Full text of Monthly Labor Review : June 1926, Volume XXII, Number 6

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___
1). S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
JAMES J. DAVIS, Secretary

BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
ETHEEBERT STEWART, Commissioner

MONTHLY

LABOR REVIEW
VOLUME XXII


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NUM BER 6

JU N E, 1926

WASHINGTON
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

1926


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C E R T IF IC A T E
T h is p u b lic a tio n is issued p u rs u a n t to th e
provisions o f th e s u n d ry civil a c t (41 S ta ts.
1430) ap p ro v ed M a rc h 4, 1921.

A D D IT IO N A L C O P IE S
Off

THIS PUBLICATION M A T B E PRO CURED FROM
T H E S U PE R IN T E N D E N T OF DOCUM ENTS
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W A SH IN G TO N , D . C.
AT

15 C E N T S P E R C O PY
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S u b s c r ip t io n P

Contents
Special articles:
paga
Public pensions for aged dependents______________________________
1-9
N um ber and deaths of children as related to occupation of fath er___ 9-12
Rights of employees to their inventions, by Lindley D. Clark, of the
U nited States Bureau of Labor Statistics_______________________ 12-23
Conciliation procedure in the adm inistration of justice in Norway,
by Reginald Heber S m ith_____________________________________ 23-31
Industrial relations and labor conditions:
A djustm ent of disputes between railroads and their employees_____ 32-41
Vacations w ith pay for wage earners in foreign countries___________ 41-45
Labor recommendations in governors’ messages, 1926_____________ 45-48
Pennsylvania— Industrial em ployment of the negro________________48-51
China— Labor problems in 1925__________________________________ 51-56
Germany— Decline of family-allowance system ____________________ 56, 57
Wages and hours of labor:
International comparison of trend of wages, 1914 to 1925__________ 58-60
Increases in th e average compensation of m unicipal employees, 1915
to 1925____________________________________________ __________ 61-63
M assachusetts— Wages and hours of labor in m unicipal em ployment
in Boston, July 1, 1925________________________________________
63
New York—
Wage scales in the building trades of New York C ity ......... .......... 64, 65
Wages in the cloak, suit, and skirt industry in 1925___________ 65-68
Porto Rico— Decrease in real wages of agricultural la b o r___________ 68, 69
Canada— A gricultural wages, 1923 to 1925________________________
69
France— Wages in October, 1925______________________ __________ 70-72
H onduras and Jam aica— Wages__________________________________ 72. 73
Spain— Wages in M adrid, 1914 and 1924_______________ ___________
73
Productivity of labor:
Coal shoveled by railroad firemen in road service__________________
74
Average daily ou tp u t of coal miners in the R uhr, Silesia, and G er­
m any--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 74, 75
Belgium— Production and per capita o u tp u t in coal mines and coke
ovens___________
75
Women in industry:
International statistics of gainfully engaged women___________ _____76-79
Effects of new inventions upon the field of women’s em ploym ent___ 80, 81
Oklahoma— Em ploym ent of women in various industries____________ 81-83
W ashington— Women in the fruit picking and canning industries__ 83-85
In d u strial accidents and hygiene:
W ashington Industrial Accident Prevention Conference____________
86
Industrial accidents to m inors_____________________
86-92
Obstacles to progress of industrial medical service_________________ 92, 93
Ohio— Occupational diseases, 1921 to 1925________________________ 93-97
Virginia— Coal-mine accidents, year ending Septem ber 30, 1925___
97
G reat B ritain—
Accidents and diseases among coal m iners______________
97-100
Comparison of m ortality rate of coal miners w ith rate for general
population_______________________________________________
101
hi

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IV

CON T E NT S

W orkm en’s com pensation and social insurance:
Page
Bolivia— W orkmen’s com pensation law _________________________ 102-104.
Canada— R eport of W orkmen’s Com pensation Board of Nova Scotia. 104,105
G reat Britain— Effect of social insurance upon em igration______ _ 105-107
Italy— W orkmen’s accident insurance, 1923-------------------------------- 107-111
Housing:
Building perm its in principal cities of th e U nited States in 1925. . _ 112-125
Cooperation:
Membership of farm ers’ cooperative business associations--------------- ' 126
Problems in establishing an in te rn atio n a l cooperative wholesale
society_____________________________________________________ 126-128
Cooperation in foreign countries—
A ustria-------------------------------------------------------------------------------128
Canada (Quebec)----------------------------------------------------------------128
E sthonia_______________________________________________
129
F inland____________________________________________________
129
G erm any____________________________________
130
G reat B ritain----------------------130-132
S w itzerland________________________________________________
132
Labor organizations and congresses:
Sweden— Confederation of Trade-Unions, 1924----------------------------133
Strikes and lockouts:
Industrial disputes in the U nited States, 1916 to 1925---------------- 134-144
A ustralia— Industrial disputes in New South Wales--------------------- 144-146
W orkers’ education and training:
Wisconsin— Progress of apprenticeship__________________________ 147, 148
G reat Britain— Results of study of vocational guidance--------------- 148-150
Labor laws and court decisions:
Alien dependents of deceased w orkm en----------------------------------- - 151, 152
Com pensation aw ards in interstate commerce___________________ 153, 154
Time for bringing actions under Federal liability s ta tu te --------- 155, 156
Chile— Law governing office w orkers__________________
156-158
Trend of em ploym ent:
E m ploym ent in selected industries in April, 1926________________ 159-168
E m ploym ent-and earnings of railroad employees, March, 1925, and
February and M arch, 1926____________________________________
169
Recent em ploym ent statistics—■
S tate reports on em ploym ent—
California____________________ ________________________ 170, 171
Illinois______________________________________________ 172, 173
Iow a______________________________________________ - —
174
M aryland_____________________________________________
175
176
M assachusetts__________________________
New Y ork____________________________________________ A
177
O klahom a______________________________________________
178
Wisconsin____________________________________________ 178, 179
Prices and cost of living:
Retail prices of food in the U nited S tates----------------------------------- 180-200
Retail prices of coal in th e U nited S tates_______________________ 201-204
Index num bers of wholesale prices in April, 1926------------------------- 204, 205
Wholesale prices in th e U nited S tates and in foreign countries, 1913
to March, 1926............................................ .......... - ................................ 205-207


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CONTENTS

V

Labor agreem ents, awards, and decisions:
Page
Agreements—•
Barbers— Cleveland_________________________________________
208
Bookkeepers, stenographers, and accountants— New Y ork____________ 209
Egg inspectors— Chicago____________________________________
210
E levator operators and starters— Chicago____________________
210
Ladies’ garm ent workers— Boston_____ ____________________ 211-216
L aundry workers— D etroit________________________________ 216,217
Neckwear workers— St. Louis________________________________
217
Pavers— New Y ork___________
218
Upholsterers— Cleveland__________________________________ 218, 219
Awards and decisions—
C arpenters— D enver__________________________________ __ 219,220
Clothing industry— New Y ork_______________________________
220
Railroads— Decision of T rain Service Board of A djustm ent for
th e W estern Region______________________________________
221
Conciliation and arbitration:
Conciliation work of the D epartm ent of Labor in April, 1926, by H ugh
L. Kerwin, director of conciliation___________________________ 222-225
Im m igration:
Statistics of im m igration for March, 1926, by J. J. K unna, chief
statistician, U nited States Bureau ofIm m igration_____________ 226-232
Factory and mine inspection:
Virginia________________________________________________________
233
What State labor bureaus are doing:
California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, M aryland, M assachusetts, New
York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Porto Rico, Virginia, and
234
W isconsin__ _________________________________________________
Current notes of in terest to labor:
New York—Reorganization of State departm ent of la b o r_______________ 235. 236
Legal aid in New York C ity _________________________________
236
Bolivia— Creation of Labor D epartm ent__________________________
236
China—•
A ppointm ent of factory inspectors___________________________
236
Industrial notes____________________________________________
237
Bibliography:
Public old-age pensions in the U nited States: A list of references,
compiled by E dna L. Stone, of the U nited S tates D epartm ent of
Labor L ibrary______________________________________________ 238-246
Publications relating to labor:
Official— U nited S tates________________________________________ 247-249
Official— Foreign countries____________________________________ 249-252
Unofficial...................
252-255


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This issue in Brief

Pensions as a means of caring jor the aged poor are attracting increas­
ing attention. It is roughly estimated that there are between one
and two million persons in the United States in need of aid solely
because of the disabilities of age. Nevada, Montana, Wisconsin,
and Alaska have already adopted pension systems, and a number of
States-have such legislation under consideration. The grounds on
which pension legislation in some States has been pronounced uncon­
stitutional, the pensions authorized in the States having pension
laws in operation, with the requirements as to age, character, and
residence, and the present situation of pension legislation abroad,
are given in an article appearing on page 1.
The railroad labor act, approved by the President on May 20, provides
the following methods for the adjustment of railroad labor disputes:
(1) Boards of adjustment which may be created by agreement between
employers and employees on one or more railroads; (2) a permanent
board of mediation to be appointed by the President; (3) temporary
boards of arbitration which may be created by the parties concerned
if they so agree; (4) an emergency investigation board which may be
appointed by the President in case of threat of serious interruption
of traffic. There is no suggestion of compulsory arbitration or com­
pulsory service. The Railroad Labor Board is abolished. The text
of the act is given on page 33.
The granting of vacations with pay to industrial workers has become
a question of increasing importance in the past few years as shown
by a survey of the present practice in the United States, in last month’s
Labor Review. An article in this number shows that postwar
developments in Europe have greatly accelerated the movement
for paid vacations. Six countries have enacted legislation providing
for annual vacations for all workers, while 19 other legislative acts
provide for vacations for special groups of workers. In addition
to special legislation, the subject is dealt with so largely through
collective agreements that practically all the European nations except
France and Belgium are said to have accepted the principle of paid
vacations. Page 41.
Whether the right to a patent for an invention made by a workman
belongs to him or to his employer is a question to be answered largely
by a consideration of the individual circumstances. In most countries
the question is governed by the principles of common law, though
in a few statutes have been enacted on the subject. A presentation
of the attitude of the courts under varying circumstances, and of
such statutes as have been enacted, is made in an article appearing
on page 12.
The extent to which women are engaged in gainful work outside the
home varies greatly in different countries. In Russia, Greece, and
Spain less than 10 per cent of the female population is gainfully
employed; in Germany, nearly 37 per cent; in England, about 26
per cent; in the United States, less than 20 per cent. Page 76.

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V III

M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW

The 1925 building program of American cities showed an increasing
popularity of apartment houses, the proportion of families provided
for by apartments being 36 per cent, the largest percentage in any
year of which there is record. The results of the 1925 buildingpermit survey of the Bureau of Labor Statistics are given on page 112.
The Norwegian system of conciliation tribunals offers a simple and
inexpensive method for the settlement of wage claims and other
civil disputes. The use of the system is compulsory, it being un­
lawful for any one to commence litigation in the law courts until the
conciliators have been given a chance to effect settlement by mediation.
Page 23.
The number of persons involved, in industrial disputes in the United
States in 1925 was the smallest recorded during the past 10 years.
A review and analysis of such disputes for the period 1916 to 1925
inclusive is presented on page 134.
Studies of work accidents to minors made by the Children’s Bureau,
two State bodies, and one private organization, covering the States
of Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Wisconsin, agree
in showing that sufficient attention has not been given to safeguard­
ing young workers. Fatalities among employed minors ranged in
the different States and groups studied from 12 to 51 within a year,
and cases of permanent disability from 81 to 502. Machinery was
responsible for the largest number of accidents. Cases of infection
from comparatively trivial injuries were disproportionately numerous.
Injuries from lifting heavy objects were not uncommon among boys,
and it is suggested that some limitation might well be placed upon
the weights that young people may lift. Various precautions are
indicated, and a plea is made for more careful study of the subject.
Page 86.
The Conciliation Service of the United States Department of Labor
during the month of April exercised its conciliation and mediation
offices in connection with 60 labor controversies, involving 29,403
employees. Page 222.
Trend of employment and earnings.—Employment in manufactur­
ing industries was 1 per cent lower in April than in March, and
average per capita earnings were also 1 per cent lower. A decrease
in employment in April is not unusual. During the years for which
the bureau has records, a decrease in the volume of employment has
occurred in April with considerable regularity, 1920 being the only
year in which April showed an increase over March. Page 159.
Recent price changes.—During the year ending April, 1926, whole­
sale prices decreased 3pt per cent (p. 204), while retail food prices
increased 7.8 per cent (p. 180).
Agricultural labor in Porto Rico is worse off than it was 10 years ago.
Wages have increased but the cost of the necessaries of life has in­
creased still more rapidly. Page 68.


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MONTHLY LABOR REVI EW
W ASHINGTON

VOL. XXII, N O . 6

JU N E , 1926

Public Pensions for Aged Dependents1
importance of the Problem

OW many aged persons are there in the United States no longer
able to support themselves who have neither families capable
of caring for thern nor resources sufficient to enable them to
avoid recourse to public aid? What sort of people are they and how
are they cared for? There is very little reliable information on the
subject, _but it is known that the ^number is very large. L. W.
Squier, in his study entitled “ Old Age Dependency in the United
States,” estimated that the total number of aged dependents in the
United States in 1912 was approximately a million and a quarter.
His conclusions on this point were as follows:

H

There are approxim ately 1,250,000 form er wage earners who have reached the
age of 65 years in w ant and are now supported by charity, public and private.
In round num bers it is costing this country $220,000,000 a year for th e support
of this great host of worn-out toilers.

This estimate was based largely on a Massachusetts survey made
in 1907 by the Commission on Old-Age Pensions, Annuities, and
Insurance of that State. Neither this nor any later estimate for
this country as a whole can be more than a rough approximation, as
no complete survey has ever been made. Nevertheless it is evident
from the partial information available that the problem of old-age
dependency in the United States is one of very great proportions.2
A number of State commissions have studied this subject and their
reports agree in general as to the character of this group. Two reasons
are pointed out for the increasing size of the problem: Medical
science is increasing the span of life, while at the same time the rapid
pace of modern industry is lowering the age at which a man ceases to
be a desirable employee, so that the period of unemployability on
account of age is increasing. The worker of to-day as compared
with his grandfather may count on a longer period of life but a
shorter period of industrial availability. Again, the reports stress
the fact that the majority of aged dependents come from the ranks
of the lower-paid workers, whose earnings have not been sufficient
to support their families and also to make provision for their own
old age. They point out that dependency in old age can not be
regarded as proof of thriftlessness or individual maladjustment, but
JExcept where otherwise noted th e d a ta on which this article is based are from M assachusetts C om ­
mission on Pensions, N ovem ber, 1925, Boston, 1925; A ustralia, B ureau of Census and S tatistics, A ustralian
Y ear Book, 1901-1914, M elbourne, [1916]; Q ueensland, Registrar G eneral’s Office, A B C of Q ueensland
and A ustralian Statistics, 1926, Brisbane, 1926; [British] W idow s’, O rphans’, a nd Old Age C ontrib u to ry
Pensions A ct, 1925, w ith introduction and annotations by R obert W . Leach, L ondon, [1926?]; A m erican
Labor Legislation Review, Ju n e and December, 1925, an d M arch, 1926; L abor Review , N ovem ber, 1923,
M arch and M ay , 1925, and M arch and M ay , 1926; N ational Conference of Social W ork, Proceedings,
1925, p. 332.
sM r. Louis I. D ublin, statistician of the M etropolitan Life Insurance Co., in an address before the
N ew Y ork C ity Conference on C harities and Corrections, on M ay 13, 1926, estim ated th a t th e to ta l
num ber of persons over 65 years of age in th e U nited States was 5,500,000, and th a t one-sixth of these
were dependent for support on various forms of public or p riv ate relief. (New Y ork Tim es, M ay 14,1926.)


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9

M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW

that among its leading causes are impaired physical conditions and
the lack of family connections, that for the great majority of those
thus reduced to want the poorhouse is the only refuge, and that this
form of care is inadequate, antiquated, and very costly, considering
the returns made for the sums expended. As a substitute there is a
growing tendency to recommend some form of pension, to be re­
garded not as charity but rather as an honorable recognition of
past services, to be paid under careful supervision, and to be sufficient
to enable the recipient to remain among his own friends instead of
obliging him to become an inmate of an institution, with all which that
implies in the way of loss of self-respect, comfort, personality, and
interest in life.
Progress of the Movement in the United States

I ITTLE attention was paid to this question in the United States
^
until the present century.* The first active step in connection
therewith seems to have been the appointment of a commission by
Massachusetts in 1907 to investigate and report on the subject.
No action resulted from that report. In the report of an investiga­
tion of the subject eight years later, by another Massachusetts com­
mission, occurs this statement:
No general system of old-age insurance or pensions has been established by
th e U nited States G overnm ent or by any of the individual States, although
there are in operation special pension systems covering certain classes of public
employees such as veterans, retired Army and N avy officers, S tate employees (in
M assachusetts) and certain other m unicipal employees. * * * No very
considerable portion of the population of this country, or of any of th e States, is
y et covered by any system of old-age insurance or pensions. (R eport of a special
inquiry relative to aged and dependent persons in M assachusetts, 1915, p. 94.)

A year earlier, however, Arizona had made an attempt to provide
such a system. In 1914 an initiative act was passed (Ariz. Acts,
1915, Initiative measures, p. 10) abolishing almshouses and estab­
lishing old-age and mothers’ pensions. The act was so loosely worded
that before it could come into effect it was pronounced unconstitu­
tional on the ground of its vagueness, the constitutionality of its
pension provisions, if properly expressed, being left undiscussed.
Alaska followed suit with a law, passed in 1915, providing a pension
of $12.50 a month to those aged 65 and upwards who met certain
requirements as to residence, need, and character. This law has
been amended several times, but is still in operation.
The effects of the war renewed interest in the idea of provision for
the aged, and within the last decade a number of State commissions
have been appointed and in some cases action has followed their
reports. In 1923 Nevada, Montana, and Pennsylvania enacted oldage pension laws. In Ohio in the same year the question of estab­
lishing an old-age pension system was submitted to a referendum
vote, and was decided adversely by a vote of almost two to one. In
1924 the Pennsylvania law was declared unconstitutional, the deci­
sion being based largely on a clause in the constitution which prohibits
the legislature from making appropriations for charitable, benevo­
lent, and educational purposes.
The year 1925 saw much activity in regard to old-age pensions,
with varying results in different States. In both Nevada and Mon
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PUBLIC PEN SIO N 'S FOE. AGED D E PE N D E N T S

3

tana bills were introduced repealing the old-age pension laws, and in
Nevada the repeal was accomplished. A number of State commis­
sions brought in favorable reports, and by the middle of the year
bills were pending in Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio, Maine,
New Jersey, and Indiana. In Texas and Kansas, bills were reported
favorably, but failed to pass either house of the legislature. In New
Jersey and Indiana they passed the lower house but were not acted
upon by the upper chamber. In Colorado and Utah, commissions
to study the subject were appointed. In Pennsylvania the legisla­
ture created a new commission to study the question fu rth e ra n d
passed a resolution providing for a constitutional amendment to
permit appropriations for old-age pensions. In Nevada a new law
was enacted, differing in some respects from the former one. Wis­
consin passed an old-age pension law, which was signed by the gov­
ernor, and California passed one, which was vetoed. In January,
1926, the Legislature of Washington passed an old-age pension act’
but this was vetoed by the governor. Early in 1926 the Virginia
State Commission brought in a favorable report recommending the
adoption of an old-age pension system, and a bill to that effect is now
before the Virginia Legislature. In Massachusetts a commission on
the subject handed in a divided report. The majority recommended
a bill establishing a pension not to exceed $1 a day to needy citizens
aged 70 or over, but the legislature adjourned without taking any
action. The close of 1925, therefore, found old-age pension laws in
effect in three States and in Alaska, while the adoption of similar
legislation was being considered rather widely.
Provisions of Existing Laws

T H E Nevada law, as passed in 1925, authorizes the county commissioners to pay pensions to the aged poor when they consider
this method desirable. Applicants must be at least 65, and must
have been residents of the State for 10 years and citizens of the
United States for 15 years. The pension must not exceed an amount
which, when added to the applicant’s other income from all sources,
will bring the total income to $1 a day. Funds are to be raised by a
special tax of 2U> mills on each $100 of taxable property in each
county.
Under the Montana law, the pensions are strictly county matters.
The 1aw contemplates the establishment in each county of an old-age
pension board or commission, which may receive applications from
persons who are 70 years of age and have been citizens of the United
States and residents of the State of Montana for at least 15 years.
The amount of benefits may not exceed $25 a month, and may be less
than that according to the conditions in each case.
The Wisconsin law (Acts of 1925, ell. 121) also throws upon the
county the primary responsibility for pensions, but gives the State a
measure of supervision based upon its contribution of one-third of
the amount thus paid out. County boards may decide, by a twothirds vote, to establish a pension system, which, after a trial of a
year or more, may be given up if the board so wishes. Applications
for pensions must be made to the county judge, who “ shall promptly
make or cause to be made such investigation as he may deem
necessary.” If he approves the application, the judge issues to

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M O N T H L Y LABOE REVIEW

4

the applicant a pension certificate, stating when payments are to
commence and the amount of the installments, which may bo paid
either monthly or quarterly. Applicants must he at least 70, and
must have been citizens of the United States and residents of the
county in which application is made for 15 years, besides meeting
certain requirements as to character and need. The amount of
the pension plus the applicant’s income from all other sources may not
amount to more than a dollar a day. A county establishing the system
must appropriate annually enough to meet its demands, and from
this the county treasurer must pay out the pensions upon the orders
of the judge of the county court. This is to be repaid by the local
units which are responsible for the pensioner, each city, town, and
village reimbursing the county for all amounts of money paid in oldage pensions to its residents less the amounts received by the county
from the State. Each city, town, or village shall annually levy a tax
sufficient to meet such charges, which shall be collected as are other
taxes and paid into the county treasury.
Each year the county treasurer is to certify to the secretary of
state and the State board of control the amount paid out in old-age
pensions during the preceding year, and if the board of control
approves the report, the State gives the county a credit of one-third
of the amount paid in pensions against the State taxes next clue
from it. To meet this provision, the State appropriates annually
an amount not to exceed $200,000. If this is not enough to meet all
the credits due the counties, it is to be prorated among them according
to the amounts paid out. The State also appropriates annually
$5,000 for its administrative expenses in connection with old-age
pensions.
Wisconsin and Montana Laws in Operation

UPHE Nevada and the Wisconsin laws have not been in effect long
enough for reports of their work to have been published, but the
Wisconsin State Board of Control has furnished the bureau with
data concerning the operation of the pension law up to March 18,
1926. At that date the system had been adopted by five counties,
in which 218 applications for pensions had been received and 193 had
been granted. The average amount of the pension was 79 cents a
day, the average ranging in the different counties from 60 to 90 cents
per day. In 84 cases the highest amount permissible, $1 a day, had
been granted, and from this the pensions run down to 14 cents a
day, given in one case.
No very recent information is available regarding the working of
the Montana law. However, in the summer of 1924, the Massa­
chusetts Commission on Pensions sent questionnaires to the 55
counties in Montana, and replies received showed that 31 counties
were then paying pensions.
According to the answers received, 378 persons were in receipt of old-age
pensions in th e summ er of 1924, a t a to ta l cost of approxim ately $6,500 a month.
Eighty-six of the pensioners, or 22 per cent, received th e maximum of $25 a month,
the am ount of pension being fixed a t the discretion of th e county commissioners.
No almshouses were closed through the application of this law; several counties
had none to close. * * *
Of the counties, however, in which pensions were being granted, more th an a
m ajority reported th a t the law was working advantageously, 17 answering in
the affirmative, and 11 in the negative. (R eport on old-age pensions by the
M assachusetts Commission on Pensions, November 1925, p. 216.)
[11801


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p u b l ic p e n s io n s foe aged d epe n d en t s

o

In 1925 the Associated Industries of Montana issued a memorandum
on the working of the law in which figures are quoted from reports
made by the county auditors showing that in 1923, the year in which
the law went into effect, 29 counties paid pensions to 349 pensioners,
the amount paid out being $22,869.95, or an average of $65.53 per
pensioner. In 1924 the number of counties using the system in­
creased to 36, the total number of pensioners rose to 521, and the
amount paid in pensions to $79,058.24, an average of $151.74 per
pensioner.3
Criticisms of Old-Age Pension Systems Now in Force

T fflE opponents of old-age pension legislation base their objections
upon several grounds. They claim that a noncontributory sys­
tem, the only kind which has been adopted in this country, saps
self-reliance, discourages thrift and energy, and promotes pauperism
by relieving it of some of its more unpleasant features. They object
because of the expense, and because pensions act to weaken the sense
of responsibility for their own aged relatives which decent people
should feel. They fear a tendency toward increasing reliance upon
Government aid rather than on private resources, and they claim
that wherever the system has been tried there has been a disposition
to make pensions increasingly large, and the conditions of granting
them increasingly easy.
Ih e friends of such legislation look with apprehension upon
the present situation from entirely different motives. The real pur­
pose of old-age pensions, they say, is to make it possible for those
reduced to poverty by age to spend their declining years in selfrespecting privacy, free from the anxieties of want and the stigma
of pauperism, living independently in their own surroundings in­
stead of being massed together in an institution. The mere sub­
stitution of outdoor for indoor relief, although perhaps a step in the
right direction, is far from accomplishing this end. At present, they
say, the pension is not sufficiently differentiated from poor relief.
The M ontana law sets up old-age pension commissions composed of the boards
of county commissioners, who are also generally in charge of county poor relief,
w ith no central S tate supervision whatsoever. ' T h at this, in practice, is merely
an extension of the principle of outdoor relief, and fails even to remove one of
the m ain objectionable features—the stigm a of pauperism —is evident from th e
fact th a t the S tate a u d ito r’s report for 1924 shows an average allowance per
applicant of $151.74 as against the maximum of $300 allowed under th e law.
Obviously, these grants are not based on the principle of adequate pensions, and
are hardly more th a n th e accustomed poor relief given prior to th e en actm ent of
th e so-called pension law. * * *
B ut a t least under the M ontana law the county commissioners are required
to act as old-age pension commissioners. The law is m ade compulsory. The
new N evada law eliminates even th a t, and provides for old-age pension boards
m ade up of the county commissioners, who are also the poor relief officials, who
m ay authorize this pension if they decide to do so. I t is b u t n atu ral th a t they
should continue to look a t this as merely poor relief under a new name. (N ational
Conference of Social Work, Proceedings, 1925, p. 333.)

Old-Age Pensions in Other Countries

PROVISION for the needs of the aged poor through some sort of
pension system is far more common abroad than in the United
States. In a few instances a form of State endowment scheme is in
3 M em orandum in re results of operation of M ontana old-age pension law , pp. 5, 8.


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[1181]

M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW

6

use, under which persons may purchase annuities from the Govern­
ment by systematic payments begun in early life; the time at which
the policy comes into effect, its amount, and the cost of purchasing
it vary according to circumstances. The only difference between
this and private insurance is that the costs to the purchaser are
usually lower, and there is sometimes greater flexibility in adapting
the system to the need of the particular situation. Canada and
Hungary use this system, and in our own country Massachusetts
has had such a system in effect since 1907.
Pension systems are of two kinds, the ilstraight and the con­
tributory. In the first the pension is provided by the Government,
without specific contribution on the part of the recipient, while in
the second the future beneficiary is obliged to contribute regularly
to a fund from which pensions are paid. Australia, Denmark,
France, the Irish Free State, New Zealand, Norway, and Uruguay
have straight pension systems.4 Belgium and Great Britain began
with straight pensions, but have recently adopted compulsory con­
tribution systems, the change becoming effective in the present
year. Contributory systems are in use also in 15 other countries:
Argentina, Austria, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Greece, Ice­
land, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Rumania, Spain, Sweden,
and Yugoslavia.
Whether the pensions are straight or contributory, the systems
have certain points in common. An age limit, below which the
pension will not be granted, is determined, the age varying in different
countries from 60 to 70 years. Sixty is unusual, being found only in
Iceland and in Uruguay as applying to all claimants, and in Australia
and in New Zealand as applying to women, the age for men being 65.
Austria and Czechoslovakia set 65 for women only, the age for men
being 70. Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain
under its new law, Italy, the Netherlands, Rumania and Spain set
65 for all pensioners; Sweden puts the age at 67, and Norway,
Portugal, and Yugoslavia set the age at 70. France permits retire­
ment before reaching 65, at a reduced pension. Certain requirements
as to character, residence, and degree of need must also be met,
these requirements varying considerably in the different countries.
The amount of the pension varies, not only from country to country,
but often within the same country. A very common provision is
that the pension must not exceed, a certain sum, and that within this
limit it must not be sufficient to bring the pensioner’s total income
above a given figure. Space does not permit giving the details of
all the systems, but two, those of Australia and of Great Britain, may
be taken as illustrative of the two types of pension systems.
Australian Old-Age Pension System

PEN SIO N S came into being in Australia at first as State, not
*
Federal, measures. Victoria adopted a system in 1901, New
South Wales followed suit the same year, and Queensland decided
upon a similar step in 1908. A Federal act was passed, under which
pensions were to be paid beginning July 1, 1909, and this superseded
the State acts, putting pensions upon a national basis. Under this
< In tern atio n al Labor Office.
ance, Geneva, p. 37.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Studies a n d R eports, Series M „ N o. 1: General Problem s in Social In s u r­

[1182]

P U B L IC P E N S IO N S FOR AGED D E PE N D E N T S

7

the pensionable age is 60 for women and 65 for men, though if per­
manently incapacitated a man also may receive the pension at 60.
The claimant must have resided in Australia for at least 20 years,
he must be of good moral character, and his income must be under
£65 per annum. The amount of the pension and the amount which
the pensioner’s income may reach have been changed several times
to keep pace with the changing value of money. Under the latest
amendment, the maximum pension is £45 10s. per annum, and the
claimant’s total income, including pension, must not exceed £65.
According to the latest report of the Australian authorities, on June
30, 1925, the number of old-age pensioners was 117,516, of whom
79.5 per cent were drawing the maximum allowable under the act;
the average fortnightly rate was £1 13s. 5.43d., while the maximum
rate is £1 15s. At that date, old-age pensioners formed 2 per cent
of the total population, and the annual liability for their pensions
amounted to £5,110,612.
Present English Old-Age Pension System

IN 1908 the English Government established a system of old-age
1 pensions under which ail reaching the age of' 70 and meeting
certain qualifications as to need, residence, and character became
entitled to a pension of 10s. a week. This was amended several
times, but its essential character remained unchanged until the
passage of an act in 1925, under which old-age pensions were placed
on a contributory basis. The purpose of the new act, as explained
at the time, was to provide pensions commencing at the age of 65
instead of 70, and passing, at the age of 70, into the pensions provided
by the earlier legislation, though without the restrictions as to resi­
dence, means, and the like, which had been attached to them under
the earlier law. The new law became effective, so far as contributions
are concerned, on January 1, 1926, but its benefit provisions do not
come into force until January 1, 1928, so special arrangements were
made to provide for those who should become 65 on or after July 1,
1926, but before the end of 1927.
Scope of th e S ystem

The new act covers all known as “ insured persons,” that is, all
who come under the provisions of the national health insurance act.
It applies, therefore, to all those between the ages of 16 and 70 em­
ployed under a contract of service, except those in what are called the
excepted employments. Of these, the most important are employ­
ment in the civil service or under local or other public authorities;
employment as a salaried official of a railway or other statutory com­
pany, provided in each case that the terms of service make provision
during sickness at least as favorable as that under the act; and em­
ployment of a nonmanual character at a rate exceeding £250 a year.
It is estimated that over 15,000,000 persons came under the operations
of the health insurance act, and these are now all automatically sub­
ject to the provisions of the compulsory contributory system of
old-age pensions.
Provision is made also for those who leave the employments covered
by the health insurance act and may yet wish to keep up their claims
to a pension at the earlier age.

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[1183]

8

M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW

A person who hereafter ceases to be compulsorily insurable on leaving employ­
m ent, or who has already ceased to be insured before th e inception of th e new
scheme, m ay continue in or m ay resum e insurance as a voluntary contributor a t
th e full rate of contribution ordinarily payable by em ployer and employee jo in tly .
T hus all members of th e com m unity who a t some tim e in th eir lives pass througli
a substantial period of insurable em ploym ent (not less th a n tw o years) will have
an opportunity of taking advantage of the scheme. (M inistry of Labor Gazette,
London, May; 1925, p. 152.)

Contributions and Benefits

'T H E ordinary rate of contribution is, for men 9d. a week, of which
1 4 Ipu is to be paid by the employer and 4¡Hid. by the worker, and
for women 4}4<L a week, of which 2 ^ d . is to be paid by the employer
and 2d. by the worker. These rates may be revised every 10 years, and
it is provided that unless Parliament otherwise directs, the rates for
the decennial period commencing with 1936 are to be increased by 2d.
a week in the case of men and Id. for women. Up to January 1, 1928,
the contributions are to he paid until the worker is /0; after that date,
the worker’s liability ceases when he reaches the age of 65, but if he
continues in employment after that age the full contribution must lie
paid by the employer.
. . .
-t i t .
^■ ,
In order to prevent undue hardship, it is provided th a t_a claim to
benefits shall not lapse through a failure to pay contributions, if the
failure is due to genuine unemployment.
Where the insured person is available for b u t unaole to obtain work, contribu­
tions are to be deemed to have been paid except when there is incapacity due to
some specific disease or bodily or m ental disablem ent. (Widows , Orphan s and
Old-Age C ontributory Pension Act, 1925 , w ith introduction and annotations by
R obert W. Leach, London [1926?], p. 29.)

The pension is 10s. a week to insured workers, men and women
alike, and 10s. a week to the wives, between 65 and 70, of insured men
who are themselves entitled to the pension, whether the wife has been
insured or not.
Qualifications

I TNDE'R the new law pensions are to be paid to insured persons
w reaching the age of 65, who have been insured for not less than 5
years previous to the date on which the pension begins, and who have
paid at least 104 weekly contributions. The claimant must have been
a resident of Great Britain for at least 10 years, and his last employ­
ment, excluding temporary employment, must have been in that
country. Under this act, the pension is payable regardless of the
means of the pensioner, so that no inquiry is made into his possessions.
On reaching the age of 70, he passes under the provisions (if the earlier
act, but carries with him his freedom from its restrictions as to
means, residence, and nationality. However, a pension is not payable
to a person otherwise qualified to receive it, while he is an inmate of
a workhouse or other poor-law institution, or while he is a patient in
any asylum within the meaning of the lunacy acts. If, either before
or after the passing of this act, anyone otherwise eligible is convicted
of an offence for which the punishment is imprisonment without the
option of a fine, he is disqualified so long as he remains in prison.
Those who become 70 on July 1, 1926, or between that date and
January 1, 1928, are to receive pensions provided they have been
continuously insured since April 29, 1925, the date at which the act

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[1184]

C H IL D R E N AS RELATED TO F A T H E R ’S OCCU PATION

9

was introduced. Provisions are made for pensioning the wives or
widows of such persons, and special provisions are introduced as to the
marriages of persons over 65 which have taken place later than April
29, 1925, the purpose being to prevent the marriage of young women
to old men for the sake of securing the pension.
Number and Deaths of Children as Related to Occupation of Father

RECENT report of the United States Department of Com­
merce gives the number of women aged 35 to 44 years who
became mothers in 1924, classified according to the occupation
of the husband, and also gives the number of children born to such
mothers and the number of children still living. The data presented
are of much interest as throwing light on the question of the pos­
sible relationship of the birth and death rates of children to the
occupation and economic status of the father. The table below is
based on the report referred to.
Owing to the small number of cases represented in certain of the
groups the figures must be interpreted with great caution. Never­
theless, certain comparisons are of much interest. Thus, consider­
ing only mothers aged 35 to 39 years, the highest average number of
children ever born (7.4) appears for the wives of coal-mine operatives
and the lowest average (3.3 each) for the wives of chemists, assayers,
and metallurgists, dentists, physicians and surgeons, and technical
engineers; the highest average number of children living (6) appears
for the wives of coal-mine operatives and the lowest average number
of children living (2.9 each) for the wives of dentists and technical
engineers.
Considering only mothers aged 40 to 44 and only those occupa­
tions represented by at least 100 births, the highest average number
both of children ever born (9.1) and of children living (7.5) appears
for the wives of other mine operatives in both cases (3.9 and 3.5)
and the lowest average appears for the wives of chemists, assayers,
and metallurgists.

A

SIZE O F F A M IL IE S OF W O M E N A G E D 35-44 W H O B E C A M E M O T H E R S IN 1924, C L A SS I­
F I E D BY O C C U P A T IO N OF F A T H E R
M others aged 35 to 39 years

O ccupation of father
N um ber

A griculture, forestry, and anim al hus­
b a n d ry ___________ _____ __________ 64,129
D airy farmers, farmers, and stock
raisers____________________ _______ 55,136
D airy-farm , farm , and stock-farm laborers______________________ ______
7,394
Fisherm en and oysterm en......................
298
G ardeners, florists, fruit growers, and
nurserym en--- ............... ....... ..............
678
Lum berm en, raftsm en, and woodchoppers___________ ____ _________
308
O ther p u rsu its_____________________
315

98397°—26—

2


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

M others aged 40 to 44 years

Average num ber
of children

Average num ber
of children
Per N um Per
cent
cent
ber
dead
dead
Ever L iv ­ D ead
Ever L iv­
born ing
bo rn ing D ead

8.7

5.8

0.9

13.4 25,177

7.7

6.6

1.1

14.3

6.7

5.8

.9

13.4 21,908

7.6

6.6

1.0

13.2

7.1
6.2

5.9
5.2

1.2
1.0

16.9
16.1

2,674
124

8.6
7.5

7.0
5.9

1.6
1.6

18.6
21.3

261

6.7

5.6

1.1

16.4

111
99

7.7
6.2

6.5
5.3

1.2
.9

15.6
14.5

5.0

4.4

.6

12.0

6.0
4.9

5.3
4.4

.7
.5

11.7
10.2

[1185]

10

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

SIZE OF F A M IL IE S OF W O M E N A G E D 35-44 W H O B E C A M E M O T H E R S IN 1924, C L A SS I­
F I E D BY O C C U P A T IO N O F F A T H E R —Continued
M others aged 35 to 39 years

O ccupation of father

E xtractio n of m inerals__________________
Forem en, overseers, and inspectors----Operators, officials, a n d m an ag ers-----Coal-mine o p e ra tiv e s _______________
O ther m ine operatives---------------------Q uarry operatives---------------------------Oil, gas, a n d salt well operatives------M anufacturing and mechanical industries. _
Bakers
.
.
.
----------------B lacksm iths, forgemen, and ham m er­
m en _ _________
_ ----------------Boiler m akers------ -------------------------B rick a n d stone m asons-------------------B uilders a nd building contractors . . .
C abinetm akers---- ---------------------C arpenters_______ i ------------------------Com positors, linatypers, and ty p e ­
setters____________ ____ _________
E lectricians. _ -------------------- ------Engineers (stationary), cranem en,
hoistm en, etc---- -----------------Filers, grinders, buffers, a n d polishers
( m e t a l ) . .. ----------------------------------Firem en (except locomotive an d fire
d e p artm e n t)..........................
Forem en and overseers (m anufacturing)
Furnace m en, sm elter m en, heaters,
pourers, e tc __________________ - -Jewelers, w atchm akers, goldsmiths,
and silversm iths....................................
Laborers—■
B uilding, general, and not specified.
O ther specified laborers in m a n u ­
facturing and m echanical p u r­
su its _________________________
M achinists, m illw rights, toolm akers,
and m echanics n o t otherwise speci­
fie d .. _ ----------------------------M anagers, su p erintendents,’m anufac­
turers, and officials---- -- ------------M illers, (grain, flour, feed, e tc .)--------M olders, founders, and casters, (m etal).
Painters, glaziers, varnishers, enamelers, etc_____________ ______ _______
Paper hangers______________________
P a tte rn and madid m akers _ _______
Plasterers and cem ent finishers______
Plum bers and gas and steam fitte rs.. .
Semiskilled operatives_____ ____ _
Shoemakers and cobblers (not in fac­
to ry )----------------------- ------------------Stonecutters . . . . ___
Tailors. _____________ ____ ______
T insm iths and coppersm iths. . ______
U pholsterers______ . . _____ . . .O ther p u rsu its___________________ T ran sp o rtatio n_____________ ______ _____
W ater—
Longshoremen and stevedores____
Sailors and deckhands____ _____
R oad and street—
C hauffeurs...................... ...................
D raym en, team sters, and expressm en___________ ____ ____ _____
Garage keepers a n d m anagers-----Laborers (garage, road, and stre et).
Railroad—
B ra k e m e n ..._____ _____________
Conductors (street a n d railroad) __
Forem en and overseers (steam a n d
stre e t).. . ___________________
Laborers (steam a n d stre e t)______
Locomotive e n g in eers....................


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M others aged 40 to 44 years

Average num ber
of children
Per
Per N um cent
cent
ber
dead
dead
Ever L iv­
Ever L iv­ Dead
born ing Dead
born ing

Average num ber
of children
N um her

8.9 7.2
7.8 6.3
6. 9 6. 1
9. 0 7. 2
9. 1 7. 5
8. 7 6. 7
6. 7 5. 7
7. 4 6. 1
6. 7 5. 4

1.7
1. 5
.8
1. 8
1. 6
2. 0
1. 0
1. 3
1. 3

19. i
19. 2
11. 6
20. 0
17.6
23.0
14.9
17.6
19.4

7. 5
7.4
7.3
6. 7
5. 9
7.0

6.3
6. 3
6. 0
5. 7
5. 0
5. 9

1.2
1. 1
1. 3
1. 0
.9
1.1

16.0
14.9
17.8
14. 9
15.3
15.7

177
298

5. 7
5.8

4.9
4.9

.8
.9

14.0
15. 5

645

6.6

5.7

.9

13.6

1.1

14.9

13.1 2,951
15.4
62
10. 2
44
18. 9 2,510
215
15. 7
19. 1
47
13. 7
73
17.2 25, 620
222
14. 8

8,108
160
137
6,916
580
102
213
80, 718
857

7.2
6. 5
4. 9
7. 4
7.0
6. S
5. 1
5.8
5.4

5.9
5.5
4.4
6.0
5.9
5. 5
4.4
4.8
4.6

1.3
1.0
.5
1.4
1.1
1.3
.7
1.0
.8

1,179
423
1,184
1,553
324
6,370

6.0
5.9
5.8
5.0
4.9
5. 5

5.2
5.0
4.9
4.4
4. 2
4.7

.8
.9
.9
.6
.7
.8

13.3
15.3
15. 5
12.0
14.3
14.5

442
145
426
472
102
2,305

641
1,279

4.3
4.5

3.8
3.9

.5
.6

11.6
13.3

1,981

5.1

4.3

.8

15.7

169

5.3

4.3

1.0

18.9

53

7.4

6.3

998
1,619

5.8
5. 1

4.9
4.4

.9
.7

15.5
13. 7

314
516

7.7
6.6

6. 2
5.6

1. 5
1. 0

19.5
15.2
20.0

157

6.6

5.5

1. 1

16.7

39

7.5

6.0

1.5

148

3.9

3.4

.5

12.8

47

4.6

4.0

.6

13.0

30, 050

6.6

5.4

1.2

18.2 10,082

8.2

6.5

1.7

20.7

896

6.4

5.1

1.3

20.3

290

7.9

6.3

1.6

20.3

7,168

5.0

4.3

.7

14.0

1,962

6.5

5.5

1.0

15.4

2,003
149
754

3. 7
5. 1
6.5

3.4
4. 5
5.2

.3
.6
1.3

8. 1
11.8
20.0

492
51
215

5.3
7. 5
7.7

4.7
6. 1
6.5

.6
1.4
1. 2

11.3
18.7
15.6

2,349
138
137
508
1,461
12,477

5.4
5.2
4. 0
6. 0
4.8
5. 7

4.6
4.6
3. 5
5. 1
4. 2
4. 7

.8
.6
.5
.9
.6
1.0

14.8
11. 5
12. 5
15. 0
12. 5
17.5

800
44
25
186
398
3,716

6.8
6. 7
6. 1
7. 3
6. 1
7.3

5.7
5.8
5. 3
6. 1
5. 2
6.0

1. 1
.9
.8
1. 2
.9
1.3

16.2
13.4
13, I
16.4
14.8
17.8

653
135
1,531
474
163
790
12,169

6.0
5. 4
5. 2
5. 2
4. 4
5. 2
5.4

5.0
4. 5
4. 5
4. 4
3. 8
4. 4
4.6

1.0
.9
.7
.8
.6
.8
.8

18.7
16.7
13. 5
15.4
13.6
15. 4
14. 8

282
60
396
138
47
253
3,766

7.7
7. 2
7.0
7. 1
5. 9
6.8
6.9

6. 2
6. 2
5. 8
5. 8
5. 0
5. 5
5. 8

1. 5
1.0
1. 2
1. 3
.9
1. 3
1. 1

19.5
13.9
17.1
18.3
15. 3
19.1
15.9

331
101

6. 1
4.9

5.0
4. 1

1. 1
.8

18.0
16.3

100
27

7.7
5.1

6.3
4. 1

1.4
1. 0

18.2
19.6

1,398

5. 1

4.3

.8

15.7

299

6.3

5.2

1.1

17.5

1.3
.7
1. 3

17.3
13.2
16.3

2,282
338
215

6. 0
4. 2
0. 0

5. 0
3. 6
4.8

1.0
.6
1. 2

16.7
14.3
20.0

747
87
85

7.5
5. 3
8.0

6. 2
4. 6
6. 7

507
295

5.4
5.0

4. 6
4. 2

.8
.8

14.8
16.0

135
84

6.8
5. 8

5.8
5.0

1.0
.8

14.7
13. 8

488
747
473

6. 2
6. 5
5. 1

5. 4
5. 4
4. 5

.8
1. 1
.6

12.9
16.9
11.8

216
295
155

8.0
8. 1
6. 6

6.9
6. 5
5. 6

1.1
1. 6
1. 0

13.8
19. 8
15.2

[ 1186]

C H IL D R E N AS RELATED TO F A T H E R ’S OCCU PATION

H

SIZE O F F A M IL IE S O F W O M E N A G E D 35-44 W H O B E C A M E M O T H E R S IN 1924 C L A SS I­
F IE D B Y O C C U P A T IO N O F F A T H E R —Continued
M others aged 35 to 39 years
t
O ccupation of father

T ran sp o rta tio n —C ontinued
R ailroad—C o ntinued.
Locom otive firem en..........................
M otorm en (steam and stre e t)__
Officials a n d su perintendents
(steam a n d stre et)____________
Sw itchm en, flagmen, an d yardm en (steam a n d stre et). . .
T ick et an d statio n agents____ _
Express, post, telegraph, and tele-

Average num ber
of children
Per
Per
N um ­
N
u
m
­
cent
cent
ber Evei
ber Ever L iv­
L iv­ D ead dead
dead
D
ead
born ing
born ing

239
489

5. 0
4. 8

4.3
4. 2

.7
.6

14. 0
12.5

187

4. 2

3. 6

.6

14 3

380
172

5. 4
4. 4

4.6
3. 9

.8
.5

A gents and messengers (express),
a n d railw ay m ail clerks_____ _
140 3. 8 3.3
.5
M ail carriers, _
629 4. 8 4. 3
.5
T elegraoh an d telephone linem en.
226 4. 6 4. 1
.5
T elegraph o perators,........
276 4. 3 3. 8
.5
O ther p u rsu its_____
2, 256 5. 3 4. 5
.8
T rad e_______ _____ _
18, 449 4. 6 4.0
.6
Bankers, brokers, an d m oney lenders..
765 3. 5 3. 1
.4
Com m ercial tra v e le rs ..
244 3. 9 3.4
.5
Insurance agents a n d officials___
842 4. 0 3. 5
.5
Laborers in coal a n d lu m b e r yards,
w arehouses, e tc .
121 5. 8 4.9
.9
R eal estate agents an d officials _
805 4. 1 3.6
.5
R etail an d wholesale dealers, im porters, a n d exporters......................... 10, 528 4. 9 4.3
.6
U n d e rta k ers........................
135 4. 1 3.7
.4
O ther p u r s u its .............
5, 009 4. 2 3. 7
.5
P ublic service (not elsewhere classified) __. 2, 278 4. 8 4. 2
.6
F irem en (fire d ep artm en t) _
224 4. 7 4. 1
.6
G uards, w atchm en, an d doorkeepers..
339 5. 9 4. 9
1.0
L aborers (public service)____
125 6. 6 5. 5
1. 1
M arshals, sheriffs, detectives, etc____
151 5. 2 4. 5
.7
Officials an d inspectors (city and
county) __ ____________
249 4.4 3.8
.6
Officials a n d inspectors (S tate and
U n ite d S ta te s ).............
281 3. 8 3. 4
.4
Policem en ____________
682 4. 8 4. 2
.6
Soldiers, sailors, a n d m a rin e s,.
136 4. 0 3. 2
.8
O ther p u rsu its________
92 4. 9 4. 0
.9
Professional service.................
6, 272 3. 7 3. 3
.4
A rchitects. .............. ..
135 3. 5 3. 2
.3
A uthors, editors, a n d re p o rte rs ... . . .
155 3. 8 3. 3
.5
C hem ists, assayers, a n d m etallurgists.
161 3. 3 3. 0
.3
C le rg y m e n ......... .............
990 5. 0 4. 4
.6
D e n tists_____________
242 3. 3 2. 9
.4
Designers, draftsm en, a n d in v e n to rs. __
243 3. 8 3. 4
.4
Law yers, judges, a n d justices________
780 3. 4 3. 1
.3
M usicians, a n d teachers of m u sic.,_ _
227 4. 4 3. 8
.6
PhotograD hers_____
124 4. 0 3. 5
.5
Physicians a n d surgeons______
725 3. 3 3. 0
.3
Teachers (school)____
750 3. 6 3. 3
.3
Technical en g in eers.........
895 3. 3 2.9
.4
O ther p u rsu its...........
845 3. 5 3. 2
.3
Domestic a n d personal s e rv ic e ___
4, 591 5. 1 4. 3
.8
B arbers, hairdressers, an d m anicurists. 1,158 5. 5 4. 7
.8
Elevator te n d e rs __
107 5. 0 4. 2
.8
H otel keepers an d m anagers . . .
223 4. 4 3. 8
.6
Janitors a n d sextons____
559 5. 6 4. 7
.9
L a u n d ry operatives____
188 4. 9 4. 1
.8
Porters (except in stores)______
322 5.7 4. 5
1. 2
R estau ran t, café, and lunch-room
keepers___ ___________
.
455 4. 6 3.9 • .7
S ervan ts. _____ _______
562 4. 6 3. 9
.7
W a ite r s ...___________
277 4. 8 3. 9
.9
O ther p u rs u its ________
740 5. 2 4. 4
.8
Clerical occupations. . .
5, 745 3. 9 S. 5
.4
Agents, canvassers, a n d collectors____
685 3. 6 3.3
.3
Bookkeepers, cashiers, a n d accounta n ts_________________
1,132 3.5 3. 2
.3
C lerks (except in stores)
3, 867 4. 1 3. 6
.5
O ther p u rs u its ............................
61 3. 7 3. 2
.5
All occupations__________


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M others aged 40 to 44 years

Average num ber
of children

202,460

5.9

[1 1 8 7 ]

5.0

.9

58
121

6. 2
6. 6

5.1
5.5

5.1

4.6

14. 8
11. 4

140
54

7. 4
4.9

13. 2
10. 4
10.9
11. 6
15. 1
13. 0
11. 4
12. 8
12.5

44
214
52
71
714
5, 037
158
65
213

15.5
12. 2

43
245

12. 2
9. 8
11.9
12. 5
12. 8
16. 9
16.7
13. 5

3, 094
49
1, 170
732
48
154
42
60

1.1
1.1

17.7
16.7

6.1
4.4

1.3

17.6
10.2

5.3
6. 4
5. 6
5. 4
6. 8
6. 2
4. 8
5. 2
5. 2

4.8
5. 6
4. 7
4. 7
5. 7
5. 3
4. 2
4. 6

.5
9.4
. 8 12. 5
.9 16. 1
.7 13. 0
1. 1 16. 2
.9 14. 5
. 6 12. 5
. 6 11. 5
9.6

7. 3
5. 3

6. 0
4. 6

1. 3
.7

6. 6 5. 6
6. 0 5. 4
5. 5 4. 8
3. 6 5. 6
6. 1 5. 3
8. 2 6. 8
7. 6 6. 0
6. 2 5. 4

17.8
13. 2

1. 0 15. 2
. 6 10. 0
. 7 12. 7
1. 0 15. 2
. 8 13. 1
1. 4 17. ]
1. 6 21. 1
. 8 12.9

13.6

68

5.7

5.1

10. 5
12. 5
20. 0
18. 4
10. 8
8. 6
13. 2
9. 1
12. 0
12. 1
10. 5
8. 8
13. 6
12. 5
9. 1
8. 3
12. 1
8. 6
15.7
14. 5
16. 0
13. 6
16. 1
16. 3
21. 1

95
200
29
36
1, 577
27
40
27
323
74
47
193
55
34
166
182
190
219
1. 337
312
34
74
235
49
78

5. 0
6. 6
4. 4
7. 0
5. 0
4. 4
4. 9
3. 9
5. 9
4. 3
4. 4
4. 0
6. 1
4. 9
4. 3
5. 0
4. 5
5. 4
6. 6
7. 0
6. 7
5. 8
7. 0
6. 7
6. 4

4. 4
5. 6
3. 9
5. 7
4. 3
3. 9
4. 3
3. 5
5. 2
3. 8
4. 0
3. 6
5. 0
4. 0
3. 8
4. 4
4. 1
4. 7
5. 4
5. 7
5. 8
4. 9
5, 6
5. 3
5. 0

. 6 12. 0
1. 0 15. 2
. 5 11.4
1.3 18. 6
.7 14. 0
. 5 11. 4
. 6 12. 2
.4 10.3
.7 11.9
. 5 11. 6
. 4 9.1
. 4 10.0
1. 1 18. 0
.9 18.4
11. 6
. 6 12. 0
.4
8. 9
.7 13.0
1. 2 18. 2
1. 3 18. 6
.9 13.4
.9 15. 5
1. 4 20. 0
1.4 20.9
1.4 21.9

15. 2
15. 2
18. 8
15. 4
10. 3
8.3

115
168
57
215
1, 388
173

5.3
6. i
6. 0
7. 0
5. 2
5. 0

4. 6
5. 0
4.8
5. 7
4. 5
4.3

.7 13.2
1. 1 18.0
1. 2 20. 0
1.3 18. 6
.7 13. 5
.7 14. 0

8.0
12. 2
13. 5

241
958
16

4.9
5. 3
5. 8

4.3
4. 6
4. 6

.6
.7
1.2

12.2
13. 2
20.7

15.3 67, 585

7.3

6.2

1. 1

15.1

.6

10.5

12

M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW

Data Regarding

All Mothers

'"THE above figures, as explained, relate solely to mothers 35 to 44
years of age. No similar analysis has been made as yet for «
mothers of other age groups. The Department of Commerce, how­
ever, has furnished the following data regarding- all women who
became mothers in 1924: The total number of mothers with husbands
gainfully employed in 1924 was 1,724,876; the total births, 1,754,163;
total children ever born to these mothers, 5,730,752; total children
living of these mothers, 5,057,965; average number ever born, 3.3;
and average number living, 2.9.
Rights of Employees to Their Inventions
B y L in d l e y D . C

lark

, o f t h e U n it e d S t a t e s B u r e a u o f L a b o r S t a t is t ic s

introduction

I

T IS a frequent occurrence that employees engaged on the general
work of an employer, in immediate contact with the machinery
and processes of the establishment, discover improvements that
may be made in the process, the mechanical devices used, or in some
other phase of the undertaking. In such cases the question arises
as to the ownership of the invention or discovery, i. e., whether the
employee is entitled to hold in his own name and for his own financial
advantage the title to any patent that he may secure, or to retain for
his own private use the process that he may have discovered; or, on
the other hand, whether the employer in whose service he was, with
whose instrumentalities he is in contact, and who pays him the wages
that are his inducement for service, becomes the proprietor.
There readily occur to one’s mind a variety of conditions, as where
the employee is a mere general workman, who is engaged without any
thought of his inventive capacity and from whom nothing is expected
except what might be classed as routine service. A second group
would be those employees who are engaged in view of their mechanical
ability, and are under contract to use their best endeavor to make any
improvements, general or special, that they may be able, by their
skill or genius, to hit upon. A third class would include individuals
to whom an inventor, having an idea which ho is unable or disinclined
to develop and reduce to a concrete form, imparts his general concep­
tion, and whom he employs to build the machine or demonstrate the
feasibility of his idea as a practical invention.
I t is clear that the same rule could hardly apply to these three
groups; also the groups have grades and variations, giving rise to the
conclusion expressed m one case that the right of the employer to a
license for the use of an invention of his employee is a mixed question
of law and fact, so that each case must be decided on its own merits.
No legislation has been enacted in the United States relative to
private employments, though, as will appear, employees of the Gov­
ernment of the United States are affected by statutory provisions.
European countries vary in respect to this point, some having quite
complete legislative provisions, while others leave the matter to the
courts or to determination by the parties in interest in the formation


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R IG H T S OF E M PL O Y EE S TO T H E IR IN V E N T IO N S

13

of their contracts. A recent article by Prof. Emanuel Adler in the
International Labor Review (January, 1926, pp. 1-20) gives a brief
survey of the field, with particular attention to the Austrian patents
act of 1925. The present article will give first, an independent study
of the situation in regard to employees’ rights as determined by the
courts of the United States, followed by a brief summary of Professor
Adler’s article as regards the foreign countries of which it gives an
account.1
United States
G e n e r a l E m p lo y e e s

TTNDER the first heading indicated above may be found employees
^who, though deriving their wages from the contracts of their
employment, develop the idea of an invention outside the establish­
ment and the working hours of their employment. It is a general
rule that unless the nature of one’s employment or an express contract
forbids outside work, the employee’s time outside of his hours of
service may be occupied with other work not incompatible with his
duties to his employer; or as said by Mr. Justice Clifford in a case
involving this question, “ Persons employed, as much as employers,
are entitled to their own independent inventions” (Agawam Co. v.
Jordan (1868), 74 U. S. (7 Wall.) 583, 603); but if the workman, in
developing his idea, has used time, material, and assistance of other
employees of his employer, the latter is generally held to acquire at
least a license for the use of the improvement without royalty. In
any event, the actual inventor or his assignee must obtain the patent
(R. S. 4886, 4895, C. S. 9430, 9439; Damon v. Eastwick (1882), 14
Fed. 40).
^ In the case, Lane & Bodley v. Locke (1893),150 U. S. 193, 14 Sup.
Ct. 78, the inventor of a stop-valve useful in the construction of
hydraulic elevators manufactured by his employer was held by his
conduct to have licensed the employer to use the invention which had
been made while employed by the company, using its tools and
patents. The inventor had made numerous experiments in this direc­
tion, as was well known to his employers; but when the satisfactory
invention was made it was immediately put into use by the company,
with the knowledge of the inventor, such use continuing for several
years with no suggestion that he should receive remuneration therefor,
though he had taken out the patent in his own name.
The positive grounds for denying the claim were a presumption
that a license had been granted, citing in this connection the case,
McClurg v. Kingsland (1843), 42 U. S. 187 (1 How. 202), which
seems to have beep the first case decided by the Supreme Court
involving the making of an invention by a general employee, ex­
perimenting at the expense and in the factory of his employer, and
permitting the employer to use the device without asking any return.
There was said to be a presumption of a license granted the em­
ployer, although the employee obtained the patent by his own
action, so that an assignee took the patent subject to the legal
1 T h e a u th o r’s discussion of th e situation in th e U nited States is, in th e m ain, accurate a nd satisfactory.
However, there seems to be a measure of mi sconception as to th e relative s tatu s of th e circuit court of appeals
a nd th e Suprem e C ourt, considerable use h av in g been m ade of th e opinion of th e former in th e case Peck
v . S tan d ard P a rts Co., though recognizing in a footnote th a t th e decision b y this court w as contrary to the
view m aintained b y th e Suprem e C ourt w hen th e case came before it on appeal (see p. 18).


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M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

consequence of his conduct, amounting to “ consent and allowance,”
granting a right to the employer to the continuous use of the
invention.
It was further held that there was basis for a presumption that
the inventor had recognized an obligation resulting from his em­
ployment by the partnership and its successor corporation, citing
the case Solomons v. United States (1890), 137 U. S. 342, 11 Sup.
Ct. 88. In this case an employee of the Treasury Department of
the United States conceived the idea of a useful invention of a
self-cam eling stamp. The necessary machinery was constructed by
employees of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, of which the
inventor was chief, using Government property in the work. A
patent was obtained by an assignee of the inventor, who thereupon
notified the proper officer of his ownership of the patent, and sought
an arrangement for compensation for the use of the patented stamp
by the Government. In default of any reply, a claim was entered
in the Court of Claims to recover the sum demanded in payment
for the use of the stamp. The findings of the Court of Claims
were adverse, whereupon the case was taken to the Supreme Court,
where the findings of the Court of Claims were sustained. The
fundamental right of the employee as inventor to the results of his
invention was asserted, but qualifying circumstances modified the
abstract rule. Mr. Justice Brewer, who delivered the opinion of
the court, formulated certain statements which, while not in every
aspect necessary to a decision, and in that degree classifiable as
obiter, have nevertheless been adopted in subsequent decisions, so
that they may be regarded as established law. Following are the
essential portions of his opinion:
An employee, perform ing all the duties assigned to him in his departm ent of
service, m ay exercise his inventive faculties in any direction he chooses, w ith
th e assurance th a t w hatever invention he m ay th u s conceive and perfect is his
individual property. There is no difference between th e G overnm ent and any
other em ployer in this respect. B ut this general rule is subject to these lim ita­
tions: If one is employed to devise or perfect an instrum ent, or a means for
accomplishing a prescribed result, he can not, after successfully accomplishing
th e work for which he was employed, plead title thereto as against his employer.
T h a t which he has been employed and paid to accomplish becomes, when ac­
complished, th e property of his employer. W hatever rights as an individual
he m ay have had in and" to his inventive powers, and th a t which they are able
to accomplish, he has sold in advance to his employer. So, also, when one is
in th e employ of another in a certain line of work, and devises an improved
m ethod or instrum ent for doing th a t work, and uses th e property of his em­
ployer and th e services of other employees to develop and p u t in practicable
form his invention, and explicitly assents to the use by his em ployer of such
invention, a jury, or a court trying th e facts, is w arranted in finding th a t he
has so far recognized th e obligations of service flowing from his em ploym ent
and th e benefits resulting from his use of the property, and th e assistance of
the coemployees, of his employer, as to have given to such em ployer an irrevocable
license to use such invention.

Affirmation and application of the rule in the Solomons case is
found in the somewhat later case of Gill v. United States (1896),
160 U. S. 426, 16 Sup. Ct. 322. Here, a machinist in Government
employ conceived the idea of an improvement in the machine which
he was operating, and suggested it to his superior. The construction
of a machine involving the proposed improvements was authorized,
the work being at the cost of the United States, according to designs
furnished by the inventor. It was satisfactory, and the construction

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of others was authorized, the work being done also under the im­
mediate supervision of the inventor as a part of his routine service.
A patent was then sought, and subsequently another machine con­
structed under the immediate supervision of the patentee, with no
suggestion of remuneration. The court held that since the invention
was made while the inventor was drawing pay as an employee, since
he had used materials and mechanical assistance furnished by the
Government, and had raised no objection to the use of the inven­
tion by the Government, there was no basis for a recovery of any
sum as royalty for the use of the machines so invented, constructed
and used. Such license as was here presumed to exist does not,
however, interfere with the right of the inventor and owner of the
patent to grant to others similar rights, for such compensation as
may be agreed upon.
E ffe c t o f f o r m a l lic e n se .—Still more certainly would recovery be
impossible where there was a formal licensing for the use of in­
ventions patented by an employee, nor could a contract fully stated
in writing, and subsequently carried out by both parties, be varied
by alleged collateral oral agreement inconsistent with the terms of
the written contract. (McAleer v. United States (1893), 150 U. S.
424, 14 Sup. Ct. 1G0.)
The license so granted continues as long as the employer remains in
business, even though the employee-inventor has left the service.
(Barber v. National Carbon Co. (C. C. A. 1904), 129 Fed. 370.)
Similarly it was held in Scott v. Madison Woolen Co. (1925), 3 Fed.
(2a) 331, that the employer had an irrevocable license where the
superintendent of bis mill invented a device for use therein, using
materials and employees of the employer in perfecting and procuring
a patent, and the instrumentality was used in the mill as long as the
inventor remained in service. However, where an employer ceases
operations, as in a case of bankruptcy, the right to the invention re­
mains with the former employee, the employer having had nothing
but a shop right which would not pass under a sale of the assets”
(Ingle v. Landis Tool Co. (C. C. A. 1921), 272 Fed. 464.) The
restriction of the employer’s right was emphasized in another case
(Johnson Furnace & Engineering Co. v. Western Furnace Co. (1910),
178 Fed. 819, 102 C. C. A. 267) where it was said that in the absence
of an express contract or agreement the relation of employer and
employee under whatever circumstances short of a specific employ­
ment to make inventions does not vest the employer with the entire
property right to the inventions of his employee; and the Supreme
Court of Massachusetts applied this rule to the case of an employee
who was under obligation not to disclose the trade secrets of his
employer, but as to whom it was said that he could legitimately
invent and perfect improvements embodied in new machinery that
would effect the same results with greater efficiency, and unless he
was under a contract to originate processes for his employer’s benefit,
the right to the invention was in the employee (American Stay Co. v.
Delaney (1912), 211 Mass. 229, 97 N. E. 911).
, G o vern m en t e m p lo y e e s .—Though it is repeatedly said that the status
of an employee of the Government is the same as that of an employee
of a private establishment, special legislation provides that any
officer of the Government except officers and employees of the
Patent Office may obtain a patent without the payment of any fee

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M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW

where the invention is used or is to be used for the public service, a
stipulation to be embodied in the application to the effect that such
use shall be without payment of any royalty therefor. (Act of March 3,
1883, 22 Stat. 625, C. S. sec. 9441.) A later provision covers inven­
tions generally, an act of 1910, amended 1918, providing a method for
reimbursing patentees whose inventions have been “ used or manu­
factured by or for the United States without license of the owner
thereof or lawful right to use or manufacture the same.” In such case
the owner has a remedy by suit in the Court of Claims to recover “ a
reasonable and entire compensation for such use and manufacture.”
It was provided, however, “ that the benefits of this act shall not inure
to any patentee who, when he makes such claim, is in the employ­
ment or service of the Government of the United States, or the
assignee of any such patentee; nor shall this act apply to any device
discovered or invented by such employee during the time of his
employment or service.” (36 Stat. 851; 40 Stat. 705; C. S. sec. 9465.)
E m p lo y e e s U n d e r C o n t r a c t t o M a k e I m p r o v e m e n ts

An examination of the cases in which employees are under contracts
based on their mechanical skill and inventive ability rather than on
their capacity to render routine service discloses two general forms
of agreement : One in which the employer specifically reserves to him­
self the right to any inventions, improvements, or discoveries made by
the employee hired to effect the same, and one in which the contract
merely calls for the application of skill and inventive talent toward
perfecting and improving the devices in use by the employer or the
products in the manufacture of which he is engaged. Thus it is said
that a manufacturing corporation which has employed a skilled work­
man to take charge of its works and devote himself to improvements
in the articles to be produced is not entitled to an assignment of the
patents obtained for his inventions, in the absence of an express
agreement to that effect, where, in a similar case, the employer was
held to have only an unassignable license. (Dalzell v. Dueber Mfg.
Co. (1893), 149 U. S. 315, 13 Sup. Ct. 886, citing Hapgood v. Hewitt
(1886), 119 U. S. 226, 7 Sup. Ct. 193.)
However, an agreement providing for the vesting in the employer
of all inventions made by his employee during the term of his contract
or employment is held to be capable of specific performance, enforce­
able in proper proceedings, being not unreasonable or against the
public interest. (Conway v. White (C. C. A. 1925), 9 Fed. (2d) 863.)
It was held in this case that if the essential principles of the invention
were developed during the term of contract, the contract governs
even though the invention was perfected only at a later date, sub­
stantial completeness being sufficient to fix the date of the invention.
Where a general manager retained his right to inventions generally,
but contracted “ nevertheless” that any invention or device made or
perfected by him on the request of his employer, pertaining to
instrumentalities then being used or manufactured, should vest in
the employer, the “ nevertheless” provision was held valid; and
though the drawings were made at night, the contract was held to
cover an invention conceived in the time of the business of the
ernployer, conferences taking place with officers of the corporation

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and work being done with the materials and men of the company.
(Fullman v. Steel City Electric Co. (C. C. A. 1924), 2 Fed. (2d) 4.)
The inventor was here obligated to carry out his contract and take
the necessary steps to vest the title to the patent in the company,
even though the term of his employment had expired; but the com­
pany must do equity and pay the expenses incurred in procuring the
patent. So where the contract calls for an assignment of all inven­
tions and devices to be used in connection with the employer’s busi­
ness, the agreement was held to cover other devices, secretly worked
on at home, not of the kind to be used in the manufacture of the
articles desired to be marketed by the employer, but of the same
character. The contract was said to call for the best endeavor of
the employee in behalf of his employer, and its specific enforcement in
lino with the foregoing interpretation was held to be possible and not
unconscionable. (Detroit Lubricator Co. v. Lavigne Mfg. Co. (1908),
159 Mich. 650, 115 N. W. 988.)
The character of the improvements invented outside the immedi­
ate line of employment in the foregoing case seems to have been such
as to lead the court to its conclusion of inclusiveness. However, a
slightly earlier decision by a circuit court of appeals drew a line be­
tween devices applicable to the particular product of the employer
and other instruments. (Wright v. Vocalion Organ Co. (1906), 148
Fed. 209, 79 C. C. A. 183.) H ere an employee, hired as inventor,
agreed to assign a half interest in all inventions made during the
term of his contract in connection with the product of his employer;
and an invention applicable also to pianos was held to be subject to
the contract only so far as its use with organs was concerned, as the
contract related only to the latter.
Other cases in this group are one of the general employment of
the inventive skill of the employee, but with a stipulation that
drawings, patterns, designs, etc., made by the employee should
belong to the employer, the court held that this provision precluded
the employees’ ownership of patents for improvements made during
the term of his employment (Portland Iron Works v. Willett (1907),
49 Oreg. 245, 89 Pac. 421); and an engagement of an expert dyer to
experiment in behalf of his employer, the results of his experiments
to belong to the latter, with an indefinite term of employment and
a promise of increased salary as the workman developed skill. On
the making of discoveries, however, the workman refused to disclose
them without special compensation, and was thereupon discharged.
Suit was brought to compel disclosure, and the court held the em­
ployer entitled to it without further compensation. (Silver Spring
Bleaching Co. v. Woolworth (1890), 16 R. I. 729, 19 Atl. 528.)
Contract covering subsequent inventions.—A somewhat further
development of the idea of ownership was found in a case, Hulse v.
Bonsack Mac. Co. (1895), 65 Fed. 864, 13 C. C. A. 180, in which a
machine operator was compelled to sign a contract that if he made
any improvements in the machinery “ while in the employment of
the said company, or at any time thereafter, the same shall be for
the exclusive use of the said company.” Here again was found a con­
tract that was not unreasonable, unconscionable, or contrary to public
policy. In this case the employee was sent abroad to sell machines,
and there got a suggestion for an improvement of which he told the

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company, and was encouraged by it to undertake its development,
the company furnishing a room, power, and materials, but no current
compensation. On the perfecting of the invention the employee
claimed it, but the court held that the contract gave it to the employer
with the duty, however, of paying the expenses and such an amount
as compensation as a master in chancery might determine.
Recent decisions.—Despite the uniformity of these decisions, the
Supreme Court recently found it necessary to reverse a circuit court
of appeals in its construction of a contract with a workman of recog­
nized inventive ability, which obligated ‘‘second party to devote his
time to the improvement of a process and machinery for the produc­
tion7’ of a specific article for the employer’s use, at an agreed wage
per month with a bonus both for early completion and for reduction
of costs. He was successful, and claimed title to his invention; but
the district court found that in inventing or devising the improve­
ments indicated, “ his patents therefor belonged to his employer,
since in making such improvements he is merely doing what he was
hired to do.” The circuit court of appeals took an opposite view,
rejecting the doctrine of the Solomons, McAleer, and Gill cases,
supra, and adopted a rule allowing the employee to hold the patent
even though “ employment is to devise or improve a specific thing.”
When the case came before the Supreme Court, Mr. Justice McKenna
remarked that “ it is going very far to say that the declaration of
Solomons v. United States, repeated in subsequent cases, and appar­
ently constituting their grounds of decision, may be put aside or
underrated—assigned the inconsequence of dicta.” The invention
of a specific thing can undoubtedly “ be made the subject of a bar­
gain, and pass in execution of it.” Continuing, the opinion reads:
By th e contract Peck engaged to “ devote his tim e to th e developm ent of a
process and m achinery” and was to receive therefor a stated compensation.
Whose property was th e “ process and m achinery” to be when developed? The
answer would seem to be inevitable and resistless— of him who engaged th e serv­
ices and paid for them , they being his inducem ent and compensation, they being
n o t for tem porary use b u t perpetual use, a provision for a business, a facility in
it and an asset of it, therefore, contributing to it w hether retained or sold.

This right vested so completely in the employer that it was trans­
ferable by sale to another corporation, free from any claim or con­
tention of ownership on the part of the inventor. (Standard Parts
Co. v. Peck (1924), 264 U. S. 52, 44 Sup. Ct. 239.) I t may be noted
that the final statement of the opinion was necessary to dispose of
a contention of the inventor that the employer had only a shop
right, not capable of assignment or transfer, so that the inventor
retained a right to dispose of the same privilege of manufacture to
others for use “ in competition with the one who engaged him and
paid him,” a contention to which the court refused to give assent.
Following this decision, a contract with a workman “ to devote his
entire time and attention to his duties as chief engineer” of the em­
ployer’s establishment, and agreeing also “ to assign [to the employer]
any ideas, patents, or patentable features that lie may develop or
invent pertaining to their line of product ” was held binding, though
the employee claimed that he developed his invention at night.
The court ruled this of no import, as the hiring was either by the
month or by the year, and what time of day or night the idea might

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reach its development was of no significance, and the agreement to
assign must be complied with. (Toledo Machine & Tool Co. v.
Bycrlein (1925), 9 Fed. (2d) 279.)
E m p lo y m e n t to D e v e lo p E m p lo y e r ’s S u g g e s tio n

Only a brief statement need be made of the third general head of the
subject of the inventor’s rights, i. e., where a person lacking technical
skill, or for other reason, desires the assistance of another to develop
an invention which he has conceived. Indeed, ordinary good faith
would seem to require a single answer to the question of ownership;
but the cases are proof of contests on this point. A fairly early case
before the Supreme Court was that of Agawam Woolen Co. v. Jordan
(1868), 74 U. S. (7 Wall.) 583. Recognizing the right of employees
to their own independent inventions, the court continued :
B ut where the em ployer has conceived the plan of an invention and is en­
gaged in experim ents to perfect it, no suggestions from an employee, not am ount­
ing to a new m ethod or arrangem ent, which, in itself is a complete invention, is
sufficient to deprive th e employer of the exclusive property in th e perfected
im provem ent. B ut where the suggestions go to m ake up a com plete and perfect
machine, em bracing th e substance of all th a t is embodied in th e p a te n t subse­
quently issued to th e p arty to whom th e suggestions were made, th e p a te n t is
invalid, because th e real invention or discovery belonged to another. * * *
Common justice would forbid th a t any partial aid rendered under such circum­
stances, during th e progress of experiments in perfecting th e im provem ent,
should enable the person rendering the aid to appropriate to himself th e entire
result of th e ingenuity and toil of the originator.

This principle found application a few years later in a case in which
both methods and materials were involved, and rival claims were
submitted. The court held the rule to be that where the suggestion
was fundamental and the employee simply works out and improves
on the original plan, such ancillary discoveries as he may make
become the property of the discoverer of the original principle and
may be embodied in his patent, as part of his invention. (Union
Paper Collar Co. v. Van Dusen (1874), 90 U. S. (23 Wall.) 530.)
A recent application of this rule was in a case in which the court
held that there was a relation between one disclosing an invention, and
employing another to work out its details; so that if the employee
obtained a patent under cover of being the inventor, the court would
look into the question of original invention and make the award on
the basis of such priority, since the working out of the mechanical
features by the employee must be held as merely ancillary and inuring
to the benefit of the employer. (Myers v. Myers (1925), 4 Fed. (2d)
948.)
Aspects of this question were involved in cases considered in the
preceding section or this article, as Detroit Lubricator Co. v. La vigne
Mfg. Co., Wright v. Vocalion Organ Co., and Portland Iron Works
v. Willett, but it would add little to multiply illustrations.
S u m m a ry

Keeping in mind the statement that questions of law and of fact
may both be involved in any particular case, so that the general
principle might be subject to variation, it appeal's that the law secures
to a general employee, not engaged for purposes of improvement or

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invention, the unqualified righjt to his inventions. If engaged for the
accomplishment of the specific purpose of making improvements,
with no further specification, the title to the patent would vest in the
employee making the invention, but a shop right or license for use
would be implied for the benefit of the employer. Such implication
might also arise in the case of a general employee, if the circumstances
of the improvement of his idea were such as to warrant it. Where
an employee is hired to make improvements, and it is specifically
provided that the right and title to discoveries, inventions, and
patents therefor shall vest in the employer, such contract can be
specifically enforced. And finally, where an inventor discloses_ his
idea to one more mechanically skilled, or whose assistance is desired
for other reasons, the employee has no right in the results of the
working out of mechanical details or the application of ancillary
improvements, such accruing to the benefit of the original discoverer;
but if the employee develops an entirely new agency, or hits upon
an idea sufficiently distinct to amount to a new device, he may hold
it as his own property.
Foreign Countries
A u s tr ia

A S STATED in the introduction, the source depended upon in
* * the following references to foreign countries is the article of
Professor Adler in the International Labor Review. A much fuller
account is there given of the situation in Austria than of that in
other countries, largely because of the novelty of the Austrian statute
enacted in 1925 on the subject. The conclusion is reached that the
act is “ far more favorable to the employee and more unfavorable to
the employer than the regulations of any other country.” I t is
criticized as regards substance and form, being “ almost useless as
a model for other countries.” The freedom of contract formerly
existing is very considerably restricted, in as much as only “ pro­
fessional inventions” can be made the subject of a contract in advance
of the development, and even these remain the property of the
employee inventor in the absence of express written agreement to the
contrary; while others can be transferred to the employer only after
they are actually made. An additional difficulty here is as to what
constitutes “ professional inventions.” According to the act, they
must be such as come within the sphere of the undertaking in which
the inventor is employed, but the qualifications set forth are such as
to make the definition “ undoubtedly very wide and at the same time
very vague, so that its interpretation is open to doubt at every turn.”
Practical effort is made to secure compensation to the inventor in
all classes of cases, whether of transfer of the invention or of grant of
license of use, the inventor being “ in every case entitled to.equitable
special compensation.” This would have the effect of requiring
“ equitable special compensation” even where, as a condition pre­
cedent to employment, the workman had agreed to transfer future
inventions in recognition of an ordinary contract of hiring. An
exception is made where special employment at a presumably high
remuneration is entered on expressly for purposes of invention; but
in any case the m atter is apparently open to review by the authorities
to determine whether or not there has been a sufficient compensation

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to lie classed as equitable. The economic importance of the inven­
tion for the employer’s undertaking, the extent to which he makes use
of it, and other factors affect the amount; it is also subject to revision,
though a change in the rate can have no retroactive effect. The
total result of the various provisions is to give an advantage to the
employee in that he may demand a reassessment if the invention
afterwards proves unexpectedly profitable but can not be made to
reimburse an employer who finds himself mistaken in his calculations
and realizes smaller profits than was originally anticipated. The
employer does have the privilege of renouncing his rights, which
possibly “ may in practice restrain the employee from making inordi­
nate demands.” It also jeopardizes the employee’s profits if the
employer finds himself facing competition by reason of new inventions
which impair the value of that held by him. However, such loss
would affect the value of the patent in any case, whether or not held
by the inventor employee.
F ra n c e

The practice in France corresponds closely to that in this country—
i. e., full ownership in the employee in principle—but with possibilities
of free contract for ownership to vest in the employer with no claim
to special compensation unless otherwise agreed; there may be also
a passing of the invention to the employer on the ground of tacit
agreement, as where the engagement is for the purpose of making
inventions, specific or otherwise, the results being attained “ under
the guidance and supervision of the employer.”
G erm an y

In Germany the subject of employees’ rights to their inventions
lias not been the subject of legislation, the outstanding solution thus
far being the adoption of a form of collective agreement, “ in partic­
ular the national agreement for employees in the chemical industry
with university training.” The decisions of the courts are based
fundamentally on the “ principle of complete freedom of contract.”
Such agreement may cover future discoveries and is binding accord­
ing to its terms.
Two classes of inventions are distinguished—“ works inventions”
and “professional inventions.” The latter relate to inventions of
those employed specifically for the purpose of making inventions,
“ or if the application or utilization of the particular invention comes
within the normal sphere of activity of the undertaking.” These are
the property of the employer, though, under the collective agreement,
reasonable compensation may be claimed if the invention has a com­
mercial value. “ Works inventions” also are assigned to the em­
ployer under the collective agreement for the chemical industry,
being such as are, in their main features, “ due to the suggestions,
experiments, preliminary work and resources of the undertaking.”
Other inventions known as “free” inventions remain the property of
the inventor, but with the proviso that the employer is to have the
option of using them. These provisions are as a whole said by the
author to be “much less favorable to the employee inventor” than
are the terms of the Austrian act, despite which there has been in
Germany “ an extraordinary growth in inventive activity.”

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Great Britain

The British system is practically the same as our own, there being
no legislation, and the decisions of the courts being to the effect that
in the absence of definite agreements “the invention of a servant
belongs to that servant and not to the master.” This rule of owner­
ship was said to apply even where an invention “may relate to subject
matter germane to, and useful for the employers in their business,
and that even though the servant may have made use of this em­
ployer’s time and servants and materials in bringing his invention
to completion, and may have allowed his employers to use the
invention while in their employment.” It would seem a fair pre­
sumption, though such is not stated to be the fact, that the employer
would retain a license for the continuing use of such an invention.
One bound by virtue of his position to “use the utmost of his skill
and knowledge and inventive powers” for the benefit of his employer
can claim no special compensation for his inventions unless there has
been a special agreement in the contract, “which may be done with­
out restriction.” Where any invention is completed by means of
cooperation, it is the property of the person who conceived the
original idea, again an identical rule to that in force in the United
States.
H u n g ary

Statutory provisions in Hungary declare the invention of an
employee to be the property of the employer “if it is the duty of the
employee, in virtue of his position or his contract, to employ his
expert knowledge in making such inventions.”
Ita ly

Judicial construction is relied upon in Italy to determine the respec­
tive rights of employers and employees in the case of inventions by the'
latter. A recent decision states the principle that an employer is
entitled to a patent “ if the invention is the outcome of the studies,
researches or experiments which the employee has been given to do,”
it being presumed that this assignment of duty involved the reten­
tion by the employer of all rights to the results of such employment.
.No definite statement is made as to the attitude of Italian courts in
cases where inventions are made independently of the specific con­
tract of employment, but the inference is apparently warranted that,
in the absence of fairly conclusive agreements, the property should
be in the employee, since “the fact of placing his personal services at
the disposal of another for a definite purpose other than slavery does
not mean the complete absorption of the employee’s energies.”
N e th e r la n d s

The patents act of 1910 provides, in brief, that the invention of an
employee belongs in principle to him, but if he is employed to apply
his special knowledge to the making of inventions, the ownership
vests in the employer, the inventor being entitled to equitable com­
pensation unless he has already received adequate remuneration in
the form of high wages or salary or special payment.

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S w itz e r la n d

A Swiss law declares that “inventions made by the employee in the
exercise of his regular duties belong to the employer, if the invention
forms part of the duties of the employee or if the employer is entitled
under the contract of employment to the property in such inventions.”
In the latter case, however, if the invention is of “considerable eco­
nomic value,” a claim for equitable compensation will be sustained.
No mention is made of the condition of the status resulting from an
ordinary employment contract in the course of the performance of
which an invention might incidentally be made.
This concludes the list of countries considered by Professor Adler.
The outstanding suggestions seem to be that two definite ideas
operate, the one most fully illustrated by the German attitude of
complete control by the employer of the productions of all activities
of the employee, but modified by the idea of conference as expressed
through collective agreements; on the other hand the British (and
likewise American) idea of individual rights which secures to the
employee the practical advantage. The most elaborate legislative
effort, that of Austria, is regarded by Professor Adler as falling
far short of the possibilities in view of experience and observation
available, a conclusion which raises the question whether, in view of
the wide range of conditions and circumstances, statutory determi­
nation is as satisfactory as adjudication by the courts, or perhaps
the organization of special tribunals, as by means of collective
agreements.
Conciliation Procedure in the Administration of Justice in Norway
B y R e g in a l d

H eber

S m it h

VER since the end of the eighteenth century it has been unlawful
for a person to commence litigation in a Norwegian court until
he could produce a certificate from a conciliation commission
that he had complied with the procedure prescribing that civil con­
troversies and disputes must first be submitted to a conciliation tri­
bunal in the hope that through its mediation the parties might be
persuaded to adjust their differences, voluntarily agree upon a set­
tlement, and thus avoid the delays, the expenses, the uncertainties,
and the bitterness of litigation.
The conciliation law promulgated in 1795 by King Christian VII
of Denmark inaugurated conciliation procedure in the market towns
of Norway, which was then a Province of Denmark. A previous
article published in the Labor Review for May, 1926, gave an analysis
of this law and its subsequent development in Denmark, presented
in summary form certain facts indicating that conciliation procedure
has been a highly valuable adjunct to the administration of justice,
and suggested that conciliation proceedings, as conducted by the
judges in the regular courts in accordance with the Danish judicature
act of 1916, afforded to us in America an object lesson that we could
not afford to ignore.
As our own experiments with conciliation procedure have had but
limited success, it has been suggested that the Danish procedure is
not applicable to the United States because of fundamental differ-

E


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enees in the temperament and characteristics of the peoples in the
two countries. Thus it is said that the inhabitants of Denmark are
a homogeneous people, who are unique in their genius for cooperative
effort, who have long been removed from frontier conditions and
from the resulting spirit of individual self-assertiveness and aggres­
siveness, so that they were amenable to conciliation and adopted it
quite naturally. The inference has been made that conciliation
flourishes in Denmark because the seed fell on fertile ground, whereas
the same conciliation procedure will meet a barren reception in
America and is therefore foredoomed to failure.
Comparison of American and Norwegian Conditions

IT IS very likely that Norway’s experience with conciliation affords
^ us a more instructive analogy because it has been evolved under
conditions of life more closely approximating those in our own coun­
try. The Norwegians are a vigorous, brave, and hardy race, inheri­
tors of the fiercely independent spirit of their Viking ancestors. Of
the population of about 2,500,000, only 30 per cent live in cities or
towns. Norway retains to-day far more of the frontier conditions
than does America, and it is with the qualities of frontiersmen that
the Norwegian conciliator has to deal. Early Norse justice consisted
of inan-to-man combat, and history reveals no country in which trial
by battle was more popular or more celebrated in song and story.
The Norwegians have not only substituted the law for the sword,
but they have gone farther and have placed great faith in peaceable
persuasion through conciliation, instead of relying exclusively on the
more war-like procedure of contentious litigation.
Conciliation tribunals were set up in the market towns of Norway
in 1795 pursuant to the edict of the Danish King, and conciliation
tribunals were provided for the rural districts by a law of 1797.
In 1814 Norway was ceded by Denmark to Sweden, but became in
most respects an independent country. In 1824 a new conciliation
law, containing several improvements on the Danish statutes, was en­
acted by the Norwegian Parliament (Storthing). It has been amended
from time to time, but it is still the basic law and with its amend­
ments is still in force in Norway.
Basic Law of 1824

P~THE act of 1824, containing 88 sections, reveals a firm determination to make conciliation play a leading part in the Norwegian
administration of justice. “ Everywhere in the Kingdom, in the
rural districts as well as in the market cities and towns, wherever
more than 20 families live, there shall be established commissions,
consisting of two members, whose duty it shall be to mediate between
contending parties before it shall be permissible in general to litigate
in the courts.” Matters exempted were counterclaims, public regu­
lations, nullification of documents, and suits on negotiable instru­
ments, but when suits on notes were brought in the courts it was
the duty of the judge to mediate, and it was likewise the duty of
the police, innkeepers, and maritime courts and of the debt com­
missioners to try conciliation.

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As judges and lawyers were made ineligible, the members of the
commissions were and still are laymen elected by popular vote. A
person duly elected could not decline the office. Meetings were to be
held once a weekin market towns, once a fortnight in villages, and once
a month in the rural communities. Proceedings were to be in secret
and lawyers could not appear except as guardians for minors, counsel
for public institutions, and as representatives of persons living out­
side the Kingdom. Complaints were to be made orally or in writing
to a conciliation commissioner, who then issued a notice requiring
both parties to meet at a definite time, the defendant in market
towns being entitled to 3 days’ notice in towns and to 6 days’ notice
• in the country.
P a r t ie s A p p e a r in P e r s o n

While conciliation remained purely voluntary, every effort was
made to secure the actual attendance of the parties, so that they
might be subjected to the influence of the mediators. A party could
appear by an attorney-in-fact only if he had a legal excuse for not
appearing personally “ on account of severe sickness or that as a
business man, tradesman, or head of a household he could not come
without forsaking important and urgent duties or without exposing
himself to obvious loss.”
If the complainant failed, without proper excuse, to appear, his
claim was dismissed and the defendant was entitled “ to receive
moderate compensation for the futile meeting.” If the defendant
improperly failed to appear, the matter necessarily was referred to the
court but the costs of the court proceedings, including attorney’s
fees, were assessed against the defendant even if he won the lawsuit.
The same penalty was imposed on a defendant who raised unfounded
objections to the conciliation hearing so that the matter had to be
referred to court.
Where conciliation was successful the conciliation agreement was
to be entered on the commissioner’s record book and subscribed by
the parties. It then had all the effects of a court judgment and
execution could issue thereon.
It was made possible to appeal from the action of the commission
to the supreme court or in small money matters to the superior court.
Moderate costs were fixed by the statute with the further pro­
vision “ should any person be so poor that he can not pay the fore­
going costs an order of notice should not be refused, an agreement
prevented, or a certificate denied him on that account.” The grant­
ing of in forma pauperis relief to poor persons in the courts was made
dependent in part upon wffiether the poor person had been reasonable
and walling to effect a conciliation agreement before the commission.
Section 81 reveals in an interesting way the real earnestness of
purpose that lay behind this conciliation law. “ Each commissioner
in rural communities who is obliged to travel to the place where the
commission holds its meetings shall be entitled to free transportation:
Upon land, one horse; at sea, a four-oared boat and two helmsmen.
In districts where dangerous sea voyages require a larger boat and
more Norsemen the commissioner shall have such mode of convey­
ance as the situation demands. Payment for such transportation
shall be made by the county from the public revenues.”
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Amendments Extending the Jurisdiction of the Commissions

T H E R E have been two amendments to the law of 1824 that increase
the jurisdiction of the conciliation commissions in new and sig­
nificant directions. By an amendment in 1869, dealing with claims
not exceeding 500 kroner (approximately $100), there were added to
the commission’s normal duties of mediation certain powers to enter
judgments on default and to act as arbitrators in certain cases. Here
for the first time we find the conciliation commissions being given a
little power to terminate certain cases on their own initiative and
responsibility.
If a defendant properly notified failed to appear without lawful,
excuse, the plaintiff could ask the commission to grant an award.
This award, when entered on the record hook, had tlie same validity
as a conciliation agreement and thus was comparable to a judgment
by default in an American court. If a defendant appeared and ad­
mitted the debt but refused to sign a conciliation agreement the
commission was authorized to enter an award.
Both parties, though refusing to effect a conciliation agreement,
could agree to leave the matter to the arbitration of the commission
and “ an arbitration award is final unless the commission exceeds its
authority.”
When a complainant failed to appear without lawful excuse the
conciliation commission was authorized to make an award.
The conciliation commissions’ awards were made reviewable by
the lower courts, the review being substantially a new trial in sum­
mary form. “ The consideration of the case shall be as short and
simple as possible. The pleadings shall as a rule be verbal. It
shall be the duty of the judges to advise any party not represented
by a lawyer what his legal rights are with respect to his claim.”
The amendment effected by the law of June 17, 1880, related to
locus in quo cases, primarily boundary and land disputes. The
law provided that the conciliation commissions could adjourn their
hearings “ to the locus in quo and there seek to conclude a conciliation
agreement.” If that failed, either party could request the commission
to decide the case by its award, The commission could decline so to
act in complicated cases. “'After mediation proceedings have been
concluded the cases (i. e., the matters submitted for arbitration and
award) shall be heard publicly and verbally. Before a hearing is
concluded each party shall be given an opportunity to express him­
self upon the evidence.” The award was like a judgment and execu­
tion could issue on it. These awards were made subject to summary
reviews in the inferior courts.
Number oí Cases Handled by Conciliation

T H E Norwegian courts have unusually complete statistics. The
1 following table is taken from official sources and the years used
have been selected because they reveal the facts in normal years,
both before and after the war. The table is virtually self-explana­
tory. Of the cases received, some are discontinued by the plaintiff
or are dismissed by the commissioners as being without merit. In a
large proportion of the cases the parties come before the commission,
having reached an agreement together, and their agreement is at once

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C O N C ILIA TIO N PRO CED URE IN NORW AY

27

entered by the commission on its record. Next are the cases in which
the mediation by the commission serves to bring the parties together.
Even if this fails the parties may agree that, the commissioners shall
act as arbitrators if the case be one involving 500 kroner or less or a
locns in quo matter and in that capacity the commissioners enter
awards. By adding these five columns together we get the total
number of matters disposed of by the conciliation commissions in
one way or another. All cases not disposed of, barring the few carried
over to the next succeeding year, are necessarily referred to the courts.
In Denmark, conciliation procedure has been more successful in the
rural districts than in the urban centers, and to determine how far
the same condition may be true in Norway, the figures have been
divided into two groups—urban and rural.
CASES ENTERED IN AND DISPOSED OP BY THE CONCILIATION COMMISSIONS
OP NORWAY
N u m b e r of cases

D isposition of cases
Cases disposed of b y commission

Y ear

From Re­
pre­ ceived
ceding during
year
year

T otal

A w ards
D is­
Concil­
missed Agree­
iation
m
ents
or dis­
effected
by
con­
b y com­ Small Locus
tinued parties mission m oney in quo
claims cases

T otal

Re­
ferred C on­
to
tinued
court

1890:
R u ra l,.
U rb an ..

143
5

59, 079
25,176

59, 822
25, 181

751
1,425

40, 012
17,352

7, 637
1, 228

3,768
1,894

176

52, 344
21, 899

7, 362
3, 281

113
1

Total.

148

84, 855

85, 003

2, 176

57, 364

8, 865

5, 662

176

74, 243

10, 643

117

Rural,.
Urban..

100
8

83, 000
37, 891

83,106
37, 899

605
1, 650

55,978
22, 752

9,383
1,663

7,609
5, 832

114

73,689
31, 897

9, 306
6,001

111
1

114 120, 891 121, 005

2, 255

78, 730

11, 046

13, 441

114 105, 586

15, 307

112

73, 795
32, 986

795
1, 558

49, 757
17, 733

7, 256
3, 673

7, 984
5,159

166
45

65, 958
28,168

7, 703
4, 699

134
119

172 106, 609 106, 781

2,353

67,490

10,929

13, 143

211

94,126

12, 402

253

1905:

Total.
1914:

Rural..
Urban..
Total.

170
2

73; 625.
32, 984

1920:

Rural. _
U rb an ..

70
5

43, 951
20, 776

44, 021
20, 781

812
1, 061

26,912
8,043

3, 321
1,174

4,830
3, 403

197
108

36, 072
13, 789

7, 868
6, 981

81
11

Total.

75

64, 727

64, 802

1, 873

34, 955

4, 495

8, 233

305

49, 861

14, 849

92

Rural..
Urban..

87
10

75, 572
33, 600

75, 659
33, 610

1,237
2,081

37, 741
12, 046

10, 071
2,776

13, 318
8, 076

377
2

62, 744
24,981

12, 805
8, 624

110
5

97 109,172 109, 269

3, 318

49, 787

12, 847

21, 394

379

87, 725

21, 429

115

1922:

Total.

Cases Referred to Law Courts

W /IIIL E it is clear from the foregoing that the conciliation com*
missions dispose of many more cases than they refer to the
courts for litigation, it must be noted that their influence extends
even further, because, of the cases which they are obliged to refer to
the courts, not more than a third are ever actually entered in court.
In other words, even if conciliation fails so far as any official record
can indicate, the influence of conciliation persists and operates in

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M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW

one way or another to avoid the instituting of litigation. Apparently
in many cases the plaintiff decides he has no case and goes no further,
or the defendant decides he has no real defense and pays, or the parties
patch up an agreement together. Doubtless it is also true that in
many instances the plaintiff does not enter the case in court because
he can not afford the expense of a formal court proceeding. It is
impossible to gauge these various contributing factors through statis­
tics. It is possible, however, to compare the number of cases re­
ferred to the courts with the number actually entered, because the
Norwegian Bureau of Statistics has prepared the following illustra­
tive table:
N um ber of cases—
Period of years (inclusive)

Disposed of
by concilia­
tion com­
missions

.. ..1827-1841________________
1850-1864________________
1870-1884________________
1895-1909________________
1906-1920____ ____ _______

605,813
663, 626
1, 038, 907
1. 267, 901
1, 068,149

Referrred to
courts of law

E ntered in
courts of law

338,-324
427,172
208,465
246,035
193, 092

49,095
70, 197
47, 716
64, 804
67, 790

Even after the cases are actually in court, conciliation still plays a
part, albeit a minor one, because the judges are enjoined to attempt
conciliation when the circumstances seem propitious. The follow­
ing table shows the work of the ordinary and extraordinary courts
in Norway and the number of instances in which conciliation in
court was effective:
C A SES E N T E R E D IN A N D D IS P O S E D OF IN A L L L O W E R C O U R T S OF LA W IN N O R W A Y
O rdinary courts of law
Cases received
Year

|

Con­
tinued
from
pre­
ceding
year

R e­
ceived
during
year

2,086
885

1,900
1,051

3,986
1, 936

T o tal____

2,971

2, 951 '

.........................

3, 363

4, 492

1914:
Rural- - - - - U rb a n ..- _____

2, 535
1,347

2, 431
1,849

T o tal_______

3, 882

1920______________
1921______________

6,386
6,812

1922:
R u ra l..... ............
U rb a n ________
T o tal_______

1890:
R u ra l_____ U rb an ________

1905

D isposition

D is­
missed

Dis­
con­
tinued

Con­
ciliated

56
26

203
121

101
21

5, 922

82

324

122

7,855

159

357

212

4, 966
3,196

68
47

175
162

209
123

4,280

8,162

115

337

8. 009
9,852

14, 395
16, 664

147
231

636
722

. 3,670
3,488

4, 668
3,892

8, 338
7, 380

116
107

7,158

8,560

15, 718

223


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Total

[1204]

Judg­
m ent
a t law

Total
dis­
posed
of

Con­
tinued

1,896
1, 058

2, 090
878

2,426

2, 954

2,968

4, 090

4, 818

3,037

2, 158
1,497

2,610
1,829

2, 356
1,367

332

3, 655

4, 439

3, 723

533
718

6, 267
7,835

7. 583
9,506

6,812
7,158

216
368

281
337

4,173
3,594

4, 786
4, 406

3, 552
2, 974

584

618

7, 767

9,192

6,526

1,536
890

29

C O N C ILIA TIO N PRO CED URE IN NORWAY
C A SES E N T E R E D

IN

A N D D IS P O S E D O F IN A L L L O W E R C O U R T S O F LAW
N O R W A Y —C o n tin u ed

E x trao rd in ary courts (including among others th e m aritim e and
commercial courts)

IN

T otal cases, or­
dinary and extra­
ordinary courts,

D isposition ot eases

Cases received
Y ear

Con­
R e­ ■ D is­
R e­
tinued
D is­ Concil­ Judg­ Total
dis­ Con­ ceived posed
from ceiv ed T otal D is­ contin­
ent posed
tin u e d during
iated amt law
missed ued
p re c e d ­ d u rin g
of
year
of
year
ing
year
1890:
R u ra l_________
U rb a n ________

52
114

391
710

443
824

4
15

31
75

23
104

343
541

401
735

42
89

2,291
1, 761

2,297
1, 793

T o tal_______

106

1,101

1,267

19

106

127

884

1,136

131

4, 052

4,090

190.5______________

324

2,458

2,782

44

233

217

1, 985

2,479

303

6,950

7,297

1914 :
R u ra l_________
U rb a n ________

172
437

1,398
1,617

1, 570
2,054

23
42

85
133

65
173

1,207
1,251

1,380
1, 599

190
455

3, 829
3, 466

3,990
3,428

3, 015

'T'otal...... .........

609

3, 624

65

218

238

2, 458

2,979

645

7,295

7, 418

1920______________
1921___ ___________

1,995
2,013

5,301 7, 296
8,100 10,113

146
204

383
488

280
372

4, 473
6,875

5,282
7, 939

2,014
2,174

13,310
17, 952

12,865
17, 445

1922:
R u ra l__ h _____
Urban_-_ _____

780
1,394

3,161
3,376

3,941
4, 770

56
86

179
295

84
193

2,923
3,124

3. 242
3, 698

699
1,072

7, 829
7, 268

8,028
8,104

2,174

6, 537

8, 711

142

474

277

6,047

6,940

1, 771

15,097

16,132

Total. _____

Effectiveness of the Conciliation Courts

T H E Norwegian conciliation commissions have established a
record which is probably superior to that established by the
conciliation commissions in Denmark prior to the act of 1916. They
have had a better conciliation law to administer. In the more remote
rural districts the conciliation commissions have often afforded the
only or best remedial justice available. The personal character and
standing of the commissioners have played a great part in creating
a public faith and confidence in the established institution of con­
ciliation. The new development in industry together with the
movement of population to the cities during the last 20 or 30 years
has, however, had a noticeable effect upon the results accomplished
by the conciliation commissions. Their effectiveness has been
gradually diminishing. To meet the demands of present-day prob­
lems the commissioners make their hearings as short as they can
consistently with the oath of office they have taken. The summons
which calls a respondent before the commission is at the same time
his summons to appear in court in the event the case is referred to
the court by the commission. The conciliation proceeding is con­
sequently looked upon as a step in a legal proceeding. Lawyers
generally look upon it as a necessary evil unless they have a collection
practice or unless they do not have a trial practice. The power of
the commissions to enter judgment by default and pro confesso
in cases involving less than 500 Kroner has increased the effectiveness
of the commission as a collection agency. The locus in quo proceed
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30

M O N T H L Y LABOE REVIEW

mgs have not been employed very often because an alternative similar
remedy has been available in the courts of law.
Judicial mediation has thus far not been employed much in Norway
in the courts where it has by law been authorized. I t has been quite
effective in the so-called police courts which exercise civil jurisdiction
in disputes between employers and employees and between master
and servant, but in the maritime and commercial courts the judges
seldom make much effort to negotiate an agreement between the
arties. They say that it has been found impractical to do so
ecause the parties usually have sufficient money or property at stake
to warrant a final hearing and judgment on the merits in a court of
law.

E

Act oi 1915 Increasing Judicial Authority of Conciliation Commissioners

HpHE Norwegian Parliament adopted a new judicature act in 1915
* that contains radical departures from the 1824 conciliation law.
The new act is not yet in operation. Its effective date has been post­
poned from year to year in order that drastic alterations in the legal
institutions and procedure (as the change from written to oral evi­
dence in the ordinary courts) should not be introduced until Norway
had fully recovered from all the strains and repercussions of the war.
But for our purpose of trying to understand and appraise conciliation
procedure the proposed changes, and the reasons therefor, are of
special interest and importance.
The 1915 judicature act was based on the report of a parliamentary
committee of legal experts, headed by Bernard Getz, then attorney
general. He reported that conciliation had been abolished in Hol­
land, that Italy had discarded all compulsory features in 1898, and
that Germany and Austria had successfully introduced judicial con­
ciliation. He recommended that conciliation procedure be entirely
abolished or retained only in the rural communities, The hold that
conciliation had on the Norwegian people is attested by the fact
that the Parliament rejected this recommendation and continued the
system of lay conciliation in full force. I t increased the number of
commissioners from two to three but retained the provision that they
should be elected. At the same time the new act empowers the
courts to try to mediate between the parties at any stage of any
proceedings so that ultimately we shall see in Norway the two sys­
tems—lay conciliation and judicial conciliation—operating side by
side.
The most significant change, however, is in the direction of making
these lay tribunals more like courts by intrusting to them some of the
attributes and powers of ordinary courts. Indeed, Section I of Chap­
ter I of the judicature act says “ The ordinary courts are supreme
court, superior court, district and city courts, conciliation commis­
sions.”
Under the new act the conciliation commission will be authorized,
if mediation fails, to proceed to try the case and enter judgment
“ when the parties so request” in real estate disputes involving not
more than 1,000 kroner, in personal property cases involving not
more than 250 kroner, and in other eases within its jurisdiction if the
commission approves. In money claims not exceeding 1,000 kroner

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[1206 ]

C O N C ILIA TIO N PRO CED URE IN NORWAY

31

the commission can enter judgment if the defendant appears and ad­
mits the debt or fails to appear and is defaulted.
The statutory provisions concerning the powers of the conciliation
commissions to issue judgment denote a procedure that is a cross
between arbitration and strict judicial procedure. If the attempt to
conciliate has been unsuccessful and the parties have agreed to sub­
mit their dispute to the judgment of the commission the trial proceeds
at once but automatically the hearing becomes open and public.
Counsel, however, are not permitted to appear. Any person within
the conciliation district may be summoned, but the commission can
not administer oaths, and is instructed to receive only such testimony
as is given willingly. Once proceedings looking to a finding and j udgment have been commenced they can be stopped only by the agree­
ment of both parties or by the commission itself if it finds the question
too difficult or the evidence inadequate.
Conciliation System Firmly Established in Norway

/"ANE can not review the history of conciliation in Norway without
^
being impressed by the fact that it is a procedure that contains
great practical potentialities. Its grip on the loyalty and affection
of the people is comparable to the veneration in which the jury system
is held in America. It has outlived governments and parties; it has
survived profound economic and social changes. The idea is so
deeply implanted that the Norwegians will probably never give it
up. But they may gradually follow the precedent of the Danish
judicature act of 1916 and make conciliation more and more of a
judicial function to be exercised by the regular judges in the regular
courts even if they attain this end through the indirect route of mak­
ing their lay commissioners more like judges and of reconstructing
their conciliation commissions into full-fledged courts of inferior
jurisdiction. It was the opinion of Attorney General Getz that, con­
ciliation could best be intrusted to the judges in the ordinary courts
of law.
The real test of the strength of lay conciliation will come after the
new judicature act goes into effect. Then with a simple procedure
the law courts will become more accessible to all classes. Persons
who have heretofore found conciliation to be the only practical rem­
edy within their means will then face a free election and can, if they
prefer, stand on their rights and insist on a trial in the district or city
courts. If thereafter the efficacy of conciliation as a practical
solvent of litigious disputes begins to diminish in the rural districts
as its influence has already waned in the cities, the experience of Nor­
way will parallel that of Denmark and will warrant a final conclusion
that if conciliation is to be introduced into America its use should be
intrusted to. the judiciary and its procedure should be made not a
separate thing but a definite and integral part of our regular admin­
istration of justice.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1 2 0 7 ]

IN D U STRIA L R EL A T IO N S A N D L A B O R CO N D ITIO N S
Adjustment of Disputes Between Railroads and Their Employees
r -p H E action of the Senate on May 11 in passing, by a vote of 69
to 13, a bill “ to provide for the prompt disposition of disputes
between carriers and their employees, and other purposes,”
followed by the President’s approval May 20, marks the introduction
of a new type of legislation m the United States. The novelty lies
not so much in the fact that mediation and arbitration are provided
for by statute, as in the fact that the bill was an agreed measure form­
ulated by representatives of the carriers and of the employees’ unions,
being in effect a collective agreement. Such agreements have long
been in use, some of them of very considerable extent and importance ;
but none has ever received such sanction as that given by Congress
to the measure under consideration, introduced in the House on
February 17, 1926, an identical bill being also presented in the Senate.
The House acted on March 1, adopting the bill by a vote of 381 to 13,
with 38 members not voting, of whom 16 asked that an announcement
be made that if able to be present they would have voted for the
measure. Vigorous efforts in opposition were made by certain groups
on the ground that the public was not represented and that there
was a possibility of the carriers and the employees agreeing to wage
increases that would involve a burden on commerce. Obviously
the arguments of the earners and their employees were regarded as
more weighty, the majority of both House and Senate being most
decisive.
.
.
Fundamentally, the measure is a recognition of organizations of
employers and their employees, respectively, all disputes to be
“ considered, and, if possible, decided, with all expedition, in con­
ference between representatives designated and authorized so to
confer” by the two parties in interest. Such representatives are
to be designated “ as may be provided in their corporate organization
or unincorporated association, or by other means of collective action.”
Four bodies are provided for in the act, two of them, at least poten­
tially, being permanent, while two others may be formed on occasion.
The primary action is to be taken by a board of adjustment which
may be created “ by agreement between any carrier or group of
carriers, or the carriers as a whole and its or their employees.” In
other words, such board may represent a system, combination of
systems, or all railroads in thè country represented by any organiza­
tion, and the employees of such units. No term is provided, but
apparently such body or bodies may be continuing. The second
agency is governmental, consisting of five members appointed by
the President bv and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to be
known as the Board of Mediation. Terms are five years, the term
of one member expiring each year. Thirdly, boards of arbitrators
may be created on the agreement of the parties for particular occa­
sions, but with a degree of continuing function for purposes of con­
struing their own findings. A fourth provision relates to an emer­
gency board, simply to investigate and make report, to be appointed
32


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[1208]

D IS PU T E S B E T W E E N RAILROADS AND T H E IR E M PL O Y EE S

33

by the President in case of threatened serious interruption of inter­
state commerce, as it may appear to the Board of Mediation.
The composition of these groups varies, the boards of adjustment
consisting exclusively of representatives of the parties in interest,
being their own appointees. The governmental Board of Mediation
must contain "no person in the employment of or who is pecuniarily
or otherwise interested in any organization of employees or any
carrier.” The boards of arbitration will equally represent carriers
and representatives of employees, the two (or in case of a board of
six, the four) to select the remaining arbitrator or arbitrators; while
the emergency board is to be independent and disinterested.
Nothing savoring of compulsory service or compulsory arbitration
is countenanced by the act; but once a conclusion is reached by the
processes therein provided for, it is to be final and binding on the
parties, and, by making use of the provisions of the act with reference
to filing in the clerk’s office of a district court, such court enters
judgment on the award, “ which judgment shall be final and con­
clusive on the parties.” Appeals may be taken from arbitral awards
to district courts, and on up to the Supreme Court of the United
States.
As pointed out in the beginning, the point of greatest interest is
the experiment of the two parties in formulating an agreed basis of
conduct, the same being authenticated by an act of Congress; while
the provisions as to validity and enforcement are an effort to solve a
problem that has presented one of the chief difficulties in the way of
collective agreements. I t is fortunately true that in a great majority
of cases the parties have conformed to the agreements made; but
disputes as to construction, and occasional breaches of faith in respect
of such agreements have indicated the desirability of legal status
and judicial enforcement, both of which this act provides. The
text in full is given below:
D e f in itio n s

S ec tio n 1. When used in this act and for the purposes of this act:

First. The term “ carrier” includes any express com pany, sleeping-car com­
pany, and any carrier by railroad, subject to the interstate commerce act, in­
cluding all floating equipm ent such as boats, barges, tugs, bridges, and ferries;
and other transportation facilities used by or operated in connection with any
such carrier by railroad, and any receiver or any other individual or body, judicial
or otherwise, when in the possession of the business of em ployers or carriers
covered by this ac t: P r o v id e d , h o w e v e r, T h at the term “ carrier” shall not in­
clude any street, interurban, or suburban electric railway unless such a railway
is operating as a p a rt of a general steam railroad system of transportation, b u t
shall n o t exclude any p a rt of the general steana railroad system of tran sp o rta­
tion now or hereafter operated by any other motive power;
Second. The term “ A djustm ent B o ard ” means one of the boards of ad ju st­
m ent provided for in this act;
Third. The term “ Board of M ediation” means the Board of Mediation
created by this act;
.
F ourth. The term “ com merce” means commerce among th e several States
or between any State, Territory, or th e D istrict of Columbia and any foreign
nation, or between any T erritory or th e D istrict of Columbia and any State,
or between any T erritory and any other T erritory, or between any Territory
and the D istrict of Columbia, or within any Territory or th e D istrict of Colum­
bia, or between points in th e same S tate b u t through any other S tate or any
T erritory or the D istrict of Columbia or any foreign nation.
Fifth. The term “ em ployee” as used herein includes every person in th e
service of a carrier (subject to its continuing authority to supervise and direct th e m anner of rendition of his service) who perform s any work defined as tha^

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M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW

of an employee or subordinate official in the orders of the In terstate Commerce
Commission now in effect, and as th e same m ay be am ended or interpreted by
orders hereafter entered by the commission p ursu an t to th e au th o rity which
is hereby conferred upon it to enter orders am ending or interpreting such exist­
ing orders: P r o v i d e d , h o w e v e r , T h at no occupational classification m ade by order
of the In tersta te Commerce Commission shall be construed to define th e crafts
according to which railway employees m ay be organized by th eir voluntary
action, nor shall th e jurisdiction or powers of such employee organizations be
regarded as in any way lim ited or defined by the provisions of this ac t or by the
orders of the commission.
Sixth. The term “ district c o u rt” includes the Supreme C ourt of the D istrict
of Columbia; and the term “ circuit court of appeals” includes the Court of
Appeals of the D istrict of Columbia.
T h is a c t m a y b e c ite d a s t h e ra ilw a y la b o r a c t.
G e n e r a l d u tie s

S e c . 2. First. I t shall be the duty of all carriers, th eir officers, agents, and
employees to exert every reasonable effort to make and m aintain agreements
concerning rates of pay, rules, and working conditions, and to settle all disputes,
w hether arising out of th e application of such agreem ents or otherwise, in order
to avoid any interruption to commerce or to th e operation of any carrier grow­
ing out of any dispute between th e carrier and the employees thereof.
Second. All disputes between a carrier and its employees shall be considered,
and, if possible, decided, w ith all expedition, in conference between representa­
tives designated and authorized so to confer, respectively, by the carriers and
by th e employees thereof interested in the dispute.
Third. Representatives, for th e purposes of this act, shall be designated by
the respective parties in such m anner as m ay be provided in their corporate
organization or unincorporated association, or by other means of collective
action, w ithout interference, influence or coercion exercised by either p arty
over the self-organization or designation of representatives by the other.
F ourth. In case of a dispute between a carrier and its employees, arising
out of grievances or out of the interpretation or application of agreem ents con­
cerning rates of pay, rules, or working conditions, it shall be th e d uty of the
designated representative or representatives of such carrier and of such employees,
within ten days after th e receipt of notice of a desire on th e p a rt of either p arty
to confer in respect to such dispute, to specify a tim e and place a t which such
conference shall be held: P r o v id e d , (1) T h at the place so specified shall be
situated upon th e railroad line of the carrier involved unless otherwise m utually
agreed upon; and (2) th a t the tim e so specified shall allow the designated con­
ferees reasonable opportunity to reach such place of conference, b u t shall not
exceed tw enty days from the receipt of such notice: A n d -p ro v id e d f u r t h e r , T h at
nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to supersede the provisions of any
agreem ent (as to conferences) then in effect between th e parties.
Fifth. D isputes concerning changes in ra te s of pay, rules, or working condi­
tions shall be dealt w ith as provided in section 6 and in other provisions of this
act relating thereto.
B o a r d s o f a d j u s t m e n t — G r ie v a n c e s — I n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f a g r e e m e n ts

S e c . 3. First. Boards of adjustm ent shall be created by agreem ent between
any carrier or group of carriers, or the carriers as a whole, and its or their
employees.
The agreem ent—
(a) Shall be in w riting:
(b) Shall state the group or groups of employees covered by such adjustm ent
b oard;
(c) Shall provide th a t disputes between an employee or group of employees
and a carrier growing out of grievances or out of the interpretation or application
of agreem ents concerning rates of pay, rules, or working conditions, shall be
handled in the usual m anner up to and including th e chief operating officer of the
carrier designated to handle such disputes; but, failing to reach an adjustm ent
in this m anner, th a t th e dispute shall be referred to th e designated adjustm ent
board by th e parties, or by either party, w ith a full statem en t of the facts and
all supporting d ata bearing upon the dispute;


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(d) Shall provide th a t the parties m ay be heard either in person, by counsel,
or by other representative, as they may respectively elect, and th a t adjustm ent
boards shall hear and, if possible, decide prom ptly all disputes referred to them
as provided in paragraph (c). A djustm ent boards shall give due notice of all
hearings to the employee or employees and the carrier or carriers involved in the
dispute;
(e) Shall stipulate th a t decisions of adjustm ent boards shall be final and
binding on both parties to the dispute; and it shall be the d u ty of both to abide
by such decisions;
(f) Shall sta te the num ber of representatives of the employees and th e num ber
of representatives of th e carrier or carriers on th e ad ju stm en t board, which
num ber of representatives, respectively, shall be equal;
(g) Shall provide for the m ethod of selecting members and filling vacancies;
(h) Shall provide for the portion of expenses to be assumed by the respective
p arties;
(i) Shall stipulate th a t a m ajority of the adjustm ent board members shall be
com petent to m ake an aw ard, unless otherwise m utually agreed;
(j) Shall stipulate th a t adjustm ent boards shall m eet regularly a t such tim es
and places as designated; and
(k) Shall provide for the method of advising the employees and carrier or
carriers of th e decisions of th e board.
Second. N othing in this act shall be construed to prohibit an individual carrier
and its employees from agreeing upon the settlem ent of disputes through such
machinery of contract and adjustm ent as they may m utually establish.
B o a rd , o f M e d i a ti o n

S e c . 4. First. There is hereby established, as an independent agency in the
executive branch of the Government, a board to be known as th e Board of M edia­
tion and to be composed of five members appointed by th e President, by and with
th e advice and consent of th e Senate. The term s of office of th e members first
taking office shall expire, as designated by the President a t th e tim e of nom ina­
tion, one a t th e end of th e first year, one a t th e end of th e second year, one a t
th e end of the th ird year, one a t the end of th e fourth year, and one a t th e end of
th e fifth year, after January 1, 1926. The term s of office of all successors shall
expire five years after th e expiration of the term s for which th eir predecessors
were appointed; b u t any m ember appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to
th e expiration of the term for which his predecessor was appointed shall be
appointed only for th e unexpired term of his predecessor. Vacancies in the
board shall not im pair th e powers nor affect the duties of th e board nor of the
rem aining m em bers of the board. A m ajority of th e members in office shall
constitute a quorum for th e transaction of the business of th e board. Each
m ember of th e board shall receive a salary a t th e rate of $12,000 per annum ,
together w ith necessary traveling expenses and subsistence expenses, or per diem
allowance in lieu thereof, subject to th e provisions of lav/ applicable thereto,
while away from th e principal office of th e board on business required by this act.
No person in th e em ploym ent of or who is pecuniarily or otherwise interested
in any organization of employees or any carrier shall enter upon th e duties of
or continue to be a member of th e board.
A m ember of th e board may be removed by th e President for inefficiency,
neglect of duty, malfeasance in office, or ineligibility, b u t for no other cause.
Second. The board shall annually designate a m em ber to act as chairman.
The board shall m aintain its principal office in the D istrict of Columbia, b u t it
m ay m eet a t any other place whenever it deems it necessary. The board m ay
designate one or more of its members to exercise th e functions of th e board in
m ediation proceedings. Each member of the board shall have power to adm in­
ister oaths and affirmations. The board shall have a seal which shall be judicially
noticed. The board shall make an annual report to Congress.
Third. The board m ay (1) appoint such experts and assistants to act in a
confidential capacity and, subject to th e provisions of th e civil service laws,
such other officers and employees, and (2) in accordance w ith th e classification
act of 1923 fix the salary of such experts, assistants, officers, and employees, and
(3) m ake such expenditures (including expenditures for ren t and personal services
a t th e seat of governm ent and elsewhere, for law books, periodicals, and books
of reference, and for printing and binding, and including expenditures for salaries
and compensation, necessary traveling expenses and expenses actually incurred
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cordance w ith th e provisions of section 7) as m ay be necessary for th e execution
of th e functions vested in the board, or in the boards of arb itratio n , and as m ay
be provided for by th e Congress from tim e to tim e. All expenditures of the
board shall be allowed and paid on the presentation of item ized vouchers therefor
approved by the chairman.
F u n c tio n s o f B o a r d o f M e d i a ti o n

S e c . 5. First. The parties, or either party, to a dispute between an employee
or group of employees and a carrier m ay invoke th e services of th e Board of
M ediation created by th is act, or the Board of M ediation m ay proffer its services,
in any of the following cases:
(a) A dispute arising out of grievances or out of th e in terp retatio n or applica­
tion of agreem ents concerning rates of pay, rules, or working conditions not
adjusted by th e parties in conference and not decided by th e appropriate ad ju st­
m ent board;
(b) A dispute which is not settled in conference between the parties, in respect
to changes in rates of pay, rules, or working conditions;
(c) Any other dispute n o t decided in conference between the parties.
In either event the said board shall prom ptly p u t itself in com munication
w ith th e parties to such controversy, and shall use its best efforts, by mediation,
to bring them, to agreement. If such efforts to bring about an amicable ad ju st­
m ent through m ediation shall be unsuccessful, th e said board shall a t once
endeavor as its final required action (except as provided in paragraph th ird of
th is section and in section 10 of this act), to induce th e parties to subm it their
controversy to arbitration in accordance w ith the provisions of this act.
Second. In any case in which a controversy arises over th e m eaning or the
application of any agreem ent reached through m ediation under th e provisions
of this act, either p arty to the said agreement, or both, m ay apply to th e Board
of M ediation for an interpretation as to the meaning or application of such agree­
m ent. The said board shall upon receipt of such request notify th e parties to
the controversy, and after a hearing of both sides give its interpretation within
th irty days.
Third. The Board of M ediation shall have the following duties with respect
to th e arbitration of disputes under section 7 of this act:
(a) On failure of the arb itrato rs nam ed by the parties to agree on the rem aining
arb itrato r or arb itrato rs w ithin the tim e set by section 7 of this act, it shall
be th e d uty of th e Board of M ediation to nam e such rem aining arb itra to r or
arbitrators. I t shall be the duty of the board in nam ing such arb itra to r or
arbitrators to appoint only those whom the board shall deem wholly disinterested
in the controversy to be arb itrated and im partial and w ithout bias as between
th e parties to such arbitration. Should, however, th e board nam e an arb itrato r
or arbitrators not so disinterested and im partial, then, upon proper investigation
and presentation of the facts, the board shall prom ptly remove such arbitrator.
If an arb itra to r nam ed by the Board of M ediation, in accordance w ith the
provisions of this act, shall be removed by such board as provided by th is act,
or if such an ’arb itra to r refuses or is unable to serve, it shall be th e d u ty of the
Board of M ediation, prom ptly, to select another arb itrato r, in th e same m anner
as provided in this ac t for an original appointm ent by th e Board of M ediation.
(b) Any m em ber of th e Board of M ediation is authorized to ta k e th e acknowl­
edgement of an agreem ent of arbitration under this act. W hen so acknowledged,
or wffien acknowledged by th e parties before a notary public or th e clerk of a
district court or a circuit court of appeals of the U nited States, such agreem ent
to arb itrate shall be delivered to a member of said board, or tran sm itted to said
board, to be filed in its office.
(c) When an agreem ent to arb itrate has been filed w ith th e Board of M edia­
tion, or w ith one of its members, as provided by th is section, and when the
said board, or a m em ber thereof, has been furnished th e names of th e arb itrato rs
chosen by th e parties to th e controversy, it shall be th e d u ty of th e Board of
M ediation to cause a notice in writing to be served upon said arbitrators, notify­
ing them of their appointm ent, requesting them to m eet prom ptly to nam e th e
rem aining arb itra to r or arb itrato rs necessary to complete th e board of arb itra­
tion, and advising them of th e period w ithin which, as provided by th e agreem ent
to arbitrate, they are empowered to nam e such arb itrato r or arbitrators.
(d) E ither p arty to an arbitration desiring th e reconvening of a board, of
arbitration to pass upon any controversy arising over th e m eaning or applica­
tion of an aw ard m ay so notify the Board of M ediation in writing, stating in


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such notice th e question or questions to be subm itted to such reconvened board.
The Board of M ediation shall thereupon prom ptly com m unicate w ith th e m em­
bers of th e board of arbitration, or a subcom m ittee of such board appointed for
such purpose p ursuant to a provision in th e agreem ent to arb itrate, and arrange
for th e reconvening of said board or subcom m ittee, and shall notify th e respective
parties to th e controversy of th e tim e and place a t which th e board, or th e sub­
com mittee, will m eet for hearings upon th e m atters in controversy to be sub­
m itted to it. No evidence other th an th a t contained in th e record filed w ith the
original aw ard shall be received or considered by such reconvened board or sub­
com m ittee, except such evidence as m ay be necessary to illustrate th e in terp re­
tatio n s suggested by th e parties. If any m em ber of the original board is unable
or unwilling to serve on such reconvened board or subcom m ittee thereof, another
arb itra to r shall be nam ed in th e same m anner and w ith th e sam e powers and
duties as such original arbitrator.
.(e) The In tersta te Commerce Commission, th e Bureau of Labor Statistics,
and th e custodian of th e records, respectively, of the Railroad Labor Board, of
th e m ediators designated in th e act approved June 1, 1898, providing for m edia­
tion and arbitration, known as th e E rdm an Act, and of th e Board of M ediation
and Conciliation created by th e act approved July 15, 1913, providing for m edia­
tion, conciliation, and arbitration, known as th e Newlands Act, are hereby
authorized and directed to transfer and deliver to th e Board of M ediation created
by this ac t any and all papers and docum ents heretofore filed w ith or transferred
to them , respectively, bearing upon th e settlem ent, adjustm ent, or determ ination
of disputes between carriers and their employees or upon m ediation or arbitration
proceedings held under or pursuant to th e provisions of any ac t of Congress in
respect to such disputes; and the President is authorized to require th e transfer
and delivery to th e Board of M ediation, created by this act, of any and all such
papers and docum ents filed w ith or in th e possession of any agency of th e Govern­
m ent. The President is authorized to designate a custodian of th e records and
property of th e Railroad Labor Board, until th e transfer and delivery of such
records to the Board of M ediation and the disposition of such property in such
m anner as the President m ay direct.
P r o c e d u r e i n c h a n g in g r a te s o f p a y , r u le s , a n d w o r k in g c o n d itio n s

S e c . 6. Carriers and the representatives of the employees shall give a t least
th irty days’ w ritten notice of an intended change affecting rates of pay, rules, or
working conditions, and the tim e and place for conference between th e repre­
sentatives of the parties interested in such intended changes shall be agreed upon
w ithin ten days after th e receipt of said notice, and said tim e shall be w ithin the
th irty days provided in th e notice. Should changes be requested from more th an
one class or associated classes a t approxim ately th e same tim e, th is d ate for the
conference shall be understood to apply only to th e first conference for each
class; it being th e in te n t th a t subsequent conferences in respect to each request
shall be held in th e order of its receipt and shall follow each other w ith reasonable
prom ptness. In every case where such notice of intended change has been
given, or conferences are being held w ith reference thereto, or th e services of the
Board of M ediation have been requested by either p arty , or said board has prof­
fered its services, rates of pay, rules, or working conditions shall n ot be altered by
th e carrier until th e controversy has been finally acted upon, as required by sec­
tion 5 of this act, by th e Board of M ediation, unless a period of ten days has
elapsed after term ination of conferences w ithout request for or proffer of the
. services of th e Board of M ediation.
A r b itr a tio n

S ec . 7. First. W henever a controversy shall arise between a carrier or carriers
and its or their employees which is not settled either in conference between repre­
sentatives of th e parties or by the appropriate adjustm ent board or through
mediation, in the m anner provided in the preceding sections, such controversy
m ay, by agreem ent of th e parties to such controversy, be subm itted to th e arbi­
tratio n of a board of three (or, if the parties to th e controversy so stipulate, of
six) persons: P r o v id e d , h o w e v e r , T h at the failure or refusal of either p arty to
subm it a controversy to arbitration shall not be construed as a violation of any
legal obligation imposed upon such party by the term s of this act or otherwise.


