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U. S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
ROYAL MEEKER, Commissioner
MONTHLY REVIEW
OP THE
U* S . BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
VOLUME 11—MARCH, 1916—NUMBER 3
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
WASHINGTON
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
1916
SERIES OF BULLETINS PUBLISHED BY THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
[T he p u b lica tio n o f th e A n n u a l a n d Special R ep o rts a n d o f th e b im o n th ly B u lle tin has
been d isco n tin u ed , a n d sin c e J u ly , 1912, a B u lle tin has been p u b lish e d a t irregular intervals.
Each n u m b e r co n ta in s m a tte r devoted to on e o f a series o f general su b je cts. These B u lle
tin s are n u m b e re d consecutively in each series a n d also carry a consecutive w hole n u m b er,
beginning w ith N o. 101. A list o f th e series, together w ith th e in d ivid u a l B u lle tin s falling
u nd er each, is given below. A list o f th e R eports a n d B u lle tin s o f th e B ureau is su e d prior
to J u ly 1, 1912, w ill be fu rn ish e d on application.)
Wholesale Prices.
No. 1. Wholesale prices, 1890 to 1912. (Bui. No. 114.)
No. 2. Wholesale prices, 1890 to 1913. (Bui. No. 149.)
No. 3. Index numbers of wholesale prices in the United States and foreign countries. (Bui. No. 173.)
No. 4. Wholesale prices, 1890 to 1914. (Bui. No. 181.)
Retail Prices and Cost of Living.
No. 1. Retail prices, 1890 to 1911: P art I. (Bui. No. 105: Part I.)
Retail prices, 1S90 to 1911: Part II—General tables. (Bui. No. 105: Part II.)
No. 2. Retail prices, 1890 to June, 1912: Part I. (Bui. No. 106: Part I.)
Retail prices, 1890 to June, 1912: P art II—General tables. (Bui. No. 106: Port II.)
No. 3. Retail prices, 1890 to August, 1912. (Bui. No. 108.)
No. 4. Retail prices, 1890 to October, 1912. (Bui. No. 110.)
No. 5. Retail prices, 1890 to December, 1912. (Bui. No. 113.)
No. 6. Retail prices, 1890 to February, 1913. (Bui. No. 115.)
No. 7. Sugar prices, from refiner to consumer. (Bui. No. 121.)
No. 8. Retail prices, 1890 to April, 1913. (Bui. No. 125.)
No. 9. Wheat and flour prices, from farmer to consumer. (Bui. No. 130.)
No. 10. Retail prices, 1890 to June, 1913. (Bui. No. 132.)
No. 11. Retail prices, 1890 to August, 1913. (Bui. No. 136.)
No. 12. Retail prices, 1890 to October, 1913. (Bui. No. 138.)
No. 13. Retail prices, 1890 to December, 1913. (Bui. No. 140.)
No. 14. Retail prices, 1907 to December, 1914. (Bui. No. 156.)
No. 15. Butter prices, from producer to consumer. (Bui. No. 164.)
No. 16. Retail prices, 1907 to June, 1914. (Bui. No. 184.)
Wages and Hours of Labor.
No. 1. Wages and hours of labor in the cotton, woolen, and silk industries, 1890 to 1912. (Bui. No. 128.)
No. 2. Wages and hours of labor in the lumber, millwork, and furniture industries,1890 to 1912. (Bui.
No. 129.)
No. 3. Union scale of wages and hours of labor, 1907 to 1912. (Bui. No. 131.)
No. 4. Wages and hours of labor in the boot and shoe and hosiery and knit goods industries, 1890 to
1912. (Bui. No. 134.)
No. 5. Wages and hours of labor in the cigar and clothing industries, 1911 and 1912. (Bui. No. 135.)
No. 6. Wages and hours of labor in the building and repairing of steam railroad cars, 1890 to 1912
(Bui. No. 137.)
No. 7. Union scale of wages and hours of labor, May 15,1913. (Bui. No. 143.)
No. 8. Wages and regularity of employment in the dress and waist industry of New York City. (Bui
No. 146.)
No. 9. Wages and regularity of employment in the cloak, suit, and skirt Industry. (Bui. No. 147.)
No. 10. Wages and hours of labor in the cotton, woolen, and silk industries, 1907 to 1913. (Bui. No
150.)
No. 11. Wages and hours of labor In the iron and steel industry in the United States, 1907 to 1912.
(Bui. No. 151.)
No. 12. Wages and hours of labor in the lumber, millwork, and furniture industries, 1907 to 1913.
(Bui. No. 153.)
No. 13. Wages and hours of labor in the boot and shoe and hosiery and underwear industries 1907 to
1913. (Bui. No. 154.)
No. 14. Wages and hours of labor in the clothing and cigar industries, 1911 to 1913. (Bui. No. 161.)
No. 15. Wages and hours of labor in the building and repairing of steam railroad cars, 1907 to 1913
(Bui. No. 163.)
No. 16. Wages and hours of labor in the iron and steel industry in the United States, 1907 to 1913
(Bui, No. 168.)
No. 17. Union scale of wages and hours of labor, May 1,1914. (Bui. No. 171.)
No. 18, Wages and hours of labor in the hosiery and underwear industry, 1907 to 1914. (Bui. No. 177.)
No. 19. Wages and hours of labor in the boot and shoe industry, 1907 to 1914. (Bui. No. 178.)
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(See also th ir d page o f cover.
{C o n tin u ed fro m second page o f cover.)
W omen in Industry.
No. 1. Hours, earnings, and duration of employment of wage-earning women in selected industries in
the District of Columbia. (Bui. No. 116.)
No. 2. Working hours of women in the pea canneries of Wisconsin. (Bui. No. 119.)
No. 3. Employment of women in power laundries in Milwaukee. (Bui. No. 122.)
No. 4. Hours, earnings, and conditions of labor of women in Indiana mercantile establishments and
garment factories. (Bui. No. 160.)
No. 5. Summary of the report on condition of woman and child wage earners in the United States
(Bui. No. 175.)
No. 6. Effect of minimum-wage determinations in Oregon. (Bui. No. 176.)
No. 7. Women in the boot and shoe industry in Massachusetts. (Bui. No. 180.)
N o. 8. Unemployment among women in departm ent and other retail stores of Boston, Mass. (Bui.
No. 182.) [In press.]
W orkm en’s Insurance and Compensation (including law s relatin g th ereto ).
No. 1. Care of tuberculous wage earners in Germany. (Bui. No. 101.)
No. 2. British National Insurance Act, 1911. (Bui. No. 102.)
No. 3. Sickness and accident insurance law of Switzerland. (Bui. No. 103.)
No. 4. Law relating to insurance of salaried employees in Germany. (Bui. No. 107.)
No. 5. Workmen’s compensation laws of the United States and foreign countries. (Bui. No. 126.)
No. 6. Compensation for accidents to employees of the United States. (Bui. No. 155.)
No. 7. Compensation legislation of 1914 and 1915. (Bui. No. 185.)
In d u stria l A ccidents and Hygiene.
No. 1. Lead poisoning in potteries, tile works, and porcelain enameled sanitary ware factories. (Bui.
No. 104.)
No. 2. Hygiene of the painters’ trade. (Bui. No. 120.)
No. 3. Dangers to workers from dusts and Limes, and methods of protection. (Bui. No. 127.)
No. 4. Lead poisoning in the smelting and refining of lead. (Bui. No. 141.)
No. 5. Industrial accident statistics. (Bui. No. 157.)
No. 6. Lead poisoning in the manufacture of storage batteries. (Bui. No. 165.)
No. 7. Industrial poisons used in the rubber industry. (Bui. No. 179.)
Conciliation and A rb itration (including strikes and lockouts).
No. 1. Conciliation and arbitration in the building trades of Greater New York. (Bui. No. 124.)
No. 2. Report of the industrial council of the British Board of Trade on its inquiry into industrial
agreements. (Bui. No. 133.)
No. 3. Michigan copper district strike. (Bui. No. 139.)
No. 4. Industrial court of the cloak, suit, and skirt industry of New York City. (Bui. No. 144.)
No. 5. Conciliation, arbitration, and sanitation in the dress and waist industry of New York City
(Bui. No. 145.)
Labor Laws of th e U nited S tates (including decisions of courts re la tin g to labor).
No. 1. Labor legislation of 1912. (Bui. No. 111.)
No. 2. Decisions of courts and opinions affecting labor, 1912. (Bui. No. 112.)
No. 3. Labor laws of the United States, with decisions of courts relating thereto. (Bui. No. 148.)
