved
Di
Indi
rectly rectly
100
May 3
90
May 1 May 29
--_do___ May 15
75
900
Mar. 3 May 11
38
20
May 5
22
60
May 10
500
1,800
-__do___ May 8
450
0)
May 1
May 2
May 22
800
Apr. 27
Apr. 30
15
May 1 May 8
0
May 15
150
Pending.
0
50
May 1
450
-----d o ...
May 5
Allowed $1.37^ per hour........... .............
150
(i)
700
8
May 17
900
Adjusted. Allowed $1 per hour—10
0
0
cents per hour increase.
Adjusted. Two-year contract with Apr. 1 May 5
ascending scale of wages.
Adjusted. Returned pending arbitra .--do___ May 7
tion.
Adjusted. Union sheet-metal men em Apr. 19 May 14
ployed.
50
0
200
0)
___ d o ...
,do.
(0
Unclassilied. Other workers employed. May 5 May 6
100
8,100
CONCILIATION AND ARBITRATION
Arrow Manufacturing Co., New
York City.
H. D. Beilins Hat Co., New York
City.
Fishermen, Pittsburg, Calif.............
Painters, St. Louis, Mo.............. .
Strike..
.......do.
Cause of dispute
200
60
2,500
15
200
1
40
■<5
CO
LABOR DISPUTES HANDLED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTM ENT OF LABOR THROUGH ITS CONCILIATION SERVICE, MAY, 1928—Contd.
Duration
Company or industry and location
Nature of
controversy
Pierce Construction Co., Indian
apolis, Ind.
Arthur Reed, Indianapolis, Ind.
Painters, Wilmington, Del.........
Cause of dispute
Craft concerned
Present status. Terms of settlement
Building...............
Adjusted. Terms not reported_______
.do.
-do.
15 restaurants, Wilmington, Del__
Waiters and cooks.
Carpenters, New London, C on n ...
Building................
Edward Bloom Co., New London,
Conn.
Barbers, Buffalo, N. Y__.................
Silk textiles...........
Plumbers and steamfitters, Lockport, N. Y.
Mascot Stove Manufacturing Co.,
Chattanooga, Tenn.
Sheet-metal workers, Portsmouth,
Ohio.
Bricklayers, Providence, R. I____
Carpenters, Bridgeport, Conn__.__.
James Theater, Akron, Ohio_____
Building________
Barbering_______
___ do....................
___ do__________
Projection..... ........
Copper work,.___
Raritan Copper Co., Perth Amboy,
N. J.
Building...............
Sheet-metal workers, Indianapolis,
Ind.
Lumberman Building, Indian- Threatened ___ do..... ............. .
apolis, Ind.
strike.
___ do....... .............
Building trades, Indianapolis, Strike.
Ind.
Stove mounting.-.
Estate Stove Co., Hamilton, Ohio..
0-
Asked $1.50 per hour......... Adjusted. Allowed $1.50 per hour____
( i ) ------------------------------------------------- Pending__ ____ _________ __________
Unclassified. Settled before commis
0 - ............ - ...........sioner’s arrival.
Asked 10 cents per hour Adjusted. Allowed 5 cents per hour
increase.
increase.
Adjusted. Scale beginning with 2J^
___ do........ .................... .
cents per hour increase.
Proposed use of nonunion Adjusted. Union engineers employed..
hoisting engineers.
___ do..... ........................... ___ do.
National Enameling & Stamping
Co., Granite City, 111.
Plumbers, New Brunswick, N. J—
Enameling--.........
Jurisdictional work given Pending___
to nonunion workers.
Open shop declared........... Unclassified.
Building________
Asked $2 per day increase. - Adjusted. Allowed $2 per day increase
Building trades, Zanesville, Ohio_-
___ do__________
Asked 10 cents per hour Adjusted. Allowed 10 cents per hour
increase and closed shop.
increase.
Asked 14 cents per pound- Unclassified. Allowed 13,l/2 cents per
pound before commissioner’s arrival.
Asked $10 per month in Pending........ ......................................—
crease.
Gill-net fishermen, Astoria, Oreg~_.
Fishing industry
Tug firemen, Buffalo, N. Y__
Firemen________
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
s '.
Ending
Di
Indi
rectly rectly
1926
1926
Apr. 1 May 7
1
...d o ___ May 8
17
50
60
140
0
May 10 May 14
130
May 11
200
May 5
340
Apr. 12
May 3
May 8
510
65
May 12
20
10
10
May 27
(i)
May 8
May 28
350
600
May 14
50
May 1 May 24
Apr. 27
May 14
0
May 10
0
May 16
1,200
Apr.
1 May 11
300
Apr.
8 Apr. 10
75
May 4
31
May 17
450
May 18
75
May 20
35
1 May 15
2,500
April__ June 10
75
May 13
May
100
May 11
May 19
0
0
10
50
5
2,000
M O N T H L Y LAB OH REV IEW
[174]
Stove mounting.._
Nonunion hoisting engi Adjusted. Union men employed; scale
paid.
neers.
Wages and agreement___ Adjusted. Returned to work pending
arbitration.
Asked 10 cents per hour Pending........ ............................... . . . . . . . .
increase.
Yfages and hours.......... . . . Adjusted. 10 hours for 6 days; overtime
for Sunday.
Asked 15 cents per hour Adjusted. Returned; demands granted.
increase.
Asked "¿Yicents per yard Pending
increase.
Asked $3 per week increase Adjusted. Increase allowed and new
agreement.
Asked 25 per cent in Adjusted. Increase of $1 per day
allowed.
crease—$2 per day.
Working conditions____ Unable to adjust. Negotiation refused.'.
Building.
Begin
ning
Men involved
Painters and decorators, Philadel ___ do—....... Building.
phia, Pa.
Carpenters, Los Angeles, Calif___ Controversy ___ do___
Red-top cabs, Jersey City, N . J __
Strike........... Taxi drivers.
Tiger Taxi Co., Jersey City, N. J ...
Structural-iron workers, Allentown,
Pa.
Plasterers, Toledo, Ohio_____ ____
.do.......... ___ do___
.do.......... Building.
-----do...................... Asked $14 per day............. Adjusted. Allowed $12.50 till Nov. 1;
then $13.
___ do...................... Wages; violation shop Unable to adjust____________________
rules.
.do.
Machinists............. Asked 12 per cent increase;
.do.
79 cents per hour.
Threatened Cigar industry....... Asked $1.50 per thousand.. Adjusted. Terms not reported...............
strike.
Strike........ . Fireproof materials. Asked 10 cents per hour Adjusted. Slight increases allowed with
increase.
scale.
___ do.......... Brick making....... . Asked 50 cents per day in Adjusted. Returned; no change______
increase.
Controversy Sheet-m etal and Jurisdiction of hollow- Adjusted. Satisfactory agreement with
metal door work.
carpenter work.
ironworkers.
Strike....... . Building....... ......... Wage controversy_______ Pending.___ _______________________
Controversy Furniture............... Alleged lack of coopera Adjusted. Terms not reported...... ........
tion by union employees.
Building.
Wage negotiations______ Adjusted. Renewed 1925 wage scale__
___ do.
___ do__
___ do........................... ...... Unclassified. Increases allowed before
Strike..
commissioner’s arrival.
Total.
1Not reported.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
20
55
0)
May 4
.do.
Apr. 22
29
May 14
43
Controversy
Lazarus Building, Columbus, Ohio. Strike..
Hod carriers and laborers, Hart
ford, Conn.
Dow Manufacturing Co., Wauke
gan, 111.
Silesia Mills, North Chelmsford,
Mass.
Natural Bloom Cigar Co., New
York City.
Barbers, New York City.................
0)
.do.
___ do_____ ___ do.
___ do.......... ___ do.
___ do.
___ do.
___ do.
----- do.
___ do.
Asked $1.25 per hour____ Adjusted. Terms not reported.
Asked $1 per day increase. Pending____ ________________
Adjusted. Allowed 50 cents per day in
crease; $10 per day beginning Aug. 1,
1926.
Adjusted. Union labor employed ex
___ do...................... Nonunion labor.
cept for electrical work.
___ do...................... Asked 80 cents per day in Adjusted. Returned; no increase_____
crease; $8.
Carpenter work__ Asked 5 cents per hour Unclassified. Increase granted before
increase.
commissioner’s arrival.
W eaving cotton Asked 5 cents per yard Unclassified. Returned with small in
creases.
textiles.
increase.
Cigar making____ Asked 10 per cent increase. Pending. No result from conferences...
.do.
___ do.................
May 21
700
200
May 18 June 10
1,184
416
...d o ....... June 4
400
25
_.-do....... May 25
«
May 15 June 4
6
200
May 13
May 21 June 4
25
(')
5
Jan. 1 May 1
May 12 May 26
200
67
Jan. 1 June 5
May 8
22
(')
1,500
Mar. 15 June 1
5,600
18,000
May 25
May 28
250
May 20 June 2
550
...d o ....... May 25
65
May 26 June 1
60
May 15
Barber trade........... Wages, hours, and condi ___ do........................................................... May 24
tions.
15
C O N C ILIA TIO N AND ARBITRATION
[175]
Commodore Peary Hotel, Toledo,
Ohio.
O’Neill Machine Co., Toledo,
Ohio.
R. G. Sullivan (Inc.), Manchester,
N. H.
Three plants in fire-proofing indus
try, Perth Amboy, N. J.
Brick-making industry, Dutchess
Junction, N . Y.
Merchants’ National Bank, Cedar
Rapids, Iowa.
Plumbers, Zanesville, Ohio..-.......
Kurtz Furniture Co., Fullerton,
Pa.
Steam fitters, Indianapolis, Ind__
Hod carriers and electric workers,
Rock Island and Moline, 111.,
and Davenport, Iowa.
Ironworkers, Cedar Rapids, Iowa..
Tile setters and helpers, Kansas
City, Mo.
Carpenters, Washington, D. C___
Asked 12% cents per hour Unclassified. Increase allowed; media
May 28
0)
tion not required.
increase.
Demand closed shop; car Pending__________________________ May 20
penters refuse to work
with nonunion men.
Hours and wages............... Adjusted. Contract; 10-hour day; 12 May 18 May 29
hours on Saturday, Sunday, and holi
days.
.do.
___ do...................................................... . __do....... __do___
Pending............... ............. .........................
0o
350
700
23, 279
35,282
-Ï
Cj x
IM M IG RA TIO N
Statistics of Immigration for April, 1926
By J. J. K u n n a , C h i e f S t a t i s t i c i a n U n i t e d S t a t e s B u r e a u
of
I m m ig ra tio n
HE figures for April, 1926, show 50,957 aliens (33,400 immigrant
and 17,557 nonimmigrant) admitted and 15,769 (4,989 emi
grant and 10,780 nonemigrant) departed. The net increase
for the month in the alien population of the United States was
35,188, which is nearly 15,000 above the average increase for the
preceding nine months of the current fiscal year.
Nearly one-half, or 16,278, of the immigrant aliens admitted in
April came from countries on the Western Hemisphere, Canada,
with 9,047, and Mexico, with 6,316, sending by far the largest num
bers. Europe sent 16,712 immigrants this month, and about twothirds of these came from Great Britain and Ireland and Germany,
the former contributing 5,609 and the latter 5,540. With the excep
tion of Sweden, which sent 1,180 of the April immigrants, the other
countries furnished less than 800 each this month.
New York State continues to lead all others as the settling ground
of immigration, 7,946, or nearly 25 per cent of the total number of
immigrant aliens admitted in April, giving that State as their intended
future permanent residence. The other States receiving large num
bers of the April immigrants were Texas (4,800), Michigan (3,966),
Massachusetts (2,830), Illinois (2,093), Pennsylvania (1,824), New
Jersey (1,671) and California (1,595). Eighty per cent of the total
immigration this month was destined to these eight States.
Of the 4,989 emigrant aliens leaving the United States in April,
3,694 departed for intended future permanent residence in Europe;
828 left for countries in America; 442 went to Asia; and 25 to Africa,
Australia, and the Pacific Islands.
In April, 1,470 aliens were debarred from entering the United
States, but only 186 (180 males and 6 females) were rejected at the
seaports, the remaining 1,284 aliens having been refused admission
at the Canadian or Mexican borderland stations. Most of the aliens
debarred at the seaports were stowaways and seamen seeking perma
nent admission to the United States without immigration visas.
In April, 1,052 undesirable aliens were deported from the United
States for various causes under the general immigration laws. This
is the largest number ever deported during any one month and is an
increase of 12 per cent over the preceding month when 938 aliens
were sent out of the country. Mexico, with 483, received the largest
number of the April deportees, while 163 were sent to Canada and
less than 70 to each of the other countries.
Of the 400,010 aliens admitted during the 10 months from July 1,
1925, to April last, 130,138, or one-third of the total admitted, were of
the class charged to the cjuota; 120,284 came in as natives of non
quota countries and their wives and children; 69,826 as returning
residents; 42,540 as visitors for business or pleasure; and 19,814 as
transits. Wives and children of United States citizens numbered
9,045; Government officials, 4,597; and students, 1,759. The
remaining 2,007 were ministers and professors and them wives and
children, and aliens to carry on trade under existing treaty.
T
176
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[176]
177
IM M IG R A T IO N
T able
1 —INW ARD
AND OUTWARD PASSENGER MOVEMENT, JULY 1, 1925, TO
APRIL 30, 1926
Inward
Period
1925
July_________
August_______
September____
October______
November____
December____
1926
January______
February- ___
March. . ___
April.._______
T o t a l- .-
Outward
Aliens
Aliens
de
de
United
United
Aliens admitted
Aliens departed
barred
ported
States
States
from
after
citi
citi
Non
Immi immi
zens Total enter Emi Nonzens Total land
ing 1 grant emi Total de
ing 2
grant grant Total
ar
grant
rived
parted
18, 590
22, 421
26, 721
28, 685
26, 642
21,089
14,177
17, 052
23, 081
19, 427
14,860
11,216
32, 767
39, 473
49, 802
48,112
41,502
32, 305
26,326 59, 093
49,922 89,395
68, 500 118, 302
35, 413 83, 525
23,118 64, 620
18, 027 50, 332
2,000
1,774
1,429
1.965
1,951
1,932
8,784
7, 539
7,200
7, 674
6, 555
8,840
17, 715
12, 978
12,485
13, 264
11, 915
12,663
26, 499
20, 517
19, 685
20, 938
18,470
21, 503
66,136
37,185
24, 369
24, 227
18, 039
19, 274
92, 635
57, 702
44, 054
45,165
36, 509
40, 777
919
940
855
909
835
595
19, 072 10, 661 29, 733 19, 695 49, 428 1, 662
20,041 10,632 30, 673 23, 687 54, 360 1, 453
29, 504 15,182 44, 686 29, 987 74, 673 1,404
33, 400 17, 557 50, 957 28, 931 79, 888 1,470
246,165j 153, 845 400,010 323, 606 723,616 17, 0-10
5,286 9,795 15, 081 25, 987 41, 068
532
3,232 8, 451 11,683 29,108 40, 791
342
3, 457 8. 982 12, 439 25, 215 37, 654
938
4, 989 10, 780 15, 769 26, 312 42, 081 1, 052
63, 556 119, 028! 182, 584 295, 852 478, 436 7,917
i
1
1 These aliens are not included among arrivals, as they were not permitted to enter the United States,
s These aliens are included among aliens departed, they having entered the United States, legally or
illegally, and later being deported.
T able 2 .—IM MIGRANT ALIENS ADMITTED
TO AND EMIGRANT ALIENS DE
PARTED FROM THE UNITED STATES DURING APRIL, 1926, AND FROM JULY 1,
1925, TO APRIL 30, 1926, BY RACE OR PEOPLE, SEX, AND AGE GROUP
Immigrant
Race or people
April, 1926
African (black)__________________________________
Armeniap__—
_ _____ — _ ___________________
Bohemian and Moravian (Czech)__________________
Bulgarian, Serbian, and Montenegrin______________
Chinese_____
. . ____________________________
Croatian and Slovenian________________ ___ ______
Cuban____________________ ____________ ______
Dalmatian, Bosnian, and Herzegovinian____________
Dutch and Flemish.___________ __________ ______
East Indian___________ ______ __________________
English___ ___________________________________
F in n ish ___ __________________________________
French_________________________________________
German_______________________________________
Greek_________________________________________
Hebrew. _________________________________ _____
Irish_______________________________ _______ ____
Italian (north)__________________________________
Italian (south)__________________________________
Japanese___________________________________ . .
Korean. .. _____________________________________
Lithuanian__ __________________________________
Magyar_______________________________________
Mexican. _ ________________ . _______ .
Pacific Islander___________ . _____ _ __
Polish_________________________ ________________
Portuguese_____________________________________
Rumanian_______ __________________ __________
Russian___ ___
___________________________
Ruthenian (Russniak)........... ....................... ...................
Scandinavian! (Norwegians, Danes, and Swedes)_____
Scotch_____ ___________________________________
Slovak_________________________________________
Spanish_________ ______________________ ________
Spanish American_______________________________
Syrian__________ ______________________________
Turkish_________________________________ _____
Welsh
___
West Indian (except Cuban)______________________
Other peoples___________________________________
Total___________________________ ________ _
M a le ._________ . ___________________________
Female.___ __________________________ _____ ____
Under 16 years_______________________________
36 to 44 years____________________ ’_____ ________
45 years and over . . . . . . — ________ ______________
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[177]
100
71
329
50
65
42
141
18
331
4
4,524
79
2,299
6,285
147
695
4,431
149
654
76
11
33
112
6,237
342
107
33
61
80
2, 454
2, 909
26
67
182
46
6
136
50
18
33, 400
20, 538
12Ì 862
4, 444
26, 218
2,738
Emigrant
July, 1925,
July, 1925,
to April, April, 1926 to April,
1926
1926
732
636
2,270
431
1,143
595
1,074
64
2,665
41
36, 401
601
18,426
47, 846
1,139
8, 757
33, 622
1,187
6,357
488
40
343
940
30, 760
2
2, 579
7Q6
267
806
435
16,974
22,565
510
558
1,940
395
183
1,119
281
287
246,165
135, 833
110, 332
38, 921
184, 088
23,156
36
10
149
131
266
25
70
47
87
3
412
26
123
361
537
13
67
126
615
no
6
35
100
302
246
242
98
37
5
155
93
58
194
90
15
25
36
38
4,989
3, 491
1, 498
209
3, 739
1,041
795
85
901
1,347
2, 460
497
1,143
410
758
66
5,480
337
943
3,157
4,535
279
994
2, 570
15, 251
1,030
25
283
801
2, 571
1
2, 274
2, 745
1, Oil
478
55
3, 063
1, 544
687
2,545
1,128
' 235
162
68
564
277
63,556
46,914
16, 642
2, 758
48,013
12, 785
MONTHLY LABOE, REVIEW
178
T able 3 .—LAST PERM ANENT RESIDENCE OF IMMIGRANT ALIENS ADM ITTED TO
AND FUTURE PERM ANENT RESIDENCE OF EMIGRANT ALIENS DEPARTED FROM
THE UNITED STATES DURING APRIL, 1920, AND FROM JULY 1,1925, TO APRIL 30, 1926,
BY COUNTRY
[Residence for a year or more is regarded as permanent residence]
Emigrant
Immigrant
Country
April, 1926
Albania-------------------------- --------------------------------Austria. --------------- ------------------ ----------------------Belgium------- ------------------------- - ------ ---------------Bulgaria
...