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Second. Such board of arbitration shall be chosen in th e following m anner:
(a) In th e case of a board of three th e carrier or carriers and th e representa­
tives of th e employees, parties respectively to th e agreem ent to arbitrate, shall
each nam e one arb itra to r; th e two arbitrato rs th u s chosen shall select a th ird
arbitrator. If th e arbitrators chosen by th e parties shall fail to nam e th e th ird
arb itrato r w ithin five days after their first meeting, such th ird arb itra to r shall
be nam ed by th e Board of M ediation,
(b) In th e case of a board of six th e carrier or carriers and th e representatives
of th e employees, parties respectively to th e agreem ent to arb itrate, shall, each
nam e tw o arb itrators; th e four arbitrators th u s chosen shall, by a m ajority vote,
select th e rem aining tw o arbitrators. If th e arbitrato rs chosen by th e parties
shall fail to nam e th e tw o arbitrators w ithin fifteen days after th eir first meeting,
th e said tw o arbitrators, or as m any of them as have not been nam ed, shah be
nam ed by th e Board of M ediation.
Third, (a) W hen th e arbitrators selected by th e respective parties have
agreed upon th e rem aining arb itrato r or arbitrators, they shall notify th e Board
of M ediation; and, in th e event of th eir failure to agree upon anv or upon all
of th e necessary arbitrators w ithin th e period fixed by this act, they shall, a t
th e expiration of such period, notify th e Board of M ediation of th e arb itrato rs
selected, if any, or of th eir failure to m ake or to com plete such selection.
- (b) The board of arbitration shall organize and select its own chairm an and
m ake all necessary rules for conducting its hearings: P r o v id e d , h o w e v e r , T h at
th e board of arbitration shall be bound to give the parties to th e controversy a
full and fair hearing, which shall include an opportunity to present evidence in
support of their claims, and an opportunity to present th eir case in person, by
counsel, or by other representative as they m ay respectively elect.
■(c) Upon notice from th e Board of M ediation th a t th e parties, or either p arty,
to an arbitration desire th e reconvening of the board of arb itratio n (or a sub­
com m ittee of such board of arbitration appointed for such purpose p u rsu an t to
th e agreem ent to arbitrate) to pass upon any controversy over th e m eaning or
application of their aw ard, th e board, or its subcom m ittee, shall a t once recon­
vene. No question other than, or in addition to, th e questions relating to the
m eaning or application of th e aw ard, subm itted by th e p arty or parties in w rit­
ing, shall be considered by th e reconvened board of arbitration, or its subcom­
m ittee.
Such rulings shall be acknowledged by such board or subcom m ittee thereof
in th e sam e m anner, and filed in th e same district court clerk’s office, as the
original aw ard and become a p a rt thereof.
(d) No arb itrato r, except those chosen by th e Board of M ediation, shall be
incom petent to ac t as an arb itra to r because of his interest in th e controversy
to be arbitrated, or because of his connection w ith or p artiality to either of the
parties to th e arbitration.
(e)
_ Each m ember of any board of arbitration created under th e provisions
of this ac t nam ed by either p arty to th e arbitratio n shall be com pensated bv
th e p arty nam ing him. _ Each arb itrato r selected by th e arb itrato rs or nam ed
by the_ Board of M ediation shall receive from th e Board of M ediation such com­
pensation as th e Board of M ediation m ay fix, together w ith his necessary trav el­
ing expenses and expenses actually incurred for subsistence, while serving as an
arbitrator.
(f) The board of arbitration shall furnish a certified copy of its aw ard to the
respective parties to th e controversy, and shall tran sm it th e original, together
w ith the papers and proceedings and a transcript of th e evidence tak en a t th e
hearings, certified under th e hands of a t least a m ajority of th e arbitrators, to
th e clerk of th e district court of th e U nited States for th e district wherein the
controversy arose or th e arbitration is entered into, to be filed in said clerk’s
office as hereinafter provided. The said board shall also furnish a certified copy
of its award, and th e papers and proceedings, including testim ony relating
thereto, to th e Board of M ediation, to be filed in its office; an d in addition a
certified copy of its aw ard shall be filed in th e office of th e In tersta te Commerce
Commission: P r o v i d e d , h o w e v e r , T h at sueh aw ard shall n o t be construed to
diminish or extinguish any of th e powers or duties of th e In tersta te Commerce
Commission, under th e in te rstate commerce act, as am ended.
. (g) A board of arbitration m ay, subject to the approval of th e Board of M edia­
tion, employ and fix th e com pensation of such assistants as it deems necessary
m carrying on th e arbitration proceedings. The com pensation of such em ­
ployees, together w ith their necessary traveling expenses and expenses actually

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incurred for subsistence, while so employed, and the necessary expenses of boards
of arbitration, shall be paid by the Board of M ediation.
W henever practicable, th e board shall be supplied w ith suitable quarters in
any Federal building located a t its place of meeting or a t any place where th e
board m ay conduct its proceedings or deliberations.
(h) All testim ony before said board shall be given under oath or affirmation,
and any m em ber of th e board shall have the power to adm inister oaths or affirma­
tions. The board of arbitration, or any m ember thereof, shall have th e power
to require th e attendance of witnesses and the production of such books, papers,
contracts, agreements, and docum ents as m ay be deemed by th e board of arbi­
tratio n m aterial to a ju st determ ination of the m atters subm itted to its a rb itra ­
tion, and m ay for th a t purpose request th e clerk of th e district court of th e U nited
States for th e district wherein said arbitration is being conducted to issue th e
necessary subpoenas, and upon such, request th e said clerk or his duly au th o r­
ized d eputy shall be, and he hereby is, authorized, and it shall be his duty, to
issue such subpoenas. In th e event of the failure of any person to comply w ith
any such subpoena, or in th e event of th e contum acy of any witness appearing
before th e board of arbitration, th e board m ay invoke th e aid of th e U nited
S tates courts to compel witnesses to atten d and testify and to produce such
books, papers, contracts, agreements, and docum ents to th e same extent and
under th e same conditions and penalties as provided for in th e act to regulate
commerce approved February 4, 1887, and the am endm ents thereto.
Any witness appearing before a board of arbitration shall receive th e same
fees and mileage as witnesses in courts of the United States, to be paid by the
p arty securing the subpoena.
S e c . 8. The agreem ent to arbitrate—
(a) Shall be in w riting;
(b) Shall stipulate th a t the arbitration is had under th e provisions of this act;
(c) Shall state w hether the board of arbitration is to consist of three or of
six members;
(d) Shall be signed by the duly accredited representatives of th e carrier or
carriers and th e employees, parties respectively to th e agreem ent to arbitrate,
and shall be acknowledged by said parties before a notary public, th e clerk of a
district court or circuit court of appeals of th e U nited States, or before a member
of the Board of M ediation, and, when so acknowledged, shall be filed in the office
of th e Board of M ediation;
(e) Shall state specifically the questions to be subm itted to th e said board for
decision; and th a t, in its aw ard or aw ards, the said board shall confine itself
strictly to decisions as to the questions so specifically subm itted to it;
(f) Shall provide th a t the questions, or any one or more of them , subm itted
by th e parties to th e board of arbitration m ay be w ithdraw n from arbitration on
notice to th a t effect signed by the duly accredited representatives of all the parties
and served on the board of arbitration;
(g) Shall stipulate th a t the signatures of a m ajority of said board of arbitration
affixed to their aw ard shall be com petent to constitute a valid and binding aw ard;
(h) Shall fix a period from the date of the appointm ent of th e arb itrato r or
arb itrato rs necessary to complete the board (as provided for in the agreement)
w ithin which th e said board shall commence its hearings;
(i) Shall fix a period from the beginning of the hearings w ithin which the said
board shall m ake and file its aw ard: P r o v id e d , T h at th e parties m ay agree a t
any tim e upon an extension of this period;
(j) Shall provide for the date from which the aw ard shall become effective
and shall fix the period during which th e aw ard shall continue in force;
(k) Shall provide th a t the aw ard of the board of arbitratio n and th e evidence
of th e proceedings before the board relating thereto, when certified under the
hands of a t least a m ajority of the arbitrators, shall be filed in th e clerk’s office
of the district court of th e U nited States for the district wherein th e controversy
arose or the arbitration was entered into, which district shall be designated in
th e agreem ent; and, when so filed, such aw ard and proceedings shall constitute
th e full and complete record of the arbitration;
(l) Shall provide th a t the awrard, when so filed, shall be final and conclusive
upon the parties as to the facts determ ined by said aw ard and as to th e merits
of th e controversy decided;
(m) Shall provide th a t any difference arising as to the meaning, or th e applica­
tion of the provisions, of an aw ard made by a board of arbitration shall be referred
back for a ruling to the same board, or, by agreement, to a subcom m ittee of such

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board; and th a t such ruling, when acknowledged in the same m anner, and filed
in th e same district court clerk’s office, as the original aw ard, shall be a p a rt of
and shall have th e same force and effect as such original aw ard; and
(n)
Shall provide th a t the respective parties to the aw ard will each faithfully
execute the same.
The said agreem ent to arbitrate, when properly signed and acknowledged as
herein provided, shall not be revoked by a p arty to such agreem ent: P r o v id e d ,
h o w e v e r , T h a t such agreem ent to arb itra te m ay a t any tim e be revoked and
canceled by the w ritten agreem ent of both parties, signed by their duly accredited
representatives, and (if no board of arbitration has y et been constituted under
the agreement) delivered to the Board of M ediation or any member thereof;
or, if th e board of arbitration has been constituted as provided by this act,
delivered to such board of arbitration.
S e c . 9. First. The aw ard of a board of arbitration, having been acknowledged
as herein provided, shall be filed in the clerk’s office of the district court designated
in the agreem ent to arbitrate.
Second. An aw ard acknowledged and filed as herein provided shall be conclusive
on th e parties as to the m erits and facts of the controversy subm itted to a rb itra ­
tion, and unless, w ithin 10 days after the filing of the aw ard, a petition to impeach
the aw ard, on the grounds hereinafter set forth, shall be filed in th e clerk’s office
of the court in which th e aw ard has been filed, th e court shall enter judgm ent
on the aw ard, which judgm ent shall be final and conclusive on th e parties.
Third. Such petition for the im peachm ent or contesting of any aw ard so
filed shall be entertained by th e court only on one or more of th e following grounds:
(a) T h a t th e aw ard plainly does not conform to th e substantive requirem ents
laid down by this ac t for such awards, or th a t the proceedings were not sub­
stantially in conform ity w ith this act;
(b) T h a t th e aw ard does not conform, nor confine itself, to the stipulations of
th e agreem ent to arb itra te; or
(c) T h a t a m ember of the board of arbitration rendering th e aw ard was guilty
of fraud or corruption; or th a t a p arty to the arbitratio n practiced fraud or cor­
ruption which fraud or corruption affected the result of th e arb itratio n : P r o ­
v id e d , h o w e v e r, T h at no court shall entertain any such petition on th e ground
th a t an aw ard is invalid for uncertainty; in such case th e proper rem edy shall
be a submission of such aw ard to a reconvened board, or subcom m ittee thereof
for interpretation, as provided by this ac t: P r o v id e d , f u r t h e r , T h at an aw ard con­
tested as herein provided shall be construed liberally by th e court, w ith a view
to favoring its validity, and th a t no aw ard shall be set aside for trivial irregularity
or clerical error, going only to form and not to substance.
F ourth. If th e court shall determ ine th a t a p a rt of th e aw ard is invalid on
some ground or grounds designated in this section as a ground of invalidity, but
shall determ ine th a t a p a rt of the aw ard is valid, th e court shall set aside the
entire aw ard: P r o v id e d , h o w e v e r , T h at if the parties shall agree thereto, and if
such valid and invalid p arts are separable, the court shall set aside the invalid
p art, and order judgm ent to stand as to th e valid p art.
Fifth. A t th e expiration of ten days from th e decision of th e district court
upon the petition filed as aforesaid, final judgm ent shall be entered in accordance
w ith said decision, unless during said ten days either p arty shall appeal there­
from to the circuit court of appeals. In such case only such portion of th e record
shall be transm itted to th e appellate court as is necessary to th e proper under­
standing and consideration of the questions of law presented by said petition
and to be decided.
Sixth. The determ ination of said circuit court of appeals upon said questions
shall be final, and, being certified by th e clerk thereof to said district court,
judgm ent p ursuant thereto shall thereupon be entered by said district court.
Seventh. If th e petitioner’s contentions are finally sustained, judgm ent shall
be entered setting aside th e aw ard in whole or, if th e parties so agree, in part;
b u t in such case th e parties may agree upon a judgm ent to be entered disposing
of the subject m atter of th e controversy, which judgm ent when entered shall
have th e same force and effect as judgm ent entered upon an award.
Eighth. N othing in this a c t shall be construed to require an individual em­
ployee to render labor or service w ithout his consent, nor shall anything in this
act be construed to m ake th e quitting of his labor or service by an individual
employee an illegal act; nor shall any court issue any process to compel the per­
formance by an individual employee of such labor or service, vuthout his consent.


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E m e rg e n c y bo a rd

S e c . 10. If a dispute between a carrier and its employees be not adjusted under
the foregoing provisions of this act and should, in the judgm ent of th e Board of
M ediation, threaten substantially to in te rru p t in terstate commerce to a degree
such as to deprive any section of the country of essential tran sp o rtatio n service,
the Board of M ediation shall notify th e President, who may thereupon, in his
discretion, create a board to investigate and report respecting such dispute.
Such board shall be composed of such num ber of persons as to th e President may
seem desirable: P r o v id e d , h o w e v e r , T h at no m ember appointed shall be pecuniarily
or otherwise interested in any organization of employees or any carrier. The
compensation of the members of any such board shall be fixed by th e President.
Such board shall be created separately in each instance and it shall investigate
prom ptly th e facts as to the dispute and make a report thereon to th e President
within th irty days from the date of its creation.
There is hereby authorized to be appropriated such sums as m ay be necessary
for th e expenses of such board, including the com pensation and th e necessary
traveling expenses and expenses actually incurred for subsistence, of th e mem­
bers of th e board. All expenditures of th e board shall be allowed and paid on
th e presentation of itemized vouchers therefor approved by th e chairman.
After the creation of such board and for th irty days after such board has made
its report to th e President, no change, except by agreem ent, shall be m ade by
the parties to the controversy in the conditions out of which the dispute arose.
G e n e r a l p r o v is io n s

S bc . 11. If any provision of this act, or the application thereof to any person
or circumstance, is held invalid, the rem ainder of the act, and the application of
such provision to other persons or circumstances, shall n ot be affected thereby.
S e c . 12. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated such sums as m ay be
necessary for expenditure by the Board of M ediation in carrying out the pro­
visions of this act.
S ec . 13. (a) Paragraph “ Second” of subdivision (b) of section 128 of the
Judicial Code, as am ended, is amended to read as follows:
“ Second. To review decisions of the district courts under section 9 of th e rail­
way labor a c t.”
(b) Section 2 of the act entitled “An act to am end the Judicial Code, and to
fu rth er define th e jurisdiction of the circuit court of appeals and of th e Supreme
Court, and for other purposes,” approved February 13, 1925, is am ended to read
as follows:
“ S e c . 2. T h at cases in a circuit court of appeals under section 9 of th e railway
labor act; under section 5 of ‘An act to create a Federal Trade Commission, to
define its powers and duties, and for other purposes/ approved Septem ber 26,
1914; and under section 11 of ‘An ac t to supplem ent existing laws against un­
lawful restraints and monopolies, and for other purposes/ approved October 15,
19M, are included among the cases to which sections 239 and 240 of the Judicial
Code shall apply.”
S e c . 14. T itle I I I of the transportation act, 1920, and th e act approved July
15, 1913, providing for mediation, conciliation, and arbitration, and all acts and
p arts of acts in conflict w ith the provisions of this act are hereby repealed, except
th a t th e members, secretary, officers, employees, and agents of th e Railroad
Labor Board, in office upon th e date of th e passage of this act, shall receive
their salaries for a period of 30 days from such date, in th e same m anner as
though this act had not been passed.

Vacations with Pay for Wage Earners in Foreign Countries

N ARTICLE by Charles M. Mills in the Journal of Personnel
Research, May-June, 1926 (pp. 4-23), reviews the practice
in different European countries in regard to giving vacations
with pay to nonsalaried workers. A recent study of the vacation
pktns in private industries in this country by the same person includes
292 establishments, employing more than 500,000 workers, which
give annual vacations with pay to their unsalaried employees, while

A

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a similar study for the leading industrial Europèan countries was
made through a field investigation during the period from July to
October, 1925.
In this country vacations with pay have been developed principally
in private industries and no effort was made to cover laws or civil
service acts in the study since public employees belong in the main to
the “ white collar” class who have been receiving vacations for many
years, while collective agreements were not analyzed because of the
comparatively small number of workers affected. The situation in
Europe was somewhat different, as the proportion of wage earners
engaged in governmental service is much greater than in this country,
while collective agreements between employers’ associations and
trade-unions have been far more widespread. The European material
secured, therefore, includes collective agreements and governmental
regulations.
Purpose and Scope *of Investigation

UTHE study shows the historical development of the vacation
A movement in countries outside of the United States; the
details of the plans of individual companies, of collective agree­
ments, and of the laws; the degree of enforcement of vacation
legislation; the social and economic interpretations of the vacation
movement; and its possible development in the future.
The field investigation was carried out in France, Belgium, Switzer­
land, Italy, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Netherlands, Eng­
land, Scotland, and Wales, and in each country interviews were
had with representatives of capital, labor, and the Government,
including bankers, manufacturers, officials of employers’ associations
and trade-unions, and individuals employed in industrial enterprises
in different capacities, while about 50 industrial establishments were
visited in the different countries and special studies were made in
important manufacturing centers.
A distinction is made in the report between vacations and holidays;
according to American usage the word “ vacation” having come'to
mean a consecutive period of days, while holiday means only one day.
Leaves of absence with or without pay are not considered as vacations
nor are rest periods given because of work on Sundays, public holi­
days, or for overtime, since such leave is usually granted for entirely
different purposes.
Development and Present Status of Vacation Movement

DEFORE the industrial revolution the working classes in Europe
*"■' had from 30 to 40 religious holidays and fete days a year, but
with the advent of machinery these holidays were gradually elimi­
nated for the manual workers, and the salaried workers alone retained
them. By the middle of the nineteenth century vacations for the
salaried class were well established although, the rank and file of the
workers were not in any way affected by the movement. Towards
the last of the century, however, a few companies in England,
persons under 18 years of age should receive six annual statutory

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holidays. From this beginning, the workers themselves began to
take an interest and the important trade-unions began to demand
vacations with. pay. By the first of the twentieth century agree­
ments covering this point were reported in a number of countries
but in all cases the number of agreements with vacation provisions
was small in comparison with the total number of agreements in
force. In general these vacations were based on the length of em­
ployment and were considered as a reward for service given. Until
the outbreak of the war, therefore, annual vacations were granted
by a few employers and in a few countries only.
Postwar Development.

A FTER the war the movement gained such headway that by the
* * close of 1925 it was very nearly as important a question as the
8-hour day and six countries—Austria, Czechoslovakia, Finland,
Latvia, Poland, and Russia—had passed compulsory vacation laws
for all wage earners, while 19 other legislative acts provided for paid
vacations for special groups of workers in Austria, Czechoslovakia,
Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Italy, Luxemburg, Spain, Switzerland,
and the Union of South Africa. In addition, collective agreements
with vacation provisions were common in a number of these and
other countries, so that practically all the European nations except
France and Belgium had accepted the principle of paid vacations.
The factors underlying much of the social legislation enacted since
the war are the substitution of democratic for monarchial govern­
ment in some instances and the more intimate relationship between
the various socialist parties and the trade-unions in most of the
countries. The war losses in man power together with the immediate
postwar demands for reconstruction cpiite generally reinforced the
bargaining power of the trade-unions. It is mainly through their
pressure in the postwar period, therefore, that vacation provisions
have been put in force although many leading and progressive
industrialists recognize their economic value. This is said to be
particularly true in Germany where vacations have continued in
force although the legal eight-hour day lias been given up.
The extension of the vacation movement in Great Britain has been
practically stopped by the great amount of unemployment and it is
considered unlikely it will develop there on any widespread scale
until there is a general revival of prosperity.
In neither France nor Belgium has the principle of paid annual
vacations been widely adopted, but these countries have been largely
concerned with the reconstruction of devastated areas and the in­
flation of the currencies has also operated against the enactment of
social legislation, while the trade-unions have not been so effective
as in other countries in formulating and carrying through such
legislation. The large number of fête and religious holidays is another
reason why further extension of leisure time is opposed, and in
France, where the interests of the country are still rural rather than
industrial, many of the farmers are naturally opposed to the adoption
of compulsory vacation legislation as they are small landed pro­
prietors who own the land they till.

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In considering the six countries which have adopted legislation
making annual vacations compulsory it must he remembered that
although all but Austria and Czechoslovakia are primarily agri­
cultural the wage scales in all are low as compared with those in
most of the other countries so that it may he accepted that this
has been an important factor.
During 1925 there was considerable agitation for the further
development of the movement, among different groups in Great
Britain, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, France, and Germany, while
Czechoslovakia passed its general vacation law in that year.
In the short space of seven years, therefore, the annual vacation
movement has developed to a point where it is estimated that it
affects, directly or indirectly, a large percentage of Europe’s total
population of 400,000,000. Although in some countries the move­
ment has been more or less stationary since 1919 and 1920, in general
there has not been evident any tendency to withdraw vacation
provisions in collective agreements nor has any vacation law been
annulled or restricted since its adoption.
Very little material was secured relative to the vacation plans in
individual companies, but one unusual feature was found in two
instances, the companies granting additional wages during the
vacation so that the worker, together with his family, could have
an entire change and could get away from his ordinary surroundings.
Classes of Workers Covered and Enforcement of Vacation Regulations

PROVISIONS for vacations have been adopted in national agree*
ments or prevail in the maj ority of agreements in 13 European
countries and in Australia, Canada, and South Africa. Agricultural
laborers, except in the case of special legislative acts, it can be said,
do not receive vacations as there was no record of collective agree­
ments among this class of workers. The more important industries
in the different countries in which vacations were a feature of the
agreements were: Brewing, building construction, chemicals, cloth­
ing, glass, metals, mining, paper, printing, textiles, and transporta­
tion.
In general, vacation provisions in the collective agreements are
well enforced and in fact they may be even more satisfactory than
laws, since they are agreements accepted by both management and
labor, while laws may be adopted without the approval of both
parties. In Italy there is said to be no need for special legislation
since the national agreements are faithfully carried out.
The general laws on vacations exclude agricultural and forestry
workers and domestic servants in Austria, Czechoslovakia, and
Latvia, although these workers are covered by special acts in Austria,
and seasonal workers are excluded from the Czechoslovak and
Polish general acts. Young people receive special consideration in
the Austrian, Polish, and Russian acts while the Russian law
makes special provision for intellectual workers and workers in
unhealthy and dangerous trades. The 19 special acts in the different
countries cover workers in a variety of occupations.
All the laws are founded on the idea that an employer should not
be obliged to pay for vacations unless he has received a definite
amount of service from the employee, so that practically all the

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laws require that a worker serve a minimum and generally con­
tinuous period of service with a given employer. In the majority
of both the general and special acts the vacations are graded, the
length of the vacation increasing with the length of service, and in
the main vacations are of one or two week’s duration.
The enforcement of the laws has been difficult owing to economic
conditions and to the fact that the weight of public opinion is not
yet behind them. The general legislative acts are confined, with one
exception, to new nations which arose after the war, all having a
democratic or socialistic form of government, but under which
enforcement has been weak owing to more pressing basic problems.
Social and Economic Effects of the Movement

IN SUMMING up the social and economic effects of the vacation
* movement the writer says that the belief in the right of workers
to vacations has been widely asserted and that the recognition of
this right has been a factor in leveling the class consciousness existing
between the white collar class and the manual workers and therefore
stimulates the trend to general democracy. Also, the opportunity
to travel even if within a very restricted area has had a broadening
effect, and to the extent that workers have been enabled to travel
in other countries, it has been a factor in promoting international
relations. From the health standpoint there is considered to be
no question of the value of annual vacations, while a favorable effect
has been shown on continuous service, attendance, and punctuality.
Labor Recommendations in Governors’ Messages, 1926 1

N ANALYSIS of the messages of the governors to the legislatures
of their respective States in the 1925-26 legislative session
discloses some interesting recommendations relating to labor.
Digests of a number of these passages are given below.

A

Agriculture and Marketing

J S J E WY O R K .—“ The crux of the marketing problem lies in the
^ cities.” A scheme for the establishment of a primary market in
Albany has been devised and is being studied by municipal officials.
This is the first completed study of this kind that has ever been made
by an up-State city and represents 3 years’ vcork. Rochester and
Syracuse are also studying marketing plans and some preliminary
investigation along these lines has been undertaken in Auburn, Buffalo,
Poughkeepsie, and Utica. These various schemes in addition to the
New York port authority’s work “ are full of promise of relief for
consumers of food products.” The solution of the serious problems
involved in marketing produce and promoting commerce demands
improvement in State roads, the proper regulation of public utilities,
1Biennial message of th e Governor of K entucky, Jan. 6, 1926; address of the Governor of M assachusetts
to th e tw o branches of th e legislature, Jan . 6, 1926; inaugural address of the Governor of N ew Jersey, Jan.
19, 1926; message of th e Governor of N ew Y ork, Ja n . 6,1926; a n n u al message of th e G overnor of Rhode
Island, Jan u a ry session of 1926; an d inaugural address of th e G overnor of Virginia, Keh. 1, 1926.


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port development at Albany and New York, and further facilities for
general transportation.
V i r g i n i a .—Attention is called to the advantages to agriculture in
allowing desirable skilled farm laborers from certain parts of Europe
to come to the United States in great numbers. Such immigrants
should, however, be directed by the United States Secretary of Labor
to the different States upon the request of their respective governors
to meet definite needs. Proper case should, of course, be provided for
these foreign agricultural laborers. Recommendation is made for the
appointment of an unpaid commission to study the problem and
report thereon to the National Congress.
Convict Labor
E N T E C H Y .—Contract

labor in factories operated in connection
with penal institutions has been considered by Kentucky in com­
mon with various other States “ as a necessity.” The governor holds
that the State should use prison labor to manufacture for State use. It
is acknowledged, however, that a change to the State-use system would
have to be gradual. It is, therefore, recommended legislative action
be taken which would permit the employment of prison labor in the
construction and maintenance of roads. Instead of detailing new
and irresponsible prisoners to road camps as was formerly done, an
honor roll should be established and men selected therefrom for
highway work, preference being given to those with dependents. The
prisoners assigned to such work should “ receive a reasonable wage,
one-third to go to their dependents and two-thirds to go to the State.”
N e w Y o r k .—As pointed out in the governor's message of 1925,
amendments should be made to the prison industries act of 1924 so as
to give actual authority to the superintendent of prison industries.
Considerable changes in such industries have already been made and
some steps have been taken in the inauguration of a real wage-pay­
ment system. A commission is now at work on the reorganization
scheme and the governor hopes that by efficient business management
incentives and rewards may be offered to prisoners so that those who
have ability may form work habits which will prove of value to them
when they go back to civil life.
The Coal Problem
M A S SHS AA C H U S E T T S .—Reference

is made to New England’s
England suc­
T n i A p h r w l a iin
n
rcoping
»r»m nnr T
i r i P n fthe
n a r»r
*a! shortage
c n m ’ f o f y a rdue
l n o to the
cessful methods
with
coal
anthracite strike and the Massachsuetts Special Commission on the
Necessaries of Life is recommended to 1‘continue its investigation of
the use of oil and other fuel for domestic purposes.”'
N e w J e r s e y .—“ The anthracite coal business is controlled by per­
haps the most odious monopoly that ever arose among a free people,”
according to the Governor of New Jersey. The situation in this
industry is declared “ intolerable.” I t is suggested that New York,
New Jersey, and Pennsylvania set up a tri-State commission “ with
power to condemn—acting through the State courts of Pennsyl­
vania—a sufficient amount of lands containing coal to set up compe­
tition against the trust. A coal railroad could then be constructed
from the mines to the tidewater in New Jersey.” It is claimed that
* A

onocni I


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such a scheme would insure an adequate coal supply at not over $10
per ton.
R h o d e I s l a n d .—The fuel administration act should be strengthened
in order to enable the governor in an emergency to give the fuel
administration department larger regulatory power so that the nec­
essary measures “ may be taken to safeguard the public health and
comfort and prevent unjust profiteering.”
„
New Y o r k .—A fair-price coal commission was appointed by the
governor to protect the people of the State during the coal shortage
resulting from the recent anthracite strike. The public service com­
mission should be recommended by law to keep in touch with the
coal problem and bo prepared to represent the State when necessary.
There should be a permanent well-informed State agency ready to
meet such emergencies.
Workmen's Compensation
N / f A S S A C H U S E T T S . —The

workmen’s compensation law should
be amended to provide that in the event of the death from
injury of a child under 18 in industry “ total dependency shall be
presumed to exist.” Even if the child is not the main support of his
parents, they not only lose their child but are also deprived of pos­
sible future financial aid from him.
New Y o r k . — A n increase in the maximum weekly compensation of
$20 seems necessary because of the changed economic conditions of
workers since such maximum was provided. An advance “ to at
least $25 per week would certainly not be too much.”
The more common industrial diseases are covered in the New York
law. All occupational diseases should be included.
Recommendations are renewed for increasing the membership of
the industrial board from three to five 2; to extend the time for filing
ditions for extension of the compensation period in cases of disaility connected with the loss of a member of the body; and provision
for right to appeal from a referee’s decision either to the appellate
division or to the industrial board but not to both agencies. The
governor also favors the adoption of a standard method for the dis­
position of eye injuries or the authorization of the industrial board
to dispose of such cases, and an amendment to the law which would
provide for adequate compensation for accidents to the eyes.
R h o d e I s l a n d . — The State workmen’s compensation law passed in
1912 should be liberalized in conformity with more progressive legis­
lation of this character in other sections of the country.

E

Injunctions in Labor Disputes
A T E Ik Y O R K . —The law should be amended to provide that before
* ’ the issuance of an injunction in labor disputes a hearing be held
to ascertain the facts in the case.

Women in Industry
A T E W Y O R K . —In the interest of both industry and the public
1 ’ welfare immediate enactment of a 48-hour week law for women
and children in industrial establishments is again urged.
2 T h is recom m endation was adopted by th e 1926 legislature.


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M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

Recommendation is renewed for the creation of a minimum wage
board. Tlie governor contends that the State should not ignore the
employment of women at starvation rates and believes that the estab­
lishment and publication of facts by a minimum wage board even
without legally enforceable decisions will make for greater “ indus­
trial justice.”
Without*the slightest departure from the State’s fixed legal policy
for the protection of women’s health and well-being, both in the home
and in industry, the governor holds that specific amendments could
and should be made to existing laws to remove from them “ all unjust
discrimination against women.”
Housing

AJE W Y O R K .—Declaring that he can think of nothing that “ will
’ go further to promote the health, comfort, and morals of our
people than wholesome and sanitary housing,” the governor suggests
provision for borrowing money at low interest rates and recourse to
the power of condemning lands so that they may be bought at reason­
able prices. An alternative suggestion is the establishment of a
Statehousing bank somewhat along the lines of the Federal land bank
created for the assistance of farmers.
Industrial Employment of the Negro in Pennsylvania

WO studies of the industrial employment of the negro in Penn­
sylvania have recently appeared, one made by the Department
of Labor and Industry of Pennsylvania, and the other by the
executive secretary of the Pittsburgh Urban League. The results
of the first are given in the January issue of the department’s official
publication, Labor and Industry. Questionnaires relating to the
period from January 1, 1923, to September 1, 1925, were sent to
1,478 employers, including manufacturers, railroad companies, coal­
mining companies, and general construction companies or con­
tractors. Hotels, restaurants, dining cars, and other places in which
colored workers are customarily and frequently employed were
omitted. Replies were received from 1,075 emplovers, of whom 559
reported that they did not employ negroes, 55 had formerly em­
ployed them but did not do so during the period covered, and 461
were employing them in numbers varying from 5 or fewer in the case
of 157 employers to 50 and over in the case of 97. The general reason
assigned for not employing them was that they were scarce in the
employer’s particular neighborhood or not to be found there at all.
“ In only a few instances, so few as to be practically negligible, does
there appear to be any racial prejudice or antagonism.” Colored
women were practically not found in these industrial employments,
but the number of colored men was large. “ During this period the
railroads report a gross employment of over 1,700; the coal-mining
companies, a gross employment of over 3,400; contractors, a gross
employment of over 5,400; and general industries, a gross employ­
ment of nearly 24,000.”

T


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In general the employers stated that the greatest increase in the
employment of colored workers had occurred in 1923, being caused
by a period of business prosperity coupled with a shortage of white
labor, either native or foreign. In 1924 there was a marked falling
off, due to industrial depression. In building construction the
variations in the employment of colored labor were seasonal, the
lowest point being reached in the winter of 1925. The employment
of colored labor followed closely the movement of other employment.
Questions as to the dependability and adaptability of colored
workers brought varying replies, ranging from the statement that
“ they require constant supervision to keep them active,” to “ their
dependability compares favorably with that of other groups.” No
tabulation is given of opinions on this point, but replies quoted,
which are said to be typical, give rather a favorable impression of
both the dependability and the adaptability of the group. Questions
as to their health and their aptitude brought much the same kind
of answers. Employers for the most part thought either that there
was no noticeable difference between the colored and other workers
or that the balance inclined slightly in favor of the colored.
To a question as to how colored workers are secured, the replies,
in order of frequency, are as follows:
One, a t th e gate; 2, through our own em ploym ent office; 3, through employees
who inform their friends and acquaintances of openings; 4, through advertising;
5, through S tate em ploym ent offices; 6, through private em ploym ent agencies;
7, through foremen.
A num ber of large em ployers report th a t in emergencies th ey im port negro
labor from th e Southern States. M any contractors and construction companies
sta te th a t they secure their negro help through commissary managers, private
em ploym ent agencies, and gang bosses.

The general results of the inquiry are thus summed u p :
The composite impression from a comprehensive exam ination of all th e replies
to th e questionnaire concerning negro em ploym ent in Pennsylvania m ay fairly
be sum m arized as follows:
1. General ignorance of negroes as workmen by those employers who have
never used them .
2. No serious or extrem e racial prejudice against negro wmrkmen.
3. General willingness by employers to employ negroes upon th eir m erits and
upon a com petitive basis w ith white m en doing th e same kind of work.
4. Increasing dem and for negro workmen for construction work, especially
for foundation, concrete, and excavation work where they m ay eventually
become indispensable.
5. The tendency of negro em ploym ent to follow closely th e tren d of general
em ploym ent curves.
6. R estriction of foreign im m igration widens the dem and and opportunity
for negro workers.
7. The general good health of negro workmen.
8. The low liability to accident of negro workmen.

Employment of Negroes in the Steel Industry of Pennsylvania

HPHE second study referred to appears in the March, 1926, issue
of Opportunity, the journal of the National Urban League.
This survey, made by John T. Clark, deals with the employment
of negroes in the steel industry in the vicinity of Pittsburgh, and
covers approximately the same period as the more general
inquiry made by the department of labor and industry. Negroes
have entered this field in large numbers. The ease with which they

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M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

made their entry here is attributed by the writer to two facts: The
cutting off of the almost unlimited stream of immigrants upon
which the industry had depended for certain types of workers, and
the open-shop character of the steel industry, which had prevented
the development of established customs or conventions interfering
with the employment of workers of any race, creed, or color.
As in the wider study, so also in the steel industry it was found
that the highest point of negro employment occurred in 1923, that
there was a falling off in 1924, and a gradual increase in 1925, this
movement being due to the general industrial situation rather than
to local causes. In 1923 it was reported that 23 steel mills in the
Pittsburgh district employed 16,000 colored workers—21 per cent
of their entire working force. A period of industrial depression set
in at the close of 1923, and by December, 1924, the mills had reduced
their output to from 30 to 60 per cent of their normal capacity. At
this time a check-up was made to see how the colored workers were
faring in the general reduction of forces, and rather unexpectedly it
was found that they had been retained more generally than the white
workers.
The terse reply of one em ployer th a t “ we are responsible for o utput, n ot color,”
sums up th e general a ttitu d e of em ployers throughout th e mills in this district
during this period, while depleting their labor forces. In one plant, th e A. M.
Byers Co., th e entire force of negroes was retained, although th e p la n t’s ou tp u t
was reduced to 60 per cent by letting o u t w hite workmen. The assistan t super­
intendent stated th a t “ they had retained th e men upon whom th ey could rely
th e m ost.” In th e Clark Mills of the Carnegie Steel Co. th e percentage of negroes
during peak tim es in 1923 was 42 per cent and a t th e lowest point in 192-1 they
were 56 per cent of the to ta l working force.

It is suggested that several causes besides the quality of their work
may have contributed to this greater retention of colored workers.
It is easier for white men to find other work, and so when the mills
began working short time, they would be more likely than colored
employees to leave in order to get jobs elsewhere. Again, numbers
of the colored workers are single men living in boarding houses and
bunks, and these, if laid on, would be likely to leave the district.
Therefore to lay them off would mean losing them completely, and
when business improved the managers would have the expensive task
of building up their colored force again from outside districts. And
again, “ there are evidences that employers have felt some responsi­
bility toward these newcomers who have not quite had a sufficient
opportunity^to entrench themselves in the communities.”
In December, 1925, after the industrial revival had begun, another
check-up showed 9 of the largest mills in the district ‘‘averaging 82
per cent output and employing 22 per cent negroes of their total
working force of 29,560 men.”
I t appears th a t in th e larger mills which employ and retain m en more on a
basis of th e w orkm an’s actual efficiency th a n the smaller mills, m ore negroes in
proportion are found a t work, which leads us to believe th a t negro steel workers
have “ m ade good,” notw ithstanding any reports to th e contrary.

Another reason for reaching the same conclusion is found in the
gradual increase in the number of colored workers in minor super­
visory positions.
In 1923 th e largest num ber of straw bosses found in any mill was 35. We
found in December, 1925, in one mill employing 1,500 negroes, 53 straw-bosses.
These men are gang foremen, who determ ine th e personnel of th eir gangs. These

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51

negro leaders of gangs composed largely of negroes elim inate some of th e causes
for such heavy negro labor turnovers, which has been th e greatest com plaint
against negro workmen * * *. Foremen naturally are appearing o u t from
th e ranks of straw-bosses. In 7 out of the 9 mills investigated, from 2 to 10 negro
foremen each were found in complete control of certain processes.

There are admittedly difficulties about the coming in of colored
workers. Landlords and business men are inclined to raise prices
when they appear, and as these increases are carried over to the whole
community the workers already on the spot object to the influx of
newcomers. Housing is a serious difficulty. The sections in which
negroes may find homes are unsightly and very far from satisfying to
the colored workers. “ In a steel town of 19,000 inhabitants, employ­
ing about 1,400 negroes, only three negroes have bought property
during the last 5 years.” The steel companies have talked of building
homes for the colored workers, but practically none have done any­
thing for the last seven years, and housing conditions grow worse
instead of better. On the other hand, the Ku Klux Klan movement
seems in these communities to have died down, and it is to the interest
of the mill concerns who find the colored workers practically indis­
pensable to see that no such movement becomes effective. The
general conclusion reached is that the negro is in the steel industry to
stay and that conditions in the mill communities are being gradually
adjusted to his presence.
Labor Problems in China in 19251

YSTEMATIC organization of the labor movement in China
began six or seven years ago, soon after the Great War, but
real progress dates back only three or four years. And it was
not until last year that the movement definitely assumed its national
aspect; that a foundation was built for nation-wide organization.
The history of this development may be roughly divided into three
periods. Previous to 1920, all labor problems were in the dormant
stage, but forces were already at work to prepare the way for the
second stage of development. The period between 1921 and 1924
was characterized by numerous spasmodic efforts at organization and
might be designated as the formative period. Last year constituted
a period by itself when labor organizations in various parts of China
began to join hands in putting a national aspect to the movement.
But closely welded combination has still to come, although the
influence of labor agitation has already been felt in all walks of life.
Consolidation of present progress will be the work of the future.
China, being fundamentally an agricultural country, has had few
labor problems to contend with in its long history. Even in recent
years, industrial development has not gone far enough to cause a
really acute labor situation. But the effects of agitation in other
countries were felt very early in China in the evolution of industrial
enterprises. For in comparison with western nations, the treatment
of labor in the so-called modem factories in China appears to be
exceedingly unsatisfactory. Aside from their meager remuneration
and long hours of work, Chinese workmen do not get the protection
1 R ep rin ted from T h e Chinese Economic M o n th ly , published b y th e Chinese G overnm ent B ureau of
Econom ic Inform ation, for M arch, 1926 (pp. 103-108).


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M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

which is afforded in the west both by law and by industry itself. So,
after the World War, a few advanced theorists socialistically inclined
began to espouse the cause of the workers. The leaven worked,
rapidly among susceptible groups of workers, and laborers in many
industrial centers, such as Shanghai and Canton, began to organize
themselves in order to put more weight behind their demands for
better treatment and higher pay. Strikes became more and more
frequent. The strikes in the British & American Tobacco Co., the
Nanyang Bros. Co., the Kailan Mining Administration, the PekingSuiyuan, Peking-Hankow and Tientsin-Pukow Railway Adminis­
trations and the Hongkong shipping companies were outstanding
instances of the early struggle between labor and capital. The con­
clusive success of the Hongkong seamen’s strike and the PekingHankow Railway employees’ strike opened the eyes of the world to
the potential strength of the movement and brought home the need
of better and larger organizations. With this prelude, we come to a
discussion of developments in 1925, a year which was an epothmaking period in the labor history of China.
Activities of Two Principal Labor Unions

'"THE principal agitations of the year were concerned with two
1 important labor unions, the Shanghai Federation of Labor
Unions and the National Labor Association. The Shanghai Feder­
ation of Labor Unions is a federation of 37 labor groups, of which
the Nanyang Bros. Employees’ Union, the Shanghai Cotton Mill
Hands’ Union, and the Shanghai Shipping and Warehouse Labor
Union are the important members. The exiled members of the
Hunan Labor Union driven out by Governor Chao as a result of the
Ilwa-Shih Spinning and Weaving Mill strike in 1922, were instru­
mental in bringing this pioneer labor federation into existence. The
National Labor Association had its birth in the National Labor
Conference held in Canton on May 1 last year under the auspices of
the Kuo-Ming party. This association was largely promoted and
consummated through the efforts of the Chinese Seamen’s Federation,
the Han Yeh Ping Coal and Iron Works Labor Union, and the
National Railway Employees’ Union. The Shanghai branch of the
association, known as the Shanghai Central Labor Union, was
organized a month later. Through the activities of these two allembracing labor organizations, Shanghai became the center of the
national labor movement and the source of all important labor agita­
tions. It was through their ceaseless propaganda that the Peking
Labor Federation was inaugurated on June 21, the Honan Central
Labor League on September 18, the Tientsin Central Labor League
in August, and the various railway labor unions on different dates of
the same year. Aside from speech making and pamphleteering, two
daily newspapers were published, the “ Chen-Yi Daily News” in
Shanghai, and the “ Labor News” in Peking. (The former was
forcibly closed after a short but active existence.) Many of the local
strikes of the year were either directly or indirectly supported by
these organizations. The Shanghai May 30 affair and the subsequent
incident in Canton added impetus to the movement, and the two
associations vied with one another in acquiring influence and assum
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LABOR PROBLEMS IN C H IN A IN 1925

53

ing leadership in all maneuvers. Their ever-increasing activity, how­
ever, led them into conflict with the authorities, and they were first
expelled from the Foreign Settlement in Shanghai, then forcibly
dissolved by the Chinese authorities on September 18 and 25, respec­
tively. But the seed of discontent had already been sown and the
movement went on just the same, although the organizations were
henceforward shorn of official recognition.
Student Organizations

ADDITION to the labor unions, the activities of the student
F organizations
had a good deal to do with the ever-spreading labor
troubles. A definite set of resolutions was adopted at the Seventh
Annual Conference of the National Students’ Federation held in
June, 1925, in Shanghai, for the purpose of (1) espousing the laborers’
cause in their fight against capitalism and assisting them to secure
adequate protection from the Government, (2) rendering necessary
assistance in starting labor organizations and carrying on propaganda
work, (3) founding night schools and publishing mass education
literature to help the workmen to acquire adequate knowledge in
political matters, and (4) giving proper backing to idle workmen
during strikes. These resolutions were faithfully carried out not
only by the Student Federation, but also, to a large extent, by the
National Federation of Laborers, Merchants, and Students, a new
organization born after the May 30 episode. A good deal of attention
was also given to those suffering from loss of employment through
strikes and other reasons. It was largely through the efforts of the
students that much public sympathy was successfully enlisted on the
side of the strikers, and that the labor movement has grown to its
present magnitude.
Principal Strikes in 1925

as many of the labor strikes last year were brought
reasons and were more or less similar in nature,
it is unnecessary to recount the history of every individual strike.
Only the principal ones which constituted problems in themselves
will be briefly recorded:
The Shanghai spinners’ and weavers’ strike originated in the
Nagai Cotton Mill, a leading Japanese establishment in Shanghai.
The troubles started when the management dismissed a number of
workmen early in February. Within a few days, a widespread
sympathetic strike was declared in five of the leading Japanese cotton
mills in Shanghai. The principal demands consisted of (1) protection
against maltreatment of workmen by Japanese superintendents, (2)
protection against dismissal without sufficient cause, and (3) increase
of wages and better accommodations. Through the mediation of the
Chamber of Commerce, the strikers were brought back to work on
the promise of the mill owners to give consideration to the above
demands. No substantial change was made, however, and several
isolated strikes happened in various mills in the following three
months without achieving any success. During one of these strikes,
one of the mill hands in the seventh mill of the Nagai Cotton and
Weaving Co. was killed on May 16, and student agitation in connec­
tion with this affair led to the shooting episode of May 30. The latter
uduuu u_y economic


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M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW

event marked the beginning of a nation-wide movement, in which not
only the labor problem but many political and international questions
became involved. Although the agitation has somewhat subsided,
the final outcome is yet to be seem
The Tsingtao weaving and spinning mill strike in April was an
independent affair, although it was part of the general movement
causing widespread unrest. Three principal Japanese concerns 'with
about 20,000 workmen were involved, the Dai Nippon Weaving &
Spinning Co., the Nagai Cotton Mill, and the Sino-Japanese Cotton
Mill. The strike lasted three weeks. Fourteen demands, including
the recognition of the labor union, a wage increase and various
improvements in the treatment of workmen, were insisted upon,
being only partly granted when the strike came to an end. A second
strike was in process of organization when the soldiery intervened on
May 29, killing 6 and wounding 17 of the workmen. A temporary
stop was put to the agitation by sheer force, and extraordinary pre­
cautions were taken to forestall any further riots, but the situation
remains unsatisfactory both to the laborers and mill owners.
The Tientsin cotton mill strike had its beginning in the PaoChen Mill early in August, followed by similar movements in the
Hung-Yuan, Yu-Yuan, and Yu-Ta mills. The strike grew in extent
and seriousness. But when the Yu-Ta Mill was ransacked by the
mob, the officials took a definite stand and the agitation was soon
suppressed. The same tense situation, however, existed here as in
Tsingtao, and nothing was done to appease the laborers.
Sympathetic Strikes

J H E number of sympathetic strikes precipitated by tlieMay 30 inci­
dent totaled 96 in Shanghai alone, of which 39 were in Japanese
factories, 24 in British factories, 8 in municipal enterprises and the
remaining 25- in Chinese factories. The total number of workmen
involved at the height of the movement was 129,600. Various
demands were put forward and were partly acceded to before the
workmen finally resumed work. The nature of the strikes varied
somewhat according to individual cases. The trouble had been
fermenting for some time and had come to a head through timely
agitation. Similar strikes occurred elsewhere, the most important of
which may be enumerated as follows :
The Peking printers’ strike on March 22, winch lasted only two
days. The seven printing establishments concerned had to ‘ meet
fully the demand of the workmen for wage increases before work was
resumed. The scope of the strike was comparatively small, but its
full and speedy success prompted and facilitated in a large measure
the subsequent organization of the Peking- General Labor Union.
The Shanghai Post Office employees’ strike was also successful.
The complete success of the Cantonese mail clerks’ strike on June
22 led to a similar strike in Shanghai on August 17. Work was re­
sumed on the 19th on the promise of a wage increase, shortened
working hours, better treatment and the recognition of the Mail
Clerks’ Union by the authorities.
The employees of the Commercial Press went on strike on
August 22, and those of the rival concern, the Chung-Hwa Publishing
Co., Shanghai, soon followed suit. About 15,000 employees were

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LABOE PRO BLEM S HST C H IN A IN 1925

involved. Both strikes were of short duration, the former* ending
on August 28 and the latter on September 3, but they were both suc­
cessful in getting full satisfaction of their demands with the excep­
tion of the recognition of their labor union (the promise was given,
however, that the union would be recognized as soon as the labor
law was promulgated). A second strike of the Commercial Press
was carried out by about 4,000 men and women on December 22 as
a result of the dispute over the dismissal of several employees. Work
■was resumed on December 28 when further confirmation was given
to a similar set of demands.
The postal employees ’ strike was soon followed by simultaneous
strikes of the employees of the Telegraph Administration on Septem­
ber 28 with the Shanghai, Hankow, Chengchow, Tsingtao, and
Kaifeng offices as centers. The Ministry of Communications granted
an immediate increase of wages and promised to consider other de­
mands before work was resumed on October 4. The latter promise,
however, had not been carried out up to the end of the year, although
a conference of the representatives of the employees was called for
early in December.
The three important disturbances in Honan Province were the
Yu Feng Cotton Mill, Lung-PIai .Railway, and Peking Syndicate
strikes. Owing to the political affiliations of the ruling authorities,
Honan adopted a very liberal attitude toward the labor movement,
second only to that adopted in Canton. The Province became one
of the headquarters of the labor movement and an important source
of agitation. The Yu-Feng Mill strike lasted from August 7 to Au­
gust 25; theLunghai strike from August 26 to September 4; both re­
sulting in unqualified success for the strikers. The Peking Syndicate
employees struck on July 8, protesting against the Shanghai incident.
The case remains unsettled and all operations at the mines are in a
state of partial suspension.
The Kailan Mining Administration is one of the most successful
Sino-foreign enterprises in China. The success of the venture lias
led to repeated demands on the part of the laborers for better treat­
ment and compensation. As early as October, 1922, a serious strike
broke out, but was completely suppressed by force. A similar strike
was precipitated last year at Chao-Chia-Chwang, one of the mining
sites of the company, and over 10,000 miners were involved. The
officials, however, took a strong hand in dealing with them, and the
strike was successfully broken without serious trouble.
From the standpoint of political and economic importance, the
strike in Canton and Hongkong was of the greatest magnitude and
has had far-reaching effects. After the May 30 incident in Shanghai
and the subsequent Shameen trouble, the Cantonese laborers, particu­
larly the wharf coolies, organized themselves under the direction of
a strikers’ committee and, backed by the Canton Government, re­
fused to handle British goods as a protest against the British authori­
ties in connection with the Shameen bloodshed. Workmen to the
number of 150,000 have joined hands in the movement. Over six
months have elapsed since it started, but the strikers are still holding
out, standing firm on their demands which include (1) equal treat­
ment of Chinese and foreign residents in Hongkong, (2) an eighthour day and higher wages for the laborers, and (3) freedom of speech,

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M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

public meeting, and publication for the Chinese in Hongkong. Nego­
tiations for a settlement were still in progress at the end of the year.
Demand for Adequate Labor Laws

I7ROM the standpoint of the labor movement, the year 1925 was
* characterized by (1) the nation-wide character of the movement,
(2) the number of successful strikes, and (3) the radical nature of
the demands put forward. In addition to the general demand for
higher wages and better treatment, the 1925 strikers insisted upon
the official recognition of the labor unions and protested against the
dismissal of union members without proper reasons and the concur­
rence of the union. A good deal of pressure was also brought to
bear upon the authorities for the promulgation of an adequate set
of labor laws. The Peking Government took a firm stand against
these labor unions and the much-desired labor law had not been
promulgated up to the end of the year, although several drafts had
been prepared and brought before the cabinet meetings for con­
sideration. On the other side, the Canton Government and the
Kuominchun authorities were inclined to lend support to the move­
ment and extend material help either openly or by noninterference.
The most drastic measures for dealing with the strikers were carried
out by the Mukden military authorities.
The students played a considerable part in leading the agitation,
creating general labor unrest throughout the country. Notwith­
standing the varying success and failure of the numerous strikes, it
is undeniable that the labor groups have taken a definite step for­
ward in effecting better organization and using more intelligent
methods of propaganda. They have also established a connection
with the general world of labor, received much vocal and press sup­
port therefrom, and the Chinese labor problem has thus, in a mea­
sure, become a question of international importance.

Decline of Family-Allowance System in Germany

RE CENT very marked decrease in Germany of the number of
collective agreements providing family allowances is reported
in an article by Dr. Fr. Busze in the Reichsarbeitsblatt,
of Berlin, January 24, 1926. Of 1,496 agreements for manual work­
ers for 1922-23 in various important industries and services, 595, or
39.8 per cent, carried provisions for family allowances, while of
1,352 agreements for 1924-25 for the same class of workers in the
same industries and services only 98, or 7.2 per cent, included such
provisions.
The following table shows the number and per cent of collective
agreements granting family allowances in different industries in
1922-23 and 1924-25:

A


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D E C L IN E OF FA M IL Y -A L L O W A N C E SY STEM IN GERM A NY

F A M IL Y A L L O W A N C E S F O R M A N U A L W O R K E R S IN C O L L E C T IV E A G R E E M E N T S
IN C E R T A IN IN D U S T R IE S A N D S E R V IC E S IN 1924-25 AS C O M P A R E D W IT H 1922-23
1924-25 agreem ents

1922-23 agreem ents

Providing for fam­
ily allowances

Providing for fam ­
ily allowances

In d u stry

T otal
num ber

Total
num ber
N u m b er

Per cent
of to ta l

N um ber

P er cent
of total

M in in g --------------- . ---------------------------M eta l_____________________ _________
C hem ical.................... - ----------------------- ----P a p e r---------------------- ------- ------------------Stone, earthenw are, and g lass___________
P rinting a nd allied tra d e s ___ ____________
Federal, State, and m unicipal services.. . . .
Textile .......... .
...... ................. - Commerce
____________ _____ ____ ___
T r a n s p o r t.____ . . . . ................ ....................
Food, drink, and tobacco:
Sugar m anufacture_____ . . . . . . . . . .
D airy w o rk __ _ . . .
--------- -------M e a t_________________ . . . ---------B aking_______ i ________ _______ . . .
Tobacco___________ ________ ____
B rew ing a n d m alting . ------------- . .
M illing___ ____ _______ ______ ______

66
155
31
43
175
20
92
282
256
160

39
68
26
31
105
13
71
59
81
57

59.1
43. 9
83. 9
72. 1
60.0
65. 0
77. 2
20.9
31. 6
35. 7

32
183
12
37
150
17
65
140
233
190

13
12
5
11
7
2
9
7
8
6

40.6
6.6
41.7
29.7
4.7
11.8
13.8
5.0
3.4
3.2

21
9
54
36
13
43
40

10
3
14
5
5
4
4

47.6
33.3
25.9
13.9
38. 5
9.3
10.0

16
6
25
50
32
98
66

3
1
3
5
2
3
1

18. S
16.7
12.6
10.6
6.3
3.4
1. b

T o t a l.._________ _________________

1,496

595

39.8

1,352

98

7.2

For nonmanual workers in private industry family allowances are
now' provided in 80, or 15.7 per cent, of 508 agreements.
It will be noted from the preceding table that in 1924-25 the
mining, chemical, and paper industries were the only industries
having a very large proportion of collective agreements which in­
cluded family allowances and even for the chemical and paper in­
dustries such proportion is less than half as great as it was in
1922-23.
In various other industries not covered by the above table and in
which the system of family allowances was never adopted to any
great extent, the practice of making these grants lias been almost
completely abolished for manual workers.1
1 F or earlier reports on th e system , see L abor Review, W ashington, Jan u ary, 1924, p p . 20-29: “ Fam ily
W age System in G erm any and C ertain O ther E uropean C ountries,” a n d B ureau of L abor Statistics
B ulletin N o. 401: F am ily Allowances in Foreign C ountries, W ashington, M arch, 1926.

98397°—2C----- 5


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W AGES A N D H O U R S O F LA B O R
International Comparison of Trend of Wages, 1914 to 1925

I

N A recently published report on “ Wage Changes in Various
Countries, 1914 to 1 9 2 5 ,1 the International Labor Office has
for the third time undertaken the difficult but interesting task
of not merely recording the movements in money wages, but of esti­
mating the changes in the real wages of the workers of the world by
comparing changes in money wages with those in the general level
of prices. Real wages are, in nearly every case, calculated with
reference to the pre-war level. The report gives the data country
by country and presents in a summary general conclusions as to the
movement of wages as a whole. A digest of these summary con­
clusions is given below.
Wage Situation, 1920 to 1925

IN THE period 1920 to 1922 the different countries could be grouped
1 into three fairly definite groups: Those in which real wages were
definitely higher than before the war; those in which the level was
about the same; and those in which the level was definitely below
the pre-war level. In the first group were found most of the ex­
neutral European countries; in the second group the chief Western
European countries and non-European countries; and in the third group
the Central-European countries. The last-named group (Germany,
Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, Poland, Latvia, Rumania, and Finland)
was distinguished by the fact that in all these countries in 1920 and
1922 there was a continual depreciating currency and steadily
rising prices. This led to the phenomenon of the “ time-lag/? when
wages were continually trying to catch up to prices, and inevitably
caused a fall of real wages. On the other hand, when prices were
falling, or when they became relatively stable after a period of rising
prices, real wages tended to rise.
The chief factor affecting the wage situation in the years 1922-1925
was the changes in the level of prices. In many countries they have
fallen somewhat, while in others—particularly those in which prices
rose most rapidly in the years 1920 to 1922 or 1923—they have become
much more stable. Throughout the period prices remained rela­
tively stable in Great Britain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands,
Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and the United
States. Moreover, since 1922, the four countries (Germany, Austria,
Poland, Hungary) in which currency was at that time inflated and
prices were rapidly rising, have all attempted to stabilize their cur­
rency and, in general, have succeeded.
’International L abor Office. W age changes in various countries, 1914 to 1925. S tudies an d R eports,
Series D (W ages a n d H ours), N o. 16. G eneva, 1926. T h e first report of th e In te rn a tio n a l L abor Office
on th is subject covered th e years 1914-1921 (published in 1922): a nd th e second report covered th e years
1914-1922 (published in 1923).

58

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Movement of Money Wages, 1922 to 1925

'T ’lIE tables of money wages given in the report indicate that in
* Sweden, Australia, and Canada money wages have remained
fairly stable since 1922; in Great Britain since 1923; and in Austria
since 1924. In Denmark, rates, although showing a rise of about
5 per cent from 1923 to 1924, have become more stable than in 1921
and 1922. In Germany money wages rose from 1923 to 1924, after
a period of monetary disturbance. In Poland money rates became
fairly stable in March, 1924, and remained so throughout the year.
In the United States there was an increase from 1922 to 1923, and a
decrease from 1923 to 1924; in 1925 the changes are not very con­
siderable. In Norway, Greece, Finland, Rumania, Belgium, Hun­
gary, France, and Japan wages in recent years have not shown any
marked tendency towards stabilization.
Movement of Real Wages, 1922 to 1925

A S REGARDS real wages, several features are worth noting*
It will be seen that in the countries in which the currency was
seriously depreciated the stabilization of the currency was followed
by a change in the wage situation. Wages were much more closely
adjusted to the level of prices, and the level of real wages gradually
rose.
In Germ any real wages of skilled workers, which were estim ated a t about 50
per cent of their pre-war level in July, 1923, rose to 75 per cent in Jan u ary , 1924,
and 90 per cent in July, 1924, and have rem ained fairly stationary a t th is level
till July, 1925. For unskilled workers, th e level rose from a little over 60 per
cent in July, 1922, to 90 per cent in April, 1924, and 100 per cent in July, 1925.
In Austria, no general average figures are available and th e m ovem ent differs
somewhat from one industry to another; bu t in every industry, however, real
wages in 1924 were higher than those in 1923, although in some industries wages
rose m uch sooner th a n in others.
In Poland real wages, which were apparently only 50 per cent of th eir pre-war
value a t the end of 1923, rose rapidly a t the beginning of 1924 alm ost to their
pre-war purchasing power and fell slightly during 1924, and rose again in 1925.
In H ungary wage data are n o t sufficiently adequate to give definite con­
clusions; in the engineering industry, however, real wages, which had considerably
declined from th e last quarter of 1923 to the first quarter of 1924 owing to the
rapid rise in th e cost of living, rose to about 75 per cent of their pre-w ar level
in th e autum n.
I t will thus be seen th a t the group of countries in which, in 1922, wages were
substantially below the pre-war level, are moving into th e second group—
countries in which real wages are a t or near th e pre-war level. The countries
which in 1924-25 are still in the former group are H ungary and Latvia, and
possibly Rum ania.
A further change between 1922 and 1925 which is noticeable is th a t m any
countries have moved up from th e group in which wages were a t or near th e
pre-war level to the group in which real wages are higher th a n those current in
1913-14. In the U nited States and in Canada, real wages were in 1924 and 1925
higher th a n in 1922, when they were about equal to th e level of 1914. In Aus­
tralia, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and the N etherlands, real wages in 1924
and 1925 remain, as in 1922, above th e pre-war level. In France th e m aterial
available is not very complete, and relates only to two dates in 1921 and 1924,
and the real wages are not based on a complete cost-of-living index. The ap­
parent rise in real wages from 1921 to 1924 m ust therefore be accepted w ith
caution. In Spain, Italy, and Switzerland, wages in 1924 seem to be distinctly
above th e pre-war level, and in Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Finland, and New
Zealand wages are a t about the pre-war level,


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1235]

60

M O N T H L Y LABOK REVIEW

As regards G reat Britain, the general situation appears to be about the same
as in 1922— i. e., real wages are on th e whole som ewhat below pre-war level—
though the disparity between th e level of wages in different industries is very
noticeable. In certain industries, such as coal mining, shipbuilding, and engi­
neering, whose prosperity depends to a certain exten t on th eir export trad e,
wages are depressed; while in industries such as building and printing, which
do not depend on foreign trade, real wages are considerably above th e level
obtained before th e war. As regards th e rem aining countries (Japan, Greece,
and South Africa) the inform ation is not sufficiently com plete to enable any
conclusion to be drawn.

Comparison of Wages of Skilled and Unskilled Workers

POURING the period of rapidly rising prices, the money wages of
^
unskilled workers in many countries increased to a greater
extent than those of skilled workers, and those of low-salaried officials
more than those of the higher-salaried categories.
This was partly due to th e fact th a t increases were sometimes granted a t a
flat rate to all classes of workers in a given industry, which, of course, m ean t a
greater relative increase for th e lower-paid workers. This policy was doubtless
prom pted by th e consideration th a t wages of unskilled workers are m uch nearer
th e subsistence m inim um th a n those of skilled workers, and increases in wages
to com pensate for th e increased cost of living are more urgent in their case th a n
in th e case of skilled workers.
When prices began to fall or became relatively stable, there was a tendency
to a reversal of this movem ent.
In 1914 unskilled w orkers’ wages were about 50 to 70 per cent of skilled
w orkers’ wages; in 1920 they were about 80 to 90 per cent. In countries in
which wages and prices rose th e least between 1914 and 1920-21, th e ratio
generally shows th e least variation. T hus in th e U nited States, A ustralia, and
New Zealand, as well as in G reat Britain, th e ratio increased less th a n in A ustria,
Germany, and Poland. In Austria, unskilled workers’ wages rose to about 95
per cent of th e skilled, and in Germany to about 90 per cent. Since 1920 in
m ost countries, 1922 in Germany, and 1923 in Austria, th e ratio of unskilled
w orkers’ wages to those of skilled has declined, though it is still in m ost countries
higher than th e pre-war ratio. I t should be noted th a t France and H ungary
appear to be in an exceptional position, for th e ratio of unskilled to skilled in
1924 is alm ost identical w ith th a t obtaining in 1914. In France th e ratio has
not apparently changed since 1914. B ut it seems, in spite of these two excep­
tions, to be a general feature of the postw ar wage situation th a t unskilled workers
are relatively better paid in comparison w ith skilled workers th an before the
war.

Relative Wages of Men and Women

IT IS a noteworthy fact that during and since the war women in
A general have received proportionately larger wage increases than
the men. The causes of this are probably similar to those noted
in the case of unskilled workers, and also perhaps to the reduced
supply of male labor during and since the war, and the consequent
opening of emplojmients to women. This tendency continued in the
years, 1922 to 1925.
If the real wages of male workers are compared with those of the
female workers in the same industry for certain countries it will be
found that except for cotton weavers in the United States and metal
workers in Austria, the index numbers of real wages of female workers
are in every instance higher than those of male workers.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1236]

C O M PE N SA TIO N OF M U N IC IP A L E M PLO Y EES

61

Increases in the Average Compensation of Municipal Employees,
1915 to 1925

REPLY to the question as to how municipal employees have
fared in the matter of wages and salaries since the outbreak
of the World War is made in a report on “ Municipal salaries
under the changing price level/’ by William C. Beyer, Director of
the Bureau of Municipal Research of Philadelphia, which is pub­
lished as a supplement to the March, 1926, issue of the National
Municipal Review.
Referring to the difficulties and limitations of his inquiry, Mr.
Beyer points out that the only groups of city employees for whom
nation-wide salary or wage data are available for a period of years
are the higher officials and the public-school teachers. About 10 years
ago, however, the Bureau of Municipal Research of Philadelphia
issued a report giving the minimum, maximum, and certain inter­
mediate wage and salary rates in 1915 of over 100 typical classes of
workers in 14 of the more important cities of the United States.
For purposes of comparison, the Philadelphia Bureau of Municipal
Research undertook the collection of similar data for 12 cities for
1925, making a selection, however, of 45 of the more representative
classes of employees from the 111 classes covered in the 1915 investi­
gation.1 To these 45 classes, two others were added—professional
engineers and unskilled laborers. For these two classes of workers
both the 1915 and 1925 data had to be collected in the present in­
vestigation.
While the selected groups used in this study of 12 cities “ are impor­
tant and typical” it is not safe to assume that all municipal groups
“ fared exactly as they did. For the rank and file of municipal
employees in the vast majority of cities we have no information what­
ever.”
The 12 cities included in the present survey are Baltimore, Boston,
Buffalo, Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, Milwaukee, Minneapolis,
New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and San Francisco. The 47
classes of workers covered are separated into two groups, a “ repre­
sentative group” of 44 classes, “ none of which is so large as to over­
shadow the others” and a “ special group” composed of three ex­
ceptionally large classes—patrolmen, hosemen and laddermen, and
unskilled laborers.
In the introduction to the report, attention is called to the fact that
the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics index of the cost of
living was 173.5 in June, 1925, or 68.4 per cent higher than at the
outbreak of the war. In comparing this rise in prices with the
advances in pay in the following table, which includes 47 classes of
employees, it will be noted that for all groups and all classes the
increased compensation from 1915 to 1925 was 72.34 per cent, while
for all occupations in the “ representative group,” the ^average
increase was only 60.87 per cent. Furthermore, in only 15 of the
occupations in this group do the average pay increases from 1915 to
1925 outstrip the 68.4 per cent rise in the cost of living. The in­
creases in wages for the occupations in the “ special group” for the

A

i One of th e lim itations of b o th th e 1915 and th e 1925 d a ta is “ the lack of correlation of titles and duties,
w hich is one of the shortcomings in all cities where th e service has n o t been standardized.”


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

11237]

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

same period were, however, more substantial, namely, about 71 per
cent for patrolmen, 70 per cent for hosemen and laddermen, and
97 per cent for unskilled laborers.
A V E R A G E (W E IG H T E D ) A N N U A L C O M P E N S A T IO N O P A L L C L A SS E S O F M U N IC IP A L
E M P L O Y E E S IN 1925 IN 12 C IT IE S

O ccupation

Per
cent
Average
of
in ­
annual
p ay , 1925 crease
over
1915

Occupation

P er
Average cent
annual, of in ­
pay, 1925 crease
over
1915

R e p r e s e n t a t i v e g r o u p —Con,

R e p r e s e n t a t iv e g r o u p

Oilers................................... ........ $1, 853. 60 125.38
Firemen or stokers...................... 1, 927.14 106. 57
Coal passers_____ _______ ____ 1, 680. 99 102. 54
Hostlers___ ______ _________ 1, 595. 26 9a 40
Enginemen (not in pumping
stations)........................ ....... . 2,.496. 47 62.23
Janitors........................... ............ 1, 481. 78 88.59
Watchmen_________________ 1, 374. 98 87. 41
Painters.___________ _____
2, 206. 33
84.19
Enginemen (in pumping sta­
tions)..__________________ 2, 493. 79 83.44
Rodmen.____ ______________ 1, 677. 03 79.24
Machinists.................................. 1, 942. 20 76.26
Hospital nurses_______ ______ 1; 323. 70 76. 19
Elevator operators______ ___ _ 1, 507. 65 75.96
Apothecaries._____________ _ _ I, 642. 55 72.96
Messengers_________________ 1, 599. 35 69.90
Laboratory assistants................. 1, 256.16 67. 62
Steam engineers, fire service___ 2,434.83 67. 28
Plumbing inspectors..._______ 2, 373. 21 65. 69
Transitmen.............. ................. . 2, 070. 99 61. 33
Elevator inspectors.____ _____ 2, 090. 00 61. 20
Lieutenants, fire service....... ...... 2, 640. 76 60.92
Stenographers_____________ _ 1, 657. 97 59. 98
Sergeants, police......................... 2, 510. 33 59. 00
Food inspectors......................... 1, 982. 44 55. 86
Police matrons______________ _ 1, 279. 10 55. 29
Milk inspectors................... ........ 1, 806. 80 55.15
Blacksmiths................ .............. 1, 954. 57 53.03

Chief civil-service examiners__
Sanitary inspectors___ ______
Draftsmen................ .......... ......
Chauffeurs......... ........................
Electrical inspectors...............
Chemists____ ______ _______
Captains, fire service....______
Building inspectors....................
Bacteriologists........... ................
Detectives.____ ____________ _
Superintendents of police_____
Lieutenants, police__________
Engineers_______ _____ ____
Battalion chiefs, fire._________
Captains, police_____. .. " ____
Deputy chief engineers, fireservice___ _______ _____ ______
Chief engineers, fire service____

$4, 680. 00
52. 94
1, 861.18
52. 07
2, 098. 77
51. 8»
I, 597. 03 ' 51.76
2, 072. 71
50. 73
2, 348. 66
50. 20
2, 867. .65 49.87
2, 221. 72 47. 63
2, 081. 98
44. 77
2, 589. 49
43.16
6, 980. 00
43. 12
2, 900. 23
42. 59
3, 219. 12
40. 94
3. 666. 43
37. 10
3, 484. 95
34.19
4, 847. 72
6, 130. 00

25. 48
20. 88

All classes........................... 2, 251. 05

60. 87

S p e c ia l g ro u p

P a tro lm en ._______________
Hosem en a n d ladderm en __
U nskilled laborers........... .....

2,083.02
2, 021. 97
11, 446. 06

71.19
70. 28
97. 44

A ll groups and classes.

1, 912. 04

72.34

.__________________ I

1D aily rate of $4.62 m ultiplied b y 313.

In general, the lower-paid classes have received the largest pro­
portionate advances. Among the workers whose average wage«
have been increased over 80 per cent since 1915 are oilers, firemen
or stokers, coal passers, hostlers, enginemen (not in pumping station),
and painters.
The percentage increases for the professional and scientific workers
were considerably less, for example, averaging about 40 per cent for
professional engineers; 45 per cent for bacteriologists, and 50 per
cent for chemists.
The increases in the average annual pay of the classes of the
“ representative group” in the decade 1915 do 1925 in the 12 cities
covered were as follows:
Pec cen t

M inneapolis___________ 82.
New Y ork_____________ 63:
P ittsb u rg h ______________ 63.
M ilwaukee_______
61.
D etroit------------------------ 59.
B oston________________ 59.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

18
97
54
29
37
35

P e rc e n t

Buffalo------------------------- 58.
San Francisco__________ 57.
Chicago_________________56.
Philadelphia___________ 56.
Baltim ore______________ 56.
C incinnati______________ 47.

[1238]

69
43
74
70
i8
30

M U N IC IP A L E M P L O Y M E N T 1ST BOSTON

63

In Minneapolis alone does the average pay increase of those in the
“ representative group” exceed the 68.4 per cent rise in the cost of
living from December, 1914, to June, 1925.

Wages and Hours in Municipal Employment in Boston, July 1, 1925

HE accompanying table shows the rates of wages of municipal
employees in Boston as of July 1, 1925. The figures are taken
from a mimeographed report, dated February 20, 1926, issued
by the Massachusetts Department of Labor and Industries. This
report includes wage rates for the municipal employees of 66 cities
and towns of that State.

T

D A IL Y R A T E S OP W A G E S OP B O S T O N M U N IC IP A L E M P L O Y E E S , JU L Y 1, 1925
Occupation
M echanics:
B lacksm iths_________
B ric k la y e rs-......... .......
C arpenters__________
Electricians...................
H orseshoers-.................
M achinists.....................
M aso n s....................
M echanics___________
M eter installers______
M eter repairers______
Painters_____________
Pipe b ra c ers.................
Pipe calkers_________
Pipe fitters.....................
Pipe lay ers....................
P lu m b e rs......................
Sheet-metal w o rk e rs...
Steam fitters.................
Chauffeurs a n d team sters:
A utom obile repairm en
C hauffeurs.....................
S tablem en......................
T eam sters......................
R oad workers:
C urb setters_____ . . . .
Flagstone la y e rs...........
P av ers....................... .....

Occupation

W age rate

$5. .50
5. 50
5. 50
6. 10

5.50
5. 50
7. 00
4. 75
6.00

5. 50
5. 50
6. 50
5. 50
5. 50
5. 50
5. 50
5. 50
5. 50
5.50
1 33. 00
i 30. 00
1 33. 00
4. 50
4. 50
5.00
5.00
5.50

Road workers—Continued:
Rammermen______ _____
Road roller engineers_____
Stone cutters..... .................
Laborers:
Ash collectors___________
Laborers (all classes)______
Sewer cleaners......................
Street sweepers....................
Tree climbers___________
Tree men............... .............
Stationary engineers:
In charge..............................
First class____ ____ _____
Seeond class.........................
Third class............................
Stationary firemen.....................
Oilers..........................................
Other employees (ferry service) :
Dockhands...........................
Gatemen_______________
Quartermasters_____ ____
Tollm en..............................

W age ra te

$S. *3

5. a

5. M
4. 5«
¡4.59

4. 7»
5. 99
4.59
4. 59

5. M

4. 59
5.9»

• 45. 08
» 50.98
7.99
6. 59
5. 59

6.00

5. 5#
6.09

6.09
4. TS

5. 2i

6. 89

6. 59

1 P e r week.

In general, the hours of labor per day from Monday to Friday are
8 and on Saturdays 4, making 44 hours per week. The engineers and
firemen, however, work 8 hours a day for six days. Employees who
are paid by the day receive the full day’s wage for Saturday.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1239]

64

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

Wage Scales in the New York Building Trades

HE following table, furnished by the Building Trades Em­
ployers’ Association of New York City, shows the wage
scales in effect in that city in 1923, 1924, and 1926:

T

W A G E SC A LE S IN E F F E C T IN B U IL D IN G -T R A D E S O C C U P A T IO N S IN N E W Y O R K C IT Y ,
1923, 1924, A N D 1926
Wage rates per day
O ccupation
D ate effective and
period
Art-glass w orkers________ ____ ______ $8. 00-$9. 00
9. 00-10. 00
Asbestos w orkers and insulators_____
Asbestos workers’ and in sulato rs’
7. 00- 8. 00
helpers.
B la ck sm ith s............................ .................
B lacksm iths’ helpers...............................
Blnestone c u tters.......................................
Bluestone cutters’ h e lp e r s ..................
B oilerm akers............... .....................
Boilmakers’ helpers..................................
B ricklayers_______________ _____ ___ 10. 00-12.00
7. 00- 8. 00
B ricklayers’ helpers................................
C abinetm akers (in shops)___________
9.00-10. 00
C arpenters____________ ____________
C em ent m asons____________ ________ 9. 00-10. 00
C em ent and concrete w orkers (la­ 6. 50- 7. 50
borers) .
Composition roofers and waterproofers. 8. 00- 9. 00
D errickm en and rig g e rs...................... .
8. 00- 9. 50
Dock builders (on land w ork).

8. 00- 9. 00

Dock builders, foremen.............
Electrical w orkers............... .......
Electrical w orkers’ helpers___
E levator constructors................
E levator constructors’ helpers.
Engineers, portable, h o istin g ..

9. 00-10. 00
5. 50- 6. 50
9. 00-10. 00
7. 00- 8. 00

Engineers, dock builders......................
Engineers, shovel............ .....................
Engineers, foundation......... ...............
Excavator laborers....... .......... ............
Glaziers______ _____ ___________
Granite cutters___ _______________
Hoisting engineers...... ............... ........
Housesmiths (structural)................ .
Housesmiths (finishers)___________
Housesmiths’ helpers___ ________...
Houseshorers §nd sheath pilers............
Machinists____________ _____ ___
Machinists, foremen....... ......... ...........
Machinists’ helpers....... .....................
Marble cutters and setters......... . . . . . .
Marble carvers___ _______________
Marble polishers, bed rubbers, and
sawyers.
Marble helpers, etc____ __________
Millwrights________ ___ ________
Mosaic and terrazzo workers_______
Mosaic and terrazzo workers’ helpers..
Metallic lathers.... ................................
Painters and decorators.......................
Plasterers______________ ________
Plasterers’ laborers...............................
! Effective M ay 1.
2 Per week.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

9. 00-10. 00

$9.00
10. 50

$ 10.00

8.00

9.00

12.00
12.00

9.00
9.00
12.00

12.00
8.00

10. 50
14.00
9.00
12. 00
12. 00
12. 00

10. 50
10.50
7.50 i( 8:00
8.50
9.50
11.00
/
10.
50
9. 50 1 11. 00
'
11.25
9. 00- i 10. 50
12. 00
'267. 87
71. 50
12. 00
10.00-1 10. so
9. 00
6. 50- i 7. 00
12. 00
10. 50
8. 00- 8. 50
9.00
/ 13.50
\ 14. 00
I267. 87
9 71. 50
2 77. 00
2 71. 50
7. 25
10.00- 310. 50
12. 00

10.00

M ay. 1; for 3 years.
Do.
Apr. 1.
M ar. 1.
Do.
Do.
M ay 1.
M ar. 1.
Apr. 12.
June 1.
Apr. 15.
June 16.
A-pr. 15.
June 16.
M ar. 1.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
M ay 1.
A pr. 15.
June 16.
A pr. 15.
June 1.
A pr. 1.

12.00

9.0010. 00
10.50
9.0010. 00
10. 50
7. 00- 8. 00
8.00
9. 00-10. 00
10. 00- 110. 50

14. 00
12. 00

9. 00
12. 00
12. 00

10. 00- 12. 00

12 . 00

14. 00
9.00
12.00
13. 00

8. 50- 9. .50

9. 50- * 10. 00

11.00

7. 00- 8. 00

8. OO- « 8. 50

9. 00-10. 00
7. 00- 8. 00
9. 00-10. 00
9.00-10. 00

10. 00- « 10. 50
10. 50
10. 50

12. 00

10. 00- 12. 00

12. 00

7. 50- 8. 50

14.00

8. 50

10. 50- 1 11. 00

9. 50
12.00

3 Effective Ju ly 24.
* Effective M ar. 15.

[1240]

Apr. 19.
Do

12.00

11.00

9.00-10. 60

A pr. 13.
M ar. 1.
Do.

8.00

12.00
9.00

12.00

Ju ly 1.
M ar. 1.
Do.
M ar. 23.
M ar. 1.
Do.
Do.
Jan . 1.
Do.
Feb. 18.
A pr. 18.
M ar. 1.
M ar. 18.
Do.
M ar. 1.

Mar. 8.

M ay 1.

8 Effective M ar. 24.
6 Effective Ju ly 1.

WAGES 11ST CLOAK, SUIT, AND SKIRT INDUSTRY

65

W A G E SC A LE S IN E F F E C T IN B U IL D IN G -T R A D E S O C C U P A T IO N S IN N E W Y O R K C IT Y ,
1923, 1924, A N D 1926—C ontinued
Wage rates per day
O ccupation
1923

1924
Amount

Plum bers and gas fitters. . ..........
Roofers and sheet-m etal w orkers.
Slate and tile roofers......................
Steam and ho t w ater fitters____

Steam and hot water fitters’ helpers__
Stonecutters_______ _____ ___ __
Stone planermen_______ ________
Stone bed rubbers, large side_............
Stone bed rubbers, rear side..... .........
Stone, circular, diamond, and gang
sawyers.
*.
Stone crane operators___ ________
Stone hand rubbers and helpers___ ...
Stonemasons........................................
Stonemasons’ helpers____________ _
Stone setters.................... ...................
Tile layers....................................... .
Tile layers’ helpers................... .......
Upholsterers................... ................ ...
Effective Ju ly 1.

. 00 - 10.
. 00 - 10.
. 00- 10.

$10. 50-7 11.00

$ 12. 00

10.50

12.00

12.00

13. 50

9.. 00- 10.
10. 50
12.00
8.50
7. 00- 8. 00
8.00 rI 9.00
9.. 00 - 10.
10.00-* 10. 50-011.00
12.00
.00- 9.
9. 00- « 9. 50-610. 50
.00- 9.
9.00- »9.50
10. 50
.90- 8.
8. 00- » 8. 50
9. 50
.60- 7.
7.45- »7.95
8. 95

11.00

6. 25- 7.10
6.00- 6. 80
10. 00- 12. 00
10.00- 12. 00

9. 00-10. 00
7.00

Effective June 2.

7.10- »7.60
■6.80- »7.30
12.00
12.00

10. 50
8. 00

1Effective A pr. 1.

8.60
8. 30
14.00
9.00
14.00
12.00

9.00
11.75

D ate effective and
period
M ay 1; for 5 years
M ar. 1.
M ar. 25.
M ay 1.
Do.
Jan . 1, 1927.
Jan. 1.
Do.
A pr. 1.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
M ar. 8.
Do.
A pr. 1.
M ar. 1.
Do.
Do.

» Effective June 1.

Wages in the New York Cloak, Suit, and Skirt Industry in 1925

S A result of recommendations made by tlie advisory commission
appointed by tlie Governor of New York in 1924 to consider
matters in controversy in connection with the negotiation of
new collective agreements in the cloak, suit, and skirt industry of
New York City, studies of wage rates and scales and of employment
and earnings in the industry in 1925 have been made by the Bureau
of Research connected with the industry. The data presented in
the published reports of these studies 1 are based on shop pay rolls
obtained from the unemployment insurance fund of the industry, and
are given for the industry as a whole and separately for each of three
groups of shops—shops belonging to members of the American Asso­
ciation, those belonging to members of the Industrial Council, and
independent shops. Tlie first group may be considered as typical
submanufacturing shops and the second as typical “ inside” shops,
while the third comprises both types of shops. “ Inside” manufac­
turers conduct manufacturing operations on their own premises and
sell their products directly to the retailers, while submanufacturers
produce for jobbers or wholesale houses from materials supplied by
the latter and in conformity to styles specified by the wholesaler.

A

Variations in Weekly Wage Rates, by Type of Shop

T H E average wage rates for a full-time normal week of 44 hours
* were found to vary slightly in the different groups of shops,
those in the independent shops being consistently lower than those in
'N e w Y ork. G overnor’s A dvisory Commission, Cloak, Suit, and Skirt In d u stry , N ew Y ork C ity.
Wages and wage scales, 1925; and E m ploym ent and earnings of workers, 1925, both b y M orris K olehin.
New Y ork, [1926].


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66

M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW

either of the other two groups. While the American Association
average wage rates are lower than the Industrial Council rates, the
difference is not so great as between those in association and inde­
pendent shops. The average rate for the industry for the full-time
44-hour week is $49.50 in the coat shops and $42.96 in the skirt shops.
Average weekly wage rates in the various occupations are shown in
the following table, the union minimum wage scale also being shown
for purposes of comparison:
AVERAGE WEEKLY WAGE RATES IN THE CLOA K, SUIT, AND SKIRT INDUSTRY OF
NEW YORK CITY, 1925, BY OCCUPATION AND KIND OF SHOP
Average w eekly wage rates
in —

Occupati®«

T he in d u stry

U nion
IndeAverage m ini­
ber weeklypend-* N um
m um
of
wage
weekly
ent
shops workers
wag«*
rates
scale

A m eri­
d us­
can A s­ Intrial
socia­ Council
tion
shops
shop

C o s t ah o p t

................ ........................ ............
O perators..........
C u tte rs_____ ________________________________
Pressers. _____ ______ ______ ________________
Sample m akers___ _______________
Piece t a i l o r s . . . __________ _ _______________
U nder pressers___________________ __________
Finishers and ta ilo rs_____________ __________
Exam iners and bushelers_____ . . ___________
Finishers’ helpers and b u tto n sew ers_________
M iscellaneous_______ ________ ______ _____ . . .

$50. 72
56.19
51. 94
46.40
41.48
39. 80
42. 06
34. 04
35.00

$57. 97
55.28
50. 19
46. 55
47. 22
42.60
43. 62
35. 00
35. 33
35. 27

$53. 50
54. 97
49. 66
46.10
41. 00
40.90
38. 60
38. 53
32. 51
41. 00

12, 2.32
2,011
4,065
390
165
256
8,834
207
904
19

$56.01
55. 59
51.01
46. 48

240
16
53
118
17

50. 51
53. 94
45. 62
26. 08
34. 84

41. 48
40. 66
39.31
34. 16
37. 32

$50.0«
44.00
4 2 . ea
36.00
43. 00
37.50
41. OS
34.00
32.08

S h ir t s h o p s

O perators. ________ ___
_______ ________
C u tte rs__ . .................. .................. ....................... ..
Pressers____________ . ____________ . . . . . . . .
Finishers____ ______ ______ __________________
M iscellaneous___________ _________ _______ . . .

48. 09
39. 50
38. 00
29. 59

1

The operators, finishers, pressers, and cutters form 93 per cent of
the workers in the coat shops, while the operators and finishers consti­
tute 80.6 per cent of the workers in the skirt shops. The operators
and. cutters receive the highest wage rates in the coat shops, $56.01
and $55.59, respectively. The finishers, who constitute slightly more
than 30 per cent of the coat-shop workers, have an average rate of
$40,66, though the union minimum scale is $41, which may be due
to the fact that a large proportion of these workers are women.
With the exception of the finishers, all other occupations show aver­
age wage rates considerably higher than the union minimum scale.
Taking the different groups of shops separately, all occupations in
the Industrial Council shops have average wage rates above the union
minimum scale, while in the American Association and the independ­
ent shops only the finishers and tailors have average rates below the
union minimum—$1.20 below in the American Association shops and
$2.40 in the independent shops.
The proportion of workers receiving the lower rates of wages is
greater in the skirt shops than in the coat shops, 20.4 per cent in
the skirt shops receiving under $30 per week, while only 2.2 per cent
in the coat shops receive that little. Only 9.2 per cent of the 'work­
ers in the skirt shops receive $60 and over, while 22.3 per cent of the

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WAGES IX CLOAK, S U IT , AND S K IR T IN D U ST R Y

7

67

workers in the coat shops receive that much. There is a larger pro­
portion of workers receiving the highest and lowest wage rates in the
American Association and independent shops than there is in the
Industrial Council shops. The percentage of workers in the industry
and in the separate kinds of shops who receive certain classified wage
rates is shown in the following table:
P E R C E N T O P W O R K E R S IN T H E C LO A K , SU IT , A N D S K IR T IN D U S T R Y OP N E W
Y O R K C IT Y R E C E IV IN G E A C H C L A S S IF IE D W E E K L Y W A G E R A T E , 1925, B Y K IN D
OF SHOP
P er cent of w orkers receiving each classified w eekly
wage rate

Weekly wage rato

Ameri­
can
Associa­
tion
shops

In d u s­
trial
Council
shops

0.9
14. 9:
22. 4
36. 5
21. 2
3. 7
.4

1.9
10; 3
34. 6
34. 6
14. 7
3. 5
.4

U nder $30_______
$30 a nd un d er $40.
$40 a nd u n d er $50.
$50 a nd u n d e r $60.
$60 a nd un d er $70.
$70 and u n d er $80.
$80 and ov er_____

Inde­
pendent
shops
5. 4
16. 8;.
23. 6
35. 0
15. 5
3. 4
.3

T he indu stry
Coat
shops

Skirt
shops

2.2
14. 3
25.7
35.5
18. 2
3.7
.4

20.4
16.4
17 9
36. 1.
8.5
.7

Comparison of Average Wage Rates of Various Occupations in 1924 and 1925

A COMPARISON of average wage rates in the various occupations
in 1924 and 1925 for the American Association and Industrial
Council shops combined show a slight increase in all but three of the
occupations-—operators and under pressers, who received 26 cents

occupations in 1924 and 1925 2 are as folio ws:

Finishers' helpers and button sew ers.____

; rates for the various
1924
$55.
57.
50.
43.
41.
47.
46.
40.
33.

28
24
84
28
00
23
25
94
57

1925
$55.
56.
5-1.
4L
41.
47.
46.
4L
34.

80
98
46
85
23
23
55
14
51

Average Actual Earnings

w

irison between differ---------

~

~ ~

^

v /j

V'

U 'u u

y t c l1 t > v c i I

v n n v i m iu

y

c ti. o j

such wage rates do not show the actual earnings in a seasonal industry
like the cloak, suit, and skirt industry, with its great fluctuation of
employment. A study was therefore made of 416 representative
shops, employing about one-third of the workers in the industry,
which had complete records as to the average weekly hours and
earnings and annual employment and earnings of workers in the
industry. Average weekly hours and earnings for those workers
who during certain weeks performed some work in the shop and for
the full complement of workers whether or not they performed any
work during a week, and equivalent full-time weeks per year per
* T h e d a ta used in th e comparison, are for th e fall season of 1924 and th e spring season of 1925, as pay-roll
data, for th e fall season of 1925 were not th en available, and are for those shops only for w hich such d a ta
were secured for b o th years.


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68

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

worker and annual earnings for the latter group, are shown in the
following table:
A V E R A G E W E E K L Y H O U R S A N D E A R N IN G S , E Q U IV A L E N T F U L L -T IM E W E E K S P E R
Y E A R P E R W O R K E R A N D A V E R A G E E A R N IN G S P E R Y E A R O F W O R K E R S IN T H E
C L O A K , S U IT , A N D S K IR T IN D U S T R Y O F N E W Y O R K C IT Y , 1925, BY K IN D O F SH O P
W orkers actually
employed
K ind of shop

Am erican Association shops________________
In d u strial Council shops___________________
Indep en d en t shops__________ 1________ ____

F u ll com plem ent of workers

E q u iv ­
alent
Average Average Average Average full-tim e
weekly weekly weekly w eekly
weeks
hours earn in g s hours earn in g s per year
per
w orker
29.7
36.5
34.9

$34. 80
41. 50
39.70

22. 7
31.6
29.4

$26. 40
36.00
33. 60

26.8
37.4
34.9

Average
earnings
per year

$1,374. 90
1 ,874. 00
1,750. 00

As will be seen from the table the average weekly hours during
the year for workers in American Association shops while actually
employed were 29.7, and the average weekly earnings w*ere $34.80,
but taking into account the time when workers were unemployed
the average weekly hours in such shops were only 22.7 and the aver­
age weekly earnings $26.40, while for the year an equivalent of
26.8 full-time weeks’ work per worker and average earnings of
$1,374.90 were shown. Comparing the full-time employment in
the various types of shops—37.4 weeks per year in Industrial Council
shops, 26.8 weeks in American Association shops, and 34.9 weeks
in the independent shops—the Industrial Council (inside) shops
provided about 38 per cent more employment than the American
Association (submanufacturing) shops, and the average annual
earnings were almost $500 more.
A comparison of the 1925-data with 1924 data (based on a smaller
number of shops) show's that there was quite a reduction in average
full-time weeks of employment in 1925, with a consequent reduction
in annual earnings, the amounts being as follows:
Inside shops

Average full-tim e weeks of em ploym ent:
1924_____________________________
40. 0
1925_____________________________
37. 4
Average annual earnings:
1924____ ________________________ $2,016.00
1925____ ________________________ $1,874.00

Subm anu­
facturing
shops

31. 5
26. 8
$1,675.00
$1,374.90

Decrease in Real Wages of Agricultural Labor in Porto Rico

r

HE Governor of Porto Pico, in his annual report for the fiscal
year ending June 30, 1925, states that the wnges of agricul­
tural laborers in Porto Rico, have not kept pace with the in­
creased cost of living. Unskilled laborers on the sugar plantations
are receiving wages which are 26.5 per cent higher than those received
10 years ago. The wages of the coffee laborers as well as the tobacco
and fruit workers have increased about 32.3 per cent during the same
length of time. In spite of these wage increases, however, the con­
dition of the farm laborer has not improved, for the cost of living has
increased still more rapidly. In 1915 the daily cost of food in the

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[1244]

69

A G RICULTU RAL W AGES IN CANADA

sugar section was 38.0 cents, whereas it is now 55.4 cents. In the
coffee section also, daily food costs which amounted to 28.7 cents in
1915 are now 39.4 cents. During the last decade therefore the sugar
laborer’s food bill has increased 45.8 per cent while his wages have
increased but 26.5 per cent and the coffee laborer’s wages have in­
creased but 32.3 per cent while his food costs have increased 37.2
per cent.
In some instances the employers furnish the farm laborers with a
house and garden, bananas, coconuts, and other assistance although
it is not shown in the above account. In spite of this, however,
their condition has not improved during the last decade.
Agricultural Wages in Canada, 1923 to 1923

AGES of agricultural laborers in Canada, 1923 to 1925, in­
clusive, are given in the appended table compiled from the
February, 1926, issue of the Monthly Bulletin of Agricul­
tural Statistics published by the Dominion Bureau of Statistics:

W

A V E R A G E W A G E S O F F A R M H E L P , 1923 TO 1925, AS E S T IM A T E D B Y C R O P C O R R E ­
SPONDENTS
M ales, per m onth,
sum m er season

Females, per m onth,
sum m er season

M ales, per year

Females, per year

Province
Wages Board
C anada:
1923______
1924______
1925....... .
Prince E dw ard
Island:
1923...........
1924______
1925______
N ova Scotia:
1923______
1924______
1925______
N ew B r u n s wick:
1923_______
1924______
1925.............
Quebec:
1923______
1924______
1925..............
O ntario:
1923______
1924______
1925______
M anitoba:
1923_______
1924______
1925______
Saskatchew an:
1923_______
1924______
1925......... .
A lberta:
1923______
1924______
1925______
B ritish C olum ­
bia:
1923______
1924______
1 925...........

Wages
Wages
Wages
Wages
and Wages Board and
and Wages Board
and Wages Board
board
board
board
. board

$40
40
40

$21
22
23

$61
62
63

$22
23
22

$17
19
19

$39
42
41

$372
380
383

$239
256
258

$611
636
641

$231
244
244

$191
217
218

$422
461
462

28
28
31

15
15
16

43
43
47

16
16
18

12
12
13

28
28
31

302
261
293

170
180
176

472
441
469

173
178
175

136
145
138

309
323
313

36
36
36

20
19
20

56
55
56

18
17
18

14
13
15

32
30
33

328
356
347

227
215
221

555
571
568

182
189
199

158
147
161

340
336
360

41
35
37

18
18
17

59
53
54

18
16
18

14
15
13

32
31
31

415
332
370

200
206
191

615
538
561

209
172
210

155
160
151

364
332
361

40
37
37

19
19
19

59
56
56

19
18
19

13
13
13

32
31
32

356
332
340

203
189
196

559
521
536

194
185
190

140
132
141

334
317
331

38
36
34

21
21
20

59
57
54

22
21
22

17
17
17

39
38
39

364
345
326

233
234
222

597
579
548

238
225
227

189
188
182

427
413
409

40
37
38

22
22
22

62
59
60

23
21
21

19
19
19

42
40
40

372
341
357

259
251
260

631
592
617

243
222
221

216
208
215

459
430
436

42
43
42

23
23
24

65
66
66

24
24
22

20
20
21

44
44
43

382
394
396

270
269
268

652
063
664

256
253
257

228
234
234

484
487
491

46
42
44

24
24
24

70
66
68

27
24
27

21
21
22

48
45
49

432
389
421

272
276
280

704
665
701

268
253
277

238
241
244

506
494
521

50
49
46

26
26
26

76
75
72

30
28
26

23
22
21

53
50
47

481
500
470

294
305
300

775
805
770

360
332
282

280
252
232

640
584
514


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M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

70

Wages in France in October, 1925 1

N ANNUAL wage study is made by the General Statistical
Bureau of France 2 giving the average wages of certain classes
of workers who are represented in nearly all localities and
which furnish, therefore, uniform elements of comparison. The in­
formation is furnished by officers of trade councils, employers7
organizations, and mayors or other competent persons and is on a
basis comparable with that secured in previous studies.

A

Real Wages

DECAUSE of the depreciation of French currency the most signifi^ cant fact in any statement of wages paid is the effect of such de­
preciation upon the purchasing power of money wages. The fact
that there has been very little change in real wages in France is
brought out in the following comparison of wages and the cost of
living as represented by the cost of board and lodging for an
unmarried worker in the same localities for which data for wage3
were secured and the retail prices of 13 articles of prime necessity.
A V E R A G E D A IL Y W A G E S, C O ST OE B O A R D A N D L O D G IN G , A N D R E T A IL PR TO E 3
OE 13 A R T IC L E S , A N D IN D E X N U M B E R S T H E R E O F IN F R A N C E , 1911, A N D O C T O ­
B E R , 1924, A N D 1925

Item

1911

October,
1924

October,
1925

Index num bers
1911=109
1924

D aily wages:
M en _______________________
W omen __________________
Cos't of board an d lodging per m o n th __________
R etail prices of 13 articles............................ .................

F ran cs

4. 61
2. 29
70, 00

F ran cs

22. 00
11. 36
338. 00

1925

F ran cs

23. 25
12 25
360. 00

477
496
483
422

504
514
465

The index numbers show that the cost of board and lodging had
increased, slightly more in October, 1925, than had the wages of men
as compared with October, 1924, while the cost of the 13 articles
had increased in about the same proportion. These two items are
hardly comparable, however, as the cost of board and lodging of
single workers may represent changes in the standard of living, while
the retail price index, relating as it does to articles of prime necessity
alone, represents the influence of price changes upon the cost of a
fixed standard of living.
1France. M inistère d u T rav ail, etc. B u lletin de là S tatistiq ue Générale de la F rance, January, 1926,
p p . 170-185.
2 See L abor Review M ay , 1925, p p . 88-96 for figures for 1924.


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71

W AGES IN FR A N C E

Money Wages

HPIIE following table gives the daily arid hourly wages in different
occupations in 1911, and October, 1924 and 1925, in Paris and
in other cities and index numbers for 1925, 1911 being taken as 100:
D A IL Y A N D H O U R L Y W A G E S IN F R E N C H C IT IE S IN 1911, A N D O C T O B E R , 1924 A N D
1926, B Y O C C U P A T IO N
P a r is

Average wages
1911

October, 1924

October, 1925

H ourly D aily
rate
rate

H ourly D aily
rate
rate

H ourly D aily
rate
rate

Occupation

Index num bers
for 1925
(1911-100)

H ourly D aily
rate
rate

M a le s
F ra n cs

F ran cs

F ran cs

F ran cs

F ran cs

0. 80
.60
.65
. 75
. 75
.90

7. 20
6.00
6. 50
7.50
7. 50
9.00

36. 40
30. 80

569
641

506
513

4. 50
4. 00
4.00
4. 00
4. 00
4.00
4.00
4. 70
3. 90
4.00

36. 00
32. 00
32. 00
32. 00
32. 00
32.00
32.00
37. 60
31. 20
32. 00

600
533
444

480
427
356

9. 00
8.00
8.00
10.00
8.00
8. 25
7. 00
7.00
9.00
8. 55
7. 60
8.00
7.25
10.80

400
500
421
470
433
485

356
408
400
376
390
388

31.20
36.00
32. 00
30.00
34.00
33. 20
40. (XI
34. 00
34.40

446
400
374
395
425
458
379

7.65

3. 90
4. 50
4.00
3. 75
4. 00
4. 15
5. 00
4. 00
4. 30

557
450
421
469
421
488
417

.90

33. 20
29. 60
28. 00
32.00
32. 00
32.00
30. 00
30. 00
30.00
30.00
36.00
30.00
30. 00
30. 00
28.00
32. 00
32. 00
28.00
30.00
30. 00
40.00
24.00
31.20

4. 55
3.85

1.00
.80
.95
1.00
.90
.825
. 70
.70
1.00
.95
.80
.95
.85
1.20

4.15
3. 70
3. 50
4.00
4.00
4.00
3. 75
3. 75
3. 75
3. 75
4.50
3. 75
3. 75
3. 85
3.50
4.00
4.00
3. 50
3. 75
3. 75
5.00
3.00
3. 90

478

4S0

F ran cs

P rinters—compositors............................
B ookbinders____ __________________
T anners .
______
Tailors........................................................
W ood turners . . . . .
C abinetm akers.......................................
P it saw yers__________ .
C a ro e n te rs....................... ... ..........
Joiners........ ...............................................
P lu m b ers_________ ___________ . . .
B lacksm iths_______________________
Locksm iths_______________________
M etal turners ._ __________________
W atchm akers
Q u a rry m e n .. ________ ____ ______ _
Stone c u tters__________ ______ _ . .
M asons_______ __________________
N avvies____ ____ _________________
T ilers...... ..................................................
H ouse p ain ters__________________
O rnam ental carvers. . _________ .
Brickm akers
Glaziers________________________ . .


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M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW

72

D A IL Y A N D H O U R L Y W A G E S IN F R E N C H C IT IE S IN 1911, A N D O C T O B E R , 1924 A N D
1925, B Y O C C U P A T IO N —C ontinued
C itie s o th e r th a n P a r i s

Average wages
1911

O ccupation

H ourly D aily
rate
rate
M a le s

F ra n cs
4 . 21

October, 1925

H ourly D aily
rate
rate

H ourly D aily
rate
rate

H ourly D aily
rate
rate

F ran cs

F ra n cs

F ran cs

4. 94
4. 67
4.09
4. 26
3.95
4.55
4. 13
3.32
3.64
4. 44
4. 88
4. 48
4. 86
5.06
4. 57
5. 05
4. 70
5. 40
4. 74
4. 92
5. 12
4. 40
5. 04
4. 65
5. 39
5.31
4. 16
5. 11
4. 80
3. 82
5. 05
4. 76
6.39
4. 17
4. 26
4. 72
3. 26

2. 24
2. 75
2. 63
2. 29
2.41
2. 23
2.63
2. 34
2.11
2. 19
2. 56
2. 66
2.62
2. 83
2. 85
2. 51
2. 82
2. 71
2. 80
2. 68
2.75
2. 80
2. 57
2.64
2. 68
2. 84
3.00
2.60
2. 96
2. 80
2. 31
2. 82
2. 73
3. 60
2. 57
2. 40
2.64
1.94

19. 58
22. 40
21. 58
19. 03
20. 40
19.06
22.42
19. 62
17.44
18. 32
21.86
22. 18
22.11
23. 65
23. 46
21.02
23. 92
22.86
23. 32
22. 44
23. 10
23. 5S
21.92
22. 14
22. 62
23.63
24. 83
21.87
24. 94
23. 74
19. 66
23. 92
22. 86
29. 53
22. 18
20.00
22. 20
16. 42

2. 47
2.98
- 2.84
2.59
2. 60
2. 47
2. 78
2. 57
2.26
2. 42
2.82
2. 89
2. 77
3. 05
2.98
2. 62
3. 03
2. 90
3.03
2. 83
2.90
2. 92
2. 78
2. 79
2.81
2. 93
3.08
2. 72
3.18
2. 98
2. 47
3. 05
2. 87
3. 78
2. 56
2. 53
2. 82
2.08

21. 23
24. 15
23. 12
21. 52
21.80
20. 75
23. 25
21.40
18. 45
19. 90
23. 62
23. 90
23.05
24. 65
24. 46
23. 00
25. 38
24. 30
24.80
23. 30
24.23
24. 38
23. 40
23. 13
23. 25
24.20
25. 43
22. 85
26. 73
25. 15
20. 67
25. 70
24. 15
30. 95
21. 65
21.03
23. 38
17. 60

618
596
661
647
619
650
632
612
646
637
656
578
629
622
584
582
594
617
572
602
592
584
632
558
611
553
560
647
611
608
633
586
586
581
624
602
576
630

504
489
495
526
512
525
511
518
556
547
532
490
514
507
483
503
502
517
459
491
492
476
532
459
500
449
479
549
523
524
541
509
507
484
519
493
495
540

.46

4. 61

2. 62

22.00

2. 79

23. 25

607

504

Iro n e rs........ ............................. ................
D ressm akers___________ ___________
Seamstresses______________________
W aistcoat m akers_________ ___ ___ _
Lace m ak ers_________ ____ ________
E m broiderers........................... ................
M illiners.....................................................

.22
.23
.21
.25
.22
.25
.25

2.15
2. 28
2.08
2.50
2. 13
2. 44
2. 48

1.45
1.34
1.27
1.44
1.34
1.43
1.37

11. 78
11. 10
10.42
12. 10
11. 10
11. 73
11.33

1. 51
1.50
1.41
1. 52
1.52
1. 56
1. 52

12. 22
12. 12
11. 65
12. 55
11.82
12. 80
12. 55

686
652
671
608
691
624
608

568
532
560
502
555
525
506

Average, all female em ployees..