No. 4. Decisions of courts and opinions affecting labor, 1913. (Bui. No. 152.)
No. 5. Labor legislation of 1914. (Bui. No. 166.)
No. 6. Decisions of courts affecting .labor, 1914. (Bui. No. 169.)
No. 7. Labor legislation of 1915. (Bui. No. 186.) [In press.]
F oreign Labor Laws.
No. 1. Administration of labor laws and factory inspection in certain European countries. (Bui.
No. 142.)
M iscellaneous Series.
No. 1. Statistics of unemployment and the work of employment offices in theUnited States (Bui
No. 109.)
No. 2. Prohibition of night work of young persons. (Bui. No. 117.)
No. 3. Ten-hour maximum working-day for women and young persons. (Bui. No. 118.)
No. 4. Employers’ welfare work. (Bui. No. 123.)
No. 5. Government aid to home owning and housing of working people in foreign countries. (Bui.
No. 158.)
No. 6. Short-unit courses for wage earners, and a factory school experiment. (Bui. No. 159.)
No. 7. Vocational education survey of Richmond, Va. (Bui. No. 162.)
No. 8. Minimum-wage legislation in the United States and foreign countries. (Bui. No. 167.)
No. 9. Foreign food prices as affected by the war. (Bui. No. 170.)
No. 10. Unemployment in New York City, N. Y. (Bui. No. 172.)
No. 11. Subject index of the publications of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics up to May 1,
1915. (Bui. No. 174.)
No. 12. Regularity of employment in the women’s ready-to-wear garment industries. (Bui. No. 183.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
r
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m
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U. S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
ROYAL M E E K E R , C om m issioner
MONTHLY REVIEW
OF TH E
U. S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
VOLUME II—MARCH, 1016—NUMBER 3
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
WASHINGTON
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
1916
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
CONTENTS.
Page.
1-3
Federal employment work of tlie Department of Labor......................................
Conciliation work of the Department of Labor, January 1G, to February 15,
1916......................................................................................................................
3,4
Immigration during 1915........................................................................................
4_9
Training of immigrants for citizenship.................................................................. 9-11
Employment in selected industries in January, 1916.......................................... 12,13
Employment in the State of New York in January, 1916.................................... 14.15
Work of State and municipal employment bureaus............................................. 15-18
Unemployment among women in retail stores of Boston..................................... 18-21
Irregularity of employment................................................................
22-29
Irregularity of employment in women’s garment industries........................ 22-25
Survey of the American Association for Labor Legislation........................... 25, 26
The unemployed in Philadelphia................................................................... 26-29
Strikes and lockouts, from August, 1915, through January, 1916........................ 29-31
Retail prices of food in the United States............................................................. 31-33
Summary of report on woman and child wage earners......................................... 33-37
Survey of wage-earning girls in Wilkes-Barre, P a ................................................ 37-40
Recent reports relating to workmen’s compensation and industrial accidents:
Massachusetts...............................................................
40-52
Ohio..................................................................................................................53, 54
Oregon.............................................................................................................. 55-63
Physical examinationof wage earners in Ohio...................................................... 63-66
Sanitary standards for the felt hatting industry in New Jersey........................... 66-73
The health of garment workers.......................
73-76
Old-age relief in Wisconsin..................................................................................... 76-80
Retail prices of food in foreign countries:
Austria..............................................................................................................
80
Canada..............................................................................................................
81
France.............................................................................................................. 81,82
Germany...........................................................................................................
82
Great Britain..............................................................................................
83 84
Italy..................................................................................................................
84
Netherlands......................................................................................................
85
Employment in foreign countries:
Canada.............................................................................................................. 86, 87
Germany........................................................................................................... 87,88
Great Britain.................................................................................................... 88, 89
Legal regulation of publicemployment offices in Austria..................................... 89, 90
Official reports relating to labor: .
United States................................................................................................. 91-103
Foreign countries.............................................................................................
103
Periodical publications of foreign labor departments and bureaus.................. 104-107
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hi
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY REVIEW
OF THE
U. S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
vol.
WASHINGTON
n —n o . 3
m arch,
1916
FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
LABOR.
During January, 1916, the Division of Information of the Depart
ment of Labor placed 3,419 persons in employment as compared with
2,170 during December, 1915. As there were 15,015 applicants for
work, 22.78 per cent were placed as compared with 18.23 per cent
for December preceding. The operations of the division by months
since May, 1915, when fuller reports began to be made, are contained
in the following statement:
OPERATIONS OF TH E DIVISION OF INFORM ATION, BUREAU OF IMMIGRATION,
DURING TH E MONTHS OF MAY, 1915, TO DECEM BER, 1916.
Month.
1915
May............................................
Ju n e...........................................
July............................................
August.................•.....................
September.................................
October......................................
Novemoer.....................
December.................................
1916
January...............................
Number of Number of
Number of Number
Number
applica
ap applicants toreferred
tions for persons
employ actually
plied
for.
for
places.
employed.
help.
ment.
638
1,249
1,160
1,279
Per cent
of appli
cants
placed.
1,104
847
698
3,826
3,601
8,665
7,931
4,551
5,423
4,650
3,588
12,132
14,530
18,061
17,827
13,334
12,215
11,908
11,902
3, 752
5,131
6,360
7,321
5,671
5, 460
4,459
2,622
3,495
4,646
6,035
6,757
5; 405
5,006
4,146
2,170
40.9.8
34. 82
18.23
933
5,063
15,015
4,300
3,419
22. 78
1,201
28. 81
31.98
33.41
37.90
The following statement of the employment work of the 18 sepa
rate zones of operation covering the whole country gives the usual
details for December, 1915, and January, 1916:
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[ 211 ]
9
M O N T H L Y REV IEW OF T H E B U REA U OF LABOR STATISTICS,
SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES FOR THE MONTHS OF DECEMBER, 1915, AND JANUARY, 1916.
Opportunities received.
Zone.
Applications
for help.
Number of
persons
applied for.
De
De
cem Janu
ary. cem
ber.
ber.
1. Boston, Mass.......................
PortJand, Me.......................
1
2
Applications for employment.
Applications Referred to
received.
employment.
De Janu De
Janu cem
ary.
ary. cem
ber.
ber.
15
3
52
4
T otal................................
1
2
15
3
56
47
87
01
6
33
276
10
186
730
921
298
1,069
830
'Total................................
93
124
286
916
1,219
3. Philadelphia, P a ................
Pittsburgh, P a ...................
28
9
74
19
551
1,228
773
1,381
839
124
Janu
ary.
1
1
1
1
284
131
431
685
1,899
415
1,116
277
781
559
977
359
57
271
428
303
26
231
174
416
Total................................
37
93
1,779
2,154
963
1,536
4. Baltimore, M d....................
5
21
23
33
246
354
5. Norfolk, Va..........................
3
12
3
92
36
64
19
8
34
93
59
55
14
5
58
27
6 Jacksonville, F la ................
De
Janu cem
ary.
ber.
44
3
2, New York, N. Y ................
Buflaio, N. Y ......................
Number
actually
employed.
332
449
236
41
699
329
405
182 1 264
182
264
15
17
20
9
32
5
58
26
24
20
1
1
Miami, F la ..........................
Charleston, S. C ..................
Savannah, G a.....................
Mobile, Ala.........................
5
3
3
T otal................................
11
27
94
109
209
255
90
53
89
35
7. New Orleans, L a ................
Gulfport, Miss.....................
Memphis, T enn..................
3
7
4
7
11
12
36
17
44
6
12
3
3
3
2
17
2
.8
6
61
27
2
1
64
12
33
i
121
25
36
18
2
Total................................
5
8
6
8
23
97
6
12
3
8. Galveston, Tex...................
2
5
3
6
41
93
5
1
5
Amarillo, T ex.....................
Houston, T ex.....................
Laredo, Tex.................. . ..
Albuquerque, N. Mex.......
T otal................................
1
1
6
1
159
1
1
1
6
1
1
2
7
3
8
41
265
5
2
5
1
9. Cleveland, Ohio..................
25~
23
146
82
149
126
39
38
17
15
10. Chicago, 111..........................
Detroit,’Mich......................
Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.......
Indianapolis, In d ................
31
76
258
654
7
18
9
31
8
4,436
84
54
239
5,299
77
44
279
501
9
8
114
1,083
19
14
148
461
5
103
45
159
8
105
1,032
14
14
138
T otal................................