- --------------------. -----------Czecholsovakia-------------------- ------ -----------------------Denmark _________
_
- - ----------------------
Finland. _______ . . . ------------- ------------------------France, including Corsica------------------------------Germany ___ . ---- ------ - ----------------------------Great Britain and Northern Ireland:
England.. ------------- ------------------------------------Northern Ireland.. _________ ______ -- -------Scotland------------------------------------------------ --Wales------------ ------ ------- ------------------ ------Greece__________
_____ ------- ------------Hungary-- - ---------------------------------------------------Irish Free State_______
- -----------------------Italy, including Sicily and Sardinia-------- -- ----------Latvia - _______________________________________
Lithuania,------------------ ------------- ---------
July, 1925,
July, 1925,
to April, April, 1926 to April,
1926
1926
5
93
67
17
319
17
318
6
69
383
5,540
87
934
606
148
2,727
174
2,118
10S
450
3, 549
40, 927
36
38
42
14
215
1,106
332
1, 714
128
116
100
2, 529
695
17
43
291
7
56
2
535
92
44
742
43
17
104
317
254
315
353
16
1, 563
1
560
13
308
759
2,651
3,864
178
1, 095
31
4, 511
634
------------- --------------Netherlands.- .- - -----N orw ay______ .
---- -------------------------- ___
-- - -------Poland..... ...................
Portugal, including Azores, Cape Verde, and Madeira
Islands_________________________________ _____Rumania-- ____________________________________
Russia___- ____ ______ - -------- -- ................Spain, including Canary and Balearic Islands-----------Sweden__________ - -------- . . . ------------- -----------Switzerland___- ________________________ ______
Turkey in Europe.- - ________________________ Yugoslavia__________________________ ___________
Other Europe________________________ _______ -
163
727
513
8,878
354
11,139
1,103
931
784
18,814
6,632
267
575
103
1,498
5.149
5, 916
ICO
103
131
22
1,180
211
8
85
47
600
999
1, 567
271
7, 398
1,673
178
885
242
239
91
14
157
36
32
2
155
1
2, 691
1,095
121
Total Europe.......................... ........ .........................
16, 712
127, 784
3, 694
49,300
Armenia----------- ----------- ------- ----------------------------China........................ -------- ----------- ----------------------India_ _____________________________________ -Japan________________________ ________________
Palestine___ ____ _________ _____- ------ -----------------Persia__________________________________________
Syria___________________________________________
Turkey in Asia_______________________ - --------Other Asia----- -------- ------------------- -----------------------
5
86
5
89
35
1
47
7
21
15
1,487
79
540
210
53
303
17
111
5
282
3
111
14
1
7
12
7
43
2,559
103
1, 042
146
26
192
98
44
5
33
17,812
39
270
30
52
252
1, 578
2,342
5
303
2,145
710
339
25
1, 932
34
2, 875
442
4, 253
Canada---_____ ________________ ____ ___________
Newfoundland----------- ----------------------- - - -------Mexico__ _____ ______________________ ____ --Cuba. --------- --------------------------------- - -------Other West Indies_______________________ --- - Central America____ ___________ ________ _____
Brazil - - - - - - - -------- ---------Other South America. _______________ ____ _____ Other America____ ____________________________
9, 047
276
6, 316
197
110
138
57
137
75, 576
1, 631
31, 328
1, 735
767
1,090
743
1, 715
C
182
17
307
110
92
25
20
75
1,721
219
2,603
1,651
1, 686
443
185
1, 018
1
Total America___________________ ______ ___
16, 278
114, 591
828
9, 527
Egypt------------------------------------------------------- ------ Other Africa____________________________________
Australia----------------- ------ ----------------------------------New Zealand------ ----------------- . - --------------------- -Other Pacific Islands........................................................
21
36
30
22
5
190
237
309
153
26
5
2
11
6
1
30
77
225
119
19
Total Asia_________________________ ______
Total others..... .................. ...... ........ .................. —
Grand total, all countries______ ___------- ------
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[178]
296
114
915
25
476
33,4C0
246,165
4,989
63, 556
179'
IM M IG R A T IO N
T able 4 .—ALIENS ADM ITTED TO THE UNITED STATES UNDER THE IMMIGRATION
ACT OF 1924, DURING APRIL, 1926, AND FROM JULY 1, 1926, TO APRIL 30. 1926 BY
COUNTRY OR AREA OF BIRTH
'
[Quota immigrant aliens are charged to the quota; nonimmigrant and nonquota immigrant aliens are
not charged to the quota]
Admitted
Country or area of birth
Annual
quota
Quota immigrant
July 1,
1925, to
Apr. 30,
1926
April,
1926
Albania________________________
100
Andorra................................................
100
Austria.................................... ............
785
Belgium................_................... ..........
i 512
Bulgaria........................ .......................
100
Czechoslovakia. .......................... ........
3,073
Danzig, Free City of_________ ____
228
Denmark....... .......................................
i 2, 789
Esthonia...............................................
124
Finland.... ................................ ...........
471
France........................._.......................
i 3, 954
Germany_______________ ________
51, 227
Great Britain and Northern Ireland:
England................... ...................... ]
Northern Ireland..........................
Scotland.......................................
Wales.... ............. .......................... !
Greece.............. .................... .................
100
Hungary....................... ........ ...............
473
Iceland_________________________
100
Irish Free State____________ ______
28, 567
Ita ly ........... ......... ......... ...... ............. .
1 3,845
Latvia................... ......................... ......
142
Liechtenstein______________ _____
100
Lithuania_______ _______________
344
Luxemburg....... ........ ..........................
100
Monaco............. .............................. .
100
Netherlands........... ............... ...............
1 1, 648
Norway................ ................................
8. 453
Poland_____________ ___________
5, 982
Portugal________________ _______
i 503
Rumania........... ..................... ...........
603
Russia________ ________________ _
i 2, 248
San Marino.......... ......... .....................
100
Spain.................. ................................
i 131
Sweden..................................................
9, 561
Switzerland............. ............... ..............
2,081
Turkey in Europe_______ ____ ____
i 100
Yugoslavia.............. .................... .........
671
Other Europe....................................... .
(>)
6o
i
768
439
90
2,910
183
2,290
95
429
3,143
41,317
72
55
9
364
17
343
6
75
369
5,609
f 10,856
I
805
| 12,137
1 1,162
91
498
49
21,361
3, 225
124
10
342
74
5
1, 307
5, 473
5,419
469
589
1, 829
26
128
7, 976
1, 612
87
502
226
Total Europe..... ........ ...... ........ . i 161,422
128,173
Afghanistan_____________________
Arabia______________ ___________
Armenia................................ ...............
Bhutan...................... ...........................
China............................... .....................
India......................................................
Iraq (Mesopotamia)__________ ____
Japan.................. ....................... .........
Muscat......... .........................................
Nepal_________ _________________
Palestine____________________ ____
Persia..................... ............................
Siam ................. ....................................
Syria.............. ...................... .................
Turkey in Asia..................................
Other Asia..............................................
Total Asia............................... .
3
Nonimmigrant
and nonquota
immigrant
July 1,
1925, to
Apr. 30,
1926
April,
1926
Total
during
April,
1926
Grand
total
July 1,
1925,
to
Apr. 30,
1926
427
3
1,190
1,311
131
2,335
31
1,701
67
1,079
4, 853
9, 623
34
37
110
105
10
234
2
149
2
90
383
1,018
182
160
19
598
19
492
8
165
752
6,627
493
4
1,958
1, 750
221
5, 245
214
3,991
162
1,508
7, 996
50,940
1, 381
170
1,855
134
7
51
1
2, 936
291
8
3
24
5
i
156
787
435
67
58
148
14
14
1, 232
197
6
62
34
20,183
404
6,941
800
2, 478
1, 265
24
4, 251
21, 168
164
2,081
72
741
73
315
111
2
375
2, 836
7
573
76
8
1,922
2, 836
4, 473
2, 146
1, 219
2, 698
1
4, 150
2, 977
1, 928
902
1.914
144
77
3
1
164
462
534
445
129
243
441
368
211
97
221
16
3, 462
242
2,596
207
322
162
3
3, 311
3,127
15
3
101
8
2
320
1,249
969
512
187
391
14
455
1,600
408
103
283
50
31,039
1, 209
19, 078
1, 962
2, 509
1, 763
73
25, 612
24, 393
288
10
915
150
13
3, 289
8, 309
9, 892
2,615
1,808
4, 527
27
4, 278
10, 953
3, 540
989
2,416
370
16,999
108, 396
12,162
29, 161
236, 569
6
48
1
5
2
3
129
1
9
2
14
2
9
177
109
87
28
18
4
9
7
1
6,316
410
14
4,878
1
840
55
703
844
64
7
704
6,425
497
42
4,896
1
94
86
18
1
P)
0)
74
24
221
6
30
221
97
22
809
328
185
19
5
11
85
46
17
37
6
11
91
52
47
315
183
22
883
352
406
1,424
795
88 J
13,415
1,791
1,879
14, 210
100
100
124
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
6
1 Annual quota for colonies, dependencies, or protectorates in Other Europe, Other Asia, Other Africa,
Other Pacific, and in America is included with the annual quota for the European country to which they
belong. Quota for Turkey in Asia is included with that for Turkey in Europe.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[179]
180
M O N T H L Y LABOE BE V IE W
T able 4.—ALIENS ADM ITTED TO THE UNITED STATES U N DER THE IMMIGRATION
ACT OP 1924, DURING APRIL, 1926, A N D FROM JULY 1, 1925, TO APRIL 30, 1926, BY
COUNTRY OR AREA OF BIRTH —Continued
Admitted
Country or area of birth
Annual
quota
Quota immigrant
July 1,
1925, to
Apr. 30,
1926
Camernnn (British)
Cameroon (Bren eh)
Egypt------1...... .................. ..................
1Rthin pi a,
Tnheri a
Morocco - - ___________________
Bua^da and TTrimdi
South Africa. ...........- ....................... .
Pn^th Wftst. Africa
Tanganyika and Togoland (French
and British)
Other Africa............................... -........ Total Africa...............................
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
Samoa
_ _________
V pp
_ _________
Other Pacific_______________-........ Panada
_________________
Newfoundland
Mp/rioo
Cuba
________________
Dominican Bepublic______________
Haiti
______________
British West Indies..............................
Dutch West Indies...............................
French West Indies..............................
British Honduras ________________
_________________
Canal Zone
O ther Central America____________
Brazil
______________ _
British Guiana......................................
Dutch Guiana
_______________
Brene.h Gniana
Other South America_____________
Green lan d
Miquelon and St. Pierre....... ...............
14
2
2
118
1
15
254
3
39
54
372
4
46
14
1
83
1
8
1
22
1
129
271
39
489
64
103
760
121
100
100
100
100
100
137
12
2,355
245
257
2,492
89
9
817
86
95
906
15
5
1
8
134
6
25
6
30
1
8
149
621
241
26
0)
24
205
3
11
34
3,315
362
388
3, 556
9,099
463
7, 796
633
127
8
345
13
4
3
2
285
125
11
31
9,099
463
7, 796
633
127
8
426
14
11
3
2
285
125
17
31
382
382
2
4
75,656
3,035
45,930
7, 772
719
144
3, 808
127
66
118
14
2,338
983
167
40
1
3,951
6
40
0)
«
0)
(0
512
15
25
36
81
1
7
0)
(0
(0
54
2
6
14
2
75, 656
3,035
45, 930
7,772
719
144
3,296
112
41
82
14
2,338
983
113
38
1
3,951
6
26
658
97
144,257
19,329
19,426
144,915
130,138
17,249
269, 872
33, 708
50,957
400,010
(1)
(>)
Total America.............................
Grand total, all countries...........
1
1
118
2
9
18
1,200
Total Pacific................................
April,
1926
Grand
total
July 1,
1925,
to
Apr. 30,
1926
10
300
New Zealand. ........................................
July 1,
1925, to
Apr. 30,
1926
Total
during
April,
1926
87
1
2
16
(0
Australia________________ _____
April,
1926
Nonimmigrant
and nonquota
immigrant
164, 667
i Annual quota for colonies, dependencies, or protectorates in Other Europe, Other Asia, Other Africa,
Other Pacific, and in America is included with the annual quota for the European country to which they
belong. Quota for Turkey in Asia is included with that for Turkey in Europe.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[180]
181
IM M IG R A T IO N
T able 5 .—ALIENS ADM ITTED TO THE UNITED STATES UNDER THE IMMIGRATION
ACT OF 1924, DURING APRIL, 1926, AND FROM JULY 1, 1925, TO APRIL 30, 1926, BY SPECI
FIED CLASSES
[The number of immigrants appearing in this table and in Table 4 is not oomparable with the number of
statistical immigrant aliens shown in the other tables, by races, etc.]
April,
1926
Admissible classes under immigration act of 1924
July,
1925, to
April,
1926
Nonimmigrantsundersection3
Government officials, their families, attendants, servants, and employees................. .
Temporary visitors for—
Business.__________ ____________ _______________ __________
Pleasure.. ______________ _______ _____ _____
.. . _.
In continuous transit through the United States _____________ . . . _
To carry on trade under existing treaty___ ________ _______ __________________
393
4,597
2,141
2, 625
2,976
108
15, 488
27,052
19,814
681
Total........... ........ ........ ..................................... .........................................................
8, 243
67, 632
652
400
7,664
5,562
3, 483
69,826
1 16, 471
94
12
42
19
24
4
1
1
81
1 119,356
772
156
563
199
366
139
36
23
1, 759
25, 465
202, 240
Nonquotaimmigrantsundersectionj
Wives of United States citizens_______________ ________ ___________
Children of United States citizens___ _. ............. ................................................
Residents of the United States returning from a temporary visit abroad___ ____
Natives of Canada, Newfoundland, Mexico, Cubaj Dominican Republic, Canal
Zone, or an independent country of Central or South America_________________
Their wives. ______________ _______ ___________________________ _____
Their children. ____ ____ ___________________ ________________________ .
Ministers of religious denominations _____ ________________________ . . . ..
Wives of ministers.._______________________________________________ _____
Children of ministers____ . .............. ........... .
............ ............................................
Professors of colleges, academies, seminaries, or universities............... ............. .............
Wives of professors_______________________________________ ____ ___________
Children of professors______________ ______________________________________
Students.......................................................... .................................................................
T otal..
.......................... .
................. ...
.. ...................
.............
Quota immigrants under section 5 (charged to quota)_______ ______________ ____
17, 249
130,138
Grand total admitted under the act___ ____ ______________ ____________
50,957
400, 010
1 Does not include aliens born in nonquota countries who were admitted as Government officials, visitors,
transits, etc.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[ 181 ]
W H A T S T A T E LA B O R BU R EA U S A R E DOING
MONG the activities of State labor bureaus, the following, reported either directly by the bureaus themselves or through
the medium of their printed reports, are noted in the present issue of
the L a b o r R e v ie w .
A l a b a m a .—Civilian vocational rehabilitation, page 184.
C a l i f o r n i a .—Operations under the State workmen’s compensation
act, page 66; and changes in volume of employment in the various
industries in the State, page 114.
I l l i n o i s .—Changes in volume of employment, page 115.
I o w a .—Changes in volume of employment, page 117.
L o u i s i a n a .—Wages and labor conditions in various industries in
the State, page 39.
M a r y l a n d .—Changes in volume of employment, page 119.
M a s s a c h u s e t t s .—Changes in volume of employment, page 120.
N e w J e r s e y .—Since November, 1924, claims for unpaid wages have
been handled by the employment bureau of the New Jersey Depart
ment of Labor under the wage payment law of 1899, amended in
1904. Many persons who have availed themselves of this provision
have declared that it was their only recourse, as the expense of a civil
suit would exceed the amount recovered, or they had no money to
meet even the costs of filing a suit.
The bureau’s experience in handling these cases has shown that
investigation and arbitration were necessary and effected a high per
centage of adjustments and that civil suits were frequently futile,
numerous small employers being “ judgment proof” either de
signedly or from force of circumstances.
Although these adjustments are an added burden for the bureau,
justice has been done and considerable money and time saved to
workers who otherwise would have either been deprived of wages due
or have suffered a long delay in securing them.
At the Newark office, in a period of eight months, more than
$2,000 in wages was collected in 98 disputed cases which constituted
74 per cent of the total number of proper claims. Each case involved
from 1 to 15 workers.1
Industrial accidents and diseases, page 59.
N e w Y o r k .—Changes in volume of employment, page 121.
O k l a h o m a .—-Changes in volume of employment, page 122.
S o u t h C a r o l i n a .—The industrial conditions of South Carolina in
1925 as compared with those in 1908 are indicated by the following
figures from the seventeenth annual report of the State department
of agriculture, commerce, and industries:
A
1908
Capital invested___________________________
$95, 270,
Value of annual product____________________ $108, 584,
Number of persons employed________ , _____
70,
Under 16 years of age_________________
8,
Total wages (not salaries)__________________
$20, 696,
1925
803
060
249
17 1
656
$299, 309, 408
$317, 857, 173
99, 043
3 773
$62, 509’ 564
i Data are from New Jersey Department of Labor report, July 1, 1924, to June 30, 1925 (Trenton?), pp.
68-69.
182
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[182 ]
183
W H A T STATE LABOR BU REA U S ARE DOING
It will be noted that the capital investment was more than three
times as great in 1925 as in 1908 and that the value of the manufac
tured product and wages have about trebled. The number of em
ployees, however, has not increased in the same proportion because
of the more extensive use and improvement of machinery.
The following statistics are for the textile industry in 1924 and 1925:
1924
Number of mills_______
Capital invested_______
Value of product_______
Number of employees,...
Children under 16 years.
Wages (not salaries)___
Total village population.
Number of spindles____
$179, 420,
$212, 965,
64,
3,
$39, 358,
163,
5, 272,
1925
212
443
901
780
580
996
834
481
220
$195, 027, 756
$236, 876, 213
70, 068
3, 663
$43, 598, 618
164, 556
5, 311, 888
New and modern machines are being installed in various plants,
electrically transmitted power is being used more and more, and
vacuum cleaners, humidifiers, and other sanitary equipment have
been put in. The mills as a whole have concluded that welfare work
tends to make more efficient employees, and various plants are pro
viding “ comfortable houses, excellent schools, community houses
with the latest improved equipment, such as gymnasiums, libraries,
moving pictures, bowling alleys, pool tables, and swimming pools.”