.23

2. 29

1.38

11. 36

1.51

12.24

656

535

Brewers_____________
__
Printers—compositors-_____________
B ookbinders_______ _____ _________
T anners____ ____ ____ _____ ______ _
Saddlers—harness m akers....................
Shoem akers._________ ____________
Tailors......................... j;___________
D yers—scourers.______ _______ _
W eavers__ _____ _____ _______ _____
R ope m akers______________________
W heel w rights........ .........; ________ . . . .
W ood t u r n e r s ...________________ _
Coopers______________
....
C abinetm akers............. ...............
U pholsterers______ . . . . ______ _____
P it s a w y e rs ._________ ____________
C arpenters___________
:...
Joiners J________ _____ ________ ____
C oppersm iths.................____________
T in s m ith s .._________ ____ ________
P lum b ers-------------------------------------B la c k s m ith s ...........................................
F arriers______ - ......................................
Storem akers-------------------- ------------L ocksm iths----------------- : . . . ------------M etal tu rn e rs....................................... .
W atchm akers------------------------- -----Q uarrym en_______________ ________
S to n e c u tte rs_____________ _____ ___
M asons________________ ______ ____
N avvies_____ ______ ______ ________
T ilers______________________ ______
H ouse painters-------------- --------- -----O rnam ental carv ers--------------- -------B rickm ak ers._____________ ________
P o tters__________________ _________
Glaziers________ __________________
L a b o re rs................ ................
Average, all m ale em p lo y ees.. .

F ran cs

October, 1924

Index num bers
for 1925
(1911=100)

0.40
.50
.43
.40
.42
.38
.44
.42
.35
.38
.43
. 50
.44
.49
.51
.45
. 51
.47
.53
.47
.49
. 50
.44
.50
.46
.53
.55
.42
.52
.49
.39
.52
.49
.65
.41
.42
.49
.33

F ran cs

F e m a le s

Wages in Honduras and Jamaica
REPORT from the American consul at Puerto Cortes, Hon­
duras, contains an account of the labor conditions and wages
of agricultural workers in that country. Wages paid to
banana loaders vary from 25 cents per hour during the day to 35
cents for night work. Cane cutters receive from 60 to 75 cents per
ton of cane cut. I t is stated that the rate for this work has recently
been reduced, due to the low price of sugar in the world market.
Unskilled agricultural and industrial labor may be had in compara­
tive abundance, as well as semiskilled or clerical labor, but very

A


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[1248]

73

WAGES IN MADRID, SP A IN

little skilled labor is available in Honduras. For native clerical
work approximately $50 per month is paid, while foreign clerks
receive from $150 to $250 monthly.
In 1925 agricultural workers in Jamaica received an average wage
of 50 cents a day according to a report from the American consul at
Kingston, Jamaica, dated March 15, 1926. Domestic servants in
Jamaica were paid from $2.00 to $4.50 a week including in some in­
stances lodging and board while in others only lodging. Male
workers in manufacturing industries received $1.50 per day while
female workers received from $2 to $6 a week. Dock laborers
earned $1.75 a day and construction laborers’ wages varied from
$1.25 to $2.25 per day.
Wages in Madrid, Spain, 1914 and 1924
HE Spanish Statistical Yearbook 1 contains the following table
showing the average daily wages and hours of labor in Madrid,
Spain, for the-years 1914 and 1924, in specified industries
and occupations:

T

A V E R A G E D A IL Y W A G E S A N D H O U R S O F LA B O R IN M A D R ID , S P A IN , IN 1914 A N D
1924, B Y O C C U P A T IO N
[Peseta at par=19.3 cents; average exchange rate for th e year 1924 was 13.3 eents]
1914
In d u stry and occupation

Average
daily wage

M etallurgical industry:
Locksm iths (artistic w o rk )______________________
F itters and turners _ _____ ________ _____ _____
S o ld e re rs________ _____ __ _____ _____________
Braziers . _ ______ ________ ___________ _____
Bronze w orkers______________ _____ ________ ____
S ilversm iths______ _____ _____ _______ ____ ___
Engravers _ . __ _ ______________________
__ ______________ ________
M etal polishers.
Blacksm iths
.... ................. ....... .......................
M olders, iron and m e t a l ________________________
C onstruction industry:
Bricklayers
..................................................................
Pavem ent layers_______________________________
M osaic w orkers _................- _________ ____________
Tile layers
______
__________ ___
O rnam ental scu lp to rs___ ____ ___________________
Stucco plasterers_________ ________ - . . __ H ydraulic engineers and glaziers___ _ __________
Gas and electric w orkers____ _________________ __
M arble setters_______! _______ _________________
Stove m akers _ _
__________________________
Painters-decorators_____________________________
S ew erm en ______ ___ __________________________
T ile m akers
_ . .............................. ...........................
C arpenters
_ ___________________________
P rin tin g in d u stry (book):
M achin ists.. __________________________________
M arkers
________ ________ _____ ___________
Stereotypers
....................................... .................. .....
Platen pressm en___ ________ ____ _______________
Proof readers
____________________________
Lithographers
. . ____________ ____ ________
Food industry: Bakers _ _ ______________________
0 In w inter.

4 In sum m er.

1 Spain. M inisterio de T rabajo , Comercio e In d u stria .
estadístico de E sp añ a, 1923-24, M ad rid , 1925, p. 446.

98397°—26----- 6

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1249]

1924
Average
hours
per day

Average
daily wage

Average
hours
per day

P e s e ta s

P e s e ta s

4. 004. 004. 004. 004. 00-

6. 00
6. 00
6. 00
5. 00
6. 00
7. 00
8. 00-10. 00
7.00
4. 00- 8. 00
5. 00- 7. 00

9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
10
9

11.00
9. 00-14. 00
8. 00-12. 00
8. 00-12. 00
11. 00
9. 00-10. 00
15. 00-20. 00
9. 00-10. 00
4. 00- 8. 00
11.00

S
s
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8

4. 50- 5. 00
6. OO- 6. 50
3. 50
4. 50
9. 50-10. 00
6. 00
4. 50- 5. 00
6. 50
4. 50- 5. 00
5. 00- 8. 00
4.35
4. 50
3.00
4. 50- 5.00

<*8 - b 9
8
9
8
8
8
9
9
8
9
8
8
11
9

10. 00
15. 20
9.75
12.00
16. 00
12. 50
10. 75
10. 00
12.50
9.50
12. 50
11.00
6. SO
11. 00-14. 00

8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8

6.50
3. 50
4.50
4. 50
5.00
8. 00-10. 00
6. 00- 7. 50

9
9
9
9
9
9

11.00
9.00
9. 50
12. 25
14. 50
13. 00-25. 00
9. 50-11. 50

8
8
8
8
8
8
6-8

(•)

« N o specified hours.
Jefatu ra Superior de E stad ística.

A nuario

P R O D U C T IV IT Y O F LA B O R

Coal Shoveled by Railroad Firemen in Road Service

HE monthly reports of the Interstate Commerce Commission,
covering wages and operation of Class I railroads in the United
States, furnish data for computing the amount of coal it is
necessary for a fireman in road service to shovel in operating a loco­
motive. According to computations made from the reports for
January, 1926, road freight firemen in the eastern district averaged
263.7 pounds of coal per locomotive mile or 7.6 tons per average day.
In the southern district, the averages were 270.3 pounds and 7.8 tons,
respectively. In both districts combined, they averaged 266 pounds
of coal per locomotive mile and 7.7 tons per day. Owing to the large
number of oil-burning locomotives used in the western territory, that
district would not be representative of the work done by firemen and
has not been included in the computations. Road passenger firemen
in the eastern district averaged 114.8 pounds of coal per locomotive
mile, 119 pounds in the southern district and 116.2 pounds in both
districts combined. While the averages per mile for road passenger
firemen are much less than those for firemen in freight service, the
amount shoveled per day is approximately the same or 7.3 tons in the
eastern, 7.5 tons in the southern, and 7.3 tons in both districts com­
bined.

T

Average Daily Output of Coal Miners in the Ruhr, Silesia, and Saxony

HE average daily output of coal miners in the Ruhr, Upper and
Lower Silesia, and Saxony is given, by months, in 1925 as com­
pared with the average output in 1913, in the Revue de l’Indus­
trie Minérale, Paris, April 1, 1926 (p. 108). An increase in output
in the latter part of 1925 is shown for all the localities except Saxony,
where the output of the underground workers in November, 1925,
is about 85 per cent of the pre-war average.

T

74


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[1250]

75

OUTPUT IN' BELG IA N COAL M IN E S AND COKE OVENS

A V E R A G E D A IL Y O U T P U T O F U N D E R G R O U N D A N D O F U N D E R G R O U N D A N D S U R ­
F A C E W O R K E R S IN C O A L M IN E S O F T H E R U H R , U P P E R A N D L O W E R S IL E S IA ,
A N D SA X O N Y IN 1913 A N D 1925
[T ons of 2,000 pounds]
U pper Silesia

R uhr

Y ear and m o n th

Low er Silesia

Saxony

U nderground
w orkers

U nderground
and sur­
face
workers

U nderground
workers

U nderground
and sur­
face
workers

U nderground
w orkers

U nderground
and sur­
face
w orkers

U nderground
w orkers

U nderground
and sur­
face
workers

Tons

Tons

Tons

Tons

Tons

Tons

Tons

Tom

Average, 1913.

1. 28

1.03

1.80

1. 26

1.02

0. 74

1.01

0. 78

1925
J a n u a ry .......................
F e b ru a ry . ...................
M arch ............ ..............
A pril_____ _______
M a y ................... ...........
J u n e . ................. ...........
J u l y ____
A ug u st....... ..................
Septem ber_______
October___ _________
N o v e m b e r.________
D ecem ber__________

1. 23
1.24
1. 24
1.23
1. 26
1. 27
1.30
1. 33
1. 36
1. 36
1.39

.99
.99
.99
.99
1.00
1. 02
1.04
1.07
1. 09
1. 10
1. 13

1. 56
1. 62
1. 65
1. 63
1.66
1. 71
1. 78
I. 86
1. 85
1. 84
1,83

1. 13
1.16
1.19
1.16
1.18
1. 22
1. 29
1. 36
1. 37
1. 38
1. 37

.95
.95
.96
.96
.96
.98
1.01
1.01
1.02
1.05
1.07

. 69
.69
.70
.70
. 70
.71
. 73
.73

.81
.81
.81
.81. 83
.84
. 87
. 85
. 87
. 87
.86

.60
.00
. 60
. 59
. 59
. 60
. 03
. 02
. (>4
. 0,5
. 05

. 77
.79

Produdhon and Per Capita Output in Belgian Coal Mines and Coke
Ovens

HE Revue du Travail (Brussels), February, 1926, contains data
(pp. 183-185) concerning the operation and output of Belgian
coal mines and coke ovens, from which the following table is
taken:

T

T O T A L P R O D U C T IO N A N D O U T P U T P E R W O R K E R IN B E L G IA N GOAL M IN E S A N D
C O K E O V E N S, 1913, A N D 1922 TO 1925
[M etric tons converted to tons of 2,000 pounds]
M o nthly average
item
1913

1922

1923

1924

1925

C o a l m in e s

T otal production (to n s)_____________ - , .......... _
2,: 098.184 1, 950, 535 2,105, 018 2,144, 780
T otal num b er of days of operation______ _ _______
24
24
24
23
T otal num b er of days w orked .
3, 624, 402 3,805, 461 3, 991,620 4, 209, 161
T otal num ber of w orkers (underground and surface)
169, 518
146, 084
153, 003
159, 912
O u tp u t (tons) per w orker per day:
W orkers a t th e seam ............................................
3. 69
3.48
3.87
3 .87
U nderground w orkers (including w orkers a t the
seam) _____________ _ ___ ________ .
.74
.81
.76
.78
U nderground and surface workers _ ................... .
. 53
.58
. 51»
.51

2,124,970
24
4, 027, 654
161,868
3.96
.73
.53

C oke ovens

T otal production (to n s)____________ _________
Average n um ber of workers _
_______
Average m o n th ly o u tp u t (tons) per w o rk er________


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

323, 613
4. 229
76. 5

[1251]

248, 705
3, 631
68.5

381, 799
5,106
74.8

382, 112
5, 384
1.0

377,381
5, 345
70.6

W O M EN IN IN D U STR Y

International Statistics of Gainfully Engaged Women

HE following statistics regarding gainfully engaged women in
various countries are taken from Chapter II of Volume II of
Wl. Woytinsky’s recent compilation entitled “ Die Welt in
Zahlen” 1 (the World in Figures). A summary of the contents of
Chapter I of this volume, dealing with the composition of the work­
ing population in various countries, was given in the May, 1926, issue
of the L a b o r R e v i e w . The sources used by the author in compiling
the data for gainfully engaged women are the same as given in that
summary.

T

Numerical Strength of Gainfully Engaged Women

TAN THE basis of the latest industrial censuses (1906 to 1911), of
^
the more recent general population censuses, and of his own
computations the author has compiled a table showing, for most of
the European countries and for the United States, British India,
South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, the number of gainfully
engaged persons of both sexes, the per cent of male and female persons
gainfully engaged, and the per cent which female persons form of all
gainfully engaged persons. This table is reproduced here as Table 1.
In considering the statistics for women, it is to be remembered
that in all cases housekeepers at home are excluded, the term “ gain­
fully engaged” being restricted to those who are working for definite
remuneration.
It is also to be noted that international comparisons such as are here
attempted are subject to a considerable margin of error, owing to the
differences in methods, dates, and accuracy of the censuses and sur­
veys made in different countries. Some of these difficulties are
pointed out in the text. In spite of known errors, however, the
statistics here compiled are of interest and value.
1 W oytinsky, Wl.

Die W elt in Zahlen.

76
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Zweites Buch: Die A rbeit.

[1252]

B erlin, R udolf Mosse, 1926.

G A IN FU L L Y ENGAGED W O M E N

77

T able 1 .—N U M E R IC A L S T R E N G T H O F M A L E A N D F E M A L E G A IN F U L L Y E N G A G E D
P O P U L A T IO N O F V A R IO U S C O U N T R IE S

T otal population

C ou n try

Y ear
of
gen­
eral
cen­
sus

R ussia__________________ 1897
G e r m a n y ............................. 1907
U920
E ngland and W ales--------- 1911
1921
S cotland................................. 1911
1911
Ir e la n d ............................ .
F rance....................... ............. 1911
Ita ly ........................................ 1911
S p a i n .................................... 1910
C zechoslovakia--------------- 1920
H ungary (pre-w ar)............. 1910
P o rtu g al.............. .................. 1910
B elgium ________________ 1910
N e therlan d s......... .............. . 1909
A ustria (pre-w ar)________ 1910
Sw eden........ .................. ....... 1910
G reece__________________ 1907
B ulgaria________ _______ 1910
Sw itzerland........................... 1910
1920
Finland... ............................ 1910
1920
D e n m ark ............................... 1911
1921
N orw ay _____________ . . 1910
1920
U nited S tates....................... 1910
1920
B ritish In d ia ____________ 1920
South A frica____________ 1911
A ustralia________________ 1911
1921
N ew Zealand....... ................ 1911

G ainfully engaged
population

M ales

Fem ales

M ales

62, 477,000
30, 461, 000
28, 779,000
17, 446, 000
18, 082, 000
2, 309, 000
2,192, 000
19, 254, 000
17, 022, 000
9, 778,000
6, 559,000
10, 345, 000
2, 829, 000
3, 681,000
2. 899, 000
14. 032, 000
2, 699, 000
1,325, 000
2,207, 000
1,846, 000
1,871,000
1, 434, 000
1,660, 000
1,338, 000
1, 592, 000
1,123, 000
1, 290,000
47,332, 000
53, 900, 000
164,156, 000
3,069, 000
2, 313, 000
2, 763, 000
532,000

63,163,000
31,259,000
31, 633,000
18, 625, 000
19, 803, 000
2,452, 000
2,198, 000
19,938, 000
17, 650,000
10, 273, 000
7, 653,000
10, 541,000
3, 131, 000
3, 743, 000
2, 959,000
14, 539, 000
2, 824, 000
1,307, 000
2,131, 000
1,908, 000
2, 009, 000
1. 488,000
1, 705, 000
1,419, 000
1,676, 000
1, 235, 000
1.359, 000
44, 640, 000
51,810,000
155,019, 000
2, 904, 000
2,142, 000
2, 673, 000
477,000

25, 995,000
18, 599,000
22, 297,000
11.443, 000
12,113,000
1, 474, 000
1, 378, 000
13,212,000
11,249,000
6,494, 000
4, 546, 000
6, 627,000
1, 943, 000
2, 230, 000
1, 721, 000
8, 633,000
1, 587, 000
679, 000
1, 300, 000
1,198, 000
1, 261, 000
799,000
873,000
829,000
1,026, 000
630, 000
803, 000
30, 092, 000
33, 065, 000
100, 610, 000
1,956, 000
1, 767, 000
1,853, 000
364, 000

P er cent of
gainfully
engaged—

Per cent
of
females
of
F e­
M ales males gainfully
engaged
Fem ales toofta l of
to tal popula­
tion
males fe­
males

5,276,000
9, 493, 000
11, 587, 000
4, 831, 000
5,065, 000
593, 000
428, 000
7, 719, 000
5,121,000
1,014, 000
1,970, 000
2,118, 000
799, 000
890, 000
541, 000
6,318, 000
612, 000
57,000
949, 000
561,000
591,000
454,000
562, 000
371, 000
498,000
285, 000
332, 000
8, 076, 000
8, 549, 000
45, 804, 000
1,774, 000
395, 000
464, 000
90,000

41.4
61. 1
77. 5
65. 6
67.0
63.8
63. 3
68.7
66. 1
66.4
69.3
64. 1
68.7
60. 6
59. 4
61. 5
58.8
51. 2
58. 9
64. 4
67. 5
55. 7
52.4
61.9
65. 6
56. 1
62. 2
63. 6
61. 3
61. 0
63. 7
76. 4
67. 1
68.4

8.4
30.4
36. 6
25.9
25. 6
24. 2
19. 6
38. 7
29.0
9.9
27. 9
20. 1
25. 2
23. 8
18.3
43. 5
21. 7
4.4
44. 5
29.4
29. 4
30.5
33. 5
26. 1
29. 6
23. 1
24.4
18. 1
16. 5
29. 6
61. 1
18. 4
17. 4
18. 9

16.9
33.8
34.2
29.7
29.5
28.7
23.7
36.9
31.3
13.5
30.2
24.2
29. 1
26.8
23.9
42.2
26.0
7.7
42.2
31.9
31.9
36.2
39.2
30.9
32.7
31.2
29.3
21.2
20.5
31.3
47.6
18.3
20.0
19.9

i T h e figures showing th e to ta l population are based on th e general population census of Oct. 6, 1919;
those showing th e gainfully engaged population are based on estim ates of th e G erm an Federal Statistical
office. T h e high percentage of gainfully engaged persons, as com pared w ith 1907, is due to th e fact th a t
their determ ination for 1920 was based on principles differing from those followed in 1907.

It is seen that the percentage of women who are gainfully engaged
varies greatly from country to country, ranging between 4.4 (Greece)
and 61.1 per cent (South Africa, including native labor). In Europe
the countries having the highest percentage of gainfully engaged
women are, in the order named, Bulgaria (44.5), pre-war Austria
(43.5) , France (38.7), Germany (36.6), and Finland (33.5). In the
United States only 16.5 per cent of the female population is gain­
fully engaged.
The percentage which women form of the total gainfully engaged
population also varies greatly. I t is the highest in South Africa
(47.6) and lowest in Greece (7.7). In the large European industrial
countries women generally form between 30 and 37 per cent of the
gainfully engaged population, and in the United States 20.5 per cent.
Distribution by Principal Occupations

2 shows the percentage distribution of gainfully engaged
women among the great occupational groups for most of the
European countries, the United States, British India, South Africa,
Australia, and New Zealand.

"T A B L E


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M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW

78
T a b i .k 2.— PE-RCENTAG-E

C ou n try

D ISTR IB U TIO N OB G A IN FU LLY E N G A G ED W OM EN, BY
O C C U P A T IO N A L G R O U P S

Year
of
Agri­
cen­ cu ltu re
sus

R ussia ............... ............................. 1897
G e rm a n y _____________________ 1907
1921
E ngland a n d W ales___________ 1911
Scotland____ _________________ 1911
Ireland _ _____________ ______ - 1911
F rance_______________ _____ __ 1900
I t a l y ................................................ 1911
A ustria (pre-w ar)_____ ____ ___ 1910
H ungary~(pre-w ar)_____. . . - ___ 1910
C zechoslo vab ia. .............................. 1921
B elgium ______________________ 1910
N etherlands _______________ 1909
P o rtu g a l__ ____ _______ _______ 1910
...... __ 1910
Sw eden.....................
G reece........ ................... .......
1907
B ulgaria
1910
Sw itzerland....................... .............. 1910
1920
F in lan d _____________________
1920
D e n m ark _____________________ 1911
1921
N orw ay________ ___ ______ ___ 1910
1920
U nited S tates_______ ________ _ 1910
1920
B ritish In d ia .......................... ......... 1920
S outh Africa............... ...................... 1911
A ustralia.._____ _____ _________ 1911
1921
N ew Z e a la n d .._______________ 1911

37.8
48. 4
44.5
1.9
5. 6
13. 8
43.3
58.1
59. 5
56. 6
35.1
8.7
20. 8
41. 8
30. 0
12. 3
93. 4
15. 6
16. 5
76. 7
23.8
14.0
18.4
17.2
22. 4
12.7
73. 7
62.3
4.0
2.1
8.3

Com­
I n d u s - . merce
and
try
tra n s­
port

19.6
22. 2
21.6
50.9
53.0
41. 5
32.7
27. 0
12. 4
11.5
21. 5
46. 3
20. 7
2 23. 5
10.0
1 35.2
2.1
41. 5
44.8
9. 0
14.3
13.3
25.0
18.7
“ 30.6
22.6
11.2
.9
27. 5
25. 7
22.0

3.9
9. 8
9.5
3.1
6.4
2.3
10.1
4.2
7.5
2.9
5.9
16. 8
11. 1
5.2
14.0
18.0
5. 0
8.9
10.6
11. 5
18.4
10.3
5.7
.¿
14. Ó
18.8
15.5

Miscel­
laneous
occu­
Public
D o­
pations
All
service mestic
and
occu­
a nd pro­ service
w
ithout
pations
fessions
specified
occu­
pation
3.8
3. 0
2.9
8. 2
6. 9
8. 7
3. 8
3.1
1 14. 4
2.6
3.8
4.7
7.7
1.3
4.0
8. 8
.8
5.6
9.3
4. 8
4. 7
6.0
5.9
6.6
19. 2
28.8
.9
1.0
13.4
17.1
14.3

30.3
13. 2
3.3
35. 9
28.1
33.7
10.1
7. 6
6. 2
16.2
12.2
18. 0
39. 7
16. 0
22. 2
35. 2
2 4
16. 5
8 3. 6
28.9
34.9
38. 2
28.9
18. 6
25. 6
1.8
34. 4
38.8
34. 5
37.0

4.4
3.4
18.2

10.2
21. 7
5. 0
17. 4
28.7
1 3
6.8
8.0
19.4
21.3
1.0
10. 5
6. 7
1.0
2.3
1. 7
2.9

100
100
100
100
100
100
too
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100

too

100
100
100
100

too
too

!T h is figure is n o t com parable w ith th e figures for other countries in th is column, because th e A ustrian
statistics include here female d a y laborers, w ho in other countries are enum erated either as dom estic serv­
ants or un d er th e occupational group to w hich th e establishm ent belongs in w hich th e y are employed,
in c lu d e s commerce and transport.
5T h e n um ber of domestic servants is given too low, because th e m ajority of th e w omen em ployed in
dom estic service w ere enum erated in th e occupational group of th eir employer.

In explanation of Table 2 it should be noted that the occupational
group headings do not have exactly the same meanings in all the
countries. Thus several countries enumerate all servants under a
special group; others enumerate them in accordance with the vocation
of the employer under other group headings. Most countries
enumerate persons employed in transportation with those employed
in commerce, but a few (Portugal, Greece) enumerate transport
workers with the industrial workers. Public service and the pro­
fessions are not always grouped alike. Finally there are countries
which enumerate unskilled laborers with domestic servants.
That the percentage of women engaged in agriculture varies so
greatly from country to country is due in part to the fact that the
censuses do not enumerate gainfully engaged women in a like manner.
In industry the percentage varies considerably less. A noteworthy
fact is the great increase in the percentage of women engaged in
public service and the professions in the United States in 1920 as
compared with 1910. The percentage of women engaged in domestic
service in Germany in 1921 shows a marked decrease as compared
with 1907 because the general impoverishment of the middle classes

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G A IN FU L L Y ENGAGED W O M E N

79

made it impossible for them to keep servants in. postwar years. In
the United States, on the other hand, the percentage of women in
domestic service has increased considerably in postwar time.
Table 3 shows how many of every 100 persons (of both sexes)
gainfully engaged in each of the principal occupational groups and
in all occupational groups combined are women.
T vble a .—p e r

cent

w om en

fo rm

of

g a in f u l l y

engaged

perso ns

in

P R IN C IP A L O C C U P A T IO N A L G R O U P S , BY O O U N T R lr

C ountry

R u s s ia .- -.........................
G erm any _____ ____ __
E ngland and W ales---Scotland _ ..............__
Ireland _ __________
France
Ita ly
A ustria (pre-war) ___
H ungary (pre-w ar)____
Czechoslovakia_______
B elgium . ___________
N etherlan d s__________
Portugal
Sw eden. __________
Greece -B ulgaria___________
Sw itzerland.......... ...........
F inland
D e n m ark ..................... _.
N orw ay ............................
U nited States
B ritish In d ia _____ -.
South A frica_____ - .
A u stra lia .....................
N ew Z e a la n d ...............

Com­
Public
service D om estic
merce
Y e ar of Agricul­ In d u stry
and
and pro­ service
ture
census
tra n s p o rt fessions

1897
1907
1921
1911
1911
1911
1906
1911
1910
1910
1921
1910
1909
1910
1910
1907
1910
1910
1920
1920
1911
1921
1910
1920
1910
1920
1920
1911
1911
1921
1911

i See note 1, T ab le 2, p. 78.

11. 5
48.2
7.5
14. 7
7.5
48. G
33. 0
50. 5
22, 7
31.3
14.8
17.5
23. 2
25.7
2. 1
48. 3
21.1
20.2
42. 8
21.5
14.5
17. 2
14.5
14. 4
10.0
31.8
50. 6
2. 7
1. 7
6.8

20.4
18. 7
19. 3
25. 9
25. 6
29. 1
34. 9
31. 1
24. 7
16.8
21. 0
26. 2
14.5
3 23. 9
15.0
2 8. 6
u. i
33. 4
32. 0
26. 9
22.3
18. 0
24. 5
20. 0
5 16. 5
13.9
32. 7
2. 8
19. 3
16. 4
14. 9

9.7
26.8
27. 7
6.8
13. 4
8. S
37.7
14. 5
34.3
16. 1
21.0
27.5
14.3
19.0
36.4
25.8
30. 2
22.7
23.3
40. 0
28.9
12. 1
26. 7
5. 6
12. 4
15. 5
13.7

J See note 2, T able 2, p. 78.

9.8
16. 6
18. 1
32.6
31. 7
26. 6
18. 0
24. 4
i 45. 0
21. 5
29. 0
29.3
22. 5
17. 5
32.0
11. 4
8. 9
37.1
29. 0
35. 8
30.0
31. 2
38. 6
40. 7
37. 7
40.8
13. 2
24. 2
36. 7
39. 4
39. 4

50.2
98.8
68. 2
81.7
82. 1
84. 9
81. 7
72. 9
96. 2
92.8
87.4
78.0
95. 8
81. 0
68. 1
62. 5
.0
92. 2
3 84.4
3 40. 3
90.0
96. 1
98. 2
99. 0
84. 1
64. 2
32. 5
82. 9
76. 0
76. 0
77.0

100

M iscel­
laneous
occupa­
tions and A ll occu­
w ithout pations
specified
occupa­
tion
51. 3
68. 0
54.2

41.6
62.3
25. 0
.2
57. 9
64.5
25.8
66. 7
65.8
58. 1
56. 1
60. 0
53.0
40.0
51. 7
39. 5
38. 1
15. 9

10.9
33. 8
34.2
29.7
28.7
23.7
37.1
31. 3
46.1
25.0
30. 2
20.8
23.9
29. 1
26.0
7.7
42.2
33.9
31.9
39. 2
30. 9
32.7
31.2
29.3
21.2
29.6
31.3
47.6
13.3
20.0
19.9

5 See note 3 ,‘T able 2, p. 78.

According to Table 3 the ner cent which women form of all persons
gainfully engaged in agriculture varies much more in the different
countries than the per cent they form of persons engaged in industry.
In most of the countries for which pre-war and post-war data are
available the post-war data indicate a decrease in the per cent which
women form of the persons engaged in agriculture. A noteworthy
fact made evident by Table 3 is the great numerical predominance
of women in domestic service. In India, however, there are nearly
twice as many male as female domestic servants. In most European
countries women form about 30 per cent of the entire gainfully en­
gaged population, the most notable exception being Austria (pre-war)
with 45.1 per cent. In the United States they form only 20.6 per
cent of the gainfully engaged population.


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M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW

Effects of New Inventions Upon the Field of Women’s
Employment

HE Women’s Bureau of the United States Department of Labor
has recently issued a report (Bulletin No. 50) dealing with the
changing opportunities for the employment of women as a re­
sult of industrial research.

T

The usual objective in applying the results of such research is to reduce costs,
increase production, and create new products or forms of service. When th e
objective is achieved, the em ploym ent opportunities of men or women or both are
affected.

Among the applications of research which affect the employment of
women are cited the utilization of hitherto dormant resources, the
development of new raw materials, the invention of new products and
new methods of communication, changes in method which reduce
excessive labor and hazard and improAm working conditions, “ thus
reducing the number of occupations from which women rightly are
debarred because of the physical strain involved,” the increase in
transportation facilities, and the calculating and recording inventions
and the new commercial inventions brought into existence to keep
distribution and accounting abreast with expanding industry.
As an instance of the development of new raw materials the report
cites the discovery of how to produce from wood pulp, cotton waste,
and other materials a viscose substance somewhat akin to the silk­
worm’s secretions, and the further discovery of how to spin this
substance into the fine filaments which are the basis of artificial silk,
or rayon. This has not only created an entirely new industry
peculiarly adapted to women, but has added a new field to the textile
industry, in which women have always been employed. A someAvhat
similar development is found in the case of perfumes. “ Within the
past decade, chemical research has discovered how to extract and to
build up the perfumes of a thousand blooms and the flavors of acres of
orchards from lumps of soft coal, which are but the residue of long
dead forests and of millions upon millions of buried blooms.” This
industry is of such recent growth that the number and distribution of
its workers is not known, but women are employed in it and it is known
to be increasing rapidly in importance.
The effect of new inventions upon the field of women’s employment
is seen especially in the developments which followed the introduction
of the typewriter, the telephone, and the radio. Not only are women
employed in the actual operation of these to such an extent that
typewriting and telephone operating are looked upon as distinctively
feminine occupations, but they are largely employed in the manu­
facture of the various instruments used, and with each new application
of electricity this field of their work increases. The substitution of
one material for another often opens up new avenues for the employ­
ment of women. An instance of this is the growing use of aluminum
ware in the household, which is a recent development; the lightness
of aluminum makes it possible to employ women in its manufacture
more extensively than was possible when heavier metals were used.
In the glass industry, changes in methods and materials used have
brought women into many occupations, and the use of the rare new

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W O M E N IN

OK LA H O M A IN D U S T R IE S

81

minerals for the manufacture of small parts has opened up a new field
for them.
One firm m anufacturing tungsten and m olybdenum products states th a t 70 per
cent of its factory pay roll is m ade up of women, who are employed on light
assembling jobs and on light machines, such as riveting machines.

While pointing out that the field of possible developments of this
kind is wide, the report calls attention to two important facts dis­
closed by the survey made:
T h a t th e increased opportunities for th e em ployment of women growing o ut of
th e foregoing developments in applied research do not necessarily increase th e
to ta l num ber of women in industry and commerce beyond th e growth occasioned
by th e growth in th e ad u lt woman population. An analysis of census figures
indicates th a t th e increased opportunities are resulting in a continued relief of th e
congestion of woman labor in the older so-called woman-employing industries—•
a relief started by the shortage of male labor during th e war.
T h a t th e wider distribution of women over th e field of industry and commerce
an d their advancem ent into better occupations have not, on th e whole, reduced
th e num ber nor im paired th e quality of th e em ploym ent opportunities of men, for
neither m en nor boys have taken th e places in th e old industries deserted by
women. T he num bers of both m an and boy wage earners have increased more
th a n th e num bers of woman and girl wage earners during th e decade represented
by th e last population census. This fact should n o t convey th e idea th a t occupa­
tions have not been shifted from men to women, from women to men, and from
both to machines, as a result of applied research; it is only to show th a t th e net
increase in th e num ber of women’s em ploym ent opportunities resulting from
applied research has not been accompanied by a n et decrease in th e em ploym ent
opportunities for men.

Employment of Women in Oklahoma Industries

N THE spring of 1924 the United States Women’s Bureau made
an investigation into the industrial employment of women in
Oklahoma, the results of which have recently appeared in Bul­
letin No. 48. Oklahoma, it is pointed out, is not conspicuous as a
manufacturing State, and its leading industries—petroleum refining,
flour and grist mills, and zinc smelting and refining—are not such
as employ many women. The study covered 4,135 women, employed
in 172 establishments, located in 25 cities and towns. Of these,
248, or 6 per cent, were colored women. The largest single group,
25.9 per cent, was engaged in manufacturing industries, very nearly
the same proportion, 23.9 per cent in mercantile establishments, 17.1
per cent in laundries, 14.3 per cent in hotels and restaurants, and
18.8 per cent in telephone exchanges. Of the white women, 46
per cent were single, 33.2 per cent married, and 20.7 per cent wid­
owed, separated, or divorced; for the colored women, the corre­
sponding proportions were 20.1, 46.8, and 33.1 per cent. Almost
identical proportions of the white and colored women were living
at home—79.6 per cent of the white and 79.9 per cent of the colored—
but a somewhat larger proportion of the colored than of the white
women were living independently.

I

Scheduled Hours

'"THE Oklahoma laws permit a 9-hour day and a 54-hour week for
*■ women, with a possible variation of daily hours in an emergency,
provided the weekly total is not exceeded. The scheduled daily

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M O N T H L Y LABOR. REVIEW

hours were learned for 2,762 women, of whom 0.3 per cent had a day
of less than 8 hours, 20.3 per cent worked 8 hours, 15 per cent worked
over 8 and under 9, and 64.4 per cent 9 hours. The scheduled
weekly hours of women showed a somewhat different grouping.
Practically 1 per cent had a week of less than 44 hours, 3.7 per cent
one of 44 hours, 1.4 per cent over 44 and under 48 hours, 12.5
per cent 48 hours, 25.3 per cent over 48 and under 52, 1.1 per cent
52, 5.5 per cent over 52 and under 54, and 49.6 per cent 54 hours.
The short day on Saturday was not common. Only 19 per cent of
the 2,762 women had a Saturday shorter than other days, and for
some of these the difference amounted to only 1 or 2 hours.
Earnings

A CTUAL earnings for each woman employed were taken from the
pay rolls for a week in April, 1924, covering 3,452 white women.
The range of earnings was from under $4 to over $30 for the week,
but the median for the whole group was only $13. The lowest
median, $9.45, was found in the 5-10-and-25-cent stores, and the
highest, $17.70, in the manufacture of shirts and overalls, in which
100 of the women reported on were employed. Laundries, with
653 women reporting, showed median earnings of $11.50 a week,
and telephone exchanges, with 777 women, $16.50. O f the 3,452
women covered, 16.4 per cent earned less than $9 during the week
taken, 41.3 per cent earned less than $12, 61.6 per cent less than
$15, and 80.9 per cent less than $18. A study of those who had
worked the full scheduled number of hours during the week covered
showed that the median of their earnings was $15, as compared with
$13 for all workers.
The earnings of colored women were on a lower scale than those of
white women. Data were obtained for only 63, the great majority
of whom were employed in laundries. The median earnings for
these were $8.20 a week.
Only 24 of th e women were reported as having worked th e full week of th e
firm. The earnings of these women ranged from $7 to $16, and th e median for
even these full-tim e workers was only $9.50.

Working Conditions

rT'HE working conditions found in the plants inspected varied
A widely, ranging from very good to decidedly unsatisfactory.
Seating arrangements were unsatisfactory in a number of instances.
There were 30 factories and 20 laundries in which some of th e women sat all
day a t their work. For these women who regularly s a t a t th eir work 19 of th e
m anufacturing establishm ents and 19 of th e laundries provided chairs w ith
backs for a t least some of th e women. In 18 of th e factories some or all of th e
women engaged a t sitting occupations had only stools, benches, or boxes to sit
upon, none of these offering any possibility of support to th e back.

It is important, the report points out, that women engaged in
standing occupations should have seats accessible, so that they may
sit down during temporary interruptions or when the work is run­
ning so smoothly that they may take -a few minutes rest. Yet 17
factories and 24 laundries employing women in such work provided
no seats of any kind.

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W O M E N IN F R U IT P IC K IN G AND C A N N IN G IN D U S T R IE S

83

In 79 establishments a common drinking cup was found in use,
in spice of a State law against such a use. Facilities for washing
were frequently unsatisfactory. Of 172 establishments inspected,
7 had no arrangements for washing at all, 98 provided no hot water,
46 furnished no towels, and in 86 a common towel was in use. Inade­
quate toilet facilities were not infrequently found. The majority
of the establishments had no lunch or rest rooms for their woman
employees, and a considerable number provided no cloak rooms at all
or else supplied them for only a part of their woman workers.
In summing up the situation, the report points out that while
conditions of work, hours, and wages are not ideal, the State is
fortunate in that it has not developed such established customs that
improvement would be difficult.
I n d u s t r i a l a c tiv ity is a s y e t r a th e r lim ite d in O k la h o m a , a n d a s t h e S ta te
d e v e lo p s t h e e v ils o fte n fo u n d in old e s ta b lis h m e n ts m a y h e a v o id e d . A lo c a lity
t h a t is o n ly a t t h e b e g in n in g of its d e v e lo p m e n t h a s t h e o p p o r tu n ity a n d th e
re s p o n s ib ility of s e ttin g fo r its e lf h ig h s ta n d a r d s in a ll th e p h a s e s of its in d u s tr ia l
life.

Women in the Fruit Picking and Canning Industries oi Washington

,r" p H E United States Women’s Bureau has recently published a
study (Bulletin No. 47) of the employment of women in the
fruit picking and canning industries of Washington, based on
an investigation which was made at the request of several organiza­
tions of tire State in 1923. The different kinds of work covered are
indicated in the following statement:
In th e course of the study 219 ranches were visited, th e 131 berry ranches
constituting about three-fifths, apple and pear ranches som ewhat less th a n a
fourth, and prune ranches about one-sixth of the to ta l num ber covered. In
addition 63 establishm ents connected w ith canning, preserving, and packing food
were visited. Eighteen of these were fru it and vegetable canneries and evapo­
rators, 24 w ere clam and fish canneries, and 21 were fru it warehouses. A little
over 3,000 women employed in ail these various places furnished personal infor­
m ation about themselves and their families. Of th e approxim ately 3,000 who
reported on w hether they were resident or m igrant workers, about one-third
were m igrants.

Of this group, 82.5 per cent were native-born whites, 1 per cent
Indians, and 16.5 per cent were foreign born. A trifle over 94 per
cent were members of families, less than 6 per cent living independ­
ently. About one-third were single, one-half were married, and
nearly one-seventh were widowed or divorced. More than onefourth were under 20, one-fifth were from 30 to 40 years old, and over
three-tenths were 40 or over.
Hours and earnings varied widely according not only to the kind of
work, but to conditions within the particular industry, the steadiness
of the individual worker, and the degree to which she dovetailed one
occupation into another. On the berry ranches the average daily
earnings were $1.60; in prune picking, $3.09; in prune sorting, $3.43;
in apple thinning, $3.17; apple picking, $3.42; and pear picking,
$2.97. In the fruit and vegetable canneries and evaporators and in the
fish canneries piece rates prevailed, and hours were so irregular that
daily earnmgs could hardly be computed. The median weekly earn­
ings ranged from $12.30 to $12.50, while for those who had worked

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M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

full time (50 hours or more during the week) the medians were
$16.35 and $20.65.
The work is of a highly seasonal character, so that it has naturally
drawn together a considerable force of migrant workers. These are
especially numerous among the berry pickers. Some of the non­
resident workers live in cities perhaps not more than 20 or 30 miles
away, but as they do not find it convenient to go back and forth,
they migrate to the ranches and live there while the work lasts.
Another group consists of wives and daughters of men who have been
engaged in wheat harvesting, moving northward with its season, and
who, when that work is done, turn to whatever kind of work is in
season on the fruit ranches, where the women as well as the men find
full occupation. In other cases the workers “ follow the fruit,”
beginning in California in the winter, going on to the berry picking
and through the harvesting of the different fruits, ending their work
in the Washington apple orchards in the fall in time to go back to
California and begin all over again. These migrants might come from
any part of the country originally, and sometimes had led the wander­
ing life so long that they could not be said to have any settled place
of abode.
A woman of 47, w ith her husband and four children, gave her address as “ just
traveling around in fruits. ” They had their own te n t and equipm ent and earned
their own living as they w ent along. They had begun th eir outdoor work this
season in cherries, then had moved over to a peach and pear district, and were, at
the tim e of the interview, in th e apple district for th e fall work. Their plans for
the w inter were undecided.

Children were quite a conspicuous feature in these groups. Data
were obtained for 820 migrant families, in which there were 271
children under 6 years old and 825 aged 6 and under 16. Of the
migrant children, 338, or 41 per cent, of those between 6 and 16 were
at work, while in the resident families, onlv 153, or 7 per cent, were
working.
A striking feature was the existence among the berry pickers of
groups of young migrants without any adult members.
T h at is, the groups consisted of young girls and children camping together in a
shack and working in the field. In eight cases a girl of 17 was th e oldest in a camp­
ing unit, and in eight instances a 16-year-old girl was th e head of a household
group. * * * Altogether there were 20 household groups on th e berry
ranches, none of whose 55 members were over 18 years of age and whose heads
were girls of 16, 17, or 18 years. M ost of these households consisted of only two
young people, b u t in tw o cases they h ad 5 members.

In the main the women were working as a matter of economic
necessity. About one-tenth worked from choice, because they
liked the work, or wanted to earn spending money, or wished to be
with friends who were working. Some took the work because it
offered a chance, otherwise unattainable, for their children and
themselves to have a country outing. The great majority were
contributing to the support ol the family group to which they be­
longed, the proportion who contributed the whole of their earnings
varying with their place in the group. Ninety-five per cent of the
wives with children, 82.8 per cent of the wives without children,
20.2 per cent of the daughters, 18.8 per cent of the sisters, and 61.8
per cent of those bearing some other relationship to the family turned
in all their earnings for the common benefit. “ Of the 2,513 women

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85

reporting on the amount contributed to the family income, over
two-thirds contributed all their earnings, as contrasted with onefifth who contributed none.’’
The necessity for living at the place of work created a housing
problem. More often than not the employer provided quarters,
but some of the workers provided tents for themselves. Where
living quarters were provided, they differed widely from ranch to
ranch.
Over four-fifths of all the households and 72 per cent of all th e persons reported
upon in regard to size of households had living quarters lim ited to one room, with
opportunity of sharing small porches or kitchens w ith other families similarly
housed. In a few cases the crowded living conditions were extremely bad, w ith
as m any as six or seven persons quartered in one room.


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IN D U STR IA L A C C ID EN TS A N D H Y G IEN E

Washington Industrial Accident Prevention Conference

N OFFICIAL call to the industrial accident prevention con­
ference to he held at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington,
D. C., July 14, 15, and 16, 1926, has been issued to the gover­
nors of the various States by Secretary of Labor, James J. Davis,
as follows:

A

I am calling a conference on industrial accident prevention to be held in Wash­
ington, D. C., July 14, 15, and 16 of th e present year. Invitations will be sent
to the principal agencies, public and private, interested in th e development of more
efficient and specific m ethods of industrial accident prevention.
I am particularly anxious th a t th e S tate governm ents shall be 100 per cent
represented, and I am writing this to urge th a t you delegate some m em ber or
members of th a t division of your S tate organization which deals w ith accident
prevention to atten d this conference. If a t all practicable I shall be very m uch
pleased if you could atten d in person.
th e re is no adequate system of industrial accident reporting in th e United
States, b u t a conservative estim ate indicates th a t th e fatal industrial accidents
probably exceed 23,000 per year and th a t rionfatal injuries to ta l 2,500,000 per
year. The num ber of days’ labor lost is estim ated to be 227,169,970 per annum ,
and th e wage loss exceeds a billion dollars. I am advised by experts th a t fully
85 per cent of these accidents are preventable. In fact, m any establishm ents
and some industries, by close application of safety m ethods to th e “ danger
spots ’ in their industrial plants, have been able to reduce th eir accidents by a
percentage alm ost as great as this. The cooperation of all of th e States and all
other accident reporting organizations will be sought to th e end th a t atten tio n
m ay be called not in general term s b u t by specific plans for th e more general
adoption of safety m ethods which have been so successful in a few instances.

While the importance of interesting the States is emphasized in
this letter, the various industries, industrial associations and insur­
ance carriers are also invited to attend the conference.

Industrial Accidents to Minors

HE United States Children’s Bureau has recently issued, as
its Publication No. 152, the results of a study of accidents
to industrially employed minors in three States, Wisconsin,
Massachusetts, and New Jersey. The data on which the report is
based were obtained from the industrial accident boards of the three
States. The period covered for Wisconsin and New Jersey was the
year ending June 30, 1920, and for Massachusetts the vear ending
June 30,_ 1922.
Attention is called to the fact that these States give their young
workers a considerable degree of protection. All prohibit the in­
dustrial employment of children under 14, and require those under
16 (17 in Wisconsin) to obtain work certificates before they may be
legally employed. All prohibit the employment of those under 16

T

86


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IN D U ST R IA L ACCID EN TS TO M IN O R S

in specified dangerous occupations, and Massachusetts- and Wiscon­
sin also forbid employment under 18 in certain occupations which
are considered especially perilous. Each requires the attendance
of young workers at continuation schools, and in each the minors
share in the benefits of general laws respecting safety and sanitation
in workplaces and hare the advantage of the stimulus which work­
men’s compensation legislation has given to efforts to reduce in­
dustrial risks.
The accidents recorded as occurring to employed minors in the
three States during the period covered numbered 7,478, of which 38
resulted in death and 920 in partial disability for life, the remainder
causing temporary disability. These figures represent only the
compensable accidents for which alone full particulars were on file.
In Wisconsin only accidents causing disability for more than 7 days
are compensable, while in Massachusetts and New Jersey the waiting
period is 10 days.. These requirements eliminated a number of ac­
cidents which did not disable the sufferer for the specified number of
days. With regard to severity, the accidents were distributed as
follows :
N U M B E R O F A C C ID E N T S , G R O U P E D B Y R E S U L T S , IN T H E T H R E E S T A T E S
A ccidents resulting in—
State

'
D eath

P erm anent
partial dis­
ability

T em po­
ra ry dis­
ability

T otal

M assachusetts_____________________________________
N ew Jersey
.
. _ . - ___ ______________ ______
W isoansin
.
_ __ ____________________ ____

12
14
12

159
502
259

3,006
1,503
2,011

3,177
2,019
2,282

T o ta l________________________ _____ ___________

38

920

6,520

7,478

Classified as to cause, the industrial injuries to minors in the three
States show the following grouping:
N um ber
of injuries

Per cent
of total

M achinery__________________________________
H andling objects_____________________________
Falls of persons______________________________
Vehicles______ _________
H and tools__________________________________
Stepping on or striking against objects________
Falling objects_______________________________
H ot and corrosive substances_________________
All other and not reported ___________

2, 706
1, 643
779
543
469
415
288
262
373

36. 2
22. 0
10. 4
7. 3
6. 3
5. 5
3. 9
3. 5
5 .0

T otal_________________________________

7, 478

100. 0

Cause of injury

It will lie noticed that machinery caused the largest group of
accidents. In discussing this point, it is noted that most of the
machines now in use are power driven, that the employment of
minors under 16 in connection with some of these is forbidden in all
three States and that the extension of this prohibition to those under
18 would materially reduce the number of accidents to young workers.


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M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW

There were proportionately more accidents from power-driven machinery to
minors 16 and 17 years of age than to those under 16, who were more adequately pro­
tected by th e law; or to those of 18 years or over, who had more experience,
more nearly m ature judgm ent, and better powers of m uscular coordination.
Moreover, minors 16 and 17 years old suffered proportionately more severe
injuries than either th e younger or the older workers. D eath or perm anent
partial disability resulted from 13.4 per cent of all th e injuries to workers 16 and
17 years of age; for workers under 16 th e corresponding percentage was 10.7,
and for workers of 18, 19, and 20 years it was 12.7.

Handling objects accounted for the next largest group of injuries,
and in this group strains were the most serious form of harmful
result. In view of the large number (122) of cases of hernia resulting
from strains it is suggested that it might be well to prohibit young
workers from occupations which involve heavy lifting. Another
form of injury in this group arose from handling rough or sharp
objects. Probably, it is suggested, many of these injuries were
slight in themselves, but infection resulted very frequently and
produced serious results.
In Wisconsin infection occurred in 10 per cent of th e injuries to minors from
all causes (being responsible for perm anent partial injury in 10 cases); in M assa­
chusetts it was present in 16.6 per cent of all the cases, and in New Jersey in
8.3 per cent of them . I t is still necessary to lay stress upon th e desirability of
m aintaining first-aid stations, and of educating th e workers in regard to the
importance of prom pt treatm en t for even slight injuries.

An effort was made to discover the accident rate of the minors in
Wisconsin and New Jersey, based upon the number of minors under
20 reported by the census as employed on January 1, 1920. This, is
admittedly an unsatisfactory basis, since there is no assurance that
the number employed at that date was the average number employed
throughout the year, because no allowance can be made for the
workers excluded from compensation by the numerical operation of
the law or by other causes, whose accidents accordingly do not appear
in this study, because it is impossible to compute the hours of exposure
to risk, and for similar causes. Nevertheless, it was considered
worth while to work out the rates, as shown in the following table:
IN D U S T R IA L IN J U R IE S TO BOYS A N D G IR L S U N D E R 20 Y E A R S OF A G E IN W IS C O N S IN
A N D N E W J E R S E Y , BY O C C U P A T IO N A L G R O U P
W isconsin
Occupation group

N u m b er of
injuries
Boys

A griculture________________ ___________
F orestry............ .......................................
Extraction of m inerals_____ _____ _
.
M anufacturing a n d mechanical in d u s trie s ...
T ran sp o rtatio n .......................
T rad e __________ _____
Public service...........................
Professional serv ice .. ___________ .
Personal and domestic s e r v ic e _________
Clerical occupations_________ _____
T o ta l________________

Girls

68
16
1, 212
90
75
3
2
12
38
i 1,257

R ate per 1,000
em ployed
Boys

14
6

45. 0
85.1
47.3
30.4
20. 7
15. 2
3. 3
12. 1
6.8

231

37.0

202
5
4

1Includes 11 injuries received in agricultural pursuits.


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N ew Jersey

Girls

13.4
3.0
1. 1

(2)
5.8

N um ber of
injuries

R ate per 1,000
em ployed

Boys

Girls

Boys

18

1

£

4

7
1,067
87
113

260
4
7

37
22
12
16

7
2
2

4
14
42

2
9
12

8
2

2
2
i

1, 352

295

16

4

2 Less than 1 per 1,000.

Girls

IN D U ST R IA L ACCID EN TS TO M IN O R S

89

The difference in the rates shown for girls and boys is explained as
being in part due to the different occupations pursued, even when in
the same general industry. In trade, tor instance, 95 per cent of the
girls were clerks or saleswomen, while over one-third of the boys
were deliverymen or laborers; in transportation most of the girls
were telephone operators, but the boys were employed in a variety
of occupations, such as chauffeurs, draymen, teamsters, and street
and railroad laborers. The highest rate found is for boys in the
extraction of minerals, but next to this the highest rate, for boys
and girls alike, is in the manufacturing and mechanical industries,
and here the most dangerous occupations for both sexes were semi­
skilled work in metal and woodworking industries. Owing to this
fact, special protection is asked for such industries.
Industrial risks for minors as well as for adults can be reduced by requiring
more adequately guarded machinery and safer workplaces. * * * A nother
danger is seen in the high proportion of the injuries to minors due to machinery.
The analysis which this report presents of accidents to minors in three States
shows n ot only th e large num ber of machine injuries b u t th eir severity. If
shows also th e great need of further protection for boys and girls 16 and 17
years of age whose em ploym ent—particularly in th e operation of dangerous
machines— is far less safeguarded than is the em ploym ent of younger workers.

Work Accidents to Children in Pennsylvania

'"THE Consumers’ League of Eastern Pennsylvania has recently
published a study of accidents to working children in that State
in 1923,1 which differs from the Children’s Bureau study in including
all accidents which caused absence from work for more than the day
on which the injury was received. The study deals with two groups
of young workers: Those under 16, for whom only the first six months
of the year were covered, and those aged 16 and 17, for whom the
whole year was included. In the younger group, 341 children met
with work accidents, of which 4 resulted in death, 2 in permanent
disability, and 335 in temporary disability; of these last, 183 were
compensable cases, that is, cases which incapacitated the child for
10 days or more.
I t was not possible to compute accident rates, but for some of the
occupations comparisons as to danger are possible. Thus, there
were 18,005 boys and girls under 16 in manufacturing industries in
1923, and 267 accidents occurred among them. Approximately 8.4
per cent of the group (1,513) were engaged in metals and metal
products, while 20.5 per cent of the accidents occurred here; over
one-third (6,360) of the children were in the textile industry, but only
50 (about 19 per cent) of the accidents occurred among them; and
one-fourth (4,653) were employed in the manufacture of clothing,
which was responsible for a trifle over one-sixth (16.9 per cent) of
the manufacturing accidents. No figures are given for the wood­
working industries, which the Children’s Bureau study showed as
particularly dangerous.
Machinery caused the greatest number of accidents among this
younger group, being responsible for 122 or 35.8 per cent of the total,
handling tools or objects was second, and falls of person stood third.
] C onsum ers’ League of E astern Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia, 818 Otis Building, 1925.

98397°—20■7

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A ccidents to w orking children in P ennsylvania in 1923.

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M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW

Accidents to Workers Between 16 and 18 Years Old

r"PHE study of this group covered the whole year 1923, during which
7,589 accidents were reported to workers aged 16 and 17, of
which 51 were fatal, 81 resulted in permanent disability, and 7,457 in
temporary disability. There is no record of the number of employed
minors in this age group, so that the full significance of the above
figures can not be known, but these injuries form 4 per cent of the
total number of work accidents occurring in Pennsylvania during
the year.
Boys incurred alm ost 9 o u t of every 10 accidents— 6,719 in all; girls, 870.
Although no figures are available showing th e relative num bers of boys and
girls between 16 and 18 years employed, this proportion is probably due in large
p a rt to the greater num ber of boys working a t hazardous em ployments.
One and a half tim es as m any children were injured in th e age group between
17 and 18 as in the group between 16 and 17, b u t no facts are a t hand to explain
th e cause or causes.

The great majority (79.9 per cent) of those suffering injury were
Americans, none of the foreign groups showing as many as 500
victims.
The distribution of accidents according to industry showed metals
and metal products leading in number, with mining second, clay',
glass, and stone products third, and textiles fourth. In severity of
accident there was a different distribution, as 24 of the fatalities
occurred in mining, 8 in metals and metal products, 5 in building
and construction, while the remaining 14 were scattered, not more
than 2 appearing in any one industry. The immediate causes were
varied.
Of the 51 deaths, 17 were caused by power vehicles and 12 of these by a strikingcar or engine. Ten were caused by machinery, of which elevators were responsi­
ble for 5 and power and transm ission apparatus for 5, divided as follows: 2 by
belts and pulleys, 2 by cogs and gears, and 1 by shafts and couplings. Ten were
th e result of falling objects— 5 of falling roofs in mines, 4 of objects falling from
buildings, trestles, or scaffolds, and 1 of fall of rock or earth. Three deaths were
due to electricity and 1 to an explosion. Five deaths came as a result of falls,
3 from structures, 1 from another elevation, and 1 on th e level. Only 1 death
was caused by handling tools or objects, although alm ost one-third bf all th e
accidents were so caused. The 4 remaining fatalities occurred (2) because of
running into or striking against objects, (1) because of suffocation, and (1)
because of an unspecified reason.
I t has been stated th a t 81 children were perm anently disabled. Analyzing
the causes of their accidents, it has been found th a t 55 were due to m achinery,
17 to injuries sustained in carrying or lifting objects, 4 to power vehicles, 3 to
falling objects, and 2 to falls of persons.

Work Accidents to Minors in Wisconsin in 1925

’TTIE Wisconsin Industrial Commission has recently published some
* figures concerning compensable accidents to minors occurring in
that State during 1925.1 Settlements were reached in the cases of
2,336 accidents, of which 12 resulted in death, 1 in permanent total
disability, 187 in permanent partial disability, and 2,136 in temporary
disability. This shows exactly the same number of fatalities as were
reported for 1923 in the study made by the Children’s Bureau, but
a smaller proportion of permanent partial disabilities—8 per cent in
1 W isconsin In d u stria l Com m ission.


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W isconsin L ab o r S tatistics, J a n u a ry and F e b ru a ry , 1926.

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INDUSTRIAL. ACCID EN TS TO M IN O R S

1925 against 11.3 per cent in 1923. The nonfatal accidents involved
a total loss of 248,211 working-days; the total indemnity paid for
accidents to minors during the year was $236,226, in addition to
which there were medical expenses amounting to $83,305.
The age distribution of the sufferers from these accidents was as
follows:
N um ber
P er cent
9
126
247
596
706
652

14 or under
15 and 16__
17 _______
18 _______
19 _______
20

______

2, 336

Total.

0.
5.
10.
25.
30.
27.

4
4
6
5
2
9

100. 0

Generally, minors under 18 are barred from certain dangerous occu­
pations, so that the greater number of accidents in the higher age
groups is natural. Attention is called, however, to the fact that
minors who are 16 and 17 years old “ suffer proportionately more
severe injuries than those who are either younger or older.”
More accidents—613—were due to machinery than to any other
single cause, although handling objects, which caused 546, was not
far behind.
M achine accidents to children occur m ost largely on metal-working, wood­
working and paper and paper-making machines. Wood planers, m etal punch
pressesj circular saws, molding machines, and leather-cutting machines are espe­
cially prom inent as machines on which children are hurt. About 83 per cent of
all m achine accidents to children occur in the normal course of operations on th e
operating point of machines.

Of the accidents attributed to handling objects, the first place is
held by injuries from “ rough objects, bruises, etc.,” which caused
84 casualties; 78 were due to slivers and 77 to heavy lifting. _ Only
24 cases of hernia are included, and note is made that “ the incidence
of hernia in minors under age 21 is less than one-half as great as in
industrial workers generally.” Infections following injuries, on the
other hand, are about 10 per cent higher among children than among
adults. Both in regard to handling objects and to hand trucking, it
is suggested that there is much need of systematizing, directing, and
supervising the work of minors with a view to lessening the number
of accidents from these causes.
Injuries to Illegally Employed Minors

in Pennsylvania

IN WISCONSIN if a child is injured in an industrial accident while
illegally employed, he is entitled to three times the compensation
which would be due if his employment were legal, a plan which is said
to be very effective in discouraging the illegal employment of minors.
(See L a b o r R e v i e w , April, 1923, p. 128.) In Pennsylvania, under
the same circumstances, the child is expressly excluded from benefit
under the workmen’s compensation law. No information concerning
accidents to this class of young workers is available, therefore, on the
records of the compensation commission, and it has never been known
how many are injured in the course of illegal employment.
With a view to gaining some light on this question, the Pennsylva­
nia Bureau of Inspection made an investigation of all accidents
reported as occurring to minors under 18 during the months of June

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M O N T H L Y LABOE BEVIEW

and July, 1925, and published a summary of its findings in Labor and
Industry for February, 1926. Thirty-seven minors, or 8.5 per cent
of the group investigated, had been, it was found, illegally employed,
and of these, 25 were under 16 years of age. In several instances
there had been more than one illegality in connection with the
employment of the injured minor. Twenty-two had no employment
certificates, 16 were in prohibited occupations, 4 were employed for
more than the legal maximum of hours, 2 were in night work, 2 had a
7-day week, and 1 was under 14 years of age.
As the sufferers were not under the operation of the compensation
law, no record was available of the loss of time through the injuries
received, but some of the accidents had been serious. One boy of 16
had been killed while driving a truck, an occupation prohibited to
minors under 18 years of age. Seven had had broken arms or legs,
3 had fingers or parts of fingers amputated, 10 had suffered severely
strained or crushed limbs, while the remaining 16 had suffered less
serious injuries. The results of the study show, it is held, the need for
more study of noncompensable accidents to minors.
If the facts brought out for th e sample investigated hold tru e for all minors
under 18 years of age, and there is no reason to believe th a t they do not, 8.5 per
cent of all minors injured a t industrial accidents are debarred from com pensation
benefits.
This investigation emphasized, above all else, the fact th a t since w ith the
utm ost care in the enforcement of the law illegal em ploym ent of children probably
can never be elim inated entirely, more inform ation m ust be obtained regarding
accidents occurring to minors not coming under the com pensation law. One of
th e tasks of the bureau of women and children will be to m ake a careful study
of th e existing situation and on the basis of its findings offer a program for b etter
protection of these children,

Obstacles to Progress of Industrial Medical Service

A N ARTICLE entitled “ Industrial medical service faces barriers
Zjk to progress,” by Dr. W. J. McConnell, in The Nation’s
A Health, March, 1926 (pp. 168, 169), points out some of the
ways in which industrial medical departments fall short of rendering
satisfactory service.
The scientific selection of workers and their placement according
to the mental and physical requirements of the job, together with
their retention in a given industry, are scientific developments which
yield maximum production at minimum costs, and although there is
no question of the value of an adequate medical service in securing
these results, the writer calls attention to the fact that such a service
is provided in comparatively few establishments and those usually
the larger ones.
Failure to produce results in a given medical service may be due
to defective training and lack of responsibility on the part of the
physician in charge. In some cases young physicians just out of
college take such positions to tide over the period while they are
building up a practice. In such a case this may be the only interest
the physician has in a plant, and an instance is cited of a plant
doctor whose chief concern in the work centered in the fact that this
industrial connection paid his garage rent. In other cases family
doctors of employees have complained that the advice given the

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employees by them was ignored by the plant physician, and further
that sometimes the plant doctor follows the unethical practice of
soliciting patients by inviting workers to consult him at his private
office after plant hours. Although most physicians are believed by
the writer to be above such practices, still such cases occur, while
other plant doctors are found who are not familiar with the physical
conditions or processes in the plant and who never visit the work­
places but maintain what is frequently referred to as a “ fingerwrapping first-aid room.”
The failure to render full usefulness in such a position is in part
due to the omission of instruction in the universities, as only a few
medical schools offer an opportunity to medical students to prepare
for industrial service. If the same amount of time were given for
special preparation in this field as is given to other fields of specializa­
tion fewer graduates would stumble unprepared into a line of work
which requires special training. Much of the special knowledge
required in the field of industrial medicine has been obtained by the
“ trial and error” method, but nevertheless the pioneers in this field of
medicine and the men who are to-day giving their full time and
energy to the work have “ taught us to realize that continued pros­
perity is dependent not so much upon the supply of raw material
consumed and the monetary value of the finished product, but rather
upon the physical efficiency of the worker and his years of economic
productivity.”
Other ways in which the usefulness of a plant medical department
may be curtailed are through a careless plant manager who fails to
utilize the medical department to its fullest extent, either through
not giving it sufficient authority or because of incomplete equipment,
or through an unsympathetic public-health officer. There has been
a tendency on the part of local health departments to omit indus­
trial health from their program. The effort which is expended in
promoting the health of children should not stop at the door of
the factory, and the writer believes that the gap between the publichealth officer and the industrial physician must be bridged for the
complete success of either, for an excellent health program fails in
the absence of an industrial program as does also an industrial pro­
gram if there is no community health program.
Occupational Diseases in Ohio, 1921 to 192t>

A

N ANALYSIS of the occupational diseases reported to the
Ohio State Department of Health for the five-year period
u ending June 30, 1925, by Drs. Emery R. Hayhurst and Daniel
J. Kindel was published in the Journal of Industrial Hygiene, April,
1926 (pp. 143-164).
The study covers both sexes and includes all those cases reported
on the official certificate of industrial or occupational disease. This
certificate which is known as the “ standard” blank gives all the
details as to the present and previous occupations and former illnesses
in each case reported.
From May, 1913, to June 30, 1920, 1,737 positive cases of occupa­
tional disease had been reported to the State, not including tentative

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cases and cases of reputed industrial tuberculosis. The present studyadds 3,226 more approved cases, making a total of 4,963 reported
between May, 1913, and June 30, 1925, or a period of 12 years and 2
months.
As a result of the enactment of the compensation law scheduling
15 definite diseases for compensation, which became effective August
4, 1921, there was a very material increase in the number of occupa­
tional diseases reported. Since the law necessitated double reporting,
that is, to the State director of health and to the State department of
industrial relations, which administers the law, it was evident from
the first that many cases would be reported to one agency and not
to the other, and as a matter of fact about 1,400 more cases than are
covered in the present study were reported to the department of
industrial relations.
In the following table the occupational diseases have been divided
into two groups, those included in the compensation schedule and
those not in the schedule and therefore noncompensable :
T able 1 .—N U M B E R O P O C C U P A T IO N A L D IS E A S E S R E P O R T E D TO T H E O H IO S'T'ATE
D E P A R T M E N T O F H E A L T H D L R IN G F IV E -Y E A R P E R IO D E N D IN G J U N E 30, 1925,

N um ber oí cases
Disease
M ale

Compensable eases:
Anthrax,........................ ......................... .......................................................
Lead poisoning________________ _______________ _____ ________
Mercury poisoning.......... ......... .......... ........................................... .............’’
Arsenic poisoning_________________ _____________________________
Poisoning by benzol or by nitro and amido derivatives of benzol "(deniirobenzol, aniline, and others)_______ _____ ________________________
Poisoning by gasoline, benzine, naphtha or other volatile petroleum prod­
ucts_______________________________ __________________ ______
Wood alcohol poisoning__ :______ ____________ _______________ ___
Infection or inflammation of skin or contact surfaces due to oils, cutting com­
pounds or lubricants, dust, liquids, fumes, gases, or vapors........................
Epithelioma-cancer or ulceration of the skin or of the corneal surface of the
eye due to carbon, pitch, tar, or tarry compounds___________________
Brass and zinc poisoning............... ......... ........ __............................................
Total compensable................................. .......................................................

Female

1
1

431

7

4
3
2,264

371

2, 781

Noncompensable cases:
Actinomycosis__________ _____ ____ _______________ ____ ____
Ammonia gas poisoning.................................................................. A A . A
Bronchitis____ _______________ ____________________________ __’"!
Carbon monoxide poisoning__________________________________
Dye poisoning............................................................................. A A A YYYY.
Hydrocyanic acid poisoning________________________________
Laryngitis (acid-dipper).—.......-____ ___________________________
Manganese poisoning_____________________________________
Metal poisoning, chronic_____________
YYYYYY.
Necrosis, end of finger (acid dipper)______________________________
Nicotine poisoning_____________ ____ ___________________________
Occupational neuroses______ _______________ ___ ___________
Phenol poisoning_______________
YYYYYYYYYY.Y.
Phthisis________
A
Pneumonoeoniosis_________ ______ _________ YY.
Ulcerated throat_____________________________________ I ... A
Undefined_____________ ___ _____________________________ "
Varnish fumes......... ..........
YYYYYYYYYYYY.
Total noncompensable___ ___ _______ _______________ ____ ______

33

2

Total compensable and noncompensable___________________________

2, 814

412


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O CCU PATION AL DISEASES I N OHIO

95

The sources of infection or poisoning shown in the above table
were as follows for the compensable occupational diseases:
One case of anthrax (male) occurred in an inspector of hair and
bristles; the other (female) was reported in a handler of paint brushes.
Lead poisoning (see Table 2 and discussion).
All the cases of mercury poisoning occurred in a thermometer
works.
The cases of arsenic poisoning occurred in making and handling
tree and plant sprays consisting mainly of lead arsenate.
The poisoning by benzol or by nitro and amido derivatives of benzol
(dinitrobenzol and others) were distributed among the males as
follows: Chemical and dye manufacturing—2 cases of poisoning
from acetanilide, 21 from aniline, 11 from paranitraniline, 4 from
paratoluidine, 1 from xylidine, and 1 from benzol; rubber industry—
8 cases of poisoning from aniline, and 5 from benzol, while 1 case of
benzol poisoning occurred in the manufacture of insulating material
and in 1 case of aniline poisoning the industry was not specified.
Among the women there were 22 cases of benzol poisoning which
occurred in a wholesale millinery manufacturing company and 1 case
of paratoluidine poisoning in a chemical works.
Of the four cases reported under volatile petroleum products one
was caused by gasoline in dry cleaning, two by benzine in the rubber
industry, and one by benzine in the printing industry.
In the cases of wood alcohol poisoning information was lacking as
to the source of poisoning.
The cases of infection or inflammation of the skin included 2,227
male and 370 female workers in rubber plants, while the 38 other
cases occurred in a variety of industries and occupations.
The case of epithelioma of the lip occurred in a carbon manufactur­
ing plant.
The cases of brass poisoning occurred, 1 in a brass-furnace tender,
1 in a brass molder, and 2 in brass welders, while 7 of the zinc poisoning
cases occurred in welders of galvanized steel drums, 1 in an acetylene
cutter of zinc metal, and 2 in electricians working in a brass foundry
although it is considered these two cases should have been reported
as brass poisoning.
Among the noncompensable occupational diseases the seven cases
of carbon monoxide poisoning were evidently not accidents—i. e.,
eventualities of a single time and place occurrence—but occurred
among workers who were subject to a certain amount of exposure to
the gas. The question of chronic disease due to carbon monoxide
poisoning, however, is said to be always a disputable one. The
five cases of hydrocyanic acid poisoning were incurred in mixing and
handling feed and grain, the substance undoubtedly having been
previously used as a<*disinfectant. One case of occupational neurosis
occurred in a railroad engineer and two cases involving muscular
debility were reported in shoe cutters.


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M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW

The following table shows the industries in which the 443 cases of
lead poisoning developed:
T a b l e 2 . —N U M B E R

O F O ASES O F L E A D P O IS O N IN G R E P O R T E D TO O H IO S T A T E
D E P A R T M E N T O F H E A L T H D U R IN G F IV E -Y E A R P E R IO D E N D IN G J U N E 30, 1925,
B Y IN D U S T R Y A N D S E X

Number of
cases

Number of
eases

Industry

Industry
Male- Female

Agricultural products (tree and
plant sprays)____________ ___
Automobiles and parts (sanding,
polishing, painting, and scroll
work) .
_________ _____
Brass and bronze products__ ____
Chemical manufacture____
Electroplating and polishing on safes
Enameling arid japanning _ ____
Gasoline and oil (blending tetraethyl
fluid)__________ ___ _______
Glass (spraying, batch mixing)
Iron and steel, ..... . . . .................

10
114
7
4
1
5
24

8

9

Male
Metal, solder, and alloys...... _........
Paint and varnish manufacture
Painters.- -- - _______ _____
Pottery and terra cotta (dipping).__
Printing and publishing
Rubber"goods*.. . . .
Smelting and refining
Storage batteries. _ J.___ _
Tin can manufacture (solder bath
process)___________ _________
White lead manufacture
Total -

12
3
20
1
5
11

Fe­
male

3

4

145
1
54
431

12

The small number of cases of lead poisoning reported among
general (or house) painters and decorators is commented on in the
report. A total of only 14 cases, or an average of 3 a year, is con­
sidered remarkable in a State where there are approximately 25,000
such workers. This is accounted for on the grounds that acute
cases of plumbism seldom occur in this occupation while the chronic
cases either are not recognized, or as many of these workers are
“ independent” and therefore not under the compensation law their
cases are not reported. That only four cases of lead poisoning are
reported in the pottery industry is said to indicate lack of reporting,
although acute and outstanding cases are undoubtedly rare in this
industiy. Special studies of the industry have shown, however, in
one instance a case rate of 4.2 per 100 examined and in another a
rate of 7.7.
There are approximately 75,000 employees in rubber factories in
the State and a large number of occupations were included in the
2,597 cases of dermatosis reported in this industry. Dermatitis in
rubber workers is attributed almost exclusively to the use of hex­
amethylenetetramine (urotropine), added as an organic accelerator
for vulcanization.
In a discussion of the general problem of sickness in industry the
writers cite different studies which show that sickness causes much
more absenteeism than do accidents; certain diseases such as tuber­
culosis, pneumonia, cerebral hemorrhage, Bright’s disease, and
organic heart disease showing strikingly the effects of industrial
exposure. The possibilities along preventive lines are shown by
the experience of some Ohio companies which have reduced the


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ACCID EN TS AND DISEASES AM ONG B R IT IS H COAL M IN E R S

97

average annual absence from sickness from the usual seven or eight
days per person per year to two-thirds of that figure and even less.
The possibilities in the conservation of health through the periodic
physical examination and systematic instruction in personal hygiene
by the plant medical department in addition to the regular work of
that department include not only the immediate financial return
through the reduction of turnover and lost time but also the gain
through better health and prolongation of life.

Coal Mine Accidents in Virginia, Year Ending September 30, 1923

URING the year ending September 30, 1925, there occurred in
the coal mines of Virginia, 44 fatal and 900 nonfatal acci­
dents, according to the twenty-eighth annual report of the
Bureau of Labor and industry of that State. The causes of acci­
dents were as follows:

D

F a ta l

Fall of roof____________________ ___________________i
Fall of coal________________________________________
H aulage___________________________________________
M achinery an d tools_______________________________
E lectricity_________________________________________
Burns by gas_________
Explosives_________________________________________

33

N onfatal

4
2
4
-1

196
48
272
125
11
8
18

O thers____________________________________________
U nknow n_______________ ________________________ _

-__

197
3

T o ta l________________________________________

44

900

C u ttin g t im b e r s ________ ________________ _____________- -

22

Accidents and Diseases Among British Coal Miners1
Industrial Accidents

T

HE statistics on accidents in British coal mines published in the
report of the Royal Commission on the Coal Industry (1925)
show the extent of the present dangers in coal mining in that
country and the reduction which has taken place in accidents in
recent years as compared with earlier periods. Although the figures
given cover some men engaged in other forms of mining than coal
mining, the proportions of these are so small that they are not con­
sidered to make any appreciable difference in results.
1
G reat B ritain. R oyal Commission on th e Coal In d u s try (1925).
pp. 239-243. London, 1926.


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R eport, Vol. 1, pp. 191-198; Vol. 3,

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

98

The following table shows the number of deaths from accidents
and death rates per 1,000 persons employed in and about mines under
the coal mines act in Great Britain and Ireland :
N U M B E R O F D E A T H S F R O M A C C ID E N T S A N D D E A T H R A T E S P E R 1,000 P E R S O N S
E M P L O Y E D IN A N D A B O U T M IN E S U N D E R T H E C O A L M IN E S A C T —G R E A T B R I T ­
A IN A N D IR E L A N D , 1873 TO 1882 A N D 1909 TO 1924, B Y CA U SE

U nderground

Period or year

Explo­
sions
of fire­ F all of
dam p ground
or coal
dust

Shaft
acci­
dents

H aul­
M is­
age
cella­
acci- ' neous
dents

All
causes

Total,
Sur­ under­
face, ground
all
and
causes
sur­
face

N u m b e r o f d e a th s

1873-1882 (average)-................................
1909-1913 (average)______________ . .
1913______________________________
19221_____________________________
19231_____________________________
19241________________ ____________
1922-1924 (average) i ........................ .......

263
270
462
73
60
35
56

453
608
620
551
585
607
581

130
88
98
39
58
59
52

128
263
251
211
314
262
262

63
119
149
125
162
124
137

1,037
1,348
1,580
999
1,179
1,087
1,088

92
156
173
106
118
114
113

1,129
1,504
1, 753
1,105
1,297
1, 201
1,201

2. 57
1. 56
1.74
1.07
1.20
1.11
1.13

0. 92
.76
.79
.46
.49
. 45
.47

2 94
1.41
1. 55
. 95
1. 06
9K
1.00

28

38

29

D e a t h r a t e p e r 1 ,0 0 0 p e r s o n s e m p l o y e d

1873-1882 (average)______ ____ _____
1909-1913 (average)__________ _____
1913______________________________
19221_________________ _______ ___ 19231_____________________________
1924 f_____________________________
1922-1924 (average) L . _____ _________
R eduction com pared w ith 1909-1913-_

0.65
.31
.51
.08
.06
.03
.06

1.12
.71
.68
.59
.60
.62
.60

0. 32
. 10
. 11
.04
.06
.06
.05

0. 32
.30
.28
.23
.32
.27
.28

0.16
. 14
. 16
. 13
. 16
. 13
.14

2

P e r cen t P e r cent P e r cent P e r cen t P e r cen t

81

15

50

7

1 G reat B ritain only.
3 T h e d eath rates for accidents occurring underground are based upon the persons so em ployed and
those for surface workers upon th e persons em ployed above ground.

The liability to accident at the present time is shown in the average
for the three years 1922 to 1924, which is considered a fair represen­
tation of present conditions. According to the above table the
annual death rate from accident among underground workers is
1-13 per thousand, while a compilation of the nonfatal accidents
shows that the annual number of “ serious accidents” is 4.49 per
thousand, and of minor accidents causing disablement of more than
7 days, 176.4 per thousand. Among the surface workers the rate
for fatal accidents is 0.47, for serious accidents 2.47, and for minor
accidents 64.26 per thousand workers employed. A comparison of
the accident rates with previous periods shows that the death rate
from accidents has been more than halved in the past 60 years
among underground workers and nearly halved among the surface
workers.
The following table affords a comparison between the fatality
rates in mines and in other industries. The table is based on the
workmen’s compensation statistics, and for the year 1924 the figures
cover over 7,500,000 persons employed in industry, of whom 1,200,000
were employed in mining. Cases in which compensation was paid
for death from industrial disease are not included in these figures.

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ACCID EN TS AND DISEASES IN B R IT IS H COAL M IN E S

99

A C C ID E N T D E A T H R A T E S P E R 1,000 P E R S O N S E M P L O Y E D IN E A C H O F S E V E N
G R O U P S O F IN D U S T R Y IN G R E A T B R IT A IN , 1919 to 1924
Accident death rates per 1,000 persons em ployed
In d u stry group
1919

M ines_______________ ____ _______ ______ -

1.05

1920

1921

1922 1

1923 4

1924 1

Average
for
1922-19241

0. 98

2 0. 75

0. 95

1.06

1.05

1.02

1.33
.14
.75
..56
.43
.50

1.14
.12
.81
.71
.50
.48

1.39
. 15
.71
.76
.66
.52

1.28
. 14
.76
.68
.53
.50

.23

.22

.25

.23

Shinping
________________________
If'netorifts
____ _____________________
___________________ _______
Docks
________ _____________
Quarries
(ionstriict.ional work
_______________ -Railw ays
___________________________

1.46
.19
.84
.69
.52
.02

1.58
.21
.91
.81
.59
.71

1.15
.16
.64
.67
.59
.56

All enum erated industries, except m in in g .._

.28

.32

.25

1 Cases arising in Ireland are no t included, b u t th is does not, it is estim ated, m aterially affect m e com­
parison of these figures w ith those of previous years.
)
2 In th e year 1921 there was a 3 m o n th s’ stoppage of w ork in th e m in in g in dustry.

The average fatality rate for 1922-1924 for both underground and
surface workers in mines is 1.02, which is exceeded only by the ship­
ping industry, while the rate for factories is only 0.14. The dangers of
the mining industry are even more marked in a tabulation of the
nonfatal accidents, the rate for these accidents being eight times as
high as in shipping.
In the following table a comparison is made of the accident-death
rates of persons employed below and above ground at coal mines in
Great Britain and in the principal coal-producing countries during
the decade 1904-1913 and the years 1922-23:
M E A N A N N U A L A C C ID E N T -D E A T H R A T E S P E R 1,000 P E R S O N S E M P L O Y E D IN C O AL
M IN E S IN T H E P R IN C IP A L P R O D U C IN G C O U N T R IE S , 1904-1913 A N D 1922-1923
M ean annual death rate
N um ber
employed
in 1923

C ountry

Below ground

Above ground

1904-1913 1922-1923 1904-1913 1922-1923
1,220, 431

G reat B ritain L .
U nited S ta te s :2
A n th ra c ite -.
B itum inous _

157, 743
704, 793

T o tal.

862, 536

3. 11
2. 90
4. 20

300-day basis—
A n th ra c ite ..
B itu m in o u s.

1. 13
.95

2. 94
4. 49
5. 45

T o ta l____
640, 248
» 229,800
182, 601
160, 003
26, 707
22,989

G e rm a n y 4-----------F ran c e ____________
B ritish In d ia 6_____
B elgium __________
H o llan d ____ ____ _
N ew South W ales 7.

1.63
1. 79

3 5. 76

5. 23

2.14

1. 79

2. 53
2.19
1. 56

2. 21
L86

1.11

1. 21

1.20

1.37
« . 74
.29
.60

1. 92
1. 28

1.36

2. 29
1. 10

.76
.32
. 45
1. 44
.73

.68
.36

1M ines u n d er th e coal mines act.
2 Owing to th e irregularity of work, especially at bitum inous coal mines, the death rates are calculated
on th e basis th a t continuous em ploym ent was found for a year of 300 days for the relative proportion of the
persons actually at w ork. T h u s, if the average n u m b er of w orking-days a t the mines was 200, the death
rate is calculated upon tw o-thirds of the num ber em ployed.
3 Figures for 1909 no t included.
4Prussian p it coal mines.
5Figures are for 1922.
6 Coal m ines u n d er In d ia n mines act.
7 Coal and shale.


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industrial Diseases

'"THE number of cases of industrial disease among the coal miners
is also shown in the report of the Coal Commission. The dis­
eases reported are those for which compensation is paid, the prin­
cipal ones being nystagmus, beat hand, knee, or elbow, and inflam­
mation of the wrist.
Nystagmus is a troublesome malady of the eyes which may inca­
pacitate for long periods and with rare exceptions is peculiar to the
miner’s occupation. There has been a rapid increase in its incidence
since 1909-1913, the average annual rate of new cases per 1,000 men
employed underground at that time being 1.58, while m 1922 it was
4.56, in 1923, 3.98, and in 1924, 3.43. This increase in the number
of cases led to the appointment of a special committee2 to investigate
the matter, which made two reports, one in 1922 and the other in
1923. The principal conclusions reached were that deficient illumi­
nation was the essential factor in the production of miners’ nystag­
mus and that the cases severe enough to cause disablement could, by
degrees, be entirely prevented by improving the standard of lighting.
As a result there has been a large increase in the number of electric
lamps used underground. Although the workmen’s compensation
statistics show this decided increase in the number of cases of nystag­
mus, the report states that it is due in part to mistaken views as to the
character and treatment of the disease, and to the adoption of an erron­
eous standard in determining at what stage the disease is severe enough
to produce disablement and at what stage the incapacity ceases.
The diseases special to mining which affect the liand, knee, elhow,
or wrist also show a large increase though not so great as that of
nystagmus. In the years 1922-1924 their prevalence was 54 per
cent greater than in 1909-1913.
The following table shows the number of new cases of industrial
disease in British coal mines for which compensation was paid and
the disease rate for different periods, 1909 to 1924:
N br1H k?nP‘' 9 k N E W C O M P E N S A B L E C A SES OP IN D U S T R IA L D IS E A S E —B R IT IS H C O AL
Â
oÆ
n d i S b t o ?»«TE PEa
PEBS0NS Em ployed d n d e e q e o d n d :
N um ber of new cases
Disease

N ystagm us.....................................................
Subcutaneous cellulitis:
Of th e hand (beat h a n d )...........................
Over th e patella (m iners’ beat knee)
Acute bursitis over th e elbow (m iners’
beat elbow )__________________
Inflam m ation of th e synovial lining’ oYthe
wrist jo in t a n d tendon sh ea th s..
O ther diseases °.........................................
T o ta l___________________

Per cent
of
increase
in
Average 1922-1924
for
as com­
1922-1924
pared
w ith
1909-1913

Average
for
1909-1913

1913

1922

1923

1924

1,347

2,401

4,092

3,872

3, 271

3, 745

178

793
, 201

831
1,630

1, 135
1, 721

1, 175
2,638

1,060
2,740

1,123
2,367

88

299

308

269

166
54
8,204

162
30
7, 571

167
30
7, 701

1

105

136

144
16
3,666

195
19
5,212

200
173
7
7, 328

42

156
16

88
110

D i s e a s e r a t e p e r 1 ,0 0 0 p e r s o n s e m p l o y e d u n d e r g r o u n d

N ystagm us____
O ther diseases <*.
T o tal____
°
2

1.58
2. 72
4. 30

2. 69
3. 14
5.83

4. 56
3. 60
. 16

8

3. 98
4. 46
. 44

8

a ^cw cases th e disease m ay have been contracted by surface w orkers.
See issue of Ju ly , 1922, p p . 140, 141,


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[1276]

3. 43
4. 51
7.94

3. 98
4. 20
. 18

8

152
54
90

101

M ORTALITY RATE OF B R IT IS H COAB M IN E R S

Comparison of Mortality Rate of British Coal Miners with Rate for
General Population 1

HE report of the British Commission on the Coal Industry
(1925) contains statistics on the mortality rate of coal miners
from all causes as compared with the death rate for the male
population generally. It is stated in the report th a t. “ apart from
accidents and the industrial diseases special to mining there is no
reason to think that the occupation is physically injurious. Indeed,
statistical evidence shows that miners as a whole are a healthy class.
This, however, might be partly due to the fact that only men of
physique above the average enter the occupation or continue in it,
and there can be no statistics to show whether this is so or not.”
The following table shows the mortality rate from all causes among
coal miners, as compared with the population generally, for different
periods from 1900 to 1923:

T

m o b t a i/ t y r a t e f r o m a l l c a u se s a m o n g c o a l m in e r s a s c o m p a r e d w it h

T H E P O P U L A T IO N G E N E R A L L Y IN E N G L A N D A N D W A L E S , 1900 TO 1902, 1910 TO 1912,

A N D 1921 T O 1923
N u m b er of deaths per 1,000 living a t each age
period

Item

15-25
1900 to 1902:
All occupied and retired m a le s .. .
OceuDied a n d retired coal miners.
1010 to 1912:
A ll occupied and retired m ales. . .
Occupied a n d retired coal miners.
1921 to 1923:
All occupied and retired m ales. . .
OceuDied a n d retired coal miners.

25-35

35-45

45-55

55-65

65 and
over

3. 5
3.9

6. 3
5. 1

10. 9
8. 0

18. 7
15. 2

35. 6
38. 0

106.2
128. 6

2. 8
3.5

4. 7
4.4

7.9
6. 7

14. 7
12. 7

30. 0
30. 1

94.3
105. 5

3. 0
3. 5

4.0
4. 2

6. 4
6.3

11. 6
11. 2

25. 7
28. 2

92.8
100.5

Although this table shows a lowered mortality rate for coal miners,
in most age groups, in 1921-1923 as compared with 1910-1912, it is
pointed out in the report that the improvement is less marked than that
shown in the corresponding rates for the general male population,
with, the results that the relative position of coal miners is compara­
tively less favorable at the later date.
In a memorandum on this point prepared for the commission by
the registrar- general in consultation with the Minister of Health, it is
said that accidents do not seem to have contributed to the relative
deterioration in the mortality experience of coal miners hut that the
relative increase in mortality applies with great uniformity to all
other causes of death. Analysis by cause, therefore, throws very little
light upon the reason for this increase. If working conditions had
deteriorated, it might be expected that diseases such as respiratory
diseases which are influenced by conditions in the mines would have
increased, but cancer, for example, which is not expected to be af­
fected by these conditions shows as great a relative increase as
respiratory diseases. To account for this relatively increased mor­
tality the'theory is advanced, subject, however, to further investiga­
tion, that it may be attributable to the large number of men who
entered the industry during and after the war, but who were, perhaps,
less robust than the average coal miner before the war.
i G reat B ritain. R oyal Com m ission on th e Coal In d u s try (1925).
pp. 243, 325, 326. London, 1926.


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R eport, vol. 1, pp. 191 198; vol. 3,

W O R K M EN 'S C O M PE N SA TIO N A N D SO C IA L IN SU RA NCE

Workmen’s Compensation Law of Bolivia

following is a digest, of the more important provisions of the
THEBolivian
workmen’s compensation law 1 which was enacted on
January 19, 1924, and of its regulative decree 2 promulgated

on July 21, 1924.
For the purposes of the law an employer is defined as a private
individual, a company or an enterprise, an owner, a lessee, or a con­
tractor who causes work to he executed or one who carries on one or
more industries. The State will also be considered an employer when
it undertakes the execution of any work. An employer is liable for
compensation if a worker in his employ suffers an accident arising out
of or in the course of the employment, except that injuries due to
force majeure or to the employee’s willful misconduct, gross negli­
gence, or violation of safety rules, or to a cause foreign to the employ­
ment, and accidents causing disability lasting not more than six days
are not compensable.
Certain occupational diseases, if contracted while carrying on the
work, are compensable. Such diseases, as specified in the regulative
decree, are as follows: Pneumoconiosis, pulmonary irritation due to
tobacco dust, dermatosis, ankylostomiasis (miners’ anemia), poison­
ing by phosphorus, copper, arsenic, carbon disulphide, or the hydro­
carbon compounds of benzine, petroleum, alcohol, tar, etc., inflam­
mation of the eyes due to ammonia vapors, and gangrenous tumor.
Not only industrial workers, but also commercial employees and
apprentices in factories and workshops and those employed in
forestry and agricultural undertakings when machinery is used are
covered by the law; domestic servants, however are not included.
Compensation Benefits

compensation scale is based upon the earnings of the injured
employee. If the -wages of the worker have not been fixed by
agreement with the employer, the minimum basic rate is fixed
at 2.50 bolivianos 3 a day. If the worker is employed on a piecerate basis the compensation shall bo computed on his average daily
earnings; if his wages are variable, the compensation shall be com­
puted on the wages earned during the month preceding the accident.
Death.—If the accident causes the workers’ death the employer
shall pay the funeral expenses, not to exceed 100 bolivianos, and com­
pensation equal to two years’ wages in a lump sum to those members of
1 A rgentina. D epartam ento N aeional del T rabaio. Boletin M ensual. Buenos Aires, M ay, 1924, pp.
1316-1318.
2 Idem , A ugust, 1924, p p. 1415, 1416, and Novem ber, 1924, pp. 1458-1464.
* Boliviano a t par=38.93 cents; exchange rate varies.

102


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W O RK M EN - *S CO M PE N SA TIO N LAW OE BOLIVIA

103

the deceased’s family who were legally dependent upon him. The
employer may, if the heirs agree, pay the latter life pensions instead
of the lump sum, provided such pensions are duly guaranteed and
equivalent to two years’ wages plus interest at the legal rate.
Permanent total disability.—Permanent total disability is defined
as disability incapacitating the worker for the performance of any
work. An employee who is permanently and totally disabled shall
receive compensation equivalent to two years’ wages in a lump sum.
Partial disability.—Partial disability is defined as that which
incapacitates the employee for the preformance of his former trade
or occupation but does not prevent him from engaging in an occupa­
tion of some other kind. For partial disability the worker shall
receive compensation equal to 18 months’ wages unless the em­
ployer gives him other work suitable to his physical condition which
does not pay less than his former wage, in which case the compensa­
tion benefit amounts to one year’s wages. Benefits for partial dis­
ability may be paid in monthly installments.
Temporary disability.—When the disability lasts for more than a
week but not more than a year it is defined as temporary disability.
If the worker is temporarily disabled the employer shall pay him
compensation equal to half "his regular wage during the period re­
quired for recovery. If the disability lasts longer than one year
from the date of tiie accident, however, benefits "for permanent dis­
ability shall be awarded to the employee. Benefits for temporary
disability may be paid in monthly installments.
Medical benefit.—Expenses for medicine and medical treatment
both at the time of the accident and during subsequent treatment
shall be paid by the employer, in addition to the compensation, and
the payment of hospital expenses will not release him from his obliga­
tion to pay compensation.
Security of Payments

P MPLOYERS are allowed to insure their risks in insurance com^
panies at their own expense, provided the company is legally
constituted and authorized by the Government and the benefit to be
paid under the policy will not be less than that to which the employee
is entitled under the law.
Employers or their insurers are required to establish a special fund,
to be called the “ guaranty fund,” m which shall be deposited the
following: Death benefits when no heirs survive; partial and tem­
porary disability benefits of those beneficiaries who die without leav­
ing heirs or legatees; compensation due to aliens who have left the
country; and fines imposed for failure to comply with the provisions
of the law. The fund shall be used solely for the payment of com­
pensation which would not otherwise be paid because of the bank­
ruptcy of the respective employers.
Accident Reporting

rT'HE worker, or in case of his death his legal heirs, must within
* 48 hours notify the nearest judicial or civil authority of the
accident, except in case of force majeure or circumstances of a similar
effect, duly proved. The employer is likewise required to report

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M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

the accident within the same time, under penalty of a fine of 100 bolivi­
anos.
A register of industrial accidents, containing details of the injuries
received, is to be kept at every police headquarters, and used as a
basis for the investigation of accidents and the enforcement of the law.
Special Provisions

and children shall have the same advantages under this
as adult male workers.
In the event of an employer’s bankruptcy, workers’ claims for com­
pensation will have preference under the provisions of the Civil Code.
Compensation benefits are not subject to attachment and may not be
transferred or renounced by any agreement.
In case the employer’s capital stock does not exceed 20,000 bolivi­
anos and the employee has worked less than two weeks before the
accident, the employer will be liable for compensation for temporary
disability for one month only, and for double this amount in case of
permanent disability or death.
Compensation claims must be made within one year after the date
of the accident.
ia w

Work Rules

T H E National Labor Department in cooperation with the Minis­
try of Industry shall prescribe precautions and safety methods
for all industries, factories and enterprises throughout the country,
the observance thereof to be compulsory.
Report of Workmen’s Compensation Board of Nova Scotia

r~F',HE report of the Workmen’s Compensation Board of Nova
Scotia for the year 1925 summarizes its operations under the
present act, that of 1915, operative January 1, 1917, showing
the total number of accidents reported as 59,349, of which 801 were
fatal. Total compensation paid or payable on account of the 9
years’ operations is $8,755,968.14. Beneficiaries have included 447
widows, 1,084 children under 16 years of age, 212 dependent parents,
and 25 other members of the family, while life pensions have been
awarded to 2,103 workmen totally or partially disabled for life.
For the year 1925 the number of accidents was 5,770, of which 53
were fatal. This number is 567 less than in the year 1924, compen­
sation costs decreasing $181,000 in the same period. These reduc­
tions were due to industrial conditions rather than improved safety,
as is shown by the fact that the pay roll for 1925 was about $7,000,000
less than in 1924, a decrease of approximately 15 per cent, the re­
duction in the number of accidents being just under 9 per cent.
Of the number of nonfatal accidents, 134 caused permanent partial
disability and 4,139 caused total disability for 7 days and over, while
in 810 cases niedical aid only was required. There were 161 cases
pending and 475 nonfatal accidents not compensable.
A brief table shows the average ratio of costs of accidents to the
total wages for each year since the act came into effect. This ranges
from 1.52 per cent in 1919 to 2.53 per cent in 1918. Recent figures

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105

E N G L IS H SOCIAL IN S U R A N C E AND EM IG RA TIO N

have been 2.5 per cent in 1923, 2.46 per cent in 1924, and 2.45 per
cent in 1925. Another table shows for the years 1924 and 1925 the
ratio of the cost of medical aid to the compensation cost of accidents
in certain classes of industries, as follows:
1924

12.
13.
12.
12.
11.

Lumbering, sawmills, etc_.
General m anufacturing---Building and construction.
Public utilities__________
T ransportation__________

6
6
1
7
9

1925

16. 1
9. 6
8. 3
10. 7
15. 6

In mining and the iron and steel industry the greater portion of the
medical aid is furnished under medical-aid schemes adopted by the
workmen, while in navigation the merchants’ shipping act controls,
so that no presentation is made for these occupations.
Insurance in Nova Scotia is exclusively under a provincial fund, and
a brief section of the report is devoted to the comparative advantages
of such a system. Formerly, under the act of 1910, the limit of an
employer’s liability for any one accident was $1,500, while under the
present act costs as high as $12,000 have accrued from a single
accident. However, a comparison of the fund rates for 1925 were,
in nearly every case, lower than those of the insurance companies
in 1916, the year before the present act came into force. The report
states further that in the United States:
In 1924, 63 casualty companies incurred losses on account of accidents am ount­
ing to $245,000,000.' The expenses of those companies in connection w ith the
casualty insurance am ounted to $216,000,000. The expenses were 89 per cent
of th e losses. * * * In Nova Scotia th e expense ratio for nine years was
8.38 per cent, or a saving of over 80 per cent in the expense ratio.

Accident data show the number of accidents compensated in 1925
by classes and nature of injury, income and expenditure for the fund
allocated to each class, balance sheet, administrative expenses, reserves
etc. As a whole, provisional balances show a total of $202,120.61,
though $40,000 is reserved as for bad and doubtful accounts, showing
a net balance of $162,120.61 on the year’s operations. Deficits
developed in mining, lumbering and woodworking, and shipping
and navigation, though each of these, together with all other classes,
show balances in the pension fund, the total amount being $3,154,269.51. The total assets as of December 31, 1925, amounted to
$5,284,178.73, the principal charges against these being pension re­
serve amounting to $3,154,269.51 and compensation estimated lor
reported claims (not transferred to reserve account) amounting to
$1,068,102.56.
Effect of English Social Insurance Upon Emigration1

I

N 1921 the conference of prime ministers of the British dominions
indorsed a policy of encouraging migration from Great Britain
“ with a view to settlement in the Empire overseas” ; in 1922
Parliament embodied the principle in the Empire settlement act, and
each successive government since that date has supported the policy.
The dominions arc cooperating financially with the British Govern» G reat B ritain . C om m ittee appointed to consider th e effect on m igration of schemes of social insurance.
R eport. London, 1926.

98397°—26----- 8

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M O N T H L Y I, A ROT! REVIEW

merit to make it effective, except in the case of South Africa, which
holds aloof because of the limited field for white labor in its domains.
Nevertheless, migration has been disappointingly small, and on
November 1, 1925, the Government appointed a committee to consider
two points:
How far the existing provision for old-age pensions and for national health
and unem ploym ent insurance tends to discourage m igration from th is country
w ith a view to settlem ent in th e Em pire overseas, and how far any such tendency
will be accentuated by th e widows’, orphans’, and old-age contributory act;
and in w hat m anner any adverse effect resulting from such legislation call best
be counteracted.

The committee, whose report has recently appeared, considers that
the various forms of social insurance have exerted very little influence
either way upon the problem. Migrants are of two classes, the
unassisted and the assisted. The unassisted pay their own way,
choose for themselves when, where, and how to go, and have little
contact with the authorities, so that it is difficult to speak authorita­
tively concerning them. The report points out, however, that it is
improbable that persons who are able to pay the heavy cost of trans­
ferring themselves and their dependents to a foreign country and
making a start there, would be seriously influenced by the prospect
of losing their claims under existing insurance schemes. There are
some exceptions to this, notably in the case of widows in receipt of
pensions, and boys approaching 18, at which age they have the right,
if unemployed, to full adult rates of benefit.
The assisted migrants are of two classes, the nominated and the
selected. The nominated are those whose coming is asked for by
relatives or friends already in the dominion, who make themselves
responsible for finding a home and employment for the newcomers
upon arrival. This is almost the only way in which a family group
can enter the list of assisted migrants. The selected settlers must
belong to certain groups, such as single men and juveniles for farm
work and women for domestic service, whose services are desired by
the dominions. Artisans, factory workers, clerical workers, and
generally those occupied in urban industries are not needed and can
not qualify for the receipt of Government aid. These restrictions,
rather than a possible loss of rights under the various insurance sys­
tems, are considered responsible for the comparatively small volume
of emigration. Nevertheless, the insurance systems are regarded
as having a real, though subsidiary influence.
We consider th e tw o chief causes which tend, a t th e present tim e, to dis­
courage m igration are (l) _bad trad e conditions and (2) th e restrictions which th e
dominion authorities find it necessary to place on th e g ran t of assisted passages.
A consideration of each scheme separately shows, in our opinion, th a t national
health insurance does n o t act perceptibly as a check on migration. We consider,
however, th a t unem ploym ent insurance and th e com paratively recent extension
of outdoor poor law relief to able-bodied persons discourage m igration to an
appreciable extent a t precisely th e ages when, other things being equal, it m ight
be expected th a t th e opportunities of oversea life would prove m ost attractive.
We do not consider th a t old-age pensions, under either th e noncontributory or th e
contributory scheme have any considerable effect. T he effect of widows’ and
orphans’ pensions m ust necessarily, a t this early stage of th e operation of the
new scheme, be largely a m a tte r of conjecture. We th ink, however, th a t this
scheme will have some effect on m arried m en and th a t th ere is little d oubt th a t
th e prospective loss of pension will be a m aterial consideration in th e case of
widows contem plating migration.


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W O R K M E N ^ ACCID EN T IN S U R A N C E IN ITALY

107

Various methods of meeting this difficulty are considered, such as
the payment to widows and old persons actually in receipt of a pen­
sion of a lump sum equal to one year’s pension upon migration, and
the dissemination of information as to any pension schemes or other
arrangements of a similar kind in the dominions. The most im­
portant recommendation deals with the possibility of reciprocal
arrangements with the dominions.
We recommend th a t th e general question of the standardization of schemes
of social insurance throughout th e Em pire should be considered by th e next
im perial conference, w ith a view to th e establishm ent of th e fullest reciprocal
arrangem ents which m ay be found possible.
We hope th a t one of th e first points which will be considered by th e conference
will be th e possibility of arranging th a t the period of residence necessary to
qualify for noncontributory schemes of old-age pensions shall be uniform through­
out th e Em pire, and th a t for th e purpose of calculating th e qualifying period,
residence in any p a rt of the Empire where a corresponding scheme is in existence
m ay be taken into account.

Workmen’s Accident Insurance in Italy, 1923

ORKMAN’S compulsory accident insurance in Italian indus­
try is based on the codified text (January 31, 1904) of the
acts relating to industrial accidents, amended by the legis­
lative decree of November 17, 1918, and the act of March 20, 1921.
It covers all mining work, building and construction work, trans­
portation, manufacturing (except hand trades), and construction
work of the State, and of provincial or communal governments.
Commerce, agriculture (except lumbering and tending of agricultural
machinery), and domestic service are excluded, but agricultural
workers of all classes are covered by a special law. The law applies
to all workmen employed in the establishments covered, including
those in a supervising capacity receiving not more than 201lire a day.
Compensation is granted in all cases of death or bodily injury
resulting in incapacity for work for a period in excess of five days.
The compensation granted consists of medical aid; in case of tem­
porary disability, one-half of the daily wages; in case of total perma­
nent disability, an amount equal to six times the annual earnings, and
a proportionate sum in case of partial permanent disability; and in
case of death, five times the annual earnings. The maximum com­
pensation for total permanent disabdity is fixed at 36,000 lire and the
minimum at 6,000 lire. In case of partial permanent disability the
maximum compensation for single male workers is 9,750 lire and for
single female workers 6,000 lire; the exact amount depends on age
and sex of the injured worker and the number of dependent relatives,
and is increased by from 10 to 50 per cent for married workers with
children. The essential feature of this scale of compensation is that
it is based upon lump-sum payments, although in some cases conver­
sion into annuities is compulsory.
The cost of compensation falls entirely upon the employer. In­
surance is compulsory, but the method of insurance is not prescribed
and employers have their choice of several groups of authorized
insurance carriers.

W

i L ira a t par=19.3 cents; exchange rate varies,


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M O N T H L Y LABOR' KEVTEW

Statistics on the operation of the law have just been published by
the Italian Bureau of Labor and Social Welfare after an interval of
15 years.2 These statistics relate primarily to the year 1923, but
include comparisons with earlier years. They are briefly summarized
below.
insurance Carriers

’" THERE are five kinds of institutions which write workmen’s
* accident insurance: (1) The National Accident Insurance
Fund (Cassa Nazionale Infortuni), a private institution with auton­
omous administration but under Government control; (2) private
commercial insurance companies; (3) employers’ mutual insurance
associations (sindacati di assicurazione) ; (4) private insurance funds
of several establishments combined (casse consorziali) ; and (5)
self-insurers (casse private).
Establishments and Workers Covered

IN 1923 in all Italy there were insured against industrial accidents
1 2,500,907 workers, distributed among 175,202 establishments.
The following table shows the number insured with each kind of
insuran ce carrier :
IN D U S T R IA L E S T A B L IS H M E N T S A N D W O R K E R S C O V E R E D B Y A C C ID E N T IN S U R ­
A N C E , 1923
[Lira at p a r= 19.3 cents; exchange rate varies]

Insurance carrier

E stablishm ents
insured

W orkers insured

N u m b e r Per cent N u m b er Per cent
N ational A ccident Insurance F u n d _____ 104, 872
P rivate commercial insurance com panies. 34,418
E m ployers’ m u tu a l insurance associations:
C o m p u ls o ry ........................... .
........
1,236
V o lu n tary . _____________________
32, 596
E stab lish m en t cooperative funds
2,009
Self-insurers................................
. .
71
T o tal................ ......................

175, 202

A nnual earnings of in­
sured workers
A m ount

P er cent

59.86
19.64

941, 238
512, 597

37.64
20.50

2,459, 422,800
1, 409, 868, 734

32. 62
18.70

.71
18.60
1.15
.04

24, 968
980, 738
27, 611
13, 755

1.00
39. 21
1.10
.55

48, 334,115
3, 518, 799, 928
52, 596,438
50, 397, 909

.64
40.67
.70
.67

100. 00 2, 500, 907

100.00

7, 539, 419, 924

■100.00

The preceding table shows that nearly 60 per cent of the estab­
lishments insure their workers in the National Accident Insurance
Fund. The proportion is, however, not the same as regards the
number of workers insured and the annual earnings of insured
workers. It may, therefore, be concluded that in the 104,872 estab­
lishments which insured their workers with the National Fund
there were included a great many small establishments. The great
mass of the workers were insured with employers’ voluntary mutual
insurance associations (39.21 per cent), the National Fund (37.64
per cent), and private commercial insurance companies (20.5 per
cent). The aggregate annual earnings of the workers insured with
employers’ voluntary mutual insurance associations formed 46.67
2 Ita ly . M inistère dell’Econom ic Nazionale. Direzione G enerale del Lavoro e della P revidenza Sociale.
B ollettino del Lavoro e della P revidenza Sociale, Rome, D ecember, 1925, P t. IV , pp. 225-508.


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w o r k m e n ’s

a c c id e n t

IN S U R A N C E IN ITALY

109

per cent of the aggregate annual earnings of all workers insured against
industrial accidents.
The development of the industrial workers’ compulsory accident
insurance in Italy during the period 1905 to 1923 is shown in the
following table:
D E V E L O P M E N T O F C O M P U L S O R Y IN D U S T R IA L A C C ID E N T IN S U R A N C E IN IT A L Y ,
1905 TO 1923
[Lira a t par=19.3 cents; exchange rate varies]
Index num bers
1923

1920

1908

1905

Item

1905 1908 1920 1923

W orkers i n s u r e d __ . .
Aggregate an n u al earnmgs of w orkers insured______________

Ì, 485,828

175, 202
2, 500, 907

142,167
2,458, 676

Ì, 910,274

L ir e

L ir e

L ir e

L ir e

754,834, 627

1,029, 009, 243

5, 567,972, 783

7, 539,419, 924

100

129

100
165

123
168

100

136

739

999

Distribution of Insured Workers by Industry Groups

CO N SID ERED by industry groups, the largest numbers of workers
^
insured against accidents are in the textile group (561,463),
building and construction (470,566), and in the machinery industry
(234,393).
Accidents

INURING the year 1923 the various insurance carriers received
b ' reports of 363,243 accidents, of which 357,322 had occurred
during 1923 and 5,921 were cases necessitating revision of awards
already made; in addition, 58,350 cases were carried over from pre­
vious years—a total of 421,593 cases. Of this total, 363,752 cases
were disposed of by the end of 1923 and 57,841 were still awaiting
action.
The following table classifies the 357,322 accidents which occurred
during 1923 according to their consequences:
N U M B E R A N D P E R C E N T O F A C C ID E N T S R E S U L T IN G IN D E A T H OR D IS A B IL IT Y ,
1923
N u m b er of accidents
causing—
Insurance carrier

P erm a­ T em po­
n en t ra ry dis­
D eath
disa­
ability
bility

P e r cent resulting in —
T otal
acci­
dents

em ­
P erm a­ Tpo­
nent
rary
D eath
disa­
disa­
bility bility

N ational Accident Insurance F u n d . . . - ---P rivate commercial insurance com panies. .
E m ployers’ m u tu a l insurance associations:
C o m p u ls o ry .......................... ....................
V olu n tary__________________________
E stablish m en t cooperative fu n d s ............ .
Self-insurers........................................................

453
234

7,867
4,824

133, 638
60, 561

141,958
65, 619

0.32
.36

5.54
7. 35

94.14
92.29

55
506
3
2

189
12,090
63
51

2,780
130, 692
914
2,400

3,024
143, 288
980
2,453

1.82
.35
.31
.08

6. 25
8. 44
6. 43
2.08

91.93
91. 21
93.26
97.84

T o tal......................................- ...............-

1,253

25, 084

330, 985

357,322

.35

7.02

92.63


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The large proportion of fatal accidents shown in the preceding table
for employers’ compulsory mutual insurance associations is due to the
fact that one of the two existing associations covers the sulphur mines
in Sicily, in which serious accidents have always been numerous.
Of the 25,084 accidents resulting in permanent disability 21,139
(84.27 per cent) caused a loss of working capacity of less than 20 per
cent, 3,009 (12 per cent) a loss of 20 and less than 40 per cent, 399
(1.59 per cent) of 40 and less than 50 per cent, 171 (0.68 per cent) of
50 and less than 60 per cent, 247 (0.98 per cent) of 60 and less than 80
per cent, 71 (0.28 per cent) of 80 and less than 100 per cent, and 48
(0.2 per cent) of 100 per cent.
Of the 330,985 temporary-disability accidents 64,318 (19.43 per
cent) caused disability of less than 6 days (noncompensable accidents)
and 266,667 (80.57 per cent) caused disability of more than 5 days.
Statistics as to the frequency of accidents iii 1923 show that in that
year 22,042 of every 100,000 full-time workers met with an accident.
Of these 22,042 accidents, 84 resulted in death, 1,687 in permanent
disability, and 22,271 in temporary disability.
The cost of compensation of the accidents which occurred in 1923,
totaling 163,176,639 lire, was distributed as follows: Fatal accidents,
28,111,586 lire; permanent disability, 91,755,357 lire; and temporary
disability, 43,309,696 lire. Of every 1,000 lire of compensation,
172.28 lire went for fatal accidents, 562.31 lire for permanent disabil­
ity, and 265.41 lire for temporary disability. The average compensa­
tion per accident was 22,435 lire per fatal accident, 3,658 lire per acci­
dent causing permanent disability, and 131 lire per accident causing
temporary disability—457 lire for all classes of accidents.
Comparative Accident Statistics 1905-1923

'T'idE following table shows by means of index numbers the move­
ment of the accident risk and of compensation in the years 1908,
1920, and 1923, as compared with 1905:
INDEX NUMBERS SHOWING MOVEMENT OF ACCIDENT RISK AND OP COMPENSA­
TION IN 1908, 1920, AND 1923, AS COMPARED WITH 1905
------------- Accidents resulting in—
Year
Death
1905............................................................
3908______ ______ ___ ________
1920_______________________
1923_______ __________

100
107
194
176

All
Permanent Temporary accidents
disability disability
100
114
552
396

100
141
195
172

100
140
209
181

Compen­
sation

100
151
772
1,214

If the index numbers of the preceding table are compared with the
index numbers relating to the number of workers insured, shown in a
previous table, the following conclusions may be drawn:
(a)
The total number of accidents in all years for which statistics
are available increased in a greater proportion than the number oi
workers insured.


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AVO R K M E n V

ACCIDENT IN S U R A N C E IN ITALY

114

(b) In 1920 the accident risk was especially high, the index numbers
for the individual classes of accidents as well as that for all accidents
being considerably higher than the corresponding index numbers for
1923, in spite of the fact that in 1923 the number of insured workers
was greater. This is due to the fact that conditions were still ab­
normal in 1920. The demobilization of the war apparatus involved
the execution of very dangerous work, and other circumstances,
such as the diminished physical resistance of the workers owing to
the privations and hardships undergone during the war, contributed
to increase the accident risk.
(c) In pre-war years the fatal and serious accidents increased more
slowly than the number of insured workers, while in postwar years the
reverse has been true.
id) The cost of compensation has increased continuously since
1905 in spite of a decrease in accidents from 1920 to 1923. This
is due in part to the fact that compensation benefits were increased
by law in 1921, but chiefly to the fact that compensation being based
upon earnings, the cost has increased as wages have risen. _
The data given in the following table permit a comparison of the
relation of contributions, compensation, and wages of the insured
workers for the four years, 1905, 1908, 1920, and 1923:
RELATION OF CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED AND COMPENSATION PAID IN SPECI­
FIED YEARS
[Lira at par=19.3 cents; exchange rate varies]

Year

Compen­
sation
paid for
100 lire of
contribu­
tions

L ir e

1905
1908
1920
1923___________

80.14
76. 13
til. 28
74. 58

Contribu­
tions re­
ceived—

Compen­
sation
paid—

Per 1,000 lire of wages
or salaries of insured
workers
L ir e

22. 22
25.93
30. 34
29. 02

L ir e

17.80
19. 74
18. 59
21. 64

Average
contribu­
tion—

Average
compen­
sation—

Per insured worker

L ir e

11.29
13.90
68.83
87.48

L ir e

9.05
10.58
42.18
65. 25

Average
contribu­
tion—

Average
compen­
sation—

Per compensated ac­
cident
L ir e

103. 52
117.14
500. 02
746. 72

L ir e

82. 97
89.18
306. 41
556.91

According to the preceding table compensation per 100 lire of
contributions made shows a tendency to decrease up to and including
1920. In 1920 the decrease was especially marked although wages
were high in that year and therefore also the contributions; the
regulations of the law of 1904 were, however, still effective. In 1921
benefits were increased and the rate of compensation per 100 lire
of contributions also increased.
As regards the average amount of contributions and compensation
per compensable accident the table indicates that in 1923 the average
cost of an accident was nearly seven times as great as m 1905.


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[12871

HOUSING
Building Permits in Principal Cities in the United States in 1925 1

HORTLY after the first of the year the Bureau of Labor Statistics
mailed a building permit questionnaire to each of the 287 cities
in the United States which have a population of 25,000 or over
according to the 1920 census, asking for a report for the calendar
year 1925. As in 1924, full reports were received from 274 cities, but
two of the cities which reported for 1924 did not report for 1925.
However, reports were received this year from Fort Smith, Ark., and
Wichita Falls, Tex., which cities did not report in 1924.
Over 85 per cent of these cities sent in their schedules by mail
either direct to this bureau or to their State bureaus, which forwarded
the report to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The States of New
York, Massachusetts, Illinois, and New Jersey are now cooperating
with the bureau in this work. About 15 per cent of the reports had
to be obtained by sending agents to compile the data from the city
records.
This article is a summary of the bureau’s sixth annual building
permit report. A complete report showing data in detail for each
city separately will be issued later in bulletin form.
Table 1 shows the total number of new buildings and the estimated
cost of each of the different kinds for which permits were issued in
the 274 cities from which schedules were received for the year 1925,
the per cent that each kind forms of the total number, and the per
cent that the cost of each kind forms of the total cost, and the average
cost per building.

S

1.—NUMBER AND COST OP NEW BUILDINGS AS STATED BY PERMITS ISSUED
IN 274 CITIES DURING THE CALENDAR YEAR 1925, BY KIND OF BUILDING

T able

New buildings for which permits were issued
Estimated cost

Kind of building
Number

Per
cent of
total

Amount

Per
cent of
total

Average
per
building

R e s i d e n t i a l b u i ld i n g s

One-family dwellings __________ ___ ____
Two-family dwellings________ __________
One-family and two-family dwellings with
stores combined____ ___ __ __ ___ _
Multi-family dwellings ___ ___________
Multi-family dwellings with stores combined..
H otels.................. .............. ................. ............
Lodging houses_______________ ____ ____
All other. _____________ _____
Total______ _______ _____________

235,168
38, 784

41.7
0.9

$1,074, 031,356
324, 586,029

28. 2
8.5

$4, 567
8,369

5, 786
15,119
1,779
342
120
204

1.0
2.7
.3
.1
(»)
(“)

58,865,118
709, 501, 414
76, 564, 025
171,798, 215
1,137, 750
49,000,002

1.5
18.6
2.0
1.3

10,174
46,928
43,038
502,333
9,481
240,166

297, 302

52.8

2, 465, 483, 909

64.7

8, 293

4.5
(°)

" Less than one-tenth of 1 per cent.
1 Earlier reports concerning building permits issued in the United States are published in Bulletins Nosi
295, 318, 347, 368, and 397 of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and in the L abor R e v ie w for Julv, 1921; April,
1922; July, 1923; October, 1923; June, 1924; October, 1924; June, 1925; July, 1925; and October, JL925.
112


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B U IL D IN G P E R M IT S IN C IT IE S OF T H E U N IT E D STATES

T able 1 —NUMBER AND COST O F NEW BUILDINGS AS STATED BY PERM ITS ISSUED
IN 274 CITIES DURING THE CALENDAR YEAR 1925, BY KIND OF BUILDING—Contd.