56
116
369
858
4,813
5,699
632
1,264
579
1,198
11. Minneapolis, Minn..............
16
32
19
36
43
36
13
13
13
13
12, St. Louis, Mo......................
Kansas City, Mo................
8
13
9
13
71
57
18
45
174
329
212
317
IG9
85
16
4*
73
44
15
45
T otal................................
21
22
128
63
503
529
194
61
117
60
13. Denver, Colo.......................
Salt Lake City, U tah .........
1
6
1
7
36
72
1
6
10
30
3
Total................................
1
3
14. Helena, M ont......................
Moscow, Idaho...................
1
T otal................................
1
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6
1
2
7
42
82
1
30
2
13
21
2
7
1
5
2
13
21
9
6
10
2
10
[ 212 ]
1
I
M O N T H L Y REV IEW OF T H E BU R EA U OF LABOR ST A T IST IC S,
3
SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES FOR T H E MONTHS OF DECEM BER, 1915, AND JANUARY,
1916—Concluded.
Opportunities received.
Applications
for help.
Zone.
Number of
persons
applied for.
De
De
cem Janu
ary. cem
ber.
ber.
15. Seattle, Wash......................
Aberdeen, Wash..................
Bellingham, Wash..............
Everett, W ash...................
North Yakima, Wash.........
Spokane, W ash...................
Tacoma, W ash....................
Walla Walla, Wash............
84
13
4
18
22
6
2
1
23
Applications for employment.
De Janu De Janu De
Janu cem
ary.
ary. cem
ary. cem
ber.
ber.
ber.
28
17
25
33
62
3
7
13
114
24
5
18
3
103
3
16
16
6
2
Number
actually
employed.
Applications Referred to
received.
employment.
2
1
527
229
25
Janu
ary.
27
17
24
33
26
17
22
196
135
38
84
346
142
47
28
186
79
141
129
3
114
16
5
19
5
103
3
103
12
3
113
16
5
19
191
21
2
33
1
2
16
2
16
12
T otal................................
150
116
209
199
1,255
1,098
203
195
200
16. Portland, Oreg...................
3
5
4
22
149
96
3
20
3
18
17. San Francisco, Cal..............
Fresno, Cal..........................
156
183
325
227
1,342
5
1,600
224
221
182
177
T otal................................
156
183
325
227
1,347
1,600
224
221
182
177
6
110
2
5
126
3
295
499
1
432
774
5
170
5
285
157
4
230
795
1,211
170
290
157
234
5,063 11,902 15,015
2,622
4,300
2,170
3, 419
18. Los Angeles, Cal.................
San Diego, Cal....................
Tucson, Ariz.......................
166
235
3
2
T otal................................
112
134
168
Total for m onth..............
698
933
3,588
244
CONCILIATION WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR,
JANUARY 18 TO FEBRUARY 15, 1916,
On the authority contained in the organic act of the department
to mediate in labor disputes and to appoint commissioners of con.,
ciliation in its discretion, the Secretary of Labor, through the com
missioners of conciliation, exercised his good offices in five labor
disputes between January 16, 1916, and February 15, 1916. The
establishments involved in these controversies, the number of em
ployees affected, and the results secured, so far as available, are
shown in the following statement:
NUM BER OF LABOR DISPU TES HANDLED BY TH E DEPARTM ENT OF LABOR
THROUGH ITS COMMISSIONERS OF CONCILIATION, JAN. 16, 1916, TO FE B . 15, 1916.
Workmen affected.
Name.
Directly.
Bradford Mills, Philadelphia, P a ................................................. ..
Brewery workers, Washington, D. C .............................................
Clerks, the Big Four It. R ................................................................
Allied shopmen, Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton R. R., Cincin
nati, Ohio.
Musical Instrum ent Manufacturers and Metal Polishers, E lk
hart, Ind.
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[213]
Indi
rectly.
175
900
58
680
456
751
1,200
Result.
Adjusted.
Pending.
Unable to adjust.
Pending.
Do.
4
M O N T H L Y REV IEW OF T H E B U REA U OF LABOR STA TISTICS.
There has been an adjustment in the following cases which were
noted in the statement dated January 15, 1916:
Shirt-waist workers, Philadelphia, Pa., 5,000 directly and 5,000
indirectly involved.
New Haven Clock Co., New Haven, Conn., 40 directly involved.
IMMIGRATION DURING 1915.
Although it is doubtless true that the large decline in immigration
during 1915 and the latter half of 1914 is due to the occurrence of
the war in Europe, yet it is noticeable that an actual decline in immi
gration to the United States began in January, 1914. This decline
continued during all of the months of 1914, as compared with 1913,
but became very sudden in June, 1914, when the number of immi
grant aliens admitted fell from 107,796 in May to 71,728 in June, the
corresponding figures for 1913 being 137,262 and 176,261. It is
noted in passing that these figures relate to immigrant aliens admitted
or emigrant aliens departing as the case may be, as distinguished
from all aliens arriving or departing from the United States, which
latter would include transient itinerant arrivals as well as from per
manent arrivals for purposes of residence.
Grouping the results of immigration by six-month periods during
each of the years 1913, 1914, and 1915, the numbers admitted and
departing and the excess of admissions over departures during each
preceding semiannual period are as follows:
NUMBER OF A L IE N S ADM ITTED TO AND D E PA R TIN G PROM THE UN ITED STATES
JAN. 1, 1913, TO DEC. 31, 1915.
Semiannual period.
January to June 30, 1913...........
July to December 31,1913....................
January to June 30, 1914.........
July to December 31, 1914.......
January to June 30, 1915__
July to December 31, 1915__
------------------- - .
Aliens
admitted.
Aliens
departed.
786,159
830,744
572,337
275, 894
158,350
169,291
082
314' 864
318,941
437
117,737
Excess of
aliens
admitted.
253,396
20, 457
40,613
2,392
These figures show quite clearly that the decline in immigration
had begun prior to the outbreak of the European war and was prob
ably a reflection of industrial conditions prevailing in the United
States.
The table which follows shows the actual number of immigrant
aliens admitted and emigrant aliens departing and the excess of
the number admitted over the number departing for each of the
years 1913, 1914, and 1915, by months.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[214]
M O N T H L Y RE V IE W OF T H E BU R EA U OE LABOR ST A T IST IC S.
5
IMMIGRANT ALIENS ADM ITTED AND EMIGRANT ALIENS D EPA RTIN G DURING TH E
YEARS ENDING DECEM BER 31,1913,1914, AND 1915, BY MONTHS.
1914
1913
Month.
Ad
mitted.
De
parted.
Differ
ence.
46,441
59,156
96,958
136,371
137,262
176,261
138,244
126,180
136,247
134,140
104,671
95,387
29,730
15,253
15,044
18,331
19,131
22,930
26,434
23.242
19,241
26,998
27,632
30.243
16,711 44,708
43,903 46,873
81,914 92,621
118,040 119,885
118,131 107,796
153,331 71,728
111,810 60,377
102,938 37,706
117,006 29,143
107,142 30,416
77,039 26,298
65,144 20,944
Jan u ary ............................
February..........................
M arch...............................
A pril.................................
May..................................
June..................................
Ju ly ...................................
A ugust.............................
September........................
October............................
November........................
December........................
1915
Ad
De Differ Ad
De
Differ
mitted. parted. ence. mitted. parted. ence.
34,216 10,492
17,074 29,799
13,500 79,121
22,801 97,084
23,544 84,252
38,413 33,315
28,601 31,776
30,307
7,399
18,212 10,931
20,046 10,370
23,100 3,198
23,821 i 2,877
15,481
13,873
19,263
24,532
26,069
22,598
21,504
21,949
24,513
25,450
24,545
18,901
17,238
7,086
7,755
8,331
8 ,747
10,830
9,861
29,293
22,156
13,887
14,483
10,974
11,757
6,787
11,508
16,201
17,322
11,768
11,643
17,344
2,357
11,563
10,062
7,927
Total...................... 1,387,318 274,209 1,113,109 688,495 293,635 394,860 258,678 160,641
98,037
1 Excess of departed aliens.
The first table following shows the number of aliens admitted
classified by races for each month of the year 1915, total for the year
and for 1914, while the second table shows, for 1915, immigrants
admitted, classified according to occupations.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[215]
IMMIGRANT ALIENS ADMITTED EACH MONTH DURING THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1915, BY RACES.
[ 216]
African (black)...........................
Armenian...................
Bohemian and Moravian............
Bulgarian, Serbian, Montenegrin.........
Chinese................
Croatian and Slovenian___
Cuban.........................
Dalmatian, Bosnian, Herzesovian..