There are also children’s playgrounds. Playground directors and
athletic directors are employed by numbers of mills. The report
states that the health of the mill communities “ will compare favorably
with that of any other centers of population and is far better than
that of the same number of persons in rural communities.”
According to the commissioner of agriculture, commerce, and
industries, fewer child labor prosecutions are reported from year to
year, and all the mills offer the South Carolina labor office every
assistance in the enforcement of the child labor law. “ The mills as
a whole are trying to get away from child labor as they have found it
to be very expensive.”
Among the recommendations made by the commissioner are those
for a minimum wage law for women; a straight 9-hour workday for
women and for children under 16 in mercantile establishments,
amusement places, restaurants and cigar counters; and a workmen’s
compensation act.
W i s c o n s i n .—Changes in volume of employment, page 122
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[183]
C U R R E N T N O T E S O F IN T E R E S T T O LA B O R
Civilian Vocational Rehabilitation in Alabama 1
A LABAMA is included among the 39 States of the Union which have
accepted the terms of the Federal industrial rehabilitation act
providing for the “ vocational rehabilitation of persons disabled bydisease, accident, or congenital conditions, and their placement in
employment.”
Since the establishment of the rehabilitation service m Alabama
in 1919 under the State board of education, over 600 disabled men
and women have received training and have been found work. In
the year 1924-25, 132 of these handicapped persons finished their
courses and were placed in various employments. The earnings of
these men and women after they became disabled but before they
were trained averaged $27.08 per month; after training their aver
age earnings were $74.68 per month. The social value of the in
crease in happiness and in the feeling of independence effected by
the rehabilitation of these men and women, however, exceeds the
actual financial gain.
A large part of the success of the rehabilitation service is attributed
to the substantial cooperation of civic organizations, women’s dubs,
Sunday school classes, and interested individuals in contributing to
the maintenance of worthy trainees and for the payment of hospital
charges when surgical operations were necessary. Surgeons^ also
have given their services and hospitals have made their facilities
available in the cause of civilian vocational rehabilitation.
* *
Aims of International Association of Social Progress 2
A DECISION was reached at the thirteenth assembly of the International Association for Labor Legislation at Berne, September
23 to 25, 1925, to merge that association with the International Un
employment Association and the International Social Insurance
Committee to form a single organization under the title “ Interna
tional Association of Social Progress.” 3 This newly constituted
body has recently sent out a declaration of its purposes and an
appeal for members in all countries.
The statement strongly emphasizes the importance of private
activities in the field of social reform, the association being firmly
resolved “ to continue to play its part, to act as an advance guard in
scientific research, to continue systematically to educate public
opinion, and to conduct an intensive propaganda in favor of the
ratification and bona fide enforcement of international labor con
ventions.”
i Alabama. Department of Education. Civilian Rehabilitation Bulletin No. 2: The vocational re
habilitation of persons disabled in industry or otherwise. Birmingham [1925?].
8International Labor Office. Industrial and Labor Information, Geneva, Apr. 26, 1926, pp. 101, 102.
8See Labor Review, December, 1925, p. 196.
184
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[184]
C U R R E N T NOTES OF IN T E R E S T TO LABOR
185
C o n tra ry to views w hich w ere to o easily e n te rta in e d in c ertain q u arters,
ev en ts h av e satisfacto rily p roved t h a t th e w orld could n o t be reform ed o v e r
night, an d alm o st au to m atically , by th e m ere c o n stitu tio n of th e In te rn a tio n a l
L ab o r Office, a n d t h a t th e re is still a n im p o rta n t p a rt to be p lay ed by p riv a te
en terp rise in th is m a tte r.
W h at, th e n , exactly is th is p a rt in defending a n d p erfectin g lab o r legislation
w hich can be played, side by side w ith an official lab o r in stitu tio n , in o rd er to
increase th e efficiency of its work?
T h e In te rn a tio n a l L ab o r O rganization of th e L eague of N atio n s lacks th a t in
dependence vis-à-vis th e G overnm ents w hich is one of th e essential conditions
of progress.
I t is su b ject to th e p red o m in a n t influence of S tates, a n d it m ig h t easily, even
ag ain st th e m ost clearly expressed wish of th e directio n of th e In te rn a tio n a l
L ab o r Office, becom e, in ste a d of a n in stru m e n t of progress, a fa c to r of reactio n
as reg ard s lab o r legislation, a n d m ig h t find itself condem ned to m ark tim e
beh in d th e m ost back w ard S tates, in stead of being able to accelerate th e ir
progress.
F o r th is reason, th e official labor o rg anization offers insufficient possibilities
of collaboration to th e various S tates a n d social elem ents which h av e h ith e rto
show n them selves th e m ost a rd e n t p ro tag o n ists of social reform . F ro m th e
p o in t of view of its co n stitu tio n even, it will h a v e to undergo a considerable
revision of its m em bership, w hich is n o t alw ays exactly in p ro p o rtio n to th e
social value of th e facto rs w hich such m em bers a re supposed to re p re se n t; e. g.,
th e w orking classes are lim ited in th e o rg anization to 25 p er cen t of th e whole,
a n d th e rep resen tativ es of science, as such, have p ractically no voice a t all.
E m ployers who are in fav o r of social progress a re generally excluded from th e
delegations of th e ir groups, a n d those who are selected a re for th e m ost p a rt
hostile to a n y considerable change in th e existing order.
The International Association for Social Progress aims to become
“ an important corps of the great army of peace,” to protect the
peoples against further social cataclysms.
Meeting of League of Nations Child Welfare Committee 1
i annual meeting of the child welfare committee of the League
uf Nations was held at Geneva from March 25 to April 1, 1926.
Among the questions discussed were child labor and family allow
ances. Resolutions were passed concerning the work of the Inter
national Labor Office relative to these matters and other child welfare
problems.
In one of these resolutions the hope was expressed that that office
would “ continue to make representation to the Governments with
a view to the ratification of international conventions on the admis
sion of children to labor by every country.”
Attention was drawn to the relation between school attendance
legislation and labor laws and emphasis was placed upon the im
portance of extending the compulsory school age to the “ age fixed
by international conventions as being the earliest at which children
may be allowed to work.”
The resolution on family allowances reads as follows :
T he com m ittee th a n k s th e In te rn a tio n a l L ab o r Office for th e v ery valu ab le
re p o rt on th e effect of th e fam ily allow ance on th e w ell-being of children. I t
considers t h a t w hile th e effect of th e system on th e b irth ra te can n o t as y e t be
s ta te d w ith c e rta in ty , th e a ctio n tak en by eq u alizatio n fu n d s, in clu d in g fam ily
allow ances, nursing bonuses, and h e a lth services, m u st h av e a beneficial influence
on th e child m o rta lity ra te .
international Labor Office. Industrial and Labor Information, Geneva, Apr. 28, 1926, pp. 112-114.
102973°—26
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
13
[1851;
186
M O N T H L Y LABOR R E V IE W
T he com m ittee recognizes th a t th e w ell-being of children u n d e r n orm al c ir
cum stances m u s t dep en d largely on th e m eans of th e ir p a re n ts, an d t h a t th e
value of th e fam ily allow ance sy stem , w h e th e r organized b y th e S ta te or by
p riv a te enterprise, d ep en d s on th e e x te n t to w hich i t places in th e h a n d s of
p a re n ts resources w hich, ex p an d in g w ith th e size of th e fam ily, m ak e it possible
for th e p a re n ts ad e q u a te ly to discharge th e ir responsibilities to w a rd th e ir fam ilies.
T h e co m m ittee th erefo re asks th e In te rn a tio n a l L ab o r Office to contin u e, in col
la b o ratio n w ith th e se c re ta ria t of th e L eague of N a tio n s a n d th e v o lu n ta ry
associations, its s tu d y of th e su b ject, especially w ith a view to o b tain in g exactly
com parable d a ta , an d to re p o rt progress to th e n ex t m eetin g of th e co m m ittee.
Appointment or Commission of Inquiry into Production in Germany 1
GERMAN law, dated April 15, 1926, provides for the setting
up within a month of a commission of inquiry into conditions
affecting production and marketing in German industry. This com
mission is to consist of 11 members nominated by the Reichstag, 9
nominated by the Provisional Federal Economic Council, and 9
members appointed by the Government. Six other members may
be appointed by the Government, on the proposal of the commission,
either to serve during the whole term or for limited periods, or in
connection with specific questions which may arise. Subcommittees
may he formed from among the members of the commission to in
vestigate special questions,, and the law specifically prescribes that
such a subcommittee must be appointed to inquire into the effect on
output of the duration of working time and of the methods of remu
neration on the basis of the experience acquired during recent years.
A
Limitation Upon the Employment of Foreigners in Guatemala 2
/"AN APRIL 9, 1926, the President of Guatemala issued the regu^
lations whereby the legislative decree (No. 1367) regarding em
ployment became effective. The outstanding provision of the decree
is that at least 75 per cent of the persons employed by companies
engaged in commercial, industrial, or agricultural business in Guate
mala shall be Guatemalans. Exceptions are to be made only in
the case of employees of whom professional degrees are required.
Those who violate this law are to be punished by a fine equal to twice
the monthly salary of the substituted employee.
Decree Governing Strikes in Guatemala Disapproved by Legislative
Assembly
‘T ’HE Guatemalan executive decree (No. 914) issued on February
15, 1926,3 which forbade strikes in public services and in cer
tain private services and prescribed punishment to offenders, was
disapproved by the Legislative Assembly on April 29, 1926, accord
ing to a report from the American consul at Guatemala, dated May
20, 1926.
1Germany, Reichsarbeitsministerium. Reichsarbeitsblatt. Berlin, M^y 1, 1926, pp. 130, 131.
8Report from the American envoy, Arthur H. Geissler, at Guatemala City, dated Apr. 21, 1926.
3For the text of the decree see May, 1928, issue of the Review, p. 114.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[1861
C U R R E N T NO TES OF IN T E R E S T TO LABOR
187
Compulsory Road-Work Law of Peru 1
enforcement of the Peruvian road conscription law { L e y d e
No. 4113, which establishes compulsory road
service for all males between the ages of 18 and 60, has resulted in
the building of over 1,000 kilometers of roads each year since the
enactment of this measure in 1920. The law provides that males
between the ages of 18 and 21 and 50 and 60 must work six days a
year, whereas those between the ages of 21 and 50 must work 12
days a year. Exemption may be obtained by paying a sum equi
valent to the prevailing daily wage for unskilled labor in the respec
tive locality, which is usually 1 sol2 per day.
HTHE
*■
c o n s c r i p t i o n v i a l ),
Old-Age Pensions Under Consideration in South Africa
A C COR DING to the April number of the Social and Industrial
Review, issued by the Labor Department of South Africa, the
Governor General on February 23, 1926, made public announcement
of the appointment of a committee to examine and report upon—
(a) T he p a y m e n t of pensions by th e S ta te to necessitous, aged, a n d p e rm a
n e n tly in c a p a c ita te d persons who are u n ab le to m a in ta in them selves a n d for
w hom no provision a t p resen t exists;
(b) A sy stem of n a tio n a l insurance as a m eans of m ak in g provision for th e
risks of sickness, accid e n t, p re m a tu re d ea th , in v alid ity , old age, unem ploym ent,
a n d m a te rn ity .
1Report from George A. Makinson, tha American cónsul at Callao-Lima, Perú, dated Apr. 5, 1926.
1Exchange rate of tile sol=38.4 cents.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[187]
D IR EC T O R Y O F LA B O R O FFIC ES IN U N ITED S T A T E S
A ND FO R EIG N C O U N TR IES
(B ureaus of L abor, E m p lo y m e n t Offices, In d u s tria l C om m issions, S ta te W ork
m en ’s C om pensation In su ra n c e F u n d s, W o rk m en ’s C om pensation C om m is
sions, M inim um W age B oards, F a c to ry In sp ectio n B ureaus, a n d A rb itra tio n
an d C onciliation B oards)
U N IT E D ST A T E S
D e p a rtm e n t of L abor:
H on. Jam es J. D avis, S ecretary.
H on. R obe C arl W hite, A ssistan t S ecretary.
H on. W. W. H u sb an d , Second A ssistan t S ecretary.
A ddress: 1712 G S tre e t N W ., W ashington, D. C.
B ureau of L ab o r S tatistic s—
E th e lb e rt S tew art, com m issioner.
A ddress: 1712 G S tre e t N W ., W ashington, D. C.
B ureau of Im m ig ra tio n —H a rry E . H ull, com m issioner general.
A ddress: 1712 G S tre e t N W ., W ashington, D. C.
B ureau of N a tu ra liz a tio n —
R ay m o n d F. C rist, com m issioner.
A ddress: 1712 G S treet N W ., W ashington, D. C.
C h ild ren ’s B ureau —
M iss G race A b b o tt, chief.
A ddress: T w e n tie th S treet a n d V irginia A venue N W ., W ashington,
D . C.
E m p lo y m en t Service—
F rancis I. Jones, d irecto r general.
A ddress: T w e n tie th a n d C S treets N W ., W ashington, D. C.
C onciliation Service—
H ugh L. K erw in, d irector.
A ddress: 1712 G S tre e t N W ., W ashington, D. C.
W om en’s B ureau —■
M iss M ary A nderson, director.
A ddress: T w e n tie th S tre e t a n d V irginia A venue N W ., W ashington,
D. C.
U n ited S ta te s H ousing C o rp o ratio n —
R o b ert W atson, d irector.
A ddress: 200 N ew Jersey A venue N W ., W ashington, D. C.
U nited S tates E m plo y ees’ C om pensation C om m ission:
M rs. Bessie P . B rueggem an, chairm an.
C harles H . V errill, com m issioner.
H a rry B asse tt, com m issioner.
A ddress of com m ission: T he In te rio r B uilding, W ashington, D. C.
R ailro ad B oard of M ed iatio n :
Sam uel E . W inslow.
C arl W illiam s.
G. W allace W . H an g er.
H yw el D avies.
E dw in C. M orrow .
A la b a m a
C hild w elfare com m ission:
W. W . B ran d o n , ex officio ch airm an , governor.
C hild w elfare d e p a rtm e n t—
M iss V irginia B. H an d ley , director.
C hild la b o r division—
M iss P h a d ra N o rsw o rth y , chief inspector.
A ddress of com m ission: M ontgom ery.
W orkm en’s com pensation division:
F ra n k N . Ju lian , com m issioner, ex officio su p e rin te n d e n t of in su ran ce.
W alter H . M onroe, w o rk m en ’s com pensation clerk.
A ddress of com m ission: M ontgom ery.
188
[188]
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
DIRECTORY OF LABOR O FFICIA LS
189
A la s k a
F ederal m ine insp ecto r:
B. D. S tew art, supervising m ining engineer, U n ited S ta te s Geological
Survey, Ju n e a u .
A r iz o n a
In d u s tria l com m ission: 1
Cleve W. V an D yke, ch airm an .
R. B. Sims, m em b er an d secretary .
B ert C lingan, m em ber.
A ddress of com m ission: Phoenix.
S ta te in sp ecto r of m ines:
T om C. F oster, Phoenix.
U n ited S ta te s E m p lo y m en t Service:
A. L. D oolittle, F e d e ra l d irecto r for S tate, 121 N o rth Second Avenue,
Phoenix.
A rkan sas
B ureau of lab o r an d sta tistic s:
W. E . G reen, com m issioner.
E. I. M cK inley, d e p u ty com m issioner an d supervisor of sta tistic a l
division.
J. D. N ew com b, jr., chief boiler inspector.
In d u s tria l w elfare com m ission—
W. E. G reen, ex officio m em b er a n d chairm an.
M rs. M ary E . P ro th ro , secretary .
A. S. M aupin, P ine Bluff.
M rs. W. T . W ooten, H o t Springs.
Jack H ill, F o rt S m ith.
C hild lab o r division—
W. E . G reen, com m issioner.
M iss L illian C astleb erry , secretary .
M ine inspection d e p a rtm e n t—
C laude Speegle, S ta te m ine in sp ecto r, F o rt S m ith.
U n ited S ta te s E m p lo y m e n t Service—W. E. G reen, F ed eral director.
A ddress all com m u n icatio n s to C om m issioner of L abor, R oom 326,
S ta te C ap ito l, L ittle R ock, Ark.
C a lifo r n ia
B ureau of labor sta tistic s:
W alter G. M athew son, com m issioner, S ta te B uilding, Civic C enter, San
Francisco.
In d u s tria l accid en t com m ission:
Jo h n A. M cG ilv ray , chairm an.
Jo h n W. C arrigan.
J. E . O lm sted.
E . G. Sheibley, chief engineer a n d su p e rin te n d e n t of safety.
F. B. L ord, secretary .
M. R . G ibbons, m edical d irector.
G. C. F au lk n e r, a tto rn e y .
A ddress of com m ission: S ta te Building, Civic C en ter, San F rancisco.
S ta te com pensation in su ran ce fu n d :
C lark B. D ay , m an ag er, S ta te B uilding, Civic C enter, San F rancisco.
In d u s tria l w elfare com m ission:
A. B. C. D o h rm an n , chairm an.
W alter G. M athew son.
H enry W. Louis.
Mrs. K a th e rin e P hilips E dson, executive com m issioner.
A ddress of com m ission: S ta te B uilding, Civic C en ter, San Francisco.
1Organized February 1, 1926.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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190
M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
C om m ission of im m ig ratio n a n d housing:
M ost R ev. E. J. H a n n a , D . D ., p resid en t.
G. B. O cheltree, vice p resid en t.
J. H . M cB ride, M. D.
C has. C. C h ap m an .
R. W. K earn ey , a tto rn e y a n d executive officer.
George S. H ollis, secretary .
A ddress of com m ission: S ta te B uilding, Civic C en ter, San Francisco.
U n ited S ta te s E m p lo y m e n t Service:
W alter G. M athew son, F ed eral d irecto r for S ta te , S ta te B uilding, Civic
C enter, San Francisco.
C o lo r a d o
B ureau of labor statistic s:
C arl S. M illiken, secretary of sta te a n d ex-officio lab o r com m issioner.
M. H . A lexander, d e p u ty lab o r com m issioner a n d chief fa cto ry in
spector.
A ddress of b u re a u : D enver.
In d u s tria l com m ission:
W illiam I. R eilly, chairm an .
T hom as A nnear.
Joseph C. Bell.
F eay B. S m ith , referee.
W illiam F. M ow ry, chief of claim d e p a rtm e n t a n d a ctin g secretary .
S ta te com pensation in su ran ce fu n d —
T hom as P. K earn ey , m anager.