New buildings for which permits were issued
Estimated cost

Kind of building
Number

Per
cent of
total

Amount

Per
cent of
total

Average
per
building

N o n r e s i d e n t i a l b u i ld i n g s

Amusement buildings....... ...............................
Churches______________________________
Factories and workshops--------------- -------- ..
Public garages. - ______ _____ ____________
Private g a rag e s----- ----------------------------Service stations........ ............ ...........................
Institutions__ ... _____ ____ ____ ___
Office buildings____ ....______ ____ ... .
Public buildings.___ ____ _____ .. . . ...
Public works and utilities________________
Schools and libraries_____ ______________
Sheds____________ ___ _______________
Stables and barns. ____ ____ _________ .
Stores and warehouses------------------------- ...
All other. ______ ___________________

1,047
1,248
4,999
5,196
209,135
4,106
254
1,879
300
615
1, 038
17, 309
565
15,768
2,603

Total____________________________

206,062

47.2

1,346,281,355

35.3

5,060

Grand total.

563, 364

100.0

3,811,765,264

100.0

6,766

........ . ..

. ..

....

.2

.2
.9
.9
37.1
.7

0

.3
.1
.1
.2
3. 1
.1
2.8
.5

$116,283,961
63,457,806
173,378,315
83,161, 501
88,221,158
13,044,942
53,429,157
263,904, 589
23, 570,409
43,890,487
163,027,827
7,492, 546
1,300, 890
243, 220,401
8,897,366

3.1
1.7
4.5
2.2
2.3
.3
1.4
6.9
.6
1.2
4.3
.2
0

6.4
.2

$111,063
50,848
34, 683
16,005
422
3,177
210,351
140, 449
78, 568
71,367
157,060
433
2,302
15,425
3,418

1 Less than one-tenth of one per cent.

This table shows that of every dollar spent for building in these 274
cities 64.7 cents were spent for residental buildings against 35.3 cents
for nonresidential buildings. This is practically the same proportion
as was shown in 1924, when 64.6 per cent of the money spent for the
erection of buildings was spent for residential buildings and 35.4 per
cent for nonresidential buildings.
I t should be borne in mind that the costs shown in these tables are
estimated costs declared in most cities by the prospective builder at
the time of applying for his permit to build. Frequently the figures
are under the real cost of the building. Many cities charge fees
according to the cost of the building and this may cause the builder
to underestimate the cost. Another cause of underestimation is that
builders think that a low estimate will tend to make their tax assess­
ment lower. On the other hand, a builder may overstate the cost
and show such statement to a prospective purchaser.
In some of the cities the building commissioner checks over the
costs and requires the builder to correct his figures. In many places,
however, the estimate given is accepted if it is apparently reasonable.
It should also be borne in mind that the data show merely the
number of buildings for which permits were issued and that there is
more or less delay before work starts on the building and considerable
time often elapses before the building is ready for occupancy.
More one-family dwellings were erected in these 274 cities than any
other class of building and more money was spent for their construc­
tion than for the construction of any other kind of building. Onefamily dwellings made up 41.7 per cent of all buildings for which
permits were issued, and cost 28.2 per cent of the estimated cost of all
buildings. Private garages were the next most numerous, com
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M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW

prising 37.1 per cent of all buildings but only 2.3 per cent of tbe total
cost of all buildings. Multi-family dwellings (apartment houses)
ranked next to one-family dwellings in estimated cost, $709,501,414
being spent for their erection or 18.6 per cent of the total amount
expended for the erection of all buildings. More money was spent
for the erecting of office buildings than for any other class of nonresidential buildings, their estimated cost being 6.9 per cent of the
total estimated cost of all new structures.
The last column in Table 1 shows the average cost of each kind of
building. These averages range from $422, the average cost of a
private garage, to $502,333, the average estimated cost of the 342
hotels erected. The 1924 report (Bulletin No. 397) shows that the
average estimated cost of the 331 hotels for which permits were issued
in 1924 was only $275,531. The 1925 average—over half a million
dollars per hotel—gives some idea of the large hotels now in process
of construction in these cities.
The average cost of one-family dwellings in 1925 was $4,567, com­
pared with $4,314 in 1924. None of these costs include the cost of the
building lot, but only the cost of the building itself. The average
cost of structures of all kinds was $6,766, compared with $5,721 in
1924.
Families Provided For

■“FABLE 2 shows the number and per cent of families provided for
by each of the different kinds of dwellings for which permits were
issued in 272 identical cities in 1924 and 1925.
T a b l e 3 .—N U M B E R A N D P E R C E N T O P F A M IL IE S TO B E H O U S E D IN N E W D W E L L IN G S

F O R W H IC H P E R M IT S W E R E IS S U E D IN 272 ID E N T IC A L C IT IE S D U R IN G T H E C A L ­
E N D A R Y E A R S 1924 A N D 1925, B Y K IN D OF D W E L L IN G

K in d of dwelling

N u m b er of new
dwellings for which
perm its were issued

Fam ilies provided for
N um ber

P e r cent

1924

1925

1924

1925

1924

Onte-family dwellings
_ __________________
Tw o-fam ily dwellings
___ _
____
O ne-family and tw o-fam ily dwellings w ith
stores combined..
_ ________ ___ ____
M ulti-fam ily dwellings__________ __ _ M ulti-fam ily dwellings w ith stores com bined.-

214, 685
43, 981

234,026
38,683

214, 685
87, 962

234, 026
77,366

47. 1
19.3

46.2
15.3

4, 877
13, 076
1,429

5, 786
15,112
1,779

7,755
134, 465
10, 908

9,622
171,279
14, 803

1.7
29.5
2.4

1.9
33.8
2.9

T o tal_______ _______ _______ _____ ____

278, 048

295, 386

455, 775

507,096

100. 0

100.0

1925

In the 272 cities from which reports were received 507,096 families
were provided with living quarters in new buildings in 1925 as
compared with 455,775 in 1924, an increase in housing units of over
11 per cent.
One-family dwellings cared for 214,685 families in 1924, or 47.1
per cent of all families provided for, as against 234,026 families or
46.2 per cent in 1925. Multi-family dwellings, which provided
29.5 per cent of all new housing units in 1924, provided 33.8 per
cent in 1925. Two-family dwellings provided for only 77,366 families
in 1925, as compared with 87,962 in 1924.

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B U IL D IN G P E R M IT S I'M C IT IE S OF T H E U N IT E D STATES

115

Table 3 shows the number and the percentage distribution of
families provided for in the different kinds of dwellings in the 257
identical cities from which reports were received in each of the five
years, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, and 1925. For convenience, onefamily and two-family dwellings with stores combined are grouped
with two-family dwellings, and multi-family dwellings with stores
combined are grouped with multi-family dwellings.
T

3 . — N U M B E R A N D P E R C E N T OF F A M IL IE S P R O V ID E D F O R IN T H E D IF F E R E N T K IN D S O F D W E L L IN G S IN 257 ID E N T IC A L C IT IE S IN 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924,
A N D 1925

able

Y ear

1921.........................
1922______ ______
1923____________
1924____________
1925____________

N u m b er of families provided for in —

P er cent of families provided for in—

All classes
M u lti­
One-family Two-family
of
fam ily
dwellings dwellings 1 dwellings 2 dwellings

M u lti­
One-family Two-family
ily
dwellings dw ellings 1 dwfam
ellings3

130, 873
179, 364
207, 632
210, 818
226,159

38, 858
80. 252
96, 344
95, 019
86,145

54. 814
117, 689
149, 697
137, 082
178, 918

224, 545
377, 305
453, 673
442, 919
491,222

58.3
47.5
45.8
47.6
46.0

17.3
21.3
21.2
21.5
17. 5

24. 4
31.2
33.0
30.9
36.4

1 Includes one-family and two-family dwellings w ith stores combined.
2 Includes m ulti-fam ily dwellings w ith stores combined.

In 1925 housing accommodations for 491,222 families were provided
in new buildings in these 257 cities. The largest number previously
provided for in any year was 453,673 in 1923. In 1921 only 224,545
families were provided for, or less than half of the number provided
for in 1925.
One-family dwellings provided for 58.3 per cent of the total number
of families provided for by all new buildings in 1921, sank to a low
point of 45.8 in 1923, rose to 47.6 in 1924, and sank again to 48 in 1925.
Except for 1924, the percentages of families provided for in apartment
houses was higher each year than the preceding year, rising from
24.4 per cent in 1921 to 33 per cent in 1923. The falling off in this
class of dwelling in 1924 to only 30.9 per cent of the total housing
provided for was commented on at the time as possibly presaging a
different trend—that is, a greater turning to the single-family dwelling.
However, the rise of this type of dwelling in 1925 to the high point of
36.4 per cent shows that the apartment house has not lost its
popularity. More families were provided for in new apartment
houses in' these 257 cities in 1925 than were provided for in all onefamily dwellings and two-family dwellings in 1921, and almost as
many as were provided for by one-family dwellings in 1922.
A further illustration of the trend of family habitation toward the
apartment house is shown by the fact that the families provided for
in multi-family dwellings has increased from 54,814 in 1921 to
178,918 in 1925, an increase of 226.4 per cent. In the same period the
families accommodated in one-family dwellings increased from
130,873 to 226,159, an increase of only 72.8 per cent.
Housing 1 rend, 1924 and 1925

4 shows the number and cost of each of the different
TABLE
kinds of buildings for the 272 identical cities from which reports
were received in 1924 and 1925 and the percentge of increase or
decrease in the number and in the cost in 1925 as compared with 1924.

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*

T a b l e 4 .—N U M B E R A N D C O ST O F N E W B U IL D IN G S F O R W H IC H P E R M IT S W E R E

IS S U E D IN 272 ID E N T IC A L C IT IE S D U R IN G T H E C A L E N D A R Y E A R S 1924 A N D 1925,
B Y K IN D O F B U IL D IN G
New buildings for w hich p erm its were issued

K ind of building

1924

N um ber

1925

Cost

N um ber

Cost

Per cent of indecréase ( —) in
1925 as com­
pared w ith 1924
N um ber

Cost

R e s id e n tia l b u ild in g s

One-family dwellings ..........................- 214, 685
Two-family d w ellin g s............................ 43,981
One-family an d tw o-fam ily dwellings
4,877
w ith stores com bined........................ .
M ulti-fam ily dwellings________ ____
13,076
M ulti-fam ily dwellings w ith stores
1,429
com bined________ _______ ______
329
H otels____________________ _______
135
Lodging houses _ . . ____________
157
O th e r_____________________________

$925,000, 525
365,512, 811

T o ta l____ __ _______________ 278, 669

234,026 $1,070, 640,532
324,189,294
38,683

+ 9 .0
-1 2 .1

+15.7
-1 1 .3

48,323, 922
558,519, 744

5, 786
15,112

58, 865,118
709,354,334

+18.6
+15.6

+21.8
+27.0

54,773,743
91,140, 790
1,214, 800
25,790,437

1,779
342
120
203

76,564,025
171, 798, 215
1,137, 750
48,997, 002

+24.5
+ 4 .0
-1 1 .1
+29. 3

+39.8
+88. 5
- 6 .4
+90.0

2,070, 276, 772

296,051

2,461,546, 270

+6. 2

+18.9

59,206,095
58,395,579
173,045, 738
80,068, 491
98,439, 682
10,985,125
35,572, 721
188,504,006
29,510,179
43,664;992
158,718,052
9,088,240
1,393,020
184, 931,512
6,107,648

1,047
1,245
4,986
5,172
208, 871
4,088
251
1.867
291
615
1,038
17,248
565
15, 634
2,603

116,283,961
63, 438,306
173,288,004
82,922, 231
88,187,397
13,002, 792
53,232,157
263,224,314
23,382, 859
43, 890,487
163,027, 827
7, 475, 688
1,300,890
242,326, 605
8,897, 366

+ 6.7
- 0 .5
+ 2 .7
-1 4 .4
-6 . 7
-0 . 8
-2 6 . 2
+22.7
0.0
-6 .8
+0. 3
-9 .9
-5 1 .7
+ 7 .5
-6 .5

+96.4
+ 8 .6
+ 0.1
+ 3 .6
-1 0 .4
+18. 4
+49. 6
+39.6
-2 0 .8
+ 0.5
+ 2.7
-1 7 .8
- 6 .6
+31.0
+45. 7

Total ________ ______ _______ 282,480

1,137,631,080

265, 521

1,343,880,884

- 6 .0

+18.1

G rand to ta l_______________

3, 207,907, 852

561, 572

3, 805,427,154

+ 0 .1

+18.6

N o n r e s id e n tia l b u ild in g s

981
A m usem ent buildings_____ ________
1,251
C hurches______________ . . . . . . . .
Factories an d w orkshops-----. . . .
4,854
6,038
Public garages___________________ .
P rivate garages----------- ---------------- 223,750
4,120
Service statio n s. ----------- . . . -----340
In stitu tio n s_____________ ________
Office bu ild in g s____________________
1,521
P ublic bu ild in g s______________ . . .
291
P ublic w orks a n d u tilit ie s _______ .
660
Schools a n d lib raries_______ . . . . .
1,035
19,150
S h e d s ... _________ _______________
Stables a n d b a rn s. . . _________ . .
1,169
Stores a n d w arehouses__ ____ _____
14, 537
AH o th e r ...................................................
2, 783

. 561,149

In the 272 cities from which reports were received for both 1924
and 1925, permits were issued for 561,572 buildings at an estimated
cost of $3,805,427,154 in 1925, as compared with 561,149 buildings
costing $3,207,907,852 in 1924. This is an increase in buildings of
one-tenth of 1 per cent and in money expended of 18.6 per cent.
Residential buildings increased 6.2 per cent in number and 18.9 per
cent in estimated cost in 1925 as compared with 1924, while nonresiden tial buildings decreased 6 per cent in number and increased
18.1 per cent in estimated cost.
The amount of money expended for the erection of apartment
houses increased 27 per cent in this period compared with an increase
of expenditure for single family dwellings of 15.7 per cent.
The greatest increase (29.3 per cent) took place in the number of
“ O ther'’ residential buildings which include clubs with bedrooms,
Y. M. C. A. buildings, etc. They also showed an increase of 90 per
cent in the estimated expenditure in 1925, as compared with 1924.
As shown by reports from these 272 cities in 1925, the United
States continues to spend more for amusement buildings than for
churches, the estimated expenditure for the former class of buildings

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[ 1202 ]

B U IL D IN G PE R M IT S I N r C IT IE S OF T H E U N IT E D STATES

117

being $116,283,961, while that for the latter was only $63,438,306,
increases of 96.4 and 8.6 per cent, respectively.
For the first time since the bureau has been compiling these figures
the number of private garages decreased as compared with the
previous year, a loss of 6.7 per cent taking place in 1925, as compared
with 1924.
Housing in Relation to Population

'"TABLE 5, following, shows the number of families provided with
dwellings in new buildings and the ratio of such families to each
10,000 of population in each city from which data were received for
1924 and 1925. It will be noted that the ratio of families provided
for is based both on the population according to the 1920 census and
on the estimated or actual population for the specified year. The
ratio is worked on the two different bases because it is thought many
people would prefer the 1920 figures as in most instances they are the
latest figures given in the census enumeration. In 1925 a census
was made by several of the States—namely, Florida, Iowa, Kansas,
Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island. Where these State
enumerations were made the Census Bureau did not estimate the
population but used the State census figures. The other population
figures are estimates in most cases, but they are undoubtedly more
nearly right for their respective years than the 1920 Census figures
would be. The estimates were made by the Census Bureau of the
United States Department of Commerce. For some cities this bureau
made no estimates.
As in 1924, Miami provided for more families in proportion to its
population in 1925 than any other city from which reports were re­
ceived. As Florida was one of the States taking a census in 1925,
the exact population for that year is given, and the table shows that
Miami provided for 1,342 families to each 10,000 of population.
Following is a list of the five cities having the highest ratio of
families provided for to each 10,000 of population according to the
estimated or enumerated population for the year specified for each
year since the compilation of such records.
1921
Long Beach________________
Los Angeles________________
P asadena____ ____
Shreveport_________________
Lakewood_________________

631.
320.
251.
249.
191.

9
9
7
8
3

1922
Long Beach________________ 1, 081. 0
Los Angeles________________
441. 6
Lakewood_______
358. 9
M iam i_____________________
268. 1
E ast Cleveland_____________
267. 6
1923
Long Beach________________ 1, 038. 1
Los Angeles________________
657. 4
M iam i_____________________
611. 1

1923
Irvington__________________
Lakewood_________________

432. 1
381. 3

1924
Miami i___________________ 2, 248. 9
Irvington________
501. 2
Los Angeles 2_______________
448. 3
San Diego_________________
378. 0
Long Beach________________
347. 6
1925
Miami 1___________________ 1, 342. 0
San Diego_________________
392. 0
T am pa____ _______________
379. 3
Irvington___ ______________
374. 6
Los Angeles 2_______________
331. 0

1 T h e ratio of families provided for in M iam i in 1924 was based on th e population as estim ated b y the
Census B ureau for th a t year. In th e lig h t of th e actual census tak en b y State enum erators in 1925 it would
seem th a t th e estim ate for 1924 was below th e actual population for th a t year, hence the ratio here shown
for 1924 is probably higher th a n th e actual population in th a t year w ould w arrant.
Populatio n no t estim ated in 1924 or 1925; 1923 estim ate used.

2


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1293]

118

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

Ever since 1921 California has had at least two cities in this
group of five leading cities. This year Florida joins the select
group with two cities to match the California cities. Long Beach,
which led all cities in the building of new homes in 1921, 1922, and
1923, fell to fifth place in 1924, and this year dropped out of this
group altogether.
The 274 cities which reported in 1925 provided for 508,510 families,
or at a rate of 13G.3 families to each 10,000 of population according
to the 1920 census, and 123.4 families to each 10,000 of population
according to the estimate for that year. This compared with
455,775 families provided for in the 272 cities reporting for 1924, or
a ratio of 122.4 families to each 10,000 of population according to
the 1920 census, and at a ratio of 112.2 according to the estimated
population for 1924.
T

5 .—N U M B E R O F F A M IL IE S P R O V ID E D W IT H D W E L L IN G S IN N E W B U IL D ­
IN G S A N D T H E R A T IO O F SU C H F A M IL IE S TO 10,000 OF P O P U L A T IO N OF 1920
A N D O F E S T IM A T E D P O P U L A T IO N O F S P E C IF I E D Y E A R S , B Y C IT Y A N D
STA TE

able

C ity and S tate

Y ear

4.kron, Ohio____________________

1924
1926
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925

Alameda, Calif...... ................... .
A lbany, N . Y __________________
A llentow n, P a .................................
Altoona, .Pa........ ............................... .
A m sterdam , N . Y___................. .

.

A nderson, I n d .................................
Asheville, N . C . . .

. . .... . .

...

A tlan ta, G a.........................................
A tlantic C ity, N . J .................... .......
A uburn, N . Y ...................................
A ugusta, G a _ ...................... ..............
Aurora, 111....................... ....................
Baltim ore, M d .............................. .
Bangor, M e .......................... ..............
B attle Creek, M ich ....................... _
B ay C ity, M ich .......... .....................
Bayonne, N . , T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............
B erkeley, C alif..________________
B ethlehem , P a ___ _____ _________
B ingham ton, N . Y ............................
B irm ingham , A la____ ____ ______

R atio of
R atio of
families
families
N u m b er of Population
E stim ated provided
provided
families
population
for
to each
as of 1920 for to each
provided
of speci­
of
census
of asfied
for
year
population
population
as of speci­
as of 1920
fied year
1,154
1,960
438
414
658

1,012

208,435
28, 806
113, 344

502
73, 502
631
395
60, 331
302
33, 525
158
225
183
29, 767
186
414
28, 507
661
3,333.
, 616
!. 994
739
50, 707
695
63
36,192
45
168
52, 548
169
289
36, 397
368
5, 529
733, 828
6,233 _ . . . ___
76
25, 978
32
272
36,164
238
55
47, 554
42
762
70, 754
722
1,883
56, 063
1, 990
224
50, 358
258
343
66,800
533
3, 607
178,806
4,063

200

i N o t estimated, by Bureau, of th e Census.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

10,000

10,000

[1204]

(i)
(i)
31,317
31,876
118, 527
117,820
89. 740
92,151
65, 303
66,148
34, 568
35, 260
33, 111
33,854
30, 934
31,474
227, 710
(i)
52. 818
53,287
36, 899
35, 677
54, 754
55,245
39,652
40, 254
75.3
784, 938
84.9
796, 296
29.3
26, 523
12. 3
2«, 644
75. 2
41, 214
65.8
42, 336
.6
48,681
48,907
99. 3
, 582
94, 1
, 767
335.9
64. 602
355. 0
66,209
44.5
61, 228
51.2
62,828
51.3
75, 307
79.8
71,915
201.7
200, 785
227.2
205, 670
2 S tate census.
55. 4
94.0
152.1
143. 7
58. 1
89.3
68.3
85. 8
65.5
50.1
47. 1
67. 1
61. 5
62.5
145.2
231. 9
166. 1
99. 4
145. 7
137. 1
17.4
12.4
32.0
32.2
79.4

2

2

2

101.1

11
8.8

86
88

2

139.9
129.9
55. 5
85. 9
55.9
68.5
60.5
45. 7
45.7
63.8
55. 3
54. 9
133. 8

210,0
146. 4

139.9
130. 4
17.1

12,6

30.7
30,6
72.9
71.4
70.4
78.3
28.7

12.0
66

.0
56.2
11.3

8.6
88.0

81.3
291. 5
300. 6
36.6
41.1
45.5
74.1
179.6
197.5

B U IL D IN G P E R M IT S I N C IT IE S OP T H E U N IT E D STATES

119

T able 5 —N U M B E R OF F A M IL IE S P R O V ID E D W IT H D W E L L IN G S IN N E W B U IL D ­
IN G S A N D T H E R A T IO O F S U C H F A M IL IE S TO 10,000 O F P O P U L A T IO N O F 1920
A N D O F E S T IM A T E D P O P U L A T IO N O F S P E C IF I E D Y E A R S, B Y C IT Y A N D
S T A T E —C ontinued

Y ear

C ity and State

Bloomington, 111 __________

__

Boston, M ass___________________
Bridgeport, Conn_

____

_

Brockton, M a s s .. ______________
Brookline, M ass____________ ___
_______________

Buffalo, N . Y

B utte, M o n t____________________
C am bridge, M ass
C am den, N .

_________

________

J

______

C anton, O hio. ________________
C edar R apids, I o w a ____________
C harleston, S. C _______________
C harleston, W . V a______________
C harlotte, N . C _________________
Chattanooga, T e m i_____________
Chelsea, M ass__________________
Chestoi’, Pa ___________________
Chicago, 111____________________
Chicopee, M ass________________
Cicero, 111____________________
C incinnati, Ohio________________
C larksburg, W . V a______________
C leveland, Ohio________________
Clifton, N . j - ....................................
Colorado Springs, C o lo _________
Colum bia, S. O _________________
C olum bus, G a __________________
C olum bus, O h io ..______________
Council Bluffs, Iow a____________
C ovington, K y _________________
C ranston, R . I . . . ...............................
C um berland, M d _______________
D allas, T e x _________,___________
D anville, 111...................................
D avenport, Io w a___ ____________
1

N o t estim ated b y


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

R atio of
R atio of
families
families
E stim ated provided
N um ber of Population provided
for
to each
population
families
as of 1920 for to each as of speci­ 1 0 ,0
0 0 of
provided
census
1 0 ,0 0 0 of
fied
year
population
for
population
as
of
speci­
as of 1920
fied year

119
1924
28,725
1925
172
1924
4,682
748,060
5,940
1925
1924
287
143,535
274
1925
214
1924
66,254
1925
196
1924
372
37,748
607
1925
1924
4,735
506, 775
1925
4,290
1924
41,611
1925
12
1924
662
109,694
1925
845
1924
488
110,309
1925
739
1924
1,152
87,091
1925
988
1924
■ 526
45,566
1925
427
1924
25
67,957
1925
40
1924
271
39, 607
1925
178
1924
852
46,338
859
1925
1924
335
57,895
1925
648
1924
135
43,187
1925
126
1924
202
58,030
1925
335
1924
35,905
2, 701, 705
39, 501
1925
1924
681
36, 214
1925
758
1924
806
44, 995
1925
730
1924
2,466
401, 247
1925
2, 522
220
1924
27, 869
1925
61
1924
8,247
796,841
1925
8,138
1924
617
26, 470
1925
1,028
1924
30,105
222
1925
200
1924
154
37, 524
168
1925
1924
97
31,125
224
1925
1924
3, 658
237,031
1925
3,185
1924
252
36,162
284
1925
1924
354
57, 121
1925
432
1924
480
29,407
1925
532
1924
211
29, 837
1925
140
1924
4,192
158,976
1925
4,877
1924
215
33, 776
1925
192
1924
248
56, 727
1925
263
B ureau of th e C ensus.

[1295]

40.4
59.9
62.6
79.4

30,140
30,421
776, 783
2 779,620
2 0 .0
(!)
19.1
0 )
32.3
70, 599
29. 6
2 65,343 *
98.5
42,361
2 42, 681
160.8
93.4
545,273
84.7
2 538,016
.7
42,638
2.9
42, 867
111,944
60.3
77.0
2 119,669
42.0
126, 309
63. 5
128,642
102,754
132.3
113.4
106,260
115.4
51,477
93.7
2 50,561
3.7
72,185
5.9
73,125
68.4
47,308
44. 9
49,019
183. 9
52; 049
185. 4
53,318
57.9
65,927
111.9
6 6 , 575
31.3
48,157
29.2
2 47,247
34.8
6 6 , 602
57.7
6 8 . 507
132.9
2,942,605
2,995, 239
146. 2
41,225
188.0
209.3
2 41,882
179. 1
59,103
162. 2
02,238
407,835
01. 5
62.9
409,333
78.9
29.941
21.9
30,402
103. 5
912, 502
1 0 2 .1
936,485
233.1
33,238
388.4
34,472
73.7
0 )
66.4
0 )
41.0
40, 306
44.8
41, 225
31.2
33,677
72.0
44, 244
154.3
268, 209
134. 4
279,836
39, 344
69.7
78.5
2 39, 795
58,093
62.0
75.6
58; 309
33, 253
163.2
2 34, 471
180. 9
70.7
33,051
46.9
33, 741
187,862
263. 7
194,450
306. 8
63.7
36, 413
37.021
56. 8
43.7
62, 558
464
2 52.469
2 S ta te census.

38.5
56.5
60.3
70.2
30.3
30.0
87.8
142. 2
86.8
79.7
.7
2 .8

59. 1
70.6
38.6
57.4
1 1 2 .1

93.0
102. 2

84.5
3.5
57.3
36.3
163.7
161. 1
50.8
97.3
28.0
26,7
30.3
48.9
1 2 2 .0

131.9
165. 2
181.0
136.4
117.3
60.5
61.6
73.5
2 0 .1

90.4
86.9
185. 6
295.9
38. 2
40.8
28.8
50.6
136. 4
113.8
64. 1
71.4
60.9
74. 1
144.3
154.3
63. 8
41.5
223. 1
250.8
59.0
51.9
39.6
50.1

120

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

T a b l e 5 —N U M B E R

O F F A M IL IE S P R O V ID E D W IT H D W E L L IN G S IN N E W B U IL D ­
IN G S A N D T H E R A T IO O F S U C H F A M IL IE S TO 10,000 O F P O P U L A T IO N O F 1920
A N D O F E S T IM A T E D P O P U L A T IO N O F S P E C IF I E D Y E A R S , B Y C IT Y AND
S T A T E —C ontinued

C ity and State

D ayton, Ohio.

_ . _____

Y ear

R atio of
R atio of
families
families
N um ber of
E
stim
ated
provided
Population provided
families
population for to each
as
of
1920
for
to
each
provided
as of speci­ 1 0 ,0 0 0 of
census
1 0 ,0 0 0 of
for
population fied year population
as of speci­
as of 1920
fied year

1924
3925
1924
1925
D enver, Colo____ _______ _
3924
1925
Des M oines, Io w a_________ ■_
1924
1925
D etroit, M ich _________ _____ _
1924
1925
D ubuque, Io w a ........... ...........
1924
1925
D u lu th , M in n _________
__ __
1924
1925
E a st Chicago, I n d ___________ .
1924
1925
E a st Cleveland, O h io .....
1924
1925
Easton. P a _________________
1924
1925
E a st Orange, N . J ........... ....... . . .
1924
1925
E a st St. Louis, 111......... . . . . . .
1924
1925
Elgin, 111........................ ........... .
1924
1925
Elizabeth, N . I ...................
1924
1925
E lm ira, N . Y _______________
1924
1925
E l Paso, Tex___________________
1924
1925
Erie, P a ____________________ .
1924
1925
E vanston, 111.................... .......
1924
1925
E vansville, I n d ________ ____
1924
1925
E v e re tt, M ass................ .............
1924
1925
Fall R iver, M ass____________
1924
1925
F itchburg, M ass.....................
1924
1925
F lin t, M ich ___________ . .
1924
1925
F o rt Sm ith, A rk ________ . .
1925
F ort W ayne, I n d ____ _______
1924
1925
F o rt W orth, Tex........................
1924
1925
Fresno, Calif......................... . . _
1924
1925
Galveston, T e x _______ ________
1924
1925
G ary, In d .........................................
1924
1925
G rand R apids, M ich________
1924
1925
H agerstow n, M d ............... ...........
1924
1925
H am ilton, O h io .____________
1924
1925
H am m ond, I n d ______________
1924
1925
H am tram ck, M ich_____________
1924
1925
H arrisburg, P a ______________
1924
1925
1 N o t estim ated b y B ureau of tb e Census.
D ecatur, 111 ______________ .


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

980
997
628
829
3,583
3.996
1,276
1,006
25, 752
26i 173
192
151
714
759
583
713
684
807
322
316
935
880
609
760
220

152, 559
43,818
256, 491
126.468
993, 678
39,141
98,917
35,967
27, 292
33,813
50, 710
66,

767

27,454

391
870
95, 783
1,229
157
45,393
197
154
77, 560
144
726
93, 372
755
1,146
37,234
1,344
632
85, 264
438
172
40,120
352
526
120, 485
607
287
41.029
287
1,294
91,599
1.017
175
28, 870
1,441
8 6 , 549
1,345
1,168
106. 482
1,327
462
45, 086
198
141
44, 255
217
1, 517
55, 378
2,194
1,048
137, 634
1,423
198
28, 064
337
390
39, 675
46 8
937
36, 004
921
334
48, 615
244
578
75,917
335
8 S tate census.

[1296]

64.2
169, 236
57.9
65. 4
172,942
57. 6
49, 399
143.3
127. 1
189.2
53, 859
153.9
(!)
139 7
280,911
155.8
142.3
100.9
145, 053
8 8 .0
8 141, 441
79.5
71.1
259 2
0 )
263.4 81,242,044
210.7
49. 1
39, 438
48.7
8 40,996
38.6
36.8
72. 2
108, 395
65.9
76. 7
110, 502
68. 7
162. 1
43, 832
133.0
198.2
45, 580
156. 4
250. 6
35, 6 8 6
191. 7
37, 552
295.7
214.9
36. 1
36, 265
33. 6
34.3
36,810
31.5
58, 284
184.4
180.4
59,967
173. 5
146.7
91.2
70, 576
86.3
113.8
71,423
106.4
80.1
28,139
78.2
142.4
28,291
138. 2
(l)
90 8
(i)
128.3
49, 200
31.9
34.6
8 48, 359
43.4
40.7
100, 624
19.9
15.3
104.929
18.6
13.7
(i)
77 8
80.9
(0
42, 674
268.5
307.8
43,833
361. 0
306.6
92, 085
74. 1
6 8 .6
93, 601
51.4
46.8
43,194
42.9
39. 8
8 42, 072
87.7
83.7
121, 034
43.7
43.5
8 128, 993
50. 4
47.1
42, 513
70.0
67.5
2 43, 609
70.0
65.8
(i)
141 3
130,316
1 1 1 .0
78.0
31. 643
60. 6
55.3
95, 697
166. 5
150.6
155. 4
97, 846
137.5
148,107
78.9
109.7
154,847
124. 6
85.7
102. 5
56, 725
81.4
58, 485
43.9
33.9
47, 626
31.9
29.6
48,375
44.9
49.0
72,962
273.9
207.9
76, 870
285. 4
396.2
148, 322
70.7
76. 1
103. 4
153,698
92.6
30, 745
64.4
70. 6
31,357
48. 8
43.7
41,911
98.3
93. 1
42, 364
118.0
110.5
48, 497
260. 2
193.2
50,
385
255. 8
182.8
68.7
75, 710
44.1
81, 731
50. 2
29w9
82,275
76. 1
70.3
44.1
83,422
40.2
8 Special census M ay 31, 1925.

B U IL D IN G P E R M IT S IN C IT IE S OF T H E U N IT E D STATES

121

T a b l e 5 —N U M B E R

O F F A M IL IE S P R O V ID E D W IT H D W E L L IN G S IN N E W B U IL D ­
IN G S A N D T H E R A T IO OF SU C H F A M IL IE S TO 10,000 O F P O P U L A T IO N O F 1920
A N D O F E S T IM A T E D P O P U L A T IO N O F S P E C IF I E D Y E A R S , B Y C IT Y A N D
S T A T E —C ontinued

C ity and State

Year

R atio of
R atio of
families
families
N um ber of Population provided
E stim ated provided
families
for to each
as of 1920 for to each population
provided
as of speci­ 1 0 ,0 0 0 of
census
1 0 ,0 0 0 of
for
fied
year
population
population
as of speci­
as of 1920
fied year

1924
1925
1924
1925
H azleton, P a ....................................... 1924
1925
H ighland P ark , M ich__................... 1924
1925
H oboken, N . J _________________
1924
1925
Holyoke, M ass_______ __________ 1924
1925
H ouston, Tex................... .................. 1924
1925
H untington, W .V a ................... ....... 1924
1925
Indianapolis, I n d .............. ................ 1924
1925
Irvington, N . J ________________
1924
1925
Jackson, M ich ............ .............. ......... 1924
1925
Jacksonville, F la .............................. . 1924
1925
Jam estow n, N . Y ......................... .
1924
1925
Jersey C ity, N . J ............................
1924
1925
Joplin, M o ........ .................................. 1924
1925
Kalam azoo, M ic h ...........................
1924
1925
K ansas C ity, K a n s...........................
1924
1925
K ansas C ity, M o ................ ...........
1924
1925
K earney, N . J ..................................... 1924
1925
Kenosha, W is ...................................
1924
1925
K ingston, N . Y . . . ................. ........... 1924
1925
Knoxville, T e n n ............................... 1924
1925
Kokomo, In d .................................... 1924
1925
Lakewood, O hio___________ ____
1924
1925
L ancaster, P a _____________ _____
1924
1925
Lansing, M ic h ..________________ 1924
1925
Lawrence, M ass________________
1924
1925
Lew iston, M e....................................
1924
1925
Lexington, K y ________ _______ _
1924
1925
1924
Lim a, Ohio__ . . . . . ______ _______
1925
Lincoln, N e b r___ ________ ______
1924
1925
L ittle Rock, A rk ............................... 1924
1925
Long Beach, Calif............................ . 1924
1925
Lorain, Ohio.......................... ............. 1924
1925
Los Angeles, Calif.............................. 1924
1925
Louisville, K y ............................... . . 1924
1925
i N o t estim ated by B ureau of th e Census.

H artford, Conn ............................... .

H averhill, M ass__.............................

98397°— 26------ 9


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

2, 331
2,628
70
75
334
257
932
349
2

87
378
330
2,984
3| 485
956
1,059
3, 847
3, 744
1, 593
1,243
240
234
845
1, 542
295
376
2,457
3, 151
50
84
232
197
934
907
4, 676
5, 138
450
620
428
634
124
113
1,088
832
158
94
1,874
812
312
224
810
548
458
279
117
168
220

138, 036
53, 884
32, 277
46, 499
68,

166

60, 203
138, 276
50, 177
314, 194
25, 480
48, 374
91, 558
38, 917
298, 103
29, 902
48, 487
101, 177
324, 410
26, 724
40, 472
26, 6 8 8
77, 818
30, 067
41, 732
53,150
57, 327
94, 270
31, 791
41, 534

267
431
41, 326
255
532
54,948
697
926
65,142
884
2,889
55, 593
1, 447
465
37, 295
324
29,894
576, 673
2 2 , 072
234, 891
2,727
3, 989
1 State census.

[1297]

168.9
156,167
149. 8
164.0
190. 4
160,197
13. 0
58,411
1 2 .0
13.9
2 49, 232
15.2
103. 5
35, 440
94.2
79. 6
36,143
71.1
200. 4
67,600
137.9
75. 1
72,289
48.3
(!)
.3
(1)
12. 8
62. 8
61, 349
61.6
54. 8
2 60, 892
54. 2
(i)
215. 8
(i)
252. 0
190. 5
61,701
154.9
211. 1
63, 485
166. 8
122. 4
351, 073
109.6
119. 2
358, 819
104.3
625. 2
501. 2
31, 785
487. 8
33, 186
374.6
49. 6
56, 227
42.7
48. 4
57, 972
40.0
92. 3
102, 471
82.5
168. 4
2 95, 450
161.6
75. 8
42, 449
69.5
96. 6
2 43, 414
8 6 .6
82. 4
312, 157
78.7
105. 7
99.9
315, 280
(l)
16. 7
28.1
(')
47. 8
52, 681
44.6
40. 6
53, 613
36.7
92. 3
121, 762
76.7
89. 6
78.2
2 116, 053
144. 1
359, 650
130.0
158. 4
367, 481
139.8
168. 4
30, 460
147.7
232. 0
31, 291
198.1
105. 8
48, 8 8 6
87.6
156. 7
50, 891
124.6
45.8
46. 5
27,049
42. 3
2 28i 099
40.2
139. 8
92,166
118. G
106. 9
95, 464
87.2
52. 5
44.2
35, 710
31.3
36, 855
25.5
449. 1
54, 039
346.8
195. 6
56, 774
143.0
58. 7
55, 895
55. 8
42. 1
56, 505
39.6
141.3
6 8 , 312
118.6
95. 6
70, 753
77.5
48. 6
98,152
46.7
2 93, 527
29.8
29. 6
34, 361
34.1
36. 8
34, 932
48.1
52.8
44, 284
53.0
49.7
64.3
46, 895
56. §
94.2
104.3
45, 737
61.7
46, 717
54.6
96.8
59, 851
88. §
114.4
126.8
60,941
142. 2
72, 566
127.6
74, 216
119. 1
135.7
347. §
519. 7
83,106
91,182
260.3
158.7
1 1 2 .8
41,393
124.7
42, 259
76. 7
86.9
(!)
518. 4
(!)
382. 7
116. 1
258, 465
105.5
130.4
169. 8 1 4 305,935
4 Special census Dec. 10, 1925.

122

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

T ^ r f S . - N F M B E R O F F A M IL IE S P R O V ID E D W IT H D W E L L IN G S IN N E W B U IL D ­
IN G S A N D T H E R A T IO O F S U C H F A M IL IE S TO 10,000 O F P O P U L A T IO N O F 1920
A N D O F E S T IM A T E D P O P U L A T IO N O F S P E C IF I E D Y E A R S, B Y C IT Y A N D
S T A T E —C ontinued

City and State

Lowell, M ass......... ................ .
Lynchburg, Y a _____ ________
L ynn , M ass...................................
M cK eesport, P a ___________ ...
M acon, G a........... .....................
M adison, W is...... ........................
M alden, M a s s ............................
M anchester, N . H .................. .
M ansfield, Ohio________ _
M arion, Ohio..................... ..........
M edford, M ass______________
M em phis, T en n ..... ........... ..........
M eriden, Conn______________
M iam i, F la ___ ____ ____ _____
M ilw aukee, W is..... .............. .......
M inneapolis, M in n __________
M obile, A la____ ____ _________
M oline, 111.............. .................. .....
M ontclair, N . J ___________ __
M ontgom ery, A la.........................
M t. Vernon, N . Y __.................
M uncie, I n d ____ _____________
M uskeegon, M ic h .________ _
M uskogee, OM a______________
N ashville, T e n n _____________
N ew ark, N . I . . . ____________ _
N ew ark, Ohio................................
N ew Bedford, M ass.....................
N ew B ritain , C o n n .....................
N ew B runsw ick, N . J .................
N ew burgh, N . Y ........... ..............
N ew H aven, C o n n .......................
N ew L ondon, C onn__________
N ew Orleans, L a . . ..................... .
N ew p o rt, K y _ ...............................
N ew port, R . I ....... .......................
1

N o t estim ated


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Y ear

1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1»25
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925

R atio of
R atio of
families
families
N um ber oi
E stim ated provided
Population
provided
families
population
for
to each
as of 1920 for to each
provided
as of speci­ 1 0 ,0 0 0 of
census
1 0 ,0 0 0 of
for
fied
year
population
population
as of speci­
as of 1920
fied year
259
317
119
94
314
677
290
381
254
165
523
683
524
378
523
285
241
293
163
154
716
829
2,396
2,075
203
196
9,162
9, 361
3, 793
3,718
4,036
4,451
230
189
112

126
704
469
68

140
1,216
1,380
205
213
218
180
133
120
686

112, 759
30, 070
99,148
46, 781
52, 995
38, 378
49, 103
78, 384
27, 824
27, 891
39, 038
162, 351
29, 867
29, 571
457,147
380, 582
60, 777
30, 734
28,810
43, 464
42, 726
36, 524
36, 570
30, 277
118,342

700 __
3,177
414, 524
2, 729
163
26, 718
143
790
121, 217
1,027 __
924
59, 316
1,219
330
32, 779
290
146
30, 366
144
933
162, 537
1,191
104
25,688
132
2,776
387, 219
2,741
13
29, 317
47
31
30,255
I
26
by B ureau of th e Census.

[1298]

23.0
28. 1
39. 6
31. 3
31. 7
68.3
62. 0
81. 4
47.9
31. 1
136. 3
178. 0
106. 7
77. 0
66.7
36. 4
86. 6
105.3
58. 4
55. 2
183. 4
212. 4
147.6
127.8
6 8 .0

65. 6
3, 098. 3
3,165. 6
83.0
81. 3
106. 0
117.0
37. 8
31. 1
36.4
41.0
244. 4
162.8
15. 6
32. 2
284. 6
323, 0
56. 1
58.3
59. 6
49. 2
43. 9
39.6
58.0
59. 2
76. 6
65.8
61.0
53. 5
65. 2
84. 7
155.8
205. 5
100. 7
88. 5
48. 1
47. 4
57. 4
73. 3
40. 5
51. 4
71. 7
70. 8
4. 4
10. 0
10. 2
8. 6
2

115,755
110, 296
30, 336
30, 395
103, 693
2 103, 081
48, 676
49, 097
57, 284
58, 237
45, 202
46, 385
51, 281
2 51, 789
82, 240
83, 097
31, 093
31, 820
31, 671
32, 511
46, 424
1 47, 627
172, 276
174,533
36, 014
36, 292
40, 740
2 69, 754
494, 199
509,192
417, 280
425, 435
05, 075
65,955
33, 332
33, 910
32,174
32, 922
45, 932
46, 4S1
48,198
2 50, 382
41,406
42,491
41, 903
43,088
31, 830
32, 175
123, 424
136, 220
445, 606
452, 513
30, 326
30, 461
132, 602
2 119, .539
6 6 , 453
6 8 , 039
37, 037
37,984
31, 552
230 41»
VU), 947
178 937
28, 482

22.4
28, 7
39. 2
30.9
30. 3
65. 7
59. 6
77. 6
44.3
28.3
115.7
147.2
102. 2
73.0
63. 6
34.3
77.5
92. 1
51. 5
47.4
154. 2
174. 1
139.1
11*8. 9
56,4
54.0
2, 248. 9
1,342. 0
76. 8
73. 0
96. 7
104.6
35. 3
28. 7
33. 0
37. 2
218.8
142.5
14. 8
30. 1
252. 3
273. 9

409' 534
414 4 9 3
(D
0 )
31,694
2 27 757

67.8

2

Stat census.

4 9 .5

50.1
52. 0
41. 8
41.8
37.3
55. 6
51. 4
71.3
60.3
53. 7
4A 9
59. 6
85.9
139.0
179. 2
89.1
76.3
46. 3
47 ft
53. 0

36. 5
6 6 .1

9.8
9.4

B U IL D IN G P E R M IT S IN C IT IE S OF T H E U N IT E D STATES

123

T a b l e 5 . —N U M B E R

O F F A M IL IE S P R O V ID E D W IT H D W E L L IN G S IN N E W B U IL D ­
IN G S A N D T H E R A T IO O F SU C H F A M IL IE S TO 10,000 O F P O P U L A T IO N O F 1920
A N D O F E S T IM A T E D P O P U L A T IO N O F S P E C IF I E D Y E A R S, B Y C IT Y A N D
S T A T E —C ontinued

C ity and State

Y ear

R atio of
R atio of
families
families
N um ber of Population provided
E stim ated provided
families
for to each
as of 1920 for to each population
provided
as of speci­ 1 0 ,0 0 0 of
census
1 0 ,0 0 0 of
for
fied
year
population
population
as of speci­
as of 1920
fied year

1924
9
35, 596
1925
27
1924
806
36, 213
1925
857
N ew ton, M ass______ ___________
1924
699
46, 054
1925
1,033
1924
N ew Y ork, N . Y _______ _____
94,485
5, 620, 048
1925
117,844
N iagara Falls, N . Y ................... ....... 1924
570
50, 760
1925
885
Norfolk, V a.......................................... 1924
903
115, 777
1925
523
N orristow n, P a ________________ - 1924
217
32, 319
1925
240
262
N orw alk, C o n n ........................... ....... 1924
27,743
1925
285
1924
5, 460
216,261
O akland, Calif..............- ____ _____
1925
6,518
Oak P ark , 111____ ______________
1924
949
39, 858
1925
1,128
Ogden, U ta h ___________________
1924
311
32, 084
1925
311
O klahom a C ity, O k la ...................... 1924
782
91, 295
1925
1,347
2,048
191, 601
O maha, N e b r .. ....................... ........... 1924
1925
2,098
1924
Orange, N . I ______ ____________
140
33, 268
1925
384
Oshkosh, W is.................................___ 1924
129
33,162
1925
228
1924
Pasadena, C a l i f _______________
1, 564
45, 354
1925
1,046
1924
Passaic, N . J ...............................
479
63, 841
1925
574
1924
723
Paterson, N . J _____________
135, 875
1925
957
P aw tuck et, R . I ________________
1924
712
64, 248
1925
859
1924
Pensacola, F la __________________
150
31, 035
1925
188
Peoria, 111____________________ _ 1924
418
76,121
1925
606
P erth A m boy, N . J __________
1924
174
• 41, 707
1925
166
Petersburg, V a................................... 1924
43
31,012
1925
28
1924
P hiladelphia, P a ...........................
11,432
1,823, 779
1925
15, 895
Phoenix, A riz....................... ............
1924
393
29, 053
1925
529
P ittsburg h , P a __________________ 1924
2, 678
588, 343
1925
3,102
Pittsfield, M ass.................................
1924
41, 763
287
1925
333
Plainfield, N . J _____ _____ _____
1924
270
27, 700
1925
347
Pontiac, M ic h ......... ................. ....... 1924
201
34, 273
1925
241
P ort H uron, M ich .......... ..................
1924
142
25,944
1925
56
Portland , M e _____________ ____
1924
328
69, 272
1925
271
P ortland, Oreg........ ................ ........... 1924
4,809
258, 288
1925
4,796
P ortsm outh, O h io ............... .......
1924
363
33, Oil
1925
369
Portsm o u th , V a ___________
1924
103
54,387
112
1925
Poughkeepsie, N . Y _____ _______
1924
155
35,000
1925
225
Providence, R . I __________ ____
1924
1,243
237, 595
1925
1,422
Pueblo, Colo_________________
1924
396
43,050
;
1925
413 __
1 N o t estim ated b y B ureau of th e Census.

N ew port News, V a_.........................
N ew Rochelle, N . Y - .......................


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1299]

2.5
7.6

45, 396
47, 083
39, 617
236.7
2 44, 222
151.8
48, 948
224.3
2 53, 003
168. 1
6 , 015, 504
209. 7 2 5, 873, 356
112. 3
60,174
174. 3
2 57,033
164,105
78.0
45. 2
0 )
34, 378
67. 1
34, 836
74.3
94.4
29,379
102. 7
29, 743
252.5
246, 893
301. 4
253, 700
238. 1
49, 320
283.0
51, 423
94. 8
36, 130
94. 8
36, 869
104, 080
85. 7
147. 5
0 )
106.9
208,025
109.5
211, 768
42.1
35, 004
115. 4
35, 379
38.9
33, 207
6 8 .8
33, 217
. 344.8
55,110
230. 6
56, 732
75. 0
68,045
89.9
6 8 , 979
53. 2
140, 637
70.4
141, 695
1 1 0 .8
70, 099
133. 7
2 69, 760
48.3
34, 766
60.6
2 25, 305
54.9
80, 019
79. 6
81, 564
41. 7
46,149
39.8
47,136
13.9
35, 003
9.0
35, 712
62. 7
1, 951, 076
86. 1
1,979, 364
135.3
35, 284
182. 1
38, 669
45.5
626, 015
52. 7
631, 563
68. 7
46, 232
79. 7
3 46, 887
97.5
31, 012
125. 3
31, 748
43, 422
58.6
70. 3
47, 455
54. 7
29, 225
2 1 .6
29, 954
47.3
74,231
39.1
75, 333
186.2
278, 002
282, 383
185. 7
38, 367
1 1 0 .0
1 1 1 .8
39,087
18.9
58,185
20. 6
59,029
38, 273
44.3
64. 3
2 35. 670
52.3
243, 745
59. 8
2 267,918
92.0
43, 653
95.9
43, 787
* S tate census.
2 2 2 .6

2 .0

5. 7
203.4
193.8
142. 8
194. 9
157.1
2 0 0 .6

84.7
155.2
65.0
63.1
68.9
89.2
95.8
221. 1
2.56. 9
192,4
219. 4
86. 1
84.4
75.1
98.4
99. 1
40.0
108.5
38.8
6 8 .6

283.8
184.4
70.4
83.2
51.4
67.5
101. 6
123.1
43. 1
74.3
51.8
74.3
37.7
35.2
12.3
7.8
58.6
79.3
111.4
136.8
42.8
49.1
62.1
71. 0
87.1
109.3
46.3
50.8
48.6
18.7
44.2
36.0
173.0
169.8
94.6
94.4
17.7
19.0
40.5
63.1
51.0
53.1
90.7
94.3

124

M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW

T able 5.—N U M B E R O F F A M IL IE S P R O V ID E D W IT H D W E L L IN G S IN N E W B U IL D ­
IN G S A N D T H E R A T IO O F SU C H F A M IL IE S TO 10,000 O F P O P U L A T IO N O F 1920
A N D O F E S T IM A T E D P O P U L A T IO N O F S P E C IF I E D Y E A R S , B Y C IT Y A N D
S T A T E —C ontinued

Y ear

C ity a n d State

Quincy, 111_______________ _____
Quincy, M ass.....................................
Racine, W is......... ...............................
Reading, P a ______ ____ ____ ____
Revere, M ass.....................................
R ichm ond, In d , ______________
R ichm ond, V a __________________
Roanoke, V a___________________
Rochester, N . Y ________________
Rockford, 111___________________
Rock Island, 111......................... .
Sacramento, C alif_______________
Saginaw, M ich _. _______
St. Joseph, M o . .
St. Louis, M o____

___ _____ . . .
. . . _____ _

St. Paul, M in n _________________
Salem, M ass____________________
Salt Lake C ity, U ta h ___________
San Antonio, T ex _______________
San Diego, C alif_____ _

_______

San Francisco, Calif . _________
San Jose, Calif _

___________

Savannah, G a...................................
Schenectady, N . Y ______________
Scranton, P a______________ _____
Seattle, W a s h ...___________ ____
Sheboygan, M ich _______ _______
Shreveport, L a _____ __________
Sioux C ity, Iow a_______ _____ _
Sioux Falls, S. D a k . .........................
Somerville, M ass_______________
South Bend, l n d . _______________
Spokane, W a s h .................................
Springfield, 111.......... ............... .......
Springfield, M ass.......... ....................
Springfield, O h io ............................. .
Stamford, C o n n____ _____ _____ _
. . .
1 Not estimated by


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

R atio of
R atio of
families
families
N um ber of Population provided
E stim ated provided
families
for to each
as of 1920 for to each population
provided
as of speci­ 1 0 ,0 0 0 of
census
1 0 ,0 0 0 of
for
population fied year population
as of speci­
as of 1920
fied year

1924
127
35,978
1925
243
1924
953
47, 876
1925
1,163
1924
355
58, 593
1925
530
1924
408
107, 784
1925
476
1924
261
28, 823
1925
223
1924
151
26, 765
1925
228
1924
1, 950
171, 567
1925
2,173
1924
50, 842
576
1925
580
1924
2, 781
295, 750
1925
2 , 668
1924
683
65, 651
1925
879
1924
131
35,177
1925
140
1924
1,410
65, 908
1925
1,662
1924
469
61, 903
1925
493
1924
265
77,939
1925
291
1924
5,241
772,897
1925
8 ,349
1924
2 ,2 2 1
234, 698
1925
3,048
1924
138
42, 529
1925
168
1924
1,046
118,110
1925
1,562
1924
1,913
161,379
1925
1,873
1924
74, 683
3,646
1925
4,157
1924
7, 555
508, 676
1925
10, 594
1924 ’
484
39, 642
1925
496
1924
238
83, 252
1925
265
1924
813
8 8 , 723
1925
793
1924
575
137, 783
1925
497
1924
3, 676
315, 312
1925
5, 570
1924
337
30, 955
1925
367
1924
1,276
43, 874
1925
799
1924
755
71,227
1925
748
1924
288
25, 202
1925
275
1924
425
93,091
1925
568
1924
753
70,983
1925
1,247
1924
631
104,437
1925
716
1924
485
59,183
1925
543
1924
2 , 018
129, 614
1925
1,944
1924
277
60, 840
1925
347
1924
492
35,096
1925
. 509
Bureau of the Census.

[1300]

37, 478
(')
54, 937
2 60, 055
6 6 , 050
67, 707
111,812
112, 707
33, 737
2 33, 261
29,038
30, 495
183, 723
186,403
56, 855
58, 208
325, 211
2 316, 786
74, 353
76, 402
39,183
40, 073
71,105
72, 260
70, 927
72,100
78, 287
78, 342
812, 698
821, 543
243, 946
246, 001
(i)
2 42.821
128, 564
130, 948
191, 398
198, 069
96,445
106,047
548,284
557, 530
42, 854
43, 551
91, 218
93,134
100,467
2 92, 786
141,451
142, 266
(i)
(>)
33, 066
33, 535
56. 223
57,857
82, 072
2 76, 411
30, 350
30, 127
100,440
2 99, 032
78,475
80,091
(’)
6 8 .6
108,897
62, 7j 5
81.9
91.5
63,923
155.7
148,402
2 142, 065
150. 0
67, 291
45.5
6 8 , 725
57.0
39,711
140. 2
40,737
145.0
2 State census.

35.3
67. 5
199.1
242. 9
60.6
95.6
37.9
44. 2
90. 6
77.4
56.4
85. 2
113.7
126. 7
113.3
114. 1
94.0
90.2
104. 0
133.9
37.2
39.8
213.9
252.2
75.8
79.6
34.0
37.3
67.8
108.0
94.6
129.9
32.4
39. 5
88. 6
132.2
118. 5
116. 1
488.2
556. 6
148. 5
207.9
122. 1
125. 1
28.6
31.8
91. 6
89.4
41. 7
36.1
116. 6
176. 7
108.9
118.6
290.8
182. 1
106.0
105.0
114. 3
109.1
45. 7
61.0
106.1
175.7
60.4

33.9
173.5
193.7
53.7
82.7
36.5
42.2
77.4
67.0
52.0
74.8
106.1
116. 6
101.3
99.6
85.5
84.2
91.9
115.0
33.4
34.9
198.3
230.0
6 6 .1

68.4
33.8
37.1
64.5
1 0 1 .6

91.0
123.9
39.2
81.4
119.3
99.9
94.6
378.0
392.0
137.8
189.7
112.9
113.9
26.1
28.5
80.9
85.5
40.7
34.9
101.9
109.4
227.0
138.1
92.0
97.9
94.9
91.3
42.3
57.4
96.0
155. 7
65.8
77.3
84.9
136.0
136.8
41.2
50.5
123.9
124.9

B U IL D IN G P E R M IT S IN C IT IE S OF T H E U N IT E D STATES

125

T a b l e 5 —N U M B E R

O F F A M IL IE S P R O V ID E D W IT H D W E L L IN G S IN N E W B U IL D ­
IN G S A N D T H E R A T IO O F SU C H F A M IL IE S TO 10,000 O F P O P U L A T IO N O F 1920
A N D O F E S T IM A T E D P O P U L A T IO N O F S P E C IF I E D Y E A R S , B Y C IT Y A N D
S T A T E —C ontinued

C ity and State

Y ear

Steubenville, O hio_____

1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925
1924
1925

Stockton, C alif..................
Superior, W is__________
Syracuse, N . Y _________
Tacom a, W ash...... ............
T am pa, F l a . . . ------ ------T aunton , M ass________
Terre H aute, I n d . . .........
Toledo, Ohio—..................
T opeka, K a n s .—..............
Trenton, N . J...................
T roy, N . Y ........................
Tulsa, O kla.......................
U nion C ity, N . J.A ........
Utica, N . Y ......................
Waco, T e x . .. ....................
W altham , M ass.............
W arren, Ohio...................
W ashington, D . C ...........
W aterbury, C onn............
W aterloo, I o w a .. . ...........
W atertow n, N . Y ............
W est New York, N . J —.
W heeling, W. V a.............
W ichita, K an s_________
W ichita Falls, T ex _____
W ilkes-Barre, P a ___ . .
W ilm ington, D e l .. . ........
W ilm ington, N . C -------W inston-Salem, N . C . . .
W oonsocket, R. I --------W orcester, M ass..............
Yonkers, N . Y .................
Y ork, P a ............................
Youngstown, Ohio------Zanesville, Ohio-------. . .
T o tal for 272 cities.
T o tal for 274 cities.

R atio of
R atio of
families
families
N u m b er of Population provided E stim ated provided
population
for
to each
families
as of 1920 for to each as of speci­
1 0 ,0 0 0 of
provided
census
1 0 ,0 0 0 of
fied
year
population
for
population
as of speci­
as of 1920
fied year

i N ot estimated by Bureau of the Census.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

84
236
478
410

28, 508
40, 296

110

39,671

195
1,159

171, 717

1 ,2 0 2

1,130

96,965

1 ,2 0 1

1,250
3, 594
147
161
309

51,608
37,137
6 6 , 083

221

1, 643
1,515
475
512
843
1,004
177
148
880
1,273
255
171
485
593
443
337
169
384
470
312
5, 369
8,486
501
721
63
69
157

243,164
50,022
119, 289
72,013
72, 075
40,074
94,156
38, 500
30, 915
27, 050
437, 571
91, 715
36, 230
31, 285

101

571
572
496
319
1,024

29,926
56,208
72, 217

1 ,0 2 1

1,239
475
430
298
423
88

76
722
661
489
409
1,654
1,741
1,415
1,737
321
177
1,464
1,435
208
154
455, 775
508,510

40, 079
73,833
110,168
33,372

31,343
31,973
46, 092
47, 287
0 )
(')
188, 060
s 182, 003
103,093
104,455
67, 643
»94, 743
38,469
s 39, 255
70, 255
71,071
280, 359
287,380
53, 208
»55,411
129, 705
132,020

2 0 .6
1 2 2 .1
176. 6

» 72, 223
113,128
124,478
42, 239
63,117
105,315
» 101,604
43. 019
43,912
32, 342
» 34, 746
33, 292
34,679
486,936
497,906
(>)
(i)
40, 649
» 36, 771
33, 396
»32,836
37,511
39,197
0 )
( 1)
81,245
» 88,367
0 )
76,951
77, 644
119,888
122,049
36,390
37, 061
65,806
69,031
45,985
» 49,681
195,405
» 190, 757
109,618
»113,647
48,790
49,074
155,153
159,970
30, 283
30,442
40, 626,963
41,193, 596

63.6
42. 7
51. 5
63.0
115. 1
87.5
54.7
124.2
173.8
115. 3
122.7
193.9
54. 6
78. 6
17.4
19.0
50. 2
32.3
190.8
191.1
88 2

56.8
141.8
141.4
309.1
64.3
58.2
27.0
38.4
26.4
2 2 .8

48,395
43,496
179,7.54
100,176
47,152
132, 358
29, 569
37,231,497
37,300,446

» State census.

[ 1301]

29.5
82.8
118.6
101.7
27.7
49. 2
67. 5
70.0
116.5
123.9
242. 2
696.4
39.6
43.4
46.8
33.4
67.6
62.3
95.0
102.4
70.7
84. 2
24.6

149. 2
136.6
112.4
94.0
92. 0
96.9
141. 3
173.4
68. 1
37.5
1 1 0 .6

108.4
70.3
52.1
122.4
136.3

(0

26.8
73.8
103.7
86.7
61.6
6 6 .0

109.6
115.0
184.8
379.3
38.2
41.0
44.0
31.1
58.6
52.7
89.3
92.4
65.0
76.0
20.5
77.8
102.3
60.4
27.1
46.1
58.4
103.0
76.7
52.3
110.5
141.2
90.0
110.3
170.4

* Formerly West Hoboken.

15.5
18.8
47.0
30.8
152. 2
145.9
126.0
115.5
61.7
55.4
24.9
34.7
24.2
20.5
109.7
95.8
106.3
82.3
84.6
91.3
129.1
152. 8
65.8
36.1
94.4
89.7
68.7
50. 6
1 1 2 .2

123.4

C O O P E R A T IO N

Membership of Farmers’ Cooperative Business Associations1

ARMERS7 cooperative business associations numbering 8,256
bad reported to the United States Department of Agriculture
at the close of 1925, a total membership of 2,386,061. This
membership was distributed among the several commodity groups
approximately as follows: Associations marketing grain, 490,000;
dairy products, 374,000; livestock, 330,000; cotton, 300,000; tobacco,
300,000; fruits and vegetables, 125,000; wool,.47,000; poultry and
poultry products, 31,000; nuts, 19,000; forage crops, 3,000; associa­
tions engaged in retailing activities, 100,000; miscellaneous selling,
135,000; and miscellaneous buying, 125,000.
The average number of members for the 8,256 organizations
reporting was 289, as compared with 122 which was the average
number of members for 5,424 associations in 1915. The increase
in the average membership is largely due to the development during
the past few years of the large-scale centralized type of organization.
The 2,386,061 members are distributed through the nine groups
of States as follows: West North Central States, 700,000; East
North Central, 500,000; East South Central, 290,000; South Atlantic,
270,000; West South Central, 230,000; Middle Atlantic, 150,000;
Pacific, 105,000; New England, 68,000; and Mountain, 67,000.
The leading States, from a membership standpoint, and the number
of members credited to the associations reporting from each are*
Kentucky, 194,979; Iowa, 157,885; Missouri, 155.060; North Carohna, 138,694; Minnesota, 127,418; Illinois, 119,803; Ohio, 109,953;
Michigan, 100,849; Wisconsin, 98,394; New York, 93,380; Kansas,
78,930; Indiana, 73,647; Nebraska, 69,068; California, 67,031.
As there are approximately 12,000 active farmers7 cooperative
associations in the United States, the total membership for these
is undoubtedly much larger than for the 8,256 associations which have
reported. A conservative estimate of the total membership as of
January 1, 1926, is 2,700,000. The number of farmers participating
m cooperative enterprises is less than the number of members, as
some farmers belong to more than one organization. The above
figures do not include the membership of central-market sales
agencies.

F

Problems in Establishing an International Cooperative Wholesale Society

BOOK by Mr. Anders Hedberg of the Swedish Cooperative
Union and Wholesale Society2 deals with the subject, long
discussed by cooperators, of establishing an international
cooperative wholesale.

A

1 A gricultural Cooperation, W ashington, D . C., M ar 15,1926
C +? edW g’ And<7 s: Ik t N ? af i onal Wholesale C o o p eratio n -Id eas and Proposals.
N ational Cooperative Publishing Society (L td .), 1925.

126


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1302]

M anchester (England!
1
6
;

COOPERATION

127

I t has happened in various countries that as the cooperative
wholesale society entered the field of production in order to supply
its member societies with certain manufactured goods which it
could advantageously produce, it found that the demand was in­
sufficient to enable profitable operation of the productive enterprise,
In such cases the cooperative movement even of other countries
would be appealed to, in the name of international cooperation, to
assist by buying its goods. Such “ overproduction” is deplored by
the author as giving rise to several difficulties. One of these lies in
the question of distribution of earnings, i. e., whether earnings
should be distributed (a) only among the members owning the
wholesale manufacturing the goods, thus letting them profit by the
sales to the foreign societies or (b) whether some share of the earn­
ings should be paid to the foreign purchasers who have no interest
in the productive enterprise.
As a m atter of fact, it is self-evident th a t one can not look for a development
of tru e international cooperation in th e prom otion of an idea which actually is
not cooperation a t all. For if a group of people, say th e members of th e Swedish
consumers’ societies, sta rts m anufacturing for another group of people, in
Esthonia for instance, b u t puts th e profits derived therefrom in their own
pockets—from the cooperative point of view such a proceeding is, to say the
least, of very doubtful value.

Also there is nothing to prevent the wholesale of another country
from entering the some field of production as a competitor—a most
uncooperative situation.
The writer is of the opinion that buying and selling between
national cooperative organizations “ can not be regarded as coopera­
tive operations, and such a system does not form any true basis on
which to build international cooperation.”
A really cooperative international organization should be an
entirely separate organization which may function (1) to purchase
commodities for its member wholesale societies and (2) to carry
on production for them. The latter the writer does not favor at
present, being of the opinion that the time is not ripe for the estab­
lishment of international productive business. For such a step free
trade between countries would be necessary, as high tariffs might make
the price of goods produced prohibitive for certain of the member
countries. The problem of securing adequate capital would also
be an obstacle under the present financial situation in many countries.
There is, however, a wide field for an international organization
acting as bujdng agency for the various national wholesales, some­
what as the Scandinavian Cooperative Wholesale Society is at
present doing for the wholesales of Norway, Denmark, and Sweden.
For an agency little capital would be required and the organization
could feel its way along without the serious financial involvement of
a regular wholesale carrying its own stocks of goods.
The author suggests as a title the name of “ Gafic” (formed from
“ General Agency for International Cooperation”). Its primary
object would be the international exchange of commodities. Only
wholesale societies would be admitted to membership and each
would be required to subscribe for £1,000 of nonwitlidrawable share
capital, to be called for by the Gafic when expedient. Earnings
would be credited to members “ in proportion to the extent to which
they ha/ve helped to make” them, but would be held by the Gafic

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1303]

128

M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW

as reserve for the formation of new capital. Suggested forms of
organization, management, etc., are given. An appendix contains
the text of the constitution and by-laws of the Scandinavian Cooper­
ative Wholesale Society.
Cooperation In Foreign Countries
Austria

HE following table, showing the number of registered cooperative
societies of each type in operation in Austria at the end of 1924,
is taken from the 1925 Yearbook of the Austrian Statistical
Office:1

T

N U M B E R O F R E G IS T E R E D C O O P E R A T IV E S O C IE T IE S O F E A C H T Y P E IN A U S T R IA
A T T H E E N D O F 1924, B Y L O C A T IO N O F S O C IE T Y

C redit societies
Province

Raif­
feisen

SchulzeDelitzsch

V ienna_________________
Low er A ustria__________
U pper A u s tria _________
Salzburg_______________
S ty r ia ,, ______________
C aren th ia______________
T y ro l__________________
V orarlberg,. ___________
B urgenland— .....................

151
109
49

T otal, 1924________
1923........ .......

Agri­ In d u s­ B uild­
Con­
sumers’ cultural trial
ing
O ther
societies
societies
societies societies
T o tal

63
45
14
9
4

551
271
65
285
163
181
83
58

152
660
320
77
348
208
195
92
62

456
434

1, 658
1,626

2, 114
2,060

12

1

59
71
55

212

19
73
32

25
644
131
43
247
80
47
58
23

402
404

1,298
1, 233

860
881

12

61
20

104
186
55
189
66

26
18
4

78
64
34
9
25
24
14
3

14
5
6

3
7
1
2

2

253
246

38
38

T otal

540
1,548
732
199
877
399
303
244
123
4,965
4,862

Canada (Quebec)

rT'HE 1925 Statistical Yearbook of Quebec contains (pp. 508-521)
the following information on the people’s banks of that Province.
These people’s banks are cooperative credit societies which correspond
roughly to the credit unions in the United States.
O P E R A T IO N S O F P E O P L E ’S B A N K S O F Q U E B E C , 1920 T O 1924

Y ear

1920____________
1921______ ______
1922____________
1923____________
1924..........................

N um ­ N um ­ N um ­ N um ­
ber of ber of ber of ber of
banks m
em ­ deposi­ bor­
report­ bers
rowers
tors
ing
113
100

108
111

119

31,752
31,029
33,166
32,173
31, 250


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

N et
profit

A m ount
returned
in divi­
dend

Share
capital

$311,323
352,940
334, 396
354, 804
398,976

$55, 661
63, 645
83, 796
85, 020
83, 989

$1,199,170
1, 328, 991
1, 355,310
1, 388, 591
1,441,373

Statistisches bandbuch für die R epublik Österreich.

V I. Jah r­

26, 238
30, 570
30,583
29, 771
30, 874

1 A ustria.
B undesam t für S tatistik.
gang. Vienna, 1925, p. 70.

Loans granted

9, 213
9, 219
8 , 999
8 , 373
8,414

N um ­
ber

A m ount

15, 390
14, 983
13, 367
12, 273
11, 017

$4, 341, 544
4, 248, 725
2, 891, 092
3, 429,445
3, 763, 852

[1304]

129

COOPERATION

Esthonia

International Cooperative Bulletin (London), in its April,
THE1926,
issue gives the number of the various types of cooperative
societies in operation in Esthonia on January 1, 1926, as follows:
Consumers’ societies-----------------------------------------Credit societies_________________________________________
D airy societies_________________________________________
M achinery societies____________________________________
P eat societies__________________________________________
P otato societies----------------------------------------------------- .------M utual insurance societies---------Fishing societies----------O ther societies_________________________________________
T otal___________________________________________

287
145
282
736
185
121
381
67
35
2,239

These societies had a combined membership of about 270,000.
The development of the consumers’ societies, the dairy societies,
and the credit societies, which are the most important in the eco­
nomic life of the country, during the period 1920-1924 is shown
below:
D E V E L O P M E N T O F C O N S U M E R S ’, D A IR Y , A N D C R E D IT S O C IE T IE S IN E S T H O N IA ,
1920 TO 1924
[E sthonian m ark at par=19.3 cents; exchange rate varies]
Ite m
C onsum ers’ societies:
N um b er. ________ ____
M em bership________ . . .
C a p ita l________E . m k s-.
B u s in e s s ............ E . m k s ..
D airy societies:
N um b er. . .........................
M em bership____________
C a p ita l________ E . m k s ..
C redit societies:
N u m b e r_______ ______
M em bership____________
C ap ita l________ E . m k s ..
D eposits_______E . m k s ..

1920

1921

1922

1923

1924

226
97,000
40, 740, 000
667,535,000

260
97, 700
41,121,000
1,340,926,000

271
99, 522
86,892,000
1,629,098,000

285
103,218
98,194,000
2,038,146,000

133,067,591
2,423,144,000

82
4,596
1,017,866

62
3,421
2,059,330

72
5,184
6,700,284

98
7,252
19,046, 594

154
10,960
23,051,261

100

102

25, 718
6,970,000
80, 778,000

26,024
11, 739, 000
135,407,000

103
31,765
33,137,000
362,349,000

108
36,212
35,137,000
662,825,000

127
45,117
85,858,000
746,532,000

285
1 0 0 ,0 0 0

Finland 2

HTHE Central Union of Finnish Consumers’ Societies (the K. K.)
has grown rapidly in the period since 1920. Its member so­
cieties have increased from 106 in 1920 to 113 in 1925, their indi­
vidual membership from 143,896 to 198,651, their sales from 525,800,000 Finnish m arks3 to 1,063,200,000 marks, and the members’
deposits from 11,300,000 marks to 139,300^000 marks. The business
done by the wholesale society of the union (the O. T. K.) increased
in the same period from 98,837,754 marks to 656,176,171 marks.
The S. O. K., wholesale of the old General Cooperative Union of
Consumers’ Societies (Y. O. L.), increased its sales from 630,310,5o3
marks in 1924 to 700,538,878 marks in 1925.
2
In te rn a tio n a l C ooperative B u lletin , London, April, 1926.
s F in n ish m a rk a t par=19.3 cents; exchange rate for l9 2 5 = ab o u t 2.52 cents.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1305]

M O N T H L Y LABOE REV IEW

130

Germany

’“THE March, 1926, issue of the International Cooperative Bulletin
* contains the following data showing the number of cooperative
societies of each type in operation on January 1 of each year and the
number having limited liability.
N U M B E R O F C O O P E R A T IV E S O C IE T IE S O F E A C H T Y P E IN O P E R A T IO N IN G E R ­
M A N Y O N J A N U A R Y 1 O F S P E C IF IE D Y E A R S A N D N U M B E R O F T H E S E H A V IN G
L I M IT E D L IA B IL IT Y
1914
T y p e of society

C red it____ __________
In d u strial producers’___
A gricultural producers’..
C onsum ers’. ________
H ousing and bu ild in g __
O th e r_________________

1
2
3

1920

1924

H aving T otal H aving T o tal
T o tal lim
ited n u m ­ lim ited n u m ­
n u m ­ liabil­
liabil­
ber
ber
ber
ity
ity
19,203
1 , 806
9,378
2, 415
1,474
378

2,456 19,261
1,678 4, 6 6 6
4,937 11,726
2 ,2 2 2
2, 581
1,464 2 , 266
342
483

T o tal____________ 34, 654

13,099 40, 983

3,299
5,507
12,403
2,458
3,578
989

19,485 1 51,496

28,334

4, 557
7,289
2,131
2,258
449

1926

H aving T o tal H aving
otal Having
lim ited n u m ­ lim ited T
ited
n u m ­ lim
liabil­
liabil­
ber
ber lia b il­
ity
ity
ity

20, 998
5,622
17,321
2,242
3, 584
1,031

2 , 801

1925

2 1 , 602

3

5,277
17,942
2,756
4,023
1,074

3,773 22, 395 ; 3, 930
5,171 4,639
4, 535
13,101 18, 071 13,277
2, 333 2,474
2, 056
4,011 4,171
4,160
1,035 1,038
1 ,.0© 0

52,526

29,424 52, 788

28, 958

N ot th e exact sum of th e item s given; item s a d d to 50,798.
N o t th e exact su m of th e item s given; item s a d d to 28,234.
N o t th e exact sum of th e item s given; item s a d d to 52,674.

Unlimited liability has long been characteristic of the cooperative
societies, especially credit societies, in Germany. From the above
table, however, it becomes evident that the proportion of the total
societies having limited liability is increasing year by year. Whereas,
in 1914 about 37 per cent of all of the societies were limited societies,
in 1926 nearly 55 per cent were of this type. Credit societies still
have the largest proportion of unlimited-liability organizations.
Great Britain

X HE April, 1926, issue of The Producer (Manchester, England)
* states that the Cooperative Insurance Society now has 161
district offices, employing more than 2,000 persons. It has in force
164,666 ordinary policies and 1,596,058 industrial policies. Pre­
miums received on policies last year amounted to £2,896,4674
The results of the trading operations of the English and Scottish
cooperative wholesale societies for 1924 and 1925 were as follows,
according to the April, 1926, issue of the International Cooperative
Bulletin :
English

Scottish

lo ta l s a l e s :
wholesale
wholesale
1924 ----------------1 ______________ £71, 563, 500 £17, 307, 707
1925 ------------76,585,764 17,659,069
Value of m anufactured products;
1924----------------------------------- - 24, 346, 275 5, 453, 360
1925_ --------------------------------------- 26, 900, 865 5, 949, 289
N et trading surplus:
1924 ---------------------- ----------------895, 773
(«)
1925 -----------------------698,609
201,904
Pound at p a r = $4.8665; exchange ra te about par.
“ D a ta no t available.

4


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1306]

COOPERATION

131

A recent official report5 contains a survey of the condition in 1923
of that phase of the British cooperative movement having to do with
the purchase of agricultural supplies.
i
Although some agricultural supply societies were in existence
previously, it was not until the last decade of the nineteenth century
that the idea of cooperation along this line began to make much
headway in Great Britain. In 1901 the Agricultural Organization
Society was formed and a steady increase in agricultural supply
societies began in both England and Wales. By 1908 there were 114
such societies, with a total business of £709,849 and a membership of
approximately 10,000, and before the war these had increased to more
than 200 societies, with a membership of about 24,000 and total sales
of nearly £1,700,000.
In the early years of the war period the societies flourished, although
handicapped by the difficulty of obtaining efficient management.
As the war wore on, difficulties of supply increased, but the importance
of the movement was given official recognition by the appointment of
a representative to the Central Advisory Committee on Feeding
Stuffs. With the cessation of war, cooperative organization received
a fresh impetus. More than 40 new societies were formed in 1919
alone.
The period of expansion, however, brought out the “ seriously
undercapitalized state of many societies.” In 1920 the peak turnover
of £9,500,000 in agricultural supplies had been reached; membership
of the 250 societies had reached 56,000.
In 1921 prices fell, causing loss to many societies which had stocked
up with goods at high prices. The losses continued during 1922 and
it was not until 1923 that the majority of societies began to recover.
Some idea of the effect of these misfortunes on the strength of the m ovement,
as m easured in term s of societies, may be gathered from th e fact th a t while only
22 societies in all were added to th e register during th e years 1920 to 1923, inclus­
ive, 71 societies were removed for various reasons during th e sam e period. By
th e y ear 1923, th e financial stringency existing am ong farm ers was clearly react­
ing on societies, and members were tending to divert th eir trad e to channels
where longer credit could be obtained. However great th e need for capital to
finance th e expanding trad e of the boom period, th e need was greater now to
replace accum ulated losses and to enable longer credit to be given to farm ers
who, as a class, had been badly h it by th e trad e depression; b u t whereas members
m ight have adequately capitalized their societies w ith little difficulty before th e
break in prices came, they were now less able to do so and were disinclined,_in
th e mass, to shoulder further financial burdens. A low level of capitalization
remained, therefore, a drag on progress and is a feature of th e m ovem ent a t the
present time.
d

The following table shows the situation of the 193 societies in
operation in 1923:
5
G reat B ritain. M in istry of A griculture and Fisheries. Economic series N o. 5: T h e cooperative p u r­
chase of agricultural requisites (a survey of th e present position in E ngland and W ales). London, 1925.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[13071

132

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

C O N D IT IO N

O F A G R IC U L T U R A L S U P P L Y S O C IE T IE S IN G R E A T B R IT A IN IN 1923
[£ a t par=$4.8665; average exchange ra te in 1923 about $4,575]
T y p e of societies
Item
Storage

D elivery

2,454
£177,413

79
18, 531
£1,140,330

94
39,081
£6,885,837

193
60, 066
£ 8 , 203, 580

£13, 018
6.3

£164, 631
8.9

£819, 300

£996, 949
16.6

£4,008
1. 6
7.5

£45, 058
2. 4
8. 2

£44,694
1. 1
22.4

Truckload
N um b er of societies_______________________ _______
M em b ersh ip . ____ ______________________
______
A m o u n t of business________________________________
Paid-in share capital:
A m o u n t. ______ _______
____________ _______
Average p er m em ber____ _ __ _
. . . -----Reserve and su rp lu s funds:
A m o u n t. ___ ________ - ___________ ___________
Average p er m em ber. .
_____ . . . ___________
Accounts receivable per m em b er. ____ ______________

20

2 1 .0

All types

£93, 760
1 .6

17.4

Switzerland

rTvBE 1925 report of the Union of Swiss Consumers’ Cooperative
Societies6 shows a continuance of the improvement noted in
the report for the previous year. The business of both the union
and its member societies has increased, as have also the reserves.
The number of affiliated societies increased from 519 to 521. The
union had in its employ on December 3.1, 1925, 504 employees.
The following statement shows the condition of the union in 1925.
For purposes of comparison the data for the previous year, taken
from the union’s 1924 report, are also given:
1924
(francs 7)

1, 568,
3, 800,
9, 787,
3, 340,

Paid-in share capital_______
Reserve funds_____'________
Deposits of m ember societies
Fixed assets_______________
A mount of sales—
To member societies___
O ther_________________
Total.
Net profit for year,

1925
(francs 7)

200
000
515
001

1, 585,
4, 200,
12, 482,
3, 200,

680
000
217
001

117, 958, 400
5, 635, 822

119, 062, 388
6, 188, 807

123, 594, 222

125, 252, 195

533, 566

635, 342

6 V erband Schweiz. K onsum vereine (V. S. K .). R apports et com ptes concernant l ’activité des organes
de l ’U nion en 1925. Basel, 1926.
7 F ran c a t par=19.3 cents; average exchange ra te for 1924 ab o u t 18.2 cents; for 1925, practically a t par.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[ 13,08]

LA B O R O R G A N IZA TIO N S A N D C O N G R ESSES
Confederation of Trade-Unions in Sweden, 1924

HE recently issued annual report of the Confederation of TradeUnions in Sweden (Landsorganisationen i Sverge) for the year
1924 1 shows that at the end of that year the confederation
had a membership of 360,337 (329,283 male and 31,054 female mem­
bers), as against 313,022 (286,269 male and 26,753 female members)
at the end of 1923. The following table shows the distribution of the
membership among the individual trade federations affiliated with
the confederation:

T

M E M B E R S H IP

Federation

O F S W E D IS H C O N F E D E R A T IO N O F T R A D E -U N IO N S , BY F E D E R A T IO N S A N D SE X , -D E C E M B E R 31, 1924

M ales

W oodworkers, building iniiu strv
______ 1 1 , 2 1 2
T in-plate workers _ _ __ 1,538
32, 124
Uflwrnill w orkers.
__
Pointers
______ 4,455
Tailors ____________ -- 2,689
Shoemakers an d leather
6,584
w o rk e rs _____________
526
Tphaeeo w orkers________
Food and d rin k workers. 9,351
3,155
Brew ery w o rk e rs ______
Laborers a n d factory work______________ 35,806
ers
278
(Tempers
________
4, 760
M nl tfers
________
3, 748
Various trades ________
M asons a n d b ric k la y e rs... 3, 634
5,835
Stonecutters _ __________
3,204
M iners
__________
935
Saddlers and upholsterers.

Federation

M ales

Fe­
males

B ookbinders______ ______
R oad and hydraulic con­
struction w orkers. ------T ran sp o rt w o rk e rs,--------C om m unal w orkers--------P o tters_________________
W oodworkers___________
Commercial employees —
H atters_________________
Lithographers---------------Barbers and haird ressers..
M etal w orkers_____ _____
Insurance em ployees.........
Firem en-------------- --------P rin tin g trad es----- --------Forestry workers_______ .
Paper w orkers_____ ____ _
R ailw ay m en ------- -------- -

1,083

1,936

3,019

2,176
14, 591
16,083
646
8 , 838
5,645
414
845
502
61,100
268
3, 900
6,537
19, 254
23, 453
34,114

1

902
399

2,177
15, 402
17,373
659
8,920
7,571
1,386
845
512
63,359
303
3, 900
6,882
19, 254
24, 355
34, 513

T o ta l_____________ 329, 283 31, 054

360,337

Fe­
males

11,212

9
5,769
2,825
2 ,1 2 1

3, 609
1,061
3, 511
1,097

71

1, 538
32,133
4, 455
8,458
9,409
2,647
12, 960
4,216
39,317
278
4,760
4,845
3,634
5,835
3, 204
1,006

811
1,290
13
82
1,926
972
10

2,259
35
345

Total

During the year 1924 the number of federations affiliated with
the confederation increased from 33 to 34 due to the woodworkers
in the building industry seceding from the general woodworkers’
federation and forming a separate federation of their own. The
number of local unions increased from 3,448 to 3,810.
In view of the continuous hostile criticism of the policies of the
confederation by the communistic press and the unfavorable economic
conditions in 1924 the confederation considers it a very gratifying
symptom that its membership increased by 47,315 members. All
affiliated federations except three experienced a gain in membership.
The heaviest loss in membership (2,039) was suffered by the federa­
tion for various trades (De Forenade Forbunden), because the workers
in the flour mills and in yeast and margarine factories, formerly
affiliated with it, joined the food workers’ federation.
The net resources of all federations combined amounted to 16,061,515.70 kronor 2 at the end of 1924, as compared with 11,758,531.36
kronor at the end of 1923. The average net resources per member
amounted to 44.59 krona at the end of 1924.
i Landsorganisationen i Sverge. Beriittelse over verksam het, 1924. StrK'kti()lm p25.
s K rona a t par=26.8 cents. Exchange ra te was approxim ately a t p ar in Decem ber, 1923 and 19.4.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1309]

133

STR IK ES A N D LO C K O U TS

Industrial Disputes in the United States, 1916 to 1925

TATISTICS of industrial disputes resulting in strikes or lockouts
in the United States are presented in this report for the years
1916 to 1925. The bureau has no authority to require reports
relative to strikes, and therefore is obliged to obtain its information
from such sources as are available. The information is obtained
chiefly from the following sources: Labor papers and trade-union
journals; trade periodicals; lists of strikes issued by labor, trade, and
other organizations; clipping bureaus; daily newspapers published in
the more important industrial cities of the country; reports from the
Conciliation Service of the United States Department of Labor; and
through correspondence. The _bureau follows up the report of a
strike by sending a questionnaire or inquiry to one or both of the
parties to the dispute whenever this is feasible.
While the present report, based on the data secured from the abovementioned sources, omitting such reputed strikes as it developed
had been erroneously reported, is not based on a complete list of all
disputes _that have occurred in the country during the years under
review, for such a list is unobtainable, it is believed that no strikes
of importance have iailed to come to the attention of the bureau and
that the report is reasonably complete. Accuracy as to details is
not always possible, since it is necessary at times to use approxima­
tions where reports are conflicting or lack precision.
Revised statistics of industrial disputes resulting in strikes and
lockouts during each of the years 1916 to 1924 are given for purposes
of comparison.
In this report no distinction is drawn, for statistical purposes,
between a “ strike" and a “ lockout.” In tabulating labor or indus­
trial disputes resulting in a cessation of work it has not infrequently
happened that the strike and lockout definitions overlapped, and that
as to such disputes it was necessary to make a distinction which was
more or less arbitrary or artificial in order to tabulate “ strikes” and
“ lockouts” separately^ Of course the question of intent or motive
is a vital one, and the information in the possession of the bureau is
not always sufficiently definite or accurate to enable it to determine
this question satisfactorily. It is felt, therefore, that the distinction
did not afford a sound basis for a separate classification of such, indus­
trial disputes.
, The report shows an increase of 4 per cent over 1924 in the number
of strikes but a decrease of 35 per cent in the number of strikers
reported. In fact the number of strikers is much the smallest on
record for the past ten years.

S

134


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1310]

135

IN D U S T R IA L D IS PU T E S IN T H E U N IT E D STATES

By far the most important strike during the year was that of the
anthracite coal miners in Pennsylvania. The suspension began
September 1, upon the expiration of the former two-year agreement,
and lasted 170 days. It involved about 148,000 workers in 828 mines
operated by 135 companies, not including some 8,000 or 10,000
maintenance men who remained on duty to preserve the properties
from injury. The principal demands of the miners were for a twoyear contract, with complete recognition of the United Mine Workers
of America, districts 1, 7, and 9; and for an increase of 10 per cent
in the contract wage scale and of $1 per day for all day men. A
tentative five-year agreement was arrived at on February 11, 1926,
and was formally ratified on February 17, and mining operations
were resumed on the day following. The terms of the agreement
were given in the March, 1926, issue of the Labor Review.
About 30,000 clothing workers in New York City, members of the
International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union, suspended work
from March 10 to 16 to enforce the terms of an agreement with the
Wholesale Dress Manufacturers’ Association. Results were reported
as favorable to the workers.
Some 15,000 clothing workers in New York City, mostly women,
were on strike from February 17 to March 9 for a 20 per cent wage
increase, a 40-hour week, etc. This strike resulted in a compromise.
11The new agreement provides for a 5 per cent increase in wages for
pieceworkers, who constitute about 75 per cent of the industry, an
increase of $1 per week for week workers and $3 a week for cutters.”^
One of the most stubbornly contested strikes in the history of the
textile industry began on March 9, when the employees of the
American Thread Co. at Willimantic, Conn., struck against a wage
reduction of 10 per cent. This strike of 2,360 workers of both sexes,
it is understood, is still in progress.
Other strikes occurring during the year were relatively unimportant
as regards the number of strikers involved.
Table 1 shows the number of disputes beginning in each month,
1916 to 1925:
T able 1

—

N U M B E R O F D IS P U T E S B E G IN N IN G IN E A C H M O N T H , 1916 T O 1925
N u m b er of disputes beginning in -

Y ear
Jan.

1 9 1 6 ............
1917_______
1918_______
1919_______
1920_______
1921_______
1922_______
1923_______
1924_______
1925................

188
288
191
199
280
238
131
69
102

94

Feb. M ar. A pr. M ay June

206
211

223
198
214
172
96
72
70
89


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

294
318
312
192
288
194
75
123
118
85

434
445
321
270
427
292
109
212

144
161

617
463
392
431
422
575
104
246
155
161

354
323
296
322
317
152
64
133
98
108

Ju ly

313
448
288
381
298
167
191
146
89
105

[1311]

Aug. Sept.

326
360
278
417
264
143
95
106
81
122

252
349
212

425
231
121

85
93
71
103

Total
dis­
M onth putes
not
Oct. N ov. Dec.
stated
261
322
145
334
192
90
64
117
74
78

197
257
208
165
106
92
64
66

61
61

149
197
250
140
108
76
43
59
40
44

198
469
237
156
264
70
81

3,789
4, 450
3,353
3, 630
3,411
2, 385

111

1, 553
1,249
1,301

146
90

1 ,1 1 2

136

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

Place of Occurrence of Disputes

HTABLE 2 shows the number of disputes beginning in each year,
A 1916 to 1925, by States and by sections of the country:
T able 2 .—N U M B E R O F D IS P U T E S B E G IN N IN G IN E A C H Y E A R , 1916 TO 1925, BY S T A T E S
A N D S E C T IO N S O F T H E C O U N T R Y
State and section
A labam a___________________
A laska_______ _ __________
A riz o n a .._______ ___________
A rkansas________ _________
California___________________
Canal Zone.................. ............
Colorado________ ___________
C onnecticut.................................
D elaw are___ _______________
D istrict of C olum bia. ..............
F lorida_______ ____ _________
G e o rg ia ..____ _________. . . . . .
H a w a ii________________ 1___
Id a h o . ____________________
Illinois______ _____ ___ _____
In d ia n a ___________________ _
Iow a_______________________
K ansas_____________________
K e n tu c k y _________________
L ou isian a.. ________________
M ain e____ _______ . -________
M aryland . ___________ ____
M assachusetts______ ________
M ich ig an ......... .......... ..........
M innesota__________________
M ississippi.............................. .
M issouri___________ _______ _
M o n tan a ___________________
N eb rask a__________ _______ _
N e v a d a .___________________
New H am p sh ire_______ . . _
N ew Jersey_________________
N ew M exico________________
New Y o rk _____ ____ ________
N orth C arolina_____________
N o rth D ak o ta______________
O hio........ ......................................
O klahom a__________________
O regon_________ ____ _______
P e nn sy lv an ia______________
Porto R ico_________________
R hode Is la n d _________ _____
South C arolina_______ ______
South D ak o ta_______________
Tennessee.________________
Texas______________________
U ta h _______ _______________
V e rm o n t......................................
V irginia____________________
Virgin Islands____________
W ashington _______ _____ _
W est V irg in ia ............. ..............
W isconsin___ ______________
W yom ing.................................
In te rs ta te ....................................
T o ta l............................. .

1916
15
3
7

20

20

36

55
4
17
326
12
8

9
8

4
5
159
75
26
15
13
8

30
48
383
71
30
4
97
15
21
20

417
592
8

290
24
23
574
23
77
5
26
28
3

20

5
112

1918

1919

1920

1921

13
3
4
ii
94

18
3
7
7

25

15

102
1

120
1
22

48
178
17
14
16
28

32
92
14
13

31
135

20

40

30
39

1

1
10

10

32
'282
73
65
53
38
39
40
59
353
64
53
13
122

77
28
2
20

227
4
711
7
2

279
35
58
494

11
10

10

16

35

58
40
63

294
64
57

4
3, 789

1

1

9
15

4
7
99

128
10

14
9
29

27
61
4
5
19
21

1922

1923

248
76
41
41
19
23
36
72
347

267
106

57
45
26
51
40
41
396
84
49

60

40
5
105
33

2

69
23
17
5
34
183
4
536

11

7
17
138
2

689
14
3
197
19
18
311

22

5
254
99
47
14

3
164
61
42

22

17
29
24
27

37
22

57
377
63
50
4
63
16
12

4
32
145
1
600
21

4
237
32
38
280
58
78

53
3
3
26
41
14
9
37

11

3
40
50
22
13
28

206

24
22

250
118
89
5
5
27
73
14
12

31

21

201

71
45
9
54
21
11
1
6

125

1924

1925

2

2

37

47

3
29

4
40

7
30

3
52

5
26

1

1

46

4
5
3

6

5

4
4

2

1

6

105
7
3
42
56
21
8

10

11
10

4
5

5

80
28
15

84
45

1

63
15
15
4

72
35
14
5

10
8
11
12

11

139
18
9

16
7
19
217
19
14

6
12

7

12
12
2

3

6

10

25
97

17
162
14
6

10

4

1

26
2

3
3
30
71

27
7
1

35
1
2

12
1
2

6

8

78

92

5
91

202
6
2

403

281
4

304
6

73
9

65

68
6

73

2

8
101

15
234

13
261

5
182

37
2

25

5

24

2

384
26
8

167
29
23
222
3
42
12

3
28
64
5
2
14

6
1

1
10

1
1

8
10
1

13
5

7
15

10

3

16
2

11

1

3

4

1
20

2

1

113
63
77
4

69
49

25

130
50
54
5
4

4, 450

22

36
28

68

63
28
41

21

10

15
23
15

21

10

19

27

23

10

12

3,353

3, 630

3,411

2,385

1 ,1 1 2

1, 553

1,249

1,301

3,034

2,466

2,678

2, 431

1,607

840

1,249

1, 007

1,090

315
1,076
25

248
635
4

337
594
21

346
624

190
569
19

90
155
27

71
210

64
168

51
148

23

10

12

2

N orth of th e Ohio an d east of
the M ississippi____________ 3,186
South of th e Ohio a n d east of
th e M ississippi____________
174
W est of th e M ississippi .
425
In te rsta te __________________
4


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

1917

[1312]

10

8

15
14

IN D U ST R IA L D IS PU T E S IN T H E U N IT E D STATES

137

The usual increase in the number of strikes during the months of
April and May of each year may be ascribed to increased industrial
activity at that time of the year, and to the fact that trade agree­
ments in many industries terminate then, giving rise to controversies
over wages, etc., in making new agreements. Data for the closing
months of the year 1925 are more or less incomplete, because some
reports do not reach the bureau until several months after the strike
has ended.
Nearly half the total number of strikes in 1925 occurred in the
three States of New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts, in the
order named. As to the number of strikes by cities, New York City
heads the list with 228, followed by Chicago with 58, Boston with
49, Philadelphia with 37, Cleveland with 20, and Baltimore and
Newark with 15 each.
Table 3 shows the number of disputes in cities having 25 or more
disputes during any year, 1916 to 1925.
T a b l e 3 .— N U M B E R O F D IS P U T E S IN C IT IE S IN W H IC H 25 OR M O R E D IS P U T E S OC­

C U R R E D IN A N Y Y E A R , 1916 TO 1925
C ity
Baltim ore, M d _______
__
Boston, M ass- - ___________
Bridgeport, C onn___ . . _____
Buffalo, N. Y _______________
Chicago, 111_________________
Cincinnati, Ohio
________
Cleveland, Ohio- __________
D enver, Colo - ____________
D etroit, M ich__________ .
Fall River, M ass____________
H artford, Conn . . . . ______
Holyoke, M ass______________
Jersey C ity, N . J ____________
K ansas C ity, M o _________
L ynn, M ass________________
M ilw aukee, W is.-_ ________
N ew ark, N . J . . .
. . . ___
N ew Orleans, L a_____ ______
N ew Y ork, N . Y ____________
Paterson, N . J . . . . . . ______
Philadelphia, P a ____________
P ittsburg h , P a ______________
Providence, R . I ____________
Rochester, N . Y _____________
San Francisco, Calif____ ____
St. Louis, M o________ ______
Seattle, W ash.
__________
Springfield, M ass.......... ............
Toledo, Ohio...............................
T renton, N . J _______________
W ilkes-Barre, P a ..... ..................
W orcester, M ass____________
Youngstown, Ohio__________

08397°— 26------ 10

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

1910

1917

39
62
38
41
73
29
60

36
87
30
28
123
33
76
26
19
13

100

21

8

9
24
36

17
7

8

31
20

28
26
28
20
8

30
55
7
363
18
74
47
21

16
23
58
15
31
16
25
6

18
27

8

14
50
23
484
27
89
37
46
27
37
53
49
27
16
15
25
12
1

1918

1919

1920

1921

47

26
98
25

34
51
47
125
31
41
15
24

3

20

2
20

68

13
24
26
39
19
18
18

20
22
11

36
20

484
20

80
19
18
35
30
70
29

126
39
47
22

40
28
17
18
25
16
11

27
33
40
370
15
60
19
31
13
34
39
24

12

20

27

24
4
4
28
14

11
8
11

5

[1313]

10

22

19
15
14
13
27
28
16
29
341
12

59
15
32
37
26
40
26
27
20
21

9
18
4

1922

1923

1924

22

9

43

22

15
43

23
31

8

2
8

1
11

26

44

10
22
2
12
8
2
1

10

29
5
16

89
18
26
16
39
10
2

3
9
17
12

9
23
23
193
17
61
23
17
36

9
9
14
11
6

7
140
14
21
1
6

22

17
7

26

11

13

20
6

2

7

9

2

1
8

3

10
1

1

3

5

7

6
10
6

10
6
2
11

6
2
12

4
15

5
204

228

21

12

54

37

12
2

11
8

13
11

296
16
32
5
5
12

14
19
14

5
3

10
12
6

7

12

2

9
5

4

8

58
3

2

15
5

1

15
49
4

14
3

21
6

6

1925

10
8

3

13
4
21
6

4
3
3
7
4
1

2

5
11
8

4
7
2

4
4
7
4

138

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

Sex and Organization of Workers Involved

'TABLE 4 shows, by sex of persons involved, the number of dis1 putes beginning in each year, 1916 to 1925:
T able 4 .—N U M B E R OF D IS P U T E S B E G IN N IN G IN E A C H Y E A R , 1916 TO 1925, B Y S E X OF
EM PLO YEES
N u m b er of disputes in—
Sex
1916

1917

1918

1919

1920

1921

1922

1923

1924

M ales................. ....... .................. . 3,121
Fem ales____________________
122
M ales and fe m a le s....................
269
N o t reported................. _............
277

3, 611
158
190
491

2,467
90
278
518

2,818

2,347
78
343
643

1, 750
30
558
47

676

521
203

357
57

983
31
445
94

877
23
280
69

891
31
338
41

T o t a l . . ........ ..................... 3,789

4,450

3,353

3,630

3,411

2,385

1 ,1 1 2

1, 553

1,249

1,301

88

22

1925

The table following shows for each year the relation to labor unions
of workers engaged in disputes:
T able 5 .—R E L A T IO N O F W O R K E R S TO L A B O R U N IO N S , 1916 TO 1925
N u m b er of disputes
R elation of w orkers to union
1916

1917

1918

1919

1920

1921

1922

1923

1924

C onnected w ith unions............. 2,458
N ot connected w ith unions___
466
Organized after dispute began.
71
U nion an d nonunion w o rk ers..
N ot reported________________
814

2,392
209
55

1,903
362
26

2,033
143
30

2, 506
137

2,038
62
5

844
37
5

1, 794

1,062

1,424

760

280

214

1, 265
77
18
29
164

1, 063
69
14
31
72

1,

8

T o ta l.................................. 3, 789

4,450

3, 353

3, 630

3,411

2,385

1 ,1 1 2

1, 553

1,249

1,301


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

12

[1 3 1 4 ]

1925
018
142
16
38
87

IN D U ST R IA L D IS PU T E S IN T H E U N IT E D STATES

139

Causes of Dispute

’’JpHE principal causes of strikes are shown in Table 6.
T able

6

—P R IN C IP A L C A U S E S O F D IS P U T E S B E G IN N IN G IN E A C H Y E A R , 1916 TO
1925
N u m b er of disputes beginning in—

uau se ot dispute
1917

1918

1919

1920

1921

1,301
Increase of wages................... .
35
Decrease of w ages.......................
W ages, no t otherwise specified
13
N onpaym en t of wages_______
Increase of wages a n d decrease
481
of hours---- --------- ------------Decrease of wa ges a n d increase
of h o u r s __________________
7
Increase of h o u rs........ ................
113
Decrease of h o u rs. . .......... .........
349
Recognition of union ----------93
R ecognition a n d w ages.............
20
Recognition an d h o u rs_______
56
Recognition,w ages, and h o u rs.
59
G eneral conditions------ --------58
C onditions a n d wages_______
Oorw1.itions and hours
3
25
C onditions, wages, and h o u rs ..
4
C onditions an d recognition___
Discharge of foreman de17
m anded................... ....... ...........
127
D ischarge of employees______
73
E m ploym ent of nonunion m en.
1
Objectionable persons h ired __
9
D is c rim in a tio n _____________
13
Open or closed shop_________
42
Closed shop and. other causes..
7
U nfair products_____________
40
In regard to agreem ent..............
40
N ew agreem ent_____________
33
S y m p a th y ...................................
19
Ju risdictio n . . _____________
4
116
M iscellaneous..............................
631
N ot re p o rte d ........................ .......

1, 571
36

1,397
36

1,115

1,429
147

898

T o ta l........................... ....... 3,789

1916

1922

1923

1924

156
261
29

255
125
63
2

277
116
56
7

30

29

18

31

11

20

5

10

445
49
82
3

378

256

578

269

34

16

58

77
18
294
55
106
14

40

18
132
292
132
27
48
104
71
18
26
13
38
208
79
8
12
22

86

25
117
352
78
16
76
71
62
5
37
14

6

• 79
179
79
16
49
61
54
2
8

7

19
144

54
138
60

12
11

2

8

62
123
87
6

45
82
58

120

74
10

3

11

8

64
33

43

71
43
7
7

6

6

6

30
140
38

7
38
24
16

7
37

2

22

6

4

4
9

8
1

6

4
50
30
4
3
55
16

13
Gi
49
4

12
8

10

10

1

8

20
2

46
31
13

168
792

181
461

106
250

81
305

51
163

22

1
100

63

4,450

3, 353

3, 630

3,411

2,385

1 ,1 1 2

21
11

1

11

67

48
27
68

33
38

1

4
80
24

6
8

46
4
35
16

19
9
84
24
71

12
88

7
74
30

7
76
27

73
30

10
8
8

21
1

4
6

25
72
53
4

52
42
128
5
50
36
108
16

32
45
17

34
113
72
30
59

5
16
96
37

12
22

7
5
18
81

1925

1

8

23

32
4
4
117
28
39
60

S3

54
108

55
103

1, 553

1, 249

1,301

52

56

11

1

18
74

121

74
66
22

7

11

33

8

Size of Strikes

rTTIE number of persons involved in disputes is shown in Table 7,
by classified groups.
T a b l e 7 .—N U M B E R

O F D IS P U T E S B E G IN N IN G IN E A C H Y E A R , 1916 TO 1925, B Y
C L A S S IF IE D N U M B E R O F P E R S O N S IN V O L V E D
N u m b er of disputes beginning in —

N um ber of persons involved
1916

1918

1919

1920

1921

1922

171
304
350
361
368
287
194
223

186
297
353
404
494
356
217
332
54
937

161
322
349
367
381
289
145
184
19
1,194

257
336
287
252
245
164
103
133
15
593

80
128
156
159
144
91
61
61
16
216

3, 630

3,411

2, 385

1 ,1 2 2

2,124

152
279
343
357
384
287
143
204
17
1,187

................... ........... 3,789

4,450

3, 353

1 to 1 0 .............................................
11 to 2 5 ........................................
26 to 50..........................................
51 to 100.........................................
101 to 250......................................
251 to 500......................................
501 to 1,000...____ ______ ____
1 ,0 0 1 to 1 0 ,0 0 0 . . ...........................
O ver 10,000 _________ _____
N o t reported................. ..............

T o tal

1917


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

210

355
427
420
399
354
241
238
23

68

[1 3 1 5 ]

1 ,1 1 2

1923

1924

1925

128
182
206
157
161
135
78
119
5
382

145
114
119
93
81
78
13
361

142
167
195
166
147
97
52
43
3
289

1, 553

1, 249

1,301

125
120

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

140

Table 8 shows the number of disputes in which the number of
employees directly involved was reported, the number of such
employees, and the average number of employees per dispute.
T able 8 .—N U M B E R O F D IS P U T E S R E P O R T IN G T H E N U M B E R O F E M P L O Y E E S , N U M ­
B E R O F SU C H E M P L O Y E E S , A N D T H E A V E R A G E N U M B E R O F E M P L O Y E E S P E R
D IS P U T E , B Y Y E A R S , 1916 TO 1925

Y ear

1916
1917
1918
1919
1920

N um ­
ber of N u m b er of
employees
dis­
putes

2, 667
2, 325
2,151
2,665
2 , 226

Average
num ber
of em­
ployees
per
dispute
600
528
576
1, 561
657

1, 599,917
1, 227, 254
1, 239, 989
4,160, 348
1, 463,054

N um ­
ber of N um ber of
employees
dis­
putes

Y ear

1921.......... .............
1922........ .................. .
1923............................
1924........ ....................
1925.............................

1,785
899
1,199
898
1 ,0 1 2

Average
num ber
of em­
ployees
per
dispute
616
1, 794
631
729
423

1,099, 247
1, 612, 562
756, 584
654, 641
428, 218

The following statement shows, by months, the number of persons
directly involved in disputes in 1925, so far as reported:
January __ _
F e b ru a ry ._ _
M arch____
April
M ay .
________
June__
J u l y ------ _
August __
______

________
________
________
________
______
________
________
________

12,
37,
47,
34,
34,
20,
13,
26,

995
260
749
668
287
075
099
180

Septem ber_________________ 162, 321
O ctober____________________ 11, 048
20, 635
N ovem ber__________,______
D ecem ber__________________
2, 973
M onth not s ta te d __________
4, 928
T o ta l_______________

428, 218

The following table shows, approximately, the distribution of dis­
putes according to the number of establishments involved in each
dispute by years, 1916 to 1925:
T a b l e 9 .— N U M B E R

O F D IS P U T E S A C C O R D IN G TO T H E N U M B E R O F E S T A B L IS H ­
M E N T S IN V O L V E D , 1917 TO 1925
N u m b er of disputes

ijistaDiisnmerus m voivea
1922

1923

1924

1,071
113
94
62
43
584
418

745
28
17
17
9
104
192

1,133
56
35
15

898
60
25
24

201

820
34
23
16
17
84
255

2,385

1 ,1 1 2

1,553

1,249

1,301

1917

1918

1919

1920

1921

One establishm ent............... .................. . 3,078
143
Tw o establishm ents........ ........................
73
Three estab lish m en ts..............................
41
Four estab lish m en ts................................
18
Five establishm ents....................... .........
403
Over five establishm ents........................
694
N ot rep o rted ..............................................

2,541
70
42
23
90
327
260

2,136
142
99
59
52
910
232

1,989
59
40
35
426
776

T o tal_________ ______ __________ 4,450

3,353

3,630

3,411


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1316]

86

10

103

1925

12

98
184

IND USTRIAL, D IS PU T E S IN T H E U N IT E D STATES

141

Industries and Occupations Affected

rT"'ABLE 10 shows, for each year, 1916 to 1925, the number of labor
disputes occurring in the industries named.
T able 1 0 .—NUMBER OF DISPUTES IN SPECIFIED INDUSTRY GROUPS, 1916 TO 1925

Number of disputes
industry

Building trades.......................
Clothing..................................
Furniture_______________
Iron and steel_____________
Leather.......... .........................
Lumber _____ __________
Metal trades____ _____ ___
Mining_________ ____ ___
Paper manufacturing...... .......
Printing and publishing____
Shipbuilding_____________
Slaughtering, meat cutting,
and packing___ ____ ____
Stone.................. ....................
Textile..... ............ .......... ........
Tobacco______ __________
Transportaton, steam and
electric.................................

1921

1922

1923

1924

473
322
35
76
27
46
581
176
47
71
109

521
583
336
240
17
26
25
25
32
26
38
25
452
194
183
95
39
42
83 ■ 506
45
20

113
240
4
10
17
10
83
49
12
56
4

208
395
12
10
17
19
113
159
16
19
6

270
238
35
7
5
6
58
178
6
12
1

350
231
55
7
5
9
48
103
6
14

42
14
212
50

74
13
273
58

42
29
211
38

30
34
114
19

6
61
115
13

11
15
134
16

14
15
80
12

2
17
137
4

227

191

241

37

67

31

18

7

1916

1917

1918

1919

394
227
50
72
34
44
547
416
54
27
31

468
495
43
56
19
299
515
449
41
41
106

434
436
26
74
16
76
441
208
40
40
140

70
61
261
63

38
26
247
47

228

343

1920

1925

The following statement shows, so far as reported, the number of
persons directly involved in disputes occurring in the industries
named in 1925:
B u ild in g t r a d e s ___________________________________________
65, 540
C lo th in g i n d u s t r y _________________________________________
8 2 ,3 0 0
F u r n itu r e i n d u s t r y ________________________________________
1, 276
I r o n a n d ste e l i n d u s t r y ___________________________________
3, 065
L e a th e r i n d u s t r y __________________________________________
55
L u m b e r i n d u s t r y __________________________________________
1, 600
M e ta l t r a d e s ______________________________________________
3, 019
M in in g , c o a l_______________________________________________ 200, 101
P a p e r m a n u f a c tu r in g _____________________________________
135
P r in tin g a n d p u b lis h in g ___________________________________
1, 024
S la u g h te rin g , m e a t c u ttin g , a n d p a c k in g _________________
600
S to n e w o rk ________________________________________________
1, 280
T e x tile i n d u s t r y ___________________________________________ 25, 824
789
T o b a c c o i n d u s t r y _________________________________________
T r a n s p o rta tio n , s te a m a n d e le c tr ic _______________________
1, 542


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[1317]

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

142

The number of disputes which have occurred in certain specified
occupations for each year, 1916 to 1925, is shown in the table below:
T able 1 1 .—NUMBER OF DISPUTES IN SPECIFIED

TO 1925

OCCUPATIONS, BY YEARS, 1916

Number of disputes
uccupauon

Bakers__________________
Boiler makers_____________
Boot and shoe workers--------Brewery workers__________
Brick and tile workers___ ..
Building laborers and hod
carriers___ _____________
Carpenters...___ ____ _ ..
Chauffeurs and teamsters----Freight handlers and long­
shoremen________ . . . ...
Glass workers__________ _.
Hat and cap workers and fur
workers________________
Inside wiremen .. . ______
Machinists
___ ___
Metal polishers_____ ____ _
Miners, coal.___ ____ _____
Molders__________ ______
Painters and paper hangers —
Plumbers ana steam fitters—
Rubber workers___________
Sheet-metal workers________
Street-railway employees........
Structural iron workers_____
Tailors..... ......................... ......

1916

1917

1918

1919

1920

1921

1922

1923

1924

81
23
45
21
23

106
44
38
22
9

47
28
50
27
5

88
31
54
23
16

75
22
63
25
21

99
16
28
24
12

24
4
55
12
14

35
9
53
4
6

72
3
27
10
8

55
5
31
6
13

54
75
108

74
101
164

27
81
129

49
96
95

90
73
130

10
49
43

7
20
20

39
22
51

19
34
39

35
50
44

158
41

194
23

89
13

58
9

68
11

36
2

18
4

23
14

12
7

10
8

26
32
257
43
373
145
46
53
38
23
56
23
38

52
33
204
25
355
165
45
53
19
33
118
16
59

38
45
207
29
162
110
61
72
15
45
117
20
51

38
33
202
61
148
181
81
55
15
19

51
51
127
78
161
145
46
81
14
14
81
32
42

25
29
29
8
87
93
62
82
3
82
12
5
58

40
7
8
3
44
38
10
21
3
8
19
6
19

25
9
13
4
158
54
20
25
7
13
21
18
32

34
18
6
10
177
29
25
42
2
18
14
13
11

25
16

no

15
70

1925

8
99
13
29
55
6
9

5
16
22

Month of Ending

12 shows the number
TABLE
1916 to 1925:

of disputes ending in each month,

T able 13.—NUMBER OF DISPUTES ENDING IN EACH MONTH, 1916 TO 1925

Number of disputes ending inYear
Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.
1916.............
1917.............
1918______
1919.............
1920........... .
1921______
1922..............
1923...........
1924______
1925.............

117
111
105
122
84
64
42
32
69
68

132
94
125
113
85
61
39
54
78
66


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176
159
168
128
129
106
37
78
92
65

292
198
208
144
197
102
37
144
90
110

337
223
261
226
200
222
77
182
129
131

216
172
223
195
188
171
52
114
109
93

200
157
211
207
191
144
58
121
83
71

[1318]

217
156
207
252
157
141
65
85
62
111

223
201
175
239
155
91
70
85
55
81

173
177
147
194
117
81
58
95
69
92

156
122
117
147
72
65
61
57
47
57

78
132
160
120
60
46
53
36
43
34

Month Total
not
stated
131
172
85
133
237
232
92
62
33
10

2,448
2,074
2,198
2, 220
1,872
1.526
741
1,145
959
989

143

IN D U S T R IA L D IS PU T E S IN T H E U N IT E D STATES

Results of Disputes

TN TABLE 13 are given data relative to the results of disputes
* ending in each year, 1918 to 1925:
T able 1 3

—RESULTS 0E DISPUTES ENDING IN EACH YEAR, 1916 TO 1925
Number of disputes ending in—

Pwesult

In favor of employers_______
In favor of employees___ ___
Compromised_____________
Employees returned pending
arbitration ___ . . . . _ _ _
Not reported................ .........

1916

1917

1918

1919

1920

1921

1922

1923

1924

748
749
777

395
631
720

465
627
691

687
627
797

677
472
448

701
256
291

248
259
105

368
403
168

283
354
138

253
349
138

73
101

137
191

204
211

50
59

61
214

80
198

16
113

46
160

45
139

51
198

741 1,145

959

989

Total.............................. 2,448 2,074 2,198 2,220 1, 872 1,526

1925

Time Lost Through Disputes

'“FABLE 14 shows by years, 1916 to 1925, the number of disputes
* reporting duration, the approximate total duration, and the
average duration, in days, of the disputes for each year.
T able 1 4 .—NUMBER OF DISPUTES REPORTING DURATION, APPROXIMATE TOTAL

DURATION, AND AVERAGE DURATION OF DISPUTES, BY YEARS, 1916 TC 1925

Year in which
disputes ended

1916____________
1917____________
1918____________
1919____________
1920____________

Number
Total
of
Average
disputes duration duration
for which (days)
(days)
reported
2,116
1, 435
1,709
1,855
1,321

49, 680
26, 981
29,895
62, 930
51,893

23
19
17
34
39

Year in which
disputes ended

1921____________
1922.......... ..............
1923........................
1924..................... .
1925_______ ___ _

Number
of
Total
Average
disputes duration duration
for which (days)
(days)
reported
1, 258
580
968
957
875

64, 231
21, 436
23,177
28, 588
23,809

51
37

24
30
27

Table 15 shows the duration of disputes ending in each year, 1916
to 1925, by classified periods of duration.
Included in the table as “ not reported” are some disputes that
were known or believed to be. terminated, although the period of
duration was unknown for various reasons. In some cases the
strikes were reported as “ short.”


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144

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
T able 15.—DISPUTES ENDING IN EACH YEAR, 1916 TO 1925, BY DURATION

Number of disputes ending in—
Duration

Less than 1 day___________
1 day......................................
2 days_____ _____________
3 days___________________
4 days..................... .................
6 days................................. .
6 days____ ____________ .
7 days___ _____ __________
is days___________________
9 days_________ _________
10 days__________________
11 days_______ ___________
12 days____ ______________
13 days____ ______________
14 days________ __________
15 to "18 days___ ___ ______
19 to 21 days______________
22 to 24 days______________
25 to 28 days______________
29 to 31 days_________ ___ _
32 to 35 days______________
36 to 42 days______________
43 to 49 days................. ...........
60 to 63 days............................
64 to 77 days................. ...........
78 to 91 days______________
92 to 200 days_____________
Over 200 days_____________
Not reported.........................
Total..............................