Dutch and Flemish.........
East Indian.......................
English............
Finnish.................
French..................
German...................
Greek...................
Hebrew...........................
Irish...............
Italian (north).........
Italian (south).................
Japanese................
Korean...............
Lithuanian...........
Magyar..............
Mexican...............
Pacific Islander..............
JrOllSn.......................
Portuguese...................
Roumanian............
Russian......................
Ruthenian (Russnialc)
Scandinavian.............
Scotch.......................
Slovak.....................
Spanish...................
Spanish-American............. __
Syrian..........................
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Janu
ary.
113
44
42
153
225
37
78
5
422
x
2,232
114
681
1 nes
; 915
753
867
734
2,994
651
16
35
44
712
87
116
24
107
59
666
«78
25
252
100
64
Febru
ary.
March.
25
70
82
138
51
70
159
63
81
316
135
53
85
9
499
553
155
313
657
2,448
ry
L ) L*±G
95Q
Qon
928
1 488
733
1,097
670
3,118
ftftO
April.
2oo
90u
L
102
2
101
70
6
128
28
1,107
731
25
270
56
57
30
996
163
A Q/f
41
124
11 , OOO
QQ£
O/l Q
A
O
173
7 ft
81/
35
1X1
248 ____ 266
218
107
Q
y7i
188
l1,-19
‘±L
Q
ftftK
ouo
2,902
???
Ij 114
1 117ft
1;
<0
QQQ
y ~y
KQK
2,075
1,087
5,480
QQ9
OOL
7
15
38
May.
ooo
L
oo
ftQ
ft
O
oD
167
70
Q
/ yy
ou
i60
117
2,236
1 ,0 1 0
27
A ftO
4oy
1i 0z n/
45
8
626
2,682
418
1,139
1.168
2,460
766
2,050
1,046
4,886
/92
o
18
40
806
2
275
34/
0*5
248
2,006
1,004
18
699
June.
487
41
77
258
293
78
432
486
30
54
419
357
54
454
288
548
6
12
11
3,099
368
889
1,034
998
811
2,648
485
2,358
722
2,787
341
834
798
2,314
1,357
1,530
423
1,913
903
36
44
1,076
35
64
229
848
37
308
144
1,875
1,125
12
747
Llo
48
July.
69
11
1,121
2
3.50
758
41
330
160
1,027
937
42
420
143
40
Octo
August. Septem
ber.
ber.
327
72
65
301
246
84
493
17
568
6
2,925
362
1,050
931
2,180
1,425
1,701
340
1,316
899
13
65
88
1,098
357
522
63
382
201
1,652
1,069
22
505
156
70
424
51
96
294
127
76
525
4
472
5
3,516
335
1,588
1,024
1, <59
491
55
27
528
311
66
Year
Year
ending
Novem Decem •"ending
Decem
Decem
ber.
ber.
ber
ber
31,1915. 31,1914.
331
90
72
99
164
HO
257
5/
93
765
340
2/
332
17
3,606
369
1,849
823
2,219
1,130
2,841
484
1,958
737
7
36
60
1,032
782
4
3,540
39 7
2,260
1,092
853
1,576
2,896
431
2,441
590
7
53
335
1,308
67
264
215
1,729
1,277
51
698
192
72
199
1,029
47
308
98
1,832
1,284
24
545
197
43
339
658
82
449
94
1,318
1,330
99
597
119
69
1,202
2,303
532
2,028
654
12
8
102
1,008
174
43
48
91
210
96
108
12
665
8
2,874
644
1,215
989
521
1,230
1,149
191
941
626
1
39
115
1,538
1
477
1,076
90
550
71
1,260
1,030
66
471
S4
37
4,154
578
845
3,055
2,566
911
3,127
8,271
2,511
4 , 888
6,360
76
34,543
3,991
14,134
11,891
17,009
12,209
22,080
7,086
31,881
8,786
90
469
751
11.322
10,433
2,284
9,373
3,583
1,872
10,080
117
45,073
6,358
14,592
48,747
37,154:
71,183
29,430
24,638
123,968
8,808
184
7,793
28,349
11,789
3,079
7,965
601
3,389
1,399
18,593,
12,618
417
6,108
1,789
679
42,963
7,229
14,007
19,335
14,490
31,373
16,605
11,823
7,894
1,474
3,925
112
2
M O N T H L Y R EV IEW OF T H E B U R EA U OF LABOR STA TISTIC S.
Race.
7
50
29
81
21
74
30
56
7
96
55
175
7
76
60
280
28
63
04
264
99
115
230
96
84
198
15,481
13,873
19,263
24,532
26,069
22,598
21,504
92,621 119,885
96; 958 136; 371
107,796
137,262
71,728
176; 261
60,377
138,244
Turkish.................................................................
Welsh.................................................................... *
West Indian (except Cuban).............................
Other peoples.......................................................
Total, 1915..................................................
Total, 1914.. .
......................................... 44,708 46, S73
Total' 1913 i.......................................................... .. 46^441 ■59', 156
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
21
20
21
66
7
115
82
295
112
212
91
185
21,949
24,513
25,450
24,545
37,706
126,180
29,143
136; 247
30,416
134,140
26,298
104,671
20,944
95,387
11
71
78
5
64
47
9
91
39
21
164
1,009
791
2,0-14
963
1,903
987
2,044
18,901
258,678
688,495
688,495
i For year ending Dec. 31,1913,1,387,318.
©
r>
w
©
P3
U1
>
H
to
H
f-H
O
V1
/
8
M O N T H L Y REV IEW OF T H E B U REA U OF LABOR STATISTICS,
IMMIGRANT ALIENS ADM ITTED, BY OCCUPATIONS, AND BY MONTHS JANUARY TO
DECEM BER, 1915.
’
Occupation.
Professional:
Actors.........................
Architects...................
Clergy...........................
E ditors.........................
Electricians.................
Engineers.....................
Lawyers.......................
Literary and scientific
persons......................
Musicians.....................
O fficials (government)
Physicians...................
Sculptors and artists..
Teachers.......................
0 ther............................
T otal.........................
Skilled:
Bakers..........................
B arhers and hair dressers..............................
Blacksm iths................
Bookbinders................
Brewers........................
Butchers......................
Cabinetmakers............
Carpenters an d j oiners.
Cigarette m akers.........
Cigar makers................
Cigar packers...............
Clerks and accounta n ts...........................
Dressmakers................
Engineers (locomotive,
marine, and stationary )...........................
E urriers and f ur workers..............................
Gardeners.....................
I la t and cap m akers...
Iron and steel workers.
Jewelers........................
Locksmiths..................
Machinists...................
Mariners.......................
Masons.........................
Mechanics (not specifled)...........................
Metal workers (other
th an iron, steel, and
tin ) ............................
Millers..........................
Milliners.......................
Miners..........................
Painters and glaziers..
P attern makers...........
Photographers.............
Plasterers.....................
Plum bers.....................
Printers........................
Saddle and harness
makers......................
Seamstresses................
Shoemakers.................
Stokers.........................
Stonecutters................
Tailors..........................
Tanners and curriers ..
Textile workers (not
specified)..................
Tinners.........................
Tobacco workers.........
Upholsterers................ 1
W atch and clock |
makers...................... j
Weavers and spurn ers J
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Sep
No De
Janu Feb
ru March April May. June July. Au tem Octo vem cem
ary. ary.
gust. ber. ber.
ber. ber.