M inim um w age com m ission—■
(A ccording to a n a c t passed by th e 1917 legislature a n d effective Ju ly
20, 1917, th e in d u stria l com m ission p erform s th e d u ties of th e
m inim u m w age com m ission.)
A ddress of com m ission: S ta te C apitol B uilding, D enver.
C o n n e c tic u t
D e p a rtm e n t of labor a n d fa c to ry inspection:
H a rry E. M ackenzie, com m issioner, H a rtfo rd
S ta te em p lo y m en t offices—
H a rry E . M ackenzie, com m issioner, H a rtfo rd .
B oard of com pensation com m issioners:
F rederic M. W illiam s, ch airm an , room 4, co u n ty courthouse, W aterbury.
C has. K leiner, 177 C hurch S tre e t, New H aven.
E d w ard T. B uckingham , 1024 M ain S tre e t, B ridgeport.
Leo J. N oonan, 54 C h u rch S tre e t, H a rtfo rd .
D r. Jam es J. D onohue, C e n tra l B uilding, N orw ich.
S ta te b o ard of m ediatio n a n d a rb itra tio n :
F ra n k A. H a g a rty , H artfo rd .
P a tric k F. M cD onough, N ew B ritain
P atrick F. O ’M eara, New H aven.
U n ited S ta te s E m p lo y m e n t Service:
H arry E. M ackenzie, F ed eral d irecto r for S ta te , H a rtfo rd .
D e la w a r e
L abor com m ission:
George B. M iller, ch airm an .
Jo h n H . H ickey.
T hom as C. F ram e, jr.
George A. H ill.
M iss H elen S. G a rre tt.
M iss M arg u e rite P ostles, secretary .
A ddress of com m ission: W ilm ington.
C hild-labor d iv i s i o n C harles A. H ag n er, chief, In d u s tria l T ru s t B uilding, W ilm ington.
W om en’s lab o r division—
M iss M arg u erite P ostles, assistan t, In d u s tria l T ru st B uilding, W il
m ington.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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DIRECTORY OF LABOR. O FFIC IA L S
191
In d u stria l accid en t b o a rd :
W alter O. Stack , presid en t.
R o b ert K . Jones.
W illiam J. Swain.
C harles H . G ran tlan d , secretary.
A ddress of b o ard : S tatehouse, D over, a n d D elaw are T ru st B uilding,
W ilm ington.
F lo r id a
S ta te lab o r insp ecto r:
R . L. E ato n , M onticello.
G e o r g ia
D e p a rtm e n t of com m erce a n d lab o r:
H . M. S tanley , com m issioner.
I. L. Griffin,' fa c to ry inspector.
A ddress of d e p a rtm e n t : A tlan ta.
In d u s tria l com m ission:
H . M. S tanley , chairm an.
George M. N apier, a tto rn e y general (ex officio).
R. C. N orm an, rep resen tin g em ployers.
L. J. K ilburn, rep resen tin g em ployees.
A ddress of com m ission: A tla n ta .
U nited S ta te s E m p lo y m e n t Service:
G ator W oolford, F ed eral d irecto r for S ta te , 507 C h a m b e r of C om m erce
B uilding, A tla n ta .
H a w a ii
CITY AND COUNTY OF HO NO LULU
In d u s tria l accident bo ard :
A. J. C am pbell, ch airm an .
A. J. W irtz.
M . M acintyre.
H . W. Laws.
W. W . Goodale.
A. W. N exsen, secretary .
A. F. S chm itz, inspector.
A ddress of b o ard : 314-317 Jam es C am pbell B uilding, H onolulu.
COUNTY OF MAUI
In d u stria l accident b o ard :
Joseph H . G ray, ch airm an , W ailuku.
D on T. C arey, W ailuku.
R alp h II. Wilson, W ailuku.
F ra n k N . L ufkin, L ah ain a.
W. F. C ro ck ett, W ailuku.
M rs. F rancis S. W adsw orth, in sp ecto r a n d secretary , W ailuku.
COUNTY OF H A W A II
In d u s tria l accid en t bo ard :
B yron K . B aird, ch airm an .
O tto Rose.
Jam es W ebster.
D r. H . B. E lliot.
G avin A. Bush.
J. W. B ains, secretary .
Address of b o ard : Hilo.
COUNTY OF K A U AI
In d u s tria l accid en t b o ard :
J. M. L y d g ate, ch airm an , Lihue.
F red T row bridge, K ap aa.
J. B. F ernandez, K ap aa.
H . H . B rodie, H an ap ep e.
C. H . G ates, Lihue.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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192
M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
Id a h o
In d u s tria l accid en t b o a rd :
Joel B row n, chairm an .
G. W. Suppiger.
L aw rence E . W orstell.
Jo h n D. Case, secretary .
A ddress of b o a rd : Boise.
S ta te in surance fu n d :
W. D. Y ager, Boise.
Illin o is
D e p a rtm e n t of labor:
George B. A rnold, d irector, S ta te C apitol, Springfield.
D ivision of facto ry in sp ectio n —
W. H . C u rran , chief in sp ecto r, 1543 T ra n sp o rta tio n B uilding, 608 S o u th
D earb o rn S treet, Chicago.
D ivision of free em p lo y m en t offices—
C. M. C ray to n , S ta te su p e rin te n d e n t, S ta te C apitol, Springfield.
D ivision of p riv a te em p lo y m en t agencies—
Jo h n .J. M cK en n a, chief in spector, 608 S o u th D e a rb o rn S treet, C hicago.
G eneral advisory b o a rd (for th e Illinois Free E m p lo y m e n t Offices)-—
Prof. F. S. D eibler, ch airm an , E v an sto n .
D r. A. H . R. A tw ood, se cretary (representing em ployers), Chicago.
O scar G. M ay er (rep resen tin g em ployers.)
Jo h n H . W alker (rep resen tin g em ployees.)
Agnes N esto r (rep resen tin g em ployees).
R. D. C ahn, s ta tistic ia n in charge, 116 N o rth D e arb o rn S treet, Chicago.
In d u s tria l com m ission—
W illiam M. Scanlan, chairm an.
Jo h n J. B ren h o lt, jr. (rep resen tin g em ployers).
Jo h n B. F ren ch (rep resen tin g em ployers).
Jam es S h o rt (rep resen tin g em ployees).
C lay to n A. P ense (representing em ployees).
W alter F. R ohm , secretary .
D r. S. L a th a m , m edical director.
A ddress of com m ission: 303-318 C ity H all S quare B uilding, Chicago.
B u reau of in d u s tria l accid en t a n d lab o r research —
R. D. C ahn, chief.
A ddress: 139 N o rth C lark S treet, Chicago.
U n ited S ta te s E m p lo y m e n t S ervice:
B arn ey C ohen, F e d e ra l d ire c to r fo r S ta te , 116 N o rth D e a rb o rn S tre e t,
C hicago.
I n d ia n a
In d u s tria l bo ard :
D ixson H. B ynum , chairm an.
E ph. P. D ailey.
E d g a r A. Perkins, sr.
W alter W. Wills.
T hom as A. Riley.
C harles A. R ockw ell, secretary .
A ddress of b o a rd : R oom 432, S tateh o u se, In d ian ap o lis.
D e p a rtm e n t of factories, buildings, a n d w orkshops—
Jam es E. R eagin, chief in spector, room 404, S tateh o u se, In d ian ap o lis.
D e p a rtm e n t of boilers—
Jam es M. W oods, chief in sp ecto r (also locom otive in sp ecto r for th e
P ublic Service C om m ission), room 404 S tateh o u se, In d ian ap o lis.
D e p a rtm e n t of w om en a n d children—
M rs. M a rg a re t T om lin H oop, d irector, room 403, S tateh o u se, In d ia n a p
olis.
D e p a rtm e n t of m ines a n d m ining:
A lbert C. D ally, chief in sp ecto r, room 430, S tateh o u se, In d ian ap o lis.
U n ited S tates E m p lo y m e n t Service:
E. P. D ailey, F ed eral d irecto r for S ta te , room 404, S tateh o u se, In d ia n
apolis.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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DIRECTORY OF LABOR O FFIC IA L S
193
Io w a
B u reau of labor:
A. L. U rick, com m issioner.
F ree em p lo y m en t b u re a u —
G eorge B. A lbert, clerk.
A ddress of b u reau : Des Moines.
S ta te b u reau of m ines:
W. E. H olland, in sp ecto r first d istric t, C enterville.
R. T. R hys, in sp ecto r second d istric t, O ttu m w a.
E d w ard Sweeney, in sp ecto r th ird d istric t, Des M oines.
J. R . F ran k , secretary , Des Moines.
W orkm en’s com pensatio n service:
A. B. F u n k , in d u stria l com m issioner.
R a lp h Y oung, d e p u ty com m issioner.
R ay M. Spangler, secretary.
D r. O liver J. F a y , m edical counsel.
A ddress of service: S tatehouse, Des Moines.
U n ited S ta te s E m p lo y m e n t Service:
A. L. U rick, F ed eral d irecto r for S ta te , 123 C ourth o u se, D es M oines.
K an sas
P ublic service com m ission:
L. T. H ussey, chairm an.
C larence S m ith
F ra n k O ’Brien.
Jesse W. G reenleaf.
W. C. M illar.
E . N. C um m ings, secretary.
A ddress of com m ission: S tatehouse, Topeka.
M ine inspection d e p a rtm e n t—
Jam es Sherw ood, chief m ine in spector, P ittsb u rg .
F ree em p lo y m en t office—
Jo h n H . C raw ford, d irecto r of lab o r d e p a rtm e n t a n d F ed eral d ire c to r
for S tate, U n ited S tates E m p lo y m e n t Service.
M rs. D aisy L. G ulick, d irecto r of w om en’s w ork a n d fa c to ry in sp ecto r.
A ddress: S tateh o u se, T opeka.
K e n tu c k y
D e p a rtm e n t of ag ricu ltu re, labor, a n d sta tistic s:
Clell C olem an, com m issioner, F ra n k fo rt.
E d w ard F. Seiller, chief lab o r inspector, 95 T od d B uilding, Louisville.
George Schneider, d e p u ty lab o r in spector, 95 T o d d B uilding, Louisville.
Jo h n E . R odgers, d e p u ty la b o r inspector, 104 W est T h ird S treet,
C ovington.
M rs. C. H . K arsn er, d e p u ty lab o r inspector, F o rk s of E lk h o rn .
M rs. E v ely n B. R o d m an , d e p u ty lab o r in sp ecto r, 95 T odd B uilding.
Louisville.
W orkm en’s com pensation b o ard :
R . T. K en ard , chairm an .
Joseph M. Lee.
Thos. S. R hea.
F o rrest G. Fields, secretary.
E v e re tt E . Fields, referee.
J. W ood V ance, referee.
A ddress of b o ard : F ra n k fo rt.
L o u is ia n a
B ureau of lab o r an d in d u stria l sta tistic s:
F ra n k E. W ood, com m issioner, suite 626, A udubon B uilding, New
Orleans.
M rs. E d w ard P illsbury, facto ries in sp ecto r, su ite 5, H o w ard Annex,
M unicipal B uilding, N ew Orleans.
U n ited S ta te s E m p lo y m e n t Service:
F ra n k E. W ood, F ed eral directo r, suite 626, A udubon B uilding, New
O rleans.
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M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
M a in e
D e p a rtm e n t of lab o r a n d in d u stry :
C harles O. Beals, com m issioner, S tateh o u se, A ugusta,
In d u s tria l accident com m ission:
D onald D . G arcelon, ch airm an . a
Willis B. H all, associate legal m em ber.
C harles O. B eals (ex officio) com m issioner of labor.
W ilbur D . S pencer (ex officio) in su ran ce com m issioner.
A ddress of com m ission: S tateh o u se, A ugusta.
S ta te b o ard of a rb itra tio n a n d conciliation:
F ra n k H . In g ra h a m , ch airm an , R ockland.
E d w ard F. Gowell, Berw ick.
W illiam T. H inckley, secretary , 178 F o rre st A venue, Bangor.
M a r y la n d
C om m issioner of la b o r a n d sta tistic s:
J. K nox Insley, M . D., S t. P a u l a n d S ara to g a S treets, B altim ore.
S ta te in d u stria l accid en t com m ission:
R o b ert H . C arr, ch airm an .
O m ar D . C ro th ers.
G eorge Louis E p p ler.
A. E. B row n, secretary .
M iss R . O. H arriso n , d ire c to r of claims.
D r. R o b ert P. B ay, chief m edical exam iner.
S ta te accid en t fu n d —•
Jam es E . G reen, su p erin ten d e n t.
A ddress of com m ission: 741 E q u ita b le B uilding, B altim o re.
U n ited S ta te s E m p lo y m e n t Service:
Jo h n Allison M uir, F ed eral d irector, 1900 W ashington B oulevard, B a lti
m ore.
M a s s a c h u s e tts
D e p a rtm e n t of lab o r a n d in d u stries:
E . L eroy Sw eetser, com m issioner.
M iss E th e l M . Jo h n so n , a ss ista n t com m issioner.
A ssociate com m issioners (co n stitu tin g th e b o ard of conciliation a n d
a rb itra tio n a n d th e m in im u m w age com m ission)—
E d w ard F isher, chairm an .
H e rb e rt P . W asg att.
Sam uel Ross.
D ivision of in d u stria l safety —
Jo h n P. M eade, d irector.
D ivision of sta tistic s (including p ublic em p lo y m e n t offices)—
R osw ell F. P helps, d irector.
D ivision of sta n d a rd s—
F ran cis M ered ith , d irector.
D ivision of m inim u m w age—
M iss E th e l M . Johnson, a c tin g d irector.
A ddress of d e p a rtm e n t: R oom 473, S tateh o u se, B oston.
D e p a rtm e n t of in d u s tria l accid en ts:
W illiam W. K e n n ard , chairm an.
F ra n k J. D onahue.
D avid T . D ickinson.
Joseph A. P ark s.
C hester E . G leason,
C harles M . Stiller.
E m m a F a ll Schofield.
R o b ert E . G randfield, secretary .
F ran cis D . D onoghue, M. D ., m edical adviser.
A ddress of b o a rd : R oom 272, S tateh o u se, B oston.
U nited S ta te s E m p lo y m e n t Service:
E . Leroy Sw eetser, F ed eral d irecto r for S ta te , 473 S tateh o u se, B oston.
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M i c h ig a n
D e p a rtm e n t of lab o r a n d in d u stry :
F ra n k It. Sanders, chairm an.
Sam uel H. R hoads, com pensation commissioner.
C arl Y oung, com pensation com m issioner.
P erry J. W ard, la b o r com m issioner.
S. B. M ullen, sta tistic ia n .
F red S. Johnso n , secretary .
A ddress of d e p a rtm e n t: L ansing.
S ta te accid en t fu n d :
W illiam T. Shaw , m anager, L ansing.
U n ited S tates E m p lo y m e n t Service:
P erry J. W ard, F ed eral d irecto r for S ta te , 306 Owen Building, D etro it.
M in n e s o ta
In d u s tria l com m ission:
J. D. W illiam s, chairm an.
H en ry M cColl.
F. A. D uxbury .
Jo h n P. G ardin er, secretary .
D ivision of w o rk m e n ’s co m p en satio n —
F. E . H offm ann, chief.
D ivision of a c c id en t p rev e n tio n —
D av id R . H end erso n , chief.
D ivision of boiler in sp ectio n —
G eorge Wilcox, chief.
D ivision of w om en a n d child ren —
M iss Louise E . S chütz, su p erin ten d e n t.
A ddress of com m ission: 612 B rem er A rcade, St. Paul.
U n ited S tates E m p lo y m e n t Service:
J. D. W illiam s, F ed eral d irecto r for S tate, 612 B rem er A rcade, S t. P au l.
M is s is s ip p i
D e p a rtm e n t of S ta te fac to ry in spection:
R. S. C urry, M. D., S ta te fa c to ry in spector, Jackson.
M is s o u r i
B ureau of lab o r sta tistic s:
R oye B. H inkle, com m issioner, Jefferson C ity .
D e p a rtm e n t of in d u s tria l in sp ectio n :
M rs. Alice C u rtice M oyer-W ing, F u lle rto n B uilding, St. Louis.
U nited S ta te s E m p lo y m e n t Service:
R oye B. H inkle, F ed eral d irecto r for S ta te , Jefferson C ity.
M o n ta n a
D e p a rtm e n t of ag ricu ltu re, labor, a n d in d u s try :
A. H. B ow m an, com m issioner, H elena.
In d u s tria l accident b o ard :
Jerom e G. Locke, ch airm an .
G. P. P o rter, S ta te a u d ito r a n d (ex officio) com m issioner of insurance.
A. H . B ow m an, com m issioner of ag ricu ltu re, labor, a n d in d u stry , a n d
(ex officio) tre a su re r of board.
W. B. M cL aughlin, secretary .
T hom as C. P a tric k , chief acc o u n ta n t.
A ddress of b o a rd : H elena.
B ureau of safety in sp ectio n —
J. R . H a rtley , boiler a n d safety insp ecto r, Billings.
J. H . B ondy, boiler a n d safety inspector, G re a t Falls.
Jo h n Sewell, boiler a n d safety in sp ecto r, B u tte.
W illiam M axw ell, q u a rtz m ine a n d safety in sp ecto r, B u tte .
E d D avies, coal m ine an d safety inspector, H elena.
U n ited S tates E m p lo y m e n t Service:
B arclay C raighead, F ed eral d irecto r for S ta te , d e p a rtm e n t of ag ricu l
tu re , labor, a n d in d u stry , H elena.
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M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
N eb ra sk a
D e p a rtm e n t of lab o r:
F ra n k A. K en n ed y , sec re ta ry of lab o r a n d com pensation com m issioner,
S ta te C ap ito l, Lincoln.
U n ited S tates E m p lo y m e n t Service:
F ra n k A. K en n ed y , F ed eral d irecto r for S ta te , S ta te C ap ito l, Lincoln.
N evada
Office of lab o r com m issioner:
J. B. C linedinst, la b o r com m issioner, C arson C ity.
In d u s tria l com m ission :
D an J. Sullivan, ch airm an .
Jo h n M . G ray.
J. B. C linedinst.
D r. D onald M aclean, chief m edical adviser.
A ddress of com m ission: C arson C ity.
In sp ecto r of m ines:
A. J. Stinson, C arson C ity.
U nited S tates E m p lo y m e n t Service:
J. B. C linedinst, F ed eral d irecto r for S ta te , C arson C ity .
N e w H a m p s h ir e
B ureau of lab o r:
Jo h n S. B. D avie, com m issioner, C oncord.
Bion L. N u ttin g , fa c to ry in sp ecto r, C oncord.
H e rb e rt O. P rim e, fa c to ry in sp ecto r, L aconia.