1916

1917

1918

1919

1920

1921

1922

1923

1924

38
141
185
147
125
131
112
93
86
50
108
41
42
27
64
148
83
40
61
53
25
50
24
53
40
27
99
23
332

88
196
113
105
62
56
65
95
29
31
43
24
39
13
40
75
46
23
35
28
27
38
29
37
22
12
55
9
639

84
145
171
127
111
72
67
115
60
38
58
24
26
17
49
88
72
40
32
65
31
39
36
48
18
17
35
24
489

29
76
70
80
78
74
45
69
72
33
57
30
28
30
42
113
95
51
65
74
61
81
78
124
72
57
149
22
365

31
57
64
54
51
36
44
66
45
30
31
28
24
21
40
83
25
41
56
47
21
46
48
69
51
41
125
46
551

32
27
44
44
47
35
32
45
30
19
44
19
12
14
25
76
49
16
31
43
36
54
40
86
60
61
186
51
268

18
48
39
27
23
26
18
34
19
10
15
5
6
10
9
41
27
15
9
9
13
14
14
29
18
14
51
15
165

26
82
74
68
66
36
44
62
29
26
20
16
17
32
36
54
39
12
33
40
20
14
13
24
24
16
25
19
178

23
42
46
31
46
27
30
47
21
14
17
17
6
12
26
39
23
17
39
27
23
26
26
43
27
12
55
23
174

42
55
52
62
39
34
26
47
24
27
23
19
21
14
33
60
47
36
28
23
17
21
18
32
12
9
39
15
114

741 1,145

959

989

2, 448 2, 074 2,198 2, 220 1,872 1,526

1925

I I I 1917 tlie mimber of unauthorized strikes of which the bureau
has information was 72 and in 1918. 58. In 1919 the number was
125, involving 1,053,256 strikers; in 1920 the number was 253,
involving 850,837; in 1921 the number was 52, involving 66,804; in
1922 the number was 20, involving 1,846; in 1923 the number was
25, involving 36,221; in 1924 the number was 18, involving 46,306;
and in 1925 the number was 32, involving 14,369 employees.
Between April 6, 1917, the date of the entrance of the United States
into the war, and November 11, 1918, the date of the signing of the
armistice, 6,205 strikes and lockouts occurred.

Industrial Disputes in New South Wales

N ITS issue for February, 1926, the New South Wales Industrial
Gazette, published by the Department of Labor and Industry
of that State, gives a study of industrial disputes, showing, among
other things, the time lost from this cause in the various industries
during the period 1914 to 1925. This is summarized in the table
immediately following.

I


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1320]

145

IN D U ST R IA L D IS PU T E S IN' N E W SO U T H W ALES

WORKING-DAYS LOST IN INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES IN NEW SOUTH WALES, 1914 TO 1925,
BY INDUSTRY
Man working-days lost
Industry
Total

Mining:
Coal and shale------------------ -----------------------------Metal, etc----------------- ----------- ----------------- -----Total__ __________________ _______ ________
Nonmining:
Manufacturing--------------- -------------------------------Transport—
Sea_____________________________ _______
Land___________ ____________
_________
Building_____________________ ______________
Laboring------------------------ --------------------- -- -Other........-_____ _____________ ___ -......................

Average per
employee per
annum

Persons
employed

6,002, 672
3,380,469

23.5
24.2

21,265
11,652

9, 383,141

23. 7

32, 917

1,980,024

1.0

168,371

1,435,495
91, 838
636, 779
113, 990
113, 895

5.6
.2
1.3
.8
.0

21,486
51, 826
39, 872
11,035
558, 577

Total__________ .1........................................... .........

4,372, 021

.4

851,187

Total, all industries______ ____________________

13, 755,162

1.3

884,104

Attention is called to the fact that the principal losses have oc­
curred in the mining and transport (sea) industries, the loss of time
in all the nonmining industries considered as a group being less than
one-half a day per employee each year.
For most of the industries there is no record of time lost except
through industrial disputes, but in mining for some years past ac­
count has been kept of time lost from all causes so that it is possible
to compare the relative weight of industrial disputes and other
causes in this respect. The data on this point do not cover the whole
11 years given in the above table, dealing only with the period 1917
to 1925. Summarized, they are as follows:
WORKING-DAYS LOST IN COAL AND SHALE MINES, 1917 TO 1925

Cause

Tndnstrial d isp u tes.___________________________ - ______- - - - - ___________ - - - - - - Other:
Shortage of trucks ____________________________________________ - - - - - Slackness of trade,
_________________________________________________
M i tip. d isab ilities, e tc .
________________________________________________
T)paths and funerals of em p loy bps, e tc _____________________________________ _
M eetin gs, extra h olid ays
___________________________________ __
Other
____________________________________________________ - —
N o t stated
___________________________________ __________
T otal
Grand to ta l-

_

_ ______________________ _________________
_

______________________________________

N u m b er of
d ays lost

Per
cent of
total

4,211,933

36.7

395, 963
4,836,451
680, 309
169,557
172, 869
152, 927
866, 738

3.5
42.1
5 .9
1 .4
1 .5
1 .3
7.6

7,274, 814

63.3

11,486,747

100.0

Thus, slightly over one-half (51.5 per cent) of the time lost is due
to slackness of trade, shortage of trucks, and mine disabilities, which,
from the standpoint of the employee, might be grouped together as
unemployment. In fact, the time lost through these causes is greater
by 40 per cent than that lost through industrial disputes. The time
lost through deaths and funerals of employees, meetings, and extra

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1321]

146

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

holidays, taken altogether, does not amount to as much as that
lost through the lack of sufficient equipment in the way of trucks
for the work to be done.
Turning from mining to all industries combined, the following
table shows the comparative seriousness of the industrial disputes
arising from various causes during the war period, the five years
immediately following it, and the two years 1924 and 1925:
TIM E LOST THROUGH INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES DUE TO SPECIFIED CAUSES
Average working-days lost
per annum

Working-days lost

1914 to 1918

1919 to 1923

1924

219,497
253, 572
182, 647
44, 421
7,853
391, 442
21, 692
1,951

243, 025
241, 409
96, 659
109,933
565,880
20, 493
31, 487
6, 595

165, 234
96,023
128, 461
144,164
16,874
3,870
43,198
13,311

359, 450
28, 814
172, 951
165, 304
7, 265
35, 443
107, 025
17,416

1,123,075

1, 315,481

611,135

893, 668

Cause

Wages.................................................................
Hours_____________________
Working conditions____ _________ ____ __
Employment, etc_____ ____________ _
Trade-unionism_______ ___ _________ ___
Sympathy......................... .................................
Miscellaneous___ _____________ _______
Not stated___________________
Total____________________ .

1925

The changing importance of these causes bears a close relation to
the position held by organized labor. “ Sympathy ” is defined as
“ sympathy with other militant unions,” and “ employment” as
having to do with the employment of particular persons or classes
of persons. During the war period, when labor was scarce and
unionism was advancing^ sympathetic disputes accounted for much
the most serious loss of time, hours coming second and wages third.
In the period of depression which followed the war there was a sharp
change, the fight for trade-unionism being by far the most important
cause, while “ sympathy” all but disappeared, wages stood second
and hours third. In 1924 and 1925, the trade-unions appear to have
reestablished themselves, disputes about this cause occupying only
a minor position, while disagreements about wages had become
responsible for the greatest loss of time, this being very markedly the
case in 1925.
No information is given as to the results of the various disputes,
but a brief statement is made as to methods of settlement used in 1925.
Of 644 disputes occurring in that year, 621, involving 233,436 workers,
were settled by direct negotiation between employers and employees ;
18, involving 5,773 workers, by arbitration; and 5, involving 111
workers, by replacement, i. e., “ the employer succeeded in procuring
capable employees of the required industrial character to fill the places
of those who left work, and thereby was able to maintain comparativefy normal conditions.”


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1322]

W O R K E R S ’ ED U C A TIO N A N D TR A IN IN G

Progress oi Apprenticeship in Wisconsin

HE apprenticeship law of Wisconsin came into force in 1915, at
a time when, owing to the war, abnormal conditions prevailed,
and effective interest in apprenticeship was only beginning to
make itself felt. In reviewing the progress of the movement the
Wisconsin Apprentice (March, 1926), issued by the Industrial
Commission of the State, notes that the past four years have been
more nearly normal than any other period of the law’s operation,
and therefore gives figares relating to them as illustrative of the
advance made.

T

F o u r y e a rs a g o 1,250 in d e n tu re s w e re in force. A t t h e p re s e n t tim e th e r e a re
2,545. (T h e s e fig u res d o n o t in c lu d e sp e c ia l a p p re n tic e s o v e r 21 y e a rs of age.)
D u rin g t h e s a m e p e rio d 724 a p p re n tic e s w e re g r a d u a te d in to jo u rn e y m e n .
T o -d a y 746 e m p lo y e rs e m p lo y in d e n tu r e d a p p re n tic e s a s a g a in s t 325 f o u r y e a rs
ag o . T h is sh o w s t h a t a p p re n tic e s h ip h a s g ro w n c o n s id e ra b ly a m o n g t h e m a n y
s m a lle r e m p lo y e rs a n d n o t m e re ly a s a p p lie d t o t h e few v e ry la rg e ones.

Emphasis is laid on the fact that the number of indentures in
force is far from being a true measure of the success of the plan.
What really counts is the good will of employer, apprentice, and
journeymen toward the system, and their combined effort, in coopera­
tion with the vocational school, to make it function effectively.'
In this respect the trades differ considerably. The metal trades
began promoting apprenticeship in a more or less organized way 20
years ago, so that they naturally show more progress than some of the
others. These trades are thoroughly converted to the apprentice­
ship idea, and, realizing that if they want skilled workers for the
future they must train them now, they are taking apprentices
numerously, have apprenticeship committees that function, employ
apprentice supervisors, and generally are cooperating vigorously with
everyone who can help on the campaign.
j
The situation in the building trades is less satisfactory. The
charge is made by some that contractors are unwilling to hire appren­
tices, and that the supply of journeymen comes from the smaller
towns where the boys can pick up the trade without a definite
training. The commission holds, however, that the trouble is
not so much an unwillingness on the part of the contractors to hire
apprentices as a reluctance to take the trouble to keep them con­
tinuously employed and to see that they get a complete training.
A contractor takes an apprentice, for instance, and finds him an
ambitious and willing worker, but after a few months completes
the job upon which he has been engaged, and having no present work
for the lad lets him go, instead of taking the trouble to find a place
for him with another contractor or to give him odd jobs that will
keep him busy until another contract is in hand. The apprentice
perhaps finds work with another contractor, or may take up another

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[1323]

147

M O N T H L Y L A B O R R E V IE Y /

148

line of work. So he drifts about from one employer to another, and
either is lost to the trade altogether, or has to pick up what he can
for himself, instead of having a systematic course laid out to give
him an all-round training. The seasonal nature of the building
industry, and the custom of contract working, of course, have much
to do with this attitude of the contractor, but the effect is detrimental
to the supply of skilled workers. The trades differ in this respect,
the plumbers being fully awake to the importance of training new
men, and having over 300 apprentices indentured at the present time.
“ If the rest of the building trades were as progressive as the plumbers
there would be little else to be desired. ”
The railroad shop crafts present a very satisfactory situation in
this respect, with over 300 apprentices, and with a larger proportion
of apprentices carrying their training through to graduation than is
found in any other of the trades. The printing trades also are doing
fairly well, though they are still feeling the results of the last great
strike.
Considering the whole situation, the commission feels that the
apprenticeship system in Wisconsin is being developed on a sound
and systematic basis, that while the progress made is slow it is evident,
and that there are encouraging evidences of a growing interest in
the movement and of organized cooperation among all the parties
concerned.
Results of British Study of Vocational Guidance

HE results of a recent two-year study of vocational guidance,
.covering 100 children, made by the British Industrial Fatigue
Research Board and the National Institute of Industrial
Psychology of Great Britain are presented as Report No. 33, of the
Industrial Fatigue Research Board. The conclusions of the study
are briefly summarized below.
The several children who took up work of the character recom­
mended by the investigators have shown themselves efficient in such
work. In comparison with their fellows they receive on the average
higher pay, have generally been promoted sooner, and have shifted
less to other positions. Dismissals among these scientifically placed
children have been almost negligible. More than 80 per cent of
them report themselves as satisfied with their jobs, their pay, and
their prospects, while less than 40 per cent of the young persons who
entered occupations other than those recommended to them are
contented. Although the deductions to be made from these facts
are only provisional, yet they are at the same time encouraging.
The study lays special emphasis on the multiple and complex
character of vocational-guidance problems. A dozen or more factors
must be taken into most careful consideration before any accurate
decision can be arrived a t concerning the particular career a child
should be counseled to follow. Advice should be based, if possible,
upon a detailed inquiry including all the circumstances bearing upon
the case.
Of outstanding importance in the vocational guidance of young
children is native intelligence, which is declared to be “ the easiest

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quality to test.” Intelligence, however, is but one of the many
factors and “ nothing but a continued study of a larger number of
young people—a study carried out on an even more comprehensive
scale and followed up for a number of years—can assign a proper
weight to each of the particular conditions noted and to each of the
methods pursued.” The present survey, however, demonstrates the
practicability of investigations of this kind and indicates the best
general lines to follow in vocational-guidance experiments.
Job analysis is most necessary in connection with future research
in vocational guidance. “ To study from a psychological standpoint
the differences between individual children will be worthless without
making a similar study of the peculiar requirements of different trades
and occupations.” It would be useful to inquire into the actual
causes of vocational maladjustments.
The report declares that the value of psychological tests for voca­
tional guidance “ is fully confirmed,” but points out that perfect and
most carefully standardized tests mean nothing by themselves.
Their real value lies in the interpretation of their results. Further­
more, these tests should be, if possible, verified by personal observa­
tion.
At present there are numerous factors which are of vital significance
in the matter of selecting a vocation but which can not be directly ^
measured by any existing tests. Among such factors are qualities of*
character and temperament. These qualities play a more essential
part in industrial life than in school life. It is consequently highly
desirable that such tests should, if possible, be worked out.
Emotional and moral qualities must be mainly evaluated through
personal impressions. The present technique of the personal inter­
view falls far short of what it njight be.
The report stresses the importance of making a distinction between
children with a verbal and those with a nonverbal bias. There are
numerous vocations that call for little verbal capacity. Tests for
mechanical, practical, and manual aptitudes need to be standardized.
The recommendations of children, by teachers, for positions that
call for scholastic training were always more dependable than their
recommendations for other occupations. The reliability of teachers’
judgments concerning mechanical and manual abilities and tempera­
mental and moral qualifications varied greatly from person to person.
Parents’ suggestions were frequently sound and far-seeing.
At times the children’s expressed desires gave some indication of
their capabilities, but their aspirations were often “ fantastic.” It
was brought out very clearly that until investigation was made there
was little knowledge of the individual child’s actual interests.
The great willingness of parents, teachers, and officials to cooperate
in this vocational-guidance survey was most encouraging. It is
evident that teachers will soon be called upon to play a very signifi­
cant part in vocational-guidance work, as the intensive personal study
in connection therewith would be too expensive to be carried on
entirely by “ outside specialists.”
Few children of conspicuous ability or disability were found in the
small group studied, but children whose abilities were subnormal
“ were not so exceptional.”

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Many instances developed in which the investigators had directed
a child about to leave school into work for which he was found
especially well fitted, “ but for which his fitness had not been pre­
viously noticed and probably would never have been guessed.”
The investigators emphasize, however, that their main concern was
with methods rather than with results. They hold that their methods
are practicable and that with further improvement through addi­
tional research “ they will prove of the utmost value to the individual
and to the community, to the employer, and to industry as a whole.”
The British National Institute of Industrial Psychology is going
forward with the investigation on a broader scale.


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L A B O R LAW S A ND C O U R T DECISIONS

Alien Dependents of Deceased Workmen

RE CENT decision by the Supreme Court of the United States
speaks the final word on a question that has, in one form or
another, been before the courts of the United States for many
years: Can the laws providing recovery on account of the death of
an employee denv their benefits to persons not residents of the
United States under existing treaties?
Under the employers7 liability laws and the so-called Lord Camp­
bell’s Act, which granted to the heirs or personal representatives of
persons killed by the negligence of another the right of recovery, the
question was variously answered. The courts of some States denied
the benefits of such legislation on the ground that the legislature
acted for citizens, or at most residents of the State, and that its power
did not extend beyond the State border. A reason given also was
that the citizens of the State employed abroad would not be afforded
protection in like circumstances—obviously an unimportant conclu­
sion, even if true. The more important States adopting this view
were Pennsylvania and Wisconsin; and a Pennsylvania decision
refusing to apply the Lord Campbell’s Act to a traveler whose
dependents lived in Italy, was affirmed by the Supreme Court of the
United States (Maiorano v. B. & O. R. R. Co. (1908), 213 U. S. 268,
29 Sup. Ct. 424), though it was recognized that similar statutes had
been differently construed; the Supreme Court following here “ the
general rule that the construction of a State statute by the highest
court of the State must be accepted by this court.”
The more common and certainly the more humane view is that the
negligent employer should be called upon to repair to some extent the
injury caused by his negligence, whether the family deprived of
support lives in the State of the employment or elsewhere; and sub­
sequent to the decisions of the Pennsylvania and Wisconsin courts,
legislation was enacted extending the right to an action for damages
to all persons without regard to the place of residence. This estab­
lished practical, if not complete, uniformity in the United States
with regard to suits for damages on account of death, whether the
persons interested resided in this country or abroad; but on the
enactment of compensation legislation, the question was reopened,
and a tendency to discriminate not only appeared in the earlier laws
but has persisted and become more general during the passing years.
Thus of the 22 laws at the close of the year 1913 nearly one-third (7)
made discriminations unfavorable to nonresident alien claimants;
while in 1916, of 35 States nearly one-lialf (17) effected discrimina­
tions. At the present time the fraction is approximately three-fifths,
28 out of 46 States and Territories having provisions more or less
discriminatory.

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The Pennsylvania statute is an elective one, providing that “ alien
widowers, parents, brothers, and sisters, not residents of the United
States, shall not be entitled to any compensation.” In other words,
only widows and children of a deceased workman are within the
provisions of the law. In the case of the death of an unmarried
workman whose parents resided in Italy, compensation was denied by
the State board on account of the provisions of law cited. The case
was then taken to a court of common pleas, which regarded these
provisions as in conflict with the provisions of a treaty between Italy
and_ the United States which establishes reciprocal rights and pro­
tection as “ granted by any State or national law which establishes
a civil responsibility for injuries or for death caused by negligence or
fault.” It may be noted that the Supreme Court of Kansas adopted
this view of this treaty, holding a similar restrictive provision of the
compensation law of that State void. (Viettiv. Fuel Co. (1921), 109
Kans. 179, 197 Pac. 881.)
Following the decision of the common pleas court that this pro­
vision of the treaty overruled the statute, an award was made by the
Pennsylvania compensation board and affirmed by the same court.However, the superior court reversed the judgment and the award on
the ground that the treaty did not apply to the case in hand, and the
supreme court of the State took the same position. (Liberato v.
Royer (1924), 281 Pa. 227, 126 Atl. 257.)
The case came to the Supreme Court on a writ of error. After
stating the facts as above, Mr. Justice Holmes, speaking for an
undivided court, pointed out that the provision of the treaty above
noted was an amendment suggested by the decision in the Maiorano
case, supra. It was pointed out that that decision had denied the
right of recovery to a nonresident alien widow for the death of her
husband caused by the defendant’s negligence, although citizens of
the State were given a remedy. “ Following this suggestion, the
words of the amendment, if taken literally, deal only with death
caused by negligence or fault.” Such is the language used, and “ the
statutes of Pennsylvania accord wdth this view of the treaty.” Re­
covery for death due to fault is the same whether the plaintiff is
a resident or nonresident; but “ the compensation act offers a plan
different from the common law, and the workman is free not to come
in under it.” Acceptance gives the new benefits, but the agreement
“ can not be carried further than the contract and statute go.” The
compensation act provides benefits in case of death only for specified
beneficiaries. If it were a case of recovery for an alleged wrong the
answer might be different, though such a question was not before the
court; “ but the right to recover without alleging fault depends on
the terms of the act.” Under the workman’s contract accepting the
provisions of the compensation statute as drawn, the treaty does not
intervene, and parents are effectually deprived of the right to make
claim; but as to “ whether they could recover for a wrongful death,
which was not proved or even alleged,” no answer is offered, that point
not being involved in this case. (Liberato v. Royer (Apr. 12, 1926),
46 Sup. Ct. 373.)
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153

Compensation Awards in Interstate Commerce

N interesting decision was recently rendered by the Supreme
Court involving the effect of an award under a State compen­
sation law in cases in which it was claimed that the Federal
statute relative to interstate commerce applied. (Chicago R. I. &
P. R. Co. v. Schendel; Same v. Elder, 46 Sup. Ct. 420.) Two men
were injured in the same accident, one of them fatally, the circum­
stances establishing the negligence of the railway company and its
consequent liability for damages. In the case of the fatally injured
man (Clarence Y. Hope) a judgment was entered under the com­
pensation law of Iowa, in winch State the accident occurred, by a
State court of record having general jurisdiction; while in the case
of Fred A. Elder, injured, there was a decision made by a deputy
commissioner appointed under the same law. Separate actions were
afterward brought in the State of Minnesota, reaching the supreme
court, in which judgments for damages in both cases were affirmed
(204 N. W. 552,557). The cases were then taken to the Supreme
Court of the United States, the contention being made that the com
trolling issue in each case, having been finally passed upon by the
proper authorities under the compensation law of Iowa, had become
res judicata, and under the full faith and credit clause of the Federal
Constitution, such determinations could not be disturbed by pro­
ceedings in the courts of another State.
The Supreme Court discussed the nature of the Iowa law, which
is elective, and provides for the determination of claims and dis­
putes by a prescribed procedure, findings being of the same effect as
though rendered in a suit duly heard and determined in the courts.
In the Hope case (A. D. Schendel, administrator), the widow had
refused to be a party to compensation proceedings, claiming that
her husband and his employer were both engaged in interstate com­
merce, so that the compensation act did not apply. Arbitrators
were nevertheless appointed, who found that Hope was engaged in
intrastate commerce, and an award was made accordingly, which
position was affirmed by the district court of Lucas County, Iowa.
Action was then brought in the Minnesota courts and the plea of
res judicata was there held bad, the court holding that Congress had
granted a substantive right under its constitutional authority to the
employee or his representative, and that the latter could not be
compelled to submit a cause against his objection and upon the
initiative of the employer for a determination under the compensa­
tion act; furthermore that the widow as beneficiary under the com­
pensation act of Iowa and as plaintiff under the liability statute in
Minnesota were not identical parties.
The Supreme Court observed that the fact that a party objected
to proceedings is of no consequence. “A judgment is as binding
upon an unwilling defendant as it is upon a willing plaintiff.” Nor
does it matter which action or proceeding was first commenced; the
parties being the same, there is nothing “ to impair or defeat the
jurisdiction of the court in which a prior action for the same cause
is pending.” Both courts may proceed in their own way and time and
if in one an earlier judgment rendered by the other is offered, its effect

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L A B O R R E V IE W

is to be determined by the court in which the action is still pending
“ in the orderly exercise of its jurisdiction, as it would determine any
other question of fact or law arising in the progress of the cased’
As to the plea that the Federal law was supreme as to interstate
commerce, the court recognized this to be true; but it was none the
less true that if the case was intrastate the State law is supreme, and
the State courts may with equal authority decide that point, 'each
court having independent authority in its field. In Iowa the theory
was sustained that the case was intrastate; in Minnesota the con­
trary was maintained by a court of equal authority, but the Iowa
judgment was first rendered; “ and, upon familiar principles, irre­
spective of which action or proceeding was first brought, it is the
first final judgment rendered in one of the courts which becomes con­
clusive on the other as res judicata.”
The court pointed out that the negligence of the railroad company
gave rise to a single cause of action, which might be enforced directly
by the widow under the State law, or in the name of a personal
representative for the sole benefit of the widow under the Federal
law,_ depending on whether the commerce in which the injury was
received was intrastate or interstate. The sole question in issue
was the nature of the commerce, and the sole right to be enforced
was that of the widow, as sole beneficiary, to be compensated in
damages for her loss. The question of parties is a matter of sub­
stance and not of mere form. Cases were cited in which substantially
different rights were involved in the case of the same individual pro­
ceeding in different actions. That situation is not involved in the
present case, and the judgment of the Minnesota court awarding
damages on the action of the administrator was reversed and the
cause remanded for further proceedings.
In the personal injury case, the same point was contested, and
though a deputy commissioner had filed his decision, an application
for review had been applied for but no action taken thereon at the
time that the judgment of the Minnesota court affirmed a judgment
for damages for the plaintiff. Since, therefore, “ the decision has
not ripened into an enforceable award, we are not called upon to
determine what, in that event, would have been its effect as an
estoppel.” Lacking a final decision rendered, the doctrine of res
judicata is not applicable in this case, since there must be a final
judgment fop this principle to be controlling. The determination
of the Supreme Court of Minnesota in this case was therefore affirmed.
^ The question recurs: Should the indeterminate line between inter­
state and intrastate commerce remain as an element of uncertainty
and contention, or should there be a compensation law so regulative
of injuries arising within the industry that the conflict between
jurisdictions would be eliminated? Or, finally, should the Federal
Government withdraw its hand and leave to the States the deter­
mination^ of rights as to injuries occurring within their boundaries?
Here, injuries to workmen injured under identical circumstances
gave rise, the one to an award under a local compensation law, the
other to a judgment for damages under the Federal statute based
on interstate jurisdiction. Rapidity of action by the courts seems
hardly a satisfactory basis for determining jurisdiction.

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155

Time for Bringing Actions Under Federal Liability Statute

WO cases were recently before the Supreme Court of the United
States in which State courts of high standing were reversed
because of constructions adopted by them as regards the time
for bringing actions under the Federal liability law. (Comp. St.,
sects. 8657-8665; Acts of 1908, amended, 1910.) One case (Reading
Co. v. Koons, 46 Sup. Ct. 405) came from the Supreme Court of
Pennsylvania, in which a judgment for the plaintiff was affirmed in
a case involving the death of an employee in April, 1915. Letters
of administration were granted in September, 1921, and in February,
1922, nearly seven years after the death, the administrator sued the
company employer under the Federal statute. This statute provides
that action must be commenced “ within two years from the day the
cause of action accrued.” The case turned on the meaning of the
last word quoted. Does the cause accrue at the time of the death or
injury, or, as contended in this case, on the appointment of the
personal representative of the decedent? Conflicting answers have
been given to the question by various courts, State and Federal.
Construing the statute in the light of its general purposes and other
provisions, “ and with due regard to those practical ends which are
to be served by any limitation of the time within which an action
must be brought,” the Supreme Court held that the cause “ accrued”
at the time “ when all of thé events have occurred which determine
the liability of the common carrier.” Granting that only an executor
or administrator is authorized to bring the suit, “ lie nevertheless
acts only for the benefit of persons specifically designated in the
statute,” who are in existence at the time of the death. Such persons,
it has been repeatedly held, may sue in their individual capacity,
amending on the appointment of an executor or administrator,
“ even though the amendment is had after the expiration of the stat­
utory period.”
The purpose of the limitation being to set a definite limit to the
period within which an action may be brought, its language “ seems
peremptorily to require the action to be brought within two years
irom the time of injury, without regard to any intervening period
after death when there is no executor or administrator.” The con­
trary view having been taken by the court below, its judgment was
reversed. A ruling to the contrary would permit indefinite extension
of the time within which action might be Drought, simply by reason
of the failure of the parties in interest to take the necessary step to
secure the appointment of the administrator.
While the plaintiff in this instance lost what, the court below had
given, in the second case a defeated complaint was held to be properly
before the court, by a construction given to the same provision of law,
declaring it to be controlling as against a State statute of limitations
fixing a shorter period within which suit must be brought. (Engel v.
Davenport, 46 Sup. Ct. 410.) Here E. B. Engel, injured in a Cali­
fornia port while employed as a seaman engaged in loading a vessel,
brought an action, claiming defective appliances. The petitioner
contended that his action was brought under section 33 of the mer­
chant marine act (41 Stat. 988), which extended to seamen suffering
personal injuries in the course of their employment the rights and

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remedies provided by law for railway employees under the statutes
of the United States. The employer opposed this contention and
claimed that in any event the statutory period of two years was not
embodied in the act as a limitation, so that the State statute, which
fixes one year as the period, applied. Since the suit was not brought
until after the expiration of one year the acceptance of this contention
would bar it, and the State courts took this view. The Supreme
Court, however, regarded the provision of the two-year limitation as
“ one of substantive right, setting a limit to the existence of the
obligation which the act creates.
The adoption of the liability
statute of 1908, amended 1910, by the later (merchant marine) act
of 1920, “ makes it as much a part of the later act as though it had
been incorporated at full length.” (Cases cited.) The act of Con­
gress being paramount with reference to maritime law, “ it must control
in an action brought in a State court under the merchant marine act
regardless of any statute of limitations of the State.” The judgment
of the Supreme Court of California denying recovery was therefore
reversed and the cause was remanded for further proceedings not
inconsistent with this opinion.
Chilean Law Governing Office Workers

N APRIL 14, 1925, upon its publication in the official journal,
El Diario Oficial, the Chilean decree-law (No. 216), which is
known as the private employees’ law, came into force, con­
solidating laws No. 188 of December 31, 1924, and No. 356 of March
17, 1925, and superseding law No. 4059 of September 8, 1924. The
law applies not to manual workers but to employees defined in the
law as “ all persons irrespective of age or sex who are engaged in
work which is more of an intellectual than physical nature. ’ State
municipal employees, home workers, and workers not employed
continuously, employees of the State railways and other Government
enterprises, and domestic servants, are not covered by the law.
The large number of employees on the pay rolls of American com­
panies operating in Chile makes this law of great interest to American
capital now invested in Chile or likely to be invested in the develop­
ment of industrial enterprises. Its provisions govern the relations
between employers and employees in commercial and industrial
establishments irrespective of the nature of the employment or of
its importance.
One of the outstanding provisions is that which requires commercial
and industrial establishments to set aside each year a sum not less
than 20 per cent of their net profits for bonuses to their employees,
provided such amount does not exceed 25 per cent of the annual
salaries of the em
ees.
Among other t —os the law provides that in all industries where
more than five employees are engaged, at least 75 per cent of them
must be Chileans. Foreigners married to Chileans and those who
have lived in Chile for at least 10 years, will be considered Chileans
for the purposes of the law. Employers are given five years from
the enactment of the law or from the date of the establishment of
future enterprises to comply with this condition.

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157

Employment Contracts

The law requires that a contract of employment shall be made in
writing and in duplicate, one copy being retained by the employer
and the other by the employee. The contract must specify, among
other things, the land of work; the remuneration, and the form and
date of payment thereof; the duration of the contract; and the place
where the work is to be performed.
Any stipulation in the contract which prohibits employees from
becoming members of unions or which deprives them of any of the
benefits of this law shall be void.
Contracts for an indefinite period may not be terminated without
first giving 30 days’ notice. An employer may discharge an em­
ployee who has been in his employ for over one year by paying him
one month’s salary for each complete year of service, provided his
salary does not exceed 1,000 pesos.1 Should it exceed this amount
he shall also pay 30 per cent of the amount of the salary in excess of
1,000 pesos. While not expressly stated, it is assumed that this refers
to employees with contracts for a fixed period and whose services are
no longer required.
Contracts may be terminated before the end of the contract period
because of the employee’s proven dishonesty or misconduct, or his
failure to fulfill his obligations.
Hours of Labor and of Rest

law establishes a maximum 48-hour week and specifies that
THEemployers
may by agreement with the employees increase the
daily working hours, the weekly aggregate, however, not to exceed
this fixed maximum. The working hours must be divided into two
parts, with at least two hours between them.
Overtime work is permitted only under extraordinary circumstances
and by agreement between the employer and employees, the employer
to pay 50 per cent additional for the extra hours worked.
All employees who have served more than one year are to be
granted an annual two weeks’ vacation with pay. In case of illness
the employees shall be allowed to retain their positions for four
months and shall be paid their whole salary during the first month,
75 per cent thereof the second month, 50 per cent the third month,
and 25 per cent the fourth month. Woman employees may have
leave with full pay for one month before and one month after
childbirth.
Employment of Minors

under 16 years of age must have proper authority from
PERSONS
their legal guardians before they can contract for their services,
and no minors under 14 years of age may be employed in any kind
of work unless they have completed the required amount of schooling.
1

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Retirement Fund

rTTIE law also provides for a retirement fund for the employees.
A The resources are derived from contributions from employers
and employees amounting to 5 per cent per month on salaries paid
and received, respectively. One-half of the first month’s salary of
an emploj^ee on entering the service of an employer must he paid into
the fund by the employer, who shall deduct the amount in equal parts
from the first two months’ salary of the emplovee. "When an em­
ployee receives an increase in his salary the difference, for the first
month, between his former pay and the increased pay must be con­
tributed to the fund. The employee must also pay into the fund 25
per cent of the bonus granted him under the provision heretofore
mentioned.
Voluntary contributions from employers and employees will also be
accepted. These funds are to be deposited to the credit of the indi­
vidual employees in certain savings banks mentioned in the law, where
interest at the rate of 6 per cent will be paid.
Employees who have worked 30 years or have attained the age of
50, those who have worked five years and are unable to continue their
employment due to illness or permanent invalidity, and persons
leaving the country, will be entitled to a refund from the retirement
fund.
Employees who have deposited in this fund for more than two
years may request loans up to 50 per cent of the total amount of their
deposits. Employees may obtain their entire pension fund if they
wish to take advantage of the benefits of the cheap dwelling-house
law.
If an employee loses his position after having been a depositor for
two years or more he may obtain loans up to 50 per cent of his deposits
during the first year of unemployment, and up to 30 per cent in the
second year. These loans are to be made in monthly payments and
to be reimbursed in the same form, plus interest when the unemployed
returns to work. If at the end of two years the employee has been
unable to secure employment he may request the rest of the fund.
Upon the death of an employee the credit balance of this fund will
be divided equally between the surviving spouse and the legitimate
heirs.
Employees covered by this law who are between 18 and 50 years
of age and who receive an annual income of at least 3,000 pesos are
required to insure their lives for not less than 5,000 pesos. The
insurance payments are to be paid by the employer monthly in
advance, and deducted from each employee’s salary. Those em­
ployees who are already insured for 5,000 pesos shall be exempt from
the obligatory insurance.
Violations of this law are penalized by fines of from 100 to 5,000
pesos and for a repetition of the violation the fine will be increased
four times the previous amount.


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T R E N D O F E M PL O Y M E N T
Employment in Selected Industries in April, 1926

MPLOYMENT in manufacturing industries decreased 1 per
cent in April, as compared with March, and pay-roll totals
decreased 1.9 per cent. As compared with April,' 1925, how­
ever, there was an increase of 0.& per cent in employment and an
increase of 3.2 per cent in pay-roll totals.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ index of employment for April is
92.8, as compared with 93.7 for March and 92.1 for April, 1925.
The index of pay-roll totals for April is 97.2, as comparecí with 99.1
for March and 94.2 for April, 1925.
During the years for which the bureau has employment records,
decreases both in the volume of employment and' in employees’
earnings have appeared in April with considerable regularity, 1920
being the only year in which April showed an increase in employ­
ment and 1923 and 1918 the only years in which April showed an
increase in pay-roll totals. In 1923, however, April showed no
change in employment.
The figures for April, 1926, are based on reports from 9,689 estab­
lishments, having 2,971,407 employees whose combined earnings in
one week were $80,094,288.

E

Comparison of Employment and Pay-Roll Totals in March and April, 1926

'T H E volume of employment increased in April as compared with
A March in three western groups of States alone, the gain in the
Pacific division being 3.9 per cent, and the gains in the West South
Central and the Mountain States about 0.5 per cent each. Pay-roll
totals increased only in the West South Central and Pacific divisions.
Among the remaining divisions both the largest decrease in employ­
ment (2.1 per cent) and the largest decrease in employees’ earnings
(4.1 per cent) were in the New England States.
Three only of the 12 groups of industries showed improved con­
ditions in April—iron and steel; lumber; and stone, clay, and glass—
all of the them being concerned with building activities. The gain
in employment in the iron and steel group was very small and pay­
roll totals decreased 1 per cent. The outstanding declines in num­
ber of employees and in employees’ earnings were in the leather and
the tobacco groups. The food group lost over 3 per cent of its
employees and. the textile group 2.3 per cent of its employees.
Fourteen of the 53 separate industries showed increased em­
ployment in April. These increases were practically all in indus­
tries connected with building, the one notable exception being in
the ice-cream industry and marking the real beginning of its summer
season. Among the building industries the greatest gain in employ­
ment (7.3 per cent) was in the brick industry. The most pro­
nounced falling off in both items was in such seasonal industries as
confectionery, men’s clothing, women’s clothing, boots and shoes,
and fertilizer.
For convenient reference the latest figures available relating to
all employees, excluding executives and officials, on Class I railroads,
[1 3 3 5 ]
159


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

160

M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW

drawn from Interstate Commerce Commission reports, are given
at the foot of Table 1 and Table 2.
T

able

1 —COMPARISON OF EMPLOYMENT AND PAY-ROLL TOTALS IN IDENTICAL
ESTABLISHMENTS DURING ONE WEEK EACH IN MARCH AND APRIL, 1926

[The per cents of change for each of the 12 groups of industries, and for the total of all groups, are weighted]
N u m b er on pay roll
In d u stry

E stablishm ents

M arch,

April,

1926

1926

A m ount of p ay roll
Per
cent of
change

M arch,

A pril,

1926

1926

,

Per
cent of
change

Food a n d kin dred p r o d u c t s ...
Slaughtering an d m eat pack­
in g .. ------ ----------------------Confectionery_____________
Ic e crea m ________ ____ _____
F lou r__________ ____________
, B a k in g .____________________
Sugar refining, c a n e ................

1,317

195,941

189,676

U 952,164

$4, 772, 707

81
266
192
354
468
16

71,449
31, 820
8,487
15, 298
57,198
11,689

68, 504
29, 508
8, 923
14, 649
56, 542
11, 550

+
-

4.1
7.3
5. 1
4. 2
1.1
1.2

1, 791, 979
593, 728
289,181
397, 063
1, 524, 388
355, 825

1, 710, 520
546, 984
299,193
379,468
1, 489, 477
347,065

+
-

T extiles a n d th eir p ro d u cts —
C otton goods ______________
Hosiery a n d k n it goods...........
Silk g o o d s... ______________
W oolen and w orsted goods__
C arpets a n d ru g s.. _________
D yeing a n d finishing textiles.
C lothing, m en’s................ .........
Shirts a n d collars___________
C lothing, w om en’s _______
M illinery a n d lace goods____

1,729
337
253
204
189
29
85
278
88
186
80

578,458
205, 853
84, 603
60, 407
58, 832
22, 459
29, 425
60, 607
23, 990
19, 676
12, 606

566,827
203, 983
83,314
58, 423
58, 310
22, 402
28, 859
57,107
23, 058
18,982
12, 389

-

2.3
0.9
1. 5
3.3
0.9
0.3
1.9
5.8
3.9
3. 5
1.7

11, 669,123
3, 441, 333
1, 601, 762
1, 304, 908
1, 294, 959
586, 238
722, 923
1, 498, 831
389, 701
539, 246
289, 222

li

, 120 , ee i
3, 386, 812
1, 547,172
1, 226, 567
1, 259,058
579, 939
697, 240
1, 297, 830
384, 933
458, 516
282, 534

-

6.2
1.6
3.4
6.0
2.8
1.1
3.6
- 13.4
- 1.2
- 15.0
- 2.3

1,629
213
159

651,031
288, 671
22, 651

652,967
290,394
23,316

+ 0.2
+ 0. 6
+ 2.9

19, 804,019
9, 019, 495
663, 820

19, 594,696
8, 934, 208
672, 841

- 1.0
- 0.9
+ 1.4

827
215,601
34,387
63
160 • 32.117

215,691
34, 066
31,990

+

- 0.9
- 0.4

6, 558,471
895,692
987,452

6, 493, 388
846, 987
984, 233

- 1.0
- 5.4
- 0.3

115
92

41,625
15,979

41,294
16, 216

- 0.8
+ 1.5

1, 232,903
446,186

1, 203, 681
459, 358

- 2.4
+ 3.0

L u m b er a n d its p r o d u cts_____
Lum ber, saw m ills___ _______
Lum ber, m illw ork__________
F u rn itu re _______ ________

1,029
396
243
381

198,362
104,905
33,351
60,106

201,194
109, 051
32, 682
58, 861

+
+
-

2.2
4.5
2.0
2.1

4, 492,403
2, 229, 287
817,989
1, 445,127

4, 489,941
2, 300,976
791. 670
1, 397,295

+
+
-

L eath er a n d its p ro d u cts ____
L eather .
. . ...............
Boots a n d shoes............... ...........

368
145
223

124,313
30, 036
94, 277

118,359
29, 297
89, 062

- 4.7
- 2.5
- 5. 5

2, 992,104
768, 704
2, 133, 400

2, 634,556
744, 492
1, 890, 064

- 8.9
- 3.1
- 11.4

Paper a n d p r in tin g ___________
Paper a n d p u lp _____________
Paper boxes________________
Printing, book and job ____
Printing, new spapers................

903
205
179
307
212

170,139
55, 657
19, 348
47,131
48, 003

169,352
55, 920
19, 071
46, 421
47,940

+
-

5, 473,701
1, 494, 043
426,184
1, 618, 773
1, 934, 701

- 0.6
- 0.4
- 1.3

- 0 .1

5, 502,827
1, 500, 743
431, 995
1, 651, 893
1, 918,196

C h em ica ls a n d allied p r o d u cts.
C hem icals__________________
F ertilizers___ ____________
Petroleum refining....................

254

86,408

86,057

-1 .7

2,480,731

2,476,908

-0 .9

95
102
57

23, 768
12,106
50, 534

23,837
10, 876
51, 344

+ 0. 3
- 10. 2
+ 1.6

615,187
222, 213
1, 643, 331

618,218
202, 988
1, 655, 702

+ 0.5
- 8.7
+ 0.8

Iron a n d steel a n d th eir produ c t s ________________________
Iron a n d steel____ ____ 1.........
S tru ctu ral iro n w o rk..................
F o u n d ry an d machine-shop
products_________________
H a rd w are__________________
M achine to o ls______________
Steam fittings a n d steam and
hot-w ater heating ap p ara­
tu s ______________________
S to v e s..........................................

S to n e , clay, a n d glass p r o d u cts.
C em ent ___________________
Brick, tile, a n d te rra c o tta ___
P o ttery ____ ______ _________
Glass...... ................................... .
M etal p ro d u cts, o th er th a n
iron a n d steel ................... . . .
Stam ped and enam eled w are.
Brass, bronze a n d copper
products....................................
T ob acco p r o d u cts__________ _
Chew ing a n d sm oking to ­
bacco and snuff___________
Cigars an d cigarettes. ______

1

0.6
0. 5
1. 4
1. 5

- 3.6
4.5
7.9
3.5
4.4
2.3
2.5

0.8
3.2
3.2
3.3

-2 .0
+ 0 .9

668

114,255

117,600

+ 3 .0

3,032,629

3,984,197

+ 1.2

115
365
60
128

29, 542
29, 609
13, 353
41, 751

30, 737
31, 763
13, 589
41,511

+
+
+
-

4.0
7. 3
1.8
0.6

839, 981
770, 379
356, 939
1, 065, 330

874, 009
799, 221
361, 781
1, 049,186

+ 4.1
+ 3.7
+ 1.4

188
44

50,908

49, 956

-1 .8

1,430.540

1,384,083

- 3 .1

15,676

15, 433

- 1.6

413, 579

393, 662

- 4.8
- 2.6

- 1 .5

144

35, 232

34, 523

-2 .0

1, 016, 961

990, 421

187

42,562

40, 727

- 4 .3

760, 778

798,940

- 6 .9

32
155

9,435
33,117

8,992
31, 735'

- 4. 7
- 4.2

148, 363
612, 415

140, 274
568, 666

- 5 .5

1 Less than one-tenth of 1 per cent.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

- 3.1

[1336]

- 7.1

161

E M P L O Y M E N T IN SELECTED IN D U ST R IE S

T a b l e 1 .— C O M P A R IS O N O F 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 IN ID E N T IC A L

E S T A B L IS H M E N T S D U R IN G O N E W E E K E A C H IN M A R C H A N D A P R IL , 1926—Con.
A m ount of p ay roll

N um ber on pay roll
Establishments

In d u stry

V ehicles for la n d tr a n sp o r ta ­
t io n _________________________
A utom obiles________________
Carriages and wagons_______
C ar building and repairing,
electric-railroad___________
C ar building and repairing,
steam -railroad..........- .............
M iscella n eo u s in d u s tr ie s _____
A gricultural im plem ents____
Electrical m achinery, ap p a­
ratus, and supplies________
Pianos a n d organs__________
R ubb er boots and shoes_____
A utom obile tires_____ ______
Shipbuilding, steel__________
T o ta l________________ . . .

M arch,

April,

1926

1926

Per
cent of
change

M arch,

April,

1926

1926

Per
cent of
change

970

531,199

521,826

-8 .8

17,202,513

16,873,126

- 0 .8

207
69

362, 838
1,916

351, 703
1,906

- 3.1
- 0. 5

12, 267, 292
44, 273

11, 883, 966
44, 767

- 3.1
+ 1.1

+ 0 .6

210

17,939

18,128

+ 1.1

538, 692

542, 022

484

148, 506

150, 089

+ 1.1

4, 352, 256

4, 402,371

+ 1 .2

396

260,496

256,866

- 1 .7

7,571, 978

7,480,832

(2)

93

29, 863

29,607

145
41
11
65
41

115, 473
8, 590
19,169
57, 978
29,423

113, 269
8, 511
18, 884
57, 886
28, 709

9,689 3,904,062 2,971,407

-0 .9

862, 689

854, 788

1.9
0.9
1.5
0.2
2.4

3, 381, 451
254, 336
460, 814
1, 775, 306
837, 374

3, 284, 729
253, 458
460, 615
1, 776, 436
850, 806

-2 .9
- 0 .3
0)
+ 0 ,1

- 1 .0

81,801,801

80,094,288

-1 ,9

- 0.9
-

+ 1.6
.

R e c a p itu la tio n b y G e o g ra p h ic D iv is io n s
G E O G R A P H IC D IV ISIO N

N ew E n g lan d ____________ _____
M iddle A tlan tic__________ ____ E ast N o rth C entral..........................
W est N orth C en tral...... ..................
South A tlantic
____________
E ast South C entral_____________
W est South C entral ___________
M o u n ta in _______________ ______
Pacific_________________________
T o ta l.......... ................ ......... .

+
+
+
-

439,471
430, 068
1,325
850, 010
859,895
2, 396
984, 098
2, 564
997, 625
148. 068
918
148,163
202, 893
258, 564
977
93, 124
93,265
398
69, 616
69, 224
347
24, 688
24, 571
155
108, 955
113,171
609
9, 689 3, 004,062 2, 971,407

2.1 $10, 914, 356 $10, 463, 429
1.1 24, 524, 688 23, 984, 235
1.4 30, 406, 669 29, 730, 754
3, 745,148
3, 767, 570
0. 1
5, 046, 642
5, 146, 099
1. 6
0. 2
1, 829, 850
1, 826, 941
1, 497, 243
0. 6
1, 490, 631
683, 363
0. 5
685, 059
3, 036, 879
3, 116, 543
3.9
1.0 81, 801, 801 8», 084,288

- 4.1
- 2.2
- 2.2
- 0.6
—1.9
- 0.2
+ 0.4
- 0.2
+ 2.6

- 1 .9

E m p lo y m e n t on C lass I R a ilro a d s
1,716,208
1,728,639

M arch 15, 1926____________ ______
i Less th a n one-tenth of 1 per cent.

2 No

change.

+ Ö.7
3

3 $220,675,657
3 242, 179, 456

+ 9.7

A m ount of p ay roll for one m onth.

Comparison of Employment and Pay-Roll Totals in April, 1925, and April, 1926

EM PLOYM ENT in manufacturing industries in April, 1926, was
0.8 per cent greater than in the same month of 1925, and
employees’ earnings were 3.2 per cent greater.
The volume of employment in this 12-month period increased 4.1
percent in the East North Central States, 3.9 per cent in the Pacific
States, 2.6 per cent in the South Atlantic States, and 0.3 per cent in
the Middle Atlantic States. The South Atlantic States showed the
largest gain in employees’ earnings (6.1 per cent) in this comparison.
Six of the twelve groups of industries showed considerable improve­
ment in the year’s time both in employment and employees’ earnings,
"while 3 of the remaining 6 groups also showed increased employees’
earnings. The two metal-industry groups showed the most marked
improvement in employment, and were exceeded in pay-roll gains by
the tobacco group only. The most pronounced tailing off in the
12-month interval in each item appeared in the leather group, with
the textile group following.
The machine-tool industry continued its steady gain of the last
few months, employment having increased 24.4 per cent in the year’s

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[13371

162

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

interval. The outstanding decreases were in the woolen and worsted
goods industry, still in labor difficulties, and in the millinery and lace
goods industry. The loss in employees in the woolen industry
amounted to 14.6 per cent and the drop in pay-roll totals was 16.8
per cent, while the millinery losses were 13.7 per cent and 11.8 per
cent, respectively.
T

able

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 —A P R IL , 1928,
W IT H A P R IL , 1925
[The per cents of change for each of th e 12 groups a n d for th e to tal of all groups are weighted]
2

.—C O M P A R IS O N

OF

P er cent of change,
A pril, 1926, com­
pared w ith April,
1925

Industry

Per cent of change,
April, 1926, com­
pared w ith A pril,
1925

In d u stry

N um - ¡ A m ount
ber on
of pay
ro
p ay roll

Food and kindred products
Slaughtering and meat
packing......................... Confectionery ------ ----Ice cream______ _____ —
Flour__________ •______
Baking----------------------Sugar refining, cane-------Textiles and their products.
Cotton goods____ ______
Hosiery and knit goods__
Silk goods.-,___________
Woolen and worsted goods.
Carpets and rugs - -.......—
Dyeing and finishing tex­
tiles.-_______________
Clothing, men’s _________
Shirts and collars.--_____
Clothing, women’s______
Millinery and lace goods__
Iron an d »ted an d their
p ro d u c ts ----...................
Iron and steel________...
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 c ts.
L u m ber, saw m ills_______
L u m ber, m illw o rk ...,__ _
F u rn itu re ____ __________
L eath er a n d ita p r o d u c ts. .
L e a th e r_________________
Boots an d shoes_________
Pap er a n d p r in tin g ________
P ap er and p u ip i_________
Paper boxes_______ ______
Prin tin g , book and jo b ___
Prin tin g , new spapers_____
C h em ica ls a n d »Mied p rod­
u c ts .................................... .........
C hem icals_______________
Ferilizers________________
Petroleum refining_______

-1 .0

+ 1 .1

-4 .8 + 2 .8
- 0. 2
-4 . 5
+ 1 .8
- 2. 1
-S . 8
- 2. 2
+ 1.3
-0 . 3
-1 4 . 6
- 1 .8

- 2 .0
+ 8 .6
+ 4 .7
- 1 .6
+ 3 .0
- 0 .6
- 4 .3
- 2 .3
+ 6. 0
-2 . 7
-1 6 .8
- 4 .7

-3 .2
-2 . 4
- 2. 2
-4 . 9
-1 3 . 7

-2 . 7
-3 . 6
+ 2. 0
—5. 6
-1 1 .8

+ 5 .9
+ 1. 8
+ 8 .8

+ 9 .3
+ 3 .3
+13. 3

+ 7 .9
-0 .9
+ 2 4 .4

+13.0
+ 8. 5
+30.6

+ 5 .2
+ 7 .5
—2 . 1
-3 . 3
-1 . 7
+ 1 .1
- 5 .0
+ 1 .0
-0 .9
+ 1 .9
- 0. 2
+0. 3
+ 1. 3
+5. 2

+ 1 1 .1
+15.8
- 0 .2
- 2. 2
- 0. 1
+ 6 .1
- 0 .5
+5. 3
- 1 1 .2
+ 0 .5
+ 1 .9
+ 6. 1
+9. 2
+ 8 .2

+ 1 .0
+2. 5
-1 0 . 1
+9. 2

N um - A m ount
ber on
of pay
p ay roll
roll
S to n e , clay, a n d glass prod­
u c ts ___ ________________ —
C em ent____ ____________
B rick, tile, a nd te rra c o tta .
P o ttery ...................................
Glass_______________ ____
M eta l p ro d u cts, o th e r t h a n
iro n a n d s te e l____________
Stam ped a nd enam eled ware
Brass, bronze, a nd copper
products...............................
T o b a cco p r o d u c ts __________
Chewing and smoking to ­
bacco a n d snuff________
Cigars an d cigarettes_____
V ehicles for la n d tr a n sp o r ta ­
tio n ____...____________ ____
Autom obiles_____________
Carriages and wagons:____
C ar building and repairing,
electric-railroad________
C ar building a nd repairing,
steam -railroad_________
M iscella n eo u s in d u str ies___
A gricultural im plem ents___
Electrical m achinery, appa­
ratus, and supplies-_____
Pianos and organs_______
R u b b er boots a n d shoes___
A utom obile tire s_______
Shipbuilding, steel. - ___
T o ta l.

- 0 .5
- 8. 5
-3 . 5
- 2. 0
+ 6.3

+ 0. 1
- 7 .7
- 0 .9
+ 4 .4
+ 7 .8

+ 5 .8
+ 9.1

+ 9.2
+ 9 .8

+ 4 .2
- 2 .3

+ 9.1
+ 16.2

+ 8 .3
-3 . 7

+
+

10. 0
10. 4

+ 3 .1
+ 8. 5
-0 . 7

+ 2 .7
+ 5 .9
-4 .4

+

+

1 .1

0 .2

- 0 .8
+ 2.4
+11.3

+ 0 .4
+ 8. 1
+18.8

+ 7 .7
- 0 .3
+7. 8
+ 1 .2
- 1 .8

+ 1 0 .0
+ 6. 6
+11.3
+ 0 .8
+ 4 .4

+ 0.8

+ 3 .2

- 0 .9
+ 0 .3
+4. 1

+ 1 .3
+ 4.1
+ 4 .6
+ 1.3

R e ca p itu la tio n
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION

N ew E n g lan d .
________
M iddle A tlan tic__________
E ast N o rth C entral_______
W est N o rth C entral______
South A tla n tic ___________
E ast South C entral.............
W est South C en tra l______
M o u n tain _______________ _
Pacific............... ...................... .

+ 0 .2
+7. 6
- 2. 8
+ 8. 7

-

0. 1

+ 2.6
(>)
-0 .4
-3 .8
+ 3 .9

+ 0 .8

T o ta l.

+ 6. 1
+ 2 .2
(J)
-

2. 1

+ 4 .2
+ 3 .2

E m p lo y m e n t on C lass I R a ilro a d s
M o n th and year

N u m b er on
p ay roll

Per cent
of change

1, 705,787
1,728,639

+ 1. 3

M ar. 15, 1925, _ ....................... ___
M ar. 15, 1 9 26-..____ ______________ ______ _________
1

N o change.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

2

A m ount of
pay roll
2

$230,930, 890
242,179, 456

2

A m ount of pay roll for one m onth.

[1338]

P er cent
of change

+ 4 .9

EM PLOYM ENT

IN

SE L EC T E D IN D U S T R IE S

163

Per Capita Earnings

O E R CAPITA earnings in April, 1926, were 1 per cent lower than
*■ in March, 1926, and 2.4 per cent higher than in April, 1925.
Fourteen of the separate industries showed increased per capita
earnings in April as compared with March, the steel shipbuilding
industry leading with a gain of over 4 per cent and followed by the
shirts and collars industry with a gain of 2.8 per cent.
The notable decreases in per capita earnings were in the seasonal
women’s clothing, 11.9 per cent; men’s clothing, 8.1 per cent; and
boots and shoes, 6.2 per cent. Hardware employees were earning
4.6 per cent less, and all other decreases were considerably smaller.
Forty industries showed increased per capita earnings in April,
1926, as compared with April, 1925. The cigar industry showed a
remarkable gain, 14.5 per cent, followed by hardware with a gain of
9.5 per cent, fertilizers with a gain of 8.4 per cent, book and job print­
ing with a gain of 7.9 per cent, stoves with a gain of 7.6 per cent, and
pianos and organs with a gain of 7 per cent.
Boot and shoe industry employees’ average earnings fell off 4.3
per cent in the 12-month period, and brick employees’ earnings de­
creased 3.2 per cent.
T able 3 .—C O M P A R IS O N O F P E R C A P IT A E A R N IN G S , A P R IL , 1926, W IT H M A R C H , 1928
A N D A P R IL , 1925

In d u stry

Per cent of
change April,
1926, compared
w ith
M arch,
1926

Shipbuilding, steel...........................
Shirts a nd collars_______________
Carriages and w agons______
Fertilizers. ________ ________
R u b b er boots and shoes................
Stoves__________ _
____
Printing, new spapers___________
Pianos and organs.
A utom obile tires..
Chemicals __
C ar building a n d repairing, steam railroad _ ___
M achine to o ls .. .
P aper boxes__
C e m e n t.. . . .
A gricultural im plem ents___ . .
A utom obiles . . .
Flour..
C ar building a n d repairing, electrie-railroad __ ____________
P o ttery
. ______
____
Slaughtering and m eat p a c k in g ...
Printing, hook and job
Brass, bronze, and copper products
__________
Confectionery
_ _ ______ _
M illinery and lace goods__
C otton goods
Leather
C arpets and rugs
1 Less

In d u stry

April,
1925

+4. 1
+ 2. 8
4-1. 6
4 -1 . 6
+1. 5
+1. 5
+ 1 .0
+ 0.6
+ 0. 2
+ 0. 2

+ 6 .7
+4. 3
-3 . 5
+8.*4
+ 3.1
+7. 6
+ 3 .0
+7. 0
-0 . 5
+ 5 .0

+ 0 .1
+ 0 .1
+ 0. 1
+ (i)
- 0. 1
- 0 .1
- 0 .2

+ 0 .9
+4. 9
+5. 8
+ 0 .8
+ 4 .7
- 2 .7
+ 2 .5

- 0 .4
-0 . 4
-0 .4
—0. 5

-0 .5
+ 6 .4
+ 3 .0
+ 7 .9

- 0. 6
- 0. 6
- 0. 6
-0 . 7
-0 . 7
- 0 .8

+ 4 .5
+5. 6
+ 2 .4
-0 . 5
+ 4 .0
- 2 .8

M arch, A pril,
1926
1925
Chewing and sm oking tobacco
and sn u fi____________________
- 0 .8
+ 1 .2
Petroleum refining______________ - 0 . 8
- 0 .3
Paper an d p u lp ... _____________
—0.9
+ 1 .8
Electrical m achinery, apparatus,
and supplies_______________ . .
- 1. 0
+ 2 .2
F o u n d ry an d m achine-shop produ c ts_______________________
+ 5 .1
- 1. 0
Glass . ______________________
—1 . 0
+ 1 .5
B aking.......... ................ ......... ............ - 1 . 2
+•1.3
- 1. 2
F u rn itu re ______________________
4-4.7
Lum ber, m ill w ork_____________
- 1 .3
+ 1 .4
Lum ber, saw m ills______ ________
- 1 .3
+ 1 .3
Sugar refining, cane_____________ - 1 .3
+ 1 .5
- 1 .5
4-1.7
Iro n and steel __________ ____ _
- 1 .5
4-3.9
Structural ironw ork___________
—1 . 6
Ice cream . ______ _____________
4-5.0
Steam fittings a n d steam a nd hot+ 6.9
w ater heating ap p aratu s______
- 1 .6
D yeing and finishing textiles......... - 1 . 7
+ 0 .5
+4. 5
-1 .9
Hosiery a n d k n it goods_________
-1 .9
- 2 .5
Woolen a n d w orsted goods______
- 2. 8 ■ -2 .7
Silk goods______ _______________
+14.5
Cigars and cigarettes. _________ - 3 .1
-3 . 3
-3 .2
Brick, tile, a n d terra c o tta _____
+ 0 .3
- 3 .3
Stam ped and enam eled w are-----+ 9.5
H ard w are_____ ____ ____________ - 4 . 6
- 4 .3
- 6. 2
Boots and shoes_______________
- 8. 1
- 0 .9
C lothing, m en’s ________________
- 0 .«
C lothing, w om en’s ............................ -1 1 .9

th a n one-tenth of 1 per cent.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

P er cent of
change A pril,
1926, com pared
w ith

rissili

Ï64

M ONTHLY

L A B O R R E V IE W

Wage Changes

]SJIXETY-SIX establishments in 26 industries reported wage-rate
* ^ increases in the month ending April 15. These increases,
Averaging 7.7 per cent, affected nearly 12,000 employees, or onehalf of the total employees in the establishments concerned. The
industries reporting the increases affecting the greatest numbers of
employees were: Steel shipbuilding, iron and steel, steam-railroad
car building and repairing, and foundry and machine-shop products.
Wage-rate decreases were reported by 10 establishments in 6 in­
dustries. These decreases, averaging 10.4 per cent, affected 1,120
employees, or 67 per cent of the total employees in the establish­
ments concerned.
'T able 4 .—W A G E A D JU S T M E N T O C C U R R IN G B E T W E E N M A R C H 15 A N D A P R IL
; !: '
15, 1926

E stab lish m en ts

P er cent of increase
or decrease in
wage rates

E m ployees affected

P er cent of employees
In d u s try

N u m b er
T o tal reporting
n u m ­ increase
or de­
ber re ­ crease
in
porting
wage
rates

R ange

Average

T otal
n um ber

In estab­
lishm ents
reporting
increase
or decrease
in wage
rates

In all
estab­
lish­
m ents
rep o rt­
ing

Increases
Ice c-ream.................................... .
B ak in g ...................................... .......
Sugar refining, cane___________
C otton g o o d s................................
Woolen and w orsted goods____
Iro n and steel. _____________
S tru ctu ral ironw ork ____ ____ _
E o u n d ry an d m achine shop
pro d u cts_________ _____ ____
M achine tools.............. .............
Steam fittings and steam , and
hot-w ater heating a p p a ra tu s. .
L um ber, saw m ills.........................
L um ber, m illw ork_______ ____
F u rn itu re _______ ____________
L e a th e r.. ___________________
P aper boxes— ____ ________
P rin tin g , book and j o b . . .
P rin tin g n e w s p a p e rs .._______
B rick, tile a n d te rra c o t t a ____
Brass, bronze an d copper produ c ts _______________________
A utom obiles____________ _____
Carriages a n d w agons-------------C arbuilding an d repairing,
steam -railroad--------------------A gricultural im p le m e n ts ______
E lectrical m achinery, apparatu s, and supplies____________
Pianos and o r g a n s ...... ................
Shipbuilding, steel........................

192
468
16
337
189
213
159

6
2
1
2
2
2
2

1.5-35
3- 7
3.2
1. 5-2

46
17
1,080
205
305
2,088

8 -1 0

4.2
4. 6
3. 2
1.9
10. 0
8. 9
8. 2

827
160

24
3

4-15
5-10

7.2
7.2

115
396
243
381
145
179
307

2
1
2

10-14. 3

12.5

6
6 -1 0

6 .0
6 .6

7

9.4
5.9
9.0
2.3

85
31

6

5-29
5. 8-12. 5
9
1 - 6.3
4. 8-40
10-33. 3

267
251
313

144
207
69

2
2
2

5
5- 7
5-10

484
93

2
1

2.5-3

145
41
41

2
2

5- 8
2.4
7. 5-15

212

365

2
1

7
7

4

10

3-10

10

14

1

10
100

0

39

0

88

100
86
8

0

1,315

23

22

11

0

41

18

0

666

100

1

1
1
0

86

1

17

«

21

0
0

73

6 .1
6 .2

59
140
13

2 .6
1 0 .0

1,932
25

82

5.6
2.4

30
17
2,332

40
84

35
107

100

1 1 .1

18.6
5.0

1 2 .6

)
1
1

97
146
435

6

9

14
78
10
20

)
1

0
0
1
1

8

0

8

0
0
8

Decreases
C o n fe ctio n ery ...............................
C otton goods ----------------- -----C arp ets a n d rugs ____________
L um ber, saw m ills------------------Boots a n d shoes_______ _______
F e rtiliz e rs ..---------- ----------------

266
337
29
396
223
102

1
1
1
2
1

13
5
5
8 . 3-20

4

9.1-20

10

i Less th a n one-half of 1 per cent.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1340]

13. 0
5. 0
5. 0
11. 8
10. 0
14.8

100

286
404
188

14
33
75
100

83

0
0
0
0
0
2

E M PLO Y M E N T IN

S E L E C T E D I N D U S T R IE S

165

Indexes of Employment and Pay-Roll Totals in Manufacturing industries

INDEX numbers for April, 1926, and for March, 1926, and April,
^ 1925, showing relatively the variation in number of persons em­
ployed and in pay-roll totals, in each of the 53 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 April, 1926, is 92.8, this
number being 1 per cent lower than the index for March and 0.8
per cent higher than the index for April, 1925. The general index
of pay-roll totals for April, 1926, is 97.2, this number being 1.9 per
cent lower than the index for March and 3.2 per cent higher than the
index for April, 1925.
In computing the general index and the group indexes the index
numbers of separate industries are weighted according to the im­
portance of the industries.
T able 5 .—IN D E X E S O F E M P L O Y M E N T A N D PA Y -R O L L T O T A L S IN M A N U F A C T U R IN G !
IN D U S T R IE S , A P R IL , 1926, A N D M A R C H A N D A P R IL , 1926
[M onthly average, 1923=100]
1925

In d u stry

1926

April

M arch

April

E m ploy­ Pay-roll
totals
m ent

E m ploy­ Pay-roll
totals
m ent

E m ploy­ Pay-roll
m ent
totals

G e n e ra l in d e x . ____ _____ _______

92.1

94.2

93.7

99.1

92.8

97.2

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 packing______
Confectionery_________ ____________
Ice cream _________________
______
F lo u r ._____________________________
B ak in g ... ______________________ . .
Sugar refining, can e........ .........................

8 6 .6

88.3
79. 4
84. 5
86. 6
85. 8
99. 8
100.4

91.9
81. 8
92. 3
95. 2
87.3
104. 5
104.3

85.6
76. 2
78.3
91.0
82. 2
98.8
99.2

78.1
85.0
98.6
83.5

97. 1
101.3

87.6
79. 7
78.3
94.2
84.9
99. 1
102.3

T extiles a n d th e ir p r o d u c ts ___________
C otton goods____
_ _____________
Hosiery and k n it goods-------------------Silk goods________ . . . . __________
Woolen and w orsted goods---------------C arpets __________________________
D yeing and finishing textiles________
Clothing, m en’s___________ _____ ___
Shirts and collars.................................. .
C lothing, w om en’s ................................ .
M illinery and lace goods ...................

91.4
87.9
98.9
100.9
90. 6
98.8
103.0
84.3
87.8
88.9
93.4

91.1
88. 1
104.8
108. 1
88.9
96. 1
105. 5
75. 2
89.9
89.4
99.3

90.0

87.9

87.2

. 8 6 .8
101. 7
104.0
78.1
97.3
101. 6
87.4
89.4
87. 5
82.0

93.9
87.5
115.0
111. 9
76. 1
92. 6
106.4
83. 8
92. 8
99. 3
89. 7

8 6 .0
1 0 0 .2
100. 6

8 6 .1
1 1 1 .1

I r o n a n d stee l a n d th e ir p r o d u c ts ____
Iron a n d steel_________ ___________
S tructu ral ironw ork____ __________
F o u n d ry a n d m achine-shop products..
H ardw are__________________________
M achine tools______________ . . . . . . .
Steam fittings and steam and hotw ater heating a p p aratu s-----------. . .
Stoves___ _________________________

88.0
98.4
88. 5
81. 3
92. 2
83.1

91.2
102.9
92. 6
81. 8
92.4

93.0
99. 6
93. 6
87. 7
92. 2
103.9

109.6
107. 3
102. 6
93.4
106.0
115.5

94.4
81.7

94.1
79.7

1 0 0 .1

86.5

107.1
89. 6

L u m b e r a n d its p r o d u c ts ____________
Lum ber, saw m ills__________________
Lum ber, m illw o rk ..
_____________
F u rn itu re _________________________ _

93.7
90.8
101.7
98.8

97.3
95. 3
105.3
99.2

89.7
84.0
102. 1
1 0 2 .0

96.3
90.3
108.7
108.9

L e a th e r a n d its p r o d u c ts _____________
Leather ______ ____________________
Boots a nd shoes____________________

91.7
90.2
92.2

87.9
89.1
87.4

91.4
93.4
90.8

90.2
96.8
87.6

P a p e r a n d p r i n t i n g ________ __ __ . . .
Paper and p u lp .. . _________ _______
Paper boxes. . .
______
______
P rinting, book an d jo b ___ . . . _______
Printin g , new spaper__ _ _______ ___

100. G
96.3
98. 1

104.2

103.1
95.6
99.8
103.9

111.7
103. 5
108.2
115.1
117.0

102.5
96. 1
98.4
102.4
110.7

111.0
103.1
106.8


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

80.0
76.2
91. 2
8 6 .1

101. 1

105. 2

[1341]

8 8 .2

1 0 1 .2

100. 7
103.3
109.1

1 1 0 .8

77.4
97.0
99. 7
82.3
85.9
84.5
80.6

8 8 .6

1 0 2 .1

101.7

105.2
74.0
SI. 6
1 0 2 .6

72.5
91.7
84.4
87.6

96.3
87.7
91. 4
103.4

99.6
106.3
104.0
92.4
100.3
115.2

99.3
87.8

104.5
92.3

91.7
87.8
99.9

97.1
93.2
105.2
105.3

87.1
91.1
85.8

82.2
93.8
77.6

93.2
100. 2

1 0 0 .0

1 1 2 .8

118.1

166

M O N T H L Y LABOE REVIEW

T a b l e 5 . — IN D E X E S O F 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 IN M A N U F A C T U R IN G

IN D U S T R IE S , A P R IL , 1925, A N D M A R C H A N D A P R IL , 1926—C ontinued

1925

1926

April

M arch

A pril

E m ploy­ Pay-roll
m ent
totals

E m ploy­ Pay-roll
m ent
totals

E m ploy­ Pay-roll
m ent
totals

In d u stry

C h em ica ls a n d ailied p r o d u cts. __ ___
Chem icals___ . _______________ .
F ertilizers.. ______________________
Petroleum refining_______ ___________

101.8
93. 4
153. 0
90.6

98.7
96. 6
141. 9
88.9

105.3
95.4
153. 1
97.4

165. 8
103. 4
151. 1
95.8

193. 4
95.7
137. 5
98.9

104.3
103.9
137. 9
96.6

S to n e , clay, a n d glass p r o d u c ts ______
C em ent . . .
_ __
. . _______
Brick, tile, and te rra co tta___ . _____
P o tte ry ____________ ______________
G lass.........................................................

99.7
96.4
102.0
111.8
94. 1

194.9
98.7
106.6
116. 9
101.7

96.3
84.8
91.7
107.6
100.6

103.8
87.6
95.7
120.4
111.3

99.2
88. 2
98.4
109.6
100.0

105.9
91. 1
99.2
122. 1
109.6

M e ta l p ro d u cts, o th er t h a n iron a n d
s te e l________________ ____ _________ .
Stam ped and enam eled w are _______
Brass, bronze, and copper products___

95. 5
92.9
96. 7

94.9
91.8
96.0

163.9
103.0
102.8

196.9
105.6
107.4

191.0
101.4
100.8

103.6
100.6
1017

T ob a cco prodn et*__________ _______
Chewing a n d sm oking tobacco and
snuff____________________________
Cigars and cigarettes____________ ___

86.4

76.1

88.3

99.1

84.4

83.9

89.3
86.0

92.0
74.2

101.5
86.5

107.1
88.1

06.7
82.8

101.2
81.9

V ehicles for la n d t r a n s p o r t a t i o n .____
A utom obiles____________ ______ ____
Carriages a n d w agons...............................
C ar building a n d repairing, electricrailro ad . _______________ ________ _
C ar building and repairing, steamrailro ad.......... ........................................

93.4
105. 5
94.9

96.8
114. 7
99.8

96.1
118.2
94.7

190.3
125.4
94.4

95.3
114. 5
94.2

99.4
121.5
95.4

89.3

92.7

89.3

92.3

90.3

92.9

84.1

85.4

82.5

84.6

83.4

85.7

M iscella n eo u s In d n stries
______ .
A gricultural im p lem en ts____________
Electrical m achinery, a p p aratu s, and
supplies_________ ______________
Pianos a n d organs...
_____________
R u b b er boots and shoes_____________
A utom obile tire s.......................................
Shipbuilding, steel________ _________

94.3
94.4

97.0
103.4

98.3
106.1

102.9
121.9

96.6
105.1

162.9
120.8

90.1
95.4

92.6
98.8

98.9
96. 0

104.9
105. 6

97.0

101.9

84. 7
110. 3
92. 2

90. 5
115. 2
93.2

92. 5
111. 8
92.8

100. 7
116. 0
95.8

95.1
91. 1
111. 6
90. 5

105.3
100. 7
116.1
97.3

The following tables show the general index of employment in
manufacturing industries from June, 1914, to April, 1926, and the
general index of pay-roll totals from November, 1915, to April, 1926.
T able 6 .—G E N E R A L I N D E X O F E M P L O Y M E N T A N D O F PA Y -R O L L T O T A L S IN M A N ­
U F A C T U R IN G IN D U S T R IE S
E m p l o y m e n t { J u n e , 1 9 1 4 , to A p r i l , 1 9 2 6 )
[M onthly average, 1923=100]
1914

1915

1916

1917

1918

1919

1920

1921

1922

1923

1924

1925

101 6

117. 0
117. 5
117. 4
115. 0
115. 1
114. 8
114. 2
112. 7
110. 7
113. 2
115. 6
117. 2

115. 5
114. 7
116. 5
115. 0
114. 0
113. 4
114. 6
114. 5
114. 2
111. 5
113. 4
113. 5

no. i
103. 2
104. 0
103. 6
106. 3
108. 7
110. 7
109. 9

76. 8
82. 3
83. 9
83. 0
84. 5
84. 9
84. 5
85. 6
87.0
88. 4
89.4
89.9

87.0
87. 7
83. 2
82. 4
84. 3
87. 1
86. 8

113. 2

116.1
115. 6
116. 9
117. 1
117. 4
117. 9
no. 0
109. 7
107. 0
102. 5
97.3
91. 1

98. 0

107. 4
109. 6
109. 0
109. 5
110. 0
110. 3
110. 0
111. 4
112. 9
114. 5
115. 1

99. 6
101. 8
101. 8
101. 8

98. 9
95. 9
92.9
94. 9
94. 9
9S. 9
92. 9

91. 9
92. 9
93. 9
93. 9
94. 9
95. 9
94. 9
95. 9
98.9
100. 8
103. 8
105.9

94. 5
96. 6

101. 9
100. 4
99.7
99. 8
99. 3
98.7
96.9

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

A verage... i 94.9

97.0

110.4

115.0

111. 2

108.2

109.9

85.1

88.4

100.0

90.3

91.2

M o n th
J a n u a ry ____
F eb ru ary ___
M arch _____
¿April_____
M a y ...............
J u n e ______
J u l y . . _____
A u g u st_____
Septem b er...
O ctober___
N o v e m b er...
D e c e m b e r...

;
_

1

1 1 2 .1
106. 8
1 1 0 .0

Average for 7 m onths.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

1

[1342]

8 8 .0
90. 6
92, 6

Average for 4 m onths.

1926
93. 3
94. 3
93. 7
92. 8

2

93.5

167

E M P L O Y M E N T IN SELECTED IN D U S T R IE S
T able

6

.—G E N E R A L I N D E X OF E M P L O Y M E N T A N D O P P A Y -R O L L T O T A L S IN
M A N U F A C T U R IN G IN D U S T R IE S —C ontinued
P a y - r o ll totals

M o n th

1916

1916

1917

56! 0

62. 1
57. 8
60. 0
59. 7
62. 1
62. 5
58. 7
60.9
92.9
65. 5
fiQ 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

Jan u a ry _
F e b ru a ry __ __
M arch _ _
A pril_________
IVfay
Ju ly
A u g u s t______
S eptem ber____
D ecem ber..........

A verage------ » 34. S
i

61.9

76.8

(N o v e m b e r ,

1 9 1 5 , to A p r i l , 1 9 2 6 )

1918

1919

1920

1921

1922

1923

1924

1925

79. 6
79.8

104.2
95. 0
95.4
94. 5
96. 7

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
76. 7
74. 2
72. 6
76. 9
82. 0
74. 1
79.3
82. 7

91.8
95.2
100. 3
101.3
104. 8
104. 7
99. 9
99.3
100. 0
102. 3

94.5
99.4
99. 0
96. 9
92.4
87.0
80.8
83.5

94.9
98.9
99.1
97.2

a 97.5

8 8 .2
88. 8

94. 5
94.3
97. 5
105. 3
106. 6
110.3
104.1
1 1 1 .2

86.7

1 0 0 .2

102.5
105.3
111. 6
105. 5
111. 3
121.5
198.8

A verage for 4 m onths.

1

1 0 1 .0

8 6 .0
88. 5
87. 6

98.9

91. 7

79.9

100.0

90.6

93.6

8 6 .0

80.9

135. 9

89.8
92.9

90.0
95. 1
96.6
94. 2
94.4
91. 7
89. 6
91. 4
90.4
96. 2
96. 2
97.3

1926

Average for 2 m onths.

Proportion of Time Worked and Force Employed in Manufacturing Industries in
April, 1926
aTS in percentage terms from 7,261 establishments indicate
REPOP
that in April the plants in operation were working an average

of 93 per cent of full time and employing an average of 87 per cent of a
normal full force of employees. These averages indicate a^decrease
of 1 per cent in full-time operation as compared with March.
One per cent of the reporting establishments were idle, 67 per cent
were operating on a full-time schedule, and 31 per cent on a parttime schedule, 48 per cent had a normal full force of employees, and
51 per cent were operating with reduced forces.
T able 7.—E S T A B L IS H M E N T S W O R K IN G F U L L A N D P A R T T I M E A N D E M P L O Y IN G
F U L L A N D P A R T W O R K IN G F O R C E IN A P R IL , 1926
P er cent of
er cent of A ver­ establish­
E stab lish ­ Pestablish­
age
per
m
ents oper­
m ents re­
m ents
cent of
ating
porting
operating— full
w ith —
tim e
In d u stry
T otal Per
n u m ­ cent
ber idle

F’oO'i a m i kin dred p ro d u cts
_____________ _ 1,918
46
Slaughtering and m eat packing
______
Confectionery __ ______________ ____ ______ 203
92
______________
Jco cream
Flour
_
_________________ ____ _ _ _ 278
___________ -- ______ 388
B aking
9
Sugar refining, cane
_____________
a n d th eir p ro d u cts __ _________ __ _ 1,158
C otton goods
________________ 284
125
Tfosiery and k n it goods_____________________
151
Silk goods
__________________________ Woolen and w orsted goods___________
__ 165
20
C arpets a n d rugs
__ _ _________ ______
71
D yeing and finishing textiles. _ _ __________
* C lothing, m en’s
_ _ __________________ 172
49
Shirts and collars
____________ _____
77
C lothing, w om en’s
__________ _____
44
M illinery an d lace goods______________ _____
1 Less th a n one-half of 1 per cent;


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[13431

(>)
(0
1
0

)
3
1
1
2
2

5
1
2
1
2

F u ll
tim e

ated
in estab- F ull P a rt
P a rt lish- nor­ nor­
tim e m ents m al m al
oper­ force force
ating

57
57
47
93
27
73
78

43
43
52
7
72
27

83
62
60
64
64
45
34
67
82
77
39

36
37
39
34
33
50
65
31
18

22

22

59

86

92
89
99
68

94
96
93
95
93
95
91
85
88

91
97
95
80

46
28
9
7
43
79
44

54
72
91
93
56

45
62
42
43
38
40
28
38
60
49
16

53
37
57
55
60
55
70
60
40
49
82

21

56

A ver­
age per
cent of
normal
full
force
em ­
ployed
b y establishm ents
oper­
ating
85
82
71
75
82
97
83
88

92
86
88

83
89
83
8L
90
86

71

168

M O N T H L Y LABOE REV IEW

T able 7 .—E S T A B L IS H M E N T S W O R K IN G F U L L A N D P A R T T I M E A N D E M P L O Y IN G
F U L L A N D P A R T W O R K IN G F O R C E IN A P R IL , 1926—C ontinued

E stablish­
m ents re­
porting
In d u stry
Total Per
n u m ­ cent
ber idle

I r o n a n d steel a n d th e ir p r o d u c ts ........................ 1,296
Iro n a n d steel.......................................... ................. 159
S tru ctu ral ironw ork______________ _______ _
125
F o u n d ry a n d m achine-shop products................. 682
H ardw are_________________________________
42
M achine tools............. _................ ................ .........
136
Steam fittings a n d steam a n d hot-w ater h eat­
ing ap p aratu s..........................._.............. ...........
76
Stoves.......................................................................
76

0

)
1
1

Per cent of A ver­ Per cent of
establish­ age per establish­
m ents oper­
m ents
cent of
ating
operating— full
w ith—
tim e
oper­
ated .
in estabF ull P a rt
Full P a rt lishnor­ no r­
tim e tim e m ents m al m al
oper­ force force
ating

70
67
75
70
60
89

30
33
25
29
40
11

95
94
94
95
97
99

21

79

71
37

29
63

97
83

42
28

58
72

31
36
34
32
29

Aver­
age per
cent of
normal
full
force
em ­
ployed
b y establishm ents
oper­
ating

64

82
89

68

81

68

82

L u m b e r a n d its p r o d u c ts ......................................
Lum ber, sawmills...................................................
Lum ber, m illw ork....... ............................. ..... .........
F u r n itu re ............ ....................................... ............

792
305
190
297

1
1
1

72
72
74
69

28
26
25
31

98
97
96
95

44
46
45
40

56
53
54

L e a th e r a n d its p r o d u c ts .......................................
L e a th e r...................................... ...............................
Boots and shoes.......... ..............................................

264
96
168

2
1

63
91
46

35
51

90
98
85

35
32
36

63
67
61

87

P a p e r a n d p r i n t i n g ....................................................
P ap er and p u lp ..................................... ..........
P ap er boxes___________ _____ ______________
Prin tin g , book and jo b ....................... ....................
P rinting, new spapers..............................................

617
131
127
227
132

82
89
55
83

67

45
17

100

39
65
95

33
32
61
35
5

94
96
84
94
99

C h e m ic a ls a n d a llied p r o d u c ts ..............................
C h em icals...____________________ __________
Fertilizers...... ............................. ..............................
Petroleum refin in g ................................................

202

8
21

97
95
98
98

45
63
31
50

55
37
69
50

85
92
78
91

S to n e , c la y , a n d g lass p r o d u c ts ........ ................ .
6
64
532
30
C em ent________________ ___________________
93
82
18
B rick, tile a n d te rra c o tta ............ ..................................................
275
1 0 ......................
60
30
P o tte ry ......................... ........................................... .
55
50
50
Glass............................................... ............................. 109
3
68
29

82
96
91
93
93

52
67
51
47
44

42
33
39
53
53

89
93
90

M eta ! p r o d u c ts , o th e r t h a n ir o n a n d s te e l___
Stam ped and enam eled w are__________ _____
Brass, bronze, and copper products.....................

166
38
128

43
34
45

57

86

66

85

55

86

T o b a c c o p r o d u c t s .. ....................................................
: Chewing a nd smoking tobacco and sn u ff.........
Cigars a n d cigarettes...............................................

117
96

4

V ehicles fo r la n d t r a n s p o r t a t i o n ______ ______
A utom obiles!______________________________
Carriages a n d w a g o n s..____ ________________
C ar building a n d repairing^electric-railroad...
C ar building a n d repairing, steam -railroad___

814
147
59
176
432

3
5

M isc e lla n e o u s in d u s tr ie s .........................................
A gricultural im p lem en ts.......... ....................... .
Electrical m achinery, a p p aratu s, a n d supplies.
Pianos a n d organs_____________ __________
R u b b er boots a n d shoes............................
A utom obile t i r e s .. . ......................................
Shipbuilding, steel........................................ ...........
T o t a l . . .................................... .....................
1

8

18
11

100

83
72
92
79

65
95
42

17
28

96
98
90
97

68

90
87
86
86

88

84

82
74
84

18
26
10

96
95
97

«3
48
67

32
52
28

92
89
93

43
24
47

53
76
48

85

67
67
61
89
59

32
30
34

95
89

22

88

73
54
54
78
81

26
44
41

41

91
94
90
99

99
97

287
70
108
30
9
49

69
77
75
77
33
33

31
23
25
23
67
67

94
96
95
95
91
85

40
39
38
70
33
45

83
82
84
95
93

21

100

100

10

60
61
62
30
67
55
90

93

48

51

87

4

21

7,261

Less th a n one-half of 1 per cent.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

3

88
88

[1344]

1

(‘)

1

67

11

31

19

88
88

88

86

59

M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW

169

Employment and Earnings of Railroad Employees, March, 1925f
and February and March, 1926

HE following tables show the number of employees and the
earnings in various occupations among railroad employees
in. March, 1925, and in February and March, 1926.
ihe figures are for Class I roads; that is, all roads having operating
revenues of $1,000,000 a year and over.

T

E M P L O Y M E N T A N D E A R N IN G S OB R A IL R O A D E M P L O Y E E S IN M A R C H , 1925 A N D
F E B R U A R Y A N D M A R C H , 1926
[From m onthly reports of In te rsta te Commerce Commission. As d ata for only the more im portant occunations are show n separately, th e group totals are not th e sum of th e item s under th e respective groups;
th e grand totals will be found on pp. 161 and 162]
1

N um ber of employees at
m iddle of m onth

T otal earnings

Occupation
M arch, F e b ru ­ M arch.
1925
ary, 1926
1926

M arch,
1925

February,
1926

M arch,
1926

Professional, clerical, and general _
C lerks_____________________
Stenographers and ty p ists___

281,443
166,897
25,149

282,444
166,097
25, 238

283,132 $38,268,232 $37, 291,849 $39,430,537
166,466 21,517,883 ?0,542,151 22,084,403
25,295
3,073,456
3,003,448
3,158,678

M aintenance of w ay and stru ctu res___
Laborers, extra gang and work tra im
Laborers, track and roadw ay section

338,867
42,257
173,850

351.713
45,840
179,380

359,751
48,885
183,068

31,787,150
3, 220, 241
1 2 ,761,762

31,231,409
3, 247,525
12,206,930

34,563,565
3,861,159
13,873,695

M aintenance of equipm ent and s to re s..
C arm en .................................________
M achinists..................................... ........
Skilled tra d e helpers______________
Laborers (shops, engine houses,
power plants, and stores)_______
C om m on laborers (shops, engine
houses, power p la n ts, a n d stores)..

535,849
117, 427
62,900
118, 228

524,702
113, 567
61, 525
115,456

525,554
113,878
61,679
115,680

70,080,813
17, 232, 291
9,991,120
13,043,245

63,041,495
15,085,198
8 ,964,562
11,632,485

71,250,338
17,448,225
10,287,127
13,320,437

45,192

44,186

44,249

4,355,498

3,884,782

4,275,093

60,817

60, 784

60,509

5,044, 428

4, 527,152

5,155,066

206,442
30,742

207,808
30,702

25,370,702
4, 756,166

23, 760,278
4,460,451

25,919,466
4,836,762

T ransportation, other th a n train, engine,
and y a rd ___ _____ ____ _____ _______ 208,297
S tation agents................................ ........
31,058
Telegraphers,
telephoners,
and
to w e rm e n ._______ _____________
26,149
Truckers (stations, warehouses and
platform s).................................... ....... 39,600
Crossing and bridge flagmen and
g atem en ................................................ 22/661
T ransportation (yardm asters, switch
tenders, and ho stlers)........ ......................

25, 756

25,869

3,907,868

3, 558,360

3,949,327

38, 967

39,507

3, 718,334

3,370,852

3,810,056

22,279

22,237

1,700,807

1, 654,859

1,675,568

24,355

24, 262

24,287

4,490,570

4, 304,065

4,584,738

T ransportation, tra in and e n g in e -...__ 317,176
R oad conductors................................. . 35,899'
R oad brakem en and flagmen______
72.934
Y ard brakem en and yard help ers...
52,421
R oad engineers and m o to rm e n ..___ 42, 7Q5
R oad firem en and helpers................... 44,387

326, 645
36,700
73, 855
54, 787
43,577
45, 317

328,107
36,635
74,416
55,139
43,557
45,332

60, 933,423
8,162,487
12,089, 509
8 , 763, 411
10,899, 206
8,138, 366

61,046, 561
8,109, 585
12,002,839
8,823,142
11,017, 830
8,197, 980

66,430,818
8,743,492
13,037, 942
9,727,200
11,866,047
8,833, 987

98397°— 20------12


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1345]

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

Recent Employment Statistics
State Reports on Employment
California

HE April., 1926, Labor Market Bulletin, issued by the Bureau of
Labor Statistics of California, shows changes in volume of
employment and pay roll from February to March, 1926, in
710 establishments in that State as given below:

T

P E R C E N T OF C H A N G E IN N U M B E R O F E M P L O Y E E S A N D IN T O T A L A M O U N T O F
W E E K L Y P A Y R O L L IN 710 C A L IF O R N IA E S T A B L IS H M E N T S B E T W E E N F E B R U A R Y
A N D M A R C H , 1926
W eekly pay roil

Em ployees

Per cent
of increase
N um ber
(+ ) or de­
of firm s
ber crease (—) A m ount
reporting inN uMmarch,
as com­ in March.,
1926
pared
1926
w ith Feb­
ruary,
1926

In d u s try

Stone, clav, and glass products:
M iscellaneous stone and m ineral p roducts-----Lim e, cem ent, p la ster...........—----------------------B rick, tile, p o tte ry - „ ----------------- ------------G la ss.-------- ----------- ------------------- ---------------

11
8
21

T o ta l-------------- ------------------- -------------------M etals, m achinery, a n d conveyances:
A gricultural im p le m e n ts .,______ -___ . ______
Automobiles, including bodies and p a r t s ------Brass, bronze, and copper p ro d u cts__________
Engines, pum ps, boilers, a n d tan k s.,-.--.-----. . .
Iron anrl steel, forgings, bolts, n u ts, e tc ______
Ship.and boat b uilding.and naval rep airs........ .
T in c a n s ------------------ ------------ ------ -O ther iron.foundry a n d m achine shop products■Other sheet m etal p r o d u c ts -----, ----- - ...-----Cars, locomotives, and railw ay repair shops.,...
T o t a l ________ ____ ________ ________ — W ood m anufactures:
Saw m ills:and logging.,..- ------------------------- Planing mills, sash and door factories, e tc .— ...
O ther wood m an u factu res— ._______ .----------T o ta l.._____________________ _

“E'l.'O
- 0)
+4. 3
+ 6 .9

$55, 298
64,159
84, 740
23, 981

45

7,858

+

228,178

5
13

966
'3,230
1,028
1, 278
•2, 595
4, 437
4,751

T o ta l.------------- --------- ----------------------Chem icals, oils, paints, etc.:
Explosives______ 1 1 ................................................
M ineral oil r e f i n i n g . ---------- ------------- ------P aints, dyes and colors________ ______ - --M iscellaneous chemical products __________
T o ta l________ ___________________________
i Less th a n one-tenth of 1 per cent.

[1346]

1,851
2 ,0 0 2

8
11
6

16
6

2 .6

+ 6 .4
+ •4
-

1 2 .1

+ 3 .4
+ 4 .1
+ •7
- .6

28, 285
103,17-5 ?
.27, 249
42, 935 :
84, 370
144, 082
157,085
51,113
234,-396
49, 277 ;
256,128

+ 7 .4
+ 3 .2
4 -8 . u

4"2. &
+ 5 .9
+16.5
+3. 3
—777
9
+• 4
+ 2 .6
+ .8

+. 6
—2. 3
+£>. 2

17

7,-611
1, 615
■
8 ,435

+ 1 .8
-4 .0
—. 2
+ . :9

176

37,967

-.4

1,178,095

.21

9, 963
10,518
5, 218

+ 3 .9
+ 5 .0
+©

267, 765
303.-028
145, 793

+ 4 .2
+9. 5
—2 . 6

.25, 699

+ 3 .5

716, 580

+ 4 .9

8

.742
409
2, 651

-2 .5
-2 .9
-4 .6

121,.325
9,710
75, 965

+ 1 .1
+ 4.7
—5. 4

20

3, 802

-4 .0

107,000

-3 .3

466
11, 234
708
1,985

+• 4
+ 1 .6

8
11

- .8
+ .8

14, 483
426, 792
18, 468
53, 220

-j-5. 7
+3. 3
+• 1
+ 1.3

32

14,393

+ 1 .3

512, 961

+3.1

3
71

2 ,0 2 1

20

47
42
110

L e a th e r an d ru b b e r goods:
T a n n in g . . . . ___________________________ ...
Finished leath er p ro d u c ts___________________
R u b b er p ro d u c ts ._________ _______________


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

5

3,266
7$9

Per cent
of increase
(+ ) or de­
crease (—)
as com­
pared
w ith F eb­
ruary,
1926

.7
5

4
9

:

+ .8

+ .9

VO LU M E OP E M P L O Y M E N T ---- CA LIFO RN IA

171

P E R C E N T O F C H A N G E IN N U M B E R O F E M P L O Y E E S A N D IN T O T A L A M O U N T O F
W E E K L Y P A Y R O L L IN 710 C A L IF O R N IA E S T A B L IS H M E N T S B E T W E E N F E B R U A R Y
A N D M A R C H , 1926—C ontinued

Employees

Per cent
of increase
N u m b er
of firms N u m b er (+ ) or de
reporting in M arch crease (—) A m ount
as com­ in M arch,
1926
pared
1926
w ith Feb
ruary,
1926

In d u stry

P rin tin g a n d paper goods:
P aper boxes, bags, cartons, etc...... ......................
P rin tin g ...... .....................................................
P ublishing- ............... ........................
O ther paper p ro d u cts.......................................
T o ta l........ ......................................... .......
Textiles:
K n it goods______________ _____
O ther textile p ro d u cts . . . * .........................
T o tal......................... ....................................

8

+• 3
+ 5 .3
+• 4
+ 2 .6

$47,162
79, 400
145, 883
25,620

+ .4
+ 6 .6
+ 2 .0
+ 3 .0

82

9,137

+

1 .8

298, 065

+ 3 .0

11
6

935
1,568

- 6 .3
- .9

19, 952

17

2, 503

23
22

2,967
910
865
3, 399

T o tal...............................................................

62

8,141

20
8

3,423
1,165
1,471
559
3,771
2, 950
2,751
933
470
2,325
1,027
938

10

7

Foods, beverages, an d tobacco:
C anning an d preserving of fruits and vegetables.
C anning and packing of fish _________ .
Confectionery and ice cream ........ ...........
Groceries no t elsewhere specified.................
B read a n d b akery products________
Sugar__________________________
Slaughtering a n d m eat p ro d u cts____
Cigars and other tobacco p ro d u cts___
B everages__ ________ _______ _
D airy p ro d u cts________________ ____
Flour and grist m ills__________
Ice m a n u fa c tu re ._______________ . .
O ther food p roducts_____________
T o tal___________ ___________
W ater, light a n d power ...................... . . .
M iscellaneous____ _ ________
T otal, all in d u stries________ _______

[1347]

P er cent
of increase
(+ ) or de­
crease (—)
as com­
pared
w ith F eb­
ruary,
1926

1,913
2,185
3,962
1,077

8

49
17

C lothing, m illinery, a n d laundering:
M en ’s clothing________________
W om en’s clothing_________________
M illin ery___________ ____
L aundering, cleaning, a n d d y e in g ..........


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

W eekly p a y roll

29
5
23
6

14
4
3
10

9
6

13

868

54,302

+13.2
+ .2

17, 584
16, 421
80, 304
180, 870

— .6

-6 .7
+ 2 .4
+ 5 .5
-1 .4
—3. 2
8

+ 2.’ 2
+ 1 .5
+. 5
+ 5 .3
-9 .3

150

22, 651

-.9

4
12

3,249
2,085

-3 .6
+ 1 0 .6

710

137,485

+ .7

62,131
17,877
34,116
12, 405
110, 010
85, 832
79, 898
17,892
28, 321

4, 018, 520

+ .3
-5 .7
+12. 5
+ 1 .1
+

1 .0

-*15.1
- 2 0 .1
+ 4 .0
+3. 3
+ .8

+• 2
-4 .3
+17.7
+ 8 .4
+ 4. 5
+ 5. 2
+ 6 .9
- 5 .1

+

2 .0

M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW

172

Illinois

The data given below, from the Labor Bulletin of April, 1926,
published by the Illinois Department of Labor, shows changes in
employment in representative factories of that State in March, 1926.
C H A N G E S IN V O L U M E O F E M P L O Y M E N T IN M A R C H , 1926, AS C O M P A R E D W IT H
CHA
F E B R U A R Y . 1926. A N D M A R C H , 1925
Per cent of change

M arch, 1926

M arch,
1925, to
M arch,
1926

N um ber of N um ber
of
firms
reporting employees

F ebruary,
1926,to
M arch,
1926

________ - ___ - _____
---------------------------- -----

27
9
33
16

1,872
413
4,941
5,337

+ 5.3
- 1 .0
—.7
+ 2.4

+ 8 .5
—7.9
+• 9
+33.8

T o ta l.................................... ............................. .............

85

12,563

+ 1.5

+17.0

In stru m en ts and appliances
_________ _____
W atches, w atch cases, clocks, and jew elry.................

116
34
16
26
23
13
28
52
30
30
9
14

34,999
10,064
1,575
4,852
2, 967
9, 516
11,162
18, 802
35,106
10,398
2,087
7,944

+ 2 .0
-K o
- 5 .5
“t“l. 6
+ 1 .5
+10.7
+ 1.4
+ 1 .8
+ 1.4
+ 2 .0
+ 3.7

- 3 .5
+ 1 .5
—2.7
+ 3 .0
—3.2
—24.6
+22.5
+ 9 .8
—16.9
+16.8
+24.7
+ 3.3

T o tal..................................... - -------------------- -----------

391

149,469

+ 1 .9

+ 1 .7

31
45
16
23
7

2, 730
6,569
2,981
2,830
650

+ 1.4
+ 2.7
- 2 .7
+ 6.5
- 7 .3

- .3
d”8 . 8
—1 . 8
+ 1 .1
+ 2 .8

122

15,700

+

+ 3 .4

10
8

27
9

2,034
59
11,904
1,729

54

15,726

20

In d u stry
r :/ o f

Stone, clay, and glass products:
M iscellaneous st.nyip and m ineral p ro d u c ts ...______
Brick tile, and p o tterv
Glass.!----------- ------------

M etals, m achinery, conveyances:
Sheet-nM al w ork nod hardw are._ _______________
Tool45 and cutlery
_ __________________
Cooking heat in 17 ventilating ap p aratu s__________

M achinery
Electrical ap p aratu s

_______________ ____ ____
_______________

Wood products:
Pianos, organs, and other musical in stru m e n ts-----M iscellaneous wond products
_
____ _______
Household furnishings....... ..............................................
T o tal............................... ............... - .............- ................
F u rs and leather goods:
le a th e r
F u r and fur goods
_________________________
Boots and shoes
________________ ____
M iscellaneous leather goods............ ..............................
T o ta l.............................................................................
Chemicals, oils, paints, etc.:
Drugs and chemicals
_ __ _______________ P aints dyes; and colors
_________ _______
M ineral and vegetable oil. _
_ ________________
M iscellaneous chemical p r o d u c t s ; : .. .. . ............; ----T o tal_________ _______ - ---------------------------------•
Printin g and paper goods:
Paper boxes bags, and tubes
_______________
M iscellaneous paper g o o d s ______________________
Job printing
------- -----------------------N ew spapers anti periodicals
________________
E d itio n bookbinding............................................. .........
T o tal---- ---------- ---------- ------------ ------------ -------Textiles:

9

2,016
2,633
5,602
4,021

63

14,272

37
16
72
14

24
10

- .6

1 .6

- 1 .8
d~lò. b
~~~S . 5
+ 2 .2
2 .6

+ 7.8

+ 2 .0
- 3 .3
+ 2 .6
+ 1 .5

- 2 .1
+• 4
+24.4
- 1 .0

-

1 .1

-H3. 0

+ .3
+ 2 .6
- 2 .6
+ 1 .0
+ 1 .2

+34.7

8

4,377
1,098
8 , 507
3,877
1,424

147

19,283

-.7

9

+

K n it goods r»ollop and woolen hosierv ________T hread and tw in e .........................................................

7

1,410
2,085
664

- 2 .6
+• 1
+ 9 .9

T o tal...........................................................- ..................

24

4,159

+ .6


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1348]

- 3 .7
+15.9
+ 8 .8
+234.4

8

+ .6

+ 4 .3
+33.6
+

8 .6

- 3 .4
+14.8
—10.3
+ 7.3

V O LU M E OF E M P L O Y M E N T ---- IL L IN O IS

173

C H A N G E S IN V O L U M E O F E M P L O Y M E N T IN M A R C H , 1926, AS COMPARED W IT H
F E B R U A R Y , 1926, A N D M A R C H , 1925—C ontinued
M arch, 1926
In d u stry

N um ber of N um ber
firms
of
reporting employees

Clothing, m illinery, laundering:
M en ’s clothing...................................................
M en ’s shirts and furnishings...........................
Overalls and w ork clothing—..............
I
M en ’s h ats and caps..........................................
W om en’s clothing............................ .................
W om en’s underw ear____ ____ _____
W om en’s hats_.........................................
Laundering, cleaning, and dyeing................ I'

36

10,364
1,252
625
61
1,160
1,029
599
2,572

T o tal................................................................... .

96

17, 662

27
17
30
18
9
19
19

Food, beverages, and tobacco:
Flour, feed, and other cereal pro d u cts............
F ru it and vegetable canning and preserving.
M iscellaneous groceries_______ _____ ______
Slaughtering and m eat packing________ ” 1'
D airy p ro d u c ts.._________ _____
Bread and other b ak ery pro d u cts_________
Confectionery........ ................................................
Beverages...... .......................................................
, Cigars and other tobacco pro d u cts..................
M anufactured ice......................... ......................
Ice cream .............................................................”

7
5
9
2

19
10
8

20

13
22

17

P er cent of change
February,
1926, to
M arch,
1926

- 2 .4
- 7 .1
+ 3 .0
- 9 .0
+ 7.1
+4.1
-1 5 .2
+ .3
-

M arch,
1925, to
M arch,
1926

- 6 .1
+ 5 .3
- 6 .2
-1 8 .9
+ 5.1
+90.3
-3 0 .7
+ 5 .0

1 .8

- 2 .4

889
464
4,615
20,559
3,632
2, 793
2,138
1,443
1,255
206
728

+ 2 .9
+11.5
- .5
- 5 .6
- 1 .5
- .9
- 3 .8

+ 3.4
-4 3 .0
—6 . 6
-3 .7
+ 4 .7
—2 . 8
-3 .7
+ 7 .6
+ 3 .3
- 2 .1

+ .6

- 1 .2
+ 7 .9
+ 2 .7

T o ta l....................................................................

211

38, 722

- 3 .3

+ 3 .2

T otal all m anufacturing industries_______

1,183

287, 616

+ .4

+ 2 .9

27

+ 4 .0
+ 1 .5
-3 .9
-5 .0

+14.5
-7 .0
- 2 .2
-1 9 .4

T rade—wholesale and re ta il:
D epartm en t stores....................................
Wholesale d ry goods_____________ ________
W holesale groceries___ ________________ _
M ail-order houses................... ........................ . .

5

3,121
461
645
13,100

T o tal___ _______ _____________ _________

44

17, 327

-3 .3

-1 3 .8

Public utilities:
W ater, light, and p o w e r.......... .........................
T elep h o n e..___ _________ ______ __________
Street railw ays__________ ____ ________ ___
R ailw ay car repair shops________ ____ ____

7

14,834
28, 363
26, 234
11,881

+ .8

23
25

+. 8
+ 2 .8
-.3

+ 9 .5
+ 7 .8
+ 3 .5
+39.0

T o ta l............................................................... .
Coal m ining____ ________ _____ ______ * ..............
B uilding and contracting:
B uilding construction....................... .............
R oad construction....... ............................. ..........
M iscellaneous c o n t r a c t i n g . ...... ................ ..

6
6

8

63

81,312

+ 1.3

+ 4.1

49

13,146

+ 4 .0

+26.4

114

6,365
149
1, 2 0 2

- 1 .3
+49.0
- 3 .1

+41.3
+ 8 .2
+33.4

10

27

T o ta l....................................................................

151

7,716

Total, all in d u s trie s ............. ............... .......

1,500

407, 117


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1349]

-

1 .0

+39.5

+ .5

+ 3 .2

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

174

Iow a

The following figures from the April, 1926, issue of the Iowa Em­
ployment Survey, published by the bureau of labor of that State,
show changes in volume of employment in Iowa from March to
April, 1926:
C H A N G E S IN V O L U M E O F E M P L O Y M E N T IN IO W A , M A R C H TO A P R IL , 1926
Em ployes on
pay roll A pril,
1926

Em ployees on
p ay roll A pril,
1926
N um ­
ber of
firms
re­
p ort­ N u m ­
ing
ber

In d u stry

Food and k in d red p ro d ­
ucts:
M eat p ack in g ...........
Cereals____________
F lo u r_____________
B akery p ro d u c ts----Confectionery--------Poultry,
produce,
b u tte r, e tc ----------Sugar, starch, sirup,
glucose, etc---------O ther food products,
coflee, e tc ________

B uttons, p earl.
T o ta l.
Iron and steel works:
F o u n d ry and m a­
chine shops.
Brass, bronze prod­
ucts, plumbei
p lies_______
engines____
Furnaces_____
P u m p s .._____
A gricultural :
m ents--------W ashing m a c h in es..

3.

R efrigerators.
supplies----Carriages, wagons,
tru ck bodies.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

9

1,093

+17.1

3

1,174

-4 .5

8

335

-.9

47 10, 665

-.9

8

757

- 7 .0

3
6
8

555
137
731

+ 1 2 .1
+ 2 .2
- 2 .9

25

2,180

-5 .3

31

2,616

+.

8

6

411

+ 2 .5

5
3

1,705
566
316

+ 2 .1
-1 .4
- 4 .3

10
8

1, 304
2, 087

- .2

- 2 .4

71

9,005

- .1

16
7
3

2, 809
955
175

- 5 .2
- 5 .7
+ 2 .9

8

T o ta l______

T o ta l.

- 4 .4
+ 3 .8
-4 . 5
+ 2 .8
- 3 .2

2
8

Textiles:
C lothing, m en’s-----C lothing, w om en’s,

L um ber products:
M ill w ork, inti
e tc ............

7

5,488
1,235
43
931
366

7
3

T o ta l.

Per cent of
increase
(+ ) or de­
crease ( —)
compared
w ith
M arch,
1926

5

175

0

6

190

+13.8

37

4, 304

- 4 .1

In d u stry

L eather products:
Shoes___
___ ___
Saddlery and harness.
F u r goods a nd tann i n g _____ ______
Gloves an d m itte n s ..
T o ta l____________

her of
firms
re­
p ort­ N um ­
ing
ber

3

Per cent of
increase
(+ ) or de­
crease ( —)
compared
w ith
M arch,
1926

- 5 .4

6

335
237

5
3

124
301

- 2 .4
+ 1 .0

17

997

-

+ 4 .7

-

2 2 .8

8 .1

P ap er products, printing,
and publishing:
Paper products___ .
P rin tin g and publish­
in g ______________

4

180

16

2,124

T o ta l______ ______

20

2, 304

-

1 .8

P a te n t medicines and
com oounds__ ________

9

562

+

2 .0

7
14

1,601
1,134

Stone an d clay products:
C em ent, plaster, gypsu m .. _ ________
B rick and tile (clay).
M arble,
granite,
crushed rock, and
stone_____________
T o tal . .
____
•
Tobacco and cigars---- -R ailw ay car shops______
V arious industries:
Brooms and b ru sh e s.
L a u n d r i e s ..______
M ercantile_________
Public service______
S e e d s . _ _______
Wholesale houses___
Commission houses _
O ther in d ustries___

[1350]

T o ta l________ ___
G rand to ta l______

3

24

- .6

+40.1
+55.8

82

+ 6 .5

2, 817

+44.6
-

6

391

5

7,448

+ 3 .8

5

2
21
10
12

166
325
3,211
1,401
385
1,125
387
714

- 1 .2
-.3
+ 5 .2
+. 9
-3 2 .6
+ 2 .0
+ 4 .0
-4 .8

69

7,714

6

9
4

330 48, 387

1 .8

- .2

+ 1 .5

VO LU M E OF E M P L O Y M E N T — M ARYLAND
M a ry la n d

I lie following report on volume of employment in Maryland from
March to April, 1926, covering 45,317 employees and a pay roll
totaling $1,097,659.64, was furnished by the commissioner of labor and
statistics of Maryland:
C H A N G E S IN E M P L O Y M E N T IN ID E N T IC A L E S T A B L IS H M E N T S
IN A P R IL , 1926
E m ploym ent

In d u stry

E sta b ­
lish­
m ents
rep o rt­
ing for
both
m onths

B ak ery __
Beverages a n d soft drinks
Boots a n d shoes
Boxes, fancy an d p a p e r..
Boxes, wooden
B rass a n d bronze ___
B rick, tile, e t c ____
B rushes. ...................
Gar building a n d repairing
C hem icals______
C lothing, m e n ’s outer garm ents
C lothing, w om en’s outer garm ents
Confectionery_____
C otton goods. . . .
F ertilizer. _______
Food preparati on . . .
F o u n d r y ...
___
F urnishing goods, m en ’s
F u rn itu re .
Glass.
Ice cream .
L eather g o o d s .................
L ith o g ra p h in g ________
L um ber a n d planing
M attresses a n d spring b e d s ...
P a te n t m edicines___ , ___
P ianos___ . .
P lum bers’ supplies . . .
P r in tin g ....__________
R ubber tire m anufacture .
Shipbu ild in g _______
Shirts, e tc . . . .
Siik .goods ..................
Stam ped a n d enam eled w are .
T inw are . . .
.Tobacco.......... .
U m brella. . . .
M iscellaneous


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

246
132

3

voO

9

FC

6
A

K

1 , iuo
4,483
Dvl
2 , 180
899
622
00/

4
10
5

.963

11

o

o/y
172..

3

g

620
133
gjn

4

3
4

1 A^A

9
4

.1, 314
2,779
730
con
KQQ
429Jój.i l O.
879

3
4
8

3
19

[1351]

6. 8
+7. :7
-1 . 5
+ 1 .7
- 4 .3
-4 .2
+.-7
-1 6 .1
-4 .4
+ 3 .5
"hi.-4
- 1 .1

“hi. 6
- 9 .5
“TO. 1
2 ..1

4

9
4

3
5
3

+ 2 .0
- 3 .7
+2. 3
+ 3 .6
+ • '8

2 , ܧ

R
K
4

M ARYLAND

P ay roll

Per cent
Per cent
N u m b er of increase
of increas 3
of em­
(+ ) or
A m ount,
(+ ) or
ployees, decrease(—) A pril, deciease(—)
April,
com pared
1926
com pared
1926
w ith
w ith
M arch, 1926
M arch, 1928

7

_0
3

IN

373
d

92ft

.. 3
4-2
K
UYO. D
-2 .3
TJ., o
1. 7
-h4. 4
»0
“TlU. D
*r..y
-.4
4. á
i".

$5,901
3, 752
18,196
7,880
4 ,170
.58, 768
.22,829
21,31.4
108, 162
1-5, 608
41,142
11,456
8,272
34, 142
18, 819
3, 478
.29, 981 :
13, 526
23,453
14,
5, 339
13,507
15,837
15, 308
3,087
13, 444
26, 536
39, 125
.182,636
.20,319
11,385
8 , .105
■8 , 620
62,193
13,415!
6 , 048
101, 345

+ 5 .0
+ 6 .1
—1.9
+ 1 .3
—3. 8
—4. 3
+ 9 .0
—3.7
-28.2.
—4. 0
-1 4 .8
—1 . 6
—1 2 . 1
—6.7
+ 3 .0
+ 1 .4
+ 2 .0
-.4
—2. 5
;645
—1 2 . 8
—. 5
- 6 .9
+ 2 .1
+ 3 .5
+2. 4
+1. 5
—2.3
—2 . 6
+ 1.-8
+38.7
+ 7 .7
+ 2 .5
—.12. 5
—4,8
+ 3 .6
- 2 .8
-5 .0
+ .7

M O N T H L Y LABOE REVIEW

176

M a s s a c h u s e tts

A press release from the Department of Labor and Industries of
Massachusetts shows the following changes in volume of employment
in various industries in that State from February to March, 1926:
N U M B E R O P E M P L O Y E E S IN 993 M A N U F A C T U R IN G E S T A B L IS H M E N T S IN M ASSA­
C H U S E T T S , W E E K IN C L U D IN G OR E N D IN G N E A R E S T TO F E B R U A R Y 15, A N D
M A R C H 15, 1926
N u m ber of wage-earners employed
N um ber
of estab­
lish­
m ents
reporting

In d u stry

\ ntnm nhiles, including bodies and p arts_________
B ookbinding__ ____________________________
Boot and shoe, ou t stock and findings __________
B oots a n d shoes____________ -- -- ___________
Boxes, p a p e r .. ________________________________
Boxes, wooden packing_______ ________________
B read and oth er h ak erv p ro d u c ts ______________
C arpets a n d r u g s ________ ________ - ____ ___ ___
C ars lan d general 6 hop construction an d repairs,
,s team railroads _ ___________________________
C lothing, m en 's ______________________________
C lothing, w om en's_____________________
- Confectionery ______- _________________ ___ ___
C opper, tin , sheet iron, etc__________ __ _ _ _ __
C otto n goods
___________________________ --C u tlery a n d tools
_ ______________________
D yeing and finishing, te x tile s .__________________

17
15
45
70
27
12

50
5
4
30
34
13
15
55
25
8

13
27
32
13

M arch, 1926
February,
1926

Full tim e P a rt tim e

T otal

4, 671
955
2,106
22, 593
2,165
L 126
3,994
3, 804

5, 493
605
1,177
13, 793
1, 346
1,088
3, 562
1,877

123
368
850
8,472
759
98
446
1,941

5, 616
973
2,027
22, 265
2,105
1,186
4,008
3, 818

2, 883
3,965
1,660
3,167
389
41,390
5, 280
6,769
13, 037
2,957
3, 645
1, 235
5 , 228
2,949
4,095
8,159
2,070
. 1,310
6,057
3,286
2,351
9, 780
2,738
4,060
1, 698
1,421

2, 704
2,924
1,195
2,597
400
27, 599
4,967
2,988
13, 441
2, 670
3, 229
1 , 208
2,301
2,623
3,239
7, 422
1,996
947
4,708
2,339
2, 322
9, 070
2,656
1,913
204
1,374

157
1,071
525
584

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, 229
8,246

2

13,922
384
3, 978
320
402

F o u n d ry p ro d u cts_______________________ ___ F u rn itu re
______________________________
Oa<? a nd b y "products
H osiery and k n it g o o d s ________________________
Jew elry _____________________________________
H eather, ta n n e d , curried, a nd finished___________
"Machine-shop p r o d u c ts ._______________________
M achine tools.
______________ ____ ________
M usical in stru m en ts
_ _ __ ______________
Paper and wood p u lp ______________ ______ —
P rintin g and publishing, book and job ________
P rintin g and publishing, new spaper _ _ ______
"Rubber footwear ______________ _____________
R u b b er goods
______________________________
Silk goods
____________________________
Slaughtering and m eat packing__________________
Stationery gnnds
_____
Steam fittings an d steam a n d hot-w ater heating
apparatu s
___________
Stoves and stove linings
__________________
Textile m achinery and p arts __________________
Tobacco
_____________________________
Woolen and w orsted goods_____________________
All other industries.........................................................

9
5
15
5
56
127

1,953
1,810
5,292
714
19, 581
30,180

1,865
648
3,955
775
12, 319
18, 297

1,187
1,388
17
7, 334
12,156

1,865
1,835
5,343
792
19,653
30,453

T o tal, all in d u s trie s ........................... ................

993

242,523

175, 736

69,128

244,864


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1352]

12

36
25
43
26
12
21

39
19
3
7
10

5
8

2,926
431
990
824
5
320
1,316
981
24
1, 256
41
2,178
1,352

2 ,0 0 1

1,267
6,024
3,320
2, 346
10,326
2,697
4,091
1,556
1,374

V O LU M E OP E M P L O Y M E N T ----N E W YORK

177

N ew Y o rk

The New York State Department of Labor has furnished the follow­
ing statistics on changes in employment and pay rolls in New York
State factories in March, 1926. The table is based on a fixed list of
approximately 1,700 factories, whose weekly pay roll for the middle
week of February was $14,995,709.
C H A N G E S IN E M P L O Y M E N T A N D P A Y R O L L IN N E W Y O R K S T A T E F A C T O R IF S
F R O M M A R C H , 1925, A N D F E B R U A R Y , 1926, TO M A R C H , 1926

P er cent of increase (+ ) or decrease (—)
F ebruary, 1926, to
M arch, 1926

Industry

employ­
m ent
C em ent.......... ................... ......
B rick................................. ..
P o tte ry .................. - I I I I I I I I I !
G la ss .........................................
Pig iron.................................. .
S tructural iro n ........................^
H ardw are..................................
Stam ped w a re ............1 .7 1 1 "
C u tle ry ............................. .........
Steam an d ho t w a te r........... .
Stoves............................. .
A gricultural im p le m e n ts ....
Electrical m achinery, etc___
F o u n d ry ............. ....................
Autos a n d p a rts_______ ___
Cars, locomotives, e t c . . . ___
R ailw ay repair shops.........
M ill w o rk ............. ...................
Sawmills....................... .............
F u rn itu re a n d cabinet w o rk .
F u rn itu re ___ _____________
Pianos................................. .
L e a th e r......................................
Boots a n d shoes......................
D rugs................................ .
P e tro le u m .____ ___________
P aper b o x e s.............................
Printing: N ew spapers______
Printing: Book an d jo b . l___
Silk goods..................... .............
C arp ets.................................. ..
W o o le n s........................... ........
C otton goods............................ .
C otton a n d woolen_________
D y e in g .......................................
M en ’s clothing..........................
Shirts an d c o lla rs....................
W om en’s clothing.....................
W om en’s headw ear..................
F lo u r................................ .........
S u g a r.___ ...V —........ ..........
S laughtering..............................
B read___ _______ __________
C onfectionery...........................
C igars..........................................

+ 7 .9
+ 6 .9
+ 2.0
- 3 .8
+ 2 .8
- .2

+• 4
+ 3 .0
+4. 4
6

-2 . 3
- 2 .1
- 2 .0
+ 1 .6
+2. 7
+4. 5
+2. 4
+ 2 .6
+ .3
-1 . 5
—1. 5
- 3 .0
+ 1 .8
- 1. 8
+ .9
0)
+ .9
+ .2
(0

—. 7
+ 1 .0

1Less than one-tenth of 1 per cent.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1353]

P ay roll

+18.7
+ 2 .7
-. 6
- 6 .7
+ 1 .8
+2. 7
- 1 .4
+ 5.1
+ 6 .0
- 2 .2
-1 0 .9
- 7 .3
- 1 .9
+ 6 .9
+ 3 .4
+ 4 .5
+ 3 .0
+11.9
+ 1 .9
-.9
-1 .5
+ 1 .7
- 1 .5
-3 .6
- 2 .2
+ 8 .9
+ 1 *1
+ .7
+ 7 .9
+ 1 .2
-.4
- 1 .0
- 1 .3
+ .4

E m ploy­
m ent
+10.7
+ 3 .8
- 6 .3
+ 2 .7
+ 11. 1
+ 3.4
+ 9.3
+ 7 .8
-1 3 .6
+17.3
+13.0
+ 9 .8
+ 6. 6
+ 2 .4
+ 8 .4
+9. 2
- 1. 6
+ 3 .0
-9 . 4
+ 4.3
+ 3 .7
- 6. 6
+10.7
- 5 .0
+ 2 .6
- 6 .1
+ 1 .9
+ 11. 6
-1 . 7
+ 7.3
- .8

+• 1
-.3
+• 6
- 3 .4
-2 . 4
+ 2 .2
+ 1 2 .1
- 5 .9
-.7
-1 . 7
+ 8 .0
+ 2 .8
- 1 1 .0

- 4 .2
-3 . 4
+ 4.9
+18.8
- 6. 4
- 2 .3
- 3 .3
+ 5 .2
+ 4.7
+ 1 .1

-4 . 2
+32.4
- 1 .9
+ 1 .7
+ 2 .2
-4 . 6
- 5 .4
- 6. 6
- 4 .9
-4 . 0
-3 . 7
+ 5 .7
+3. 2
-2 8 . 2

+ .3

“j-!.

+ 1. 1

- .1

T o ta l.

M arch, 1925, to
M arch, 1926

- .6

8

P a y roll

+ 1 2 .2
+21.9
—3. 6 '
+ .1

+ 1 2 .1
+ 8 .7
+ 6 .8
,, + 9 .7
-1 7 .1
+ 7 .6
+ 1 1 .6
+ 5 .4
+ 1 0 .2
+ 6. 0
+ 1 0 .2
+14.6
+ 2 .7
+ 8 .1
-9 .5
+ 9 .9
+ 9 .2
—1.3
+ 2 1 .8
-1 0 .7
+ 4 .4
-4 . 1
+ 3 .0
+ 2 1 .2
+ 1 .4
+ 7 .1
-7 .2
-8 .4
+ 40.4
—1 . 6
+ 7 .7
+ 1 .7
- 8 .0
—2 . 2
-7 .5
—7.5
- 1 .8
-2 .4
+ 6 .7
+ .8

-1 7 .2
+ 3 .2

.M O N TH L Y LABOR REVIEW

178

O klahom a

The April 15, 1926, issue of the Oklahoma Labor Market, published
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of Oklahoma, contains the following
information showing the changes in employment and pay rolls in 710
establishments in that State from February to March, 1926:
C H A N G E S IN E M P L O Y M E N T A N D PA Y R O L L S IN 710 IN D U S T R IA L E S T A B L IS H °
M E N T S IN O K L A H O M A , F E B R U A R Y TO M A R C H , 1926
■• ■

M arch, 1926
P ay roll

E m ploym ent

In d u s try

(Tnttnr)seed oil m ills_______________ _______
Food production:
Bakeries ___________________ _______
C!on fecti oneries
________ ___ ______
Pyparneries and dairies_______________
Flour mills
______________ Tf*e and ire cream
_ ____________ ____
M eat and p o u ltry ____________________
L ead.and zinc!
M ines and mills
_ ______________
Smelters
_________________- __ _- __
M etals a n d m achinery:
Auto repairs, etc ______ _____________
Foundries and m achine Shops _ _ ___
T a n k construction and erection______ Oil in d u stry :
Production and gasoline e x tractio n .-.---I? efin eries
__________ _ _____
P rintin g : Job w ork. ______________ ______
P ublic utilities:
__________
BteftTil railroad shops
s tre e t railw ays
___________ - ____
W ater, lig h t and pow er________ _____
Stone, clay, a n d glass:
B rick and tile
_____________________
C em ent and p la s t e r __________________
Stone
________________ _______
Glass m anufacturing__________________
Textiles a n d cleaning:
Texti 1e m anufaeturing_________________
Laundries and cleaning_______________
W oodw orking:
Sawmills ___________________________
M illw ork, e tc ................— ...........................
T o tal, all in d u s trie s ______ - __ >_____

N u m b er
of p lants
reporting

Per c ta t
of increase
(+ ) or de­
N u m b er of crease ( —)
as com­
employees
pared w ith
F ebruary,
1926

13

393

. - 4 .1

A m ount

Per cent
of increase
(+ ) or de­
crease ( —)
as com­
pared w ith
F ebruary,
1926

$7, 347

-1 1 .7
+ 5 .4
-2 2 .3
—1.1, 4
—1. 5
+5. 0
+ 2. 8
- 9 .0
-1 3 .4

44
33
14

347
285
1,538

- .1

13,875
804
2.192
7,918
7,376
35, 592

46
17

3, 542
2,080

-3 .8
- 3 .7

103,854
56,130

29
38
16

1, 285
916
662

+ 7 .1
—.3
-3 .5

20,501
25, 374
16, 406

123

4,437
5, 767
249

-.9
+ 5 .6
- 2 .0

130,605
182, 547
7,865

+ 3 .9
+ 3 .9
+ 1 .4

11
6

1,720
705

50

1 ,0 0 2

-4 .2
-2 .5
-4 .0

46,041
16, 236
27, 602

- 8 .3
- 6 .1
-7 .6

7,372
24,486
2, 707
22. 469

+19.3
~-f-9. 9
—13.-6
-1 7 . 7

35
7

516
48

11

111

66

24

11
6
■6

374
955

+L7
-1 7 . 2
+ 1 .8
+ 1 .5
+10.9

-

1 2 .2

- 8. 4
-4 .6

9

1,056

+ 3 .6
+ 7 .3
-2 .4
+ 1 .5

9
52

436
1,406

+ 1 1 .5
+ 1 .1

7, 617
24,185

+20.7

14

-.3
■ - .6

5,073
9, 660

— 24. 6

20

361
361

710

30, 754

+ .4

811,834

-4 ,0

--

202

- .2

W is c o n sin

The April, 1926, issue of the Wisconsin Labor Market, issued by
the State Industrial Commission, contains the following data on
volume of employment in Wisconsin industries in March, 1926:


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1354]

VOLUM E

O F E M P L O Y M E N T -----W I S C O N S I N

179

0 F C H A N G E IN N U M B E R OP E M P L O Y E E S A N D IN T O T \T

ATvmTTM'p

CT?

Per cent of increase (+ ) or decrease (—)
In d u s try

Feb ru ary to M arch,
1926

M arch, 1925, to M arch,
1926

E m ploy­
m ent

Em ploym ent

P ay roll

P a y ro^

M anual

A griculture..................... .............
Logging..............................................................................
M in in g -_______________ _____________
Lead a n d zinc_____ _____ __ 11111111
Iron............................ ..............................
Stone crushing and q u arry in g II” I I ” I I I ” I ........ ”
M anufacturing______ ____ _________ "
Stone a n d allied in d u strie s_______ ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
B rick, tile, a n d cem ent b locks..
Stone finishing......... .........
M e ta l._____________ ____ ._ .! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Pig iron and"rolling miÜ p ro d u c ts !!............
Struetural-iron w o rk___ _________
"
Foundries a n d m achine shops__ ! . ! ! !
R ailroad re p a ir sh o p s_________
____
sto v e s________________________ ü ü ;
A lum inum an d enam el Ware "”
M achinery...... ................ ........... ...........
A utom obiles...........................
.............
O ther m etal p ro ducts"!!!!........ ...........
W ood___________________
..! ! !
Sawmills an d planing m ills_______
Box facto ries._________________ !!!!!!!
Panel a n d veneer m ills______ !!!!!!!_ !!!!!
Sash, door, a n d interior fin ish ..
-Furniture____________ _____ _ !!!!!!!!
O ther wood p roducts_____ !"
............
R u b b er____ __ ____ ________
L e a th e r_______________ ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ................ """
T a n n in g ..____ ______ ! ! ! ! ! ! ” !! ! ! !
Boots an d sh o e s............ .......! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
O ther leath er p ro d u cts________
P a p e r ..________ ________________
P ap er a n d p u lp m ills________ !! ! ! !
P ap er boxes_______
! ! ! ! ! ! " '"
O ther paper p ro d u cts______
Textiles__________ _________
H osiery an d other k n it goods!!!!"!
C lothing. _____ _______ ____ _________
O ther textile p ro d u cts.............
Foods_________________________ __
M eat packing................
!!!!!!!!!!!!!
B aking and confectionery______ ____
M ilk p ro d u cts_____________
!!!!!!!!!!
C anning a n d p re se rv in g ........... !
F lour m ills.......................
_ ..! ! .
Tobacco m anufacturing__________________
O ther food products________________ !!!!!!
L ight and pow er...............................! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
P rin tin g and p u b lish in g ................ ! .! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
L aundering, ,cleaning, a n d dyeing_____________
Chem ical (including soap, glue, an d explosives)
C onstruction:
B uilding_______________
H ighw ay...... ............... ! ! _ ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ........
........
R ailroad____________________ ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
M arine, dredging, sewer-digging.!
C om m unication:
Ste a n rra ilw a y s.............................................
Electric ra ilw a y s.________ I ...! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Express, telephone, a n d telegraph______
W holesale tra d e ____;......... .................
H otels a n d re stau ran ts. _ _ !!!!!!!!!

. + 22. 7
+2. 5
+4. 2
+ 3 .2
+11.7
- .4
- 7 .9
- 22. 0
-4 . 0
+. 5
-3 . 1
+ 3 .3
+ 2 .4
-. 1

+1.0
-2.0

- 4 .1
+5. 0
+ .6

- 2. 0
- 1 .9
- 7 .3
-.9
-. 2
- 2. 1
-4 . 9
—5. 6

+1.0

+ 1 .3
+ 1 .7
-. 6
-. 6
+ 2 .1
-4 . 1
- 8 .7
+ 1.3
+ .8
2

+5.’ 5
-. 1
-

1. 1

-3 . 2
- 1. 2
+3. 6
+ 8. 2

+4. 0
+ 2 .5
+ 1 .3
-. 2
-, 3

-2.1

- 9 .6
- 5.9

+ 4 .7
-

1 1 .0

-.4
+ 2. 0
+ 1 .7
+• 6
+ 2 .7

-1 2 .5
-

8. 2

22.8

-

+

11. 1

+ .1

-.4
-2 4 .4
+ 4 .3
+ 1 .3
- 4 .1
-1 9 . 2
2.8

-

- 1 .1
-4 . 1
1.2

-

-. 1
+ 5 .9
-. 7
-.9
- .3
-13. 1
+ 3 .8
- 2. 1
+4. 2
-9 . 0
-9 . 9
+ 3 .9
+2. 7
+9. 1
- 1. 8
- 4 .5
- 4 .9
-5 . 1
- 1 .9
+ 2.3
+2. 3
-

1

. 0

+ 8.7

+ 1.6
- 1.0

+17. 4
+30.1
-13. 1
- 2 .4
+ 3 .8
-1 4 . 5
-8 .9
-1 5 .7
+11.3
-13. 5
+ 8. 2
+20. 5
- 5 .4
+17.0
- 10.

+26.0
+17.9
+15.4
- .7
- 2 .9
+ .1

+7. 4
+4. 6
- 3 .3
-

1. 6

+

6. 1

+ 2. 0
- 7 .8
+5. 2
-. 2
+ 2. 1
-

2. 1

+ 2 .4
- 4 .7
+ 5 .4
- 5 .1
- .6

+ 2.0

-. 2
+ 4 .2

6. 1

+1. 7
-1 8 .5
+ 3 .8
- 1.6

- 1 .3
—5. 7
+. 9
+ 1. 8

+ 3 .8
- 1 .3
+ 1. 0

+ .4

- .8
-

- 3 .9
-1 . 4

6. 6

-3 . 0
-

-

1. 1

- 4 .3
+ 9 .9
-1-9. 0
+41.9
- 4 .9
+13.9
+ 14. 1
+4. 1
-.3
+ 4 .0
-

1.8

-1 0 .5
-.9
+70.5
+ 7 .6
+ 4 .2
-.6

+8.0

+15.2
+27. 4

10. 1

-

+ 9 .7
+ 8 .4
-9 .6
-1 4 . 7
-

8.8

+17.3

-11.6

+24. 0
+ 28.8
-.9
+ 14.9
-3 .5
+35.2
+ 26.4

+2.6
+. 4

-

6.2

-3 .3
+ 13.9
+ 3 .0
+11.4

-It 8
-10. 1
+. 1
+ 7 .9
-10.6
+ 4 .1
+ .5
-. 1

+.8
+8.2
+3. 4

+7. 8
+ 6 .7
+ 12. 1
+5. 6

+8.6
+.2

-3 .1
+ 3 .3
+14. 6
- 5 .1
+ 23.0
+ 9 .2
+ 6 .7
-3 .8
+ 4 .5

+6.6

+ 1.6
+ 8.2

+130.5
+10.3

+9.5

+

1.2

-3 .6

+ 4 .8

+ 4 .4
- 7 .7
+3. 6
+ 2.3

+ 5 .8
-2 .3
+ 5 .4
+3. 5

N onm anual

+.5

M anufacturing, mines, an d quarries.
C onstruction___________ ____
C om m unieation________ ____ _ . .! ”
W holesale tra d e _____________
R etail trade—sales force o n ly _______
M iscellaneous professional serv ices...
H otels and re stau ran ts..........


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

- 8 .3

+ 1.2

+ 3 .5

+• 6

+2. 4
- 3 .3

[1355]

+.3

- .5
-3 .5
-.9
+ 1 .4
- 4 .7

+12. 0
+10. 6
-10. 0

+11. 2

+15.7

P R IC E S A ND C O ST O F LIVING

Retail Prices of Food in the United States

rW H E following tables are compiled from monthly reports of
actual selling prices 1received by the Bureau of Labor otatistics
from retail dealers.
.
„ . .
i_
Table 1 shows for the United States retail prices of food, April 15,
1925, and March 15 and April 15, 1926, as well as the percentage
changes in the year and in the month. For example, the puce pei
poimd of pork clops was 36.8 cents on April 15, 1925; 37 2 cents on
March 15, 1926; and 38.3 cents on April 15, 1926. These figures
show increases of 4 per cent in the year and 3 per cem m le mon .
The cost of the various articles of food combined shows an increase
of 7.8 per cent on April 15, 1926, as compared with April 15, 1925,
and an increase of 1.6 per cent on April 15, 1926, as compared with
March 15, 1926.
m.
a
ADE R E T A IL P R IC E S OF S P E C IF IE D FO OD A R T IC L E S A N D P E R C E N T
T ' O F IN (fR E A S ^ GORRD E C R E A S E A P R IL 15,1926, C O M P A R E D W IT H M A R C H 15,1926, A N D
A P R IL 15, 1925
[Percentage changes of five-tenths of 1 per cent and over are given in whole num bers]
Per cent of increase
( + ) or decrease
( - ) A pr. 15, 1926
com pared w ith—

Average retail price onA rticle

Sirloin stea k .
R o u n d stea k .
R ib ro ast——
C huck roast..
P la te beef---P o rk ch o p s...
Bacon---------H a m ...............
L am b, leg of.
H ens...............

U n it
A pr. 15,
1925

M ar. 15,
1926

A pr. 15,
1926

C e n ts

C e n ts

C e n ts

40.4
34. 6
29.7

Pound.
___ do..
___ do..
___ do..
........do.

21. 6
13.8

36.8
46.6
53.5
38.6
37.9

-do.
-do.
_do.
.d o .
-do.

14.6

41.1
35. 2
30.1
22.3
14. 7

37.2
48.4
54.0
37.9
39.4

38.3
48.-5
55.1
37.9
40.5

37.6
14.0

37.8
13.9
11.5
50.9
30.5

40.7
34.9
29.9

22. 1

31.2
Salm on, canned, re d ............................. ___ do..........
13.8
M ilk, fresh----------------------------------- Q u a rt.........
11.6
11.2
M ilk , evaporated-................................. 15-16 oz. can . .
53.6
53.3
P
o
u
n
d
........
B u tte r.............. .................. - .........-----30.9
30.1
Oleomargarine (all b u tte r su b sti­ ___ do..........
tutes).
37.2
36.5
___ do..
Cheese..............................................
21. 9
23. 2
___ do..
L a r d . . ------- --------------- ----------25.6
25.9
___
do..
Vegetable lard s u b stitu te ............
3a 5
38.1
Dozen..
Eggs, strictly fre s h .......................
9.4
9.4
P
o
u
n
d
.
B read ..................- ................ ...........
i In addition to retail prices of food and coal, th e b u reau publishes th e prices
each of 51 cities for th e dates for w hich these d a ta are secured.

 180
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1356]

36.5
21.4
25. 6

3a 6

Apr. 15,
1925

+2
+2
+1
+3
+7

M ar. 15,
1926

+1
+1
+1
+1
+1

+4
+4
+3

+3

+7

+3

+21
+1
+1

+1
-1
-1
-5
-1

0
-8
-1
+10

-2
-2
0
+ 0.3
0

-2
+3
-5

+0.2
+2
0

of gas and electricity from

181

R E T A IL P R IC E S O F FOOD

T able 1 .—A V E R A G E R E T A IL P R IC E S O F S P E C IF I E D F O O D A R T IC L E S A N D P E R C E N T
" O F IN C R E A S E O R D E C R E A S E A P R IL 15, 1926, C O M P A R E D W IT H M A R C H 15,1926, A N D
A P R IL 15, 1925—C ontinued

Average retail price on—
Article

Unit
Apr. 15,
1925

F lo u r......................................................... Pound
Corn m eal________________ _______ ____ do..........
Rolled o a ts.............................................. ____ do..........
C orn flakes___ ________
8 -oz. pkg
W heat c e re a l......................................... 28-oz. p k g . . . . .

M ar. 15,
1926

Apr. 15,
1926

C e n ts
6. 1

C e n ts
6. 2

C e n ts
6 1

5. 5
9. 3
11. 0
24. 6

5. 2
9.1
11. 0
25. 4

5.1
9. 1
11. 0
25. 4

M acaroni..................................................
Rice_____ _______ ________________
Beans, n a v y ______________________
P o ta to e s .. ............................................
Onions........ .............................................

P o u n d _______
____d o ..............
____do............__
____do__ _
........ do............. .

20. 4
11. 0
10. 4
2. 4
6. 9

20.3
11. 7
9. 4
5. 6
5. 9

20. 2

C abbage_____ ______ _________ ____
Beans, baked....................
Corn, canned_________ . . . ............ .
Peas, canned_______________ ______

____do__...........
N o. 2 c a n ___
____do___
........ do...............

5. 5
12. 6
18. 0
18. 5

7. 2
12. 1
16. 6
17. 7

Tom atoes, canned________________
Sugar, g ra n u la te d ...............................
T e a ___________________
Coffee ..................................... ..............

__ __do_.............
Pound
____do___
........ do___

13. 9
7. 5
75. 5
52. 1

12. 2
6. 7

P runes........ ................ ............................ ____do_______
R aisins____ _________________ ____
_do_______
B ananas___
_______ D o z e n ______
Oranges____ ______________________ ____ do...............

17. 4
14. 5
37. 4
51. 8

All articles com bined.. ..................... .

11. 7
9. 3
6. 7
6. 3

Per cent of increase
(+ ) or decrease
( - ) A pr. 15, 1926
com pared w ith —
Apr. 15,
1925

o
—7
—2
0

M ar. 15,
1926

—2
—2
0
0

+3

o

-1
+ 6

—0.4
o

-H
+179
-9

-1
+20

7.4
12. 0
16. 5
17. 6

+35
—5

+3

12. 0
6. 6

-1 4

76. 1
51. 3

76. 3
51.1

17. 1
14. 6
35. 3
47. 8

17.1
14. 6
35. 5
52. 6

-2
+1

- 8

—5
-1 2
+1
-2

-5
+ 2

+ 7 .8

+7
-1
-1
-1
- 2

—1
+ 0.3
- 0 .4
0
0
+1
+10

+

1 .6

Table 2 show's for the United States average retail prices of speci­
fied food articles on April 15, 1913, and on April 15 of each year
from 1920 to 1926, together with percentage changes in April of
each of these specified years, compared with April, 1913. For ex­
ample, the price per pound of ham was 26.5 cents in April, 1913;
53.6 cents in April, 1920; 49.3 cents in April, 1921; 50.7 cents in April,
1922; 45.1 cents in April, 1923; 44.3 cents in April, 1924; 53.5 cents
in April, 1925; and 55.1 cents in April, 1926.
As compared with April, 1913, these figures show an increase of
102 per cent in April, 1920; 86 per cent in April, 1921; 91 per cent in
April, 1922; 70 per cent in April, 1923; 67 per cent in April, 1924;
102 per cent in April, 1925; and 108 in April, 1926.
The cost of the various articles of food combined showed an increase
of 65.6 per cent in April, 1926, as compared with April, 1913.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1357]

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

182

T able 2 -A V E R A G E R E T A IL P R IC E S O F S P E C IF I E D FO O D A R T IC L E S A N D P E R C E N T
OF IN C R E A S E OR D E C R E A S E A P R IL 15 O F C E R T A IN S P E C IF I E D Y E A R S C O M P A R E D
W IT H A P R IL 15, 1913
[Percentage changes of five-tenths of 1 per cent and over are given in whole num bers]
P er cent of increase A pr. 15 of each
specified year com pared w ith
A pr. 15,1913

Average retail price on A pr. 15—
Article

U nit
191311920 1921 1922 1923 1924 192.5 1926 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 I1926
C ts .

C ts

C ts

C ts . C is . C ts .

C ts

Sirloin stea k ----------i
R ound ste a k .......... . .
Rib-roast.!------------C huck ro ast_______
P late beef------ ------- -

Pound _
,__do__
...d o __
...d o ...
...d o —.

25. 5 43.2 40.0 36.4
22. 2 39.9 35.6 31.4
3
20.0 33. 30.4
16. 2 26. 6. 22. 4 19.
12. 2 19. 0 15.4 13.0

39. 6 40. 4 41.1
33.6 34. 6 35.2
29.0 29. 7 30.1
[20. 9 21.6 22.3
13.3 13.8 14.7

69
80
68
64
56

57
60
52
"38
26

43
41
37
20
7

49
45
39
22
4

55
51
45
29
9

58 : 61
56 59
49 51
33 ■38
13 20

P ork c h o p s ..- ..........
B ac o n ..-.,-------------H a m ........ ............—
L am b, leg of---------H ens.............. ...........

,--d o .-._ .d o --.
...d o .—
. . . d o .—
d o . ..

33. 0 28. 4 28.7 30.8 38.3
21.6 43.2 37.1
44.4 39. 7139.1 36.2' 46.6 48,

100
93
102
113
115

72
66
86
71
94

53
48
91
91
70

3146
70
79
63

33
35
67
92
63

70 77
74 81
102 108
91 88
71 82

Salmon, canned, red.
M ilk , fresh......... .......
M ilk , ev ap o rated - . .
B u tte r__ - ...........—
Oleomargarine (all
b u tte r su b stitu te ).

. .d o __
Q u a rt. .

"“ 83 “ "67 "“ 43 ' “ 53

55

55 “ 56

“ "88 "“ 38 “ "Ï2 "“ ¡2

“ "2 4

32 ~ 26

26.8 51.6
26. 5 53.6 49.3 50. 7.45.1 44.3 53.5
20.2 43.0 34.6 38. 5'36. 2 38.8 38.6
22.2 47.8 43.1 37. 8 36.1 36.1 37.9

137.8 38.4 32. 4131. 2 31.1
14.9 12.7!l3.-e|13.-8
14.4 14.6
P o u n d . 40."4 76.1 55. 45. 2 57. 3 50.1

(2)

. . . d o ___

8.9

16.3

11.1112. 2111. 8

39. 5 30.6 27.3 28. 3 29.3 30.1 30. 5

22.0 42.8 37.3 32.1 36.3 35.6
Cheese------ ------------ —d o ..
15.8 30.1 18.4116.9 17.5 17.2
L a rd --------------------- —d o ..
Vegetable lard s u b ­
37. 5 23.1(22.1 22. 6 24. 5 25.925.
s t i t u t e - - . - .......... . _.do___
Eggs, stric tly fresh. D ozen... 25. 2 52.8 34. 3 31. 7 34. 4 32. 1
;. 7 -8. 7
B read............ .............. P o u n d .. 5.6 11.2 10.

4.9
8.1 5.9
4.0
6.5 4.6
10. 4 10. 0
14.112.810.1 9.7
29. 9 29. 8125. 9 24.6

4.
4.4

6.1

F lo u r_______
C orn m eal—
R olled oats—C orn flakes. .
W heat cereal.

_do._
-d o ..
-do_-

M acaroni___
R i e e . .. ..........
B eans, n a v y .
P otatoes—- . .
Onions........ .

Pound.
...d o __
. .d o __
...d o __
...d o ...

20.3 20. 9 20. 0 19.8 19.5 20.4
.4 9.8 11.0
18.6 9.2 9.4
10. 4
11.8 8 . 1 9. 3 11.4
9.1 2.3 2.9 2. 5 2. 8 2. 4
10. 1 3.9 13.8 6.5 5.9 6.9

Cabbage------Beans, b a k e d .
C orn, can n ed .
P e a s, canned..

...d o __

9.2
16.8
18.5
19.0

(3)
(4)

(»)
(s)
(5)
(5)
Pound.

8. 8•8 .

5. 5

95
91

70
16

46
7

65
11

62
9

66
47

66
35

110
100

36
84

26
55

37
55

27
55

51
68

53
68

145
124

79
59

61
34

48
38

39
52

85
90

85
76

36

9.3

9. 11.0
24.3 24. 6

5.1 5. 3 8,4 7.1 5.5
14.9 13.1 13.0 12. 7 12. 6
16.3 15.6 15. 15. 8Î18. 0
17.8 17.8 17.5 18. 0118. 5

Tom atoes, canned..
S.ugar, granulated ..
T e a ............................
Cofl ee. —
.

. ..d o __
...d o ...

15.1 11.5 13. 12.9 12. 9 13. 9
5. 4 20.2 9. 7 6. 7 10.6 9. 9j 7. 5
54.3 73.3 70.4 67.7 69.2 71. 0:75. 5
29.8 49. 1 36.6 35.7 38.0 41. 8|52.1

P r u n e s ...
R aisin s. _
B ananas.
Oranges..

..- d o ...
. . . d o __
Dozen,.
. .. d o __

28. 4 19.5 20.0 19.7 17. 517. 4
26.9 31.3 24. 4 18.0 15. 6114. 5
41.7 40.9 36.1 36.6 87: 2 37. 4
64. 6 44.4 61.1 50. 2 40. 2 51.-8

All articles com­
bined 8____ _____

110

7

9

9

14

28

507

53

93

67

87

60 347

9
6 274
3
35
65

80
30
,23

.24
25
20

06
27
28

83
31
40

39
39
•75

)

22
41
71

1
6
5
6
.114.

55.

41.

45.9 44.

53.0 65. 6

1 B o th p in k and red.
2 15-16 ounce can.
3 8-ounce package.
4 28-ounce package.
6 No. 2 can.
,
8 B eginning w ith Jan u a ry , 1921, index num bers showing th e tren d m th e retail cost of food have been
composed of th e articles show n in T ables 1 and 2, w eighted according to th e consum ption of th e average
fam ily. F ro m Jan u a ry , 1913, to D ecem ber, 1920, th e index n um bers included th e following articles: Sir­
loin steak , ro u n d steak, rib roast, chuck roast, p late beef, pork chops, bacon, ham , lard, hens, flour, corn
m eal, eggs, b u tte r, m ilk, bread, potatoes, sugar, cheese, rice, coflee, an d tea;


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[13581

183

B E TA IL PBICE-S OF FOOD

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 March and April, 1926.
T able 3 .—A V E R A G E R E T A IL P R IC E S O F S P E C IF IE D A R T IC L E S O F FO O D A N D
A M O U N T P U R C H A S A B L E F O R $1, IN S P E C IF IE D Y E A R S , 1913 T O 1925, A N D IN
M A R C H A N D A P R IL , 1926

Year

1913....................
1920........... .......
1921__________
1922__________
1923__________
1924_______. . . .
1925__________
1920:
M arch ____
A pril_____ ;

Sirloin steak

R ound steak

R ib roast

C huck roast

P late beef

Pork chops

A ver­
age
A m t.
retail for $ 1
price

A ver­
A m t.
age
retail for $ 1
price

A ver­
age
A m t.
retail for $ 1
price

A ver­
age
A m t.
retail for $ 1
price

A ver­
A m t.
age
retail for $ 1
price

A ver­
age
A m t.
retail for $ 1
price

C e n ts
p e r lb .

C e n ts
p e r .lb .

C e n ts
p e r lb .
19. 8

C e n ts
p e r lb .
16. 0

C e n ts
p e r lb .
1 2 .1

C e n ts
p e r lb .
21. 0

25.4
43. 7
38. 8
37.4
39. 1
39. 6
40.6
40. 7
41.1

L b s.

2. 5
2. 5

4. 5
2.5
2.9
3.1
3.0
3. 0
2.9

2. 5
2.4

34.9
35.2

2 .8

2 .6

2.7
2 .6

C e n ts
p e r lb .

L b s.

3.7
1.9
2.3
2. 5
2 .-1

26.9
55.5
48.8
48.8
45. 5
45. 3
52.6

48.4
48. 5

2 .1
2 .1

54.0
55.1

2 .6

2.7

C e n ts
p e r lb .
15. 8

L b s.

C e n ts
pcrdoz.

L bs.

3.7
1 .8
2. 0
2. 0
2. 2
2 .2

1.9
1.9
1 .8

D ozs.

29. 5
18. 0
17. 0
17. 7
19. 0
23.3

34. 5
68. 1
50.9
44.4
46. 5
47.8
52.1

2.9
1.5

21.9
21.4

4.6
4.7.

38. 5
38.0

2 .6
2 .6

1. 7
6.3
3. 1
2.8
2.9
2. 7
3. 6
5. 6
6. 7

L bs.
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

17.9
14.9

6.7
6.6


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

2 .0

2.3
2. 2
2 .1

1.9

.Sugar
C e n ts
p e r lb .

33. 2
29. 1
27.. 6
.28. 4
'28.8
29.6

5.1
3.0
3.4
3.6
3.5
3.6
3.4

29.9
30.1

3.3
3.3

C e n ts
p e r lb .

L bs.

2 0 .2
20. 8
2 1 .6

6.3
3.8
4.7
5.1
5.0
4.8
4.6

2 2 .1
2 2 .3

4. 5
4.5

26.2
2 1 .2

19.7

M ilk

L bs.

C e n ts
p e r a t.

21. 3
44.7
39.7
36.0
35. 0
35.3
30.6

4. 7

2.7

8.9
16. .7
14.6
13. 1
13.8
13.8
14.0

39.4
40.5

2.5
2.5

14.0
13.9

2 .2

2.5
2. 8
2.9
2 .8

B read

6.3
3.4
5.6
5.9
5.6
5.3
4.3

C e n ts
p e r lb .

L bs.

H ens

Eggs

Potatoes

1913.......... .........
1920..... .......... .
1921__________
1922__________
1923__________
1924
. .
1925................... .
1926:
M a rc h ____
A p ril_____

C e n ts
p e r lb .

27.0
52.3
42. 7
39. 8
39. 1
37. 7
46. 7

L ard

1913__________
1920__________
1921__________
1922__________
1923___________
1 9 2 4 ............ .
1925___ . . . . . . . .
1926:
M arch ___
A p ril. . . . . . .

2.9

H am

Bacon

1 9 1 3 ..................
1920__________
1921__________
1922.__________
1923__________
1924__________
1925.....................
1920:
M arch ____
.A p ril..........

L bs.

22.3
39. 5
34.4
32.. 3
33. 5
33.8
34.7

3.9
2.3

L bs.

9.4
9.4

1 0 .6
1 0 .6

17.9
11. 5 . -8 . 7
9.9
10. 1
8.7
11. 5
8.7
11. 5
8 .8
11.4
9.4
1 0 .6

Tea

C e n ts
p e r lb .

3.3
8. 1
5. 8
5.1
4.7
4.9

Q ts .
11. 2
6 .0
6 .8

14.6
14. 7

6 .8
6 .8

C e n ts
p e r lb .

7.6
7.2
7.2
7.1

38. 3
70. 1
51.7
47.9
55. 4
51.7
54.8

7.1
7.2

53.6
50.9

L b s.

C e n ts
p e r lb .

L bs.

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

37. 2
38. .3,

2.7

L bs.
2 .6

1.4
1.9

C e n ts
p e r lb .
22. 1

1 .8

41.6
34. 0
32.9
36.9
35.3
36.7

1 .0
2 .0

37.2
36.5

2 .1
1 .8

1.9

L bs.

L bs.

4.5
2.4
2.9
3.0
2.7
2 .8

2.7
2.7
2.7

RiGe
C e n ts
p e r lb .

3.0
6. 5
4. 5
3.9
4. 1
4.7
5.4

33. 3
15. 4
22. 2
25. 6
24.4
21.3
18. 5

8.7
17.4
9. 5
9. 5
9. 5
10. 1

6 .1

30.3
12. 3
17.2
19. 6
21.3
20.4
16.4 ,

6 .2
6 .1

16. 1
16.4

5. 2
5.1

19. 2
19. 6

11.7
11. 7

L b s.

11.5
5.7
10.5
10.5
10.5
9.9
9.0

1 1 .1

8. 5
8.5

Coffee

L b s.
1. 8

C e n ts
p e r lb .
29. 8

5.2,
12. 5
13.7
9.9
10.9
13.9

73.3
69. 7
68. 1
69, 5
71. 5
75. 5

1. 4
1.4
1.5
1.4
1.4
1. 3

47.0 . 2 . 1
36. 3
2 .8
36.1
2 .8
37. 7
2.7
2. 3
43. 3
51. 5
1.9

14.9
15. 2

76. 1
76.3

1. 3
1. 3

51. 3
51. 1

L bs.

3.4

1.9
2. 0

2 .6

Cheese

Corn meal

C e n ts
L bs.
p e r lb .
18. 21 54.4

[1359]

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

B u tte r

Flour

C e n ts
p e r .lb .
5. 6

L bs.

’

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

184

Retail Prices oi Food 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 witn the
bureau until after 1913.
T able 4 .—A V E R A G E R E T A IL P R IC E S O F T H E P R IN C IP A L

row ing to differences in trad e practices in th e cities included in this report exact comparisons of prices in
C't h f p i t a s shown hr^this table are com puted from reports sent m o n thly to the bureau by retail dealers;

Article

U nit

Apr. 15Apr. 15—
M ar. A pr
M ar. Apr.
Mar. Apr.
15, 15,
15, 15,
15, 15,
1926 1926 1913 1925 1926 1926 1913 1925 1926 1926
1913 1925
Apr. 15—

C ts .

Sirloin steak R ound stea k .
R ib ro a s t___

Chuck roftst.,
Plate beef----

Pound.
___ do..
___ do..
___ do.
___ do.

Pork ch o p s...
Bacon, sliced.
H am , sliced ..
Lam b, leg of.
H e n s..............

_do.
-do.
-do.
-do.
-do.

Salmon, canned, re d ---M ilk, fresh — ----—.----M ilk, ev ap o rated -------B u tte r_______________
Oleomargarine (all b u t­
te r su b stitu tes).
C heese........... ...............
L a rd _________________
Vegetable la rd su b stitu te
Eggs, strictly fresh. . .
B read....................—

Flour---- ---------------

C orn m eal___________
Rolled oats___:_______
Corn fla k e s..._______
W heat c e re a l............. M acaroni___

Rice.____ _

Beans, n a v y .
P otato es........
O nions_____

B irm ingham , Ala.

Baltimore, M d.

A tlanta, Ga.

C ts

C ts .

C ts

C ts

38.0 40.6 24.0
34.0 36.5 22. 7
18.7
29. 6 31.
22.0 24.2 16.3
13.2
14.3
13.3

24.5 38.1
21.0 34.1
20.6 29.0
14. 5 21. 7
13.1

11.0

24.5 35. 3 36.1
32.4 45 4 46. 9
29.5 55.9 53. 7
36.6
20.0 37
21.1 33.7 36.9

C ts .

32.8
16. 0
13.1
56. 7
31.9

___ do____
___ do____
___ do____
D ozen___
P o u n d ___

25.0 34.8 35.7
15.4 23.0 21.8
25.2 23.
22.4 36.2 35.4
10.2 10.3

22.7 41
31. 0 55.2
20.5 39.3
22.0 39.9

42.9
57.7
38.6
41.4

43.8
59. 1
39.0
42.8

20.0 20.0

33.7 23.3 36. 7
21.5 14.3 22. 7
25.5
24.4
37. 21.7 36.7
10.4 5.4 9.4

36.0
19.
24.2
35.3
9.8

34
19.6
24.1
35.9
9.8

6.0

Pound.
___ do..
__ .do..
___do..
___ do..

22.0 21.9 21. 6'

___ do.__
No. 2 ean.
___ do.— .
___ do___

Tom atoes, canned.
Sugar, gran u lated .
T e a ..........................
Coflee___________

___ do..
Pound.
___ do..
___ do..

P ru n e s ...
R aisins...
B anan as.
O ranges..

........do.
____do.
D ozen.
____do.

11.3!
8.6 10.4 11.3
12.8 10.7 10. T
2.0 3.0 6.6 7.6
8.8 7.6 7.9
5.5 8.2 7.8
12.3 11.8 11.6
17.4 17.8 17.7
19.2 19.2 19.1

C ts

C ts .

39.4 39.8
34.7 34.9
27.9 27.3
22.6 22.4
13.5 14.7

32.5 46.1 48.3
30.0 52.5 53
21.8 37.5 37.2
19.3 33. 36.0

8.8

5.8
7.0 7.1 7.1 3.2 5.7
3.9
3.
4.8 4.0 4.0 2.4 4.
8.9 8.5 8.5
9.9 9.5 9.5
10.2
10.4 10.2
11.3 11.5 11.3
22.8 24.3 24.4
25. 26. 5 26. 2j

Beans, baked..
Corn, can n ed .
Peas canned...

C ts

26.1 38.2
22.0 33.6
19.3 28.4
16. 22. 3
10.5 14.2

21.0 37.1 38.1 38.2 22.5 35.8 36.5 36.2

___ do____
___ d o ___
___ do____
8 -oz. p k g ..
28-oz. p k g .

Cabbage.—...

C ts

C ts .

32.0
27.8 36.8 36.8
13.0 13.0 13.0 10.3 19.0
12.
11.0 11.3 11.3
13.7 13.5
56.9 55.2 42. 9 58.8 58.0 55.8 44.4 58.3
35.7
28.4 31.0 30.8
31.7 31.

39.0 38.1

___ do_____
Q u a r t..—
15-16-oz. can
P o u n d ____
___ do_____

6.0

36.5
47.5
54.2
36.1
37.4

C ts

40.1 39.2 39. 5
35. 35.2 35. 5
32.0 29.9 30.0
22. 0 21.7 21.7
14.6 15.1 14.8

19.0 19.1 19.0
9.0 10.4 10.6 10.
9.6 8 .
6.7
5.
6.3 5.6

2.2

6.6

8.1
6.1
8.2

11.5 10.7 10.6
17.5 15.8 15.3
16.9 16.0 15.8

21.8
15.81
___
22.7
5.3

47.9
53.0
36.3
36.1

41.1 41.4
20.0 20.0
12.5 12.5
59.0 57.2
36.6 36.2

36.7
23.8
22.4
38.3
10.4

37.0 35.8
22.5 22.0
22.2 22.1

36.4 38.2
10.3 10.3

7.1 7.3 7.2
4.1
4.6 4,
9.8 10.1 10.1

12.1 12. 2 12.2

25.6 26.6 26.6
19.3 19.0 18.9
11.1 12.1 12.2

12. 4 11.5 11.5
7.4
3.6
8.5

6.8
8.0 8.1
8.1
5 7.9 12.8

13. 2 12.7
18.8 18.2 18.0
22.5 21.7 21.8

13.0 11.4 11.2
12.5 10.1 10.0
13.7 11.6 11.4
7.1 7.1
5.2
.
7.1 7.1 4.8
5.3
92.9 94.4
92.
61.3
74.6
74.
5
74.9
60.0 98.7 103.5 105.5 56.0
32.0 51.1 51.8 50.7 25.2 49.8 47.8 47.7 28.8 54. 54.0 54.4
19.7 19.5 19.4
16.3 14.9 14.5
17.8 18.2 18.1
15.7 15.2 15.2
13.2 13.3 13.5
15. 16.5 14.9
38.9 37. 38.9
28.3 25.5 25.8
28.5 29.2 27.7
50.7 46.1 49.1
51.6
46.4
51.2
46.7 41.7 47.0

8.1

6

6.0 6.0

8.0

1 T he steak for w hich prices are here quoted is called “ sirlo in ” in this city, b u t in m ost of the other cities
included in this report it w ould be know n as “ porterhouse” steak.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1 3 6 0 ]

RETA IL P R IC E S OF FOOD

185

51 Cities on Specified Dates

for April 15, 1913 and 1925, and for March 15, and April 15, 1926.
exception of April, 1913, as these cities were not scheduled by the
A R T IC L E S O F FO O D IN 51 C IT IE S ON S P E C IF I E D D A T E S
one city w ith those in another can not be m ade for some articles, p articularly m eats a nd vegetables. Also
and since some dealers occasionally fail to report, th e num ber of quotations varies from m onth to m onth]

Bridgeport,

Boston, M ass.

Apr. 15
1913

1925

C ts .

C ts .

1

Conn.

8.9
42.1
..........
2 2 .6

16.0
31.0
5.9
3.7
3.5
..........

9. 2
1.5

B utte, M ont.

Charleston, S. C.

Apr. 15Apr. 15M ar. Apr. Apr. M ar. Apr.
Mar. Apr. A pr. Mar. Apr.
M ar. Apr.
15,
15,
15, 15, 15,
15, 15,
15,
15,
15,
15, 15,
1926 1926 1925 1926 1926
1913 1925 1926 1926 1925 1926 1926 1913 1925 1926 1926
C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

36. c 162.6 1 63. 2 165.0 4 7 . 5 47.8 48.2
34.0 50. 1 49.0 50.9 39.1 41.2 41. 6
24.4 38.6 38.3 38.5 35.9 36.7 36.9
18. 0 25.3 26.4 27. 1 26. ( 27.3 27.5
16.9 19.7 18.4 1 1 . 0 1 1 . 8 1 1 . 8
23.8
25.0
30.5
24.3
24.6

Buffalo, N . Y.

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

22.3
19.3
17. 5
15.5

39. 1
33.6
29. 5
22. 7
13.0

39.5 39.7
33. 0 33.3
29.6 29.8
2 2 . 8 22.9
14.3 14.4

1 1 .8

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

33.0
31.5
27.0
20.7
15.2

34.5
31.2
27.2

30.6
26.4
26.7
18. a
12.3

30.6
26. 2
26.5
18. a
1 2 .6

31.2 22. 3 33.2
26. 7 2 1 . 0 30.9
26.9 2i. a 28. 2
18.9 io. a 20. 7
1 2 . 6 1 2 . 1 14.7

41.9
44.7
53.4
34. 2
41.9

35.6
56.7
58.4
40.8
35.9

36.2
56. 2
58.3
39.6
37.2

37.9 24.3 34.5 34. 7 35.2
55.7 25. 5 43.4 42. S 43.2
58.3 26.7 49.4 48.2 50.3
40. 5 2 1 . 8 43.6 41.7 42.5
40.0 2 2 . 2 37.2 39.0 40.8

2 1 .2

15.4

39.0
46.4
58. 2
38.0
40.8

39.0
46. 5
57.6
37.6
42.3

40.8
46.8
58.6
38.9
43.9

38.4
51.1
60.5
38.6
41. 6

30. 5
13.8
11. 5
54.3
30.3

37.1
14. 9
12. 3
54.8
31. 2

37.9
14. 9
12. 2
52. 1
30.7

11. 1

29. 4 33.8 33. 7
15. C 16.0 16. C 8 . 0
11. 6 11. 6
54.1 55.1 51.3 40.2
29.2 30.4 29.4 —

11 0

28.9 37.6 37. 8
14.2 13.2 13.0
11.4 11.3
53.8 53.8 51.2
29.1 30.4 30.0

28. 6
14.3
10. 7
48.9
32.7

32. 6
14.3
11.4
50.8
36.6

33. 6
14.3 Ü. 7
11. 1
49. 1 41. 5
37.1 —

30. 5
18. 0
11.3
54.3
31. 5

38.1
18.0
11.9
54.6
31.8

39.1
18.0
11.9
52.1
31.5

38.1
23.8
26. 0
50.1
9.0

39.4
21. 7
25.4
52. 5
9. 1

39.0
21.5
25.4
50.5
9.1

38.3 40.1 39.8 19.0
22.5 2 1 . 1 20.7 14.3
25. 5 25. 6 25. 6
46.3 50.9 46.8 25.2
8 .8
9.0 9.0 5.6

36.6 38.5 38.1
22.3 2 0 . 6 20.4
26. 0 26. 2 26.3
38.9 44. 5 41.4
8.9 9.0 9.0

35.7
25.9
28. 1
42. 6
9.8

25.0
29.8
43.0

24.6 2 0 . 8
29.8 15. 0
42.0
25. 4
9.8 6 . 0

33.9
24. 0
24.6
41. 0

34.8
23.6
23.9
41. 4
10.7

33.6
23.6
23.9
42 0

6.5
6.3
9.4

6 .8

5.7 5.8 5.6
5.2 5.4 5.4
9 1 8.7 8.7
10.4 10.4 10.4
23. 9 24.5 24.5

6.3
6.4
7.8
12. 2
26.8

6 .0

6.5
9. 3

38.8
52. 1
57. C
37.7
42.4

39.9 2 0 . 8 39.4 40.4
52. 1 21.5 42.4 44.5
57.4 25.7 50.0 52. 7
37.6 18.7 35.3 35. 1
44.3 2 2 . 8 38.8 41.7

6.7 6 . 1 6 . 2 6.3
6.5 7.8 7.9 7.8
9. 4 8 . 6 8 . 5 8 . 8
10.9 10.5 10.5 10.5
25.0 23. 7 24. 6 24. 6

3.0
2.5

2 2 . 2 2 1 . 6 21.5
9.3 10.4 11.5 11. 5
10. 1
9.6 9.5
1.3 1.4 5.7 6.9
7.4 7.8
6. 8

1 1 .2

1 0 .8

24. 5

24.8

2 2 .0

11.4
10. 9
1.9

23.1
12.5
10. 5
5.9

6 .8

6 .2

23.0 23. 2 22.7 22. 7
12.7 1 0 . 8 11.7 11.7
10. 3 1 0 . 8 1 0 . 1 9. 8
7.7 2 . 0 5.7 7.2
6.9 6.5 5.8 6 . 5

7.4
13. 9
20.4
21. 7

8.7
14. 0
19. 4
21. 0

8 .8
6 .2
8.5 8 . 6
13. 9 11. 9 11. 4 11. 5
19. 3 20. 7 19. 8 19. 5
20. 9 21. 5 21. 3 21. 3

13.8
7.3
75.0
57.2
17.1
13. 8
50. 0
59.8

19.7
11.5
11. 1
2. 2

9.8
5.9
7.2

5.9
5.9
7.4

1 2 .2

1 2 .2

29.0

29.0

19.5

18.9

1 2 .2
1 0 .6

1 2 .2

10.5
5.0
4.8

3.7
2.3

5.6

1 0 .8

1 0 .8

7.5
4.1
9.4

7.4 7.4
4.0 4. 0
9.4 9.4
1 1 . 8 11.7 11.7
25. 0 26.6 25.9
19. 2 19.0 19.0
8 .6
9.7 9.6
1 1 . 1 10.3 10.5
2. 5 6 . 7 7.9
7. 5 6.9 7.0

6.4

3.8
4.8

5.5 7.6 8 . 0
10. 5 10.3 1 0 . 0
17. 5 15.8 15. 9
17.1 16.0 16.3

6.9
14.7
16.9
17.1

6 .0

8 .6

14.9
16.0
15.3

14.9
15. 7
15.2

12. 5
6.5
74. 5
55.8

1 2 . 6 14. 8 13. 2 12. 9
15. 2 13.9 13.7
6.4 7.0 6.3 6.3 5.4 7. 1 6.4 6 . 2
74. 3 60. 1 59.9 59.9 45.0 6 6 . 8 69.8 69.5
55.6 49.1 48.8 48. 4 29.3 49.8 49.9 49.2

14.3
9.2
81.9
56.5

13.3
7.7
82.7
57.0

13.3
11.9 10.3 10.1
7.9 5. 0 7.0 6.3 6 . 2
83.5 50.0 71.8 75.3 76.7
56.9 26.0 46. 2 46.3 46.1

16. 7
14. 0
46. 3
52.1

16.8
14. 2
45.6
60.0

18.3
14. 3
37. 9
57.2

98397°—20—

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

13

6. 1
68. 6

33.0

3

16. 2
14. 3
35. 8
50.5

16. 2
14. 0
35. 0
57.7

16. 7
13 9
45. 6
56.4

16.5
14. 1
42.1
52.8

P er pound.

[1361]

16.1 16.6 16.8 17.5
14. 1 15.8 15. 0 15.6
42. 9 s 16. 4 215.4 215.3
55.0 47. 7 49.9 49.0

2. 0

3.7 7.3 6 . 1
10. 5 1 0 . 0 10.0
17. 5 15.5 15.6
18.9 17.6 17.6

16.8 15.8 15.7
14.4 14.3 14.1
38.6 36.3 38.8
45.8 36.5 48.5

186

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
T able 4 .—A V E R A G E R E T A IL P R IC E S OF T H E P R IN C IP A L A R T L

Chicago, HI.

C incinnati, Ohio

C leveland, Ohio

Article

U nit

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

Sirloin ste a k .................. .
R ound ste a k __________
R ib roast _ .......................
C huck roast________
P late beef......................... .

P o u n d . ___
____d o _____
____do _____
____do _____
____do _____

22.3
19.1
19. 7
15.4
11.4

41.7
32. 2
33. 1
22. 5
13.3

43.3
34. 5
33. 5
24. 8
14. 5

43.8
35. fi
33. 7
24. 9
14.6

24.1
21. 9
19. 9
16. 4
13.4

37. 1
33. 6
29. 2
20. 2
15.4

36.8
33. 2
29.8
20. 8
15.0

37.2 25. 0
33. a 2 1 . 8
29. 7 2 0 . 0
2 1 . a 17. 2
15.6 12.3

38. 1 37. 1
31.6 31.0
26. 8 27.0
2 1 .8 2 2 . 0
12.7 13.8

37.61
31. 6 |
27.5

P ork chops______ ___
Bacon, s lic e d ___
H am , sliced.________
Lam b, leg of__________
H ens...................................

____d o _____
____d o ____
____d o _____
____d o _____
........ d o --------

19.5
31. 4
32.5
20. 7

35.7
50. 7
53. 9
37.7
38.5

35. 1
52. 5
54.5
37. 9
41.2

36.9
52. 3
54.1
37.6
41.9

35.4
25. 7 40. 0
28. 2 53. 0
18.6 38. 6
25.3 42. 3

35.8
44. 6
53.3
36. 1
41.0

35.8
44.6
53. 1
36.6
43.0

38.2
47. 6
5a 1
36.6
41.3

37.3
50. 1
56.8
36.0
43.0

39.3
49. 7
57.3
36.3
44.3

32. 8
14.0
10.7
50. 5
27. 4

38. 7
14.0
11. 0
50. 8
28. 5,

38. 6
29. 5 37.1 37. 4
14. 0 8 . 0 1 2 . 0 1 2 . 0 1 2 . 0 8.3
10. 6 10. 9 10. 8
10. 9
47. 3 41. 6 52. 8 52. 5 49. 6 42. 0
27. 7
30. 7 30.9 30.1

30.8 38. 5
14.0 14.0
11. 2
54. 0 55. 4
32. 0 32. 4

11 2

A pr. 15—
A pr 15—
M ar. Apr.
M ar. Apr.
Mar. Apr.
15, 15,
15, 15,
15, 15, 1926
1926
1926
1926 1913 1925 1926 1926
1913 1925
1913 1925
Apr. 15—

2 1 .1

Salmon, canned, re d ___ ____d o _____
M ilk, fresh____________ Q u art______ 8 . 0
M ilk, evaporated - _ .
15-16-oz. can.
B u tte r__ 1____
P o u n d _____ 39. 0
Oleomargarine (all but- ____d o _____
te r su b stitu tes).

22. 1

C ts .

21.3
27. 0
36.0
21. 5
25.0

C ts .

C ts .

10. 8

C ts .

2 2 .6

13.8

38 6
13.7
51. 1
32.0

Cheese_________
.
L ard- ______ .
Vegetable lard su b stitu te
Eggs, stric tly fresh
B read____________ ____

__ _ _do___
25. 3 40. 0 41. 6 41.1 2 1 . 6 36. 7 36. 2
____do
14. 9 22.7 21. 4 2 1 . 1 14.2 2 1 . 6 19. 4
25.9 25.9
____do_____
26.3 26.3 26.3
D ozen ____ 22. 9 39. 7 41. 2 41. 7 19. 4 33. 9 32. 2
P o u n d _____ 6 . 1 9.9 9.8 9.8 4.8 9.3 9.2

F lo u r_________________
C orn m eal___ _ ______
Rolled oats_____ _
C orn flakes___ _______
W heat cereal_________

------ do_____
------ d o ____
____do ____
8 -oz. p k g .
_
28-oz. pkg__

2.7
2.9

M a c a ro n i.........................
R ice________________ .
Beans, n a v y ___________
P otatoes......................
Onions_____________

P o u n d _____
__ do __
____do . _
____do _____
___ d o ____

19. 8 19. 3 19. 0
9. 0 11. 4 1 1 . 8 11. 7
9. 9 9. 5 9. 4
Ì. 3 2 . 2 5.4 6 . 3
6. 8
5.9 6 . 2

C abbage___________ . . .
Beans, b a k ed _____ _
Corn, can n ed __________
Peas, c a n n e d .............. .....

-

Tom atoes, canned_____
Sugar, g ran u lated ______
T e a . . ___ ____________
Coflee..................... ............

15.2 14. 2 13.8
13.9 12.5 1 2 . 0
____d o -.........
14.3 13.6 13.4
P o u n d _____ 5. 0 7.1
6. 4
5. 0 7. 4 6 . 7 6 7 5. 2 7. 5 6 8 6 7
____d o _____ 53. 3 73. 5 73. 5 72. 3 60. 0 75. 2 78. 2 78. 6 50. 0 78. 0 79. 5 81. 6
........ d o ........... 30.7 52.3 52.1 51.6 25.6 47.0 46. 4 46. 4 26.5 54.2 54.0 54.1

..d o __
N o. 2 can
........ do_____
........ d o _____

P runes________________ ____do_ ___
R aisins_______________
_ do __
B ananas______________ Dozen
Oranges_______________ ____do _____

5. 5 5.8 5.6
6. 5
6. 1
6. 1
9. 0 8 . 4 8 . 4
1 0 . 1 10. 1 10. 0
24. 2 24. 4 24.5

5.7 7.7 7. 4
12. 9 1 2 . 8 12. 7
18. 6 16. 9 16. 8
18. 0 17.5 17.2

18.5
15. 7
42. 3
52. 8

18. 5
15. 3
42. 2
51. 2

18. 7
15. 4
41. 9
58.1

3.3
2.5

35.9 23. 0 35. 7 39 0
19. 0 16. 5 24. 5 22 7
25.3
27.2 27.0
34. 0 23. 6 38.1 40 3
9.1 5.5 8 . 0 8 . 1

5.9 6.3 6.3
4.6 4. 1 4. 1
8.8
8.6
8 .6
10. 3 10.3 10.3
23. 7 24. 7 24. 7

19. 7 18. 5 18. 3
11.3 n . 1
7. 8 7. 9
1.5 2.3 5.9 6.4
7. 0 5. 7 6 . 0

8.8

10. 8
8. 8

5. 5 7. 2 6.9
11.4 1 1 . 0 33. o
16. 4 15. 9 15. 7
17. 7 17.3 17.3

17. 4
14. 4
39. 5
52. 5

17. 6
14. 9
37. 3
41. 4

17. 6
15. 0
36. 5
52.0

3.1
2.7

6 .0

6 .1

38 7
22 5
27.2
39 9
8 .0
6 .1

5.9 5. 2 5.2
9. 5 9 5 9 4
11.3 1 1 . 2 1 1 . 1
25. 0 25 2 25 3

21. 7 21 8 21 9
5 11. 3 32. 2 1 2 0
9. 7 7 9 7 8
1.4 2 . 1 5.7 7.0
6. 2
5. 2 6 5

8.

5 3 7. 6 7
13 3 32 6 12
18. 7 17. 7 17
i a o 17. 9 17

18 6
34. 7
47 5
54. 0

17. 2
34. 6
60. 0
47. 5

2
7
3
7

17 4
14. 6
50. 0
57. 9

1 T he steak for w hich prices are here q uoted is called “ ru m p ” in th is city, b u t in m ost of th e other cities
included in this report it w ould be know n as “ porterhouse” steak.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[ 1362]

R E TA IL PR IC E S OF FOOD

187

C L E S O F F O O D I N 51 C IT IE S O N S P E C IF IE D D A T E S —C ontinued
Colum bus,
Ohio

Dallas, Tex.

A pr. 15—

D enver, Colo.

D etroit, M ich.

F all R iver, M ass.

Apr.. 15—

A pr. 15—
A pr. 15—
M ar Apr.
M ar Apr.
Mar. Apr.
15,
15, lo,
15,
1925 1926 1926 1913 1925 1926 1926
1926
1926
1926
1926
1913 1925
1913 1925
1913 1925 1926 1926

Apr. M ar Apr.

M ar Apr.

JLÒj.

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

39. 5
33.1
30.4
23.0
15. 0

37. 1
33.0
29. 5
23. 1
15.2

22.5
20.3
19. (
16. 7
12.9

35. 3
31.8
28.4
21. 9
16.4

35.1
31.9
28.3
22.4
16.8

36.2 23. 31.7
32. 5 2 0 . ; 28.4
27.7 17.4 22.9
2 2 . 8 is .;
18.0
16.8 9.4 1 0 . 2

C ts .

C ts

37.8
33. 1
30. 1
23.3
15.4

C ts .

32. b
28. 5
23.3
18. 5
1 1 .8

32.6
28.6
24.. 2
19.0
11.9

23.8 40.
19. ‘ 33.0
19.2 29.7
15.2 2 1 . 8
1 1 . 2 13.1

34.9
48. 7
55. 3
4L 7
3/, 6

34.6
47. 4
53. 7
42. 4
4L 9

35.6
48.3
54. i
43. 7
40. 7

2 0 .8

35.8
45.1
56.6
42.5
31.6

35.0
47. 1
56.8
44.3
33.1

36.2
45.8
57. 5
44. 9
33.4

2 1 .8

33.5
49.6
56.1
35.7
32.8

33.5
50.0
55.0
34. 7
32.4

36.4 19. f
50.2 2 2 . 8
54.,- 25.0
35.; 17.4
35.7 2 1 . 8

32.6 39.4
1 1 .0 11. 0
1 1 . 0 11. 4
51.1 50. 4
29.3 30. 2

39.8

33. 1
15. 0
13.5
48.0 37.0 54.3
29.8 ........ 33.7

41.2
15.0
13.3
54.0
34.1

42.1
12.3 8.4
13. 3
51.6 39.0
34.1 —

33.3
10.5
10.7
45. 6
29. 6

38.0 38.4
32.2
12. C 1 2 . 0 8 . 0 14.0
11. 2 1 1 .2
1 0 .8
49. 1 46.4 37.9 53. 5
29. 1 29.2 — 29. 5

36.5
21. 9
26. 9
32. 8

36.9 2 0 . 0
18. 7 18.0
25.9 __
32.8 2 1 . 0
5. 6
8 .1

36.4
26.3
23.3
31.4
8.5

34.7 26. 1
26.0 16.3
23. 5 __
34.0 24.6
8.5 5.3

39.3 38.5 38.2 20.7
24.5 2 2 . 8 21.7 16.0
25.7 23. 7 23. 7
35.2 32.2 35.0 23.2
8.4 8.4 8.4 5.6

8 .1

37.1
18. 6
25. 9
28. 8
8 .1

38. 0
31.3
22. 5
19.5

__
1 1 .0 1 0 .0
11.4 __

37.5
24.8
24. 7
34. 3
8. 5

C ts .

19.9
29.0
29.2
18. 1

C ts .

C ts .

39.0
46.7
57. 1
39.8
41.0

37.8
23.9
27.0
37. 7
8.7

C ts .

C ts .

40.3
33. 1
29. 7
22.4
13.9

40.4
34.0
30.0
22.7
14.1

134. 5 1 59. 5
27. 0 43. 7
23.2 29. 1
18.5 22. 3
13.1

38.9
50. 4
58.5
39.6
41.9

40.6
51. 1
59.2
39. 1
43.2

21.5 35. 7
25.8 43.9
30.3 50. 9
2 1 . 0 4L 1
25.0 42.3

36.9
44. 8
53. 2
40. 8
43.1

38.0
44.5
53. 6
41. 6
42.9
38.9
14.0
12. 6
51. 7
30.4

6.3
3, 7
9. 2

14. 6 13.0 13.2
14.5 11.9 11.7
14.7 13.9 13.3
14.1
7.9 6.9 6. 7 5. 7 8.2 7.5 7.5 5.3 8.3 7.3 7.3 5.0 7. 5
89.1 89. 3 89. 3 66. 7 100.7 106. 1 106.6 52.8 68.0 67. 1 66. 9 43.3 73. 2
53. 0 5L 6 51. 6 36.7 61.1 59.8 60.2 29.4 53.0 51.8 52.7 29.3 53.1
18. 5 17.9 18.0
21.0 20.2 21.1
19.1 18 4 18 3
14.8 14,9 15.0 ..... 16.8 16.5 16.8
14.7 14. 6 14.9
15. 0
39. 1 36.7 36. 7
32.0 33.3 31.7
214.0 212. 5 212. 5
37.1
49. 7 46. 5 50.3 — 55.61 53.1 55.3
47.2
45.
2
49.6
—
50.9
.....

2 Per pound.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1363]

C ts .

39.5 39.8
14.3 14.0

C ts .
1

60. 2
45. 4
31. 2
22. 3
13.2

C ts .
2 59.4

44. 1
31. 3
22. 5
13.1

1 1 .0

1 1 .1

31.3
9.0 13.0
12. 7
54.2 51.1 41.3 52. 1
30.0 29.5
31.6

38. 5
14. 0
12. 6
53. 8
30.4

37. 7
22. 5
27. 1
4L 1
8.4

37.5 23. 8 38. 3
2 2 . 0 15.0 2 2 . 1
27.3
27. 3
39. 6 27. 7 46. 6
8.4 6 . 2 9.0

27; 6 27. 1
53. 6 46.1
9.2 9.2

6.0
5.8
9.4
10. 7
25.8

6. 3
7: 6
9. 8
11. 3
26.2

5 6.5
1 7. 2
9. 8 9.8
11. 6
11. 6
25.8 25.8

23.9

24. 6

24.5

1 2 .1

10. 5
1. 6 1. 8
7.0

10. 3
5. 9
5.9

1 2 .2
10. 2

3.4 6 . 0 6 . 0 6 . 1 2 . 6 5.1 5.2 5. 1 3. 1 5.9 6 . 0
6 .1
3.7 2 . 6 5.1 4.3 4.4 2.4 4. 2 4.3 4.3 2 . 8 6 . 2 5. 7
9. 5
9.4 ____ 10.9 1 0 . 2 1 0 . 6 __
9.0 8.9 8.9
9.8 9; 4
1 1 . 0 1 1 . 0 1 1 . 0 __
11.4 1 1 . 2 1 1 . 1 __ 1 2 . 0 11. 7 1 1 . 8
1 0 . 6 10; 7
23. 7 24.6 24.8 — 26.5 27.3 27.5 ........ 24.6 25.9 25.7 — 24.7 25; 8
2 2 . 1 22.4 2 2 . 0 __
21. 5 2 1 . 2 21.3
19.0 18.7 18.8
2 2 . 0 21.9
12. 5 13. 4 13.8 9. 3 13.4 13.0 12.9 8 . 6 1 1 . 1 11. 9 1 2 . 0 8.4 11. 4 12.3
9. 4 8.4 7. 9 —
1 2 . 6 1 1 . 0 10. 7
10. 8 1 0 .0 1 0 .2
9.3 8 . 5
2. 1
5. 6 6 . 6 1 . 8 5. 0 6.3 6.9 1 . 1 2 . 6 4.7 5.9 1 . 2 1 . 6 5.3
6. 8 6.3 6.8 ........ 8.1 7.2 7.8 —
6.5 4.9 5.6 ........ 6.3 5,5
6.0 7,5 7.5 __
5.2 7.0 5.7
4.6 6.2 6.5
5.4
13. 7 1Z 5 12.6 —
14.9 14. 3 14.0 ____ 14.0 13.3 12.4
11.6 11.9
17. 3 15. 5 14.9 —
20. 4 17.8 17.5 __ 18.3 15.6 15.6
18. 5 15.9
16. 8 15.. 4 15.. 4 —
20.8 2L4 21.7 —
17.2 16.0 15.9 —
17.8 16.7
6 .1
4. 6

C ts .

2 1 .8
12. 2
8 .2
6 .2

6.2

3. 2
3.4

1 0 .0

10. 8

40. 3 39.1
2 1 .1

2 0 .1

6.
T.

7.3
6.2

7.4
6. 8
11. 7
12. 6
15.9
17. 5
16.8 ........ 19.0

8. 6 8.8
12 .0 12.1
17.1 17.1
18.6 18.7

12. 6 12 0
6. 9 6. 9 5. 2 7. 6
73.3 73. 3 44. 2 58. 8
51.9 51.5 33.0 53.9

6. 6 6. 7
60. 3 60. 3
53. 5 53.7

15. 2 15 0
36.8 33 8
10. 8
50. J 52. 4j ..... 52.3

l? 6

14 9
2 10 ; 5

44 9.

2 9. 8
50.0 55.2

188

M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
T able 4 .—A V E R A G E R E T A IL P R IC E S O F T H E P R IN C IP A L A R T IH ouston, Tex.

Indianapolis, In d .

Jacksonville, Fla.

A pr. 15—
Apr. 15—
M ar. A pr
M ar. Apr.
Apr. M ar. Apr.
15, 15,
15, 15,
15, 15, 15,
1925 1926 1926 1913 1925 1926 1926 1913 1925 1926 1926

A rticle

U nit

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

Sirloin s t e a k _______________
R ound streak
______
_______________
R ib roast
C hnok roast
______
P late beef
_ ___________

P o u n d ..........
........ do_____
____do______
____do...........
........ do______

31.1 3.28 3.32 25.5
30.0 31.5 31.9 23.3
24.3 25.8 26.3 17.4
2 0 . 0 2 0 . 8 2 0 . 0 16.1
15.9 17.5 18.2 12.5

37.5
35.7
28. 2
23.6
14.9

37.5
35.8
28. 4
24. 2
15.3

37.4
36. 1
29.1
24.9
15.1

28.3
24.0
25.0
15.8
11.4

35.7
30.9
26.4
19.6
11.5

38.1 38.0
32.8 32.8
28.9 29.4

Pork ehops
_____________
Radon, slieed
_ _______
H am , s lic e d ..............................
T.amh, leg of
_______
H ens
___ ____________

____do______
____d o _____
........ do___
____do______
........do............

33.4
47.3
52.0
35.0
37.1

35.3
43.6
54.4
41.4
37.1

34.9
45.9
55.7
40.7
39.2

36.0 23.8 33.8 36.7 36.7
45.6 26.4 41.3 48.7 47.3
56.4 28.0 52.1 52.2 52.8
40.0 2 0 . 8 37.2 39.6 37.0
41.0 2 2 . 0 35.5 40.9 41.2

C ts .

Salmon nanned, red
__do_____
M ilk, fresh_________________ Q u a rt______
M ilk, e v a p o ra te d __________ 15-16-oz. can.
R u tte r
_ _ _ _________ P o u n d _____
Oleomargarine (all b u tte r sub____do______
statutes)

C ts .

C ts .

35.6
49.5
50.8
37.0
39.4

36.3
49.3
50.8
36.0
39.5

C ts .

21.7
29.8
31.2
19.0
22.5

2 1 .1

C ts .

2 1 .2

12.5 13.6

30.8 38.4 38.2
32.2 35.6 34.8
31.0 36.0 36.5
16.0 15. 5 16.0 8 . 0 1 1 . 0 1 2 . 0 1 2 . 0 12. 5 18.8 2 2 . 0 2 2 . 0
10.4 10.7 1 0 . 8
1 1 . 8 12. 5 1 2 . 2
11.9 1 1 . 6 1 1 . 6
54.5 51.3 47.8 39.3 51.8 51.6 49. 4 43.8 56.9 57.1 55.0
29.5 31.7 30.4

31.5 31.5 31.6
34.7
23.0
19.1
33.9
8.9

33.3
23.3
17. 8
28.7
9.0

31.4 2 0 . 8
22.5 15. 2
18. 5
33.2 2 0 . 0
9.0 5.1

Cheese.................. - ......................
karri
_ ________
Vegetable lard su b stitu te _____
Eggs, strictly fresh _ _____
B read
_________________

____do_____
........ do__........
........ do............
D ozen_____
P o u n d ..........

___ _______
Flour
Corn meal ____ ___________
Rolled oats _ _____________
Corn flakes
W heat cereal___ — ------ ------

____do____ _ 6 . 2 6 . 1 6 . 0
____do______ 5.2 4.0 3.9
____do ___ __ 9.5 9.1 9.1
11.9 1 1 . 8 1 1 . 8
8 -oz. p k g ---28-oz. p k g ... 24.8 25.8 25.8

M aoaroni
_______________
Rice
Reans, navy
Potatoes __________________
Onions

P o u n d _____ 18.8 18.3 18.0
____do_.......... 9.6 1 0 . 0 10.3
........ do_.......... 1 1 . 2 1 0 . 1 9.5
____d o _____ 4.5 5.8 6.4
7.7 5.6 7.3
____do_____

4.9 5.6 5.8
Cabbage _
_ _ _______ _ ___do_____
No. 2 c an __ 12.7 1 2 . 0 1 2 . 0
Reans, baked
Corn, c a n n e d ______________ ____do_____ 18.3 15.6 16.2
____do_.......... 18.2 14.4 14.3
Peas, canned

3.2
2.5

9.2
1 .2

37.7
21.9
26.3
31.3

37.8
19.1
26. 4
32.0

8 .1

8 .0

36.1
19.0
26. 1
33.2
8.C

5.9 5.9 6 . 0
4.8 4.4 4.2
7.9 8 . 0 8 . 1
1 0 . 1 1 0 .2 1 0 .2
24.6 24.6 24.6
20.4 19.1 19.1
1 1 .1 1 1 . 8 11.7
9.5 8 . 2 7.7
1.7 5.3 6.4
5.5 6 . 2
6 .8
4.8 7.2 7.4
1 2 . 0 10.7 10.4
17.1 15.4 14.8
16.6 15.6 14.6

30.4 32.1 31.5
22.5 34.6 35.0
15.7 23.0 23.7
24. 4 24. 5
27.5 39.5 38.1
6.5 1 1 . 2 1 1 . 0
3.8
2 .6

6 .6
2 .2

6 .8

6.9
4.2

2 0 .6
1 0 .0
1 1 .0

20.3

33.7
23.1
24. 5
41.0
1 1 .0

7.0
4.2
4.3
9.8 1 0 . 0 9.7
11.4 1 1 . 2 11.4
24.8 24.7 24.7
1 1 .2

10.4
2.9 7.3
7.6 8.4
4.5

8.3

1 2 .0

1 0 .8

2 0 .0
1 1 .0
1 0 .8

7.8
8.3
6 .8
1 1 .1

20.9 19.2 19.7
2 0 . 2 19.2 19.7

1 2 . f 1 1 . 1 10.9
14.7 12.5 11.7
____d o _____ 13.8 10.4 1 0 . 2
Tom atoes, canned
Sugar, g ra n u la te d __________ P o u n d _____ 7.3 6 . 6 6.7 5.8 7.7 7.0 7.0 5.9 7.7 7.0 7.1
Tea
__________ _______ ____do_........ . 76.8 81.6 81.6 60.0 80.5 85.4 85.2 60.0 97. t 96.7 96.6
Coffee. ___________________ ____do........... 46.4 45.6 45.5 30.8 52.6 51.1 51.1 34.5 52.1 51.6 51.3

Prunes
____do______
Raisins
_ _______________ ____do........ .
B ananas
D ozen....... .
Oranges __
________ ____do.........

17.7
15.4
30.0
43.1

16.2
14.7
28.0
47.5

16.7
14.9
28.0
47.1

19.9
15.5
31.2
49.4

19.2
16.3
30.0
45.3

19.3
16.3
30.9
49.0

18.1
15.6
32.1
46.0

18.8
16.4
27. C
39. 5

19.2
15.7
26.0
46.1

» T h e steak for w hich prices are here quoted is called “ sirloin” in this city, b u t in m ost of th e other cities
included in th is report it w ould be know n as “ porterhouse” steak.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[ 1364]

189

RETA IL PR IC E S OF FOOD
C L E S OF FO O D IN 51 C IT IE S O N S P E C IF I E D D A T E S —C ontinued
K ansas C ity, M o.

L ittle Rock, ir k .

Los Angeles, Calif.

Louisville, K y.

M anchester, N . H .

A pr.15,—

A p r.15,—
A p r.15,—
A p r.15,—
Apr. 15,—
M ar. Apr.
M ar. Apr.
M ar. Apr.
M ar. Apr.
M ar. A pr.
15, 15,
15, 15,
15, 15,
15, 15,
15, 15,
1913 1925 1926 1926 1913 1925 1926 1926 1913 1925 1926 1926 1913 1925 1926 1926 1913 1925 1926 1926
C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

C ts

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

38.0
32.0
26.5
19.9
13.2

38.2 2 7 . 5 32.8
32.1 2 1 . 1 28.8
26.5 2 0 . 0 25.4
19.9 16.9 2 0 . 2
13.3 13.5 15.2

33.9
30.5
26. 4
19. 5
14.5

34.3 23.4 37.2 36.5
31.3 2 0 . 8 30.5 30.0
26.6 19.1 28.8 28.4
2 0 . 0 15.5 2 0 . 1 19.5
15.7 12.4 14.3 14.4

36.0 23.6
30.0 2 0 . 0
29.0 18.6
19.4 15.6
14.2 1 2 . 8

33.9
29.9
25.3
18.7
14.5

34. 0
29.2
24. 7
18.8
15.5

34.0 135.2 156.8
29.6 28.5 45.5
25. 4 2 0 . 0 28.9
18. 6 17.0 2 2 . 1
15. 6 ........ 16.0

2 0 .0

33.2
47.8
51.5
41.4
29.8

34. 5
48.9
50.7
40.7
32.7

34.6 24.4
49.3 33.8
52.1 35.0
41.4 19.0
32.8 25.6

44.4
53.7
64. 5
36.0
42.4

44.8 2 0 . 0
55.9 27.8
6 6 . 0 27.5
36.1 18.1
45.2 24.4

33.5
43. 7
47.9
41.3
39.2

32.9
45.7
48.6
39.0
39.1

34.8
46.1
49.1
39.0
40.0

34.2 39.0 38.1
8.7 13.0 13.0 13.0 1 0 . 0
1 1 . 8 11.9 1 1 . 8
39.8 52.7 51.7 48.8 43.3

32.3
15.3
11.9
53.9

41.1
15.0
12. 5
54.7

41.7
15.0 1 0 . Ö
12.3
52.6 35. Ö

29.1 35.6 36.2
29.3 37.6 38.1
31.4 39.1 38.5
15.0 15.0 15.0 8 . 8 1 2 . 0 12. 3 1 2 . 0 8 . 0 1 2 . 0 14.0 14.0
9.9 1 0 . 0 9.7
11. 7 1 1 . 6 11.5
1 2 . 8 13.0 13.0
51.4 51.6 50.7 40.7 53.3 54.2 52.0 42.8 56.4 56.1 53.1

C ts .

C ts .

24.4 38. 4
32. 9
17.9 26.4
14.8 19.4
11. 9 1 2 . 1

2 1 .2

2 0 . 0 33.4 36.2
28.4 48.7 49. 5
28.1 54.6 55.0
2 0 . 1 35.7 33.5
18.2 33.7 35.0

—

.....

C ts .

21.3
37.0
31.3
22. 5

6 .1

5.8
9.6
11.9
25.1

C ts .

30.5 30.7 31.1 —

27.8 27.7 27.8 —

21.7 37. 1
16. 2 23.6
26. 7
20.9 33.5
9.6
6 .0
3.0
2.5

37.2
50.0
55.4
33.8
36.3

C ts .

36.4 36.2 21.7 37.1 36.9
21.3 2 0 . 8 15.4 23. 8 23.4
27.2 27.0
23.7 23. 7
33.2 35.8 19. 5 34.1 32. 1
8.7 9.4
1 0 . 1 1 0 .1 6 . 0

36.9 19.5
23.8 17.9
23.8
34.6 26. Ó
9.5 6 . 2

C ts .

C ts .

44.9
56.9
66.3
36.4
44.0

C ts .

30.8 32.8 31.4
38.2
24.3
25.5
38.9
9.3

39.6
23. 1
26.0
35.9
8 .6

C ts .

30.4 33.1 32.3

—

C ts .

2 1 .0

23.5
27.3
21.3
23.8

—

C ts .

36.7
42.8
.45.2
37.7
43.1

C ts .

C ts .

156.4 156.6
44.4 45.3
27.9 28.3
22. G 22.9
15.8 16.0
35.7
41.9
44. 3
36. 7
43.3

37.3
41.9
45.6
36.6
44.3

27.7 28.0 28.0

39.1 21.7 36.3 37.4 37.5 2 2 . 0 37.3 36.6 36.4
22.9 15.3 22.4 2 1 . 0 20.5 16.0 2 2 . 6 2 1 . 1 2 0 . 6
26.1
28.8 28.5 28.5
25.9 25. 7 26.2
37.8 Ï9. 3 30. 6 30.0 32.9 27.3 44.3 48.3 43.6
8 . 6 5.7
9.3 9.3 9.4 5.9 8.4 8.7 8.5

3.6 6 . 6 6 . 8 6 . 8 3.6 5.8 5.7 5.7 3.7 6 . 6 6 . 8 6.7 3.4 6 . 1 6.5 6.4
5. 1 5.1 2.4 4. 3 4. 2 4. 2 3.2 5. 6 5. 3 5.3 2 . 2 4. 3 3. 8 3.8 3.6 5. 0 5.1 5. 1
8.5 8.3 8.3
10.4 1 0 . 8 1 0 . 8
9.9 9.7 9.6
8 .8
9.3 9.2
9. 1 9.0
10.5 10. 7 1 0 . 8
11.4 11.4 11.4
1 2 . 1 1 2 .0 1 2 .2
1 0 . 1 1 0 .1 1 0 .0
1 2 .2 1 2 .2
27.0 27.1 — - 24.8 25.0 25.0 — 23.8 24.8 24.8 . . . . 24.2 24.3 24.3 ........ 24.6 25.4 25.5
6 .2

6 .0

19.3 19.5 19.2
24.4 24.0 24.2
21.3 20.4 20.5
17.5 17.6 17.6
2 1 . 8 20.4 20.5
8.7 10.5 10. 9 1 1 . 1 8.3 1 0 . 2 1 0 . 6 1 0 . 6 7.7 1 1 . 1 11.4 11.3 8 . Ï 10.9 11.4 1 1 . 8 8.5 1 0 . 6 1 1 . 2 11.4
10.4 9.4 9.4
9.5 7.9 7.9
9.4 9.1
1 0 .8
9. 7 9.7
1 0 .0
10.3 9.3 9.3
1.5 2 . 1 5.3 6 . 1 1 . 7 2.9 6 . 0 6 . 6 Ì.Ó 3.7 5.5 6 . 2 Ì. 4 2 . 1 5.8 6.5 1.3 1 . 6 5.3 6 . 8
6.5 6.9 . . . . 8 . 6 6.9 7.9 . . . . 8.7 6 . 0 6.4 . . . . 6 . 6 5.9 5.9 ........ 5.8 5.3 5.7
8 .0
—

—

5.7 8.5 7.7
4.2 6 . 8 6 . 1
4.4 4.7 4.9
1 1 . 6 1 0 . 8 10.9
12. 4 11.4 11.3
1 2 . 0 11.7 11.5
20.4 17.2 16.9
17.8 16.4 16.1 __ 18.2 16.1 16.5 __
19.6 18.2 18.2 . . . . 18.8 17.5 17.2 . . . . 17.8 16.1 16.1 —

4.6 6.4 5.8
13.8 13.2 13.3
17.4 15.0 14.7
16.6 15.7 15.5 —

7.2 6 . 6 8.4
14.4 13.9 14.1
19.0 17.3 17.4
20.5 19.2 19.2

1 2 . 8 10.3 1 0 . 0
14.3 12.7 12.5
215. 7 215. 4 215.6
14.0 11.5 11.4
14.6 11.9 1 1 . 8
5.5 8 . 1 7. 1 7.1 5. 5 8.3 7.4 7.2 5.3 7.3 6.4 6.4 5.1 7.5 7.0 7.0 5.3 7.6 6.7 6.7
62.5
75.8
80.4
60.9
63.1 63.1
74.4
74.9
77.6
45.0
82.5
99.9
103.8
1
0
0
.
6
54.
5
75.0
50.0
54.0 82.3 80.9
27.8 54.3 53.5 54.2 30.8 55.1 55.7 55.1 36.3 53.2 54.7 54.6 27.5 52.1 50.6 50.0 32.0 52.8 52.6 51.5

18.0 17.7 18.2 . . . . 16.5 16.4 16.4 . . . .
. . . . 17.6 17.5 17.3
16.9 16. 2 15. 8
1 2 . 0 13.0 12.9
15. 5 15. 4 15. 3
3 9.9 3 8.9 3 9.0
*11.5 3 9. 8 3 9.6
3 1 2 . 0 3 11.5 311. 1
41.8 46.8 —
48.3
47.1
42.1
48.0 . . . .
. . . . 51.3 47.8 51.2 . . . .


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

*

N o. 2' A can.

16.7
14.5
37.5
46.3

16.7
15.4
38.8
44.5

* Per pound.

[1365]

17.6
15.5
38.8
46.8 ........

16.3 15.8 16.1
14.4 14. 5 14.3
3 3 9.9 3 9.8
51.9 47.6 51.8

3 11.

190

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
T able 4 .—A V E R A G E R E T A IL P R IC E S O F T H E P R IN C IP A L A R T IM em phis, T en n .

M ilw aukee, W is.

A pr. 15— M ar. Apr. A pr. 15— M ar Apr. A pr. 15— M ar Apr.
15, 15,
15, 15,
15, 15,
1913 1925 1926 1926 1913 1925 1926 1926 1913 1925 1926 1926

Article

U n it

Sirloin s te a k __________
R ound ste a k ---------- . . .
R ib ro a st,.
_ _____
C huck roast________ _
P late beef_____________

T o u n d _____
____ do_____
____do_____
____do_____
........ do_____

35. 1
30.7
24. 9
19.0
14. 5

35.9
32. 5
26. 1
19.0
14. 8

35. 5
32. 7
25. 8
19.0
15.0

21.5
19. 5
18. 0
15. 8
11.5

P ork chops
Bacon, s lic e d - .......... .......
H a m ,slic ed ...............
L am b, leg o f__________
H ens__________________

____do____ _ 2 2 . 1 29.7
____ do_____ 30. 7 41. 8
____ do_____ 27. 1 50.0
____ do_____ 2 1 . 2 37. 8
____do___ _ 2 1 . 6 32.8

34.0
42. 5
51.3
37. 9
34.9

34.2
43.5
50.8
38. 3
34.2

19. 5 34.8 35.0
26. 8 46. 5 46. 8
26.8 49. 5 49. 6
2 0 . 0 38. 3 37. 8
22.3 36.8 38. 2

. do_____
32. 2
Salm on, can n ed , r e d __
M ilk, fresh __
_____ Q uart _____ 1 0 . 0 15.3
11.4
M ilk, ev ap o rated ______ 15-16-oz. can42.9 51. 0
B u tte r_____ - - ______ Pound
28.9
O leomargarine fall but_ do
te r su b stitu te s).

33.3
15.0
11.4
52. 4
27. 7

33.3
29.7
15.0 7.0 1 0 . 0
11.4
10.9
50.8 38.2 49.4
27.7
28.0

C ts .

Cheese________________
L a rd ______________ ___
Vegetable la rd su b stitu te
Eggs, stric tly fresh _____
B read_________________

23.2
19.4
21. 9
15. 1
1 2 .2

C ts ,

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

____ d o _____ 21.3 33.9 33.9 32.3 21. 7
____do_____ 15.7 20.5 19.6 19.3 15.4
23.4 23.4 22.9
_ do_____
D ozen_____ 22.9 34.3 34.0 35. 1 2 1 . 2
P o u n d _____ 6 . 0 9.5 9. 7 9.7 5. 6

F lo u r__ ______________ ____do_____
Corn meal
do
____do_____
Rolled oats
8 -oz . Dkg___
Corn flakes _
28-oz. p k s __
W heat cereal_________

M inneapolis, M inn.

3.6
2.0

7.0 6.9
6 .8
4.1 3.9 3.7
9.4 9.4 9.4
11.3 1 1 . 0 1 1 . 1
24.6 25.9 25.9
19.9 19.5 19.5
9. 6 1 0 . 8 1 0 . 8
9.9 9. 6 9. 5
2.9 5.9 7.1
5.5 5.6
6. 2

3.1
3.3

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

CU.

C ts .

C ts .

21.7
19. 5
18. 2
15. 5
10. 1

31.8
28. 1
24. 5
19. 5
1 0 .6

30. 8
28.0
24. 1
18. 6
11. 1

31. 7
28.4
24. 6
19.6
11.7

18.3
25.0
27.5
17. 2
21. 0

34. 1
49. 0
52. 3
36. 1
34.8

34. 7
49. 2
51.8
34. 8
35. 6

35.8
49.4
52.4
35.0
36.2

33. 6 39. 2
1 1 .0
7.0 1 1 . 0 1 1 . 0
11.3 1 1 . 2
1 1 .2 1 2 . 1
50.4 46.2 38.4 48. 5 49.8
28. 4 27.5
27. 9 29. 3

39.3

37. 1 37.1 37.8
32. 5 32. 8 33. 4
27. 5 27. 9 28. 1
2 2 . 8 23.3 23. 7
13.5 14. 5 14.5

34.7
23.4
27. 2
33.6
9.0

37. 2
47.5
50. 3
37. 7
40.2

32. 1 32.1
1 0 .0

34. 1 33.8 2 0 . 0 35.3
21. 9 2 1 . 6 15.4 22.5
26. 8 26. 7
27. 5
33. 6 34.1 21.9 32.2
9.0 9.0 5.6 1 0 . 1

5.3
5. 6

5. 7 5.7
5. 7 5. 5
8. 6
8. 6
10. 5 10.4 10.3
23.9 24.4 24. 5

2.9
2. 4

8 .8

34.4
20 .

27.4
34.3
9.9

5. 7 5.7
5. 5 5.6
5 8.5
1 1 . 0 10. 7 10. 7
24. 7 25. 7 25.9
8.

M acaroni_____________
R ice.......... ....... ..................
Beans, n a v y __ _______
Potatoes _____ _
Onions________________

P o u n d . ___
_ __ do__ __
__ _do _ _
____d o _ ____
___ do_____

Cabbage -- ________
Beans, b a k ed ....................
C orn, can n ed __________
Peas, canned__________

____ do______
N o. 2 c an __
____do_____
____d o ...........

Tom atoes, eanned____
Sugar, g ra n u la te d ______
T e a ________________ -Coffee_________________

___ _do ____
15. 0 13. 6 13.3
1 2 . 6 1 1 .0 1 1 .0
15.1 14. 2 14.3
P o u n d _____ 5.3 7.5 6 . 8 6 . 8 5.3 7.0 6.3 6.3 5. 6 7. 6 6 . 8
___ do______ 63.8 95.4 95. 8 96.9 50.0 71. 6 71.4 71.4 45. 0 62. 0 62. 4 63.2
........ do............ 27.5 51. 4 51.8 51. 6 27. 5 50.0 47. 0 47.0 30.8 53. 9 54.3 54.4

P ru n es________________
Raisins_______________
B ananas______________
Oranges ......

___do______
. __do_____
Dozen _
........ do_____

8 .0
1. 6

3. 8

6. 0
1 1 .8

9.0
1, 2

6.0

1 1 .0

5.2 7.9 7.5
11.4 1 1 . 1 1 1 . 1
18. 1 16. 4 16. 1
17.1 16.9 16. 6

11.9
16. 4 16.4
18.1 18.1 18.1

1 2 .1
17. 6

18.7 18. 0 17.9
11. 7 11. 7
9. 5 8 . 5 8 . 3
4. 8 5.9
1. 8
6 .2
5.1 6.4

5.4
5. 7
8.6

35.3
20. 5
27. 4
34. 2
9.9

11.0

11. 7
46.3
28.8

9.1
.8

18. 7 19. 3 19.3
11.9
9. 2
5.8

1 1 . 2 1 1 .9
9. 6 9. 3
1. 6
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6.9
5. 5

6.1

4. 4 7. 2 6.
13.8 13.2 13. 1
16. 4 15. 7 15. 3
16. 9 15. 7 15.7

6.8


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

16.4
14. 7
35.0
52. 7

18.1
15. 4
33.8
47. 0

»Whole.

17. 6
15. 8
36.3
52.1

17. 5 17. 5 17.2
14. 5 14. 7 14. 8
9. S 2 9. 8
50.1 49. 3 50.1

3 10. 1 2

3

[13663

Per pound.

17 5 17 3 17.3
14. 5 15 4 15.4
211 7
52.1 49.4 51.4

2 12. a

211.0

R E TA IL P R IC E S OF FOOD

191

CLES OF FOOD IN 51 C ITIES ON S P E C IF IE D DATES—Continued
M obile, Ala.

N ew ark, N . J.

New H aven, Conn.

N ew Orleans, La.

N ew Y ork, N . Y.

Apr. M ar. Apr. A pr. 15— M ar Apr. Apr. 15— M ar. Apr. A pr. 15— M ar Apr. A pr. 15— M ar. A pr.
15, 15,
15, 15,
15,
1925 1926 1926 1913 1925 1926 1926
1913 1925 1926 1926 1913 1925 1926 1926 1913 1925 1926 1926
C ts .

C ts .

C ts ,

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

34. 2
32. 5
27. 5
20. 7
16. 7

35.0
34. 2
28.3
23.3
18. 3

C ts .

C ts .

35.0 26. 6 46. 7
34. 5 26. 4 43.3
29. 1 2 1 . 2 36. 1
23.6 17. 6 24.4
18.6 1 2 . 8 13.4

44. 2
42. 2
34. 9
24.3
13.7

44. 1 31.6
41.8 28.0
35. 5 22.4
23.6 18.8
13.7 ........

C ts .

C ts .

52. 1
43.0
35. 1
25.9
14.2

C ts .

53. 2
43. 9
35.4
26.8
15. 3

54. 3 2 2 . 1
44. ( 19. 2
35. E 2 0 . %
28. 6 15. 4
15.7 1 1 . 6

C ts .

33. 9
29. 8
29. 4
20. 6
16.4

C ts .

35.8
31.2
30. 0
21. 7
17.5

C ts .

36. 0 2 0 . 1
30.6 25. 1
29. 8 2 2 . 6
21. 3 16. 6
17.4 14.8

44.4
42. 2
38.2
23.9
18.9

44. 8
4Z 5
38. 3
24.4
20.4

44. 9
42. 9
38. 8
24. 5
20.5

38.3
44. 5
47. 9
40. 6
35. 0

40.0
47.0
50.0
41.9
37.5

40. 5 23. 2
46. 8 23. 8
51. 2 120. 3
41. 4 2 2 . 0
39.6 23.8

37. 2
45. 1
53. 6
38. 7
39.8

36. 1
44. 9
55. 7
37. 1
38. 6

37.8
45. 1
53. 8
36.8
41. 7

23.0
27. 0
31.4
21. 8
23. 7

37. 1
46. 8
58. 9
38. 5
41.4

36.8
49. 5
57. 5
37.1
42.8

37.8
49. f
57.9
37. A
43.9

34.4
45. 3
50. 4
38. 4
38.2

36. 7
47. 5
52. 1
37. 9
38.9

37.8
46.8
52.3
37. 9
39. 2

39.9
46.2
58.3
36.6
39.1

39.9
50. 6
59. 5
36. 1
41.2

40.9
50.8
59. 1
36. 1
42.0

29. 7 38.4
18. 5
11. 5 1!. 7
57. 1 57.4
30.7 31.6

40.7
18. 5 9. 0
11. 7
.55.6 42. 2
31.1 ........

27. 0
15.0
10. 6
56. 2
30.4

36.9
15.0
11. 2
53. 6
30.4

37.1
15. 0 9.Ö
11. 3
49. 5 40.3
30.9 —

30. 1
15.0
11. s
53.3
32. 1

35.5 34.7
37. 4 37. 3 37.1
16.1 16.0 ÏÔ.C 14. 3 14.0 14.0

36.0 36. 1 36. 7 24. 5 38.6
23. 2 2 2 . 2 2 1 . 6 15.8 23.4
21. 7 2 1 . 6 2 2 . 2 ____ 25.8
36. 3 34. 6 37. 5 33. 0 48. 5
9.6 9.8 9.6 5. 6 9.1

39.6
22. 7
26. 1
49. O
9. 3

39.8 2 2 . 0
2 2 . 2 15.7
26. 3
46.8 28.9
9.3 6 . 0

37.3
23. 1
25.4
45.8
8.3

20.0

7.0

4. 6
8 .8
11. 2

6.7
4. 0

a8

11.3
24.0 25. 2
2 0 .1

2 0 .6

9.9 11.3
10. 3 9. 5
3. 0 6 . 2
6.4 5.6
3.9

5. 3

6.

7
3.8

C ts .

3.6
3. 6

C ts .

C ts .

12 1

C ts .

22. 5
29. 1
27.6
22,t
24.3

12 1

6.3 8 . 0 9.6
1 1 . 6 1 1 . 0 1 1 . 0 ____ 11.3 1 1 . 2 1 0 . 8
17. 5 16.9 36. 8
17.9 16. 7 16. 7
17.4 16.7 16.2 —
18.6 16.4 17. 2 —

29.4
9.0 15. 0

35.8 36.4
15. 0 15.0

54.8 52.4 40.3 53. 7 54.0 51.6 40. 9 55. 1 53. 6 49. 5
33. 1 31.8 —
30. 6 31.6 31.1 ........ 29.6 30.9 30.7
3 a 8 39. 1 2 2 . 0 35. 5 35.6 33. 7 19.6 37.5
22. 5 2 1 . 8 14.8 2 2 . 0 21. 4 2 1 . 1 15. 9 23. 7
25. 7 26.0
22.9 2 1 . 6 22.4
26. 0
52. 4 46.4 21. 9 35. 2 33. 1 35. 3 30. 2 48.5
9.1 9.1 5. 1 8.9 a g 8.9 6 . 0 9.6

6. 1

5.1

22.7
24.9
28. 5
19.0
21. 3

11 0

6 .0
6. 1
3. 1 6 . 1 6.3 6.3 3.8 7.5 7.6
6.7 6 . 6 6 . 6 2.9 6 . 7 7. 0 7.1 2 . 6 4. 5 3. 7
8.4 8 . 3 8 . 5
9.5 9.6 9.6
9. 2 9. 0
____ 1 0 . 1 1 0 . 1 1 0 . 1
1 1 . 1 1 0 . 8 10. 7
1 0 . 8 10.4
24.9 ........ 23. 5 24. 3 24.3 —
24. 1 24.9 24.9 ........ 24.0 24. 7
20.9
2 1 . 1 2 1 .1 21. 1
22. 7 23.0 2 2 . 8
1 0 .0
9. 5
1 1 .6
9. Ò 10. 3 1 1 . 2 11.5 9. 3 1 1 . 6 1 2 . 2 11.9 7.4 9. 8 10.4
9.3 ____ 1 0 . 6 9. 5 9. 7
9. 9 9.8
10. 1
9. 9 8 . 8
7.2 2. 4 2. 4 5.8 7.4 1 . 6 2 . 0 5. 9 7.5 2 . 0 3.3 5.9
5.5 ........ 7. 7 6 . 4 6.9 —
6 .6
6 .6
7.0 ........ 5.7 5.0
8. 7
11. 2

C ts .

6.

4 7. 6 8.7
11.9 13,5 11.4
18. 9 18. 3 18. 1
2 0 . 6 19.6 19.5 ........

7.6 3.2 6 . 1
3. 8 3.4 6 . 7
9. 1
8.9
10. 5
10. 1
24.9 —
23.0
9.5
10. 5

as

2 1 .0
8. 0

2.4
5.0 —

6 .8

10. 5
1 1 .1
2. 6

6.5

8 7
3. 9 5. 1 5 3
1 2 . 1 a . 1 10.9
11. 5
18 2 14 9 14 9
17.4 16.9 17. 1 ........ 17.4

38. 5
23. 0
25.9
49. 5
9.6

38.4
21.9
25. 7
48.3
9.7

6 .2
6. 4
8.6
1 0 .0

6.2
6. 5
8.6
1 0 .0

23.9 23.9
21. 1
1 0 .8
1 0 .8
6 .2

2 1 .1

7 4
.1

8 8
1 1 .2

10.7
10.3
7.5
5.8 7.0

h

15. 7 15.7

12. 7 1 1 . 2 1 1 . 2
1 2 . 1 1 1 . 0 10.9
13.6 1 2 . 0 12.3
13, 5 1 1 . 0 1 0 . 0
12. 9
7.7 6 . 7 6 . 7 5. 1 6 . 9 6 . 1 6 . 0 5. 2 7.4 6 . 5 6 . 5 5. 2 6 . 8 5.9 5.9 4. 9 6.7
80. 8 80. 0 83.0 53. 8 61. 7 63. 5 63. 5 55. 0 59.2 59. 5 59. 5 62. 1 83.2 82.9 82.9 43. 3 64.3
52.0 5L 1 50. 6 29.3 50.3 50.2 50. 2 33.8 54.5 53. 1 53.4 26.4 41.0 36.8 36.8 27.5 47.8

10 7
5.9 5.8
64.9 64.9
48.3 48.1

16.2
15.3
24.3
41.7

18 0
14.4
41.2
59.3

17. 1
14.7
24.4
44.3

16.4
16.0
14.6
13. 5
25.2 ____ 38. 0
51.0
58.0


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

15.7
14. 0
37, 5
49. 6

15. 6
14.0
37.5
57.5 ........

17. 3
14.4
35.0
56. 0

16. 2
14.3
35. 5
50.8

16. 4
14.3
35.0
sa 7

[ 1367]

18. 3
14.3
20. 7
45. 5

18. 1
14. 2
15. 0
48. 0

18. 4
14.3
17. 5
52. 5

18 0
14. 1
39.9
60.3

10. 8

15 8
14. 5
39.6
63.4

192

M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW
T able 4.—AVERAGE R E T A IL P R IC E S OF T H E P R IN C IP A L ARTI-

Peoria, 111.

Omaha, Nebr.

Norfolk, Va.

Apr. 15—
Mar. Apr. Apr. Mar. Apr.
Apr. Mar. Apr.
15,
15,
15,
15,
15,
15,
15,
15,
1926
1925 1926
1913 1925 1926 1926 1925 1926 1926

Article

Unit

_____
Sirloin steak
Round steak ________
Rib roast,
______
Chuck roast
______
Plate beef___________

Pound. . .
___do______
_do____
__ do...
___ do_____

39.9
33.2
31. 7
22.6
15.3

Pork chops ________
Paeon, sliced
______
Ham, sliced
___
Lamb, leg of _______
Hens
___________

do _ _ __
_ do____
_ do____
__do____ __ do_____

32.8
40.9
42.8
40.8
36.9

36.0
43.9
46.8
40.0
40.1

36.4
44.8
48. 1
39. 5
41.4

35.4
51.6
56. 1
36. 5
34. 2

36.7
52. 1
56.6
37.4
35. 7

33. 5
50.0
53.0
38. 5
35.0

33.5
49. 7
52.3
35.8
36.4

35.2
49.3
52. 7
36.9
36.5

Salmon, canned, red-----Milk, fresh
_____
Milk, evaporated ___
Butter ____ _ Oleomargarine (all butter
substitutes).

___ do..........
Quart_____
15-16-oz. can.
Pound .
do _

31. 2
17. 0
10. 8
54.4
28.9

37. 4
17.5
11.3
55.9
29.2

33.9 38.6
37. 7
17.5 8.2 11.6 11. 1
11.4 11.9
11. 1
54. 6 38.8 48.2 49.5
30.0 30.4
29,5

38.8
11. 1
11.9
47. 6
30.4

32.8
12.0
11. 7
50.4
29.8

38.3
11.7
11.8
49. 1
30.9

38.4
11.3
11.8
45.5
29.7

Cheese______________
Lard __ __________
Vegetable lard substitute.
Eggs, strictly fresh _____
Bread____ ___________

___ do_ __
___ do_____
___ do__ _
Dozen ____
Pound___

33.4
21.9
22. 5
38.2
9.4

34.6
20.9
22. 0
35.3
9.5

33.4 22.5
20.8 17.3
22.1
38.7 20.5
9.5 5.2

35.7
24.0
27.9
33.2
10.1

36.8
23. 5
27. 5
32. 7
10.0

35.4
22.4
27.1
30.7
10. 1

34. 7
22. 1
27.0
33.7
10.1

Flour
________
Corn meal ________
Rolled oats ___ _____
Corn flakes______ ____
Wheat cereal
__

__d o _____
___ do__ _
_ do__
8-oz. pkg---28-Oz. pkg...

6. 1 6.3 6.3
4.8 4.6 4.4
9.0 8. 5 8.4
10.8 10. 4 10.4
23.9 24.0 23.9

M acaroni
Rice
____________
Beans, navy
______
Potatoes__ _ - ____
Onions . ________ ___

Pound___
___ do__ _
do____
__ _do__ _
___ do____

19.3 19. 1 19.1
11.8 12. 1 12. 1
9. 9 8. 5 8.1
2.5 6.0 7.0
7.0 6.3 6.7

Cabbage
_________
Beans, baked
Corn, canned_________
Peas, canned_________

__ do_____
No. 2 can__
___ do_____
__ do.........

5.4 7.2
10. 2 10.0
17. 7 15.5
22.1 19.9

C ts .

C ts .

40.2
33.9
31.9
22.6
16.1

C ts .

40.2
34.1
32.3
24.0
16.0

C ts .

24.7
20.8
17.1
15.4
10.4
20.4
28.0
29.0
17.5
19.8

2.9
2.3

C ts .

37. 5
34.4
25. 7
21. 3
11.3
37.0
51. 2
57.4
39. 1
33.5

C ts .

36. 5
33. 1
26. 0
21.9
12. 2

36.4
25.1
27. 2
31.3
9.8

37.2
24.2
28. 1
31.5
10.1

C ts .

36.3
33.3
26. 2
21.5
12.4

C ts .

35.0
33.2
24. 3
20.6
13.6

C ts .

32. 5
32. 1
24.4
20.2
13.7

C ts .

34.0
33.1
24.2
20.7
13.6

5.2 5.5 5.4 5.9 6.0 6.0
5.3 4.9 4.9 5.0 4.8 4.9
10. 7 10.3 10.3 9.6 9. 1 8.9
11. 9 12. 3 12. 5 12.1 12.0 11.8
24. 6 28.3 28.3 25.9 25.3 25.3

21.2 21. 2 21. 1 21.0 20.5 20.6
10. 1 11. 6 11.6 11.1 11.7 11.7
10.4 10.0 9.9 10.2 9.0 8.7
1.3 2.0 5. 5 6.2 2.0 5.2 5.9
8.1 5.9 6.0 7.8 6.4 6.5

8.5

7. 1 7.2
14. 1 13.7
15.9 15.9
16.7 16.7

4.8
14.5
16.6
16.7

6.8
9.8
15.3
19.8

5.3 7.7 7.4
12.0 11.9 11.9
16.6 15.6 15.6
18.9 17.8 18.3

_ do____
Tomatoes, canned_____
Sugar, granulated______ Pound___
Tea ______________ ___ do__.......
Coffee_______________ __ do_____

12.4 10. 2 10.3
6. 7 5.9 6.0
93. 6 89.4 88.8
52.3 50.2 50.3

15.0 14.4
7.8 7.0
77.4 79.
30.0 57.9 57.3

14.3 15.4 14.0 13.8
7. 1 8.4 7.3 7.3
80.3 66.8 65.1 65.1
57.3 52.6 51.6 51.9

___ do........
Raisins
__________ . .. _do.........
Dozen___
Bananas. _
Oranges ..
___ do_____

16.4
14.
32.5
49.0

17.4
16.4
4 13. 1
48.8

17.6 19.6 20.2 20.2
15.8 15.2 15.0 15.3

33.8

P ru n es_

16.
14.0

57.3

16.1
13.9
33.8
51.7

5.8

17.7
15.7
4

11.4 4 11.4 4 12. 8 4 9.9 4 9.9
44.8 47.8 44.1 43.9 48.8

1 T h e steak for w hich prices are here quoted is called " s irlo in ” in this city, b u t ip m ost of the other cities
included in th is report it w ould be know n as “ porterhouse” steak.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1368]

193

R E T A IL P R I C E S OE PO OD
C L E S O F F O O D IN 51 C IT IE S ON S P E C IF IE D D A TE S- - Continued
P o rtland, Me.

P ittsb u rg h , Pa.

Philadelphia, Pa.

Providence, R. I.

P o rtlan d, Oreg.

Apr. 15—
Apr. 15—
M ar. Apr.
Apr.
Mar. Apr. Apr. 1VIar. Apr.
15,
15,
15, 15,
15. —
1926
1926
1926
1926
x
1926
1913 1925 1926
1926 1926 1913 1925 1926 liée M
1913
1925
1913 1925
Apr. 15—

Mar. Apr.

C ts .

C ts .

39.6
42.6
58.9
39.4
40.3

40.4
46.4
56.6
39.8
41.7

C ts .

41.8
46.7
57.9
39.4
43.5

47. 3

1 2 .0
1 1 .5
57. 6

1 2 .0

1 2 .0

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

C ts

C ts .

28.6
26.1
24. 2
17.

29.1
26.5
25. 2
18.1
13.1

29. 2
26.
25.3
18.4
13.8

‘40.0
31.2
25.0
19.4

37.8
53. 71
53.9
36.8
35.9

38.2
53.4
54.4
36.9
37.5

22.6
22.4
28.5
21.7
23.6

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

46.0
37.9
33.6
24.1
12.7

45.7
38.1
33.7
23.9
12.5

‘60. 3
45.8
29.9
20.5
15.2

‘60.5 ‘61.4
45. 5 45. 9
29.5 30. 2
2 1 . 0 20. 9
16.4 16.7

23.2 38.2 39. 3 41.1
28.1 47.0 52.4 52.7
29.8 5S. 4 59.8 60.5
2 2 . 0 39.3 39.3 39.8
28.0 43.5 43.8 46.0

38.6
44.2
55.5
37.4
40.7

37.7
44.7,
52. 7
86. 6
41.1

38.0
38.6
50.0
44. 9
53.0
55. 3
35.1 19.2 36.6
41.9 21.5 35.9

28.8 37.1 37.4
14.0 14. 5 14.0
1 1 . 1 1 1 . 6 11.5
54.5 55.0 51.9
30.7 31.8 30.8

29.3
13.0
12.3
56.5
29.6

39.3
13.5
12. 5
56. 2
29.7

39.1 .
13.5
12.4 .
54. 2 40.0
29.4

28.4 37.7 38.0
8. 0

C ts .

C ts .

45.4
37.9
33.7
23.4
11.5

C ts .

‘30.0 ‘53.1 ‘54.1 ‘55. 5 27.0
25. 2 40.3 40.2 41.2 23.2
22.4 35.4 36.6 36.8 21.5
17. 3 2 2 . 0 24.4 24.4 16.7
1 2 . 0 1 0 . 8 12.5 13.1 1 2 . 8
22.4
25.4
30. 7
20. 8
22.7

Mar.

A pr. 15—

8 .8

11.5 11.4
56. 9 53.6 42. 6
30.2 32.0 30.4

12.

7

21. 5
9.8 11.9
10. 1
2. 7
2. 1
5.7

2 1 .0
12. 1
8 .8

6.5
5.6

2 1 .0
1 2 .2

9.2
8.7
7.4 1.5
5.7 —

2 2 .8
1 1 .8

2 2 .6

9.1
2. 1
7.5

8 .6

5.7
6.5

41.9
44.5
57.2
39.6
44.9

6.4
5.3
9.3
10.9
24.2

6.7
5.0
9.3

6.6

6.0

___

6.0

6.5 4.8 6.5
14.9 14.3 14.0
20.8 19.8 19.9
19.7 19.5 19.5

23.
10.8

10.3
1.7

6.1
6.1

11.4 1 1 .
5.3
6.
6.
70. 70. t 71. 58. C
46.4 45. 45. ( 30. C

15.3
317. i ; 316.8 316.9
13.1 1 1 . 1 1 .8 223. *21. C 22 0 . 6
5.0 7.0
7.
6. 4
6. 5
7.
6 .8
7. i 6 .8
61.6
76.8
48.3
79.8 85. i 85. 63.1 60.9 60. 9 55. 0 75.7 76.6
52. 51. 50. 55.! 54. 54.1 35.0 53.0 52.6 52.4 30.0 55.1
17.7
11.6 14.4 14.3
19. 18.' 18. 16.' 15.8 15.7
14.3
13.5 13.8 13.9
14. 14. 14.' 13. > 13.1 13.6
34.7
.0
*13.5 *13.
43. 37. 38.1*11. 1*10.4 *10.3
59.1
49.0 49.3 50.1
55. 49. 1 53.6 55. 51.8 56.3

14. 15.
13.' 13.
32. 31.
69. 50.

14. ___
13.' . . . .
31. i ... .
59. . . . .
2 N o. 3 can.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

6.8

4*13

3 N o. 2H can.

[ 1369]

i

12.2

54. 1 52.0
29.7 29.7
3 6 .3
20 .7
2 6 .8
4 6 .3
9 .2

8.6

6.1

12.2

36.9
21.4
26.8
50.9
9.2

5 Q 7 8 7.9
c 1 0 . 8 10.7
16. 15. 14.9 __
16 3 15. 14.7
12.
6. '

37.4 38.0
14.7 14.7

22.3 35.1
15.2 22.8
27.1
29. 5 46.8
9.2

. . . 17. 18.3 18.1
10.7 11.4 11.1
10.9 9.7 9.7
3.7 4.7
2,
4.4 4.7

8 .1
12.

C ts .

40.1
44.5
56.3
39. 7
43.4

42.
45.8
59.5
41.1
42.3

7.9 3.1 5.6 8.9
5.9
15. 15.4 15.4
12.
1 2 .6
17.! 17.' 17. : 17.1 16.4 16.1
17. 17.' 18. 19.8 1 8 . 2 18.3

11.

4.
54.
25.

12.4

24.4 25.5 25.2
11.9 13.0 13. 0
8.4 10.5 9. 5 9.9
6.5 1.7 5.5 7.4
7.1 5.9 5. 5 6 . 1

Cts.

‘71.7
49.4
38.1
28.1
19.3

30.6
31.6 36.9 37.1
13.8
11.7 12.7 12.5
11.6
10.2 10.4 10.4
50.9 52.0 48.7 43.4 51.7
29.5
29.7 30. 30.3

38.7
25. 0 38.9 40.0 40.3 24.5 38.8 39.5 39.0 37.2 38.8 38.4 20.5 37.3 39.3
24.3 24.2
15.3 22. 5 21. 5 2 1 . 1 15.4 2 2 . 6 21.4 2 0 . 6 23.5 2 1 . 0 2 0 . 2 18.4 24.6
27
27.8
29.
1
24.
9
24.9
26.1
26.5
26.6
26.3
25. 5 25.6 25.3
30.6
24.9 38.8 41.5 41.6 24.1 40.7 39.7 39.2 41.1 49.4 42.4 25.0 33.6 31.4
9.4
9. 4
9.6
5.6
1
0
.1
10.4
1
0
.
0
9.3
4.8 9.4 9.4 9.4 5.4 9.2 9.3
5.2
5.3
5.7
2.9
6
.
1
6
.
2
6
.
1
3.1 5.8 6 . 2 6 . 1 3.1 5.9 5.9 5.9
5.8 5.3 5.
2. 7 5. 2 4.9 4.7 2.7 6 . 2 5.9 5.9 5.6 5.1 5. 2 3.3 10.3
10.3
10.3
8
.
i
7.
5
9.4
7.8
9.4 9.5
8.7 8.7
8.8
11.4 11.3 11.3
1 0 . 6 1 0 . 6 1 0 . 6 1 1 . 6 11.5 1 1 . 6
1 0 . 0 1 0 . 1 1 0 .0
26.4 26. 26. 9
25.3 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.8 25.9
23.8 24.3 24.4
2 2 .8
1 2 .2

C ts .

‘69.2 ,‘71. 2
47.3 49.9
37.5 37.5
28.3 27.9
19.0 19.2

Per pound.

11.9
18.5
19.8

10.

24.

5.1

9.3
11.0
2 4 .9

23.5 2 3 .5
11.5 11.8
9. 5 9 .6
5.4 7.4
5.5

6.2
8.6

8.4
11.4 11.1
17.9 17.8
19.6 1 9 .5

i
6.2

13.7 13. 5
6.3
61.1 61.1
54.1 54.1
16.4
14.2
33.8
52.6

16.4
14.2
3 2 .6
59 .7

194

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
T able 4 .—A V E R A G E R E T A IL P R IC E S O F T H E P R IN C IP A L A R T I-

R ichm ond, Va.
Article

U nit

Sirloin s te a k ..
R oun d steak..
R ib ro ast___
C huck ro a s t..
P late beef

Pound.
----- do..
----- do..
----- do..
----- do..

Pork c h o p s...
Bacon, sliced.
H am , sliced...
L am b, leg of..
H e n s_______

------ do.
........ do.
------ do.
........ do.
------ do.

----- do._
----- do..

Flour.............
Corn m eal___
Rolled o a ts ...
C orn flakes^..
W heat cereal.

------ do ____
----- do____
----- do____
8 -oz. pkg_.
28-oz. p k g .

M acaroni___
Rice_______
Beans, n av y .
Potatoes____
O n io n s ......

Pound _
-----do..
-----do_.
-----do..
-----do..

— .do..
D ozen..
Pound.

M ar Apr A pr (Mar Apr Apr. 15— Alar Apr.
15, 15, 15, 15,
15, 15,
1913 1925 1926 1926 1925 1926 1926 1913 1925 1926 1926
Cts. Cts.
21.8

19. 6
18.9
15.3
12. 9
21.2

24. 4
25. 7 41.
19
22.1

Cts.
39.8
33.
29.
23.
12.

Cts.
40. ;
33.1
30. :
24. 4
13. 8

Cts.
41. 2
33, S
30.6
24.
13. 7

Cts.
23.
21. 19.
14.
1 0 .8

Cts.
37. 0
34.8
20.8
20. 9
13.3

37.9
44. 4
44. 9
45. 5
39. 9

38.7
44. 6
45. 1
45.6
42. 2

38.9
41.8
51. 0
39. 1
41.6

40.0
44. 3
53. 2
37.9
43. C

40.4
44. 1
53.8
38. 5
44. 8

18.8
24. 3
25.
17. 3
19.1

32. 5 32.8 35.8
46.3 45. 3 44.9
51.2 50. 7 5!. 7
39. a 37.0 36. 4
36.2 38.6 38.8

36.8
14. 0
12. 7
59. 5
31. 5

36.8 30. 5
14. 0 13. 5
11.7
58. 1 54. 2
31.9 30.5

22.3 35.7 36.1
15.0 22. 4 21.9
26.2 26. 0
21.4 37.4 35. Z
5.3 9.4 9. 5
3.3
2. 0

6.1

5. 0
9. 5
11.0

25.3

1 2 .6

36.1
21. I
24.7
37. 8
9. 5

37.0 37.5
12. 5 12. 5

6 .1
4. 8

15.8
20.7

Tom atoes, canned.
Sugar, g ranulated..
T e a ..____________

Coflee.__ ______

----- do____
P o u n d ___
----- do____
----- do........

5.1 7.0
56. 0 87.2
26.8 49.9

P ru n es. _
R aisin s..
Bananas.
Oranges _,

----- do.
— M o.
Dozen
-----do..

7.7

8.9

6 .2
6 .6

19.2
13.8
38. 8
54. 9

cau.

4.6

6.3

1 1 .1

10. 6

19.3
14. 1|
42. 71
51. 3

17.2
14. 1
38.3
49. 7

18. 2
14. 4
36. 8
45. 8

18. l!
14. 4Í
36. 4
54'. 2

Per pound.

£13703

2.9
2 .1

8.3
1 .2

35.2
19.3
26. 2
34. 5
9.5

35. 0
17. 5
26. 3
34. 1
9 .9

33. 4
16. 9
25.9
35.0
9.8

5.9 5.9 5.8
4. 8 4. 4 4.3
9. 0 8 . 7 8 . 7
10.3 1 0 . 2 10.3
23.8 24.4 24.3
21.7 2 1 . 2 20.9
1 0 . 2 10. 9 1 1 . 1
9.3 8 . 2 7.6
2.5 5. 4 6.4
5.4 6 . 0

M

8.3
4. 2! 6 . 1 5.4
10. 5
11.3 1 0 . 6 1 0 . 6
15. 4 15. 0 17.4 16. 5 16.4
17.0 16. 3 36.0
2 1 . 0 20. 5 19.7 18.4 18.4
........ 16. 9s 17.1 17.1
10.4 1 0 . 0 15. 2 13.4 13.4
13. 4 1 1 . 8 11.4
6, 6
6 .6
6. 9
6. 1
6.1
4. 9 7.31 6 . 7 6 . 7
89. 8 89. 7 6 8 . 7 6 6 . 9 6 8 . 0 55. 0 70. Oj 73.0 73.0
49. 6 48. 9 50. 6 < 48. 3 48. 5 24.3 50. 3] 47.8 47.9

11.0 1 0 . 1 1 0 . 1

12.6

10. 1

37.3 37.3 37.6 19.3
23. 2 2 1 . 1 20. 5 13.8
25. 1 23. 9 23. 7
36. 4 41. 2 38. 1 19. 4
8. 7
8. 9
8.9 5.6

8.0
6.5

Cts.
36.3
34. 1
30. )
20. 5
13.9

8 .0

1 1 .6

5.9 5.9
5. 0
6.3 6.3
8. 9
9.0 9.6 9. 4 9. 1
1 1 . 1 1 1 .1 10. 7 10. 5 10.3
25. 5 25. 4 24.3 24. 9 25.2
6 .2

Cts.
36. 2
34.
30. 1
20.3
14.5

33. 1 39.5 39.9
13.0 13. 0 13. 0
10. 4 10. 5
54. 1 51.0 38.8 54.2 55. 0 51.7
31.9 30.9 —
27.1 28.6 28.5
1 1 .6

20. 7 20. 7 20.4 22.5 22.5 22.5
12.
13. 3 13. 2 1 1 . 2 10.9 11. 3
11.2 9. 2 9.0 1 0 . 2 9.3 9.3
1. 7 2.
6. 7
7. 9 1.3 5. 0 6.4
6. 9
7.5 5.7 5.1 5.1

----- do........
No. 2 c an .
----- do____
----- do........


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Cts Cts.
39. 39.3
34. 9
31. 7 31. 5
2 2 . 8 23.3
16. 3 16.3
ÓO. 1

C abbag e...............
Beans, baked_____
C orn, canned_____
Teas, can n ed ..........

1 N o . 2 )4

St. Louis, M o.

A pr. 15-

Salmon, canned, red ________ ___ do_____
M ilk, fresh..........................
Q u a rt_____
M ilk, e v a p o ra te d ...............
15-16-oz. can
B u tte r. ......................................... P o u n d ____
Oleomargarine (all b u tte r ----- do_____
substitutes).
Cheese______ ______ ____
L a rd ................... .............
Vegetable lard s u b stitu te .
Eggs, stric tly fresh_____
B r e a d ......................

Rochester,
N . Y.

17. 2
14. V
37 7
51.2

2 0 . 2 19.3 19.0
14. 8 14. 6 14. 7
35. 5 32. 7 32. 1
49. 7 45. 2 50. 0
t

R E TA IL

p r ic e s

of

195

foo d

C L E S OF FO O D IN 51 C IT IE S O N S P E C IF I E D D A T E S —C ontinued

St. P aul, M inn.

Salt L ake C ity, U tah

San Francisco, Calif.

Savannah, Ga.

Scranton, Pa.

I
Apr. 15—
A pr. 15—
Apr. 15—
Mar. Apr.
M ar. Apr. A pr. Mar. Apr.
Mar. Apr.
A pr. M ar. Apr.
15, 15,
15,
15,
15,
15,
15,
15,
1926
1926
1913 1925 1926 1926
1925 1926 1926 1913 1925 1926 1926 1913 1925 1926 1926 1925

15,

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

C ts .

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28.4
14. 0
9.9
51.7
29. 2

35.4
14.0

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50.8
30.8

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39.7
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32. 4
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5.3 4.8 4. 7
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9. 1 8.9 8.9
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5.
9.8
10.

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13.8
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2

16. 5 16. . 16.4
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https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

14.3
18.8
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17.
15.
212.
53.

49. 5 49. 6
41. 5 t41. 4
36.8 36.0
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6.4
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5.
7.
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76. 52. 6 6 . 65. 6 6 . 2
48. 31.1 54. G 52. 52.9

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13.' 13.
29. 32:
40. 49.

__
....
....
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33.
49.9

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196
T

able

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW
4 .—A V E R A G E R E T A IL P R IC E S O F T H E P R IN C IP A L A R T IC L E S O P FO O D I N 51
C IT IE S O N S P E C IF I E D D A T E S —C ontinued
Seattle, W ash.
Article

Unit

A p r. 15
1913

1925

Springfield, 111.

M ar.
15,
1926

A p r.
15,
1926

A p r.
15,
1925

M a r.
15,
1926

A p r.
15,
1926

W ashington, D . C.
A p r. 15
1913 1925

M a r. A p r.
15,
15,
1926 1926

Sirloin s t e a k . . ..................
R ound ste a k .................
R ib ro ast_____________
C huck r o a s t....................
Plate beef........ ............... .

Cts.
P o u n d ____
........do.
____do.
........do.
........do.

Cts.

Cts.

22.6
20.6
18.6
15.6
11.7

33.4
28.9
27.1
18.1
14.3

Cts.

Cts.

Cts.

33. i
28. 6
27.0
19.3
15.0

Cts.

Cts.

3 3 .2
28.7
27. <
19.2
14.9

34.4
34.4
23.5
20.5
13.1

Cts.

34.1
33. 8
23.6
21.1
13.6

Cts.

34.9
34.4
24.1
21.8
13.7

27.3
24. 1
22. 0
17.4
11.7

44.2
39. 1
34. 7
23.3
12.7

Cts.

45. 0
38. 2
33.9
24.6
13.3

45. 5
38.7
34.8
24.3
13.7

Pork chops.................... . .
Bacon.................................
H a m __________ ______ _
L am b, leg of__________
H e n s........................ ...........

____do ___
____do___
____do___
........ do ___
........ do ___

24.4
31.3
30. C
20. 4
24. C

41.7
55.4
58.8
37.0
34.2

40.1
56.5
59.3
37.5
35.8

40.7
57. f
59. i
36. c
35.8

34.5
44.2
51. 7
40.7
37.6

33.9
46.8
51.8
38.3
37.4

34. 7
46.8
51.4
38. 1
37.4

22.8
26. 5
29.0
23.3
22.8

40.3
45. 5
58.0
42. 7
41.4

40.2
47.6
58.9
40.3
43.5

41.8
48.0
59.2
40.7
44.2

Salmon, canned.......... .
M ilk, fresh......... ............
M ilk , e v ap o rated ______
B u tte r ......... ....... ...............
Oleomargarine (all b u t­
ter su b stitu te s).

____do_____
Q u a rt........ _
15-16-oz. can
P o u n d ____
........ do _____

32.2
12.0
10.4
52.4
29.8

37.9
12.7
10.7
53.1
31.6

37.9
12. 7
10.6
50. 5
31.1

33.4
12. 5
11.5
51.3
31.2

41.0
12. 5
11.8
51.1
30.4

41.1
28.4
12.5 9 .0 14. 0
11.8
11.8
48.6 43.3 56.1
30.4 ......... 29.9

37.8
15.0
12. 0
57.4
31.0

38.1
15.0
11.8
53.7
31.3

C h ee se...............................
.d o .
21.6
L a rd _________________
.d o .
17.7
Vegetable lard su b stitu te ........do _____ —
Eggs, strictly fresh........ . D ozen_____ 25.0
B re a d ................................. P o u n d .......... 5.5

34.4
24.3
28.7
37.1
10.3

36.6
24.5
28.5
35.3
9.7

36.5
24. 1
28.7
34.5
9.7

36.8
22.8
28.8
32.8
10.3

37.4
21.6
28.0
30. 6
10.1

36.4 23.5 39.8 39.3
20.8 14. 7 22.4 20.9
28.0
25.2 24. 7
33. 5 22.6 38. 7 37. 7
10.1 5.6 8. 7 8 .2

38.9
20.5
25.1
39.5

F lo u r_______________
Corn m eal.:........ ..............
Rolled oats_____ ^
Corn flakes..... ..................
W heat cereal........ ............

____do _____
____do _____
........do _____
8 -oz. p k g ___
28-oz. p k g ...

5.8
5. 7
8.9
12.2
26.2

5.2
5.0
9. 0
12.2
27.0

5.2
5.0
9. 0
11.8
27.2

6.3
5.8
10 8
12. 1
26.5

6.3
5.1
9 9
11.9
26.9

6.2
5.1
9 8
11.9
27.1

3.7
2.5

M acaro n i.......................
R ic e ....................
Beans, n a v y ._ .................
P o tato es........ ...................
Onions................................

P o u n d _____
___ do_____
___ do_____
------d o ..........
------do...........

18.4
12.4
11.2
2.7
6.7

18.5
12.8
10.5
4.2
4.6

18.3
12.9
10.4
5.2
5.3

20.9
10.8
9.7
2. 1
8 .6

19.1
11.3
8.8
5.8
5.3

19.1
11.4
8.7
6.6
5.5

22.9 23.6 23.7
9.4 11.6 12.8 13.0
9 .7 8 .7
1.5 2.3 6.1 7.9
6.9 6.3 6.4

C abbage........ ................ ..
Beans, b a k ed .............
Corn, c a n n e d .................
Peas, canned.....................

___ d o ...........
N o. 2 c an __
----- do ...........
----- do...........

6.9
14.5
19.7
20.8

5.4
13.9
18.8
20.5

7.3
13.9
18.9
20.4

5.5
11.8
18.1
19.2

7.3
11.0
15.5
17.3

7.2
11.1
15.7
17.3

5.5 8 .7 7.8
11.2 10.7 10.5
17.6 15.7 15.7
17.0 17.2 16.8

Tom atoes, canned........... .
Sugar, g ran u lated ............
T e a . . . ...................................
C o ffe e ......................... ......

___ d o ...........
1 18.5 1 18.2 117.9
P o u n d .......... 5.9
8.2
7.0
6.9
___ do ........... 50.0 80.0 77.5 77.1
-----do ........... 28.0 52.3 52.3 52.2

15.6
8.1
74. 5
54.9

13.4
7.3
78.2
52.9

13.6
12.9 10.8 10.4
7.2 4.9 7.1 6. 5 6.5
78.2 57.5 82. 7 88.1 87.3
53.4 28.8 48.7 48.6 48.3

8. 6
_____

40.0
—

P runes................................ .. -----do...........
R aisins..... .................... ...... ___ do...........
B an an as.......... .................. .. -----do ...........
Oranges........................... . -----do ...........


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

3.0
3.0

7.7
0.8

15.2 15.8 15.4 16. 2 17 2
14.8 14.6 14.8 14. 8 15. 3
2 12.9 2 13.4 2 13. 5 2 11. 9 2 10 6
47.9 45.7 50.1 60.0 49.7

1 No. 2lA can.

!Per pound.

[1372]

Ifi 8
15. 5
2 9. 8
54.8

6. 5
5.3

6. 7
5 .2

8.1
6.6

5.2
9.2
10.7 10.7 10.6
23.9 24.7 24.8

8.8

.....

18.2
14.5
36.1
5 1 5 48] 5 58.7

197

BETA IL PR IC E S OF FOOD

Comparison of Retail Food Costs in 51 Cities

for 39 cities the percentage of increase or decrease
T \BinLEthe5 shows
retail cost of food 2 in April, 1926, compared with the
average cost in the year 1913, in April, 1925, and in March, 1926.
For 12 other cities comparisons are given for the one-year and the onemonth periods. These cities have been scheduled by the bureau at
different dates since 1913. The 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
rp,
PTi'pr'R 'xrTA O 'P C H A N G E IN T H E R E T A IL CO ST O F FO O D IN A P R IL , 1926, COM P A R E D W I T H T O E C O S T * I N M A R C H , W26, A P R IL , 1925, A N D W IT H T H E A V E R A G E
GO ST IN T H E Y E A R 1913, BY C IT IE S
Percentage increase, A pril,
1926, compared w ith —

Percentage increase, April,
1926, compared w ith—
C ity

C ity
1913

A tla n ta .........
B altim ore----B irm ingh am .
B oston_____
B ridgepo rt.--

66.2

B u ffa lo ................
B u tte __________
C harleston, S. C .
Chicago.......... .......
C in c in n a ti..........

69.2

Cleveland..
C olum bus.
D allas____
D enver___
D e tro it.....

64.2

Fall R iver___
H ouston-----Indianapolis.
Jacksonville..
K ansas C ity .

59.9

L ittle R o c k ..
Los Angeles..
Louisville---M anchester..
M em phis___
M ilw aukee...

53.6
46.6
56. 2
59. 2
54.5

68.5
68.7
65.5

April,
1925
9.1
6.3
5.0
11.5
10.6

68.

7
73.5
62.7

54.3
47.0
72.6

59.0
61.1
61.8

66.2

10.2
4.7
8.3
9.2

8.1

10.6

8.8
0.2
8.6

M arch,
1926

1913

2.2
1.1
0.7
2.7

1.6
1.0
2.3
2 .1

1.4
0.9
2 .2

2.4

10.1
2.9

9.8

1 .2

11.7

0.9
1.5
2.5

1.0
11.6
10.2

0 .6

8 .6

1.7

6.4

1 .2
1 .6
1 .1
1 .6

2.6

6.3
10.9
6.3
10.7

1.4
3.4

April,
1925

M inneapolis..
M obile...........
N e w a rk ... . . .
New H a v e n ..
New Orleans.

63.4
55.5
63.6
58.3

9.7
5.5
7.8
12.5
3.9

New Y o rk __
N orfolk_____
O m aha_____
Peoria______
P hiladelphia.

66.5

8.5

P ittsb u rg h -----Portland, M e ..
Portland, Oreg.
Providence.......
R ichm ond____

62.9

R ochester..........
St. Louis...........
St. P a u l______
Salt Lake C ity .
San F rancisco..
S avannah------S cranton-........ .
Seattle----------Springfield, 111.
W ashington....

62.0
65.1

41. 1
64.8
73.1
66.0

35.6
53.4
67.5
49.5

8.2
9.0
6.6
9.4

8.0

10.5
3.2
11.1

8.2
8.8
8.1
10.1
0.6
2.7
8 .1
8 .8

2.9
7.8
8 .6

M arch,
1926

1.6
1.5
2.3

1.6
1.4

1.8
2.1
1.6
1.3
1.4

0.5
2.7

1.1
2.6
2.2

2.0
1.7
1.9
1.5
1.5

1.0
1.2
1.5
1.8
2.4

•Decrease.

Effort has been made by the bureau each month to have perfect
reporting cities. For the month of April, 99.3 per cent of all the
firms reporting in the 51 cities sent in a report promptlv.
e
following were perfect reporting cities; that is, every merchant m
the following-named 42 cities who is cooperating with the bureau
sent in his report in time for his prices to be included in the city
Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Bridgeport, Butte, Chicago, Cincin­
nati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Indian-

mouth beginning with January, 1921, were given m the March, 1921, issue, p. 26.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1373]

198

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

apolis, Kansas City, Little Rock, Los Angeles, Louisville, Memphis,
Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Mobile, Newark, New Haven, New Orleans New York, Norfolk, Omaha, Peoria, Philadelphia, Portland,
Me., Portland, Oreg., Providence, Richmond, Rochester, St. Louis,
vSt. Paul, Salt Lake City, Savannah, Scranton, Seattle, and Washing­
ton, D. C.
&
The following summary shows the promptness with which the
merchants responded in April, 1926:
R E T A IL P R IC E R E P O R T S R E C E IV E D F O R A P R IL , 1926

Geographical division
Item

Percentage of reports received
N um b er of cities in each section from
w hich every report was received

U nited
States

N orth
A tlantic

South
A tlantic

N orth
C entral

South
C entral

99.3

99.0

99.0

99.7

99.4

99.5

42

10

6

13

7

6

W estern

Index Numbers of Retail Prices of Food in the United States

TN 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 April
1926. These index numbers, or relative prices, are based on the
year 1913 as 100 and are computed by dividing the average price oí
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
lor the year 1913. The relative price of rib roast for the year 1922
was i 39.4, which figures show an increase of 4 points but an increase
oi slightly less than 3 per cent in the year.
In the last column of Table 4 are given index numbers showin»
changes in the retail post 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.’
-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. Ih e index numbers based on the average for the year 1913
as 100.0 are 159.9 for March, and 162.4 for April, 1926.
Tire curve shown in the chart on page 200 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.
m b 1.'?! inde* num bers of each m onth, Jan u ary , 1913, to December, 1920, see F ebruary, 1921 issue m,
see F ebru ary ) l g ^ L s i e 19^ 1 f l ^ 1922,see lr° b ra a rD 1923, issue, p. 69; and for each m o n th of 1923 andJ.924,'


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1 3 7 4 ]

« - » B E X N U M B E R S B H O ^ O C ^ g J S r » T H E ^ E T A N C E S OE T H E P g J J O g A L «

”

[Average for y ear 1913=100.0]
I
Y ear and m o n th

Sirloin Round R ib Chuck! Plate Pork B a­
steak steak roast roast beef 3hops con

[13751

1 0 0 .0 1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 . 0 1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
1913
................
103.0 —104.4 104. 1
105.8
1 0 2 .0
1914
...................... ......................
......................
1 0 0 .6 1 0 0 .0
103.
0 101.4 ......................
1 0 1 .1
1915
...................... ......................
......................
107. 4 . .106.9
107.5 109.7
1916
...................... ......................
......................
. . . . . . 106. 08
1917.-L -.-----1—+—. ........ - 124.0 129. 8 125. 5 130.6 129.
170. 2