5C
1C
6C
32
17
59
31
IOC
15
29
94
17
38
45
37
29
103
198
17
33
51
19
92
176
37
32
99
165
764
664
51
67
49
11
11
11
62
i:
5
114
2-
t
29
128
IS
12
1C
20
49
1
460
6:
16
116
160
GO
25
30
30
115
153
763
689
769
48
76
77
67
58
58
73
84
97
38
16
231
30
13
367
4
3
38
14
436
4
27
21
6
22
6
2
51
14
232
1
45
S'
15
45
l:
62
7
58
138
17
6-
1
18
2
22
3(
3-
22
2
9S
2
39
3
674
127
592
10
54
62
69
61
9
26
13
27
9
39
5
43
13
5
54
7
55
10
12
14
37
79,
206
72
15
4
28
149
55
24
170
91
5
26
140
51
2
12
1
11
13
8
2
14
16
18
14
26
17
16
28
22
2
112
66
2
3
69
55
42
26
142
3
17
5
11
8
5
30
10
69
68
151
19
171
2
6
3
481
35
9
85
31
183
5
19
8
2
101
14
45
78
71
28
53
20
867
385
1
12
21
1
111
108
286
150
72
14
Q
105
284
152
90
303
162
64
49
S2
47
16
23
17
16
190
93
18
185
78
3
4
30
225
129
3
9
34
29
19
7
149
82
63
34
172
4
11
21
50
18
12
1
17
20
26
27
2
103
130
72
46
188
5
16
14
8
11
29
43
40
6
92
150
97
39
202
4
19
4
7
5
62
15
52
2
[ 218 ]
24
70
18
6
13
31
11
30
165
104
2
15
30
28
40
12
140
113
41
27
272
10
18
24
12
65
184
25
24
38
18
33
14
44
191
13
39
39
166
223
125
156
26
95
118
952 1,159 1,019
101
22
29
lb
20
936
691
61
53
62
49
51
70
69
80
85
87
80
70
49
67
64
7
50
31
407
3
69
3
49
354
47
14
294
720
115
788
164
48
67
80
68
12
22
30
30
22
9
76
13
14
37
it
24
57
18
63
116
197
127
136
172
114
121
22
1
1
184
2
11
781
151
10
174
86
36
41
7
29
216
82
3
14
37
36
33
18
14
9
43
204
106
3
19
17
31
41
17
3
30
265
77
4
17
17
25
38
7
134
26
318
3
163
72S
44
19
307
2
34
521
88
36
13
.65
17
39
166
190
109
145
181
33
41
24
10
26
205
93
1
15
23
21
50
11
10
8
68
29
11
24
163
67
4
14
9
34
36
286
236
9
123
71
44
15
199
6
129
99
58
15
330
5
20
19
9
25
13
22
10
15
16
6
6
9
11
7
41
120
105
44
27
7
17
101
78
22
12
61
5
5
4
8
13
40
12
441
IS
49
18
7£
14
42
25
8
58
7i
1'
113
2(
39
139
17
112
21
68
15
24
26
65
19
4
871
163
142
12
41
63
33
33
31
236
217
841
474
3
26
1
28
45
36
29
173
167
22
1
21
79
17
127
17
53
181
33
154
162
38
488
14C
19
81
13
4C
123
31
23
48
48
46
19
164
138
2
595
134
39
If
58
32
4c
63
570
158
37
22
43
155
37
4
50
102
33
12
5:
138
100
488
89
161
57
5C
29
5c
72
72
444
91
54
14
4
81
195
99
2
75
101
6
2
3C
71
51
76
74
7
80
51
41
39
185
3
M O N T H L Y REV IEW OF T H E B U REA U OF LABOR ST A T IST IC S.
9
IMMIGRANT ALIENS ADM ITTED, BY OCCUPATIONS, AND BY MONTHS, JANUARY
' TO DECEM BER, 1915-Concluded.
Occupation.
Sep Octo No De
Au tem
Janu Febvem cem
ru- March. April. May. June. July. gust.
ary. ary.
ber. ber. ber. ber.
Skilled—Concluded.
Whftftlwrights..............
Woodworkers
(not
specified)..................
Other skilled................
9
106
2
2
3
6
10
8
18
170
16
206
137
Total......................... 2,584 2,420
167
11
150
2
2
1
1
2
2
28
181
15
206
17
162
13
168
15
206
10
163
3,017 3,595 3,769 3,718 3,480 3,750 3,663 3,637 3.839 2,859
Miscellaneous:
113
62 102
127 133
76
89
90
90
88
57
Agents..........................
31
25
11
33
20
19
22
21
20
20
17
10
Bankers........................
Draymen, hackmen,
23
25
30
42
45
35
29
64
39
and team sters...........
36
28
38
919 1,023 1,772 1,866 1,221
829 897 1 41S 2,533 1,9581 1,419 1,137
Farm laborers..............
475 558 383 438 408 445 667 773
551
379 400 '485
Farm ers.......................
55
56
24
49
39
41
112
172
90
46
24
16
Fishermen ..................
24
20
22
15
33
26
24
24
25
29
24
30
Hotelkeepers..............
Laborers....................... 2,148 1,544 3,144 3,860 5,399 4,203 4,315 4,310 4,343 4,564 3,849 3,124
20
29
11
.30
33
27
17
31
20
17
26
Manufacturers.............
18
707 665 609 689 646 496
582 551 688 726
548 484
Merchants and dealers.
Servants....................... 1,373 1,319 1,823 2,658 3,207 2,256 1,989 2.027 2,700 3,174 2,561 1,476
930 964 886 722
772 '655
747 '848
740 1,102
680 '808
Other miscellaneous...
Total......................... 6,237 5.502
No occupations (including
women and children)__
5,896 5,287
8,429- 11,290 12,792 10,251 9,495 9,670 10,252 11,882 10,778 8,063
7,054 8,958 8,739 7,788 7,662 7,577 9,439 8,912 8,992 7,288
Total......................... 15,481 13,873 19, ¿63 24,532 26,069 22,598 21,504 21,949 24,513 25,450 24,545 18,901
TRAINING OF IMMIGRANTS FOR CITIZENSHIP.
Recent reports furnished by the Bureau of Naturalization show a
very rapid development of its work for the better education of can
didates for citizenship, in the principles of American life and govern
ment. The need for such work is evident. Each year approximately
100,000 certificates of citizenship are issued. Many of the candidates
have only a minimum understanding of the rights and duties
attaching to their new status, and, in any case, the great majority
would vastly benefit by a more thorough training in these matters.
To some extent the need for such training had been met through
the establishment of citizenship classes by public schools, associations,
and individuals. These activities, however, covered only a small
portion of the field, and, in addition, it developed that a number of
them were not in good faith, being simply means for the exploitation
of the immigrant.
About a year ago the Bureau of Naturalization, after consultation
with various school authorities, worked out a comprehensive plan for
the education of candidates for citizenship. Under this plan the
bureau arranges to send to the public-school authorities of his com
munity a statement showing the name, address, and nationality of
each resident alien who has declared his intention to become a citizen
or of each petitioner to be naturalized. At the same time it advises
the declarant or petitioner of its action and of the public-school advan
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[219]
10
M O N T H L Y RE V IE W OF T H E B U R EA U OF LABOR STA TISTICS.
tages. I t then rests with the school authorities to encourage the
prospective citizens to enroll in the schools and, if necessary, to estab
lish special courses for their accommodation.
During the fiscal year 1915 the Bureau of Naturalization received
approximately 350,000 applications for citizenship. This number
includes both declarations of intention and petitions for naturaliza
tion, a declarant having to wait two years before petitioning for natu
ralization. It is estimated that not less than 150,000 of the above
applicants had wives, thus making a total of a half million adult alien
residents coming within the province of the bureau as prospective
citizens of this country.
Out of this number the bureau sent the names of approximately
122,000 to the public schools of the communities where the various
applicants resided. The accompanying statement shows the distri
bution of this number among the States.
The public schools have shown an earnest spirit of cooperation.
With the opening of the present scholastic year 50 cities and towns
were cooperating. At the end of December this number had grown
to 450 and by the end of January, 1916, to 566 cities and towns, rep
resenting 44 States. Hundreds of other localities have expressed
their interest but have been deterred from cooperation by local con
ditions which render such work impracticable.
For the use of schools in the conduct of citizenship classes the
bureau has published a tentative outline course in citizenship, based
largely upon the experience of various schools where this kind of work
has been carried on. The outline indicates briefly the more desirable
subjects of study for citizenship courses. It emphasizes the teaching
of the English language, American history, and the essential prin
ciples of American government, but aims also at an elementary general
education for those who are in need thereof.
In addition to the class training indicated, the outline also suggests
a laboratory method of teaching civics. This method calls for lectures
by city officials upon the functions of their respective offices and for
the organization of the students into mock governments, with nomi
nations, elections, officers’ meetings, etc., for the practical demon
stration of governmental organization and purposes. I t is also urged
that graduates of the schools form alumni classes for continued asso
ciation and discussion.
The primary purpose of the plan outlined above is to reach those
resident aliens who are contemplating becoming citizens. In addi
tion, however, the effort is also being made to reach all foreign-born
residents, many of whom have no immediate intention of becoming
citizens, but who are living in this country in various degrees of ignor
ance as to its institutions and political organizations. Also, it has
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[2201
M O N T H L Y R EV IEW OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR ST A T IST IC S.
11
bfcen found that there is a demand and need for such training even
on the part of many native-born persons.