M ary R . C hagnon, fa c to ry in sp ecto r, M an ch ester.
S ta te b o ard of conciliation a n d a rb itra tio n :
J. R. M cL ane (rep resen tin g p u b lic ), M anchester.
G eorge A. T en n ey (rep resen tin g m a n u fa c tu re rs), C larem o n t.
R ussell C. T horsell (rep resen tin g lab o r), E xeter.
U nited S tates E m p lo y m e n t Service:
Jo h n S. B. D avie, F ed eral d irecto r for S ta te , C oncord.
N ew Jersey
D e p a rtm e n t of lab o r:
A ndrew F . M cB ride, M . D ., com m issioner.
D r. M a rtin S zam atolski, consulting chem ist.
B u reau cf general a n d stru c tu ra l in spection a n d explosives—■
C harles H . W eeks, d e p u ty com m issioner of labor.
B ureau of hygiene a n d sa n ita tio n —
Jo h n R oach , d e p u ty com m issioner of labor.
B ureau of electrical a n d m echanical e q u ip m en t—
R ow land H . L everidge, chief.
B ureau of sta tistic s a n d records—
Jam es A. T . G ribbin, actin g chief.
B ureau of engineers’ license, steam boiler, a n d refrig eratin g p la n t inspec
tio n —
Joseph F. S co tt, chief exam iner.
B ureau of w o rk m en ’s co m pensation—A ndrew F . M cB ride, M. D ., com m issioner.
W illiam E . S tu b b s, d e p u ty com m issioner.
H a rry J. G oas, d e p u ty com m issioner.
C harles E . C orbin, d e p u ty com m issioner.
W illiam B . M cM ichael, referee.
Jo h n J. S ta h l, referee.
M aurice S. A vidan, M. D ., m edical adviser.
B ureau of em p lo y m en t—
R ussell J. E ld rid g e, director.
A ddress of d e p a rtm e n t: S ta te Office B uilding, T ren to n .
U n ited S tates E m p lo y m e n t Service:
A ndrew F . M cB rid e, M . D ., F ed eral d irecto r for S ta te , T ren to n .
N e w M e x ic o
M ine insp ecto r:
W arren B racew ell, 724 N o rth F o u rth S tre e t, A lbuquerque.
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N e w Y ork
D e p a rtm e n t of lab o r:
Jam es A. H am ilto n , in d u stria l com m issioner.
Jam es J. L eavy, d e p u ty in d u stria l com m issioner.
Sara Me Pike, secretary .
A ddress of d e p a rtm e n t: 124 E a st T w en ty -eig h th S tre e t, New Y ork.
In d u s tria l b oard—F rances P erkins, chairm an.
R ich ard J. C ullen.
R ich ard H . C urran .
A ddress of b o a rd : 124 E a st T w en ty -eig h th S treet, N ew Y ork.
B ureau of in spection —
Jam es L. G ernon, director, 124 E a st T w en ty -eig h th S treet, N ew Y ork.
B ureau of w orkm en ’s com p en satio n —
Jam es E. D onahoe, director.
D r. R ap h ael Lewy, chief m edical exam iner.
A ddress of b u re a u : 124 E a st T w en ty -eig h th S treet, New Y ork.
B ureau of in d u stria l relatio n s—
Jam es B rady, directo r, 124 E a st T w en ty -eig h th S treet, New Y ork.
D ivision of m ediatio n a n d a rb itra tio n —
A. J. P o rten ar, chief m ed iato r, 124 E a st T w en ty -eig h th S treet, New
Y ork.
D ivision of em plo y m en t—
R ich ard A. Flinn, chief, 124 E a s t T w en ty -eig h th S treet, N ew Y ork.
D ivision of aliens—
L illian R. Sire, d irector, 124 E a s t T w en ty -eig h th S treet, N ew Y ork.
D ivision of in d u stria l code—
E d w ard E. J. Pierce, referee.
T hom as C. E ipp er, referee.
A ddress of division: 124 E a st T w en ty -eig h th S treet, N ew Y ork.
D ivision of engineering—
W illiam J. Picard , chief, S ta te C apitol, A lbany.
B ureau of in d u stria l hygiene—
D r. L eland E . Cofer, d irector, 124 E a st T w en ty -eig h th S treet, New Y ork.
B ureau of sta tistic s a n d in fo rm atio n —
L eonard W. H a tc h , d irector, 124 E a st T w en ty -eig h th S treet, New Y ork.
E . B. P a tto n , chief sta tistic ia n , S ta te C apitol, A lbany.
B ureau of w om en in in d u s try —
M iss Nelle Sw artz, d irector, 124 E a st T w en ty -eig h th S tre e t, N ew Y ork.
S ta te in surance fu n d —
C. G. Sm ith, m anager, 432 F o u rth A venue, New Y ork.
D ivision of self-insurance—
Jo h n J. R y an , d irector, 124 E a st T w en ty -eig h th S treet N ew Y ork.
U nited S tates E m p lo y m e n t Service:
Jam es A. H am ilto n , F ed eral d irecto r for S ta te , 124 E a s t T w en tv -eig h th
S treet, N ew Y ork.
N o r th C a r o lin a
D e p a rtm e n t of lab o r an d p rin tin g :
F ra n k D. G rist, com m issioner, R aleigh.
U n ited S tates E m p lo y m en t Service:
F ra n k D. G rist, F ed eral d irecto r for S tate, R aleigh.
N o r th D a k o ta
D e p a rtm e n t of ag ricu ltu re a n d lab o r:
Joseph A. K itch en , com m issioner, B ism arck.
W orkm en’s com pensation b u re a u :
Joseph A. K itch en , chairm an.
S. S. M cD onald.
S. A. Olsness.
G. N. L ivdahl.
R. E. Wenzel.
J- R . H anley, secretary .
A ddress of b u reau : B ism arck.
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M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
M inim um w age com m ission:
D o ro th y B landing, secretary , B ism arck.
U n ited S ta te s E m p lo y m e n t Service:
E d. M cC ahan, su p erin te n d e n t, 602 N o rth e rn Pacific A venue, F argo.
O h io
D e p a rtm e n t of in d u stria l relatio n s:
H . R . W itte r, directo r.
In d u s tria l com m ission—
J. D . C lark, chairm an.
P. F. Casey.
R ose M o riarty .
H . R . W itte r, secretary .
D ivision of w ork m en ’s co m pensation—
W. A. H a rm a n , a ss ista n t'd ire c to r, d e p a rtm e n t of in d u stria l relatio n s.
H . L. R ebrassier, su pervisor of claim s.
E v a n I. E v an s, su p erv iso r of a c tu a ria l division.
G. L. Coffinbery, a u d ito r a n d sta tistic ia n .
D r. T. R . F letch er, chief m edical exam iner.
D ivision of la b o r sta tistic s (including free em p lo y m en t service)—
O. W. B rach, chief.
D ivision of safety a n d hygiene—
Thos. P. K earnes, su p erin te n d e n t.
C arl C. B easor, chief sta tistic ia n .
D ivision of fa c to ry in sp ectio n —
C. A. B enedict, chief.
D ivision of boiler in sp ectio n —
C. O. M yers, chief.
D ivision of exam iners of steam engineers—
A. L. L indsay, chief.
D ivision of m ines—
Jerom e W atso n , chief.
A ddress of d e p a rtm e n t: C olum bus.
U n ited S tates E m p lo y m en t Service:
O. W. B rach, F ed eral d irecto r for S ta te , C olum bus.
O k la h o m a
D e p a rtm e n t of lab o r:
C laude E . C onnally, com m issioner, O klahom a C ity.
B oard of a rb itra tio n a n d conciliation:
C laude E . C onnally, ch airm an , O klahom a C ity.
W. A. M u rp h y , a ssista n t com m issioner of lab o r, secre ta ry , O klahom a
C ity.
O. L. M a rtin , H a n n a .
Jo h n Cooper, M aysville.
B ert M . D rap er, C larem ore.
L. N. T rieb , S apulpa.
Jam es T em p leto n , H a rtsh o rn e .
O rlando B. Sw ain, Okmulgee.
In d u s tria l com m issio n :
M rs. F. L. R oblin, ch airm an .
H a rry C. M yers.
E d g a r F en to n .
M rs. A. E . B ond, secretary .
A ddress of com m ission: S ta te C apitol, O klahom a C ity .
U n ited S tates E m p lo y m e n t Service:
C laude E. C onnally, F ed eral d irecto r for S ta te , S ta te C apitol, O kla
hom a C ity .
Oregon
B ureau of lab o r:
C. H . G ram , com m issioner a n d fa c to ry in sp e c to r, Salem .
W. H . F itzg erald , d e p u ty com m issioner, 501 C ourthouse, P o rtla n d .
B oard of in sp ecto rs of child lab o r:
S tep h en G. S m ith , ch airm an , 65-67 B roadw ay, P o rF a n d .
M rs. S arah A. E v an s, P o rtla n d .
M iss P aulin e K line, C orvallis.
M rs. A. M. G rilley, P o rtla n d .
M rs. M illie R . T ru m b u ll, secretary , 646-648 C ourthouse, P o rtla n d .
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In d u s tria l w elfare com m ission:
T hom as M cC usker, chairm an.
D r. C. J. Sm ith.
M rs. L. Gee.
M rs. M illie R . T rum bull, se c re ta ry a n d inspector.
A d d re s s o f com m ission: 646-648 C ourthouse, P o rtla n d .
S ta te in d u stria l a c cid en t com m ission:
E. E . B ragg, ch airm an .
D. A. E lkins.
W illiam A. M arshall.
D r. F. H . T hom pson, m edical adviser.
A ddress of com m ission: Salem.
S ta te b o ard of conciliatio n :
W illiam F. W oodw ard, chairm an, 550 M edical A rts Building, P o rtla n d .
Jo h n K. F ly n n , 589 H o y t S treet, P o rtlan d .
W illiam E . K im sey, secretary , 244 Salm on S treet, P o rtla n d .
U n ited S tates E m p lo y m e n t Service:
W. H . F itzgerald , F ederal d irecto r a n d zone clearance officer, 501
C ourthouse, P o rtla n d .
P e n n s y lv a n ia
D e p a rtm e n t of lab o r a n d in d u s try :
R ich ard H . L an sb u rg h , secretary .
In d u s tria l b o ard —
R ich ard H . L an sb u rg h , chairm an.
M rs. Sam uel Semple.
Joseph H . W illits.
T. J. Gillespie.
Jo h n A. Phillips.
J. M . Sandel, secretary .
S ta te w orkm en’s in su ran ce b o ard —
R ich ard H . L an sb u rg h , ch airm an .
Sam uel W. M cC ulloch, in su ran ce com m issioner.
Sam uel S. Lewis, s ta te tre a su re r.
S ta te w orkm en’s in su ra n c e fu n d —G abriel H . M oyer, m anager.
W orkm en’s com pensatio n b o ard —
T. H e n ry W aln u t, chairm an.
P au l W. H ouck.
J. L. M orrison.
R ich ard H . L an sb u rg h , ex officio.
J. C. D etw eiler, secretary .
B ureau of w o rk m en ’s co m pensation—
W. H . H orner, directo r.
B ureau of em p lo y m en t—■
R o b e rt J . P eters, director.
B ureau of in d u s tria l relatio n s—
D avid W illiam s, d irector.
B ureau of in d u s tria l sta n d a rd s—
J. M . Sandel, directo r.
B ureau of w om en a n d child ren —
C h a rlo tte E . C arr, d irector.
B ureau of in sp ectio n —
C yril A insw orth, d irector.
B ureau of re h a b ilita tio n —
S. S. R iddle, directo r.
B ureau of s ta tistic s—
W illiam J . M aguire, director.
A ddress of d e p a rtm e n t: S o u th Office Building, Harrisburg.
D e p a rtm e n t of m ines:
Josep h J. W alsh, su p e rin te n d e n t, H arrisb u rg .
U nited S ta te s E m p lo y m e n t Service:
R o b e rt J. P eters, F ed eral d irecto r for S ta te , Harrisburg.
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M O N T H L Y LABOE
REVIEW
P h ilip p in e I s la n d s
B ureau of lab o r (under d e p a rtm e n t of com m erce a n d com m unications) :
H erm enegildo C ruz, d irector, M anila.
P o r to R ic o
D e p a rtm e n t of a g ric u ltu re a n d labor:
C arlos E . C h ard ô n , com m issioner
B ureau of lab o r—C arm elo H onoré, chief.
A ddress of d e p a rtm e n t: S an Juan.
W orkm en’s relief com m ission:
R am o n M o n ta n e r, ch airm an .
R . P alacios R odriguez, vice ch airm an .
Jo aq u in A. B ecerril, se c re ta ry a n d p e rm a n e n t m em ber.
Alfredo V argas.
P. R iv era M artin ez.
P edro S an ta n a , jr.
J. C in tro n D av ila, a d m in istra tiv e secretary .
A ddress of com m ission: Post-office box 266, San Ju a n .
R h ode I s la n d
D e p a rtm e n t of L abo r:
G eorge H . W ebb, com m issioner, S tatehouse, P rovidence.
Office of facto ry insp ecto rs:
J. E llery H u d so n , chief in sp ecto r, S tateh o u se, P rovidence.
B oard of lab o r (for th e a d ju s tm e n t of lab o r disputes) :
G eorge H . W ebb, com m issioner of lab o r, ch airm an .
E dw in O. C hase (rep resen tin g em ployers).
W illiam C. F ish er (rep resen tin g em ployers).
A lbert E . H o ld er (rep resen tin g em ployees).
John H . Pow ers (rep resen tin g em ployees).
C h risto p h er M . D u n n , d e p u ty com m issioner of lab o r secretary.
A ddress of b o a rd : S tateh o u se, P rovidence
U n ited S ta te s E m p lo y m e n t Service:
G eorge H . W ebb, F ed eral d irecto r for S ta te , S tateh o u se, P rovidence.
S o u th C a r o lin a
D e p a rtm e n t of ag ricu ltu re, com m erce, a n d in d u stries:
J. W . Shealy, com m issioner.
A ddress of d e p a rtm e n t : C olum bia.
B oard of conciliation a n d a rb itra tio n :
B. E . G eer, ch airm an , G reenville.
W. H . M cN airy , D illon.
H . E. T hom pson, secretary , B atesburg.
S o u th D a k o ta
Office of in d u s tria l co m m issio n er:2
S. A. T rav is, in d u stria l com m issioner.
A ddress: P ierre.
T en n essee
D e p a rtm e n t of lab o r :
E d . M . G illenw aters, com m issioner, N ashville.
B en F eld m an , secretary , N ashville.
D ivision of fa c to ry in sp ectio n —
M. F . N icholson, chief insp ecto r, N ashville.
D ivision of m ines—
O. P . Pile, chief in sp ecto r, Cow an.
D ivision of h o te l in sp ectio n —:
Sam I. B olton, in sp ecto r, N ashville.
D ivision of w o rk m en ’s co m p en satio n —
H a rry L. N elson, su p e rin te n d e n t, 2211 P ierce A venue, N ashville.
U n ited S tates E m p lo y m e n t Service:
J. A. P o rte r, special ag e n t, K noxville.
1 Administers
workmen’s compensation act.
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201
T e xa s
B ureau of lab o r sta tistic s:
E. J. C rocker, com m issioner.
J. Lee T arple y , chief d ep u ty .
F a n n y S. D aniel, sta tistic ia n a n d secretary.
A ddress of b u re a u : S ta te C apitol, A ustin.
In d u s tria l accid en t b o ard :
Jas. W. Sw ayne, chairm an.
J. M. P ittillo.
M rs. E sp a Stan fo rd .
E. B. B arnes, secretary .
A ddress of b o a rd : A ustin.
U nited S tates E m p lo y m e n t Service:
C. W. W oodm an, a ssista n t director.
A ddress: 806 T ay lo r S treet, F o rt W orth.
Utah
In d u s tria l com m ission:
O. F. M cShane, chairm an.
W m. M. K nerr.
N ephi L, M orris.
C arolyn I. Sm ith, secretary.
S ta te in su ran ce fu n d —
C. A. C aine, m anager.
A ddress of com m ission: S ta te C apitol, S alt L ak e C ity .
V erm ont
Office of com m issioner of in d u stries:
Jo h n S. B uttles, com m issioner, M ontpelier.
F red S. Pease, d e p u ty com m issioner, B urlington.
S ta te b o ard of conciliation a n d a rb itra tio n :
H en ry C. Brislin, R u tlan d .
Ashley J. Goss, D anville.
H ugh J. M. Jones, M ontpelier.
V ir g in ia
B ureau of lab o r an d in d u s tr y :
Jo h n H opkins H all, jr., com m issioner.
A. G. Lucas, chief m ine inspector.
Jo h n G ribben, chief fa c to ry a n d m ach in ery in spector.
D ivision of w om en a n d children—
M rs. M ary L. Scrogham , director.
A ddress of b u re a u : R ichm ond.
In d u s tria l com m ission:
B olling H . H a n d y , chairm an.
C. G. K izer.
P ark e P. D eans.
C. W. D udley, statistician .
W. F. B ursey, secretary .
A ddress of com m ission: Box 1794, R ichm ond.
U n ited S ta te s E m p lo y m e n t Service:
Jo h n H opkins H all, jr., F ed eral d irecto r for S tate, S ta te C apitol, R ic h
m ond.
W a shin g to n
D e p a rtm e n t of lab o r an d in d u stries:
C laire B ow m an, d irector.
Jo h n Shaughnessy, supervisor of in d u stria l in su ran ce a n d m edical aid.
M a rtin J . Flyzik, sup erv iso r of safety a n d in d u stria l relations.
M rs. G. V. H an ey , sup erv iso r of w om en in in d u stry .
D r. L. L. G oodnow , chief m edical adviser.
R . M . V an D orn, in d u stria l sta tistic ia n .
P ercy G ilbert, secretary .
102973°— 26------14
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M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
D e p a rtm e n t of la b o r a n d in d u strie s— C o n tin u ed .
In d u s tria l w elfare co m m ittee—
C laire B ow m an, ch airm an , d irecto r of la b o r a n d in d u stries.
Jo h n S haughnessy, su p erv iso r of in d u stria l in su ran ce a n d m edical aid.
R . M . V an D orn, in d u s tria l sta tistic ia n .
M a rtin J. Flvzik, su p erv iso r of safety a n d in d u stria l relations.
M rs. G. V. H a n e y , su p erv iso r of w om en in in d u stry .
A ddress of d e p a rtm e n t:,O ly m p ia .
U n ited S tates E m p lo y m e n t Service:
W illiam C. C a rp e n te r, F ed eral d irecto r for S ta te , 421 F ed eral B uilding,
Spokane.
W est V ir g in ia
B ureau of labor:
George F . D a u g h e rty , com m issioner, C harleston.