166.3
155.1
165.
5
153.
2
1918______ . . . . . .
164. 2 174. 4 164.1 168.8 166.9
r-i 1 9 1 9 ...-----. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
163.
8 151. 2
167.7
177.
1
172.
1
S3 1920. j ------ ---------------—
152.8 154.3 147.0 132.5 118.2
1921___ — — i — ,— ~
147. 2 144. 8 139.4 123. 1 105.8
£2 1922---------------------------153.9 150.2 143.4 126.3 106.6
130.0 109. 1
1924 —- - - ...... ................ - 155.9 151.6 145.5
159.8 155.6 149. 5 135.0 114. 1
............. —
1925

1925: J a n u a ry .— - - - - —F e b ru a ry .— — jv larch .—
A p r il- .- - .- - - .—
M a y ____. . . . . . . . . .
June—
J u ly ----A u g u s t ..-----S eptem ber. . . . . . . . . .
O c to b e r..!.-----. . . .
, - N o v e m b e r ....-----D e c e m b e r ..,-----1926: J a n u a r y . .. - F e b ru a ry -----------M arch -----A p ril. — . —

152.4
151.6
155.9
159.
160.6
161.4
166.
165.4
163.
162.
158.7
158.7
160. €
159.
160.
161.

147.1
146. 6
150.7
155. 2
157.
157.
163.'
162.
159.
158.
154.
154.
157.
156.
156.
157.

74.3 74.4
76.1 76.9
82.7 82.9
91.6 94.5
85.1 91.3
91. 2 90.5

75.7
77.6
82.0
91.4
89.3
90.6

81.4
83.0
88. 5
93.6
91.0
93.5

1 0 0 .0
1 0 1 .8

1 0 0 .0

1 0 0 .0
1 0 2 .2

1 0 0 .0

104.6
96.4
108.3
151. 7
185. 7
201.4
201. 4
166.2
157. 1
144. 8
146.7
174.3

99.8
106.4
151.9
195.9
205. 2
193. 7
158.2
147. 4
144. 8
139.6
173.0

143.9
143.4
147.0
150.0
150.5
150.5
153.5
153. C
152.
151. '
149.
149.

128. 1
127.5
131.3
135.0
138.
136.3
140.0
138.
137.5
137.5
135. C
135.6

109.9 146.2 149. 3
109. 1 144.3 150.4
164.4
1 1 1 . 6 178.
114. 1 175.2 172. 6
115.7 171.4 171.9
114. 0 172.4 174.
115.7 186.7 180.
114.9 190.5 182.
114.9 192.4 183.
116.6 186. 183.7
116. 5 178.6 182.2
116.5 170. 180.

151.5
148.
151. (
152.

138.
138.
138.
139.

119. £
120.
120. '
121.5

173.
172.9
177.
182.4

84.1
86. 1
92.6
97.7
93. 6
98.9

1 0 0 .0
98. 6

1 0 0 .0

1 0 0 .0

1 0 0 .0

1 0 0 .0

102. 3
98. 7
108.8
139.4
164.9
182.0
197.4
147.5
128.7
134.8
138.6
151.0

112. 5
125.0
130.4
164.3
175.0
178.6
205.4
176.8
155.4
155.4
157. 1
167.9

103.9
125.8
134.6
211. 2
203.0
218. 2
245.
154. 5
142.4
148.5
184.8

105. 1 1 0 1 . 2
108.4 104.3
1 1 2 . 6 104. 6
192. 2 119.0
226. 7 148.3
213. 3 173.6
216.7 2 0 0 . 0
150. 0 109. 2
130.0 109. 2
136.7 109.2
156.7 116. 1
180.0 127. 6

204. 4
154.8
113.3
110.4
113.9

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.

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

141. 150.2
169. 140. 127.0
168.3 138. 1 1 1 . 6
165.2 135.4 111.9

167.9
167.9
167.9
167.9

187.9
190.9
187.9
184.9

173.3
173.3
173.3
170.

133.3
133.3
134.5
134.

1 0 0 .0

1 0 0 ,0

100.5
99. 2
102. 2
125. 4
156.2
174. 2
187. 6
164.0
147. 2
155.1
155.1
157.3

94.4
93.4
103.0
127.2
150.7
177.0
183.0
135.0
125. 1
144.7
135.0
143.1

103.6
105.0
116.7
150.4
162. 4
192. 8
188.2
153.9
148. 9
167.0
159.
166. 1

120. 3
147.5

168. 1 156.2 136.6
169. 5 156.2 132. 1
173. 155. 144.9
1 7 7 . 9 1 5 5 .1 139.2
177.9 153.9 135.5
173. 153.9 137.0
2 0 2 . 2 1 7 1 .8 155. 1 138.9
204. 170. 0 156. 141.3
204. 171.8 1 5 9 . 6 145.7
2 0 1 . S 171.4 160.7 155.
198.9 168. 160. 155.9
197.4 171. 1 6 0 . 7 153.0

162. 4
164.7
165.2
165. 2
164.3
165.2
165.6
166.5
167.4
168. 3
169.2
169.

144.3
144.3
146.2
146.8
143.0
144.9
148.7
153.8
151.9
152. 5
147.5
143.0

97. 5
110.7
134. 5
177.0
193.0
209. 9
186.4
169.0
164. 3
165.7
171.8

177.0
178.8
190.3
198.9
197.0
197. C

178.5 198.1 1 8 1 .2 159.6 144.6
181. 199. 182.6 159. 6 142.3
179. 2 0 0 . 185. 0 157.3 139.9
179.6 204. S 190. 156.2 132.9

«

170.

93. 4
1 1 1 .0

174.9
210. 8
233. 5
186. 7
113.9
107. 6
1 1 2 .0

1 2 2 .6

133.9
141.7
150.4
174.8
2 0 1 .2

1 7 5 .8

82.0
84.3
88.7
93.0
92.0
97.6

105.3 105. 3
1 1 1 . 2 107.7
112.3 106.6
1 0 1 . 0 109.3
130. 5 111.4
132. 1 115.1

95.0 87.6
101.5 92.2
109. 4 93.9
108.2 94.9
94.3
1 0 1 .6
105.2 1 0 1 . 6

80.7
80.5
90.1
103.8
88.4
93.5

85.3
85.5
90.1
93.8
87.9
97.7

1 0 0 .0

101. 7
97.2
109.2
142. 2
178. 1
198. 5
206.3
181. 4
181.
169. 1
168.4
195. 5

1 30 articles in 1907; 15 articles 1908-1912; 22 articles 1913-1920; 43 articles 1921-1926.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

87.2
89.6
91.3
94.6
95. 5
97.4

All
Cof­ a rti­
fee cles 1

1 0 0 .0

1 0 0 .0

100. 0
108. 2
120. 1

1 0 0 .0

101.4

1 0 0 .0

1 0 0 .0

146.4
169.3
176. 4
205. 5
352. 7
145. 5
132. 7
183.
167. 3
130.9

100. 4
106.9
119. 1
128.9
134.7
128. 1
125. 2
127.8
131. 4
138.8

99.7 102. 4
101.3
100.3 113.7
101.4 146. 4
102.4 168.3
145.3 185.9
157.7 203.4
1 2 1 . 8 153.3
1 2 1 . 1 141. 6
126. 5 146.2
145.3 145.9
172. 8 157.4

147. 1
152.9
147. 1
141.2
158.8
205.9
126.
1 2 8 . 7 258.8
129. 9 258.8
129.9 2 1 1 . 8
129.9 217.6
131. C 305.9
131. f 305.9

147.3
140.0
140.0
136.4
130.9
130.9
129. 1
127. 3
127.3
123.6
120. C
121.

136.4
137.5
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.

154.3
151.4
151. 1
150.8
151.6
155. 0
159.9
180.4
159.0
161.6
167.1
105. 5

341.2
335.3
329.
394.

1 2 1 .8
121.
121. £
120.

139. £
139. £
139.
140.

172.
172.
172.
171.5

164.3
161.5
159.9
t 162.4

108.3
88.9
158.8
252. 7
188.2
223. 5
370. 6
182.4
164. 7
170.6
158.8
211. 8

1 0 0 .2

1 0 0 .6

RETA IL P R IC E S OF FOOD

76.1
6 8 .0
71.5
1907-.....................................
71.2 78.1
73.3
1 9 0 8 ........... .................... 81.3
73.5
76.6
1909
___________.A— ,* .........
77.9 84.6
80.3
1910
_____ ______
84. 8
78.7
80.6
1911
...................... , .................... ---------------89.3 93.6
91.0
1912
..... -j ................

P ota­
Corn
But- i
H am j H ens M ilk ter Dheesej Lard Eggs Bread Flour meal R ice toes Sugarl Tea

CO
CO

of

R e t a il

P r ic e s

of

F ood in t h e U n it e d S t a t e s , J a n u a r y ,

1917,

to

A p r il ,

1926
400
375
350
325
300
275
250
225

ALL ARTICLES OF FOOD COMBINED

( AVLRA6 C PRICX FOR 1913 >100.)

200

T rend

200

175

[öiei]

125


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

100

75

50
40

i I

I

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

150

201

M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW

Retail Prices of Coal in the United States °

HE following table shows the average retail prices of coal on
January 15 and July 15, 1913, April 15, 1925, and March 15
and April 15, 1926, for the United States and for each of the
cities from which retail food 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

A V E R A G E R E T A IL P R IC E S O P C O A L P E R T O N OF 2,000 P O U N D S , F O R H O U S E H O L D
U SE , ON JA N U A R Y 15 A N D JU L Y 15, 1913, A P R IL 15, 1925, A N D M A R C H 15 A N D A P R IL 15,
1926
1913

1925

1926

C ity, and k in d of coal
J a n . 15
United States:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove . ...... ... ..................... ..
C hestnut.. . . _________________
B itum inous.................................. ...............
A tlanta, Ga.:
B itum in o u s______________ __________
B altim ore, M d.:
Pennsylvania an thracite—
Stove_________________________
C h e stn u t______________________
B itum in o u s__ _______________ ______
B irm ingham , Ala.:
B itum inous___________________ _____
Boston, M ass.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove____________________ ____ _
C h estn u t_______________________
Bridgeport, C onn.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove .
.
___
C h e stn u t_______________________
Buffalo, N . Y.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove _________________________
C h estn u t_______________________
B utte, M ont.:
B itu m in o u s ________________________
C harleston, S. C.:
B itu m in o u s________________________
Chicago, 111.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove __________________________
C h estn u t_______________________
B itum in o u s________________________
C incinnati, Ohio:
B itu m in o u s________________________
Cleveland, Ohio:
Pennsylvania an thracite—
Stove . ________________________
C h estn u t_______________________
B itu m in o u s. _ _ _ ________________
C olum bus, Ohio:
B itum in o u s..................................................

Ju ly 15

$7. 99
8 . 15
5.48

$7. 46
7. 68
5.S9

5. 8 8

4. 83

1 7. 70
1 7. 93

Apr. 15

$15. 02
14. 83
8 . 75

M ar. 15

A pr. 15

$16.12
i5. 91
9.25

$15. 54
15.37
9.11

63

8 . 45

7.37

1 7. 24
i 7. 49

i 15. 50
i 15.00
7. 45

i 16. 75
i 16. 25
7. 90

I 16.00
1 15. 50
7.71

4. 22

4.01

6.62

7. 59

6.92

8 . 25
8 . 25

7. 50
7. 75

15. 75
15. 50

18. 0 0
18.00

16.00
15. 75

15. 00
15.00

18. (X)
18.00

15. 00
15.00

13.20
12.96

13. 96
13. 6 6

13. 78
13.44

6.

75
6.99

i 6 . 75

6 . 54
6.80

1 6.

75

6.

10. 83

11. 07

1 1 . 04

1 1 .0 0

1 1 .0 0

1 1 .0 0

8 . 00
8 . 25

8 . 05

4. 97

4. 65

16. 70
16.70
8.41

16.89
16.69
8.99

16.86
16.69
8.39

3. 50

3. 38

6.50

7.53

6.53

7. 50
7. 75
4.14

7. 25
7.50
4. 14

14. 40
14.40
7. 89

15. 33
15. 08
9.45

14. 75
14.75
8 . 48

5. 95

7.64

6.59

7. 80

P er ton o f 2,240 pounds.
« Prices of coal were formerly secured sem iannually and published in the M arch and Septem ber issues
of the L abor Review. Since June, 1920, these prices have been secured and published m onthly.
1

98397°—20-


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

-14

[1377]

202

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

A V E R A G E R E T A IL P R IC E S O F C O A L P E R T O N O F 2,000 P O U N D S , P O R H O U S E H O L D
U S E , O N JA N U A R Y 15 A N D JU L Y 15, 1913, A P R IL 15, A N D M A R C H 15 A N D A P R IL 15,
1926—C ontinued
1913

1925

1926

C ity, and k in d of eoal
J a n . 15
D allas, Tex.:
A rkansas anth racite—
Egg _ _________________________
B itu m in o u s__ _____________________
D enver, Colo.:
■Colorado a n th r a c ite Furnace, 1 and 2 m ixed__________
Stove, 3 an d 5 mixed
________
B itu m in o u s________________________
D etro it, M ich .:
Pennsylvania an th racite—
S to v e _ _______ ________ _______
C h estn u t_______________________
B itu m in o u s________________________
Fall R iver, M ass.:
Pennsylvania an th racite—
Stove _ ________ _ _ ______
C h estn u t_________ ____ _________
H ouston, Tex..:
B itum inous .............................................
Indianapolis, In d .:
B itu m in o u s______ _____ ____________
Jacksonville, Fla,:
B itu m in o u s -......... .................... .............
K ansas C ity, M o.:
A rkansas an th racite—•
Furnace _______________________
Stove, N o. 4 ______ _____ _______
B itu m in o u s___ ________ _____________
L ittle Rock, A rk .:
A rkansas a n th racite—
E g g -- ______ _ -_ ___________
B itu m in o u s................ ................... .............
Los Angeles, C alif.:
B itu m in o u s.................. .................... - . .
Louisville, K y.:
B itum inous- ............................. .................
M anchester, N . H .:
Pennsylvania an th racite—
Stove _______________ __________
C h e s tn u t...............................................
M em phis, T enn.
B itu m in o u s..................................................
M ilw aukee, W is.;
Pennsylvania anth racite—
Stove___ ________________ _____
C hestnut _______ ____________
B itu m in o u s ___ _____ ______________
M inneapolis, M in n .:
Pennsylvania anth racite—
Stove-.
______________________
C h estn u t_______ _________ ____ __
B itu m in o u s............................... ..................
M obile, Ala.:
B itu m in o u s..............................................
N ew ark, N . J.:
Pennsylvania an th racite—•
S to v e __________ _____ __________
C h e s tn u t- -.____________________
N ew H aven, C onn.:
Pennsylvania an th racite—
S to v e .._________ ________________
C h e stn u t...............................................
N ew Orleans, La.:
B itum inous ..................................... .......
N ew Y ork, N . Y .:
P ennsylvania a n th racite—
S t o v e . . ___ _ __________________
C h e stn u t........ ......... .............................
N orfolk, V a,:
Pennsylvania an th racite—
S t o v e . . ____________ ____________
C h e s tn u t__________ ___________
B itum inous ____ ______________. . . .
2

A pr. 15

M ar. 15

A pr. 15

$8 . 25

$7. 21

$17. 63
10. 67

$16. 8 8
13.72

$15.33
12. 39

8 .8 8
8 . 50

9. 00
8 . 50
4. 8 8

15. 25
15. 50
9. 29

16.00
16. 25
1 0 . 68

15. 00
15. 06
8 . 83

5. 20

7. 45
7.65
5.20

15. 50
15. 50
8 . 77

16. 33
16. 33
10. 69

16. 42
16. 42
10. 45

8.25
8.25

7. 43
7. 61

15. 63
15.46

18. 25
18.00

16. 75
16. 25

12.33

12. 50

11. 50

3. 81

3.70

6. 88

7.45

7.01

7.50

7.00

12. 25

13.50

14.00

4.39

3.94

15.17
16. 69

14. 30
16. 17

8 .1 1

8 .0 0

13.90
15. 50
7.97

6 .0 0

5.33

10.80

14.00
10. 90

10.

13. 52

12. 50

15. 44

15. 94

15. 94

4.20

4.00

6.16

7. 41

6 . 37

50
50

16. 50
16.00

18.00
17.50

17. 00
17.00

4. 22

7. 36

7.84

7. 84

8 . 00
8 . 25
6 . 25

7. 85
8 . 10
5. 71

16. 30
16. 15
9. 41

16. 80
16. 62
11.42

16.80
16. 65
11.42

9. 25
9. 50
5.89

9. 05
9. 30
5.79

17. 60
17. 45
10.96

18.10
18. 07
11.17

18.10
18.04
11. 19

9.04

9. 62

9.31

5. 25
8 . 00
8 . 25

8.
8.

1 0 .0 0
1 0 .0 0
2

2

4. 34

2

14.00
60

6 . 50
6 . 75

6 . 25
6 . 50

13.15
12.90

14.20
13. 80

14.00
13.50

7. 50
7.50

6.25
6 . 25

14.45
14. 45

17. 83
17.83

15. 80
15.80

9. 71

1 1 .0 0

9. 8 6

14.00
13.67

15. 71
15.29

14. 75
14. 54

15. 50
15. 50
9.27

17.00
17.00
10.16

17.00
17.00
9.34

6.06
7.07
7.14

Per 10-barrel lot (1,800 pounds).


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Ju ly 15

[1378]

2 6 .0 0

6 . 60
6.80

R E TA IL PR IC E S OF COAL

203

A V E R A G E R E T A IL P R IC E S O P C O A L P E R T O N O F 2,000 P O U N D S , F O R H O U S E H O L D
U S E , ON JA N U A R Y 15 A N D JU L Y 15,1913, A P R IL 15, 1925, A N D M A R C H 15 A N D A P R IL 15.
1926—C ontinued
’
1913

1925

1926

C ity, and k in d of coal
Jan. 15
O m aha, N ebr.:
B itum inous ..............................................
Peoria, 111.:
B itum inous ............................. ..................
P hiladelphia, P a.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
S to v e .............. ....................................
C h e s tn u t.......................................... .
P ittsb u rg h , P a .:
P ennsylvania an th racite—
C h estn u t
B itu m in o u s............................................ .
P o rtla n d , M e.;
Pennsylvania anthracite—
S to v e ... ................... ...................... .....
C h estn u t_____________________ .
P ortlan d , Oreg.:
B itum inous ...... .................... .................
Providence, R . I . :
Pennsylvania an th racite—
Stove __________________________
C h e stn u t_____________ .____ _
R ichm ond, V a.:
Pennsylvania an th racite—
Stove.............................. ........................
C h e stn u t____ _______ ___________
B itum inous ____ ____ ____________
Rochester, N . Y . :
P ennsylvania an th racite—
Stove. _ ____________________
C h estn u t..................... .........................
St. Louis, M o.:
Pennsylvania an th racite—
Stove
_ ________ _______
C h e stn u t...............................................
B itu m in o u s________________________
St. P aul, M in n .:
Pennsylvania an th racite—
Stove _________________________
C h e stn u t_______________________
B itu m in o u s_________ ____ ___________
Salt Lake C ity , U ta h :
Colorado anthracite—
Furnace, 1 and 2 m ixed__________
Stove, 3 an d 5 m ix ed____________
B itu m in o u s. . . . . . __________________
San Francisco, Calif.:
N ew Mexico anthracite—
Oerillos egg _ _ ___________ _____
Colorado an th racite—
E g g . ___________ ________ ____
B itu m in o u s..... ........................................
S avannah, G a.:
B itu m in o u s ........................... ....................
Scranton, P a.:
Pennsylvania an th racite—
S to v e.. ..................... ..........................
C h estn u t............... ........................

$6.63

Ju ly 15

$6.13

A pr. 15

M ar. 15

A pr. 15

$10. 04

$10. 29

$10.29

6 . 61

7.06

7.05

7.16
7.38

i 6.89
17.14

114. 64
114.18

1 16. 04
1 15. 82

115. 79
4 15.54

18.00
3 3.16

17.44
33 .18

116. 25
6.72

16.13
6.13

6.13

16. 2 0
16.20

17.25
17.25

16. 56
16.56

9.66

13.62

13.15

13.11

7. 50
7.75

4 15.75
4 15.50

17. 50
17. 33

4 16. 25

7.25
7.25
4.94

15.00
15.00
7.96

16.83
16.50
11.32

15.50
15.50
8. 66

13.97
13.65

14. 60
14.15

14. 60

1
1

9.79
4
4

8.25
8.25
8 .0 0
8 .0 0

5.50

8.44

4
4

4
4

3.36

7.74
7.99
3.04

16. 25
16.10
6.13

17.15
16. 95
6 . 59

6.59

9.20
9.45
6.07

9. 05
9.30
6.04

17.60
17.45
11.45

18.10
18.07
11.47

18.10
18.01
11.47

1 1 .0 0
11. 00

5.64

11.50
11.50
5.46

18.00
18.00
8.36

18.00
18.00
8 . 43

18.00
18.00
8.43

17.00

17.00

26.50

26.50

26.50

17 00

17.00

1 2 .0 0

1 2 .0 0

25.00
17.28

25. 50
17. 06

25. 50
17.06

« 11.08

« 12. 75

4 10. 88

8 68

4 25
4. 50

1 P er to n of 2,240 pounds.
3 Per 25-bushel lo t (1,900 p o u n d s).
4 F ifty cents p er to n additional is charged

4. 31
4. 56

10.08
1 0 . 00

1 1 .0 0

10.67

10.92
10. 67

for “ b inning.” M ost custom ers require binning or basketing
th e coal in to th e cellar.
‘ All coal sold in Savannah is weighed b y th e city . A charge of 10 cents per to n or half to n is m ade. T his
additional charge has been included in th e above prices.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1379]

204

M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW

A V E R A G E R E T A IL P R IC E S O F C O A L P E R T O N O F 2,000 P O U N D S , F O R H O U S E H O L D
U SE ON JA N U A R Y 15 A N D JU L Y 15,1913, A P R IL 15, 1925, A N D M A R C H 15 A N D A P R IL 15,
1926—C ontinued
1925

1913

1926

C ity, and k in d of coal
J a n . 15
Seattle, W ash.:
B itu m in o u s________________________
Springfield, 111.:
B itum inous _______________________
W ashington, D . C.:
Pennsylvania an th racite—
Stove
. . __________________
C h estn u t_______________________
B itu m in o u s Prepared sizes, low v o latile______
Prepared sizes, high v o l a t i l e . . ___
R u n of mine, m ix e d ___ _________

$7. 63

i 7. 50
i 7.65

Ju ly 15

$7. 70

i 7. 38
1 7. 53

Apr. 15

M ar. 15

A pr. 15

$10.15

$9. 96

$9.96

4. 34

4. 38

4.38

i 15. 08
i 14.50

i 16. 28
i 16. 08

i 15. 53
i 15. 22

i 10. 71
i 8 . 38
i 7. 44

i 12. 71
i 9. 25
i 7.75

i 11. 67
19.00
17. 75

i Per to n of 2,240 pounds.

index Numbers of Wholesale Prices in April, 1926

RACTICALLY no change in the general level of wholesale prices
from March to April is shown by information gathered in
representative markets by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The
Bureau’s weighted index number, which includes 404 commodities
or price series, registered 151.1 for April, as compared with 151.5 for
March, a decrease of only one-fourth of 1 per cent. Compared
with April, 1925, with an index number of 156.2, there was a decrease
of 3M per cent.
Farm products and foods averaged slightly higher than in March,
due to increases in grains, hay, hogs, sheep and lambs, eggs and
potatoes. In all other groups prices were lower than in the month
before, ranging from less than 1 per cent in the case of fuels, metals,
chemicals and drugs, and house-furnishing goods to 2 per cent in
the case of clothing materials.
Of the 404 commodities or price series for which comparable in­
formation for March and April was collected, increases were shown in
81 instances and decreases in 155 instances. In 168 instances no
change in price was reported.

P


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1380]

IN D EX N U M B E R S OF W H O L ESA L E PR IC ES

205

I N D E X N U M B E R S O F W H O L E S A L E P R IC E S B Y G R O U P S O F C O M M O D IT IE S
[1913=100.0]
1926
C om m odity group

April, 1925
M arch

April

F arm p ro d u cts____________ _______________ _________
F oods.................. ....................................................... ............... .
Clothing m a te ria ls ................................. .................................
F u e ls ........................................................... ...............................
M etals a n d m etal p r o d u c t s . .................................................
B uilding m aterials_______________________ ___________
Chemicals a n d d ru g s ............... ...............................................
H ousefurnishing goods....... ....................................................
M iscellaneous.............................................................................

153.0
154.0
189.9
169.0
128.7
174.4
133.6
170.5
128.8

144.0
151.4
180. 5
175.1
127.7
175. 5
131.6
163.9
128.3

144.9
153.2
176.8
174.0
126.5
173.2
130.3
163.4
126.5

All com m odities..................... ................ ................................ .

156.2

151.5

151.1

Comparing prices in April with those of a year ago, as measured
by changes in the index numbers, it is seen that farm products
declined 5 hi per cent and clothing materials almost 7 per cent. In
all other groups also, except fuels, prices averaged lower than in April
1925, ranging from one-half of 1 per cent for foods to over 4 per cent
for house-furnishing goods. Fuels, on the other hand, were 3 per
cent higher than in April of last year.
Wholesale Prices in the United States and in Foreign Countries, 1913
to March, 1926

I

N THE following table the more important index numbers of
wholesale prices in foreign countries and those of the United
States Bureau of Labor Statistics have been brought together
in order that the trend of prices in the several countries may be
directly compared. In some instances the results here shown have
been obtained by merely shifting the base to the year 1913—i. e.,
by dividing the index number for each year or month on the original
base by the index number for 1913 on that base as published. In
such cases, therefore, these results are to be regarded only as approxi­
mations of the correct index numbers. It should be understood,
also, that the validity of the comparisons here made is affected by
the wide difference in the number of commodities included in the
different series of index numbers. For the United States and several
other countries the index numbers are published to the fourth sig­
nificant figure in order to show minor price variations.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

11381]

206

M O N T H L Y LABOR RE V IE W

IN D E X N U M B E R S O F W H O L E S A L E P R IC E S IN T H E U N IT E D S T A T E S A N D IN C E R ­
T A IN F O R E IG N C O U N T R IE S
[Index num bers expressed as percentages of th e index n u m b er for 1913.

C o u n try ___

U nited
States

B ureau
C om puting of Labor
agency----- S tatis­
tics

C o m m o d ities______

404

Czecho­
C anada Belgium B ulgaria slovakia

D om in­ M in is­ D irector
ion B u ­ tr y of General
reau of In d u s ­ of Sta­
S tatis­ tr y and tistics
L abor
tics

1238

128

F inland F ran c e

Ger­
m any

Ita ly

C entral
C entral General Federal
B ureau
R ic­
of S ta­ Finans- B ureau S ta tisti­ S ta tisti­ cardo
tistics tidende of S ta­ cal B u­ cal B u ­ Bachi
reau
(revised
tistics
reau
index)

135

38

D en ­
m ark

See text explanation]

135

33

45

38

2 107

Y ear and
m o n th

1913 ........ .
1914
1915
1916
___
1917
1918
1919 ........ .
1920 ______
1921
1922
1923_______
1924 ______
1925_______

1 0 0 .0

100

100

1 0 0 .0

103
137

3 100

177. 2
194. 3
206. 4
226. 2
146.9
148. 8
153.7
149. 7
158.7

102. 3
109. 9
131. 6
178. 5
199. 0
209. 2
243. 5
171. 8
152. 0
153.0
155. 2
160.3

1923
Jan u a ry ____
F e b ru a ry __
M a rc h _____
A pril______
M a y - ......... J u n e . . ........ .
J u ly .— ........
A ugust____
Septem ber - .
O c to b e r___
N ovem b er. _
D ecem b er...

155.8
156.7
158. 6
158.7
156. 2
153.5
150.6
150.1
153.7
153.1
152.1
151.0

151.4
153. 6
155. 9
156. 9
155. 2
155.5
153. 5
153. 5
154. 6
153.1
153.3
153.5

434
474
482
480
474
484
504
529
514
515
531
545

2657
2666
2828
2757
2613
2545
2408
2292
2265
2263
2412
2597

1924
Jan u a ry ____
F e b ru a ry __
M a rc h _____
A pril.............
M a y ..............
J u n e ..............
J u ly _______
A u g u s t____
S e p te m b e r..
O ctober........
N ovem b er. D ecem b er...

151.2
151.7
149.9
148. 4
146.9
144.6
147.0
149. 7
148.8
151.9
152.7
157.0

156. 9
156.8
154.4
151.1
150.6
152.3
153.9
156.8
153-9
157. 0
157.7
160.9

580
642
625
555
557
565
566
547
550
555
569
566

2711
2658
2612
2798
2551
2811
2737
2853
2848
2988
3132
3181

1925
J a n u a ry ____
F e b ru a ry __
M a rc h _____
A pril___
M a y ______
June ______
J u ly _______
A ugust____
S eptem b er. .
O ctober____
N o v e m b e r..
D ecem b er...

160.0
160. 6
161. 0
156.2
155.2
157. 4
159.9
160.4
159.7
157.6
157.7
156.2

165.2
164.8
161. 6
156.5
159.1
158.8
158.4
159.5
156. 5
156.6
161.1
163.5

559
551
546
538
537
552
559
567
577
575
569
565

3275
3309
3272
3244
3177
3225
3041
2870
2834
2823
2822
2913

1045
1048
1034

1926
J an u ary ____
F e b ru a ry __
M arch ____

156. 0
155.0
151.5

163. 8
162. 2
160.1

560
556
583

2901
2899

1
2

98.1
100. 8
126. 8

367
497
573
558

1940
2006
2473
2525

236 commodities since A pril, 1924.
36 commodities prior to 1920; 76 commodities in
1920 and 1921; 100 commodities in 1922.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

4 100

1334
977
997

s 100
138
164
228
293
294
382
250
179
201

226

1100

200

1129
1134
1127
1108
1096
1093
1095
1080
1080
1089
1077
1070
1096

387
422
424
415
406
409
407
413
424
421
443
459

85.8
101.7
117.9
139.0
126.2

575
582
587
588
580
669
566
567
509
563
571
577

1071
1078
1094
1095
1090
1088
1085
lilt
1117
1114

494
544
499
450
458
465
481
477
486
497
504
507

117.3
116.2
120.7
124.1
122.5
115.9
115.0
120.4
126.9
131.2
128.5
131.3

571
573
579
579
571
566
567
572
580
602
621
640

138.2
136. 5
134.4
131.0
131.9
133.8
134.8
131.7
125.9
123.7

658
660
659
658
660
683
707
731
721
716
712
715

181
192
199

974
999
1021

1008
1001

968
953
986
982
999
1013
1024

200

204
202

207
207
202

205
207
210

210

223
227
228
225
219
220

233
231
234
231
232

1120

1139

1020

220

1006
998
1009
993
996
989
977
977

216
216
206
189
168
163
158
160

1120

514
515
514
513
520
543
557
557
556
572
605
633

966
950
938

157
151
145

1094
1091
1081

634
636
632

[1382]

100

95
133

1183
1263
1219
1095

991
1005
1003
977
949
942
943
960
952
969

1 0 0 .0

140
188
262
339
356
509
345
327
419
489
551

1001

1012
1012

100
102

234
234
230

1137
1141
1131
1133
1122

1129
1118
1142
1133
1121

1118

3 April.
4 July.
5 Ju ly 1,

1912-June 30,1914.

202

95.1
122.5
130.4
65.0
84.0
96.8
89.5
71.9
74.0
8 8 .8

1 2 1 .1

121.5
1 2 0 .0

118.4
118.0

299
409
364
631
677
562
575
585
690

708
704
693

207

IN D E X N U M B E R S OF W H O L ESA L E PR IC E S

I N D E X N U M B E R S O F W H O L E S A L E P R IC E S IN T H E U N IT E D S T A T E S A N D IN C E R ­
T A IN F O R E IG N C O U N T R IE S —C ontinued

C o u n try -----

N e th ­
er­
lands

N o r­
w ay

Spain

C en­ C en­ In sti­
tu te
l
tra l
C om puting tra
of
B u­
B u ­ Geog­
agency----- reau
reau ra p h y
of
of
and
S ta­
S ta­
S ta­
tistics tistics tistics

C o m m o d i­
ties ______

«48

174

74

Swe­
den

Sw it­ U nited
zer­
K ing­
land
dom

C ham ­ Dr. J.
ber of L o­
Com ­
merce renz

160

B oard
of
T rade

71

150

Aus­
tralia

N ew
Zea­
land

B u­
en­
reau of Csus
C en­
and
sus
S ta­
and
S ta­ tistics
tistics Office

92

106

South
Africa Japan C hina In d ia
B u­
reau
of
Office
M a r­
of
kets,
C en­ B ank
of
T reas­
sus
Japan, u ry
and
D e­
Tokyo
S ta ­
p a rt­
tistics
m ent,
Shang­
hai
187

50

7117

L abor
Office,
B om ­
bay

42

Y ear an d
m o n th

1913________
1914________
1915_______
1 9 1 6 ............
1917.............
1918_______
1919_______
1920_______
1921________
1922_______
1923_______
1924_______
1 9 2 5 .............
1923
Ja n u a ry ____
F e b ru a ry __
M arch _____
A pril______
M a y _______
J u n e ___ _ .
J u ly ----------A ugust. . . .
S e p te m b e r..
O c to b e r ___
N o v e m b e r..
D ecem b er...
1924
J a n u a ry ........
F e b ru a ry —
M a r c h .........
A p ril______
M a y _______
J u n e . . ..........
J u ly . .
A ugust ___
S e p te m b e r..
O ctober____
N o v e m b e r..
D ecem b er...
1925
J a n u a ry ____
F e b ru a ry —
M arch _____
A p ril............
M ay.
J u n e . . ........ .
J u ly _______
A ugust
Septem ber - .
O ctober........
N o v e m b e r..
D ecem ber__
1926
J a n u a ry ____
F e b ru a ry .
M arch _____

100

109
146
226
276
373
304
292 |
182
160
151
156
155

100

100
101

100

221

359

119
141
166 ,
207
204 ;

232
267
253

190
176
172
183
188

222
173
163
162
161

157
155
156
156
149
149
145
142
145
148
153
154

223

228
229
232
232
231
233
232
235
243
247

170
170
171
174
171
170
170
171
174
171
173
176

163
165
168
168
166
164
162
162

156
158
155
154
153
151
151
151
158
161
161
160

251
261
264
263
261
262
265
271
272
273
276
279

160
158
155
151
151
153
155
155
155
154
154
155
153
150
146

211

100. 0

4100. 0

196. 5
167. 7
179. 9
175. 7
161. 6

307.3
197. 2
158. 8
159. 1
166. 2
: 159. 7

4100

141
132
146
170
180
218
167

100

104
123
134
151
175
178

212
201

170
165
162

178
175
180
175

171
173
174
174
■ 176
177
176
175
177
176
175
174

157.0
157. 5
J60. 3
162. 0
159. 8
159. 3

161
160
160

174. 7
175.3
181.0
185. 9
186. 5
181. 0
179. 8
175. 3
173. 4
181. 1
181. 6
182. 5 ;

154. 5
157.8
158. 1
160.8
163.4

163
161
163
167
170
178
180
175
172
171
173
174

178
180
180
184
179
179
182
182
184
186
181
198

161
162
162
161
160
158
157
160
163
167
167
168

183.2
183. 4
180. 1
181. 4
ISO. 4
178. 3
173. 3
170. 6
169. 9
169. 0
168. 5
169. 8

165.4
167.0
165. 4
164. 7
163. 7
162. 6
162. 6
165.2
166.9
170.0
169.8
170.1

174
170
167
166
165
163
163
162
162
163
163
165

175
180
ISO
178
179
180
180
181
181
180
181
181

279
281
279
273
262
260
254
249
237
223

191
192
193
190
191
187
188
184
185
187
186
187

169
169
168
163
162
161
161
159
157
154
155
156

171.0
170. 8
170.8
168.9
169. 9
186.3
162.5
165. 9
163. 0
159. 0
161. 9
157. 6
160.6 : 157. 5
159.6
157. 0
159.4
156. 0
154. 8
159. 2
157. 0
153. 7
153.2
lofi. 7

163
162
160
158
159
162
162
162
162
163
165
160

178
175
175
175
175
174
175
175
175
176
176 :
176

214

186
183
183

153
152
149

155. 5
154. 5
150.8

161
160
103

176
175
174

222

220
220

204

102

1 5 6 .5

151.3
148.8
144.4

100

95
97
117
147
193
236
259

131

1S4
192
196
196
199
198
192
190

126
124
125

131
126
125
133

130
130
127
124

124


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1383]

4100
236

222

152. 0
150. 2
145. 5
156. 4
153. 9
159.4

216
199
187
181
182
163

152. 7
157.5
158. 7
157.7
158. 4
155.2
155.4
153. 1
156. 8
156.1
157.3
157.5

181
177
182
180
180
ISO
178
176
179
181
186
188

214 155.8
208 159.5
206 : 157.5
207 153. 7
205 154. 3
199 151.8
195 151. 5
148.8
206 149.3
213 152.8
214 154. 9
213 157.4

188
188
181
184
181
185
184
184
181
181
176
176

214

200

196
199
205

202

210
212
209
210

200

210
202
199
200
198
200
201
200
198
194

159. 9
159. 2
160. 3
159.3
157.8
157.3
162.8
160. 3
160.2
159.0
158.4
158.1

173
173
171
165
164
160
158
160
157
158
160
155

192
188
184

164. 0
163.0
104.0

155
152
150

204

4Ju ly .
652 commodities in 1920; 53 commodities from A ugust, 1920, to Decem ber, 1921.
7 147 item s.

100 100. 0

97
107
123
141
153
165
223
161
129
127
129
128

\

L A B O R A G R E EM EN TS, AW ARDS, A N D DECISIONS

AGREEMENTS

Barbers—-Cleveland

sections are taken from the agreement
THENo.following
129, barbers of Cleveland, effective April 1, 1926:

of Local

S e c tio n 1. Journeym en shall not work more th a n 9k£ consecutive hours
of any one day, except on Saturday, when they shall not work more th an I I L j
consecutive hours. D ays before legal holidays m entioned in section 7 of this
agreem ent shall be considered as Saturday.
S e c . 2. Journeym en shall have one-half day off duty each week, commencing
a t 12 o’clock noon, and they are not to report for duty u ntil th e following m orn­
ing, when off d uty on account of a legal holiday they are not to tak e any other
tim e off d uty th a t week.
S e c . 3. Meal hours shall be one and one-half hours each day, provided for
according to shop rules.
S e c . 4. Journeym en shall not be required to contribute any p a rt of their
wages tow ard any supplies in a shop, except bench tools and uniforms.
S e c . 5. Journeym en conducting one-chair shops shall comply w ith all working
conditions in this agreem ent, except th a t they shall not be required to take onehalf day off d uty each week.
S e c . 6. A rticle 1. The wages of a journeym an shall be a guaranty of $30,
n ot less, and 60 per cent over and above $42 of his receipts for a full week’s
work.
A r t . 7. The wages of a journeym an barber who is employed for evenings
and S aturdays shall be 70 per cent "of his receipts, with a guaranty of $2 for each
evening, and 70 per cent of his receipts w ith a guaranty of $10 for Saturday. A
barber working a full week evenings and Saturdays shall receive $22 a week,
guaranty, and 60 per cent over $28 of his receipts. Evening m an sta rts work a t
4 p. m. A m an starting a t noon shall receive 70 per cent of his receipts, w ith a
guaranty of $3 for each day, w ith th e exceptions of Saturday when th e guaranty
shall be $10, th e day before legal holidays m entioned in section 7 of this agree­
m ent shall be considered th e same as Saturday.
S e c . 7. Journeym en shall not work on th e following legal holidays: New
Y ear’s, Decoration D ay, F ourth of July, Labor D ay, Thanksgiving D ay, and
Christm as, b u t shall work until 9 p. m. th e night before, and if any of th e abovenam ed holidays fall on Sunday and celebrated on M onday, th e journeym en
shall not work on th a t day.
S e c . 8. N o shop card shall be issued to any shop th a t keeps open after 7 p. m .
daily, and 9 p. m. on Saturday, and 9 p. m. the day before any legal holiday
m entioned in section 7 of this agreement, and th a t opens up for business on any
legal holiday m entioned in section 7 of this agreement.
S e c . 9. When th e proprietor or m anager of a shop employs a new m an, he
m ust see th a t th e m an has a perm it from the office to go to work. When a new
m an goes to work th e proprietor or m anager should notify th e office a t once,
office phone Main 3103, and for any violation of this agreem ent on th e p a rt of
th e proprietor or m anager of a shop, th e union shop card shall be removed, the
fact of which shall be published through our organized labor, and an expense fee
shall be charged for removing and replacing th e union shop card.

208


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209

Bookkeepers, Stenographers, and Accountants—New York
A N AGREEMENT of Bookkeepers, Stenographers, and Accountants’ Union No. 12646, of New York City, that has been in
force for a number of years, contains the following provisions :
The em ployer agrees:
1. To employ only members of the union to perform all work, among the
employees known as th e “ office sta ff” of tem porary and perm anent character,
subject to clause 9 of this agreement, provided th a t new employees m ay be re­
quired to work on probation for a period not to exceed two weeks.
2. To grant employees a 7-hour workday; th e working hours to be from
9 a. m. to 12 m. and from 1 p. m. to 5 p. m .; on Saturday from 9 a. m. to 1 p. m.,
unless otherwise stipulated in writing (to be attached hereto) by th e employer
and th e union shop com mittee, provided th a t no stipulation can be interpreted
as covering a w orkday of more than 7 hours during the first five days of th e week,
or 4 hours on Saturday, and provided th a t no w orkday shall extend over more
th a n 8 hours or after 7 p. m. during the first five days of th e week, or after
2 p. m. on Saturday.
3. To grant employees a whole holiday on all legal holidays; to pay tim e and
a half for overtime, b u t double tim e for Sundays and holidays.
4. To give each employee two weeks’ vacation annually, w ith pay, after
one year’s em ployment, or one week’s vacation after six m onths em ployment.
Any employee discharged after May 1st, to receive salary in lieu of vacation.
Notice of discharge m ay not be given during the vacation or during th e two
weeks preceding it.
5. N ot to dismiss its employees except for just and sufficient cause; nor to
discrim inate against or discharge any member for his or her actions in behalf of
th e union; not to dismiss an employee w ithout two weeks’ notice.
6. To designate in writing a person or com mittee who shall have power and
au th ority to consider all questions of wages, conditions of em ploym ent or griev­
ances, and to m ake all office rules subject to the approval of th e union.
7. To leave questions of wage scale open for negotiation and settlem ent
between th e employer and a credited com m ittee of th e union, provided th a t no
member of th e office staff shall work for less th an $21 per week.
The union agrees:
9. To furnish com petent members on reasonable notice, providing their
services are available.
10. To compel its members to give two weeks’ notice before quitting.
11. To appoint and designate in writing, from tim e to tim e, a responsible
shop com m ittee to represent the union and the employees in th e office covered
by this agreement.
Both parties hereto agree and understand:
12. T h a t employees will not be asked to m ake any w ritten statem en t or verbal
contract which m ay conflict w ith this agreement.
13. T h a t no employee is to suffer any reduction in wages if used tem porarily
in any other capacity.
14. T h a t dishonesty shall be sufficient cause to discharge w ithout further
notice. If member leaves w ithout giving notice said person to be expelled from
th e union.
15. T h at when member leaves, employer agrees, on request, to issue a sta te­
m ent as to his or her character or service.
17. In case of disagreem ent in carrying out th e term s of this agreem ent and
inability to m utually settle same, to subm it the m atter in dispute to an a rb itra ­
tion board composed of one representative of th e employer, one chosen by th e
union, and a third person chosen by these two parties. In case of failure to
agree on th e third member, he shall be chosen by th e board of m ediation and
arbitration of the S tate departm ent of labor.


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M O N T H L Y LABOE R E V IE W

Egg Inspe<itors—Chicago
T T IE Egg Inspectors’ Union of Chicago, No. 8705, has made an
1 agreement with the egg dealers and distributors, effective for
one year from April 1, 1926, from which the following extracts are
taken.
Second. T hat 8 hours shall constitute a day’s work, and hours of work shall be
between the hours of 7 a. m. and 5 p. m., and th a t m ore th a n 8 hours’ work shall
be considered as overtime and 44 hours constitute a week’s work, ending 12 m.
Saturday.
Third. T h at the minimum wage scale shall be $1.10 per hour. T h a t all help
employed for less th a n one week shall be classed as extra men, sam e to be »aid
a t th e ra te of $1.25 per hour.
Fourth. T h a t piecework shall be paid for a t the rate: For candling, 50 cents;
checking and sorting, 33 cents; transferring, 22 cents per 30 dozen cases. All
piecework shall be done between 8 a. m. and 5 p. m.
Fifth. T h a t all work on Sundays, New Y ear’s Day, Memorial Day, In d e­
pendence Da}', Thanksgiving Day, and Christm as D ay shall be paid double tim e.
Over 8 hours and after 12 m. Saturdays be considered overtim e, and all over­
tim e shall be paid tim e and one-half. No overtime to be worked when th ere are
idle m en available. Union to be notified when overtime is to be worked.
Sixth. T h a t no m an shall be compelled to work on Labor Day.
Seventh. I t is agreed th a t for every three journeym en em ployed regularly,
one apprentice shall be allowed; two years’ service a t th e bench shall constitute
an apprenticeship; 55 cents per hour th e first year; 80 cents th e second year.
Eighth. Egg inspectors m ay be allowed to do any other work th a t th e em ployer
required, providing same will not conflict w ith any other agreem ent of other
labor organizations.
N inth. T hat the undersigned egg dealers and distributors of Chicago estab ­
lish a standing com m ittee of three members, and th e Egg Inspectors’ Union do
likewise, before whom any grievance by members of either organization m ay be
brought and adjusted. Such grievances shall be acted upon w ithin 48 hours
after a com plaint is m ade in writing.

Elevator Operators and Starters—Chicago

'T ’HE Elevator Operators’ and Starters’ Union No. 66, Chicago,
affiliated with the Elevator Constructors’ Union, renewed its
agreement with the Building Managers’ Association of Chicago for
two years from November 1, 1925. The changes from the summary
of the agreement of November 1, 1923, as printed in the Labor
Review, May, 1924 (p. 133), are few. Class C, consisting of freight
elevator operators, has been consolidated with class B, including
operators in buildings containing less than nine stories, and the higher
rates of the latter were adopted. This gives the operators of freight
elevators a minimum wage of $122.50 per month, an increase of
$2.50 per month over the rate from. 1923 to 1925. Wages remain
the same in the other classes as in 1923 agreement. The overtime
rate now begins at the end of the regular workday of 8% hours instead
of after 10 hours as before. The following article is new.
A rticle V III. Each elevator operator or sta rter who a t th e beginning of the
vacation season has been continuously in th e employ of th e same building (or
firm) for one year or more, shall be granted a vacation of one week (six workingdays) w ithout the loss of pay.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

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A G R EE M E N T S---- LADIES* G A RM EN T W ORKERS

211

Ladies’ Garment Workers—Boston

HE two-year agreements between the Boston Joint Board of the
International Ladies* Garment Workers’ Union and the various
groups of ladies’ garment employers came to an end February 15,
1926. The unions requested that the new contract contain clauses
providing for a five day week of 42 hours for the dress industry, a
five and a half day week of 44 hours for the cloak industry, the
compulsory use of the label, and the creation of a board of sanitary
control.. Conferences between representatives of the union and the
various organizations were without result. February 25th, on the
order of the strike committee of the Boston Joint Board, the cloak
makers.and dressmakers to the number of about 4,000, three-fourths
of whom were women, left their shops. After conference between
representatives of the union and the various organizations of em­
ployers the collective agreement prepared by the union was signed
by the New England Dress Manufacturers’ Association, the cloak
firms, and finally on March 6th by the dress jobbers upon whom
the union placed the responsibility for working conditions in the
shops of the contractors employed by them.
The agreement covers the New England Dress Manufacturers’
Association, the Boston Cloak Manufacturers’ Association, the
Boston Wholesale Garment Association, representing the cloak and
some of the dress jobbers, and the newly formed Boston Wholesale
Dress Association, consisting of those members of the Wholesale
Garment Association who wished to have one agreement for both
cloak and dress jobbers.
The agreements with the various organizations vary somewhat in
detail. The following sections are taken from the agreement made
by the Joint Board Cloak, Skirt and Dressmakers’ Union compris­
ing locals Nos. 12, 39, 46, 56, 73, and 80 of the International Ladies’
Garment Workers’ Union with independent manufacturers, the agree­
ment to continue in force until February 15, 1928. Most of its sec­
tions are similar to those in the agreements with the associations of
employers.
5.
The employer agrees th a t whenever he will require additional help, he will
call upon th e union to furnish such help, and the union agrees to furnish th e
em ployer to th e best of its ability, out of its membership, such workers as he
m ay require. The employer further agrees not to engage any new workers
except such as will present union work cards directing th em to such em ployer’s
place of business.
7. There shall be a t all tim es in the shop of the employer a shop chairm an
elected by th e employees a t a regular shop meeting, called by th e union, in
th e presence of a union representative. The shop chairm an is to act as a repre­
sentative of th e employees in their dealings w ith the employer.
8. A duly authorized officer or representative of th e union shall have access
to th e factory of th e employer a t all hours, for th e purpose of ascertaining
w hether th e provisions of this agreem ent are fully complied with. He shall
also have access to th e em ployer’s books for the purpose of ascertaining th e
correct earnings of th e workers employed in th e em ployer’s shop and for th e
purpose of learning th e names of th e m anufacturers and jobbers for whom th e
employer is doing work or the names of th e m anufacturers and contractors to
whom th e employer is sending work and the style num bers, lots, and sizes of
such work.
9. The employer is not to enter into any individual contract w ith any em­
ployee relative to his labor for th e employer, and no cash, deposit, or other
security shall be accepted from any employee by the employer.

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M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

11. There shall be no change of system of work in any departm ent or reduc­
tion of th e working force in the shop of the employer w ithout th e consent of
b oth parties to this agreement.
12. If th e em ployer will suspend work during any p art of th e slow season,
upon resum ption of work he shall give em ploym ent to th e workers who have
been laid off a t the end of th e preceding season before engaging any new help.
In th e resum ption of th e work after a suspension, if there should be one, the
shop chairm an and th e price com m ittee shall be th e first to be reemployed.
13. A tria l period shall consist of one week in which to judge th e com petency
of th e worker to do th e work. After th e tria l period, th e employee shall be
considered com petent and shall not be discharged unless th e employer notifies
th e union in w riting, w ith a statem ent of the reason for such discharge— and
th e union upon investigation finds th e alleged causes or reason sufficient to
justify such discharge.
14. The em ployer is not to charge members of th e union for any damage in
m aterial, unless th e dam age be willfully and wrongfully caused.
15. The employer is to furnish all tools incident to th e work of th e members
of the union w ithout any charge to them .
16. All work shall be divided equally between th e inside shop and th e out­
side shops working for th e employer and w ithin each shop such work shall be
divided equally am ong all th e workers in the shop.
17. All workers required to come in th e shop in th e dull season shall be secured
w ith not less th a n one-half d ay ’s work. In case of failure by th e employer to
provide wrork for th e worker, th e worker shall receive for every hour of idleness
pay a t th e rate of th e m inim um wage scale.
18. The employer agrees to observe Labor D ay w ith p ay to all workers, week
workers as well as piece workers, men as well as women. I t should be under­
stood th a t no work is to be done on this holiday. Week workers to be paid
for th is day a t th e ra te of their regular weekly earnings; piece workers, a t the
rate of their respective m inimum wrage scales. All wmrkers in th e employ of
th e firm are to receive pay for Labor Day, regardless of w hether there is wmrk
or not in th e shop of th e employer during Labor Day w^eek.
19. Refraining from work on May 1 shall not be a breach of this contract.
The following additional legal holidays shall be observed w ithout pay: M ay 30,
July 4, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving Day, C hristm as D ay, New Y ear’s Day.
20. A week’s work shall consist of 42 hours, divided into five working-days;
th e first four days of the wTeek work shall begin a t 8 a. m. and continue until
5.30 p. m. w ith one hour for lunch; on the fifth day, the hours shall be from
8 a. m. until 5. p. m. w ith one hour for lunch. W orking on Saturday or Sun­
day shall be considered a violation of this agreement.
21. The following shall be the minimum w-age scale for week workers: C utters
n o t less th an $45, pressers not less th a n $49.50, machine operators not less than
$30, finishers no t less than $22, drapers no t less than $28, examiners n ot less than
$22, sample m akers n o t less than $35.
G irl apprentices, from one to six weeks in the trade, to receive n o t less th an
$12 per week; from six weeks to six months, not less th a n $15 per week; from
six m onths to one year in the trade, not less th an $20 per week.
The following should be the hourly m inim um rate for pieceworkers: Operators
n o t less than $1.00 per hour, finishers not less than $0.65 per hour, pressers not
less th an $1.45 per hour.
All cutters, drapers, examiners, and workers doing general work shall work
week work. No piecework should be perm itted in any of these departm ents
enum erated.
22. There shall be in the shop of the emplojrer a price com m ittee elected by
the employees of the shop, a t a regular meeting called by the union, and all
piece prices shall be settled by the employer and this elected price com m ittee
in th e presence of the shop chairm an. Prices to be based on th e set minimum
hourly rate. In case of disagreem ent, the price com m ittee and th e employer
shall jointly agree to testers selected among th e workers of th e shop. In select­
ing testers, the following rules shall be observed: The slowest and fastest work­
ers of th a t departm ent to be eliminated, those of average skill and speed shall
be selected.
The tim e consumed by such elected worker shall be com puted
on th e hourly rate set, the tim e consumed on the garm ent disputed shall be
recorded by shop chairm an and the employer. The te st should be m ade under
th e same conditions as stock garm ents are being made.
The workers shall
n o t be required to work on garm ents before an adjustm ent of price has been

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

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A G REEM EN TS---- L A D IE S ’ GA RM ENT W ORKERS

213

effected. If upon investigation it should be established th a t after th e ad ju st­
m ent of prices the workers do not earn the scale set for them , the prices shall
be resettled and the workers to be paid back pay in accordance w ith the new
prices set.
24. A statem ent of the wages of every week worker employed by the em­
ployer shall be attached to and considered p a rt of this agreement.
26. The employer agrees to send in m onthly to the union a list of all shops he
is working for or in which work is performed for him.
27. The paym ent of wages shall be made weekly, in cash, on a fixed day.
Wages shall include all work completed 48 hours before pay day.
28. Any reduction of wages or prices shall be considered a violation of this
agreement.
29. No overtime work shall be perm itted so long as there are vacant accom­
m odations in the shop for additional workers, and such additional workers can
be secured. No more than one hour overtime per day shall be perm itted in
any event.
30. All week workers, men as well as women, shall be paid for overtime a t
the rate of tim e and a half. All piece workers, men as well as women, shall be
paid for overtim e double pay on the basis of the base rate fixed in this agreement.
31. No contracting or subcontracting work w ithin th e shop shall be perm itted.
No work shall be given to be made a t home. No pieceworker shall be perm itted
to employ any helper.
32. None of the merchandise m anufactured by the employer shall be made for
him in any shop of any other employer except by consent of th e union.
33. None of the merchandise m anufactured in th e shop shall be directly or
indirectly through any channel, m anufactured for or sold to any m anufacturer
or jobber who is not under contract w ith the union to observe and m aintain
the union standards. Employers who are m anufacturing garm ents for th e
m anufacturers or jobbers shall register w ith the union th e names and addresses
of th e firms they work for or sell garm ents to.
34. The employer agrees not to do any work for or to sell any goods or m er­
chandise to, nor have any work done by, or purchase from firms or their princi­
pals, agents, factors, or jobbers during the pendency of a strike declared by the
union against such firm.
35. All disputes th a t m ay arise between any member of the union and the
employer shall be taken up for adjustm ent between the employer and the shop
chairm an elected by the members of the union in the employ of th e employer.
If they fail to agree, the m atter shall be taken up by a representative of the
union and the employer.
43. The firm agrees n o t to purchase any ready-m ade garm ents or have any
merchandise made into garm ents for it by any firm or agents of such firm, unless
such firm or its agents are operating under contract w ith one of th e locals of the
International Ladies’ G arm ent W orkers’ Union providing for union standards
and conditions, and are actually observing these conditions, and are in all events
registered w ith the union.
44. No work shall be given by the employer to a contractor, nor shall any
ready-m ade goods be purchased by th e employer from another m anufacturer
unless the nam e and place of business of such contractor or m anufacturer has been
registered w ith the union and the union has certified in writing to th e employer
th a t such contractor or m anufacturer m aintains proper working standards and
sanitary conditions. If the union will inform the employer th a t any subm anu­
facturer or contractor does not m aintain union standards as specified in this
agreement, the em ployer will cease to give work to such subm anufacturer or
contractor from the date of such notice.
45. No work shall be given by the employer to a new contractor or shall be
made by him in a new outside shop unless his inside shop and all contractors a t
the tim e doing work for the employer shall be supplied w ith work to their full
capacity. No work shall be discontinued in the shop of a registered con­
tracto r during the term s of this agreem ent w ithout the consent of the union.
46. The em ployer agrees to furnish th e union w ith th e nam es and addresses
of all firms from whom he is or hereafter will be receiving work, cu t or uncut.
Em ployers working for jobbers shall register w ith the union all such jobbers for
whom they work, and no work shall be done by the employer for any jobber
unless such jobber is under contract w ith the union. I t is hereby understood
th a t a contractor is one who receives cut goods for the purpose of m anufacture,
and th a t a subm anufacturer is one who receives uncut goods for the purpose
of m anufacture.

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M O N T H L Y LABOE KEVIEW

47. The employer agrees not to do any work for firms nor to sell any goods to
firms against whom th e union has declared a strike, nor to send any goods to such
firms, or its principals, agents, factors, or jobbers, during th e pendency of the
strike. If a general lockout shall be caused by one or more associations of em­
ployers in th e industry, or a general strike shall be called in th e industry on
account of differences between th e union and one or m ore em ployers’ associations,
a suspension of work during th e period of such lockout or strike shall n o t be
deemed a violation of this agreement.
48. T he em ployer agrees to cooperate w ith the union in establishing and
m aintaining an unem ploym ent insurance fund for th e members of th e union.
M anufacturers who sell garm ents to th e trad e shall contribute to said fund 2 per
cent of th e wages or labor cost of th e garm ents so sold by them . Employers,
w hether they sell to the trad e or work exclusively for jobbers, shall deduct from
th e wages of their workers 1 per cent thereof on every pay day as a contribution
of such workers to th e said unem ploym ent insurance fund. The fund shall be
adm inistered by a board of trustees, and if th e union so desires th e em ploym ent
insurance board established in the cloak and suit industry of Boston shall be
designated as such board. The employer agrees to pay his unem ploym ent
insurance contribution and the contribution of th e workers employed by him
to th e unem ploym ent insurance board each and every week on his pay day.
49. The em ployer agrees to attac h to all garm ents produced by him th e Prosanis
label, to designate th a t th e garm ents carrying th e same have been m anufactured
under proper sanitary surroundings. The joint board of sanitary control shall
furnish such labels a t cost to employer in contractual relations w ith th e union.
50. The em ployer agrees to comply w ith all the standards of sanitation and
all other rules now established by the joint board of san itary control in the
ladies’ garm ent industry and to conduct fire drills in accordance w ith th e S tate
law, such fire drills to be conducted by th e joint board of sanitary control a t
th e expense of th e m anufacturer. The employer agrees to pay to the" jo in t board
of sanitary control for its service, th e sums to be determ ined by th e jo in t board
of sanitary control, an am ount for sanitary control and an additional am ount for
fire drills, such paym ents to be m ade annually through th e union.
51. The em ployer agrees th a t a t th e expiration of th e term of lease of th e
premises now occupied by him he will not renew such lease or enter into a lease
for any premises unless his present premises or th e new premises, as th e case may
be, shall have been approved by th e joint board of sanitary control as being
sanitary.
52. If any understanding between th e union and any of th e associations w ith
which th e union has a t present or m ay in th e future have collective agreements
shall be reached, which understanding m ay involve an increase of wages, reduc­
tion in hours, or a general im provem ent of the standards in th e industry, such
understanding shall become p a rt of this agreem ent and shall be enforced in the
shop of th e employer.
53. Should the m anufacturer violate any provision of this agreem ent, he shall
become liable to th e union in such sum of money as will adequately compensate
th e union for such violation.
*

^ The following sections are taken from the agreement with the
New England Women’s Wear Manufacturers’ Association.
32. I t is further agreed between th e parties th a t imm ediately after th e signing
of th is contract th e parties hereto shall proceed to form a joint board of sanitary
control for th e purpose of working out a code of sanitation and enforcing the
same; th e said joint board of sanitary control shall consist of an equal num ber of
representatives of th e union, th e association, and th e public. The public
representatives shall be m utually agreed upon by th e parties hereto.
33. All disputes th a t can not be adjusted between th e parties during th e life
of this agreem ent shall be referred to arbitration w ithin 48 hours from th e tim e
th e parties themselves are unable to adjust th e controversy. The arb itrato r
shall be selected jointly by th e union and th e employer. The expense of this
arb itration proceedings shall be borne equally by th e union and th e employer.
For violation of this agreem ent th e arb itrato r m ay adopt any disciplinary
measures he m ay deem proper. The decision of the arb itrato r shall be final and
binding for b oth parties.
34. The association further agrees th a t it will not tak e in any new members
against whom th e union has a dispute until such dispute has been adjusted.


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Notice containing th e nam e and address of any new members joining th e associa­
tion shall be sent to th e union seven days before their final acceptance into th e
association, during which tim e th e union shall notify th e association of any exist­
ing dispute between said m ember and th e union; if a t th e end of seven days the
union registers no com plaint against th e member, he m ay be accepted. “ Such
new m ember shall be bound by th e term s of this agreem ent w ith th e association.
34A. The association further agrees th a t in case th e union declares a general
cessation of work in th e industry in Boston during th e present season th a t they
will n o t consider i t a breach of this contract on condition th a t th e union will send
back th e workers of th e members of this association on th e fourth successive
work day after such stoppage.
34B.. T he association agrees in principle th a t the introduction of an unem ploy­
m ent insurance fund is desirable, and th e association agrees to p articipate in a
conference to be called by th e union for th e purpose of considering th e introduction
of such unem ploym ent insurance fund in th e Boston m arket.

The following section is taken from the agreement with the Massa­
chusetts Dress Manufacturers’ Association.
37. The association hereby agrees th a t as security for th e faithful performance
of this agreem ent and its p art, and th e p a rt of all contractors considered in its
m em bership, [it] shall deposit a sum of $500 th a t belongs to th e association a t th e
date of signing of this agreem ent. This money shall be deposited in tru s t •with
Leo_ Finklestein of Boston, to be transferred in tru s t to th e perm anent im partial
chairm an for th e industry when such shall be chosen. I t is agreed th a t a further
sum of $1,500 shall be m aintained in th e treasury of th e association to be used if
necessary w ith th e above $500 to eover all claims for violations of this agreem ent
by any m ember of th e contractors’ association. I t is agreed th a t upon th e term i­
nation of this agreem ent such money then remaining in tru st shall forthw ith be
returned to th e association.

The agreements with the Wholesale Garment Association of
Boston and with the Boston Wholesale Dress Association contain
the following provisions:
3. The union agrees to im m ediately subm it to the association a list of all
m anufacturers in Boston who are operating under contracts w ith it, and shall a t
least once in every two weeks notify the association, of all changes in and additions
to th e list.
4. The association agrees to im m ediately furnish the union w ith a full list of
the m anufacturers and contractors in New England w ith whom its members
deal, together w ith the nam es and addresses, and shall a t least once in every two
weeks notify th e union of all changes in and additions to th e list.
6.
No m ember of th e association shall give work to a new m anufacturer or
contractor in New England, or order or purchase goods from him, before as­
certaining from th e association th a t such m anufacturer or contractor is in con­
tractu al relations w ith th e union.
8. W henever th e union shall notify th e association th a t a member of th e as­
sociation gives work to a m anufacturer or contractor in New England who has
no contractual relations w ith the union, th e association shall im m ediately direct
said m ember to w ithdraw his work from said m anufacturer or contractor, w hether
such work be in process of operation or otherwise, until said m anufacturer or
contractor enters into contractual relations w ith the union.
9. Should a m ember of th e association be found giving work or dealing w ith a
m anufacturer or contractor in New England except as indicated above, th e
association shall impose a fine for the first offense upon said member, under th e
authority contained in its by-laws an d its agreem ent w ith its members. The
am ount of such fine shall be determ ined by th e im partial chairm an, and it shall
be sufficiently high to effect th e advantage gained by th e m em ber for th e tran s­
action, together w ith an appropriate penalty. The second offense shall m ean
expulsion from th e association. The proceeds of th e funds collected shall be
furnished to th e joint board of sanitary control of New England, hereinafter to be
chosen by th e association and the union.
10. Upon com plaint filed by th e union, the privilege will be accorded a rep ­
resentative of the union to accom pany a representative of th e association to
examine the books and records of the member against whom a com plaint has been
filed, for the purpose only of determining w hether such member is giving work to

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nonunion shops in New England. Such exam ination shall be undertaken within
48 hours from receipt of request.
11. No m em ber of th e association shall order or purchase garm ents from any
m anufacturer or contractor in New England whose workers are on strike; nor
shall any m em ber of th e association m ake or cause to be m ade any work for any
person in New England against whom the union has declared a strike, until such
strike has in each case been fully settled.
12. T he union agrees th a t there shall be no strike or lockout in th e shop of any
m anufacturer or contractor dealing w ith th e members of th e (name of th e associa­
tion) during th e period of this agreem ent; nor shall there be any individual shop
lockout, stoppage, or shop strike; nor shall there be any reduction by th e union in
th e force of employees w hatsoever in th e shop or factory of any m anufacturer or
contractor dealing w ith th e members of th e (name of th e association) pending
th e term s of any com plaint or grievances or pending th e arb itratio n thereof.
13. Should there be a stoppage of work or shop strike in th e factory of any
m anufacturer or contractor dealing w ith th e members of th e (name of th e as­
sociation) im m ediate notice thereof will be given by th e association to th e union;
and the union agrees to return th e striking workers to their work w ithin 24 hours
after th e receipt by th e union of such notice.
15. T he association shall cooperate w ith th e union in establishing and m ain­
taining an unem ploym ent insurance fund for th e benefit of members of the
union. The fund shall be m ade up of contributions from th e m anufacturers and
th e union, or individual members of th e union. The contributions of th e direct
employers to th e unem ploym ent insurance fund shall be equal to 2 per cent of
their weekly pay roll; and th a t of the workers shall be 1 per cent of th eir weekly
wages. The fund shall be adm inistered jointly upon proper rules and provisions
to be agreed upon by th e parties.

The joint board of sanitary control appointed in accordance with
these agreements consists of 15 persons, 5 representing the five local
manufacturing, jobbing, and contracting associations, 5 representing
the union, and 5 representing the public.

Laundry Workers—Detroit

rTTIE most important sections of the agreement made March 15,
A 1926, by Local 207, of Laundry Workers’ International Union,
Detroit, are as follows:
I II. The union shall have the sole right of selecting and distributing th e em­
ployees who are to be employed in the various hand laundries of th e employers.
IV. I t is also agreed by and between the parties hereto th a t in case th e union
shall not have help available for a help out, the laundry owner in need of same,
after having m ade a request of the union, shall have th e privilege to employ any­
one on th a t particular day, b u t on th a t day only.
V. When th e union is unable to furnish help, th e employers m ay hire help
which does not belong to the union, until such tim e as th e union is able to send
such help.
VII. Female employees shall work on a basis of five days per week of nine
hours each from_7.30 a. m. to 5 p. m. w ith one-half hour off for lunch, and
shall receive a minimum wage of $16.50 per week; all receiving more th a n mini­
mum wage on February 28, 1926, shall have $1 per week added thereto. Over­
tim e shall be paid a t the rate of 50 cents per hour, except on holiday weeks, when
no overtim e shall be paid, b u t th e full week’s wage m ust be paid. The following
holidays are specified: New Y ear’s, Memorial D ay, F o u rth of July, Labor Day,
Thanskgiving, and Christmas.
IX . I t is also agreed th a t th e employers shall provide th e essential sanitary
conveniences to insure th e health and reasonable com fort of th e employees,
especially th e furnishing of cold drinking w ater during th e h ot months.
X. I t shall be the d u ty of th e employer to see th a t all their members sign this
agreem ent and further to see th a t they live up to it.
XJ. I t is also agreed and understood by and between th e parties hereto th a t
if there be any grievance between any employee and his or her employer, it

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shall be referred to the union business agent for settlem ent. In the event such a
grievance is incapable of settlem ent by this m ethod, th e employers and the
union shall appoint a grievance com m ittee consisting of four members, respec­
tively, to settle such grievance; in th e event of their failure to agree, they shall
m utually agree upon some individual to sit w ith them as a board of arbitration.
The decision of th e m ajority of said board shall be final and binding. I t is
understood th a t such employees shall rem ain a t work pending the settlem ent of
any grievance.
X II. T he representatives of the union shall be entitled to enter the hand
laundries for th e purpose of conferring w ith the employer or employees.
X III. The union hereby reserves th e right to refuse to execute “ stru ck ’'
work, washed a t steam laundries where strike-breaking labor is being employed,
and also th e right to join a general strike in th e event such a strike is called.
X IV . The employer shall give two weeks’ notice to th e union before discharg­
ing a sh irt ironer and one week’s notice before discharging a family ironer.
I t is also provided th a t th e employer shall have the rig h t to iron his own shirts,
provided he does n o t employ any other shirt ironer a t all, and is not assisted in
this work by any person or persons.
XV. T he union shall furnish to th e employer a shop card, showing th a t th e
employer runs a union establishm ent, which shop card shall be displayed by the
employer in some conspicuous place in his place of business. The employer shall
pay to th e union th e sum of $1 for th e use of said card. Said card shall be and
remain th e property of the union, and shall be surrendered to or may be removed
by th e union a t any tim e in its discretion.

Neckwear Workers—St. Louis

'“THE label agreement of Neckwear Workers’ Union No. 14350 of
St. Louis, now in force, reads as follows;
1. To entitle an employer to the use of American Federation of Labor union
label, all employees m ust be members of unions affiliated w ith American
Federation of Labor.
2. The hours of labor of employees shall not be more th an 8 per day; the hours
to be set by the union and approved by the president of the American Federation
of Labor.
3. The scale of prices adopted by the union shall be paid by th e employer.
4. The union rules regarding conditions of labor and th e use of th e label shall
be faithfully enforced by th e employer.
5. The employer shall not receive from the union more labels th an are sufficient
to cover th e product for ensuing week.
6. The employer shall agree th a t should he, a t any tim e, violate th e rules
under which th e label is issued to him, he will not use any more of th e union labels,
b ut will surrender them to th e union, or officer of the union, from whose hand he
received them , or to the president of the American Federation of Labor upon
demand from him.
7. The employer will not himself, nor perm it any one, or in his behalf, have th e
label of American Federation of Labor im itated, duplicated, or counterfeited in
any w ay whatsoever.
8. T h a t should th e employer desire to discontinue the use of th e label, he shall
give one week’s notice of the same to th e duly authorized and accredited officer
or representative of th e union, from whose hands he received th e label. T h at
should th e union or th e president of th e American Federation of Labor desire to
discontinue th e granting of the union label, a sim ilar notice shall be given.
10.
T h a t this agreem ent shall be binding for a period of one year from date,
unless term inated by either party, in accordance w ith th e notice herein provided.
At th e expiration of this agreem ent it m ay be renewed, subject to th e approval
of th e president of the American Federation of Labor.

98397°— 26------ 15


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Pavers—New York

TYISTRICT Council No. 1 of Pavers, Rammermen, Wood Block,
Brick and Iron Slag Pavers, Flag Layers, Bridge and Stone Curb
Setters of Greater New York, made an agreement with the con­
tractors in Greater New York, New Jersey, and Yonkers, April I
1926, from which the following extracts are taken:
1. The p arty of the first p a rt agrees to employ none b u t members of th e p a rty
of th e second p a rt in th e laying and completing of any p a rt of its paving,* viz.,
granite, bluestone, cobblestone, durax, rubble, wood block and iron slag or
other pavem ents, w ithin the trad e of th e p arty of the second part.
3. The p arty of the first p a rt further agrees to pay tO' th e members of the
p arty of the second p art whom it shall employ th e following scale of wages, viz.,
pavers, $12 per d ay ; rammers, $10 per day. Double tim e for all overtime and
Sundays.
5. E ight hours to constitute a day’s work for five days a week, and four hours
on Saturday.
6. Any employer subcontracting any portion of his work to any m em ber or
members of the p arty of th e second part, shall notify th e representative of the
p a rty of th e second part, giving the names o f the person or persons to whom th e
work has been sublet. Any employer failing to do so after subletting his work
will be considered as breaking his contract by th e p arty of th e second p art,
and the p arty of the second p a rt m ay refuse to furnish men to said subcontractor
or to the p arty of the first part.

Upholsterers—Cleveland

T H E 1926 agreement of Upholsterers’ Local No.. 48, Cleveland,
provides for a 44-hour week, time and a half for overtime, and
double time for Sundays and holidays, and contains the following
sections relative to apprentices and to wages:
Journeym en carpet layers and cutters to be paid a m inim um of $1,194* per
hour.
Apprentice carpet and linoleum layers shall serve an apprenticeship of three
years.
Apprentice carpet and linoleum layers to be paid a m inimum of 50 cents per
hour single tim e rate the first year; 70 cents per hour single tim e rate th e second
year; 90 cents per hour single tim e rate the third year, and journeym en's: rate
thereafter.
There shall be one apprentice to every five journeym en carpet and linoleum
layers or fraction thereof.
Journeym en drapers and cutters to be paid a minimum of $1.02X3T per hour.
Journeym en shade hangers and cutters to be paid a m inim um of $0.90TS per
hour.
Journeym en measure men to be paid a minimum of $0.96 If per hour.
Journeym en carpet, drapery, shade, and custom upholstery sewers to receive
a minimum of $23.50 per week.
Apprentice carpet, drapery, shade, and custom upholstery sewers to receive
a. m inim um of $17.50 per week for the first six m onths an d $20.50 per week for
th e second six m onths of service and the journeym en’s rate thereafter.
I t shall be understood th a t an apprentice sewer is one who shall have been
employed for less th a n one year a t this class of work.
Employees who m ay be sent out of th e city to do work and who m ay be re­
quired to rem ain away over night shall be allowed all tran sp o rtatio n costs,
board and lodging, and shall be paid as follows: From 8 a. m. to 4.30 p. m.
daily, S aturday p. m., Sundays, and legal holidays excepted, shall be p aid a t
th e single time_ rate. _ Saturday p. m., Sundays and legal holidays to be paid for
a t twice th e single tim e ra te per hour. From 4.30 p. m. to 8 a. m. to be paid
for a t one and one-half th e single tim e rate per hour.
While traveling, employees shall be paid as follows: From 8 a. m. to 4.30
p. m. daily, Saturday p. m., Sundays, and legal holidays excepted, to be paid

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a t th e single tim e rate per hour. After 4.30 p. m. daily, Saturday p. m., Sundays,
and legal holidays excepted, for th e first six hours of traveling tim e to be paid
a t one and one-half th e single tim e rate per hour.
If sleeping-car accommodations are provided, no travel tim e shall be paid for
after th e first six hours above mentioned. If no sleeping-car accom m odations
are provided th e entire traveling tim e shall be paid for a t one and one-half th e
single tim e rate per hour.
When employees are required to travel Saturday p. m., Sundays, or legal
holidays, twice the single tim e rates per hour shall be paid.

AWARDS AND DECISIONS

Carpenters—Denver

A P R IL 9, 1926, in File No. 1306, the Industrial Commission of
Colorado rendered a decision in the matter of the Carpenters’
District Council of Denver and Vicinity against the Master Builders’
Association and other employers in the city of Denver and vicinity.
The wage received by the carpenters was $9 per day. A demand for
$11 per day, effective May 1, 1926, had been refused by the employers
and the case was brought before the commission by the employees
March 15, 1926.
From the findings and award the following extracts are taken:
The said employees contend they are entitled to said increase on account of th e
increased cost of living; th a t said employees are able to secure work for only a
p a rt of th e tim e throughout th e year an d th a t their average annual earnings are
not sufficient for living purposes; th a t th e other trades are receiving m ore wages
per day and per annum th a n th e carpenters; th a t th e carpenters are th e lowest
paid of any members of th e skilled building trades in th e city of D enver; th a t
th e carpenters are required to furnish more tools th a n any of th e other trad es
an d th a t th e expense of m aintaining and keeping said tools is greater th a n th e
other trades.
* The employers contend th a t th e carpenters in Denver receive as high wages as
paid in other cities of sim ilar size and th a t only in four or five other cities of th e
U nited States are higher wages paid carpenters th a n in Denver.
T he employers fu rth er contend th a t th e increases in wages th a t th e carpenters
have already received greatly exceed any increase in th e cost of living.
I t appears from th e evidence herein th a t the carpenters, in skill and experience
equal, if n o t excel, th e other building trades; th a t said employers, w ithin th e
last three years, by agreem ent w ith th e members and unions of th e oth er trades,
voluntarily increased and fixed th e wages of such other crafts as follows: Brick­
layers—to $12 and $13 per day; plasterers—to $12 and $14 per day; iron workers
-—to $10 per day; electricians—to $11 per day; plum bers—to $12 per day or
m ore; painters—rto $10 per day; steam fitters—to $11 per day; sheet-m etal
workers—to $10 per day; tile layers— to $11 per day; common building labor—■
to $6.50 and around $7 per day; lathers—to $11 per day.
The carpenters insisted a t th e hearing th a t a t th e tim e wages of other crafts
were raised they could have likewise obtained a similar increase and could have
received a wage proportionate to th a t paid other crafts, considering th eir skill
and ability, b u t th a t on account of strife w ithin th eir own union, and because of
th e strong influence of an entirely extraneous organization, they were not able
a t th a t tim e to come to any arrangem ent or agreem ent am ong them selves and
th a t they were deprived of th e opportunity of requesting increases granted to
th e other crafts.
From th e evidence introduced herein it appears to th e commission th a t th e
contractors should be protected in a large measure against any increase taking
effect on work contracted prior to th e tim e th a t they had notice of a dem and for
an increase in wages, an d feels from th e evidence herein th a t no such increase
should tak e effect prior to June 1, 1926.
i The commission finds from th e evidence herein th a t th e members of this craft
are a t this tim e entitled to a wage of $10 per day, for th e reason th a t th e wage

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scales paid other members of th e building trade crafts are higher th a n th e present
wage scale of said carpenters.
Therefore, it is the order and decision of the commission th a t commencing
June 1, 1926, said employees be paid a wage scale of $10 per day.

Clothing Industry—New York
Employment of Amalgamated Workers

IN CASE No. 174, decided by the impartial chairman for the New
A York clothing industry, February 16, 1926, a firm that had
recently joined the New York Clothing Manufacturers’ Exchange
asked the impartial chairman for permission to employ members of
the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America on men’s top coats
and gabardines which it was engaged in manufacturing.
The position of th e union in this dispute is as follows: This firm, formerly a
raincoat house, got into a dispute w ith th e Internatio n al Union and locked out
its workers of th e International. Pending settlem ent of th e lockout, th e firm
had some of its work m ade up in A m algam ated shops and in nonunion shops.
The workers of th e International who had been locked o u t came to th e Amalga­
m ated and asked for cooperation. While th e A m algam ated was investigating
th e situation, th e firm meanwhile joined th e New York Clothing M anufacturers’
Exchange w ith th e obvious intention of bringing about th e present result, namely,
of being in a position to appeal to th e im partial chairm an for permission to employ
A m algam ated labor. The union feels th a t, while it is clear th a t some of th e
merchandise m ade by this firm m ay be m ade in A m algam ated shops, th e Amal­
gam ated does not wish to be p u t in th e em barrassing position of being compelled
to work for a firm th a t is having trouble w ith a sister union. The A m algamated
therefore urges th a t th e firm first straighten o ut its dispute w ith th e International.
If afterw ards th e firm should wish to have some of its m erchandise m ade in
Amalgamated shops, a satisfactory arrangem ent perm itting th is could doubtless
be reached w ith th e International.
In th e opinion of th e im partial chairm an, th e firm can not be perm itted to have
raincoats m ade in A m algamated shops. Such raincoats as th e firm m ay cu t
m ust be sent to shops controlled by th e International Ladies’ G arm ent W orkers’
Union. However, by virtue of th e fact th a t th e firm is a m ember of th e New
York Clothing M anufacturers’ Exchange, th e A m algam ated is obliged to supply
it w ith labor for the m anufacture of m en’s topcoats and gabardines th a t require
tailoring.

Pay for Holiday

IN CASE No. 191, decided March 9, 1926, a cutter had begun to
work for a firm on Tuesday, the day following Washington’s
birthday. The question was whether he should be paid for the holi­
day. The contention of the union was that the cutter was entitled to
payment on the basis of a 36-hour week, whereas the firm had paid
him on the basis of a 44-hour week.
While th e firm does not dispute th a t paym ent during a holiday week is com­
puted on a 36-hour basis, th e firm contends th a t th e cu tter in th is case was not
hired until after th e holiday, and is therefore not entitled to paym ent for th a t
day.
Upon inquiry th e chairm an finds th a t th e prevailing practice in th e m arket
w ith respect to this m atter is th a t cutters are paid for holidays, and therefore
directs th e firm to pay this cutter on the basis of a 36-hour week.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1396]

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

221

Railroads— Decision oi Train Service Board of Adjustment for the
Western Region

PRECISION No. 1881 of the Train Service Board of Adjustment for
the Western Region, March 8, 1926, related to a claim for pay
for regular assignment which was not worked because of detail to
a special assignment.
A yardman regularly assigned to the Altoona yard of the Chicago,
St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway as helper from 4 p. m.
to midnight was one night changed to the shift from midnight to
8 a. m. the following morning, where he was to act as foreman. He
claimed wages at the yard helper’s rate for the shift he did not work on
the ground that the assignment from midnight to 8 a. m. had caused
him to lose wages on the day before.
Article X X III, Section B, of the yard schedule between the Brother­
hood of Railroad Trainmen and the carrier reads as follows:
The right to preference of work and prom otion will be governed by seniority
in service, m erit and ability being equal. E xtra yardm en will be allowed to
exercise seniority rights only once in any 24-hour period, provided other extra
men are available. The 24-hour period shall begin a t 12 o’clock m idnight.

The position of the union was as follows:
In accordance w ith the foregoing rule, yardm an C. elected to work as helper
4 p. m. to midnight. His seniority perm its him to hold this job regularly. On
Jan uary 30, when th e carrier deprived him of this rig h t and held him o ut of
service to work as forem an m idnight to 8 a. m. Janu ary 31, he subm itted claim
for a m inim um day a t th e helper’s rate, which was denied. The com m ittee
contends the carrier has no right to hold a man out of service forcing him to lose
tim e unless they are willing to com pensate him for tim e lost.

The position of the carrier, briefly, was as follows:
On January 31, 1925, a yard foreman was needed on a shift beginning work
a t midnight. All available foremen senior to Mr. C. were exercising their
seniority to work as helpers on shifts 8 a. m. to 4 p. m., and 4 p. m. to midnight.
Mr. C. being the youngest available forem an was prom oted to the vacancy.
This was in accordance w ith the understanding reached in 1919.
Mr. C. was th e youngest qualified foreman. No other foremen w'ere working
as helpers on the shift beginning a t midnight, and Mr. C. was used in accordance
w ith th e practice on th a t division since 1919. Article X X III was intended to
insure m en their seniority rights in preference work as helpers or as foremen, m erit
and ability being equal, and does not deny th e carrier th e privilege of assigning
qualified helpers to tem porary service as engine foremen. On th e d ate in question
it was necessary to assign Mr. C. as foreman to pro tect th e carrier’s service re­
quirem ents. He was th e only available man, and, in accordance w ith th e agree­
m ent, he was prom oted and used because of the necessity arising which required
a forem an for this engine.
To have used Mr. C. on his regular assignm ent from 4 p. m. to m idnight as a
helper, and then to have required him to continue from m idnight to 8 a. m. as a
foreman, would have am ounted to 16 hours’ continuous work, after which he
would have been required by law to take 10 hours’ rest, so th a t he would n o t have
been available for his regular assignm ent as helper a t 4 p. m., b u t, if not continued
as foreman, he would have gone under pay a t 6 p. m., a t which tim e no crew
started, and he could not have been used. Under th e circum stances in this case
the carrier should not be penalized because of prom oting Mr. C. to th e vacancy.
D e c i s i o n .— Claim sustained.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1397]

C O N C IL IA T IO N A N D A R B IT R A T IO N

Conciliation W ort of the Department of Labor in April, 1926
By

H u g h L . K e r w in , D ir 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 60 labor disputes
during April, 1926. These disputes affected a known total
of 29,403 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
controversy 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 May 1, 1926, there were 55 strikes before the department for
settlement and, in addition, 23 controversies which had not reached
the strike stage. Total number of cases pending, 78.

T

222


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

113981

L A B O R D IS P U T E S H A N D L E D B Y T H E U N IT E D S T A T E S D E P A R T M E N T O F L A B O R T H R O U G H IT S C O N C IL IA T IO N S E R V IC E , A P R IL , 1926
D uration
C om pany or in d u stry and location

Lathers, Indianapolis, I n d . .

Threatened
strike.
.do.

Craft concerned

Building lathers___
Ironworkers...............

[1390]

Building, Indianapolis, In d _______ Controversy Cem ent w o rk ______
Östram R ealty & C onstruction Co., ----- do_____ E ngineering...............
Indianapolis, In d .
Building, Indianapolis, I n d ............ Strike_____ Sheet-metal w o r k ...

Cigar m akers, Boston, M ass Building, South Bergen, R u th e r­
ford, etc., N . J.
Shoe workers, Brockton, M ass------

Threatened B u ild in g .—T. ............
strike.
S trik e.____ _ M in in g_______ . . . .
.do.
Controversy

Cigar tra d e ...............
C arpenter w ork____

Strike........... Shoem aking..............

Club A lum inum Co., Chicago, I1L. Controversy

M etal polishing........

Building, M o u n t Carmel, P a ____ ,

Strike_____

P ainting................... ,

Lehigh V alley Coal Cd-, WilkesBarre, Pa.

___ dor.____ Mining............ .

1N ot reported,

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Presem statu s and term s of settlem ent
Begin­
ning

C ity S an itary Commission, In ­ Controversy P lasterers________ _
dianapolis, Ind.
C athedral S t. Jo h n D ivine, N ew Strike___. . . S tonem ason.............
York C ity .
D ubois U nderw ear M anufacturing ____do............ U nderw ear tr a d e ... .
Co., D ubois, Pa.
Chas. Zim m erm an & Sons, C olum ­ ____do........... A uto m echanics... . .
bus, Ohio.
Tailors, Scranton, P a
do_____ T ailo rin g .............

Excavating a n d hoisting engineers,
W ashington, D . C.
A nthracite m iners, Avoca, P a ____

Cause of dispute

1926
A djusted. Accept 1925 wage agree­ Jan. 1
m ent w ith small changes.
Wage agreement; condi­ ___ do................. ................................... .......
tions.
Use of union plasterers on A djusted. U nion plasterers to be em­ M ar. 6
city construction.
ployed.
Wages a nd w orking condi­ A djusted. M asons’ wages increased to
0
$14 per day; laborers to $9.
tions.
Asked 25 per cent wage in ­ Unclassified. Settled b y officials of, Apr, 1
crease.
trade organizations.
Discharges for union af­ U nable to adjust. M en em ployed else­ . .. d o __ _
filiation.
where.
Asked union agreement U nable to a d ju s t........................................ . .. d o .......
w ith increase from $39.50
to $44 per week.
Wage negotiations_______ A djusted. Accept 1925 agreem ent____
0
Asked wage increase of 10 A djusted. N ew agreem ent concluded . M ar. 31
cents per hour.
A sked increase from $1.05 P e n d in g ....................................................... __do........
to $1.15 p e r hour.
Asked increase from $10 to ___ d o ............................................................ Apr. 1
$ 1 2 per day.
Asked seniority rights for A djusted. M iner in dispute q u it m in, Apr. 5
ing.
laborers.
Asked p a rt restoration of Pending.................................................. . . . Apr. 7
1922 wage outAsked increase of $1.20 per Unclassified. Allowed requested in ­ Apr. 1
day.
crease before commissioner’s arrival.
Renewal of agreem ent____ Unclassified. Agreement concluded be­ _-_do.___
fore commissioner’s arrival.
Alleged discrimination for Pending............................................ Feb. 15
union activity.
N um ber of apprentices al­ Unclassified. S ettled before commis­ Apr. 1
lowed to journeymen.
sioner’s arrival.
Objections to contractors.. A djusted. G rievance tak en u p through Apr. 7
proper channels and m iners re tu rn to
work.
Asked wage increase_____

M en involved

E nding

D i­
rectly

1926
M ar. 30

50

M ar. 25

150

M ar. 10

1

0

250

250

0

A pr,

7

M ay

1

Apr.
Apr.

In d i­
rectly

2
1

70
11

85

20

1

2

0

250
115
Apr.

640

6

10

1,800
A pr.

5

A pr.

8

40

65

Apr.

3

47

31

Apr.

8

550

6

600

CONCILIATION AND ARBITRATION

Building, Indianapolis, I n d .

N ature of
controversy

0

8

CO

D uration
Com pany or in d u stry and location

N atu re of
controversy

Building, Colum bus, O h io ............... S trike.

C raft concerned

A nthracite miners, H azleton, P a . . . ___ do........... M in in g________
M etal polishing.

B uilding trades, W orcester, M a s s.. Controversy

Building trades .

Building, Oil C ity, P a . . ................... S trik e ..........

C arpentering___

Centennial Building site, Philadel­
phia, Pa.
Davis-Thomas Co., C atasaque, P a .
Building, Colum bus, O hio_______
A tlantic Aircraft Corp., H asbrouck
Heights, N . J.
A tlantic Aircraft Corp., Hasbrouck,
N. J.
Carpenters, Chicago, 111.......... .........

M achinist w ork___
M etal la th work _ __.
Aircraft m achinist
work.
A irc ra ft c a rp e n te r
work.
C arp en terin g ...

-do.

.d o .

T h reaten ed
strike.
Controversy

U nion dispute.................. .
A sked 20 per cent increase
A sked wage, increase____
A sked 10 cents per hour
increase.
------do __________________

Towboatmen, N ew Y ork H a r b o r .. Strike. ___

Tow boat w o rk .

A sked increase from $1.15
to $1.25 per hour.
Wages and 10-hour d a y __

Standard Oil Co., W ood River, 111. Controversy
Terrazzo workers, Boston, M a s s... Strike_____

Laborers
Terrazzo w o rk ..

Wages and hours________

Roeseh Enam el Range Shop, Belle­
ville, 111 .
Sampson Bros., Quincy, M ass____

___ do _____

Stove m ounting

___ do

Bricklaying

Building trades, D anville, 111_____

___ do__ __

Lehigh & W ilkes-Barre, Coal Co.,
Sugar N otch, Pa.
Building, H arrisburg, P a . .. .............

___ do._ ___ M in in g . .

W orking conditions_____

___ d o _____

Asked increase from 85
cents to 90 cents per
hour.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

___

C arpentering

P a in tin g ______

(>)---------------------

Change from piece to day
work.
A sked 10 cents per hour
increase.
A sked 25 cents per hour
increase.

A djusted. Allowed 1 2 ^ cents increase
first year and 1 2 J^ cents additional
second year.
A djusted. Agree to take case through
proper channels.
P e n d in g ___________ ______
A djusted. A dopted adjustm ent plan
for future.
A djusted. Increase of 10 cents per
hour allowed; 80 cents per day; oneyear contract.
A djusted. M en ordered back; details
to be settled later.
A djusted. R eturned w ithout increase.
A djusted. Increase allowed
______
A djusted. R eturned; no discrimination; increases to individuals allowed.
____do__ ___________________________
A djusted.

Begin­
ning

E nding

D i­
rectly

In d i­
rectly

1926
Apr. 12

1926
Apr. 16

150

1,800

Apr. 10

Apr. 12

594

6

8

167

(!)
9

150

A pr. 20

150

Apr. 13

C1)

400

Apr. 7
Apr. 15
A pr. 14

Apr. 13
Apr. 20
A pr. 16

33
60
40

90
33

500

9

1

1

4,200

Apr. 17

3,000

8

(!)

1

Feb. 27

A pr. 23

0
Í1)

Apr.

A pr. 20

Apr. 13
Apr.
A pr.

100

2

_do___

_do__

Term s not reported ______ M ar.

A djusted. Increases ranging from $10
to $25 per m onth granted.
P ending____ _____ _____ ______ _
Pending. All firms granted demands
except 2 .
A djusted. Satisfactory agreement coneluded.
A djusted. R eturned w ithout increase.

A pr.

(')
Apr.

5

Partial adjustm ent. Independent con- Apr. 7
tractors granted $1 .1 2 Li per hour;
only 2 0 now unem ployed.
A djusted. Settled b y local concilia- Apr. 13
tion board.
A djusted. R eturned w ithout increase. Apr. 19

M ay

7

77

250

30

M ay

3

Apr.

9

815

Apr. 23

200

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

Hillerch & B radsby, Louisville, Ky_ ___ d o ..........

Asked Y lY i cents per hour
increase, to $1 ,123 ^ ; later
asked $1.25 per hour.
A sked p a y for pushing
loading vehicles.
A sked 8 -hour day; in ­
crease of 2 0 cents per
hour; 80 cents per hour.
A sked union carpenters on
c ity construction.
A sked wage increase of 25
cents per hour; $1.25.

M en involved

Present status and term s of settlem ent

l
C arpentering.

___ do_____
___ do___
___ d o _____

Cause of dispute

224

LABOR D IS P U T E S H A N D L E D B Y T H E U N IT E D S T A T E S D E P A R T M E N T O F L A B O R T H R O U G H IT S C O N C IL IA T IO N S E R V IC E , A P R IL , 1926—C ontd.

A merican O ven W orks, Chicago, ____do _____
111.

M achinist work____ Asked union recognition. .

Greenlee F o u n d ry Co., Chicago, 111_ S tr ik e ____

M olding__

__ ___

Chas. W . Strayer, contractor, H a r­ ____do_____
risburg, Pa.
F o rt H arrison Coal Co., In d ia n a . . . Controversy

S tru c tu ra l-iro n
work.
M ining__________

Asked $1 per hour and 8 hour day.
Wage d isp u te________ _
Discharge of a miner

Leon Ferenbach Silk M ill, Parsons, S tr ik e _____ Silk w eaving______ Division of w ork___
Pa.
C. F . V issman Co., Louisville, K y . ___ __do____ B utcher tra d e ........... Asked $3 per week increase
School building employees, Erie, P a. Controversy Em ployees________ Asked $15 per m onth in ­
crease.
B uilding, Chicago, 111________ ___ ____do_____ P lasterers_________ Asked increase from $ 1 2 to
$14 per day.
Building laborers, W ilm ington, Del. ........do........... Common laborers.. . Asked increase from 75
cents to $1.25 per hour.
Asked increase from $1.05
B uilding, Indianapolis, Lnd.............. ___ do__ __ P a in tin g _________
to $1.25 per hour.
Building trades, Indianapolis, ln d . ........ do........... B uilding trad es........ Other trades threatened to
strike in sym pathy w ith
engineers, painters and
m etal workers.
B uilding trades, Indianapolis, ln d _ S tr ik e _____ B ricklaying_______ Asked increase from $1.50
to $1.62pSj per hour.
Building trades, Indianapolis, l n d . Controversy Plum bing .
Renewal of agreem ent___
O stram R ealty & C onstruction Co., ____do........... Sheet-metal w o rk ... N onunion la b o r..______
Indianapolis, ln d .
H oisting engineers, Indianapolis, ___d o _ -___ E ngineering.. . . _ Wage increase___ _______
ln d .
Royal U pholstering Co., Philadel­ S tr ik e _____ Upholstering _____ Discharge of an employee
and wage increase.
phia, Pa.
H enry Fischer Packing Co., Louis­ Controversy B utcher trad e_____ Asked $3 per week increase.
ville, K y.
B utcher trad e, Louisville, K y ____ Strike_____ ___ do____________ ___ do________ ___
Ice Cream In d u stry , W ashington, Controversy Ice cream in d u stry . New m anagem ent.
D . C.
Journeym en bakers, W ashington, . .. .. d o ....... . Baking trad e_____ ___ d o . .. . _______________
D . C.
B akery salesmen, W ashington, ....... do........... ....... do........................
D . C.
R odm en, W ashington, D . C ______ Strike........... B uilding_________
Asked wage increase..........
E m m art Packing Co., Louisville,
K y.
T o tal.
i N o t reported.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

___ do...........

B utcher trad e_____

Pending.

(■ )

15

.do

18

62

.do

19

10

A djusted. Question subm itted to ar­
bitrator.
Pending__________________ _________

10

-do.
A djusted. Agreed to work-till present
contract expires.
Pending____________________________

21

A djusted. Allowed 25 cents per hour
increase.
Pending_______ _____________ _____ _

29

Pending....... ...................... ...........................

A djusted. M an reinstated and wages
adjusted.
Pending. C om pany refuses a ny con­
cessions.
___do ______________________________
.Pending. N egotiations continued until
M ay 1 2 .
A djusted. A greement renewed w ith 10
cents per hour increase for night men.
A djusted. A greement renewed w ith
$38 per week wage ra te .
A djusted. Increases allowed for fore­
m en, rodm en and helpers.
Asked $3 per week increase. P ending............................................ .............

1 ,2 0 0
0

)
125
100

35
50

2 , 200

.d o .

A djusted. R eturned pending a rbitra­
tion.
Pending____________________________
A djusted. N onunion men dismissed ..

A pr. 26

20

40

M ay

3

85

1

350

21

5,000

(')
(')
Apr. 2 1

M ay

6

200

350
300

A pr. 22

(•)

46
A pr. 23

Apr.

1

A pr.

21

86

17
72

1

152
(i)

... d o .
15

M ay

28

6

420

. .. d o . . . . . . . d o ___

350

....

30

A pr. 26

90
114
25,550

3,853

fcO

to

Or

IM M IG RA TIO N

Statistics of immigration for March, 1926
By

J. J.

K t jn n a , C h i e f S t a t is t ic ia n U n it e d S t a t e s B u r e a u o f I m m ig r a t io n

HE statistical review for March, 1926, shows a total of 44,686
aliens admitted to the United States from foreign countries,
29,504 being classed as immigrants and 15,182 as nonimmi­
grants. Only a little over one-third of these aliens were of the class
charged to the quota under the immigration act of 1924; 15,026
were admitted as natives of nonquota countries, principally Canada
and Mexico; 6,836 as returning residents; and 946 as wives and
children of United States citizens. Visitors for business or pleasure
numbered 3,690, and 2,348 persons passed through the country on
their way elsewhere. One hundred and thirty-eight ministers and
professors and their wives and children, and 78 students were also
among the aliens admitted this month.
During the same month (March) 12,439 aliens departed from the
United States, the emigrant class comprising 3,457, and the nonemi­
grant 8,982. Nearly one-fourth (845) of the emigrants gave Italy
as their intended futuie permanent residence; 305 went to Great
Britain and Ireland; 217, to Greece; 188,. to Germany; and 143, to
the Scandinavian countries. Of the nonemigrants leaving during
March, 6,282 were in the United States for a period of less than one
year, and 2,700 aliens, who had established a permanent residence
in this country, departed for a visit abroad with the intention of
returning within a year.
The number of persons debarred from entering the United States,
was 1,404 for March, 1,051 being males and 353 females. Only 112
of these aliens were rejected at New York and 125 at other seaports,
the remaining 1,167 having been turned back at the land border
stations.
The increased activities in connection with deportations, which
were made possible by the additional appropriations for that purpose,
have resulted in over twice as many undesirable aliens being deported
in March, 1926, as were sent out of the country during the preceding
month, the total jumping from 342 in February to 938 in March.
Some of the principal causes of the March deportations were insanity
and other mental conditions (109), entering without proper immigra­
tion visa (288), criminal and immoral classes (175), and likely to
become a public charge (108).
The compiled figures show that 713 of these undesirable aliens,
or 76 per cent of the total deported in March, 1926, entered the
country without proper inspection under the immigration laws,
and that two-thirds of this number entered surreptitiously either
over the Canadian boundary or from south of the Rio Grande.
The March deportees went to nearly every part- of the World.
Mexico, with 206, received the hugest number; 194 were sent to

T

226


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1402]

IM M IG R A T IO N

227

Canada; and 25 to other countries on the Western Hemisphere.
Great Britain and Ireland received 88 of the aliens deported this
month; Germany, 63; Italy, 60; and other Europe, 244. Fifty-one
aliens were returned to Asia, 4 to Africa, and 3 to Australia and the
Pacific Islands. These deportations were effected at Government
expense in the cases of 543 aliens; 222 were returned at the expense
of the steamship companies bringing them to our shores; and 173
were permitted to depart at their own expense or reship with a foreign
country as their destination.
I
Mexico, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, and Ireland, in the
order named, were the principal countries from which the immigrant
aliens came in March, 1926, over three-fourths of the total immigra­
tion this month coming from these five countries.
i
As usual at this season of the year beginning with March the
incoming movement of Mexicans increases, but this year the figures
reveal a sharp increase in this respect, the number of admitted im­
migrant aliens of Mexican nationality jumping from 3,367 in Feb­
ruary to 7,441 in March- The total Mexican immigration for the
nine months from July to March last was 24,532. While this num­