The bureau has planned to hold a convention next July in Wash
ington, D. C., for the discussion of the various questions in regard to
citizenship schools and for exhibiting the result of the work of various
schools of this character. I t is also the desire to develop out of the
conference a more complete course of instruction based upon the
experience of the several schools.
The table following shows the number of papers filed during the
fiscal year 1915 and the number of names sent to school authorities:
NUM BER OF PA PER S FIL E D DURING FISCAL YEAR 1915, AND NUM BER OF NAMES
SENT TO SCHOOL AU TH O RITIES.
Foreign-born white
population (1910)
m—
Papers filed during fiscal year 1915, in—
State.
State.
Cities
cooper
ating.
Cities cooperating.
State.
Declara
tions.
Peti
tions.
Declara^
tions.
145
491
62
191
18
19
7,400
679
3,874
225
385
191
91
94
21,984
2,935
882
417
119
416
771
1,049
14,654
8.583
3,917
i 15
2,864
74
1,333
3,848
328
1,724
103
225
85
75
4,598
271
1,840
124
299
95
46
4
13,994
310
486
127
891
8,290
292
3,635
267
5,279
79,616
24,364
452
8,903
143
4,847
46
584
15,655
816
48
87
17
287
260
47,328
3
95
5,516
18,956
5,700
46,824
3,474
16,909
517,250 274,457
126,851
47,272
328,759 239,203
17,420
13,678
24,351
24,351
33,842
12,640
15,072
4,410
2,283
40,427
1,202,560 890,894
76,317
159,322
52,515
273,484
15,634
135,190
40,053
17,436
28,534
51,782
44,321
110,133
77,043
104,174
920,922
1,051,050
595,524 268,933
543,010 208,385
269
9,389
153,561
228,896
2,089
91,644
34,268
175,865
17,9>¡9
96,558
55,700
658,188 456,821
22,654
2,729^ 272 2,392,579
146
5,942
S, 143
156,158
597', 245 382,375
40,084
1,406
47,868
103,001
732,888
1,438,719
178,025 132,464
6,054
2,850
■ 4,191
100,628
2,993
18,459
239,984
37,549
20,338
63,393
5,664
49,861
8,419
26', 628
118,429
241,197
7,964
57,072
512,569 206,226
27,118 ................
242
1,526
150
9,202
1,825
3,874
238
385
413
262
956
24,638
4,194
2,780
1,407
233
462
892
1,171
14,697
10,548
7,232
133
3,222
3,334
2)346
417
1,004
10,958
214
80,950
78
2,177
10,054
346
2,191
21,952
1,887
85
1,532
177
2,885
878
545
841
4,827
820
5,513
580
103
476
78
4,803
988
1,724
94
225
197
194
498
10,732
936
1,190
640
155
345
512
572
6,165
3,140
3,404
82
1,034
2,418
877
155
350
4,805
103
24,880
53
1,394
4,272
1,066
16,633
816
64
863
80
716
500
308
246
2,289
360
3,963
346
1,281
19,897
1,8S7
72
256
30
Total............................... 13,345,545 ¡8,043,612
247,273
106,065
204,956
Alabam a...................................
Arizona.....................................
Arkansas
California..................................
Colorado....................................
Connecticut..............................
Delaware...................................
District of Columbia. ..............
Florida......................................
Georgia............... ......................
Idaho........................................
Illinois.......................... ...........
In d ian a.....................................
Iowa..........................................
Kansas......................................
K entucky.................................
Louisiana.................................
Maine........................................
Maryland..................................
Massachusetts..........................
Michigan...................................
Minnesota.................................
Mississippi................................
Missouri....................................
TVfon tana
N ebraska.................................
New Hampshire......................
New Jersey..............................
N ftWMpyieo
New York.................................
North Carolina........................
North Dakota..........................
Ohio.............. - .........................
Oklahoma.................................
Oregon......................................
Pennsylvania...........................
Rhode Island...........................
South Carolina.........................
South D akota..........................
Tennessee.................................
Texas........................................
U tah ........................................
V prtTinn t
Virginia....................................
Washington ............................
W est Virginia.........................
W isconsin...............................
W yom ing.................................
i Estimated.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
2
68
221
1,010
457
7
730
3,506
290
3,723
2 Enrolled.
[221]
Peti
tions.
Number
of names
sent to
school
authori
ties.
21
9,776
589
412
123
65
294
400
506
6,155
2,205
2,356
18
867
55
276
1
181
1,613
146
2,421
86,192
88
382
353
715
8,665
5,929
3,099
260
1,077
397
2
627
13,571
830
35
56
25
561
392
29
219
1,437
68
2,414
121,750
12
M O N T H L Y REV IEW OF T H E B U R EA U OF LABOR STA TISTICS.
EMPLOYMENT IN SELECTED INDUSTRIES IN JANUARY, 1918.
In continuation of plans outlined in preceding issues of the
e v i e w , there are presented in this number data showing
the fluctuations in the volume of employment as between January,
1916, and December, 1915, and between January, 1916, and January,
1915, in representative identical establishments in several of the
principal manufacturing industries of the United States.
In the first table presented below, a comparison is made between
the number of employees and total pay rolls in December, 1915, and
January, 1916.
Monthly R
COMPARISON OF EMPLOYMENT IN IDENTICAL ESTABLISHM ENTS IN DECEMBER,
1915, AND JANUARY, 1916.
Industry.
Estab
lish
ments
to
which
in
quiries
were
sent.
Boots and shoes...........
Cotton manufacturing.
Cotton finishing...........
Hosiery and underwear
Iron and steel...............
Silk................................
Woolen.........................
85
92
19
82
139
61
47
Employees.
Earnings.
Estab
lish
ments
on pay
Amount of pay roll
Per
report Period of Number
roll in—
in—
cent of
ing for
pay
roll.
increase
Decem
ber and
(+ ) or
Decem Janu
de
Decem
Janu
Janu
ber,
crease
ary,
ber,
ary.
ary,
1915.
1916.
1915.
(-).
19Î6.
63
56
16
46
93
31
14
1 week..
.. .d o ___
.. .d o ___
. . .do___
m onth.
2 weeks.
1 w eek..
50,016 51,606
43,702 42,370
12,051 11,937
24,321 24,573
142,509 144,704
14.789 15,211
9,398 9,769
+3.2 $641,191 $654,732
- 3 .0
354,032 360; 116
- .9
135,300
132;315
+ 1.0
227,935
224;935
+ 1.5 4,843; 420 4,560,916
+2.9
314,693
305,164
+3.9
97,589
103,883
Per
cent of
increase
(+ ) or
de
crease
(-).
+ 2.1
+ 1-7
—2.2
—1.3
- 5 .8
—3.0
+6.4
Returns for January compared with December show an increase
in the number of employees in five of the seven industries covered,
the greatest increase being 3.9 per cent in the manufacture of woolen
goods. Two industries show a decrease, the decrease in cotton manu
facturing being 3 per cent. In earnings, however, four of the seven
industries showed a decrease in January as compared with December.
In the table following, a comparison is made between figures for
January, 1916, and January, 1915:
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[222 ]
M O N T H L Y REV IEW OF T H E B U REA U OF LABOR STA TISTIC S.
13
COMPARISON OF EMPLOYMENT IN IDENTICAL ESTABLISHM ENTS IN JANUARY, 1915,
AND JANUARY, 1916.
Industry.
Boots and shoes...........
Cotton manufacturing.
Cotton finishing...........
Hosiery and “underw ear..........................
Iron and steel...............
Silk................................
Woolen.........................
Estab
lish
ments
to
which
in
quiries
were
sent.
85
92
19
82
139
61
47
Estab
lish
ments
report
ing
for
Januuary
both
years.
Employees.
Number on pay
roll in—
Period
of pay
roll.
Jan
uary,
1915.
Jan
uary,
1916.
69 1 w eek .. 56,929
63 .. .do ___ 59,694
18 .. .do....... 12,597
65,097
58,847
14, 853
56 .. .do.......
86 •}month.
42 2 weeks.
21 1 w eek ..
27, 467 31,526
100,792 135,831
17,033 18,642
17,057 19,462
Earnings.
Amount of pay
Per
Per
roll in—
cent
cent
of in
of in
crease
crease
(+ ) or
( + ) or
de January. January,
de
1915.
1916.
crease
crease
(-)•
(-).