S ta te com pensation com m issioner :
Lee O tt, com m issioner.
J. E . B row n, secretary .
J. W. Sm iley, a c tu a ry .
Lewis J. F rey , chief sta tistic ia n .
R . H . W alker, chief m edical exam iner.
A ddress: C harleston.
D e p artm en t of m ines:
R . M . L am bie, chief, C harleston.
U n ited S tates E m p lo y m e n t Service:
G eorge F. D a u g h e rty , F ed eral d irecto r fo r S ta te , C h arlesto n .
W is c o n s in
In d u s tria l com m ission:
F red M . W ilcox, chairm an.
R . G. K n u tso n .
L. A. T arrell.
A. J. A ltm eyer, secretary .
Safety a n d sa n ita tio n d e p a rtm e n t—
R . M cA. K eow n, engineer.
W orkm en’s co m p en satio n d e p a rtm e n t—
F . T . M cC orm ick, chief exam iner.
E m p lo y m en t d e p a rtm e n t—
R . G. K n u tso n , directo r.
A pprenticeship d e p a rtm e n t—
W alter F . Sim on, supervisor.
W om en a n d child la b o r d e p a rtm e n t—
T ay lo r F ry e, d irecto r.
M iss M au d S w ett, field director, room 809, M a n u fa c tu re rs’ H om e B uild
ing, M ilw aukee.
S tatistical d e p a rtm e n t—
O rrin A. F ried , sta tistic ia n .
A ddress of com m ission: M adison.
U nited S ta te s E m p lo y m e n t Service:
R . G. K n u tso n , F ed eral d irecto r for S ta te , S ta te C ap ito l, M adison.
IF yom in g
Department of labor and statistics:
T.
G. F resh n ey , com m issioner, C ap ito l B uilding, C heyenne.
C hild lab o r bo ard :
T . G. F resh n ey , ch airm an .
Lewis G. T idball.
D r. G. M . A nderson.
W orkm en’s com pensatio n d e p a rtm e n t (under S ta te tre a s u re r’s office) :
J. M . Snyder, S ta te tre a su re r.
C. B. M organ, d e p u ty tre a su re r.
A rth u r C alverley, a ss ista n t d e p u ty a n d d e p a rtm e n t m anager.
A ddress of d e p a rtm e n t: C heyenne.
U n ited S tates E m p lo y m en t Service:
W ade B. M cA dam s, C h am b er of C om m erce B uilding, C asper.
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DIRECTORY OF LABOR OFFTOTAT.fi
203
ARGENTINA
M in istry of th e In te rio r (address, B uenos A ires):
N atio n al lab o r d e p a rtm e n t.
AUSTRALIA
C om m onw ealth B ureau of C ensus an d S ta tistic s 3 (address, M e lb o u rn e ):
AUSTRIA
F ederal S tatistical Office (address, V ie n n a ):
L ab o r sta tistic s division.
BELGIUM
M in istry of In d u s try , L abor, an d Social W elfare (address, 12 R u e L am b erm o n t,
B ru ssels):
L ab o r office.
BOLIVIA
M in istry of P ro m o tio n (address, L a Paz).
BRAZIL
M in istry of A griculture, In d u s try , a n d C om m erce (address, Rio do Janeiro).
BULGARIA
M in istry of C om m erce, In d u s try , an d L ab o r (address R ue A lbinska 48, S ofia):
L abor section.
. n :;
CANADA
D e p a rtm e n t of L abor:
J. C. E llio tt, K . C. m inister.
H . H . W a rd , d e p u ty m in iste r.
G erald H . B row n, a ssista n t d e p u ty m inister.
R. A. Rigg, d irecto r of em p lo y m en t service.
A. W. C raw ford, d irecto r of technical education.
S. T . B astedo, su p e rin te n d e n t of D om inion G o v ern m en t annu ities.
F. A. M cG regor, re g istra r of com bines in v estig atio n act.
C. W. B olton, chief of sta tistic a l branch.
F. J. P la n t, chief of lab o r intelligence b ran ch .
A ddress of d e p a rtm e n t: O ttaw a, O ntario.
A lb e rta
D e p a rtm e n t of public w orks:
W. S m itten , com m issioner of labor.
F. W. H obson, chief boiler inspector.
H . M . Bishop, chief fa c to ry in spector.
G. P. B arker, chief th e a te r inspector.
Jo h n T. Stirling, chief m ine inspector.
A ddresses of d e p a rtm e n t: E d m o n to n .
G ov ern m en t em p loym ent b u reau :
W illiam C arnill, su p erin ten d e n t, C algary.
W. J. P aterso n , su p erin ten d e n t, E d m o n to n
A. R. R edshaw , su p erin ten d e n t, L ethbridge.
J. W. W right, su p erin ten d e n t, M edicine H a t.
A. A. C olquohoun, su p erin ten d e n t, D rum heller.
W orkm en’s com pensation b o ard :
Jo h n T. Stirling, chairm an.
W alter F. M cN eill, com m issioner.
Jam es A. K inney, com m issioner.
F rederick D. N oble, secretary.
A ddress of b o ard : Q u’A ppelle B uilding, E d m o n to n .
8 Publishes annual reports on labor and industrial statistics.
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M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
B r i t i s h C o lu m b ia
D e p a rtm e n t of labor:
A. M. M anson, m in ister, V ictoria.
J. D. M cN iven, d e p u ty m in ister, V ictoria.
R o b e rt J. S te w a rt, chief factories in spector, V ancouver.
E m p lo y m en t service—
J .'H . M cV ety, g eneral su p erin te n d e n t, V ancouver.
M inim um w age [for fem ales] b o ard —
J. D. M cN iven, d e p u ty m in ister of labor, chairm an.
M rs. H elen G. M acG ill.
T hos. M athew s.
M iss M abel Agnes C am eron, secretary.
H ours of w ork a n d m in im u m w age [for m ales] b o ard —
J. D. M cN iven, d e p u ty m in ister of labor, ch airm an .
F. V. F oster.
T. F. P aterso n .
A ddress of b o a rd : P a rlia m e n t B uildings, V ictoria.
W orkm en’s com pen satio n b o ard :
E . S. H . W inn, K . C., chairm an.
P a rk e r W illiams.
H ugh B. G ilm our.
F. W. H insdale, secretary .
A ddress of b o a rd : B oard of T ra d e B uilding, V ancouver.
M a n ito b a
B ureau of labor:
W. R . C lubb, m in iste r of public works.
E d w ard M c G ra th , secretary .
A rth u r M a c N a m a ra , chief inspector
F air w age b o ard —
D . L. M cL ean, d e p u ty m in ister of public w orks, ch airm an .
J. W. M orley.
E. C laydon.
W alter Owens.
C. J. H ard in g .
M inim um wage b o ard —
Geo. N. Jack so n , ch airm an .
M rs. E d n a M. N ash.
Jam es W inning.
A ddress of b u re a u : 332 P a rlia m e n t B uilding, W innipeg.
W orkm en’s com pen satio n b o ard :
C. K . N ew com be, com m issioner.
R . S. W ard.
G. E. C arp en te r.
N. Fletcher, secretary .
A ddress of b o a rd : 166 P o rtag e A venue E a st, W innipeg.
N ew B r u n s w ic k
D e p a rtm e n t of lab o r:
H . I. T aylo r, m inister.
W orkm en’s com pen satio n b o ard :
J. A. Sinclair, ch airm an .
F. C. R obinson.
J. L. Sugrue.
A ddress of b o a rd : P o st Office Box 1422, St. Jo h n .
Inspection of factories:
Jo h n K enney, St. Jo h n .
N ova S c o tia
D e p a rtm e n t of public w orks a n d m ines:
H on. G. S. H a rrin g to n , m inister.
N o rm an M cK enzie, d e p u ty m inister.
P hilip R ing, fa c to ry inspector.
A ddress of d e p a rtm e n t: H alifax.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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DIRECTORY OF LABOR O FFICIA LS
205
W orkm en’s com pensation b o ard :
V. J. P a to n , K . C., chairm an .
F red W. A rm strong, vice chairm an .
Jo h n T . Jo y , com m issioner.
A ddress of b o a rd : H alifax.
E m p lo y m en t service:
C. J. C o tter, su p e rin te n d e n t m e n ’s division, H alifax.
Miss E ld a E. Caldwell, su p e rin te n d e n t w om en’s division, H alifax.
O n ta r io
D e p a rtm e n t of lab o r:
H on. Forbes G odfrey, m inister.
Jam es H . H . B allan ty n e, d e p u ty m inister.
D. M. M edcalf, chief in sp ecto r of steam boilers.
Jam es T . B urke, chief in sp ecto r of factories, shops, a n d office buildings.
J. M. B row n, ch airm an sta tio n a ry a n d ho istin g engineers’ board.
E m p lo y m en t service—
H . C. H udson, general su p erin te n d e n t, O n tario offices.
A ddress of d e p a rtm e n t: S padina H ouse, T oronto.
M inim um wage b o ard :
D r. J. W. M acM illan, chairm an.
H . G. F ester.
M rs. L y d ia P arsons.
M iss M arg aret Stephens.
R . A. Stapells.
A ddress of b o ard : S p ad in a H ouse, T oronto.
W orkm en’s com pensation b o ard :
V ictor A. Sinclair, K . C., chairm an.
H en ry J. H alford, vice chairm an .
George A. K ing sto n , com m issioner.
N. B. W orm ith, secretary .
T. N orm an D ean, sta tistic ia n .
F. W. G raham , claim s officer.
W. E . S tru th ers, m edical officer.
D. E. Bell, m edical officer.
J. M. B rem ner, m edical officer.
A ddress of b o a rd : M etro p o litan Building, 44 V ictoria S treet, T oro n to .
Quebec
D e p a rtm e n t of public w orks a n d lab o r:
A ntonin G alipea u lt, K . C., m inister, Quebec.
Louis G uyon, d e p u ty m in ister, a n d chief in sp e c to r of in d u stria l e sta b
lishm ents a n d p ublic buildings, 63 N o tre D am e S tre e t E a st, M o n treal.
A lfred R o b e rt, fa ir w ages officer a n d d e p u ty chief in sp ecto r. 63 N o tre
D am e S tre e t E a st, M ontreal.
Felix M arois, re g istra r of b o ard of conciliation a n d a rb itra tio n , P arlia
m en t B uildings, Quebec.
S a s k a tc h e w a n
B ureau of lab o r an d in d u strie s:
T hom as M . M olloy, com m issioner.
T. W ithy, chief fa c to ry inspector.
E . Pierce, m ine in sp ecto r.
G ov ern m en t em p lo y m en t b ra n c h —
G. E . T o m sett, g eneral su p erin ten d e n t.
A ddress of b u re a u : R egina.
M inim um w age b o ard :
Jo h n A. M ath er, chairm an , Saskatoon.
M rs. W m . Allen, M oose Jaw .
J. P. K eleher, M oose Jaw .
M rs. F. M. E ddie, R egina.
J. K . R . W illiam s, R egina.
T. W ithy, chief fa c to ry in sp ecto r, secretary , R egina.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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M O N T H L Y LABOE BEV IEW
CHILE
M inistry of H ealth , Social W elfare, a n d L ab o r (address, S an tiag o ).
CHINA
[A d e p a rtm e n t of lab o r is u n d er consideration, b u t th e org an izatio n h a s n o t
progressed sufficiently a t th is tim e to give a n y details.]
COLOMBIA
M in istry of P ublic W orks (address, B ogota).
COSTA RICA
M in istry of P ublic W orks (address, San José).
CUBA
S ecretariat of A griculture, C om m erce, a n d L ab o r (address, H a v a n a ).
Im m ig ratio n , la n d se ttle m e n t, a n d lab o r sections.
CZECHOSLOVAKIA
M in istry of Social W elfare 4 (address, V ald sty n sk a, 10, P rag u e, I I I ) .
M in istry of P ublic W orks 5 (address, P resslova, 6, P rag u e-S m ich o v ).
DENM A R K
Social M in istry (address, C openhagen) :
L abor b o ard —
25 A m aliegade, C openhagen.
L abor a n d facto ry in sp ectio n d e p a rtm e n t—
25 Amaliegade^ C openhagen.
W orkm en’s com pensation b o ard —
3 K ongens N y to rv , C openhagen.
DOM INICAN REPUBLIC
D e p a rtm e n t of A gricu ltu re a n d Im m ig ra tio n (address, San D om ingo).
D U TC H EAST IND IES
D e p a rtm e n t of Ju stic e (address, B atav ia, Ja v a .) :
L abor bureau.
ECUADOR
M in istry of Public In s tru c tio n (address, Quito)
D e p a rtm e n t of labor.
EGYPT
M inistry of In te rio r, C ouncil of A rb itra tio n (address, C airo).
ESTHONIA
M in istry of L ab o r a n d Social W elfare (address, R ev al).
FINLAND
M in istry of Social Affairs (address, H elsingfors).
FRANCE
M in istry of L abor a n d H ygiene (address, R u e de G renelle, 127, P aris).
4 H an d les labor relations at large.
1Labor questions relating to workers in m ines; legislation; insurance statistics.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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DIRECTORY OF LABOR O FFIC IA L S
207
GERMANY
M inistry of L abor (address, S ch arn h o rststrasse, 35, B erlin N. W ., 40).
GREAT BRITAIN
M inistry of L abor (address, M o n tag u H ouse, W hitehall, L ondon, S. W ., 1).
GREECE
M in istry of N a tio n a l E conom y (address, R ue V aloalitou, 3, A th en s)..
D irecto rate of lab o r a n d social w elfare.
GUATEMALA
M inistry of P ublic W orks (address, G uatem ala).
HAITI
D e p a rtm e n t of Public W orks (address, P o rt au P rince).
HONDURAS
M inistry of th e In te rio r (address, T egucigalpa)
HUNGARY
M in istry of Social W elfare a n d L abor (address, K y raly i Palot.a, B u d ap est).
INDIA
D e p a rtm e n t of In d u strie s (address, D elhi).
IRISH FREE STATE
D e p a rtm e n t of In d u s try an d Com m erce (address G o v ern m en t B uilding, D u blin).
ITALY
M in istry of N a tio n al E conom y (R om e).
JAPAN
B ureau of Social Affairs (address, T okyo).
LATVIA
M in istry of P ublic W elfare (address, R iga).
LITHUANIA
M in istry of H om e Affairs (address, K au n as).
LUXEMBURG
G eneral D irecto rate of A griculture, In d u s try , a n d Social W elfare (address, A rlo n ):
D ivision of com m erce, in d u s try , a n d labor.
MEXICO
D e p a rtm e n t of In d u s try , C om m erce, an d L abor (address, Mexico C ity ).
NETHERLANDS
M in istry of L abor, C om m erce, a n d In d u s try
H ague)
NEW ZEALAND
D e p a rtm e n t of L ab o r (address, W ellington).
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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(address, B eznidenhout, T he
208
M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
NICARAGUA
M in ister of P ublic W orks (address, M an ag u a).
NORWAY
M in istry of Social Affairs (address, V ik to ria te rrasse, 11-13, C h ristian a).
PANAMA
M in istry of Public W orks (address, P a n a m a ).
PARAGUAY
M in istry of th e In te rio r (address, A suncion).
PERSIA
M inistry of Com m erce, A griculture, a n d P ublic W orks (address, T eh eran ).
PERU
M in istry of Public W orks (address, L im a).
POLAND
M in istry of L ab o r a n d Social A ssistance (address, P lace D om brow ski, 1, W arsaw ).
PORTUGUAL
M in istry of L ab o r (address, Lisbon).
RUMANIA
M in istry of Public H e a lth , L abor, a n d Social W elfare (address, S tra d a W ilson,
B u c h arest).
SALVADOR
M inistry of th e In te rio r, In d u s try , a n d A griculture (address, San S alvador).
KINGDOM OF THE SERBS, CROATS, AND SLOVENES
M in istry of Social Policy (address, B elgrade).
SIAM
M in istry of C om m erce (address, B a n g k o k ):
B oard of com m ercial d ev elo p m en t (deals w ith lab o r m a tte rs).
SPAIN
M inistry of L abor, C om m erce a n d In d u s try (address, Paseo de la C astellan a,
3, M adrid).
SW EDEN
M inistry of Social Affairs (address, M y n tto rg e t 2, S to c k h o lm ):
L abor an d social w elfare section.
SWITZERLAND
Federal D e p a rtm e n t of N a tio n a l E conom y (address, P alais F ed eral, B e rn e ):
F ederal lab o r office.
UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA
D e p a rtm e n t of L ab o r (address, P re to ria ).
URUGUAY
M in istry of In d u s try (address, M o n te v id e o ):
N atio n al lab o r office.
VENEZUELA
M in istry of P ublic W orks (address, C aracas).
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[208]
PUBLICATIONS RELATING TO LABOR
Official—United States
A l a b a m a .— D e p a rtm e n t of E d u catio n .
C i v i l i a n r e h a b ilita tio n b u lle tin N o . 2 : T h e
v o c a tio n a l r e h a b ilita tio n o f p e r s o n s d is a b le d i n i n d u s t r y o r o th e r w is e .
B ir m in g
h a m [1 9 2 5 ? ].
2 7 p p . , i l l u s tr a te d .
D a ta fro m th is b u lle tin a re p u blished on page 184 of th is issue.
C a l i f o r n i a .— In d u s tria l A ccident C om m ission.
80, 1925.
S a c r a m e n to , 1 9 2 6 .
R e p o r t, J u l y 1 , 1 9 2 A, to J u n e
85 pp.
A brief review of th is re p o rt is given on page 66 of th is issue.
I n d i a n a .— In d u s tria l B o ard .
en ce, F e b ru a ry 1 0 , 1 9 2 6 .
P r o c e e d in g s o f S t a t e - w i d e I n d u s t r i a l S a f e t y C o n f e r
I n d ia n a p o lis, 1 9 2 6 . 5 9 p p .
T h e su b jects covered in th e conference in cluded in d u stria l safety in th e m ining,
steel, a n d au to m o b ile in d u stries, th e accid en t p ro b lem from th e w o rk ers’ view
p o in t, in d u stria l accid en ts to w om en, a n d th e im p o rta n c e of first aid.
L o u i s i a n a .-— D e p a rtm e n t of L ab o r a n d In d u s tria l S tatistics.
r e p o r t, 1 9 2 5 - 2 6 .
N e w O r le a n s , 1 9 2 6 .
Some of th e d a ta a re p u b lish ed on page 39 of th is issue.
co n tain s a n in d u stria l d irecto ry of 100 pages.
M
T h ir te e n th b ie n n ia l
287 pp.
T h e volum e also
D e p a rtm e n t of P u b lic W elfare. D ivision of H ousing a n d
T ow n P lan n in g . A n n u a l r e p o r t f o r th e y e a r e n d in g N o v e m b e r 8 0 , 1 9 2 5 .
assachusetts—
[ B o s to n , 1 9 2 6 ? ]
15 p p .