ber exceeds the 20,367 admitted in the same months of the previous
fiscal year 1924-25, it was far below the total of the same class for
the corresponding period of the fiscal year 1923-24.
•
Of the 24,523 Mexican immigrant aliens admitted to the United
States during the nine months ended March 31, 1926, about 90 per
cent settled in southwestern border States of California, New Mexico,
Arizona, and Texas, and about the same percentage of the wage
earners among these newcomers are common laborers. Nearly twothirds of the total admitted in this period are over 21 years of age;
80 per cent of the adults are males; and only one out of every three
were going to join relatives already established in this country.
These facts indicate that many of the Mexican immigrant wage
earners are coming alone, leaving their families in Mexico.
T able 1 .—IN W A R D A N D O U T W A R D P A S S E N G E R M O V E M E N T , JU L Y
M A R C H 31, 1926
In w ard

Period

1,

1925, TO

O utw ard

Aliens
Aliens
de­
de­
Aliens a d m itted
Aliens departed
U nited
U nited
barred
ported
States
States
from
after
citi­
citi­
en ter­
la n d ­
zens T otal ing i
N on­
on­
zens T otal ing 2
Im m i­ im
E m i­ N
ar­
m
i­
em
i­
T
otal
de­
T
otal
grant grant
grant
rived
grant
parted

1925
J u ly ____ _____ 18, 590 14,177 32, 767
A ugust_______ 22, 421 17, 052 39, 473
Septem ber____ 26, 721 23,081 49, 802
O ctober______ 28, 685 19, 427 48,112
N ovem ber____ 20, 642 14, 860 41, 502
D ecem ber____ 21,089 11,216 32,305

26, 326 59, 093
49, 922 89,395
6 8 , 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

1926
Ja n u a ry ,.......... . 19, 072 10,661 29,733 19, 695 49,428
F e b ru a ry _____ 20, 041 10,632 30, 673 23, 687 54, 360
M arch ________ 29, 504 15,182 44, 6 8 6 29,987 74, 673

1 , 662
1,453
1,404

5, 288
3, 232
3, 457

17, 715
12, 978
12, 485
13, 264
11,915
12, 663

92, 635
57, 702
44, 054
45,165
36, 509
40, 777

919
940
855
909
835
595

9, 795 15, 081 25, 987 41, 068
8 , 451 11,683 29,108 40, 791
8 , 982 12,439 25,215 37, 654

532
342
938

T o ta l___ 212, 765 136,288 349, 053 294, 675 643, 728 15,570 58, 567 108, 248 166,815 269, 540 436,355

6,865

26,499
20,517
19, 685
20, 938
18, 470
21, 503

66,136
37,185
24, 369
24, 227
18, 039
19, 274

1 These aliens are no t included am ong arrivals, as th e y were not p erm itted to enter th e U nited States.
2 These aliens are included am ong aliens departed, th e y having entered th e U nited States, legally or
illegally, and later being deported.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[14031

228

M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

T able 2 .— L A S T P E R M A N E N T R E S ID E N C E O F IM M IG R A N T A L IE N S A D M IT T E D TO
A N D F U T U R E P E R M A N E N T R E S ID E N C E O F E M IG R A N T A L IE N S D E P A R T E D F R O M
T H E U N IT E D S T A T E S D U R IN G M A R C H , 1926, A N D F R O M JU L Y 1, 1925, TO M A R C H 31,
1926, B Y C O U N T R Y
[Residence for a year or more is regarded as perm anent residence]
Im m igrant
C ountry

Em igrant

July, 1925,
to M arch,
1926

M arch,
1926

July, 1925,
to M arch,
1926 ,

M arch,
1926

t»
5
92

A lbania
. _______________________________
A u stria___
_
__ •__________________________
B elgium ______ _ __________________________________
____________________________________
B ulgaria__
Czechoslovakia __ ______________ - ______________
Danzig, Free C ity of__________
- - -- ____
D en m ark ___ ____ _ ______
___
__ __
Esthonia_
__ ________ _____ ___ _ _ __________ . .
F inlan d
________________________ ________ France, including Corsica. _
___________________
G e rm a n y ____
_ ______ _ __ _________________ G reat B rita in and N o rth ern Ireland:
E ngland - ______________________________
N o rth ern Ireland _____________________________
Scotland _
_______________________ --Wales
__________________ _______
Greece. _
_ ________________________ ______
H ung ary _ _ _ _ __
__ _______________________
Irish Free S tate
.
______
__ ____
-----------------Italy, including Sicily and Sardinia .
L a tv ia ____________ ____________________ __________
L ith u an ia
____________________________
_____________________
Luxem burg N etherlands
_____ ___ _ _ ____
N orw ay. _
_ ___________ ___________
Poland
- Portugal, including Azores, C ape Verde, and M adeira
Islands
-- - - ________ _________
R um an ia
_______________________________________
R ussia
________ ___ _ . _____________
Spain, including C anary and Balearic Islan d s. ______
S w e d e n ._ . _____________________________________
Sw itzerland - ___________________________________
T u rk ey in E u ro p e_______________ _________________
Y u g o slav ia _______ ________________________________
O ther Furone

11
21
20
8
110

218
307
311
62
1,348

27

20

102

1

55
360
4,562

381
3,166
35,387

30
51
188

517
13
291
655
2,334

7, 772

231
3
33
3
217
26’
35
845

1,169
23
1,244
160
91
90
1,913
579
10

34
17
195
946
707

Total, Asia_____________________________

14, 615

111, 072

2, 491

45, 606

3
105
7
55
17
3

10

5
174
9

38
2, 277

110
2
1

931
132
25
185

1,401
74
451
175
52
316

5

10

20

90

100

86

37

237

2, 579

307

3,811

6 6 , 529

168
4
151
87
80
27
16
92

2,296
1,541
1, 594
418
165
943

14,563

98,313

625

8,699

l ’ 355
25,' 012
1,538
657
952
686

1,578

8

169

29
43
9

201

Total, others___________________________

r14041

5
1

2,452
1,004
107
1,988
'674
307
23
1, 777
33

6,401
75
7, 520
179
56
65
98
169

Firent
_ _ __ _ _ . .
. .
. ...
O ther A fiica____ ______________________________ ____
A ustralia. _ ........ ...................... ..............................................
New Zealand. ______________ _
________________
O ther Pacific islands _
. . . . .


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

1

90

279
131

1,539
202

1

6

.

G rand total, all countries

1
11

79
103
63
91
15
105
37
27

22

C anada
. _ __ . . . .
N ew foundland_____________________________________
M exico..____________ ______________________________
C u b a ______________________________________________
Other W est In d ie s............................ ...................... ................
C entral A m erica____________ ______________________
Brazil. ________ ________________ __________________
Other South A m erica______________________ ________
O ther America
.......

1

7

3,573
171
1,039
29
3,976
542
619
17, 070
34
237
5
273
1,526
2,090

500
896
1,433
249
6 , 218
1,462
170
800
195

80

Total, E u r o p e ..._________ ____________

222

9,425
975
815
684
16, 285
5, 937
250
532
98
1,335
4, 422
5, 403

1

223
19
882
190
3
73
18

101

Armenia
. . _
C hin a_______________________________ ____ _________
In d ia _______ ______________________________________
Japan . . . _________________________________________
Palestine .......... ........................... . . ________________
Persia______________ _______________________________
Syria. ___________________________________________
T u rk ey in A sia______________________________ ____ _
Other Asia

Total, A m erica_________________________

16
198
15
457

82
841
539
131
2, 408
157
1,800

68

6
12

15

31
75
214
113
18

21

1

89

801

34

451

29,504

212, 765

3,457

58,567

229

IM M IG R A T IO N

T a b l e 3 .— IM M IG R A N T A L IE N S A D M IT T E D TO A N D E M IG R A N T A L IE N S D E P A R T E D

F R O M T H E U N IT E D S T A T E S D U R IN G M A R C H , 1926, A N D F R O M JU L Y
M A R C H 31, 1926, B Y R A C E OR P E O P L E , SE X , A N D A G E G R O U P
Im m ig rant
Race or people
M arch,
1926

1,

1925, TO

E m igrant

July, 1925,
to M arch,
1926

African (black)______________________ _____
A rm enian__ __ _______ _________ ______________ _
B ohem ian and M oravian (C zech)__________
Bulgarian, Serbian, and M ontenegrin________
C h in e s e __ _______________ ______________
C roatian and Slovenian___________ . . .
C u b an _______________________ ______
D alm atian, Bosnian, and H erzegovinian _
D utch and Flem ish
_____ ______ _
E ast In d ia n _________________ . _
English...........................................
F in n ish ___ ____ ____________ . . .
French _____________________ .
G e r m a n .._____ _____ ____
G re e k .._________________ . . . . _
H ebrew ______ ____ . . . _ . .
Irish
________________ .
Italian (north) _____________
Italian (so u th )________ ____
J a p a n e se .._______________ .
K orean _______________. . . . . . _
L ithuanian ____________ _
M agyar __________________
_ . .
M exican. _______________ . .
Pacific Islander _____________ _____. . . .
Polish_____ ____ ___________
. . . .
Portuguese___________________ _________
R u m a n ian ............ ................ .
R ussian
______ ____ . . . . ______ _ _
R uthenian (R u ssn iak )______ _ . . _______
Scandinavian (Norwegians, Danes, and Sw edes).. ._
Scotch ______________ _ ________
Slovak____________________________
S p a n ish .__ _ ._ . . . _______________ .
Spanish Am erican _______ .
Syrian ____________________ .
T u rk ish . ___ ___ _ _______
. _
Welsh _____ ______ _ . . . _______ _
W est Ind ian (except C u b an )_________ .
O ther peoples_______ ____________ _______________

69
46
165
33
71
47
89
3
312
3
3,240
58
1,815
5,314
105
959
3,284
113
589
54
5
32
105
7, 441

632
565
1,9-11
381
1,078
553
933
46
2, 334
37
31, 877
522
16,127
41, 561
992
8 , 062
29, 191
1,038
5, 703
412
29
310
828
24, 523

326
96
30
84
31
2,496
2, 051
29
60
125
35
4
154
16
15

2,237
599
234
745
355
14, 520
19,656
484
491
1,758
349
177
983
231
269

T o ta l______________________________________

Ju ly , 1925,
to M arch,
1926

M arch,
1926

28
10

79
70
168
29
52
19
40
7
381
31
75
211

218
13
37
128
713
106
3
6

43
151

759
75
752
1,216
2,194
472
1,073
363
671
63
5,068
311
820
2,796
3,998
266
927
2,444
14,636
920
19
248
701
2,269
1

2
122
68

87
28
5
159
78
22

124
92
5
5

2,028
2,503
913
441
51
2,908
1,451
629
2,351
1,038
220

137

2

68

33
9

528
239

29,504

212, 765

3,457

58, 567

M a le .__________ _________________ ____
F e m a le -.............................. .......................................... .

18, 727
10, 777

115, 295
97,470

2, 580
877

43,423
15,144

U nder 16 years . _________________________ . .
16 to 44 y ears. _ _
____________________
45 years and o v e r . . .............. ...................................

3,861
23,250
2,393

34,477
157, 870
20, 418

104
2,657
696

2,549
44,274
11, 744


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[ 1405]

230

M O N T H L Y LABOR REVIEW

T able 4 .—A L IE N S A D M IT T E D T O T H E U N IT E D S T A T E S U N D E R T H E IM M IG R A T IO N
A C T O F 1924, D U R IN G M A R C H , 1926, A N D F R O M JU L Y 1, 1925, TO M A R C H 31, 1926,. BY
C O U N T R Y O R A R E A O F B IR T H
[Quota- im m igrant aliens are charged to the: quota; nonim m igrant a n d nonquota im m igrant aliens arenot charged to th e quota]
A dm itted

Q uota im m igrant
C o u n try or area of b irth

A nnual
quota
Ju ly 1,
1925, to
M arch
31, 1926

M arch,
1926

100
63
A lban ia.____ ________________
1
A ndorra _ .
______________
100
696
A ustria____________ _____ ____
785
1 512
384
B elgium . __________________
81
B ulgaria_____________________
100.
Czechoslovakia_______________
2,546
3,073
166
228
D anzig, Free C ity of___ ____ _
1,947
1 2; 789'
D en m ark __________ _____ ____
124
89
E sth o n ia _____________________
354
471
F in lan d ___________________
l
3,
954
2,774
F rance.................................... . . .
51,227
35,708
G erm any___ _
_____ _____
G reat B ritain and N o rth ern
Ireland:
E n g la n d .. ________ ____ )
i 9,475
I
635
N o rth ern Irela n d _________
1
10,282
Scotland.. _______ _______
t 1,028
Wales ............... ........... ........ )
84
100
Greece_______________________
447
H u n g a ry _____________ _______
473
48
Icelan d .......... ...................................
100
18,425
28, 567
Irish Free S tate ............... .............
2,934
i 3, 845
Ita ly _______ ____ ___________
L a t v i a . ______ _____ _______ _
142
116
L iechtenstein.
100
7
L ith u an ia __ ............................
344
318
69
100
Luxem burg____________
___
4
100
____ ____
M o n a c o ..
1 ,2 1 1
1 1,648:
N e th erla n d s _______ ______ ___
4, 6 8 6
N o rw ay _____ _____ __________
6,453
4,984
5j 982
Poland . . . ____ ____ _________
402
i 503
Portu g al_____________________
531
603
R u m a n ia _____________ _______
1,681
12, 248
R ussia_________ _______ _____ _
12
100;
San M a rin o ....
______
114
1 131
S p a in .............................................
6,744
9, 561
S w e d e n ......... .................... ..........
1,415
2,081
Sw itzerland____ _____________
*100
81
T u rk ey in E u ro p e____________
Y ugoslavia..... ......................... .......
440
671
192
O ther E urope.................................
0

T o tal E u ro p e....................... > 161,422
A fghanistan________________ .
A rabia__ __________________
A rm enia_____________________
B hutan ___________________
C h in a ____________ ___________
In d ia ________________________
Iraq (M esopotam ia)__________
Japan _______________________
M uscat ____________________
P alestin e..........................................
P e rs ia .................... ..........................
Siam _______________________
Syria
_____________________
T u rk ey in A sia...............................
O ther A sia.......................................
T o tal A sia ...........................

100
100

124
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100

111,174

6

89
55
8

239
16
460
13
48
340
4, 611

21

T o tal
during
M arch,
1926

Ju ly 1 ,
1925, to
M arch
31, 1926

M arch,
1926

393
3
1,080
1,206

46

52

1
111

1
200

104

159.
28
421
16

121
2 ,1 0 1

182

29
1,552
65
989
4, 470
8,605

226
5
61
359
900

20

814
142

22

3,876
18,332
157

286:
2,473
15

496
73
7
1,758
2,374
3,939
1,701
1,090
2, 455

33
7

67
23

183
411
506
237
116.
310

364
1,381
1,062
285
190
563
7
501
1,195
3:73
55
209?
37

11

727
2,163
1,154

1,672
41
644
63
252
103
2

7

34
16
1

181
970
556
48
74
253
7
5
953

1

1

11

2,969
7,060
8,923
2,103
1,621
4,136
13
3,823
9,353
3,132

4219

3, 709
2, 609
1,717
805
L.693.
128

496:
242
162
54
167
18

14, 879

96, 234

10, 508

25,387

207,408

2
2
120

14

14

7
163

5,476
355
14
4,175

518
30
4
619

523
38
619

5,581
433
35
4,192

17

30
7

278
177
792
300
359
12, 331

211
1

5
8
2

17
13

202

6

1

1

92

6

55

17

63
61
47

1,343

1, 408

6

11

11

0
0

18
191

30

724
232
168

1,424

707

65

11,624

68

886:
2,133
320

2

1

76
85

202

27,577
967
16,482
1,755
2,247’
1,601
70
22,301
21,266
273

12

6 ,2 0 0

456
4
1,776
1,590

18
109
699
5,511

686

2,275
240

6

50

18,102
332

G rand
total,
Ju ly 1,
1925, to
M arch
31, 1926

4,647
195
3,499;
154
1,343
7,244
44,313

3,074
105
2,036
234
258
153
14
2,561
2,713
26

1,402
64
1,392
171

5
43
105
78

N onim m igrant and
n o nquota im m i­
grant

63

i A nnual quota for colonies, dependencies, or p ro te c to ra te sin O ther E urope, O ther Asia, O ther Africa,
O ther Pacific, a n d i n America is included w ith th e an n u al q u o ta for th e E uropean country to w hich they
belong. Q uota for T u rk ey in A sia is included w ith th a t for T u rk ey in Europe.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1406]

231

IM M IG R A T IO N

T able 4 .—A L I E N S A D M I T T E D T O T H E U N I T E D S T A T E S U N D E R T H E I M M I G R A T I O N
A C T O F 1924, D U R I N G M A R C H , 1926, A N D F R O M J U L Y 1, 1925, T O M A R C H 31, 1926, B Y
C O U N T R Y O R A R E A O F B I R T H — C o n tin u e d

A d m itte d

C o u n tr y o r area, of b ir t h

A nnual
q u o ta

Q u o ta im m ig ra n t

J u ly 1,
1925, to
M a rc h
31,1926
C am ero o n (B ritis h )____________
C am ero o n (F re n c h ) _________
E g y p t----- ------- -------------------------E th io p ia ___________________ . . .
L ib e ria ................................ ...............
M o ro cco .- ______ ____ ______ _
R u a n d a a n d U r u n d i.................... .
S o u th A frica___________________
S o u th W e st A frica____ . _____
T a n g a n y ik a , a n d
T o g o lan d
(F re n c h a n d B r it is h ) . . . ____
O th e r A fr ic a .._______ _________

100
100
100
100
100
100
100
109
100

M a rc h ,
1926

N o n im m ig ra n t a n d
n o n q u o ta im m i­
g ra n t
J u ly 1,
1925,to
M a rc h
31,1926

M arch ,
1926

T o ta l
d u rin g
M a rc h ,
1926

I
77
1
2
16
103
1

2
8
15

G ra n d
to ta l,
J u ly 1,
1925,to
M arch
31,1926

J

104
2
9
16

17
1

215
3

29
1

19
1

181

8

n
32

44
1

318
4

300
32

5

75

10

15

107

T o ta l A fric a ..........................

1, 200

232

30

425

58

88

657

A u s tr a lia _______ ____ _________
N a u r u _________________ ______
N e w Z e a l a n d . . . _______ _____
N e w G u in e a ______________ . . .
S a m o a ________ __________
___
Y a p ___ _ ___________ _______
O th e r P a c ific __________________

121
100
100
100
100
100

125

25

2, 110

202

227

2,235

80

5

731

65

70

811

10

1

1
2
109

8

9

1
2
119

215

31

0

0

T o ta l P acifle______ _____
C a n a d a __________ ____ ______
N e w fo u n d la n d
_________ . . .
M e x ic o ____________________
C uba.
___ _
______
D o m in ic a n R e p u b l ic .. . .
H a i t i _____ ____________
B ritis h W e st I n d ie s ..
D u tc h W e st In d ie s . . .
F re n c h W e st I n d ie s . _
B ritis h H o n d u ra s ______________
C a n a l Z one___ __
__________
O th e r C e n tra l A m e ric a _______
B r a z il__ . ___________________
B ritis h G u ia n a ____ ______ . . .
D u tc h G u ia n a _______________
F r e n c h G u ia n a .
________ _
O th e r S o u th A m erica
G r e e n la n d ...
..
________
M iq u e lo n a n d S t. P i e r r e . ____

621

0
(!)
0
0

431
14
18
36

41
4
2
3

0
0
0

48
2

4

0
0)

T o ta l A m erica. _________
G ra n d to ta l, all c o u n trie s .

164, 667

2,953

275

306

3,168

66 557
2 572
38 134
7,139
592
136
2, 951
99
37
79
12
2, 053
858
102
7
1
3, 569
6
24

6, 579
177
9, 227
540
54
8
217
8
3
16
2
155
110
13

6 57V>
177
9 227
540
54
8
258
12

66 557
2 572
38 134
7 139
’ 502
136
3, 382
113

1
329
1
2

1
329
1
3

5

55

19
2
155
110
17

115
12
2, 053
858
150
9
1
3, 569
6
36

12

1

561

55

124, 928

17, 442

17.497

125, 489

112, 889

15, 000

236, 164

29, 626

44, 686

349,053

1 A n n u a l q u o ta for colonies, dep e n d en cie s, or p ro te c to ra te s in O th e r E u ro p e , O th e r A sia, O th e r A frica,
O th e r P acific, a n d in A m erica, is in c lu d e d w ith th e a n n u a l q u o ta for th e E u ro p e a n c o u n tr y to w h ic h th e y
belo n g . Q u o ta for T u r k e y in A sia is in c lu d e d w ith t h a t for T u r k e y in E u ro p e .


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1407]

232
T

M O N T H L Y LABOE REV IEW

5 .—A L I E N S A D M I T T E D T O T I I E U N I T E D S T A T E S U N D E R T IL E I M M I G R A T I O N
A C T O F 1924, D U R I N G M A R C H , 1926, A N D F R O M J U L Y 1, 1925, T O M A R C H 31, 1926, B Y
s p e c if ie d Cl a sses

able

[T h e n u m b e r of im m ig ra n ts a p p e a rin g in th is ta b le a n d in T a b le 4 is n o t c o m p a ra b le w ith th e n u m b e r of
s ta tis tic a l im m ig ra n t alien s sh o w n in th e o th e r ta b le s , b y races, etc.]

A d m issib le classes u n d e r im m ig ra tio n a c t of 1924

N o n im m ig ra n ts u n d e r sectio n 3:
G o v e rn m e n t officials, th e ir fam ilies, a tte n d a n ts , se rv a n ts, a n d e m ­
p loyees............ ......................................................................................................... .......
T e m p o ra ry v isito rs for—
B u s in e s s ..... ............. ................................. ................. : ____. _________________
P le a s u re ___ __________________________ ______________________ _____
I n co n tin u o u s passage th ro u g h th e U n ite d S ta t e s ..____ ________________
T o ca rry on tra d e u n d e r ex istin g t r e a t y __________ ________ ____________

M a rc h , 1926

J u ly , 1925, to
M a rc h , 1926

391

4,204

1,717
1,973
2,348
91

13,347
24, 427
16, 838
573

6, 520

59,380

N o n q u o ta im m ig ra n ts u n d e r section 4:
W iv es of U n ite d S ta te s c itiz e n s ........................................................... .............
C h ild re n of U n ite d S ta te s c itiz e n s ____ ______ ____________ _____________
R e s id e n ts of th e U n ite d S ta te s re tu rn in g from a te m p o ra ry v is it a b ro a d .
N a tiv e s of C a n a d a , N e w fo u n d la n d , M exico, C u b a , D o m in ic a n R e ­
p u b lic , C a n a l Z one, o r a n in d e p e n d e n t c o u n try of C e n tra l or S o u th
A m e ric a ......................... ................................. ...............................................................
T h e ir w iv e s .................................................... ................. ............... ..................... ..
T h e ir c h ild re n ......... ......................................... ........................ .............................
M in is te rs of religious d e n o m in a tio n s ...................................... ...............................
W ives of m in is te rs ................... ............................................... ..................... .................
C h ild re n of m in is te rs ________ __________________________________________
P rofessors of colleges, ac ad em ies, sem in aries, o r u n iv e rsitie s ...................... ..
W ives of p ro fe s s o rs ................................ ....................................... ...............................
C h ild re n of p ro fe s s o rs ..___________ _____________ ____ ________ ________
S tu d e n ts .............................................................................. ....................................... ........

568
378
6,836

4,910
3,083
62,162

15, 026
67
15
75
18
30
9
4
2
78

1 102,885
678
144
521
180
342
135
35
22
1,678

T o t a l....................................................................................... ............................ ............

23,106

176, 775

Q u o ta im m ig ra n ts u n d e r sectio n 5 (Charged to q u o ta ) ______________________

15, 060

112,889

G ra n d to ta l a d m itte d u n d e r th e a c t___________________________ ______

44, 686

349,053

l D oes n o t in c lu d e alien s b o rn in n o n q u o ta co u n tries w h o w ere a d m itte d as G o v e rn m e n t officials, v isi­
to rs, tra n sie n ts , etc.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

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F A C T O R Y A ND M INE IN SP E C T IO N

V irg in ia

’“THERE were 328 coal-mine inspections made by the State mine
*■ inspectors of Virginia during the fiscal year ended September
30, 1925, as reported in the twenty-eighth annual report of the Bureau
of Labor and Industry of Virginia.
Following is a brief summary of the operations of the factory
inspection department of the Virginia Bureau of Labor and Industry
for the period covered in the above-mentioned report:
I n s p e c t i o n o f f a c to r ie s , la u n d r ie s , m e r c a n tile e s ta b lis h m e n ts , e tc ., O c to b e r 1 , 1 9 2 4 *
to S e p te m b e r SO, 1 9 2 5

Cities and tow ns visited ________________________________
274
Inspections m a d e -_ ______
3 ,5 6 6
Number of em ployees affected by inspections___________ 122, 288
Orders issued to com ply with law:
Safety appliances_______________________ ___________
1, 097
Sanitary_________________________________
350
Fire escapes_________ _____________ _____ ,----------- - —
27
Violations corrected w ithout recourse to law:
Ten hours for fem ales______________________________
13
Seats for fem ales___________________________________
2
Safety appliances__________________ ?______________*
834
Sanitary___________________________________________ ■ 245
Fire escapes_________________ _____ - _______________
5
Child-labor violations— ______________ ________________
129
Child-labor prosecutions________________________________
38

The department reports that it “ has been able to show better
results at this period than at any other time in its history.”

98397°— 26----- 16

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W H A T S T A T E L A B O R B U R EA U S A R E DOING

AM ONG the activities of the labor offices of the various States,
the following, reported either directly by the offices themselves
or through the medium of their printed reports, are noted in this
issue:
C a lifo r n ia . —Changes in employment and pay rolls in the indus­
tries in the State, page 170.
C olorado. —The following statistics on coal production in Colorado
in 1925 are taken from the thirteenth annual report of the inspector
of coal mines of that State (p. 22):
N um ber

283
M ines operated 1___________________________ - _____________________
Tons of coal produced____________________________________________ 10, 440, 387
Decrease compared w ith 1924 (ton s)__________________________
60, 701
Miners em ployed (pick, 4,485; machine, 3,761)____________________
8, 246
Men em ployed in and about mines (average)______________________
12, 228
Em ployees foreign born___________________________________________
5, 203
Em ployees speaking English---------------------------------------------------------11, 901
Average days worked (m an-days)_________________________ _______
186. 6
Men killed (underground, 52; surface, 5 ) __________________________
57
Men injured______________________________________________________
1, 912
4. 66
Men killed per thousand em ployed________________________________
156. 36
Men injured per thousand em ployed______________________________
Tons of coal produced for each life lo st____________________________
183, 165
Tons of coal produced for each nonfatal accident__________________
5, 460
Men killed per million tons of coal produced______________________
5. 46
Men injured per million tons of coal produced_____________________
183. 13
Men em ployed per fatal accident__________________________________
214. 5
Men em ployed per nonfatal accident------------------------ ------- ------------6. 4
35
Widows le ft_______________ ____ ____ _______________ ______ ;__ ____
96
Children left fatherless_________ ___________________________________
D ays lost on account of car shortage (39 mines reporting)--------------406
84, 400
Tons of coal lost through labor shortage (24 m ines reporting)------- -

I llin o is . — Changes in volume of employment in the State, page 172.
Io w a . —Changes in the employment and pay rolls in industries

in the State, page 174.
M a r y la n d . —Volume of employment in the State, page 175.
M a ssa c h u se tts. —Wages and hours of labor in municipal employ­
ment in Boston, page 63 ; changes in volume of employment, page 176.
N e w Y o r k . —Wages in the cloak, suit, and skirt industry, page 65;
and employment in the various industries in the State, page 177.
O h io . —Occupational diseases, 1921 to 1925, page 93.
O k la h o m a . —Changes in volume of employment and in amount
of pay roll in the industries in the State, page 178.
P e n n s y lv a n ia . —Industrial employment of the negro, page 48.
P o rto R ico .- —Decrease in real wages of agricultural labor, page 68.
V ir g in ia . —Accidents in coal mining, page 97 ; and factory and
mine inspection, page 233.
W is c o n s in . —Progress of apprenticeship in Wisconsin, page 147;
and changes in volume of employment, page 178.
1 T h e y e a rly re p o rts of 5 of th e 283 m in e s w ere filed to o la te to e m b o d y th e ir co m b in ed p ro d u c tio n of 804
to n s in th i s re p o rt.

234


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1410]

C U R R E N T N O T ES O F IN T E R E S T T O L A B O R
i

Reorganization of the New York Department of Labor

THE outside student of labor administration in the State
of New York, one of the most satisfactory features of
the rather frequent changes in official designation and status is the
fact that the functions of the office, whether exercised by a com­
mission, commissioner, board, or otherwise designated agency,
remain practically the same, being charged with the administration
of the same laws and exercising much the same powers. An act
(ch. 343) of the recent New York Legislature becomes chapter 78
of the Consolidated Laws, with the title, “ State department law ,”
providing for the civil departments in the State government, pursuant
to article 5 of the constitution. This law is general in its terms
and provides for the transfer of existing officers and employees,
continuity of authority, the completion of unfinished business, etc.
Article 10 of this act as embodied in chapter 427, Acts of 1926,
deals with the department of labor. It provides for this department,
with an industrial commissioner at the head, appointed by the
governor by and with the consent of the senate, to hold office until
the end of the term of the governor by whom appointed, and until
his successor is appointed and has qualified. A salary of $12,000 is
provided. Transfer is made to this department of all the functions
of the existing department of labor, of the industrial commissioner,
industrial board, and industrial council, together with all powers
and duties vested in them, to be thereafter “ exercised and performed
therein by or through the industrial commissioner or the appropriate
division, bureau, board, council or officer, as prescribed by or pursuant
to law. ” The present organization is continued other than as pro­
vided by this article or as it may be changed pursuant to law. The
industrial board remains a part of the organization but consisting
of five members instead of three. Of the two additional members,
one shall represent employers and the other employees, present
appointees continuing until their terms expire and their successors
have been appointed and have qualified. Subsequent appointments
are to be so made that at least two persons shall represent the interests
of employers and another two the interests of the employees, while
one shall be an attorney at law, duly admitted to practice in the
State. The terms of these members are six years, with a salary of
$8,500._ _
Provision is also made for an industrial council as established by
chapter 464, Acts of 1924. (This consists of 10 persons, 5 each repre­
senting employers and employees, on a per diem basis of service,
acting as an advisory body.)

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>

M O N T H L Y LABOR RE V IE W

The power of the industrial board with reference to the industrial
code is continued, but at least three affirmative votes are necessary
before the making of any change, and no new rule, amendment, or
repeal shall be effective without the approval of the industrial com­
missioner. The act is to be effective January 1, 1927.

Legal Aid in New York C ity 1

'TTiE Legal Aid Society of New York City, which was founded
A in 1876, serves as a clearing house for charity cases in the legal
profession, its aim and purpose being to see that the poor are not
deprived of justice by reason of their poverty.
The following statistics show the growth of the work of the society
during the 50 years of its existence:
D E V E L O P M E N T O F N E W Y O R K L E G A L A ID S O C IE T Y

N u m b e r of
cases

Y ear

1876___ •__________ ___________________________
1925______________________________
1870-1925__________________________________

212
29, 502
878,346

E x p e n se s of
so ciety

$1, 060. 04
93,434.17
1, 249, 570. 38

A m o u n t re­
ceiv ed for
clients
$1,000.00
158,383. 06
3, 716,489.02

Creation of Labor Department in Bolivia

A DEPARTMENT of labor has been established in Bolivia by a
* * recent act of the Bolivian Congress, according to a report from
the American envoy at La Paz, Bolivia, dated March 23, 1926.
Among the duties of the new department are the following: To
investigate and decide questions concerning industrial accidents; to
intervene in questions between employers and workers as to em­
ployment and wage claims; to collect statistics on industrial acci­
dents, cost of living, and conditions of the working class; to supervise
the enforcement of the law as regards health and safety measures
and the prevention of industrial accidents in mines and industrial
establishments.
The personnel of the department will consist of a chief and two
assistants, two inspectors, and a medical adviser, and such other
employees as may be appropriated for.
Appointment of Factory Inspectors in China

CCORDING to the Chinese Economic Bulletin published by the
Chinese Government Bureau of Economic Information, March
13, 1926, a number of industrial inspectors have been appointed by
the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce. The industrial
areas of the country are divided into three districts for each of which
two inspectors are appointed.
1 T h e L egal A id S ociety [of N ew Y o rk C ity ],
a tto r n e y , for th e y ea r 1925. N ew Y o rk , 1926.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

F iftie th a n n u a l re p o rt of th e p re s id e n t, tre a s u re r, a n d

[1412]

C U R R E N T N O TE S O F ,IN T E R E S T TO LABOR

:

237

Industrial Notes from C hina1
W a g e s a n d H o u r s o f A n k in g T a ilo r s

’"THERE are about 150 tailor shops in Anking, provincial capital of
Anhwei, and about 800 tailors including master tailors, journey­
men, and apprentices. Tailoring work may be done either at the
customer’s house or in the tailor shop. If the former is the case each
worker is paid 22 cents2 a day and food is furnished, while in the
latter case the customer pays the proprietor of the shop for the job.
The price charged for the work is based on an allowance of 40 cents
a day for each worker and a journeyman working in a tailor shop
receives from 15 to 20 cents in addition to board and lodging.
The horns of work are from 8 a. m. to 5 p. m., although in cold
weather a night shift is worked lasting from 6 to 11.30 p. m. for
which a worker receives 60 per cent of his daily wage rate. If a
tailor works at night in a customer’s house, however, double pay is
charged. Work on heavy winter garments, especially those lined
with fur or skins, and on some other special garments commands a
higher rate of pay, so that altogether the average daily earnings of
an Anking tailor in the winter amount to about 40 cents besides his
board. The term of apprenticeship is three years, during which time
the apprentice receives free board and lodging. Usually an appren­
tice has saved something from his meager earnings by the time lie has
become a j ourneyman and after working seven or eight years he may
be able to set up a tailor shop of his own.
P e k in g W o r k in g m e n ’s D ie t

Although the better class of workmen in Peking eat wheat flour,
the poorer workers use as their principal article of food a so-called
“ millet flour” which, however, contains no ordinary millet flour, but
is made up of a flour of nonglutinous broom-corn millet and bean
flour in the proportions of 65 and 35 per cent, respectively. When
about 10 per cent of Indian com flour is mixed with the millet flour
the first two constituents of which have been proportionately reduced
the mixture is known as “ Indian-corn flour.” These mixtures are
sold at a few coppers less a catty than the lower grade ordinary
wheat flour.
1 Chinese Econom ic B ulletin, M ar. 6, 1926, p p. 130, 131.
T he dollar u n it is th e y u an , th e value of w hich is approxim ately 50 cents in U . S. currency.

2


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1413]

B IB LIO G RA PH Y
Public Old-Age Pensions in the United States: A List of References 1
Compiled by

E dna

L.

S t o n e , o p t h e U n it e d S t a t e s D e p a r t m e n t o p L a b o r
L ib r a r y

General Discussion
B o o k s a n d P a m p h le ts
A m e r ic a n

F e d e r a t io n

op

L abor.

H istory, Encyclopedia, Reference Book.

Washington, 1919-1924.

2 v.

A ction tak en b y th e Federation on old-age pensions: v. 1, p p . 303-304; v. 2, p p . 209-211.

------ R eport of proceedings of the 28th-45th annual convention, 1908-1925.
W ashington, 1908-1925. 18 v.
F o r resolutions endorsing old-age pensions and discussions of proposed legislation, consult indexes
of volumes.
A m e r i c a n L a b o r Y e a r B o o k , 1919-20-1926.
New York, R and School of Social

Science [1920-26].

5 v.

C ontains sections on th e progress of old-age pension legislation.
A m e r i c a n Y e a r B o o k ; A record of events and progress,

M acmillan Co., 1926.

1925.

New York, The

1158 pp.

“ Old-age pensions ” (the m ovem ent) b y P au l H . Douglas, pp. 739-740; (legislation in the U nited
States) b y Irene Osgood Andrews, p. 749.
C o m m o n s , J o h n R.

Principles of Labor Legislation, by John R. Commons and John B. Andrews.
New York, H arper & Bros., [1920]. 559 pp.
“ Old-age and in v alid ity insurance,” pp. 429-438.
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 , W a s h i n g to n , D . C .,

1916.
Proceedings of the Conference on Social Insurance, called by th e In te r­
national Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions.
December 5 to 9, 1916. Washington, 1917. 935 pp. (Bulletin of the
U nited States Bureau of Labor Statistics No. 212.)

“ C om pulsory in v alid ity and old-age insurance, pensions, and retirem ent allowances, b y M ag­
nus W . A lexander and John F ran k lin Crowell (w ith discussion),” pp. 763-779.
D o u g l a s , P a u l H.

The W orker in M odern Economic Society, by Paul H. Douglas, Curtice M.
Hitchcock, and Willard E. Atkins. Chicago, U niversity of Chicago Press,
[1923]. 929 pp. (M aterials for th e study of business.)
C h ap ter X V I, Old age: 1. Prevalence of old-age poverty. 2. Cost of indifference to old age.
3. Old age, poverty, and m odern in d u stry . 4. M ethods of S tate insurance for old age. 5. Some
objections to a noncontributory system .
E p s t e in , A b r a h a m .

The challenge of the aged poor.
( I n N ational Conference of Social Work.
Proceedings, 1925, pp. 328334.)
------ Facing Old Age; A study of old-age dependency in th e U nited States and
old-age pensions. New York, A. A. Knopf, 1922. 352 pp.
C o n t e n t s : I. A ctual condition of th e aged. II. Causes of old-age dependency. I I I . Existing m e th ­
ods of relief. IV . Old-age pensions; w hat th e y are and th eir outlook for the U nited States. V. Pension
system s of foreign countries and various States. V I. A ppendix.
Bibliographical footnotes.
G i l l i n , J o h n L.

P overty and D ependency; Their Relief and Prevention.
C entury Co., 1921. 707 pp.
“ T h e aged d ep en d en t,” p p . 235-269.
i Civil-service retirem ent plans are not included.

238

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[1414]

New1 York, The

239

OLD-AGE P E N S IO N S IN ' T H E U N IT E D STATES

R.
Industrial Insurance in the U nited States.
Press, 1909. 429 pp.

H en d erso n , C harles

Chicago, U niversity of Chicago

B ibliography, p p . 323-326.
T h e outlook for public pensions for old age and invalidism is discussed on pages 319-322.

L.
The problem of poverty and pensions in old age [and discussion].
{ I n N ational Conference of Charities and Correction.
Proceedings,
1908, pp. 219-234.)

H o f f m a n , F r e d e r ic k

R eprinted in A merican Journal of Sociology, Septem ber, 1908, v. 14, pp. 182-196.
T he au tho r points ou t the need for thorough stu d y of the facts before undertaking legis­
lation.
J o h n s e n , J u l i a E., C o m p .

Selected Articles on Social Insurance.
381 pp. (Handbook series.)

New York, H. W. Wilson, Co., 1922.

Bibliography on old-age and invalidity insurance, pp. xlvii-liii; Selected articles, pp. 243-287.

A.
The growing insistence upon pensions instead of institutional care for aged
dependents. (W ith standard bill for old-age pensions.) New York [1925].
11 pp.

L a pp, J ohn

R eprinted from A merican Labor Legislation Review, M arch, 1925, v. 15, pp. 23-29.

R.
Social Insurance in the United States.
1918. 136 pp.

,

M il l e r , G u rd o n

Chicago, A. C. McClurg & Co.,

“ Old-age s u p p o rt,” p p . 105-118.
N a t io n a l A s s o c ia t io n o f M a n u f a c t u r e r s o f t h e U n it e d S t a t e s o f A m e r ic a .

Special report on old-age pensions, prepared by S. P. Bush.
{ I n i t s Proceedings of the 22d annual convention, May, 1917, pp. 48-63.)
T he com m ittee considers “ evidence lacking to prove a present necessity for the enactm ent
of old-age pension legislation for the civil p o p u latio n .”
N a t i o n a l C i v i c F e d e r a t i o n . C o m m itte e o n P e n s io n s .

N

Old-age pensions. Experience in Denmark, New Zealand, A ustralia,
France, and G reat Britain. Criticism of similar plan advocated for en­
actm ent by S tate legislatures. Report made by P. Tecumseh Sherman.
February, 1923. [New York, 1923]. 17 pp.
e w I n t e r n a t i o n a l Y e a r B o o k , 1917-1924.
New York, Dodd, Mead & Co.,
1918-1925. 8 v.

Each volum e contains a section on th e old-age pension m ovem ent in the U nited States and other
countries.
R u b in o w , I sa a c M .

Social Insurance, w ith Special Reference to American Conditions.
York, H. H olt & Co., 1913. 525 pp. *

New

“ T he pension m ovem ent in th e U nited States,” p p, 389-412.
R u s s e l l S a g e F o u n d a t io n , N e w Y o rk .
L ib r a r y .

Provisions for care of th e aged: a selected bibliography. New York [1926].
4 pp. { I t s Bulletin No. 75, February, 1926.)
S q u i e r , L e e W.
Old-age Dependency in th e U nited States; A complete survey of th e pension
m ovement. New York, The Macmillan Co., 1912. 361 pp.
“ Bibliographical index,” p p. 349, 350.
T e x a s , U n iv e r s it y .
D e p a r tm e n t o f
f o r m a t i o n D i v i s io n .

E x te n s io n .

P u b lic

D is c u s s io n

and

In ­

Intercollegiate debates and bibliographies on old-age pensions and banking
and currency reform. Austin, Tex., 1913. 54 pp. (Bulletin of th e
U niversity of Texas No. 284, Extension series 34, June 22, 1913.)

B ibliography, p p . 26-28.
Also in Intercollegiate D ebates, v. 4, edited b y E gbert R ay Nichols, 1914, p p . 376-413.
U n it e d S t a t e s . D e p a r tm e n t o f L a b o r.
B u r e a u o f L a b o r S t a t i s t i c s ._

Labor laws of the U nited States, w ith decisions of courts relating thereto.
Washington, 1925. 1240 pp. { I t s Bulletin No. 370.)
“ Old-age pensions,” p p . 93, 94.


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M O N T H L Y LABOR R EV IEW
A r tic le s in P e r io d ic a ls

B.
Progress in old-age pension legislation.
American Labor Legislation Review, March, 1923, v. 13, pp. 47, 48.

A n d rew s, J ohn

A r e P o o r h o u s e s " A m e r ic a n ? ”

American Labor Legislation Review, March, 1926, v. 16, p. 103.
E xtracts from messages of Governor Richardson of California, and G overnor H artley of W ashing­
ton, vetoing old-age pension bills and from messages of other governors approving such bills.
B a l d w i n , F. S p e n c e r .

Old-age pension schemes: a criticism and a program.
Q uarterly Journal of Economics, August, 1910, v. 24, pp. 713-742.
Based on th e studies of th e M assachusetts Commission on Old-Age Pensions, A nnuities,
and Insurance of 1910.
•
R eprinted in “ Selected Articles on C om pulsory Insurance,” compiled b y E d n a D . Bullock,
1912, p p . 218-241.
C h a m b e r l a i n , J. P.

The beginning of old-age pension legislation in the U nited States, by J. P.
Cham berlain and Sterling Pierson.
American Bar Association Journal, February, 1924, v. 10, pp. 109-111.

R eprinted in th e Economic W orld, M arch 1, 1924, v. 27, pp. 309, 310.
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 , C h ic a g o , 1913.

Proceedings of F irst American Conference on Social Insurance, June 6, 7,
1913.
American Labor Legislation Review, June, 1913, v. 3, pp. 147-292.

E asley

“ Old-age insurance,” b y P . Spencer B aldw in, p p. 202-212; Discussion b y F . L. H offm an,
K atherine Com an, L . W . Squier, I. M . R ubinow , p p. 221, 237-243.
Bibliography, p . 291.
W a r o n O l d - a g e P e n s io n s O p p o s e d b y L a b o r C o l l e a g u e s .

American Labor Legislation Review, June, 1923, v. 13, p. 138.
E p s t e in , A b r a h a m .

Old-age pensions.
American Labor Legislation Review, December, 1922, v. 12, pp. 223-227.
A n argum ent for S tate pensions.

•------ Old-age pensions and American labor leadership.
American Labor M onthly, v. 1, June, 1923, pp. 26-33.
------ Pensions— On and off.
Survey, June 15, 1925, v. 54, pp. 341, 342.
------ Present statu s of old-age pension legislation in th e U nited States.
M onthly Labor Review of the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, October,
1924, v. 19, pp. 760-767.
------ Recent developments in old-age pension legislation.
American Review, November, 1925, v. 3, pp. 699-705.
------ A sidelight on th e family statu s of aged dependents.
American Labor Legislation Review, March, 1925, v. 15, pp. 30, 31,
From his address before th e Am erican Association for L abor Legislation, D ecem ber 29,1924.
F o lks, H om er.

Home life for the aged.
Survey, October 15, 1924, v. 53, pp. 71, 72.
A n argum ent for S tate pensions.
P a rtly rep rin ted in th e A m erican L abor Legislation Review , Decem ber, 1924.
G o o d n o w , F r a n k J.

The constitutionality of old-age pensions.
American Political Science Review, May, 1911, v. 5, pp. 194—212.
T h e a u th o r concludes th a t old-age pensions w ould probably be constitutional if provided
b y th e Federal G overnm ent for indigent persons. C itations to laws a nd decisions in footnotes.
G r e e n , A d d i s o n L.

Old-age pensions.
Industry (Associated Industries of M assachusetts), December 26, 1925,
v. 16, No. 17, pp. 3, 4.
R em arks before th e Associated In d u stries of M assachusetts.
R ep rin ted in M anufacturers’ News, F eb ru ary 20, 1926, v . 29, N o. 8, p p . 13-16.
H e r in g , F r a n k E .

Awakening in terest in old-age protection.
American Labor Legislation Review, June, 1923, v. 13, pp. 139-144.
B y th e chairm an of Old-Age Pension Commission, F raternal Order of Eagles.


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241

L.
S tate pensions and annuities in old age.
American S tatistical Association Publications, March, 1909, v. 11, pp.
363-408.

H o f f m a n , F r e d e r ic k

Tables of estim ated cost of S tate pensions, age statistics, insurance statistics, etc., p p ,
390-408.
J ohnson, A lex a n d er .

At th e end of th e road.
Survey, June 15, 1925, v. 54, pp. 339-341.

,

“ Sum m ary of recent aspects of th e facts, philosophy and technique of care for the aged.”
K im b a l l , I n g a l l s .
Industrial pensions v. S tate poor relief.

Annalist, January 22, 1926, v. 27, pp. 149-151.
T h e conclusion is th a t insurance companies are th e logical adm inistrators of sound pension
plans.
L e g is l a t iv e A c t io n o n O l d - a g e P e n s io n s , 1 9 2 3 .

M onthly Labor Review of the U nited States Bureau of Labor Statistics,
November, 1923, v. 17, pp. 1172-1174.
Sum m ary of laws in M o n tan a, N evada, Pennsylvania, and A laska.
L y n c h , J a m e s M.

Pensions are superior to poorhouses.
,
American Labor Legislation Review, September, 1925, v. 15, pp. 262, 263.
T h e experience of th e In tern atio n al Typographical Union.
M a c k e n z ie , F r e d e r ic k .

Old-age insurance legislation now up to the States.
^
American Labor Legislation Review, December, 1920, v. 10, pp. 254,
255.
O ld - a g e P e n s io n B il l .

American Labor Legislation Review, December, 1924, v. 14, pp. 307-310.
A stan d a rd bill w hich was used as the basis of legislation in several States.
P l o w m a n , E. G r o s v e n o r .

The old-age pension question.
,
Indu stry (Associated Industries of M assachusetts), April 3, 1926, v. 17,
No. 5, pp. 1-3.
J

Opposed to State pensions.
SC H LIC H T IN G , L O U IS E .

Who w ants old-age pensions? I. To-day’s producers, by Louise Schlichting.
II. More women th a n men, by Mabel Taylor.
Survey, July 15, 1924, v. 52, pp. 464, 465.
S h e r m a n , P. T e c u m s e h .
Demoralizing effects of old-age pensions.
C urrent H istory Magazine (New York Times), March, 1924, v. 19, pp.
999-1002.
<
S h i p m a n , M a r g a r e t M.
Old-age pensions—-Progress in 1925.
American Labor Legislation Review, June, 1925, v. 15, pp. 137, 138.
W o o d b u r y , R o b e r t M.
Social insurance, old-age pensions and poor relief.
Q uarterly Journal of Economics, November, 1915, v. 30, pp. 152-171.

Proposals for Federal Legislation2
L.
[Speech in th e House advocating a Federal system of old-age pensions.]
Congressional Record, August 7, 1911, v. 47, pp. 3698-3700.
------A pension for th e veteran of the Spanish-American W ar and for th e veteran
of industry. Extension of rem arks . . .
in the House of Representatives,
M onday, April 5, 1926.
Congressional Record (current file), April 13, 1926, v. 67. pp. 7240, 7241.
B e r g e r , V ic t o r

C ontains tex t of his bill (H . R . 10387) to provide old-age pensions.

2

Bills to provide old-age pensions b y th e Federal G overnm ent have been introduced in Congress b y
R epresentatives W . B . W ilson (1909), F . L u n d in (1910), M . C. K elly (1913), D oolittle (1914), N olan (1916,
1917,1919,1921), T av en n er (1916), Foeht (1917,1921), Sherwood (1917,1919), M u rra y (1917), French (1919),
R hodes (1919, 1921), R icketts (1917, 1920, 1921), Berger (1911, 1926); and b y Senators Lane (1917), and
M cN a ry (1919).


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242.

.--A-:

M O N T H L Y LABOR R E V IE W

L u n d in , F r e d e r ic k .

Old-age pensions.
Congressional R,eeord, June 23, 1910, v. 45, pp. 8853-8857.
Speech in th e H ouse in support of his bill providing for a commission to investigate old-age
;v, pension systems..
K e l l y , M. C l y d e .

Old-age pensions. Speech in the House of Representatives.
Congressional Record, June 13, 1913, v. 50, pp. 1960-1966.
U n it e d S t a t e s .

C on gress.

H ou se.

C o m m itte e o n L a b o r .

Old-age pensions. H earings on H. R. 20002, providing for pensions for
American citizens who have reached th e age of sixty-five years and who
are incapable of m anual labor and whose incomes are less th an $200 per
annum , January 27, 1917. W ashington, 1917. 10 pp.
S tatem ent of Isaac R . Sherwood.

State Legislation and Discussion
[In addition to th e legislation in the S tates m entioned below, bills providing
for old-age pensions were introduced in 1925 in th e legislatures of Illinois,
K ansas, M aine, Michigan, M innesota, and Texas.]
A la s k a

[In Alaska the legislature passed a law in 1915, am ended in 1923 (ch. 46)
allowing a paym ent to needy “ Alaska pioneers.” ]
A riz o n a

[An Arizona law of 1914 was declared void by the Supreme C ourt of th e S tate
(State Board of Control v. Buckstegge (1916), 18 Ariz. 277; 158 Pac. 837).]
C a lif o r n ia

[A bill providing for old-age pensions passed both houses of th e legislature in 1925,
b u t was vetoed by th e governor.]
C a l if o r n ia .

S o c i a l I n s u r a n c e C o m m is s io n .

Report . . . January 25, 1917.

Sacramento, 1917.

339 pp.

Paul H erriott, chairm an.
Progress of th e m ovem ent for old-age insurance and pensions in th e U nited States, p p . 260-263.

C o n n e c tic u t
C o n n e c t ic u t .

Report.

C o m m is s io n o f P u b l i c W e lf a r e .

H artford, 1919.

136 pp.

W illiam B rosm ith, chairm an.
Old-age pensions were considered inadvisable for C onnecticut (p. 17). A bill introduced in the
legislature in 1925 was rejected in com m ittee.

I n d ia n a
I n d ia n a .

C o m m itte e o n O ld -a g e P e n s i o n s .

The report of th e com m ittee appointed to investigate th e question of old-age
pensions. [Indianapolis? 1925.] [14] pp.
F ran k E . H erm g, chairm an.
R ecom m ends th e en actm en t of an old-age pension law .
house of th e legislature.


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Bill introduced in 1925 passed one

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243

M a s s a c h u s e tts
M assachusetts.

B u re a u o f S ta tis tic s o f L ab o r.

36th Annual report [for 1905].

Boston, 1906.

P a rt I I I (pp. 109-150) is a stu d y of th e estim ated cost of old-age pensions in M assachusetts.
C ontinued in its L abor B u lletin N o. 37, Septem ber, 1905, p p . 187-208.
------ C o m m i s s i o n o n O ld - a g e P e n s i o n s , A n n u i t i e s a n d I n s u r a n c e .

Prelim inary report of the Commission, January, 1909. Boston, 1909.
58 pp. (General court. House Doc. No. 10.)
-------------- R eport of th e Commission, January, 1910, Boston, 1910.
409 p p .
(General court. House Doc. No. 1400.)
M agnus W . A lexander, chairm an.
P artial C o ntents .—Statistical stu d y of aged poor in M assachusetts; D escriptive account of
existing system s; Proposed plans; T h e general question; Cost of various pension schemes as applied
in M assachusetts; General conclusions concerning noncontributory pensions, com pulsory insurance
a nd universal schemes; Conclusions an d recom m endations.
Sum m ary an d com m ent u n d er title: “ Old-age pensions b y employers o n ly ” in Survey, F e b ru a ry
5, 1910, v . 23, p p . 596, 597.
•------C o m m is s io n o n P e n s i o n s (1914).

R eport of th e Commission on Pensions, M arch 16, 1914.
345 pp. (General court. House Doc. No. 2450.)
Jam es E . M cC onnell, chairm an.
Deals chiefly w ith pensions for public employees.
is discussed in C hapter V (pp. 171-177).
■
------ B u r e a u o f S t a t i s t i c s .

Boston, 1914.

T he problem of general old-age pensions

Report of a special inquiry relative to aged and dependent persons in M assa­
chusetts, 1915. Boston, 1916. 167 pp.
A ppen d ices : A . Bills relative to old-age pensions introduced in the M assachusetts legislature
in 1916. B. Specimen forms of inquiry. C. B ibliography—Old-age pensions. D . Table show­
ing expectation of life after sixty-five years of age. E . D escriptive account of national old-age
pension system s.
. _
>■
----- C o m m is s io n to C o m p ile I n f o r m a t i o n a n d D a ta f o r th e U s e o f th e C o n s t i tu t i o n a l
C o n v e n tio n .

A sum m ary of existing laws on old-age pension systems and a bibliography.
Boston, 1917. 20 pp. (Bulletin No. 5.)
'------ G o v e r n o r (Samuel W. McCall).
[Recommendations for old-age pension legislation in addresses to the
legislature.]
M onthly Labor Review of th e U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Feb­
ruary, 1917, v. 4, pp. 206-208; February, 1918, v. 6, pp. 441-443.
------ S p e c i a l C o m m i s s i o n o n S o c ia l I n s u r a n c e .
R eport, February, 1917. Boston, 1917. 311 pp. (General court. House
Doc. No. 1850.)

■

F ran k S. F arnsw orth, chairm an.
“ R eports on old-age pensions,” p p. 49-106. A m ajority of the commission recom m ended a
system of n o n contributory old-age pensions.
Reviewed in M o n th ly Labor Review of th e U . S. B ureau of L abor Statistics, M arch, 1917,
v. 4, p . 428.
--- C o m m is s io n o n P e n s i o n s (1925).

R eport on old-age pensions . . . Boston, 1925.
Senate Doc. No. 5.)

280 pp.

(General court.

F ran k H . H ardison, chairm an.
P artial C ontents .—1. Sum m ary of investigations and recom m endations. II. T h e aged
population of M assachusetts. III. Financial aspects of th e problem . A ppendices: D . Old-age
pensions in other States; F . Previous investigations of old-age pensions in M assachusetts and
other States; H . S upplem entary statistical tables showing financial condition of 17,420 persons,
65 years of age and over, no t dependent on organized ch arity .
B ili introduced in th e legislature in 1925 failed to pass.
Conclusions an d recom m endations rep rin ted in In d u stry (Associated Industries of M assachu­
setts) , N ovem ber 21 and 28,1925, v. 16, Nos. 12 a n d 13; also in Am erican L abor Legislation Review ,
December, 1925, v. 15, p. 358, a n d in M o n th ly L abor Review of th é U . S. B ureau of L abor Statistics,
M arch, 1926, v. 22, pp. 679-681. Sum m ary b y A rth u r R ichm ond M arch in Economic W orld,
N ovem ber 21, 1925, v. 30, p. 740.
B a l d w i n , F. S p e n c e r .

The findings of th e M assachusetts Commission on Old-age Pensions.
American S tatistical Association Publications, March, 1610, v. 12,
pp. 1-27.
------ The work of the M assachusetts Commission on Old-age Pensions.
American Statistical Association Publications, M arch, 1909, v. 11, pp.
417-430.


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M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

B osto n C h a m ber o f C o m m erce.

S p e c i a l C o m m itte e o n S o c i a l I n s u r a n c e .

N oncontributory old-age pensions and health insurance.
15 pp.

[Boston, 1917.]

Everett Morss, chairman.

Opposed to n o n contributory pensions.
Sum m ary in M o n th ly Labor Review of th e U. S. B ureau of L abor Statistics, M ay, 1917, v. 4,
p p . 759-761.
E a v e s , L u c il e .

The “ aged citizens” of M assachusetts.
Survey, F ebruary 15, 1926, v. 55, pp. 554-556.
Review and sum m ary of th e report on old-age pensions, b y the M assachusetts Commission
on Pensions, N ovem ber, 1925.

------ Aged clients of Boston social agencies, by a group of investigators and
social workers. Boston, W omen’s E ducational and In d u strial Union, 1925.
152 pp. (Co-operative social research Report No. III.)
T h e need for pensions for th e aged discussed b y social workers of Boston, pp. 125-140.
Sum m ary in Survey, June 15, 1925, v. 54, pp. 342, 343.
O l d - a g e P e n s i o n s P o l l a S t r o n g V o t e [i n S i x M a s s a c h u s e t t s T o w n s ].

Survey, November 27, 1915, v. 35, p. 197.
M is s o u ri
C o n s titu tio n a l C o n v e n tio n , 1922-1923.
The record of the proceedings of the M issouri C onstitutional Convention,
year 1922, on the proposed am endm ent providing for old-age pensions.
Issued by Joseph B. Shannon, a member thereof, October 15, 1924.
[Kansas City, 1924.] 56 pp.

M is s o u r i.

M o n ta n a

[The M ontana law providing for old-age pensions was passed in 1923 (Acts of
1923, ch. 72).]
A s s o c ia t e d I n d u s t r ie s o f M o n t a n a .

M em orandum and com pilation in re results of operation of M ontana old-age
pension law. [n. p., 1925.] 8 1. (mimeographed).
“ D istrib u ted b y th e N ational In d u strial Council, N ew Y ork.”
R egards ad m in istrativ e operation as a failure. Sum m ary in M anufacturers News, N ovem ber
21, 1925, p. 10. S u p p lem en tary d a ta and observations in in d u stry (associated industries in
M assachusetts), M a y 29, 1926.
F l ig e l m a n , B e l l e .

If you grow old in M ontana.
Survey, May 15, 1923, v. 50, pp. 239, 240.
Gives th e provisions of th e law.

N evada

[The first law passed in 1923 (ch. 70) was repealed and a new law adopted in
1925.]
N evada.

O ld -a g e P e n s i o n C o m m is s io n .

Biennial report of the superintendent of old-age pensions, 1923-1924.
City, 1925. 23 pp.

Carson

M aurice J. Sullivan, superintendent.
Sum m ary of conclusions as to th e need of old-age pension legislation, in Am erican L abor Legis­
lation Review, Septem ber, 1925, v. 15, pp. 265-266; M o n th ly L abor Review of the U. S. B ureau
of Labor Statistics, April, 1925, v. 20, p. 892.

N ew Je rse y
N ew

J ersey.

C o m m is s io n o n O ld a g e , I n s u r a n c e , a n d P e n s i o n s .

R eport on health insurance.

Rahway, [1917].

20 pp.

T h e commission believed th a t health protection should precede a ny provision for old age.
A bill introduced in 1925 passed one house of th e legislature.


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O h io

O h io . H e a lth a n d O ld - a g e I n s u r a n c e C o m m is s io n .

H ealth, health insurance, old-age pensions. Report, recommendations, dis­
senting opinions. Columbus, 1919. 448 pp.
W . A . Julian-, chairm an.
P a r t i a l C o n t e n t s .—-P t. I I I. Old age and old-age pensions: T he old-age problem ; T he old
m an in in d u stry , analysis of census data, by John O’G rady; Present statu s of the aged; Old-age
assurance; T h e cost of old-age pensions; M in o rity report on old-age pensions, b y M . B. H am m ond.
A bill based on th e commission’s recom m endations was referred to th e voters in 1923 a nd
rejected.
Review ed b y W illiam Leslie in Proceedings of th e C asualty A ctuarial and Statistical Society
of America, N ovem ber 21, 1919, p p . 123-125.

— — ------ Summary of findings, recommendations and dissenting opinions.
Columbus, 1919. 23 pp.
L a p p , J ohn A.
H ealth and old-age insurance in Ohio.
American Labor Legislation Review, M arch, 1919, v. 9, pp. 47-58.
B y the director of investigations of th e H ealth and Old-age Insurance Commission.

P e n n s y lv a n ia

[The Pennsylvania old-age assistance ac t passed in 1923 (No. 141) was declared
unconstitutional by th e Supreme C ourt of the State, F ebruary 2, 1925. (Busser
et al. v. Snyder, S tate treasurer, et al. 128 Atl. 80. A bstract in M onthly Labor
Review of the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May, 1925, v. 20, pp. 1155,1156.)]
P e n n s y l v a n ia . O ld - a g e P e n s i o n s C o m m is s io n .

Report, M arch, 1919.

H arrisburg, Pa., 1919.

294 pp.

Jam es H . M aurer, chairm an; A braham E pstein, director of research.
P artial C ontents .—T h e problem of th e aged in Pennsylvania; E x ten t and n ature of existing
pension system s in P ennsylvania; T h e problem of old-age pensions; Old-age pension system s of
foreign countries.
1. 7 1 .
.
Reviewed b y W illiam Leslie in Proceedings of th e C asualty A ctuarial and Statistical Society of
A merica, N ovem ber 21, 1919, p . 122.

--------------- R e p o r t, F e b r u a ry , 1921.

H a rris b u rg , 1921.

6 pp.

------ ------- Prim er on old-age pensions and aged dependency in Pennsylvania.
Prepared by A braham Epstein. H arrisburg, [1921?]. 12 pp.
—— G o v e r n o r ( Pinchot).
Old-age assistance in Pennsylvania: Righting th e neglects of yesterday.
American Labor Legislation Review, December, 1924, v. 14, pp. 288-291.
Excerpts from address before the S tate Conference on Old-age Assistance at H arrisburg,
N ovem ber 13, 1924.
------ C o m m i s s i o n o n O ld - a g e A s s i s t a n c e .

Report, January, 1925.

H arrisburg, [1925].

112 pp.

Jam es H . M aurer, chairm an.
S um m ary in M o n th ly L abor Review of th e U . S. B ureau of L abor Statistics, July, 1925, v . 21,
p p . 157,158.
Pennsylvania S tate Conference on Old-age Assistance, H a r r is b u r g , 1924.

[Summary of addresses before the conference by J. F. Collier, Mrs. W. B.
Gray, Mrs. Ja n et Workman, John B. Andrews, I. M. Rubinow, Dr. Ellen
C. P otter, and others.]
( I n Pennsylvania Commission on Old-age Assistance.
Report, January,
1925, pp. 83-98.)
Short su m m ary of proceedings and excerpts of addresses of Governor Pinchot, Jam es H .
M aurer and M rs. W orkm an in American Labor Legislation Review, December, 1924, v. 14,
pp. 284-304.

B r u e r e , R o ber t W.

U nconstitutional and void.
Survey, O ctober 15, 1924, v. 43, pp. 69, 70.
C om m ent on th e verdict of th e C ourt of Common Pleas of D au p h in C ounty declaring the
law unconstitutional.

F or. P e n n s y l v a n ia P a tr ia r c h s .

Survey, Ju ly 15, 1923, v. 50, pp. 448, 449.
C om m ent on th e provisions of th e law.

M a u r e r , J am es H.

Old folks aren’t news in Pennsylvania.
Survey, Decem ber 15, 1924,. v. 53, pp. 368, 369.


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P e n n s y l v a n ia S ta te C h a m b e r

op

C om m erce .

Special report on old-age pensions, 1919.

R esea rch B u re a u .

Philadelphia, [1919].

64 pp.

Discusses special problem s of an old-age pension program a nd com pulsory old-age insurance
versus n o n co n in b u to ry pensions.

P e n n s y l v a n ia

to

P e n s io n

the

A ged.

Literary Digest, M ay 26, 1923, v. 77, p. 16.
V irg in ia

V ir g in ia . G e n e r a l A s s e m b l y .

C o m m itte e o n O ld - a g e A s s i s t a n c e .

R eport of th e legislative com m ittee on old-age assistance.
1926], 13 pp. (Senate Doc. No. 2.)
Signed b y Alfred C._ Sm ith, H a rry R . H ouston, E d w ard R . Puller.
Reviewed in A m erican L abor Legislation R eview , M arch, 1926, v . 16,
recom m ended; p p . 9-13.

[Richmond?

p . 10 2

T ext of bill

W a s h in g to n

[An old-age pension bill passed by th e W ashington legislature January 5, 1926,
was vetoed by Governor H artley.]
W is c o n sin

[The old-age pension lp,w of Wisconsin was passed M ay 13, 1925 (ch. 121).]
W is c o n s in . I n d u s t r i a l C o m m is s io n .

R eport on old-age relief.

[Madison? 1915.]

76 pp.

C. H . C row nhart, chairm an.
Sum m ary in M o n th ly L abor Review of th e U . S. B ureau of L abor Statistics, M arch, 1916, v. 2
p p. 2oo—290.
th e O ld - age P e n s io n B il l .
E x tract from
rem arks, M ay 12, 1925.
American Labor Legislation Review, September, 1925, v. 15, p. 264.

W hy G ov er no r B l a in e S ig n e d


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PU B LIC A TIO N S R E L A T IN G T O LA B O R
Official—United States
C a l if o r n ia .— Bureau of Labor Statistics.

L a b o r l a w s o f th e S t a t e o f C a l i f o r n i a
[ in c lu d in g th o s e p a s s e d b y th e 1 9 2 5 le g is la tu r e ]. S a c r a m e n to , 1 9 2 5 .
298 pp.

------- (S a n F rancisco ) . — Widows’ Pension Bureau.

R e p o r t , c o v e r in g w id o w s '
p e n s i o n s a n d b l i n d p e n s io n s , J u l y , 1 9 2 3 - J u n e , 1 9 2 5 .
S a n F r a n c is c o [ 1 9 2 5 ? ].
12 pp.

D uring th e year ending June 30,1925, th e bureau received 155 new applications
for widows’ pensions and handled 544 cases, involving 1,339 children; 135 cases
were canceled during th e year, th e principal reason for cancellation being th a t
th e recipient had increased her income to a point where a pension could no longer
be regarded as necessary. The am ount expended in widows’ pensions was
$207,865, of which th e S tate supplied $128,138, and th e county $79,727.
During th e same year, 30 applications were received for pensions for th e blind,
of which 21 were granted. The num ber of active cases was 85 and th e ex­
penditure in pensions was $15,025.
C o l o r a d o .—-Coal Mine Inspection D epartm ent.
T h ir te e n th a n n u a l r e p o r t,
1925.

D en ver, 1 9 2 6 .

9 3 p p . a n d fo ld e r .

Certain d a ta from this report are published on page 234 of this issue.
N ew J e r s e y .— Board of Trustees of S tate Employees’ R etirem ent System.
T h i r d a n n u a l r e p o r t [ J u l y 1 , 1 9 2 4 , to ] J u n e 3 0 , 1 9 2 5 .
pp.

T r e n to n [ 1 9 2 5 ? ].

32

In th e third year of its operation the New Jersey retirem ent system for
S tate employees, w ith a membership of 2,527 employees draw ing salaries and
wages to a to ta l of $3,995,202, had a list of 63 beneficiaries, of whom 54 repre­
sented ordinary service retirem ents, 5 were retired for ordinary disability, 1 for
disability resulting from accident, and 3 cases were paym ents of d eath benefits.
The annual outlay to beneficiaries, as of June 30, 1925, was $27,708. During
the year th e contributions of S tate employees to the fund were $189,981 and
total expenditures were $57,215. T otal assets a t the end of th e year were
$689,055.
The contributions from the employee members are m ade regularly and as a
m a tte r of routine, while th e S tate’s contributions are m ade by special legislative
action. The report emphasizes th e im portance of regularity in this m a tte r:
A ttention is called to th e fact th a t th e appropriation required for this year is
increased because th e appropriation recommended la st year was n o t m ade by
th e legislature. The im portance to th e S tate and to members th a t contributions
be m ade to the system in accordance w ith the law can n o t be overemphasized.
* * * If th e S tate pays each year th e contributions as called for under the
act, it will not be faced w ith a constantly increasing percentage charge on account
of the retirem ent of superannuated and disabled employees, b u t will cover each
year the liability as it accrues. If, on th e other hand, th e S tate does n o t m eet its
paym ents, these paym ents will accum ulate as a debt which will have to be paid,
including interest, if the retirem ent system is to continue.


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M O N T H L Y LABOR REV IEW

N ew Y or k .— D epartm ent of Labor.

P r o c e e d in g s o f th e N i n t h A n n u a l N e w
Y o r k S t a t e I n d u s t r i a l S a f e t y C o n g r e s s , S y r a c u s e , N . Y ., D e c e m b e r 1 - 3 , 1 9 2 5 .
A lb a n y , 1 9 2 6 .
2 5 3 p p . ; c h a r ts a n d il l u s t r a t i o n s .

The topics covered in the sessions of the congress included various aspects of
safety problems, medical problems relating to different types of injury, and the
rehabilitation of the injured. In an address on the industrial accident hazard
in New York State, by Dr. Leonard W. H atch, the accident figures presented
for the S tate show a considerable decrease in 1925 as com pared w ith 1913 in
the num ber of accidents due to m achinery, which reflects the im proved methods
of safeguarding mechanical appliances, b u t an increase in nearly all other types
of accident.
------ Governor’s Advisory Commission, Cloak, Suit, and Skirt industry, New
York City. Bureau of Research. W a g e s a n d w a g e s c a le s , 1 9 2 5 . N e w Y o r k ,
1 2 2 W e s t 1 8 th S t . [1 9 2 6 ? ].

iv , 6 3 p p . ; c h a r ts .

• -----------E m p l o y m e n t
1 8 th S t . [1 9 2 6 ].

a n d e a r n in g s o f w o r k e r s ,
iv , 3 7 p p . ; c h a r ts .

1925.

N ew

Y o rk ,

122

W est

Wage data from these reports are given on page 65 of this issue.
P e n n s y l v a n ia .— D epartm ent of Welfare.
v a n ia — a S t a t e - w i d e s u r v e y .

P orto R ic o .— Governor.

B u lle tin 2 1 : P o o r
H a r r is b u r g , 1 9 2 5 .
149 pp.

T w e n ty - f if th a n n u a l r e p o r t.

r e l ie f i n P e n n s y l ­

S an J u an , 1925.

95 pp.

A digest of th a t p art of the report relating to wages of agricultural labor is
given on page 68 of this issue.
V ir g in ia .— Bureau of Labor and Industry. T w e n ty - e ig h th 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 S e p te m b e r 3 0 , 1 9 2 5 .

R ic h m o n d , 1 9 2 6 .

130 pp.

D ata from this report are published on pages 97 and 233 of this issue.
U n it e d S t a t e s .— Board of Actuaries, Civil Service R etirem ent and D isability
Fund. F if th a n n u a l r e p o r t u p o n th e o p e r a tio n o f th e a c t f o r th e r e tir e m e n t o f
e m p lo y e e s i n th e c la s s if ie d c i v i l s e r v ic e .
(iS e n a te d o c . N o . 8 9 , 6 9 th C o n g ., 1 s t s e s s .)

W a s h in g to n ,

1926.

v iii,

54

pp.

------ Congress. Senate.

D o c u m e n t N o . 4 1 : E c o n o m ic c o n d itio n s o f th e V i r g i n
I s l a n d s , b y R u f u s S . T u c k e r , W a s h in g to n , 1 9 2 6 . v, 5 8 p p .
{6 9 th C o n g ., 1 s t
s e s s .)

•

--- --------------------- Com mittee on In tersta te Commerce.

R a i l w a y la b o r a c t.
H e a r in g s o n S . 2 3 0 6 .
P a r t 1 , J a n u a r y 1 4 —1 6 , 1 9 2 6 ; P a r t 2 , J a n u a r y 2 5 ,
F e b r u a r y 1 , 8 , a n d 1 0 , 1 9 2 6 . 2 2 2 p p . { 6 9 th C o n g ., 1 s t s e s s .)
{2 p a m p h le ts .)

---------------------- Com mittee on the D istrict of Columbia.

M o th e r ’s a i d i n th e
D i s t r i c t o f C o lu m b ia . H e a r in g s o n S . 1 2 0 a n d S . 1 9 2 9 , J a n u a r y 11 a n d 2 1 ,
1 9 2 6 . W a s h in g to n , 1 9 2 6 . H i, 9 2 p p . { 6 9 th C o n g ., 1 s t s e s s .)

■------

D epartm ent of Commerce. Bureau of Mines. B u l l e t i n 2 4 2 : E x p l o s i o n
h a z a r d s f r o m th e u s e o f p u lv e r iz e d c o a l a t i n d u s t r i a l p l a n t s , W a s h in g to n , 1 9 2 5 .
v i, 1 0 3 p p .

This bulletin presents an account of te sts of the explosibility of different coal
dusts, of th e fire hazard in p lan ts where pulverized coal d u st is used as a fuel,
and of th e different operating hazards. R ecom m endations for safe installation
and operation of system s for the preparation, distribution, and use of powdered
fuel are made.
■
— ----------------- T e c h n ic a l p a p e r 3 6 3 : L e s s o n s f r o m th e f i r e i n th e A r g o n a u t m in e .
W a s h in g to n , 1 9 2 6 .

iv , 3 9 p p . , illu s t r a t e d .

T his pam phlet gives th e results of an investigation of th e fire in a California
gold mine in which 47 m iners lo st their lives. The stu d y w as m ade for the
purpose of showing w ays in which sim ilar catastrophes m ay be prevented and
points out other lessons to be learned from the fire.
------ ----- - Bureau of the Census. M o r t a l i t y s t a t i s t i c s , 1 9 2 3 ; t w e n ty - f o u r th a n ­
n u a l r e p o r t.

W a s h in g to n , 1 9 2 6 .


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

485 pp.

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PU B L IC A T IO N S RE LA TIN G TO LABOR

249

U n i t e d S t a t e s . — D epartm ent of Labor.
Children’s Bureau. P u b l i c a t i o n N o .
1 5 2 : I n d u s t r i a l a c c id e n ts to e m p lo y e d m in o r s i n W i s c o n s i n , M a s s a c h u s e tts ,
an d N ew J ersey.
W a s h in g to n , 1 9 2 6 .
v, 1 1 9 p p .

This study is reviewed on page 86 of this issue.
--------------W omen’s Bureau.

B u l l e t i n N o . 1+7: W o m e n i n th e f r u i t - g r o w i n g a n d
c a n n in g i n d u s t r i e s i n th e S t a t e o f W a s h in g to n : A s t u d y o f h o u r s , w a g e s , a n d
c o n d itio n s .
W a s h in g to n , 1 9 2 6 .
ix , 2 2 3 p p .

Some of the d ata from this report will be found on page 83 of this issue.
--------------------- B u l l e t i n
h o u rs, w a g es,
c h a r ts .

and

ATo. 1+8:
w o r k in g

W o m e n in
c o n d itio n s .

O k la h o m a i n d u s t r i e s : A s t u d y of
W a s h in g to n , 1 9 2 6 .
v ii, 1 1 8 p p .;

A sum m ary of some of the findings given in this bulletin will be found on page
81 of this issue.
--------------------- B u l l e t i n

N o . 5 0 : E ffe c ts o f a p p l i e d r e s e a r c h yu pon th e e m p lo y m e n t
o p p o r tu n itie s o f A m e r ic a n w om en .
W a s h in g to n , 1 9 2 6 .
v, 51+ p p .

A review of this report is given on page 80 of this issue.

Official—Foreign Countries
A u st r a l ia .— Court of Conciliation and A rbitration.

C o m m o n w e a lth a r b i t r a t i o n
r e p o r ts , V o l. 2 0 : A r e p o r t o f c a s e s d e c id e d a n d a w a r d s m a d e , i n c l u d i n g c o n ­
f e r e n c e s c o n v e n e d b y th e p r e s id e n t a n d d e p u t y p r e s id e n ts , f r o m S e p te m b e r 1, 1 9 2 4 ,
to D e c e m b e r 3 1 , 1921+.
[ M e lb o u r n e , 1 9 2 5 T] x x , 1 3 0 2 p p .

------ (Q u e e n s l a n d ). — Registrar General’s Office.
A u s tr a lia n s ta tis tic s , 1 9 2 6 .

B r is b a n e , 1 9 2 6 .

A B C
o f Q u e e n s la n d
2 1 6 p p .; m a p .

and

Contains statistics of invalidity and old-age pensions (for the entire country
by State), m aternity allowances, friendly societies, S tate w orkm en’s com pensa­
tion and unem ploym ent insurance, etc.
------ - (W e s t e r n

A u st r a l ia ). — Government

W e s te r n A u s t r a l i a , 1 9 2 6 .

P e r th , 1 9 2 6 .

Statistician,

P ocket

yearbook

of

110 pp.

Contains statistics of rates of wages of adults prevailing in the principal occupa­
tions of W estern A ustralia, average retail prices of commodities in Perth, 1924
and 1925, index num bers of purchasing power of money, friendly societies, build­
ing and cooperative and provident societies, membership of trade-unions, etc.
C a n a d a ( N ova S cotia ). — Workmen’s Com pensation Board.
H a lifa x , 1 9 2 6 .

R ep o rt fo r 1925.

36 pp.

A sum m ary of the data presented in this report is printed on page 104 of this
issue.
D e n m a r k .— [Socialministeriet.] Arbejdsdirectdren. I n d b e r e tn in g
om a r b e jd s a n v is n in g e n og a r b e jd s l0 s h e d s f o r s ik r in g e n f o r r e g n s k a b s a a r e t 1 9 2 3 - 2 1+hagen, 1925.
1+7 PP-

C open­

A report of the director of em ploym ent exchanges and unem ploym ent insurance
on the activities of the exchanges and of the unem ploym ent funds during the
fiscal year 1923-24.
------ Statistiske D epartem ent. S t a l i s t i s k e M e d d e le ls e r , 1+- R a e k k e , 71+- B i n d , 1+H e f te : K a p i t e l s t a k s t e r f o r a f g r d d e n 1 9 2 5 .

C openh agen , 1926.

12 p p .

A brochure showing the official prices of cereals in 1925 and preceding years and
also the prices of a num ber of foodstuffs for each year of th e period 1821 to 1920.
F in l a n d .—-[Handels- och Industri M inisteriet. H andels- och Industristyrelsen.
S tatistiska ByrA] I n d u s t r i s t a t i s t i k , d r 1921+. H e ls in g f o r s , 1 9 2 6 . [ V a r i o u s
p a g i n g .] F i n l a n d s o ffic ie lla s t a t i s t i k X V I I I A , 1+1.
A report by th e statistical office of th e Finnish M inistry of Commerce and
Industry on the developm ent of industry in Finland in 1924, as compared with
preceding years.
98397°—26
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

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M O N T H L Y LABOR RE V IE W

F in l a n d .—[Socialministeriet.]
F in la n d , 1 9 2 5 .

S tatistiska Centralbyrân.

H e ls in g f o r s , 1 9 2 5 .

S ta tis tis k

â rsbok fo r

x x i, 8 2 8 p p .

The tw enty-third issue of the official statistical yearbook of Finland, containing
d ata for th e year 1925 and preceding years. Of special interest to labor are the
statistical tables on the occupational census, em igration, persons employed in
industry, social insurance, wages, industrial accidents, labor disputes, workers’
and em ployers’ organizations, em ployment exchanges, prices, and cost of living.
F r a n c e .— M inistère des T ravaux Publics. Direction des Mines. 2e Bureau.
S t a t i s t i q u e d e l ’i n d u s t r i e m in é r a le e t d e s a p p a r e i l s à V a p e u r e n F r a n c e e t e n
A lg é r ie p o u r V a n n é e 1 9 2 8 .
P a ris, 1 9 2 5 .
x ii, 196 p p .

The annual report of the French Bureau of Mines giving statistics of the
mineral industry and of steam engines used in industrial establishm ents and on
railroads, boats, etc., in France and Algeria in 1923. The statistics given cover
num ber of workers, wages, production and labor costs, and accidents in mines and
quarries and in certain other industries.
G r e a t B r it a in .— Com m ittee on the Effect on M igration of Schemes of Social
Insurance. R e p o r t. L o n d o n , 1 9 2 6 . 8 2 p p . [ C m d . 2 6 0 8 .)
A sum m ary of the findings of this report is given on page 105 of this issue.
------ Industrial Fatigue Research Board. R e p o r t N o . 8 3 : A s t u d y i n v o c a tio n a l
g u id a n c e c a r r ie d o u t b y th e I n d u s t r i a l F a tig u e R e s e a r c h B o a r d a n d th e N a t i o n a l
I n s t i t u t e o f I n d u s t r i a l P s y c h o lo g y .
London, 1926.
v iii, 10 2 p p .

A brief review of the conclusions reached in this investigation is published on
page 148 of this issue.
-------------- R e p o r t N o . 3 4 ‘ A c o n tr ib u tio n to th e s t u d y o f th e h u m a n f a c t o r i n th e
c a u s a tio n o f a c c id e n ts .

London, 1926.

v,

74 P P 5

c h a r ts .

The personal element in th e causation of accidents has been studied from the
standpoint of individual susceptibility. The investigation involved an intensive
study of th e accident experience of a num ber of large firms m anufacturing differ­
en t types of articles. The study shows th a t “ the average num ber of accidents in
any homogeneous group is much influenced by a com paratively small num ber of
workers, and th is carries w ith it the im portant practical conclusion th a t the
elimination of com paratively few specially susceptible workers from 'ris k y ’ occu­
pations would go far to reduce the num ber of industrial accidents.”
------ ------ R e p o r t N o . 8 6 : O n th e d e s ig n o f m a c h in e r y i n r e la tio n to th e o p e r a to r .
London, 1926.

v i, 8 4 P P -, i l l u s tr a te d .

This report records prelim inary results in a study of avoidable sources of
fatigue in the operation of machines. As data were n ot available on which to
classify conditions th a t tend to produce avoidable fatigue, only those which
appeared the m ost im portant have been noted. The la tte r p a rt of the report
describes specific defects found in individual machines and suggests m ethods for
remedying them.
■------Mines D epartm ent.

Safety in Mines Research Board. P a p e r N o . 1 9 :
T h e l i m i t s o f i n f l a m m a b i l i t y o f f i r e d a m p i n a tm o s p h e r e s w h ic h c o n ta in b la c k
dam p.
London, 1926.
11 p p .

In this pam phlet an account is given of a series of experiments showing the
percentage of black dam p in a mine atm osphere containing fire dam p which will
prevent th e propagation of an explosion.
--------------------- P a p e r

N o . 2 0 : T h e e le c tr ic i g n i t i o n o f f i r e d a m p — a l te r n a tin g a n d
c o n tin u o u s c u r r e n ts c o m p a r e d .
London, 1926.
18 p p.

Gives the result of experiments showing the m echanical and electrical conditions
under which a “ break flash” or “ m om entary a r c ” will ignite a given m ixture
of m ethane and air.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1426]

PUBLICATIONS RELATING TO LABOR

251

G re a t B r i t a i n .— M in is try of A g ric u ltu re an d F ish e rie s.

E c o n o m ic s e r ie s N o . 4R e p o r t u p o n la r g e - s c a le c o o p e r a tiv e m a r k e ti n g i n th e U n i t e d S t a t e s o f A m e r i c a .
L ondon, 1925.
v i i i , 1 9 2 p p . , il l u s t r a t e d .

A s u rv e y o f th e w h o le field o f la rg e -sc a le c o o p e ra tiv e m a r k e tin g in th e U n ite d
S ta te s , g iv in g t h e e c o n o m ic b a c k g ro u n d , d e s c rip tio n s of v a rio u s o rg a n iz a tio n s ,
o rg a n iz a tio n a n d m a n a g e m e n t p ro b le m s, le g a l s t a tu s , a n d eco n o m ic sig n ifican ce.
--------------- E c o n o m ic s e r ie s N o . 5 : T h e c o o p e r a tiv e p u r c h a s e o f a g r ic u ltu r a l r e q u i­
s i t e s (a s u r v e y o f th e p r e s e n t p o s i t i o n
1925.
H i, 1 1 0 p p . , illu s t r a t e d .

in

E n g la n d

and

W a le s .)

London,

T h is s tu d y is re v ie w e d b rie fly o n p a g e 131 of th is issue.
------- [M in is try of H e a lth .]

S t a t u te s , r e g u la tio n s , a n d o r d e r s r e la tin g to n a tio n a l
h e a lth in s u r a n c e , w ith n o te s , c r o s s r e fe r e n c e s , a n d a n i n d e x .
L o n d o n [1 9 2 5 f].
v i, 7 0 9 p p .

C o n ta in s th e t e x t of a ll th e le g isla tio n r e la tin g to h e a lth in s u ra n c e u p to a n d
in c lu d in g th e tw o a c ts of 1924, to g e th e r w ith th e re g u la tio n s a n d o rd e rs m a d e
u n d e r th e a c ts .
------- R o y a l C o m m issio n o n t h e C o a l I n d u s tr y (1925). R e p o r t. V o l. 3 , A p p e n ­
d ic e s a n d i n d e x .

L ondon, 1926.

i v , 4 5 5 p p . ; m a p s a n d c h a r ts .

S ta tis tic s a s to a c c id e n ts , in d u s tr ia l d ise a se s, a n d m o r ta l it y r a te s ta k e n fro m
th is r e p o r t a re sh o w n o n p a g e s 87 to 101 of th is issue.
------- W i d o w s ’, O r p h a n s ’, a n d O ld - A g e C o n tr ib u to r y P e n s i o n s A c t , 1 9 2 5 , w ith r e g u ­
la tio n s
v i s io n s
t a tio n s
( L t d .)

th e r e u n d e r a n d th e o ld - a g e p e n s i o n s a c ts , 1 9 0 8 - 1 9 2 4 , a n d r e le v a n t p r o ­
o f th e n a t i o n a l h e a lth i n s u r a n c e a c t, 1 9 2 4 , w ith i n t r o d u c t i o n a n d a n n o ­
b y R obert W . L each .
L o n d o n , L a w & L o c a l G o vern m en t P u b lic a tio n s
[ 1 9 2 5 ? ].
198 pp.

N e t h e r l a n d s ( A m s t e r d a m ) . — B u re a u v a n S ta tis tie k .
S t a t i s t i s c h e m e d e d e e lin g e n
N o . 7 7 : D e r e s u lta te n d e r v o lk s - e n b e r o e p s te llin g v a n 3 1 D e c e m b e r 1 9 2 0 vo o r
A m s t e r d a m z o n d e r e n m e t h e t o p 1 J a n u a r i 1 9 2 1 g e a n n e x e e r d e g e b ie d .
II. De
B e r o e p s te llin g . A m s t e r d a m , 1 9 2 6 .
x i i , 4 4 PP-

T h e re s u lts of t h e g e n e ra l o c c u p a tio n a l cen su s of th e N e th e rla n d s of D e c e m b e r
31, 1920, in so fa r a s th e y c o n c e rn t h e te r r it o r y w ith in th e c ity lim its of A m s te r­
dam .
S p a i n .— I n s t i t u t o N a c io n a l d e P re v isió n .
L e s a s s u r a n c e s s o c ia le s e n E s p a g n e .
V a le n c ia , 1 9 2 5 .

7 5 p p . ; i l l u s t r a t i o n s a n d c h a r ts .

A re v ie w of t h e o rg a n iz a tio n a n d d e v e lo p m e n t of so cial in s u ra n c e in S p a in ,
p u b lis h e d b y th e N a tio n a l In s u ra n c e I n s t i t u t e , w h ic h is th e c a rrie r of a ll so cial
in s u ra n c e in t h a t c o u n try .
------- M in is te rio d e T r a b a jo , C o m ercio e I n d u s tr ia . D ire c c ió n G e n e ra l d e T r a b a jo
y A cción S ocial. E s t a d í s t i c a d e lo s a c c id e n te s d e l T r a b a j o o c u r r id o s e n e l a ñ o
1922.

M a d r id , 1 9 2 5 .

1 0 6 p p . ; c h a r ts .

T h is r e p o r t c o n ta in s a d e ta ile d a c c o u n t of t h e in d u s tr ia l a c c id e n ts o c c u rrin g in
S p a in fro m 1904 to 1922. T h e a c c id e n ts a re classified b y t h e in d u s tr y a n d
P ro v in c e in w h ic h th e y o c c u rre d , t h e a g e a n d sex of th e in ju r e d w o rk e rs, t h e d a y s
a n d h o u rs o n w h ic h th e y to o k p la c e , t h e s e v e rity of t h e a c c id e n ts , a n d t h e cau ses
th e re o f.
--------------- J e f a tu r a S u p e rio r d e E s ta d ís tic a . A n u a r i o e s t a d ís tic o d e E s p a ñ a , a ñ o
X , 1 9 2 3 -2 4 •

M a d r id , 1 9 2 5 .

x x iii, 6 1 8 p p .

I n a d d itio n to s ta tis tic a l d a t a re la tin g to p o p u la tio n , p ro d u c tio n , a g ric u ltu re ,
c o m m e rc e , e tc ., th i s v o lu m e c o n ta in s ta b le s sh o w in g in d e x n u m b e r s of fo o d
p ric e s, w ag es, s trik e s , a n d in d u s tr ia l a c c id e n ts in S p a in . W age s ta tis tic s fro m
th is r e p o r t a r e g iv e n o n p a g e 73 o f th i s issu e .


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M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

S w i t z e r l a n d ( B e r n , C i t y ) — S ta tis tis c h e s A m t.
B e itr ä g e z u r S t a t i s t i k d e r
S ta d t B e rn .
H e f t 7: I . W o h n u n g sv o rra t u n d W o h n u n g sb e d a rf in d e r S ta d t
B ern ,
A n fa n g 1 9 2 6 , p p . 5 -4 1 .
I I . S c h la f - u n d W o h n v e r h ä ltn is s e s t a d tb e r n is c h e r S c h u lk in d e r , 1 9 1 9 u n d 1 9 2 5 , p p . 4 3 - 4 9 .
I I I . D i e F e r ie n a u f e n t­
h a lte d e r s ta d tb e r n is c h e n S c h u l k i n d e r i m J a h r e 1 9 2 5 , p p . 5 1 - 7 0 .
I V . G eb u r­
te n r ü c k g a n g u n d S ä u g lin g s s te r b lic h k e it i n d e r S t a d t B e r n , p v . 7 1 - 1 0 9 .
B ern
1926.

O ne of a series of b u lle tin s p u b lis h e d b y th e s ta ti s ti c a l office of th e c ity of
B e rn . O f th e s u b je c ts d e a lt w ith b y th e p r e s e n t b u lle tin , P a r t I , r e la tin g to th e
h o u sin g su p p ly a n d d e m a n d in th e c ity o f B e rn a t th e b e g in n in g of 1926, is of
s p e c ia l in te re s t to la b o r. T h e s ta tis tic s o n th is s u b je c t in d ic a te t h a t th e h o u sin g
s c a r c ity w h ic h w as v e ry a c u te d u rin g th e wra r a n d in th e firs t y e a rs s u b s e q u e n t to
i t h a s p ro g re s s iv e ly im p ro v e d a n d a lth o u g h n o t y e t n o rm a l is fa irly good.

Unofficial
A b e r c r o m b ie , P ., a n d o t h e r s .
T h e c o a l c r i s i s a n d th e f u t u r e : A s t u d y o f s o c ia l
d is o r d e r s a n d th e ir tr e a tm e n t.
L o n d o n , L e p la y H o u se P re ss, 192 6 .
[V a r io u s
p a g i n g .]
A m e r ic a n A c a d e m y o f P o l it ic a l a n d S o c ia l S c i e n c e .
T h e A n n a l s , V o l.
C X X V , N o . 2 1 4 : M o d e r n c r im e — i t s p r e v e n tio n a n d p u n is h m e n t.
P h ila d e l­
p h ia , M a y , 1 9 2 6 .
v ii, 2 8 6 p p .

In c lu d e d in th is v o lu m e a re a rtic le s o n im m ig ra tio n a n d crim e , im p ro v e d h o u s ­
in g a s a m e a n s of c rim e p re v e n tio n , a n d w ag e s y s te m s in p riso n s.
A m e r i c a n I n s t i t u t e o f C o o p e r a t i o n . A m e r i c a n c o o p e r a tio n : A c o lle c tio n o f
p a p e r s a n d d i s c u s s i o n s c o m p r is i n g th e f i r s t s u m m e r s e s s io n o f th e A m e r i c a n
I n s t i t u t e o f C o o p e r a tio n a t th e U n i v e r s i t y o f P e n n s y l v a n i a , i n P h i l a d e l p h i a ,
J u ly 2 0 - A u g u st 15, 1925.
W a s h in g to n , D . C ., 1 7 3 1 I S tr e e t A W ., 1 9 2 5 .
2
v o ls .

C o v e rs a g r ic u ltu r a l c o o p e ra tio n so lely , th e p a p e rs a n d d is c u ssio n s d e a lin g w ith
s u c h s u b je c ts a s b a sic p rin c ip le s of c o o p e ra tio n , e d u c a tio n a l a n d so cial a sp e c ts ,
le g a l p h a se s , fin a n c in g , b u sin e ss m a n a g e m e n t, m a r k e ts , a n d m a r k e tin g of th e
v a rio u s f a r m p ro d u c ts .
A m e r i c a n L a b o r Y e a r B o o k , 1926.
N e w Y o r k , R a n d S c h o o l o f S o c i a l S c ie n c e ,
7 E a s t F if te e n th S tr e e t, 1 9 2 6 .
[»], 5 7 1 p p .
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 . O ffice e x e c u tiv e s > s e r ie s N o . 1 8 :
tio n o f o ffice n o is e . N e w Y o r k , 2 0 V e s e y S tr e e t, 1 9 2 6 .
8 pp.

R educ­

T h is a d d re s s , d e liv e re d a t th e office e x e c u tiv e s ’ c o n fe re n c e h e ld in C h icag o
F e b r u a r y 18 a n d 19, 1926, a n d t h e d isc u ssio n w h ic h fo llo w ed , p o in t o u t th e
b e n e fic ia l effects u p o n office em p lo y e e s of t h e e lim in a tio n o r re d u c tio n of n oise
a n d g iv e s u g g e s tio n s fo r n o is e -re d u c in g dev ice s.
A n t h r a c i t e B o a r d o f C o n c i l i a t i o n [ H a z l e t o n , P a .}.
A w a r d o f th e A n t h r a ­
c ite C o a l S t r i k e C o m m i s s i o n , s u b s e q u e n t a g r e e m e n ts , a n d r e s o lu tio n s o f B o a r d
o f C o n c ilia tio n .
H a z le to n , F e b r u a r y , 1 9 2 6 .
62 pp.

T h is p a m p h le t c o n ta in s t h e t e x t of th e b a sic a w a rd of th e A n th ra c ite C oal
S tr ik e C o m m iss io n of 1902—3, to g e th e r w ith th e te x ts of a ll s u b s e q u e n t a g re e ­
m e n ts , in c lu d in g t h a t of F e b r u a r y 17, 1926.
A n t h r a c i t e B u r e a u o f I n f o r m a t i o n [ P h i l a d e l p h i a ],
o f 1 9 2 5 -2 6 .
P h ila d e lp h ia , 1 9 2 6 .
54 pp.
A sk w it h , M . E .
P r o f it S h a r i n g — a n
S c o tt ( L t d . ) , 1 9 2 6 .
119 pp.

a id

to

tra d e

T h e a n th r a c ite s t r ik e

r e v iv a l.

London,

D u ncan

A re v ie w of E n g lish p ro f it- s h a rin g e x p e rie n c e , w ith su g g e s tio n s fo r a m o d e l

system.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

[1428]

p u b l ic a t io n s

B lu m , S olom on.
579 pp.

L a b o r e c o n o m ic s .

r e l a t in g

N ew

to

253

labor

Y o r k , H e n r y H o lt & C o ., 1 9 2 5 .

ix ,

A c o m p re h e n siv e su rv e y of th e m o d e rn la b o r m o v e m e n t a n d th e eco n o m ic
fa c to rs in v o lv e d , w ith e sp e c ia l re fe re n c e to tra d e -u n io n is m a n d t h e v a rio u s p r o ­
p o sa ls fo r im p ro v in g th e o rg a n iz a tio n of in d u s try . A lso c o n ta in s a se le c te d
b ib lio g ra p h y .
C o l u m b i a U n i v e r s i t y . S t u d i e s i n h is to r y , e c o n o m ic s , a n d p u b lic l a w , V o l.
C X X I I I , N o . 2 : G o v e r n m e n ta l m e th o d s o f a d j u s t i n g la b o r d i s p u t e s i n N o r th
A m e r i c a a n d A u s t r a l a s i a , b y T in g T s z K o .
N ew Y o rk , 1926.
221 p p .
C o n s u m e r s ’ L e a g u e o f E a s t e r n P e n n s y l v a n ia .
A c c id e n ts to w o r k in g c h ild r e n
in P e n n s y lv a n ia in 1 9 2 3 .
P h i l a d e l p h i a , 8 1 8 O tis B u i l d i n g , 1 9 2 5 .
67 pp.

D a t a fro m th is r e p o r t a re g iv e n o n p a g e 89 of th is issue.
E m m o n s , A r t h u r B.
H e a lth c o n tr o l i n m e r c a n tile lif e : A p r o b le m o f c o n s e r v in g
h u m a n en ergy.
N e w Y o r k , H a r p e r a n d, B r o s ., 1 9 2 6 .
x i, 2 3 4 p p .

T h is s tu d y c o v e rs th e w o rk in in d u s tr ia l h y g ie n e o f 25 s to re s a s s o c ia te d in th e
H a r v a r d M e rc a n tile H e a lth W o rk u n d e r th e g e n e ra l su p e rv is io n of th e w rite r.
T h e m a te r ia l fo r t h e b o o k re p re s e n ts th e e x p e rie n c e of in d u s tr ia l p h y s ic ia n s a s w ell
a s th e re s u lts of c o n fe re n c e s a n d s p e c ia l s tu d ie s a n d a n a ly s e s of t h e s to re h e a lth d e p a r t m e n t re c o rd s. T h e a d v a n ta g e s t o th e e m p lo y e r, to th e w o rk e r, a n d to
th e c o m m u n ity fro m o rg a n iz e d m e r c a n tile h e a lth w o rk a re o u tlin e d in t h e i n t r o ­
d u c tio n , a s a re a lso t h e re a s o n s w h y p h y s ic ia n s a n d n u rs e s m a y fin d i t w o rth w hile
to ta k e u p su c h w o rk . T h e m e th o d s to b e fo llo w ed in p ro v id in g h e a lth f u l w o rk ­
in g c o n d itio n s , su c h a s go o d v e n tila tio n a n d lig h tin g a n d g e n e ra l s to re s a n ita tio n ,
a n d so m e o f t h e p a r t ic u l a r p ro b le m s to b e m e t in c a rin g fo r th e h e a lth o f th e
em p lo y e e s, in c lu d in g p h y s ic a l e x a m in a tio n s , v is itin g -n u rs e se rv ic e , a n d th e p ro ­
v isio n of sp ecial m e d ic a l se rv ic e s su c h a s d e n ta l w o rk , a re d isc u sse d in d e ta il.
T h e d u tie s of t h e s to re d o c to r, n u rs e s, a n d a s s is ta n ts a n d t h e k in d of re c o rd s
to b e k e p t a re d e sc rib e d a n d th e r e is a n o u tlin e of th e m e th o d b y w h ic h a h e a lth
se rv ic e fo r sm a ll s to re s c a n b e m a in ta in e d .
F i s h e r , A l a n G . B.
S o m e p r o b le m s o f w a g e s a n d th e ir r e g u la tio n i n G r e a t B r i t a i n
s in c e 1 9 1 8 .
L o n d o n , P . S . K in g & S o n { L td .) , 1 9 2 6 .
x v ii, 281 p p .

T h is s tu d y a im s a t a h is to ric a l p re s e n ta tio n of so m e of th e m o re i m p o r t a n t
w a g e p ro b le m s in G r e a t B rita in t h a t h a v e a ris e n sin c e th e w a r, w ith sp e c ia l
re fe re n c e to th e i r in te ra c tio n s w ith t h e o p in io n s of th e s e v e ra l p a r tie s to w age
n e g o tia tio n s , a n d to t h e p rin c ip le s w h ic h h a v e b e e n a p p lie d in e a c h case.
G ir a r d , J o s e p h .
É lé m e n ts
A lc a n , 1 9 2 5 .
324 pp.

de

lé g is la tio n

o u v r iè r e .

P a r is ,

L ib r a ir ie

F é lix

A n a n a ly s is of F re n c h la b o r law s, in c lu d in g a d isc u ssio n of la w s r e la tin g to
th e la b o r c o n tr a c t, re g u la tio n of w o rk in g c o n d itio n s , w ag es, s trik e s a n d lo c k o u ts ,
a ss o c ia tio n s a n d c o lle c tiv e a g re e m e n ts , a n d so cial in s u ra n c e .
H a m il t o n , W a l t o n H .
C u r r e n t e c o n o m ic p r o b le m s : A s e r ie s o f r e a d in g s i n th e
c o n tr o l o f i n d u s t r i a l d e v e lo p m e n t.
C h ic a g o , U n i v e r s i t y o f C h ic a g o P r e s s , 1 9 2 5 .
x x ix , 9 6 0 p p .
3 d e d itio n .
H edburg, A nders.
I n t e r n a t i o n a l w h o le s a le c o o p e r a tio n — i d e a s a n d p r o p o s a ls .
M a n c h e s te r { E n g l a n d ) , N a t i o n a l C o o p e r a tiv e P u b l i s h in g S o c i e t y { L t d . ) , 1 9 2 5 .
v iii, 78 p p .

T h is b o o k is re v ie w e d b rie fly on p a g e 126 of th is issue.
H e r r ic k , C h e e s m a n A .
W h ite s e r v itu d e i n P e n n s y l v a n i a : I n d e n t u r e d a n d
r e d e m p tio n la b o r i n c o lo n y a n d C o m m o n w e a lth .
P h ila d e lp h ia , J o h n J o s e p h
M cV ey, 1926.
ix , 3 3 0 p p .


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254

M ONTHLY LABOE EEVIEW

I n s t i t u t e o f E c o n o m i c s [ W a s h i n g t o n , D . C.].
T h e F e d e r a l in te r m e d i a t e c r e d it
s y s te m , b y C la u d e L . B e n n e r .
N e w Y o r k , M a c m il l a n C o ., 1 9 2 6 .
x v iii, 8 7 5
PP-

I t is th e p u rp o s e of th is s tu d y (1) to e x p la in th e c a u se s t h a t le d u p to th e p a ss a g e
o f t h e a g r ic u ltu r a l c re d its a c t of 1923 a n d th e e s ta b lis h m e n t o f th e F e d e ra l in te r ­
m e d ia te c r e d it s y s te m , (2) to sh o w th e p la c e a n d fu n c tio n t h a t th e s e n e w r u r a l
c re d it in s ti tu t io n s h a v e in o u r fin a n c ia l s y s te m , a n d (3) to p o in t o u t th e p o ssi­
b ilitie s t h a t th e s e in s titu tio n s h o ld o u t to th e A m e ric a n fa rm e r.
I n t e r n a t io n a l F e d e r a t io n o f T r a d e U n io n s .
T h e tr a d e -u n io n m o vem en t o f
G r e a t B r i t a i n , b y W a l t e r M . C itr in e .
A m s te r d a m , 1 9 2 6 .
118, x pp.
I n t e r n a t i o n a l U n i o n o f W o o d w o r k e r s [A m s t e r d a m ],
R e p o r t o n th e a c tiv itie s
d u r i n g th e y e a r s 1 9 2 2 - 1 9 2 5 , etc.
[ B e r lin ? ] 1 9 2 5 .
118 pp.

T h is v o lu m e c o n ta in s a h is to ric a l s u rv e y of th e d e v e lo p m e n t o f th e I n t e r n a t io n a l
U n io n o f W o o d w o rk e rs fro m 1891 to J a n u a r y 1, 1922; a r e p o r t o n th e a c tiv itie s
of th e u n io n d u rin g th e y e a rs 1 9 2 2 -1 9 2 5 ; th e fin a n c ia l r e p o r t; a r e p o r t o n th e
p ro c e e d in g s o f th e S ix th I n t e r n a t io n a l W o o d w o rk e rs’ C o n g re ss (B ru sse ls, J u ly ,
1 925); a r e p o r t o n “ T h e fu n c tio n s a n d o rg a n iz a tio n of t h e in te r n a tio n a l tr a d e u n io n m o v e m e n t, ” b y F . T a rn o w ; a r e p o r t o n t h e q u e s tio n of a m a lg a m a tio n
of t h e w o o d w o rk e rs ’ a n d b u ild in g w o rk e rs ’ in te r n a tio n a ls ; th e ru le s of th e I n t e r ­
n a tio n a l U n io n of W o o d w o rk e rs; th e re s o lu tio n s a d o p te d b y th e B ru sse ls co n g ress
of 1925; a n d a lis t of n a m e s a n d a d d re s s e s of w o o d w o rk e rs’ o g a n iz a tio n s .
L a n d s o r g a n is a t io n e n i S v e r g e .
1925.
247 pp.

B e r d tte ls e o v e r v e r k s a m h e t 1 9 2 4 .

S to c k h o lm ,

T h e a n n u a l r e p o r t fo r t h e y e a r 1924 of t h e C o n fe d e ra tio n of T ra d e -U n io n s in
S w ed en o n it s a c tiv itie s . A d ig e s t of t h e p rin c ip a l s ta tis tic s (m e m b e rsh ip , n e t
re so u rc e s) c o n ta in e d in t h e r e p o r t is to b e fo u n d in t h e p r e s e n t issu e , p a g e 133.
L e g a l A i d S o c i e t y [ N e w Y o r k C i t y ],
F if tie th a n n u a l r e p o r t o f th e p r e s id e n t,
tr e a s u r e r , a n d a tto r n e y , f o r th e y e a r 1 9 2 5 .
N ew Y o rk , 1926.
110 pp.

A b rie f s u m m a ry of th e o p e ra tio n s of th is s o c ie ty is g iv e n o n p a g e 236 of th is
issu e.
L i e b e n b e r g , R ic h a r d .
B e r u f s b e r a tu n g , M e th o d e u n d T e c h n ik .
& M eyer, 1925.
v i i i , 2 3 4 PP-

L e i p z i g , Q u e lle

A h a n d b o o k fo r t h e in s tru c tio n of v o c a tio n a l a d v is e rs in th e m e th o d a n d
te c h n iq u e o f v o c a tio n a l g u id a n c e . T h e a u th o r , w h o is d ir e c to r of th e S ta te
v o c a tio n a l g u id a n c e office a t B e rlin , d iscu sses t h e sp e c ia l d ifficu lties e n c o u n te re d ,
th e g e n e ra l c o u rs e o f v o c a tio n a l g u id a n c e ; t h e b a s e s o f v o c a tio n a l g u id a n c e ;
th e p r a c tic a l o p e ra tio n of v o c a tio n a l g u id a n c e ; v o c a tio n a l g u id a n c e fo r sp e c ia l
g ro u p s o f a p p lic a n ts , e tc . C h a p te r six, th e m o s t i m p o r t a n t c h a p te r, d e a ls w ith
th e tr a in i n g o f v o c a tio n a l a d v is e rs, c o n ta in s a se le c te d b ib lio g ra p h y o n v o c a ­
tio n a l tr a in in g fo r t h e u se of a d v is e rs, a n d d e sc rib e s ty p ic a l m is ta k e s m a d e in
v o c a tio n a l g u id a n c e .
M a v o r , J a m e s . A n e c o n o m ic h is t o r y o f R u s s i a .
{ L td .) , 1 9 2 5 .
2 v o ls .

L ondon, J . M . D ent & S ons

T h e se c o n d e d itio n of a v e ry c o m p re h e n siv e s tu d y of R u s s ia n ec o n o m ic d e v e l­
o p m e n t fro m th e e a rlie s t tim e s to th e b e g in n in g of th e W o rld W a r.
M o r g a n , S ir H e r b e r t .
x x i, 2 8 2 p p .
M o r t a r a , G io r g io .
x x iii, 4 7 9 p p .

C a r e e r s f o r b o y s a n d g ir ls .

P r o s p e t ti v e

e c o n o m ic h e ,

L o n d o n , M e th u e n & C o ., 1 9 2 6 .

1926.

C ittà

di

C a s te llo ,

1926.

T h e s ix th issu e of a n a n n u a l re v ie w of eco n o m ic c o n d itio n s , p u b lis h e d b y
P ro fe sso r M o r ta r a of t h e U n iv e rs ity of M ila n a n d c o v e rin g t h e y e a r 1925.


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[1430]

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PUBLICATIONS RELATING TO LABOR
N a t io n a l M u n ic ip a l L e a g u e .
M u n i c i p a l s a la r ie s u n d e r th e c n a n g in g
le v e l, b y W i l l i a m C . B e y e r .
N ew Y o rk , 261 B ro a d w a y, 1926.
14 p p .
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p r ic e
S im ­

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des

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V a­

A s tu d y of th e rô le of t h e in d u s tr ia l p h y s ic ia n in th e v o c a tio n a l g u id a n c e of
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re s u lts of p h y s ic a l e x a m in a tio n o n e n tr a n c e in d e te rm in in g th e p h y s ic a l a n d
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i n tr a d e - u n io n is m : L a b o r o r g a n iz a tio n p r i n c i p l e s a n d p r o b le m s
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F ra n c e , tw o of w h ic h a re d ia m o n d -c u ttin g so cieties a n d t h e th i r d a m a n u f a c ­
tu r e r o f p ip e s. T h e s tu d y d e sc rib e s th e i r o rg a n iz a tio n a n d d e v e lo p m e n t, th e ir
m e th o d s of w o rk , a d m in is tr a tiv e a n d fin a n c ia l p ra c tic e s , w o rk in g c o n d itio n s
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x i, 1 8 2 p p .

N e v j

Y o r k , E . P . D u tto n & C o .,

I n th is v o lu m e th e fa c ts in re g a rd to v e n tila tio n a n d t h e p a r t w h ic h fre s h a ir
p la y s in c o rre c t m e th o d s of v e n tila tin g a re p re s e n te d in p o p u la r fo rm . T h e
re s e a rc h e s of t h e p a s t 10 y e a rs a n d p a r t ic u l a r ly th o s e of th e N ew Y o rk S ta te
C o m m issio n o n V e n tila tio n h a v e u p s e t m a n y of th e p re v io u s ly h e ld th e o rie s on
th e s u b je c t, a n d th i s s u m m a ry of th e re s u lts of th e s e s tu d ie s g iv es t h e r e s u lt of
th is scie n tific e x p e rim e n ta tio n . O ne c h a p te r, d e v o te d to s p e c ia l p ro b le m s of
fa c to ry v e n tila tio n , d e a ls w ith th e q u e s tio n fro m th e s t a n d p o in t of a tm o s p h e ric
p o iso n s s u c h a s c a rb o n m o n o x id e a n d of p o iso n o u s fu m e s a n d g ases. T h e r e l a ­
tio n o f a tm o s p h e ric d u s t to in d u s tr i a l tu b e rc u lo s is is d isc u sse d , a n d th e r e is a
b rie f s t a te m e n t of p re v e n tiv e m e a s u re s, in c lu d in g th e c o n tr o l o f d u s t a n d fu m e s
b y s p e c ia l e x h a u s t v e n tila tio n a n d th e p ro te c tio n of th e w o rk e r b y th e u se of
m a s k s a n d re s p ira to rs .
W o m e n s ’ N a t i o n a l R e p u b l i c a n C l u b [ N e w Y o r k C i t y ].
S ta t e A ffairs C o m ­
m itte e . D o w o m e n w h o w o r k i n f a c t o r i e s a n d m e r c a n tile e s ta b lis h m e n ts i n
N e ro Y o r k S t a t e w a n t a l a w l i m i t i n g th e ir iv e e k to
h o u rs?
[N e w Y o r k ,

48

1926?]

4 3 PP-


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