+ 14.3
- 1.4
+ 17.9
690,080
496,349
132,768
859,181
504,515
164,249
+24.5
+ 1.6
+23.7
+ 14.8
217,736 286,756
+ 34.8 2,625,977 4,257,314
+ 9.4
306,260 367,560
+ 14.1
165,421 204, 400
+31.7
+62.1
+ 20.0
+ 23.6
Each industry, except cotton manufacturing, shows an increase in
the number of employees in January, 1916, as compared with January,
1915, the greatest increase being in the manufacture of iron and
steel, where the increase was 34.8 per cent. In earnings, all indus
tries covered showed an increase ranging from 1.6 per cent for cotton
manufacturing to 62.1 per cent for iron and steel. As a whole the
increase in earnings between January, 1916, and January, 1915, was
not quite as great as between December, 1915, and December, 1914,
as shown in the February R e v ie w .
In addition to the data presented in the above tables for number
of employees on the pay roll, 83 plants in the iron and steel industry
returned 118,549 employees as actually working on the last full day
of the pay period reported for in January, 1916, as against 85,730
for the reported pay-roll period in January, 1915, an increase of
38.3 per cent. Figures given by 91 establishments in the iron and
steel industry for December, 1915, and January, 1916, show that
130,345 employees were actually working on the last full day of the
pay period reported for in December, 1915, as against 127,323 for
the reported period in January, 1916, a decrease of 2.3 per cent.
Returns from manufacturers for February have been much more
satisfactory than for January. In December, 56 per cent of the
establishments responded to the request for information, while in
January 68 per cent of the establishments addressed furnished the
desired information. This increase in cooperation is appreciated
by the Bureau. I t is the purpose of the Bureau to make this monthly
compilation of service to the manufacturers of the country and it is
hoped that there will be even a better response to inquiries sent out
for February figures.
28089°— 1G
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
f223]
14
M O N T H L Y REV IEW OF T H E BU R E A U OF LABOR STA TISTICS,
EMPLOYMENT IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK IN JANUARY,
1916.
An arrangement has just been completed between the United States
Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Bureau of Statistics and Infor
mation of the New York Industrial Commission whereby certain
manufacturers in the State of New York, who were being asked to
supply the same information concerning the amount of employment
to both offices in separate reports, will be relieved of such duplicate
reporting. Under this arrangement, reports will be made only to
the New York bureau, which will then furnish copies to the Federal
bureau.
Forty-nine of the larger manufacturing firms of the State will be
affected by this action. The principle involved is, however, more
important than the number of firms affected in this particular case.
I t represents a move in the direction of coordination of Federal and
State activity when applied in the same field and on the same sub
ject, and the necessity of such coordination, for the sake both of
economy and efficiency in Government work and of avoiding unneces
sary burdens upon industry, is daily becoming clearer. I t may be,
added that appreciative recognition of the desirability of the plan
from the employers’ point of view has been voiced by several of the
firms affected in replies to a general letter from the New York bureau
asking authorization to furnish copies of reports to the Federal
bureau.
According to the New York bureau:
The remarkable gain in activity among the manufacturing industries of the State,
which was the result of improvement all summer and fall and into December, was
held from December to January, the volume of business in January standing practi
cally the same as December. January pay rolls, however, carried 18 per cent more
employees and 28 per cent more wages than the pay rolls of one year ago, and this
comparison with last year is slightly more favorable than a similar comparison between
December of 1915 and December of 1914.
The January pay rolls in the metal working and machinery group were about 2 \
per cent larger than those of December; total wages paid in January were 52 per cent
greater than a year ago. Within the metal working and machinery group the most
striking improvement between December and January was recorded by concerns
fabricating structural and architectural iron work; the greatest loss was recorded in
the gold, silver, and precious stones industry. In comparison with January of 1915,
the most marked improvement was shown by rolling mills, by manufacturers of auto
mobiles and automobile parts, by concerns manufacturing cutlery, tools, and firearms,
by shipbuilding concerns and by general machinery manufacturers.
The chemicals, oils, and paints group likewise improved from December to January,
the January pay roll carrying 3 per cent more wages and 1 per cent more employees
than the December pay roll. Marked increase in activity between December and
January was recorded by the paper-making industry, in which the January pay rolls
were about per cent larger than in December. In January this industry was doing
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[224]
M O N T H L Y REV IEW OF T H E BU R EA U OF LABOR ST A T IST IC S.
15
a considerably larger volume of business than last year. Printing and paper making,
on the other hand, lost some ground between December and January, but the volume
of business is greater than one year ago. The loss was greatest among paper box and
tube manufacturers. The textile group employed a larger force and paid more in
wages in January than in December. Despite this fact, however, a comparison with
conditions a year ago was no more favorable In January than in December. The
clothing and millinery group showed marked increase in volume of business between
December and January. Inasmuch as this improvement was quite largely seasonal,
the industry as a whole compared somewhat less favorably with last year than it did
in December or November. The improvement was mostly among concerns manu
facturing women’s clothing and millinery. The women’s clothing industry in January
paid 18 per cent more in wages and employed 9 per cent more hands than last year.
The wood manufactures group was slightly less active in January than in December,
but in comparison with a year ago this industry group is paying 23 per cent more in
wages and employing 13 per cent more men, a far more favorable comparison than was
shown in December. The furs, leather, and rubber goods group was slightly less
active in January than in December, but the volume of business is a third greater than
last year. The food, liquors, and tobacco group was decidedly less active in January
than in December, the loss being well distributed among all industries within this
group. The greatest decrease, recorded by the confectionery industry, was seasonal.
This industry, however, is more active than one year ago. The cigar and tobacco
industry, although somewhat less active in January than in December, and although
employing a smaller force than one year ago, paid in January 18 per cent more wages
than in January, 1915, indicating a resumption of full-time schedules. The stone.,
clay, and glass group lost markedly between December and January, this loss being
shared by all the industries within the group. Despite these losses, however, the
group as a whole is doing 14 per cent more business than a year ago. The increase in
volume of business over January of 1915 was greatest in the brick and pottery industry.
WORK OF STATE AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYMENT BUREAUS.
In the January, 1916, issue of the R e v ie w the Bureau began the
publication of reports of the operation of State and municipal employ
ment bureaus in the different States. Publication of information of
this character was continued in the February number, and returns
from State employment bureaus in 11 States and municipal employ
ment bureaus in 7 States were presented. In this issue of the
R e v ie w will be found data from State employment bureaus in 12
States and municipal employment bureaus in 8 States. Reports are
given for December, 1914, and December, 1915, from bureaus not
included in the preceding publication which have reported those data
since the publication of the February issue of the R e v ie w , and for
January, 1916, for all bureaus rendering reports for that month.
Figures for January, 1915, from such bureaus as have furnished that
information are also presented for comparative purposes.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[225]
16
M O N T H L Y REV IEW OF T H E B U REA U OF LABOR STA TISTICS.
OPERATIONS OF F R E E PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT OFFICES, DECEM BER, 1914 AND 1915,.
AND JANUARY, 1915 AND 1916.
•
State and city.
Number applying
for work.
Number
of appli- of persons
cations asked for
from em by em New reg
Renew
ployers. ployers.
istraals.
tions.
Number Number
referred of posito posi
tions
tions.
filled.
California {State).
Los Angeles: January, 1916.................
0)
3,261
0)
0)
(»)
231
456
0)
0)
0)
0)
(l)
3,315
0)
U
V)
199
138
m
K)
C1)
0)
?!
491
(0
c)
V)
0)
0)
245
117
0)
0)
(!)
( l)
?!
97
0)
0)
2,305
C)
2,856
Colorado {State).
Colorado Springs:
January, 1915......................
January' 1916..................
Denver, No. 1:
January, 1915..............................
January, 1916.......................
Denver, No. 2 :
January, 1915.............................
January, 1916.......................
Pueblo:
January, 1915.........................
January' 1916....................
120
?!
(l)
233
399
474
103
245
112
Illin o is {m u n icip a l).
Chicago: January, 1916..........................
20
97
Illin o is {State).
Chicago:
December, 1914...............
December, 1915.......................................
0)
898
3,648
(0
648
3,353
0)
(*)
In d ia n a {State).
Evansville:
December, 1914..............................
December' 1915....................................
January, 1915....................
January, 1916................................
F ort Wayne:
December, 1914.............................
December' 1915........................
Januarv, 1915.............................
January, 1916......................
Indianapolis:
December, 1914......................
December, 1915.........................
January, 1915....................
January, 1916...........................
South Bend:
December. 1914...............
December, 1915.......................
January, 1915...........................
Januarv, 1916.......................
Terre Haute:
December, 1914....................
December' 1915...........................
Januarv, 1915...........................
0)
146
0)
80
135
C)
0)
(>)
0)
l)
(l)
155
185
?!