P u b lic D o c u m e n t N o . 1 0 3 .
T he re p o rt show s t h a t to w n p lan n in g is gaining g round in th e S ta te . A t th e
close of th e year, 77 to w n s a n d cities h a d a c tiv e to w n p lan n in g boards, 4 h ad
in activ e boards, 15 w ere considering a c tio n in re g a rd to estab lish in g such boards,
and only 7 m anifested no in te re st in th e m a tte r. A n im p o rta n t d ev elo p m en t is
th e grow ing realizatio n t h a t regional p lan n in g is th e logical expansion of city a n d
to w n planning, t h a t a co m m u n ity can n o t p la n sa tisfacto rily fo r itself as a n
isolated u n it, an d t h a t w hile reta in in g full p olitical in d iv id u a lity , group a c tio n is
essential.
N
J e r s e y . — D e p a rtm e n t of L abor. R e p o r t, J u l y 1 , 1 9 2 A , to J u n e 3 0 , 1 9 2 5 .
[ T r e n to n , 1 9 2 5 ? ] 8 3 p p .
In fo rm a tio n from th is re p o rt is given on pages 59 a n d 182 of th is issue.
ew
N e w Y o r k . — D e p a rtm e n t of L abor.
on
w o r k m e n 's
267 pp.
------
c o m p e n s a tio n
la w ,
S p e c i a l b u lle tin N o . l l f i : C o u r t d e c is io n s
J a n u a r y - D e c e m b e r , 1 9 2 5 — a ll s u b je c ts .
G overnor’s A dvisory C om m ission in th e C loak, Suit, a n d S k irt In d u s try ,
N ew Y ork C ity. F i n a l r e c o m m e n d a tio n s , M a y 2 0 , 1 9 2 6 . [ N e w Y o r k ] 1 9 2 6 .
13 p p .
A r6sum 6 of th is re p o rt ap p e a rs on page 31 of th is issue.
P e n n s y l v a n i a .— C om m ission to s tu d y conditions re la tin g to b lind persons in
P ennsylvania.
R e p o r t, 1 9 2 5 .
H a r r is b u r g , 1 9 2 5 .
------ D e p a rtm e n t of S ta te a n d Finance.
b u rg , 1 9 2 5 .
8A pp.
D e p a r tm e n ta l s t a t i s t ic s , 1 9 2 5 .
H a rr is
828 pp.
A m ong th e P en n sy lv a n ia sta tistic s of special in te re st to la b o r in th is volum e
are in d u s tria l accid en ts, co m p en satio n ag reem en ts a n d aw ard s, S ta te w o rk m e n ’s
in su ran ce fu n d , o ccupatio n s of coal m iners, av erag e h o u rly w age ra te s, a c tiv itie s
of em p lo y m en t offices, re h a b ilita tio n cases, a n d v o catio n al ed u catio n . T he
la te s t y e a r fo r w hich th e ab o v e-listed d a ta a re re p o rte d is 1924.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[209]
209
210
M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
C a r o l i n a . — D e p a rtm e n t of A griculture, Com m erce, a n d In d u strie s.
L abor D ivision. S e v e n te e n th a n n u a l r e p o r t, 1 9 2 5 . [C o lu m b ia , 1 9 2 6 .] 7 3
South
pp.
D a ta from th is re p o rt a re given on page 182 of th is issue.
T e n n e s s e e .— D e p a rtm e n t of L abor.
D ivision of W orkm en’s C om pensation.
S u p r e m e c o u r t d e c is io n s c o v e r in g T e n n e s s e e
1 9 1 9 -1 9 2 4 .
[ N a s h v ille , 1 9 2 5 ? ] .
43 pp.
w o r k m e n ’s
c o m p e n s a tio n
la w ,
T his p a m p h le t p rese n ts in a b rid g ed form th e decisions of th e Suprem e C o u rt of
T ennessee co n stru in g th e S ta te w o rk m en ’s com p en satio n a c t. T he p o in ts are
p rese n ted in brief, w ith p a ra g ra p h s ex p la n a to ry of th e fa c ts involved, giving in
inform al fashion th e su b stan ce of th e decisions ren d ered up to a n d in cluding
O ctober 24, 1925.
W a s h i n g t o n .— D e p a rtm e n t of L ab o r a n d In d u stries.
C o m p i l a t i o n o f in s u r a n c e
a n d m e d ic a l a i d a c ts a d m i n i s t e r e d
O ly m p ia , 1 9 2 6 , 5 0 p p .
U n i t e d S t a t e s .— C ongress.
H ouse.
by
d e p a r tm e n t o f la b o r a n d
in d u s tr ie s .
C o m m ittee on Im m ig ra tio n a n d N a tu ra li
zation.
A d m i s s i o n o f c e r ta in r e la tiv e s .
H e a r in g s , J a n u a r y 7 , 1 9 2 6 .
in g to n , 1 9 2 6 .
28 pp.
( 6 9 th C o n g ., 1 s t s e s s .)
W ash
------ ■
— — ------ -------- D e p o r ta tio n o f a l i e n c r i m i n a l s , g u n m e n , n a r c o tic d e a le r s ,
d e f e c tiv e s , e tc .
H e a r in g s o n H . R . 3 4 4 , H . R . 3 7 7 4 , M a r c h 2 5 , 2 6 , A p r i l 1 3 ,
1926.
W a s h in g to n , 1 9 2 6 .
205 pp.
(6 9 th C o n g ., 1 s t s e s s .)
------ ---------- —---------- H e a r in g s : A d m i s s i o n o f s k i l l e d a g r i c u l t u r is t s , D e c e m b e r 1 7 ,
1 9 2 5 : A m e r i c a n s o f o r ie n ta l r a c e b o r n i n H a w a i i — p r o o f o f c i t i z e n s h i p , D e c e m
b er 1 8 , 1 9 2 5 .
W a s h in g to n , 1 9 2 6 .
65 pp.
(6 9 th C o n g ., 1 s t s e s s .)
---------------—--------- -—■ P r e f e r e n c e s w i t h i n q u o ta s .
H e a r in g s o n p r o p o s a ls to m o d i f y
s e c tio n 6 , i m m i g r a t i o n a c t o f 1 9 2 4 , A p r i l 2 9 , 1 9 2 6 .
W a s h in g to n , 1 9 2 6 .
13 p p .
(6 9 th C o n g ., 1 s t s e s s .)
----------------- ----- C om m ittee on L abor.
M a rch a n d A p r il, 1 9 26.
s e s s .)
------ --------- Senate.
C o n v ic t la b o r .
H e a r in g s o n H . R . 8 6 5 3 ,
W a s h in g to n , 1 9 2 6 .
v, 3 4 3 p p .
(6 9 th C o n g ., 1 s t
C o m m ittee on Im m ig ratio n .
H e a r in g o n S . 2 2 4 5 ,
C o n g ., 1 s t s e s s .)
M arch
18, 1926.
A d m i s s i o n o f c e r ta in r e la tiv e s .
W a s h in g to n , 1 9 2 6 .
80 pp.
(6 9 th
------ D e p a rtm e n t of L ab o r.
B u reau of L ab o r S tatistics. B u l l e t i n N o . 4 0 1 :
F a m i l y a llo w a n c e s i n f o r e i g n c o u n tr ie s , b y M a r y T . W a g g a m a n .
W a s h in g to n ,
1926.
v i, 1 9 2 p p .
A digest of th is b u lle tin w as p u blished in th e M ay issue (p. 7).
---------------------- B u l l e t i n N o . 4 0 4 • U n io n s c a le o f w a g e s a n d h o u r s o f la b o r , M a y
15, 1925.
W a s h in g to n , 1 9 2 6 .
in , 212 pp.
---------------------- B u l l e t i n N o . 4 1 D P r o c e e d in g s o f th e tw e lf th a n n u a l c o n v e n tio n o f
th e A s s o c i a t i o n o f G o v e r n m e n ta l L a b o r O ffic ia ls o f th e U n i t e d S t a t e s a n d C a n a d a ,
h e ld a t S a l t L a k e C i t y , U ta h , A u g u s t 1 3 - 1 5 , 1 9 2 5 .
W a s h in g to n , 1 9 2 6 .
x,
161 pp.
------------— C h ild ren ’s B ureau.
P u b l i c a t i o n N o . 1 5 0 : C h ild r e n in d e n t u r e d b y th e
W i s c o n s i n S t a t e P u b l i c S c h o o l.
W a s h in g to n , 1 9 2 5 .
v, 1 3 2 p p .
C ontains a stu d y , com p leted in 1923, of 827 child ren who h ad been in d e n tu re d
by th e W isconsin S ta te P u b lic School fo r th e first tim e , in th e five-year period
1913-1917. In 1924, p a rtly as a re su lt of th is stu d y , th e S ta te reorganized its
m eth o d of carin g for d e p e n d e n t children, reestab lish in g a ju v en ile d e p a rtm e n t
u n d er th e S ta te b o ard of co n tro l a n d d ev o tin g m u ch effort to cre a tin g a n in telli
gent, sy m p a th e tic in te re st on th e p a r t of th e pub lic as to th e care d e p en d en t,
delin q u en t, a n d neglected child ren should receive. T h e findings of th e stu d y ,
therefore, w hile of h isto ric in te re st, can n o t be ta k e n as in d ic a tin g th e p re se n t
situ a tio n in reg ard to child care in W isconsin.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[210]
PU B LIC A TIO N S RELA TIN G
U n i t e d S t a t e s . — D e p a rtm e n t of L ab o r.
W a sh in g to n , M a r c h 15, 1926. 88 p p .
211
TO LABOR
C h ild re n ’s B u re a u .
P u b lic a tio n s.
T his list of p u b licatio n s includes all th e b ulletins, etc., p u b lish ed by th e C hil
d re n ’s B u reau since its estab lish m e n t in 1912.
-------------- E m p lo y m en t Service.
in g to n , M a y , 1926.
D ire cto ry o f p u b lic em ploym en t offices.
W a sh
19 p p .
-------------- W om en’s B u reau .
B u lle tin N o . 5 1 : W om en in I l l i n o i s in d u s trie s —
a stu d y o f h o u rs a n d w o rk in g co n d itio n s.
W a sh in g to n , 1926. v, 108 p p .;
ch art.
Some d a ta from th is re p o rt will be fo u n d on page 48 of th is issue.
------ D e p a rtm e n t of th e In terio r.
Office of In d ia n Affairs.
fis c a l yea r ended J u n e 80 , 1925.
W a sh in g to n , 1925.
A n n u a l rep o rt fo r
v i, 56 p p .
------ T reasu ry
D ep artm e n t. P ublic H e a lth Service. P u b lic health b u lletin
N o . 1 5 7 : H e a lth h azards o f brass fo u n d e rs, by D r . J o h n A . T u r n e r a n d D r.
L . R . T h o m p so n .
W a sh in g to n , 1926. v ii i, 75 p p .; illu s tr a tio n s a n d cha rts.
A su m m ary of th e section of th e b u lletin dealing w ith th e field in v estig atio n s
of h e a lth h azard s in brass foundries is given on page 56 of th is issue.
Official—Foreign Countries
A u st ra l ia ( N e w S o u th W
N ew S o u th W a les, 1924-.
a l e s ). —
B ureau of S tatistics.
S y d n e y , 1925.
795 p p .
O fficia l yea r book o f
G ra p h s a n d d ia g ra m s.
Besides th e usu al review of th e h isto ry , g o v ern m en t, a n d social, econom ic,
an d in d u stria l d ev elop m en t of New S o u th W ales, c o n tain s in fo rm atio n relatin g
to w ages, prices, ren ts, em p lo y m en t, a n d u n em p lo y m en t, a rb itra tio n , strik es
a n d lockouts, a n d in d u stria l accidents a n d diseases. Som e of th e d a ta re la tin g
to w ages in th e S ta te a re given on page 42 of th is issue.
———D irecto r G eneral of P ublic H e a lth . R e p o rt f o r the yea r ended Decem ber
8 1 , 1924.
S e c tio n I - C , In d u s t r ia l H y g ie n e .
S y d n e y , 19 26 .
p p . 5 1 -1 0 0 .
T his re p o rt co n tain s th e resu lts of several stu d ies of th e effect of san d sto n e
d u st on th e h e a lth of q u arry m en , m iners, a n d stonem asons a n d a re p o rt of th e
incidence of lead poisoning in m o to r car p ain ters. T h e la tte r re p o rt is su m m arized
on page 61 of th is issue.
A u s t r a l i a ( W e s t e r n A u s t r a l i a ). — R e g istra r of F rien d ly Societies.
p roceed in g s f o r the 18 m onths ended J u n e 3 0 , 19 25 . P e rth , 1925.
R e p o rt o f
26 p p .
A change in th e close of th e financial y ear from D ecem ber to Ju n e acco u n ts
for th e 18-m onth period covered by th is rep o rt. On th e whole, th e societies
show a g ratify in g increase in m em bership a n d funds. A t th e close of th e y ear
th e m em bership w as 21,350, th e h ig h est n u m b er y e t reached, a n d th e to ta l
cap ital w as £378,753 (pound a t p a r = $4.8665). T h e p a y m e n ts for sick a n d
fu n eral benefits to ta le d £59,349, m edical benefits £34,539, a n d expenses for
m an ag em en t, £32,456.
B e l g i u m .-— M inistère de l ’In d u strie , du T ra v a il e t de la P rév o y an ce sociale.
D irection G énérale de l ’A ssurance e t de la P rév o y an ce sociales. R a p p o rt
s u r la ré p a ra tio n des dom m ages résu lta n t des a ccid en ts d u tra v a il p en dan t les
années 1 9 2 1 -1 9 2 2 -1 9 2 3 . B r u s s e ls , 1925. 187 p p .
T h e re p o rt of th e B elgian Office of In su ran ce a n d Social W elfare fo r th e years
1921 to 1923 gives a résum é of th e w o rk m en ’s co m pensation legislation a n d of th e
developm ent of in suran ce ag ain st in d u stria l accidents. T h e second p a rt of th e
re p o rt consists of tab les show ing th e resu lts of th e o p eratio n of th e insurance
fu n d s a n d th e appendixes c o n tain th e te x ts of rec e n t decrees a n d a list of th e
insurance societies ap p ro v ed by th e G overnm ent.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[ 211]
212
M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
C a n a d a .— D e p a rtm e n t of L abor. F ifte e n th a n n u a l rep o rt on labor o rg a n iza tio n
in C a n a d a (f o r the ca len d a r yea r 1 9 2 5 ). O ttaw a, 1926. 272 p p .
A m ong th e m an y su b jects discussed in th is volum e a re : In te rn a tio n a l, n o n
in te rn a tio n a l, an d in d e p e n d e n t lab o r o rganizations, th e T rad es a n d L abor
C ongress of C an ad a, th e n a tio n a l a n d catholic unions, th e One Big U nion, re
v o lu tio n ary lab o r o rg an izatio n s, th e In d u s tria l W orkers of th e W orld, la b o r in
politics, th e lab o r press a n d n o n trad e-u n io n o rganizations. Some sta tistic s
on trad e-u n io n m em b ersh ip in th e D om inion, ta k e n from th is re p o rt are p u b
lished on page 88 of th is issue.
------ ( O n t a r i o ) . — W ork m en ’s C om pensation B oard.
1926.
D
R e p o rt f o r 1925.
T o ro n to ,
70 p p .
C ertain d a ta from th is re p o rt are given on page 67 of th is issue.
D e p a rtm e n t. S ta tis tis k e M ed d e lelse r, 4 R a e k k e , 74 B in d ,
e n m a r k .— S ta tistisk e
2 H a e fte : A r h e jd s ljs h e d e n i aarene 1 9 2 0 -1 9 2 4 .
C open hagen , 19 26 .
88 p p .
A bulletin of th e D an ish S ta tistic a l Office show ing th e e x te n t of u n em p lo y m en t
in D en m ark d u ring th e y ea rs 1920-1924.
------ ( C o p e n h a g e n ) . — S ta tistisk e
Fred erilcsb erg og G jen to fte
p p ., m a p .
K o n to r. S ta tistislc A a rb o g f o r K fib en h a vn ,
K o m m u n e , 1925. C open hagen , 1926. x v i, 174
T h e sev en th issue of th e sta tistic a l yearb o o k of th e cities of C o p en h ag en ;
F rederiksberg, a n d of th e com m une G jen to fte covering th e y e a r 1925 a n d p re
ceding years. Of in te re st to lab o r are th e ta b le s re la tin g to th e o ccu p atio n al
census, em igration, housing, in d u stria l esta b lish m e n ts a n d th e ir w orkers, w hole
sale an d re ta il prices, cost of living, social insurance, em p lo y m e n t offices, w ages,
trade-unions, ap p ren ticesh ip , tra d e schools, a n d consum ers’ co o p erativ e societies.
F i n l a n d .— Socialm inisteriet. A rsb e ra tte lse r, serie B , V I I I : Y rk e sin s p e k tio n e n ,
d r 19 2 4 • H e ls in g fo rs , 1925. [V a r io u s p a g in g .] Illu stra te d .
------ [------ S ta tis tisk a C entralbyr& n?] S o c ia la sp e cia lu n d e rso k n in g a r V : Levn a dsko stn ad ern a
u n d er b o kfb ring sp erio d en
1 9 2 0 -2 1 .
[ V a rio u s p a g in g .] F in la n d s officiella sta tistik X X X I I .
H e lsin g fo rs,
1925.
G r e a t B r i t a i n .— B oard o f T rade. S ta tistic a l D e p a rtm e n t. S ta tis tic a l abstract
f o r the U n ite d K in g d o m f o r each o f the 15 yea rs fro m 1910 to 1924. L o n d o n ,
1926. i x , 29 5 p p . [C m d . 2 6 2 0 .]
------ In d u s tria l C o u rt.
1925.
V o l. V I I .
D e c isio n s 1004 to 1168, J a n u a r y 1, 1925, to Decem ber 31,
L o n d o n , 1926. x x v iii, 346 p p .
------ M ines D e p a rtm e n t.
M in ers’ W elfare F u n d . F o u rth rep o rt o f the com m ittee
a p p o in ted by the B o a rd o f T ra d e to allocate the fu n d , 1925. L o n d o n , 1926.
66 p p ., illu stra te d .
------ M in istry of L ab o r.
R e p o rt on a n in q u ir y in to the p erso n a l circu m sta n ce s
a n d in d u s tr ia l h is to ry o f 3 ,33 1 boys a n d 2,701 g ir ls registered f o r em ploym ent
at em p lo ym en t exchanges a n d ju v e n ile em ploym en t b u rea u s, J u n e a n d J u l y ,
1925. L o n d o n , 19 26 . 8 0 p p .
D a ta from th is re p o rt b eginning on page 53 w ere ta k e n from th e M in istry of
L ab o r G azette for M ay , 1926.
I n t e r n a t i o n a l L a b o r C o n f e r e n c e .— E ig h th se ssio n , Geneva, M a y , 1926.
R e p o rt on sim p lific a tio n o f the in sp e c tio n o f e m ig ra n ts on board s h ip .
Geneva,
1926. 94 p p .
------ N in th
se ssio n , Geneva, J u n e , 1926.
R e p o rt I : R e p o rt on in te rn a tio n a l
co d ifica tio n o f the ru le s re la tin g to seam en’s a rticle s o f agreem ent. Geneva,
1926. 25 5 p p .
( F i r s t item on the agenda.)
------------—- R e p o rt I I : R e p o rt on general p r in c ip le s f o r the in sp e c tio n o f the con
d itio n s o f w o rk o f seam en.
Geneva, 1926.
I n t e r n a t i o n a l L a b o r O f f i c e .— L e g isla tiv e
[1 9 2 6 ?]. [ V a r io u s p a g in g .]
116 p p .
se rie s,
(Ite m I I on the agenda.)
V o l.
IV ,
1923.
Geneva
T he legislative series is a n a n n u a l collection of th e m o st im p o rta n t law s an d
regulations affecting lab o r a d o p te d in different co u n tries (not in cluding th e
U n ited S tates).
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[212]
213
PU B LIC A TIO N S RELA TIN G TO LABOR
I n t e r n a t i o n a l L a b o r O f f i c e .— S tu d ie s and rep o rts, S e rie s C (em ploym en t and
u n em p lo y m e n t), N o . 1 1 : S ta b iliz a tio n o f em ploym en t i n the U n ite d S ta te s, by
J . R . B e lle rb y . Geneva, 1926. x i i , 112 p p .
A brief review of th e ab o v e stu d y a p p ears on page 101 of th is issue.
J a p a n . — D e p a rtm e n t of C om m erce a n d In d u s try .
B u reau o f S tatistics. T h e
sta tistic s o f the D ep a rtm en t o f Com m erce a n d In d u s t r y , 19 2 4 • [T o k y o ] M a r c h ,
1926. 13 5 p p .
T his yearbook co n tain s sta tistic s for 1924 of m a n u fa c tu rin g a n d m ining in
d u stries in Ja p a n , show ing n u m b er of w orkers, p ro d u ctio n , value of goods p ro
duced, a n d n u m b er of business com panies a n d th e ir c ap italizatio n .
N o r t h e r n I r e l a n d . — M in istry of L abor. D ire c to ry o f p r in c ip a l o rg a n iza tio n s
o f em p lo yers a n d w o rkp eo p le, trade boards a n d loca l em ploym en t com m ittees
i n n o rth ern Ir e la n d . B e lfa s t, 1926. 9 5 p p .
S w e d e n .— [Socialdepartem en tet.] P ensionsstyrelsen.
k rin g e n , â r 1924- S to ckh o lm , 1926. 2 8 p p .
A llm ä n n a
-------------- Socialstyrelsen.
S v e rig e .
A rb ets- och lö n e fö rh ä lla n d e n a
S to ckh o lm , 1925. 161 p p .
U n io n o f S o u th
R e p o rt, 1925.
A f r i c a .— D e p a rtm e n t of L abor.
C a p e T o w n , 1925. 55 p p ., chart.
fö r
p e n sio n sfö rsä -
a ffä rsa n stä lld a
i
Cost o f liv in g com m ittee.
A brief review of th is re p o rt is given on page 152 of th is issue.
Unofficial
A l l - I n d i a T r a d e - U n i o n C o n g r e s s . R e p o rt o f the s ix th sessio n a n d congress
co n stitu tio n . B o m b a y , 1926. 86 p p .
T his re p o rt is review ed briefly on page 88 of th is issue.
A m e r i c a n M a n a g e m e n t A s s o c i a t i o n . A n n u a l convention series N o . 3 4 :
C re d it u n io n s— th eir o p era tion a n d value. N ew Y o r k , 20 V ese y S treet, 1926.
16 p p .
A r b e it g e b e r -V e r b a n d U n t e r e l b e u n d A r b e it g e b e r -V e r b a n d H am bu rg A l t o n a , E. V.
Ja h re sb e ric h t f ü r d a s G e sch ä ftsja h r 1925. H a m b u rg , [1926].
51 p p .
T h e a n n u a l jo in t re p o rt for th e y e a r 1925 of th e tw o G erm an em ployers’
associations, U nterelbe a n d H am b u rg -A lto n a. I t discusses th e w age policy of
th e association, hours of labor, social policies, th e b u rd en s of social insurance,
em p lo y m en t exchanges, u n em p lo y m e n t relief, la b o r disputes, em p lo y m en t of
persons in ju re d in th e w ar, lab o r legislation, conciliation a n d a rb itra tio n , strik e
insurance, shutdow ns, a n d th e m o v e m e n t of w age rates.
A u s t i n , B e r t r a m , a n d L l o y d , W. F r a n c i s . T h e S ecret o f H ig h W ages.
don, T . F is h e r U n w in { L t d .) , 19 26 . I l l p p .
Lon
A su m m ary of th is volum e a p p e a rs on page 40 of th is issue.
B a r r a u d , M a r c e l . L e s Cham bres de M é tie rs en F ra n c e .
G énérale de d ro it et de Ju r is p r u d e n c e , 1925. 439 p p .
P a r is ,
L ib r a ir ie
An acco u n t is given in th is volum e of th e a tte m p ts w hich h av e been m ad e in
F ran ce to m eet th e sh o rtag e of skilled lab o r resu ltin g from th e losses in m an
pow er in th e w ar a n d th e decay of th e ap p ren ticesh ip sy stem . T h e w riter
describes th e tw o sy stem s of organizing b u reau s fo r v o catio n al gu id an ce a n d
establishing ap p ren ticesh ip courses—-one of w hich is in force in A lsace-L orraine,
w here th e tr a d e councils re s t upo n th e principle of G erm an legislation a n d h av e
a definite legal sta tu s, a n d th e o th e r in o th e r p a rts of F ran ce, w here th e o rganiza
tio n of th ese offices is le ft to p riv a te in itiativ e.
B u r t o n , E r n e s t R i c h m o n d . E m p lo y e e rep resen ta tio n .
W ilk in s C o ., 1926. 283 p p .
B a ltim o re , W illia m s &
A s tu d y of th e h isto ry , m otives, m eth o d s, a n d o b jects of em ployee rep resen
ta tio n in A m erican in d u stry , w ith a n a tte m p t to ev a lu a te its accom plishm ents.
D iscusses trad e-u n io n criticism s of em ployee re p re se n ta tio n plans.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[213]
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M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
C l a r k , J o h n M a u r i c e . S o c ia l C o n tro l o f B u s in e s s .
o f C h ica g o P r e s s , 19 26 . x v iii , 483 p p .
C h ica g o, T h e U n iv e rs ity
C o n f e r e n c e o n S o c i a l I n s u r a n c e , L o n d o n , 1925. S o c ia l in su ra n c e in its
N a tio n a l a n d In te rn a tio n a l A s p e c ts a n d in R e la tio n to the w o rk o f the In te r
n a tio n a l L a b o r O rg a n iza tio n o f the L ea g u e o f N a tio n s.
T h e rep o rt o f a co n fer
ence orga n ized by the L ea g u e o f N a tio n s U n io n a n d held at the L o n d o n Sch o ol
o f E c o n o m ic s, N ovem ber 2 3 - 2 6 ,1 9 2 6 . L o n d o n , F a b e r & G w y er, 1926. 248 p p .
E d w a r d s , N e s s . T h e H is to r y o f the S o u th W a les M in e r s .
lis h in g C o . { L t d .) , 1926. v, 122 p p .
London , Labor P u b
G ives a brief acco u n t of th e g row th of trad e-u n io n organ izatio n s am ong th e
m iners of S o u th W ales dow n to th e close of 1893.
F
of B r it ish I n d u st r ie s.
R e p o rt on v is it to the U n ite d S ta tes o f
A m e ric a , by F . V e rn o n W ille y a n d G u y Lococlc. L o n d o n , 39 S t . J a m e s ’ s
S tre e t, S . W . 1 [1 9 2 5 ?] 12 p p .
ed e ra t io n
T his re p o rt is briefly su m m arized on p ag e 40 of th is issue.
G u r n e y - C h a m p i o n , F. C . G. J u s t ic e a n d the P o o r o f E n g la n d . L o n d o n , George
Rou tledge & S o n s { L t d .) , 19 26 . x , 24 5 p p .
H a m i l t o n , W. I., a n d K i d n e r , T. B. A d v is in g the T u b e rc u lo u s about E m p lo y
m ent. B a ltim o re , T h e W illia m s & W ilk in s C o ., 1926. i x , 171 p p .
T his book rep resen ts th e experience of th e a u th o rs for m a n y y e a rs in personnel
a n d re h a b ilita tio n w ork. T h e conditions w hich th e a rre ste d tu b ercu lo u s m ay
expect to find upon a re tu rn to em p lo y m en t are described a n d th e fa cto rs to be
considered in placing these w orkers in o ccupations w hich it will be safe for th e m
to follow are discussed. In clu d es also a c h a p te r covering th e conditions m e t in
occupations w hich w ould p ro v e p a rtic u la rly hazard o u s. T h e v ario u s agencies
cooperating in w ork for th e tu b ercu lo u s are listed, such as th e V eteran s’ B ureau,
S ta te associations a n d d e p a rtm e n ts of re h a b ilita tio n , in su ran ce com panies, colo
nies an d village settlem en ts, a n d special w orkshops.
I n d u s t r i a l A c c i d e n t P r e v e n t i o n A s s o c i a t i o n s , R e p o rt o f the sa fety conven
tion a n d a n n u a l general m eetings o f the In d u s t r ia l A c c id e n t P rev en tio n A s s o c ia
tio n s, held at T o ro n to , M a y 12 a n d 13, 1925. [T o ro n to , 1925?] 135 p p .
T he proceedings of th e a n n u a l C a n ad ian safety congress h eld in M ay, 1925.
T he su b jects on th e p ro g ram in cluded in d u stria l safety , m a n a g e m e n t’s responsi
bility for safeguarding th e w orkm en, p e rm a n e n t disabilities, a n d safety devices
for w oodw orking m ach in ery a n d pow er presses.
K
C l i f f o r d . In te llig e n c e a n d Im m ig ra tio n . B a ltim o re , T h e W il
lia m s & W ilk in s C o ., 19 26 . x iv , 127 p p .
M e n ta l M ea su rem en t M o n o g ra p h s,
S e r ia l N o . 2.
ir k pa t r ic k ,
A s tu d y of th e effect of im m ig ratio n upo n th e m e n ta l c a p acity of th e A m erican
people, w ith discussion of th e im plications of th e findings upon th e A m erican
im m igration policy.
L abor Y ear B ook,
[V a r io u s p a g in g .]
1926.
London,
Labor
P u b lic a tio n s
D ep a rtm ent
[19 26?].
T his, th e fifth lab o r yearb o o k w hich h as been issued u n d e r th e jo in t auspices
of th e T rad es U nion C ongress a n d th e L ab o r P a rty , gives a review of th e w ork
during 1924 of th ese tw o bodies a n d th e ir affiliated societies, a n d includes a brief
survey of th e activ itie s of P a rlia m e n t a n d th e local governing bodies, th e w ork of
th e cooperative m o v em en t, a n d th e tre n d of in te rn a tio n a l a n d interd o m in io n
affairs d u rin g th e year. T h ere is also a com prehensive d irecto ry of th e tra d e unions an d associate d o rganizations, b o th in G re a t B rita in a n d ab ro ad . T h e
scope of th e w ork is in d ic a te d by th e following list of su b jects tre a te d : T he
B ritish lab o r m o v em en t; lab o r in in d u s try ; c ap ital, profits, b a n k in g a n d cu rren cy ;
tra d e a n d in d u s try ; lab o r in P a rlia m e n t; ce n tra l G o v ern m en t finance; general
social services; lan d a n d a g ric u ltu re ; th e cooperative m o v em en t; ed u c a tio n ;
m unicipal socialism ; in te rn a tio n a l affairs; in te rn a tio n a l lab o r; sta tistic a l ta b le s;
an d directories, B ritish a n d in te rn a tio n a l.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[214]
215
PU B L IC A T IO N S R ELA TIN G TO LABOR
L a p p , J o h n A. P ra c tic a l S o c ia l S c ie n c e : A la b o rato ry textbook.
M a c m illa n C o ., 1926. i x , 371 p p ., ch a rts.
N ew Y o r k , T h e
*
T h is brings to g e th e r in condensed form th e m ore essential m ate ria ls of th e
C ensus B ureau a n d o th e r sta tistic a l a n d research agencies dealing w ith social
d ata.
M
C h a r l e s S. In d u s t r ia l P sy ch o lo g y in G reat B r it a in .
C a p e ( L t d .) , 1926. 164 p p .; illu s tra tio n s a n d cha rts.
yers,
L o n d o n , Jo n a th a n
T he su b jects covered in th is w ork are in d u stria l fatig u e, m o v em en t stu d y , a n d
vocational guidance an d selection. An a c co u n t is also given of th e org an izatio n
an d w ork of th e In d u stria l F a tig u e R esearch B oard an d th e N a tio n a l In s titu te
of In d u s tria l Psychology.
N
M e t a l T r a d e s A s s o c i a t i o n . C o m m ittee on In d u s tria l R elatio n s.
E x p e rie n c e w ith g ro u p in su ra n c e .
C hica g o, 122 S o u th M ic h ig a n A v e n u e , 1926.
26 p p .
ational
T his re p o rt is sum m arized on page 64 of th is issue.
P h el a n , E. J.
T h e In te rn a tio n a l L a b o r O rg a n iza tio n — I t s id e a ls a n d re su lts.
N ew Y o r k , 6 E a s t T h ir ty - n in th S treet, 1925. 15 p p .
T his is a brief résum é of th e reasons for th e creatio n of th e In te rn a tio n a l L abor
O rganization, its m em bership, a n d th e w ork accom plished th ro u g h th e various
sessions of th e In te rn a tio n a l L ab o r C onference.
P o i s s o n , E r n e s t . T h e Cooperative R e p u b lic .
(T r a n s la te d by W . P . W a tk in s .)
M a n ch e ste r, E n g la n d , T h e C ooperative U n io n ( L t d .) , 19 25 . x v ii, 226 p p .
A review of th is book is given on page 82 of th is issue.
P o w e l l , J. E.
P a y m e n t by re su lts.
v ia , 411 p p -
L o n d o n , L o n g m a n s, Green & C o ., 19 24 .
As set fo rth in th e preface, “ T he o b ject of th e a u th o r in w ritin g th is book is to
in d icate those steps w hich are necessary to correct th e w eaknesses by w hich p ro
d u ctio n can be affected a n d to avoid th e num erous p itfalls w hich seem to beset
th e in tro d u c tio n of p a y m e n t by re su lts.”
R
G e o r g e s . L e s T ra v a ille u r s du L iv r e et d u J o u r n a l.
et C ie ., 1926. x iv , 30 3 p p .
enard,
P a r is , G aston D o in
T his volum e deals w ith th e social a n d econom ic co n d itio n s of m an u a l a n d in te l
lectu al w orkers engaged in th e p u b licatio n a n d p re p a ra tio n of books a n d new s
pap ers in F ran ce a n d includes a n acco u n t of th e tra d ç -u n io n o rg an izatio n of th e
ord in ary w orkers an d also th e associations am ong w riters a n d jo u rn alists.
R
I n f o r m a t i o n B u r e a u [ W a s h i n g t o n , D. C.].
C o m m ercia l H a n d bo o k
o f the U n io n o f S o viet S o c ia lis t R e p u b lic s .
W a sh in g to n , 1926. 40 p p .
u ssia n
Sim o n , H e l e n e .
i x , 37 9 p p .
L a n d w irts c h a ftlic h e K in d e r a r b e it.
B e r lin , F . A . H e rb ig , [1925].
An analysis of th e resu lts of tw o n a tio n a l inquiries in to child lab o r in G erm an
agriculture. T he first of th ese inquiries, w hich d e a lt w ith th e e m p lo y m en t of
school children in ag ricu ltu re for wages, w as m ade by th e G o v ern m en t on N ovem
ber 15, 1904. T he second in q u iry , m ade in 1922 by m eans of q u estio n n aires, by
th e G erm an Society for th e P ro te c tio n of C hildren, covered all e m p lo y m en t of
children in ag ricu ltu re a n d its su b sid iary in d u stries. T h e an aly sis show s th e
e x te n t of child lab o r in ag ricu ltu re, th e reasons for th e e m p lo y m en t of child labor,
its a d v an ta g es an d dangers, a n d also gives th e existing legal reg u latio n s.
S o c iété
p o u r l ’é t u d e p r a t i q u e d e l a P a r t i c i p a t i o n d u P e r s o n n e l d a n s
B é n é f i c e s . B u lle tin de la p a rtic ip a tio n a u x bénéfices, 1925.
P a r is ,
1925. 200 p p .
les
T he proceedings of th e fo rty -se v e n th general assem bly of th e F ren ch Society
for th e S tu d y of P rofit S haring a n d of th e m eetings of th e a d m in is tra tiv e council
held d u ring 1925.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
T h e C h i c a g o D a i l y N e w s . A lm a n a c and yearbook f o r 1926, edited by Ja m e s
L a n g la n d .
C h ica g o , T h e C hicago D a ily New'S C o ., 19 26 . Ix iv , 1022 p p .,
illu s .
Ze n t r a l v e r b a n d d e r H o t e l - R e s t a u r a n t - u n d C a f é - A n g e s t e l l t e n .
der H a u p tv e rw a ltu n g , 1925. B e r lin , 1926. 104 p p .
B e ric h t
T he an n u al re p o rt for th e y ear 1925 of th e G erm an C en tra l F e d e ra tio n of
H otel, R e sta u ra n t, a n d Café E m ployees on its a c tiv itie s a n d financial condition.
Zen tralverband d eu tsc h er K o n su m v e r e in e .
H a m b u rg , 1926. x v i, 668 p p .
Ja h r b u c h , 1926.
E r s te r B a n d .
C ontains d etailed d a ta on th e societies affiliated w ith th e C e n tra l U nion of
G erm an C onsum ers’ C o o p erativ e Societies, th e G erm an W holesale Society (th e
“ G. E. G .” ), th e G erm an C o o p erativ e P u b lish in g Society, th e M u tu a l In su ra n c e
Society, etc. D a ta fo r th e C en tral U nion a n d th e W holesale Society are given
on page 85 of th is issue.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
o
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@FedFRASER