0)
141
173
80
117
0)
(»)
0)
0)
201
121
179
0)
0)
0)
>1<
175
169
193
196
113
1
0)
103
274
87
175
0)
1
(’)
0)
0)
0)
132
246
(*)
0)
0)
120
310
324
388
183
0)
O)
( 1)
S'
\)
113
ns
95
240
74
158
w
fM
\l)
1
0)
0)
0)
0)
0)
0)
0)
0)
(l)
(»)
v;
112
120
240
118
300
225
106
269
335
368
178
318
338
166
K a n sa s {State).
Topeka:
January, 1915....................
January, 1916.................
15
15
8
60
48
164
460
809
1,832
2 1,089
8
12
13
8
K en tu cky {m u n icip a l).
Louisville: January, 1916.................
0)
825
149
109
3 1,332
1 3 3,128
683
1,430
M assachusetts {State).
Boston:
Januarv, 1915.
January, 1916....................... *.
1 Not reported.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
701
1,560
¡>Number who were registered.
[ 226 ]
2 429
0)
0)
3 N um ber'd offers oppositions.
M O N T H L Y REV IEW OF T H E B U REA U OF LABOR STA TISTIC S.
17
OPERATIONS OF F R E E PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT OFFICES, DECEM BER, 1914 AND 1915,
AND JANUARY, 1915 AND 1916—Continued.
State and city.
Number
of appli
cations
from em
ployers.
Number applying
for work.
Number
of persons
asked for
by em New reg Renew
istra
ployers.
als.
tions.
Number Number
referred of posi
to posi
tions
filled.
tions.
M assachusetts (State) —Concluded.
Fall River:
January, 1915..........................................
January, 1916..........................................
Springfield:
January, 1915..........................................
January, 1916
...............................
Worcester:* ”
January, 1915..........................................
January, 1916..........................................
78
135
78
143
i 11
i 27
(2)
(2)
3 78
3 134
111
67
251
592
277
821
1116
1335
(2)
3 353
31,099
209
683
226
793
304
1,041
1 543
i 686
(2)
(2)
3 516
3 1,386
233
692
M ichigan (State).
Jackson: January, 1916.................................
Saginaw:
January, 1915..........................................
January, 1916..........................................
9
128
461
461
406
500
1,076
572
1,076
572
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
158
405
158
405
U)
(2)
(2)
(2)
146
330
146
330
748
367
1,510
903
527
1,592
(2)
6,012
1,999
(2)
(!)
(2)
1,577
1,030
2,234
757
404
41,283
294
568
422
778
1,489
954
594
612
754
1,530
692
569
614
829
1,683
990
585
304
531
828
541
478
535
572
(2)
(2)
M ontana (m u n icip a l).
Butte:
December, 1914.......................................
December, 1915.......................................
N ew Y o r k (m u n icip a l).
New York City:
December, 1915.......................................
January, 1915..........................................
January, 1916..........................................
N ew Y o r k (State).
Albany: January, 1916.................................
Buffalo: January, 1916.................................
New York City (Brooklyn): January, 1916.
Rochester: January, 1916.............................
Syracuse: January, 1918...............................
886
622
467
280
333
561
282
155
Ohio (State-city).
Akron: January, 1916...................................
Cincinnati:
January, 1915..........................................
January, 1916..........................................
Cleveland:
January, 1915..........................................
January, 1916..........................................
Columbus:
January, 1915..........................................
January, 1916..........................................
Day ton.
January, 1915..........................................
January, 1916..........................................
Toledo:
January, 1915..........................................
January, 1916..........................................
Youngstown: January, 1916........................
(3)
1,481
949
1,767
1,276
938
(2)
(2)
3,347
1,289
3,739
1,797
9,532
4,500
3,315
1,262
3,101
887
(2)
(2)
4,549
5,493
8,587
2,026
12,064
7,828
4,536
4,202
3,922
3,339
(2)
(2)
738
1,457
1,249
743
3,854
2,629
680
1,371
614
1,147
(2)
(2)
460
992
501
825
1,887
1,422
405
779
329
730
(2)
(2)
(2)
374
1,786
1,073
832
1,252
663
748
2,350
1,041
1,002
359
336
1,199
756
42
61
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
39
58
83
229
(2)
(*)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
212
62
203
313
(2)
(2)
(2)
984
Oklahoma (State).
Enid:
January, 1915..........................................
January, 1916..........................................
Muskogee:
January, 1915..........................................
January, 1916..........................................
Oklahoma City:
January, 1915..........................................
January, 1916..........................................
Tulsa: January, 1916....................................
1 Number who were registered.
2 Not reported.
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(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
Q
(2)
(2)
(2)
3 N um ber of oilers of positions.
4 Includes day labor.
91
38
158
261
18
M O N T H L Y REV IEW OF T H E B U REA U OF LABOR STA TISTIC S.
O PERATIONS OF F R E E PUBLIC EM PLOYM ENT OFFIC ES, DECEM BER, 1914 AND 1915,
AND JANUARY, 1915 AND 1916-Concluded.
State and city.
Number
of appli
cations
from em
ployers.
Number applying
for work.
Number
of persons
asked for
by em New reg Renew
ployers.
istra
als.
tions.
Number Number
referred of posi
to posi
tions
tions.
filled.
P en n sylva n ia {State).
Harrisburg: January, 1916...........................
Johnstown: January, 1916............................
Philadelphia: January, 1916........................
43
30
no
372
40
481
1,277
188
190
460
313
209
498
274
1,704
163
184
116
211
211
60
261
99
102
11
108
160
92
145
(»)
(P
160
100
145
155
(P
393
157
21
2
102
137
68
64
33
267
Rhode Isla n d {State).
Providence:
January, 1915..........................................
January, 1916..........................................
478
478
Texas ( m u n ic ip a l).
Dallas:
January,
January,
Fort Worth:
January,
January,
1915..........................................
1916..........................................
100
92
107
1915..........................................
1916..........................................
102
100
151
158
228
364
686
436
709
349
494
256
545
330
112
144
314
158
125
179
756
1,158
652
1,231
2,000
94
92
80
115
195
241
180
<*)
0)
Virginia {m u n icip a l).
Richmond: January, 1916............................
W ashington {m u n icip a l).
Spokane: January, 1916...............................
Tacoma:
December, 1914.......................................
December, 1915.......................................
54
695
689
(l)
(P
548
334
545
330
*)
P
>)
>)
(p
P
0)
(■)
266
149
118
172
164
76
49
94
1,230
P
1,288
2,807
0)
0)
0)
0)
(>)
0)
1,329
1,986
1,071
2,535
989
1,712
992
1,917
105
113
103
130
(!)
(')
(l)
0)
0)
101
108
87
99
86
355
283
443
927
P
Si!
(P
(1)
120
375
346
522
782
216
279
260
567
W isconsin {State).
La Crosse:
December, 1914.......................................
December, 1915.......................................
January, 1915..........................................
January, 1916..........................................
Milwaukee:
December, 1914.......................................
December, 1915.......................................
January, 1915..........................................
January, 1916..........................................
Oshkosh:
December, 1914.......................................
December, 1915.......................................
January, 1915..........................................
January, 1916..........................................
Superior:
December, 1914.......................................
December, 1915.......................................
January, 1915..........................................
January, 1916..........................................
50
115
202
1
0)
0)
(p
0
108
78
1 Not reported.
UNEMPLOYMENT AMONG WOMEN IN RETAIL STORES OF
BOSTON.
The extent and causes of unemployment among women in depart
ment and other retail stores of Boston and its relation to the rates of
pay is the subject of Bulletin No. 182, issued by the Bureau of Labor
Statistics of the United States Department of Labor. The study
was undertaken in cooperation with the Massachusetts Minimum
Wage Commission, which published in 1915 a report of the wages of
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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M O N T H L Y REV IEW OF T H E B U REA U OF LABOR ST A T IST IC S.
19
women in mercantile establishments in Boston and other Massachu
setts cities, to serve as a basis in fixing a minimum wag#.
Pay-roll data for a year were available for 15 department and
other retail stores in Boston. Agents of the Bureau of Labor Sta
tistics visited the homes of 1,763 of the women employed in these
stores, and interviewed personally the women themselves or members
of their immediate families. Information was secured concerning
the kind of work done by these employees, the number of different
positions held, the actual earnings for the year, the amount of time
lost and the causes to which these losses were due. In addition,
facts were secured bearing on the degree to which the employee
depended on her own earnings, the degree to which her family
depended on her help, and similar questions.
A striking feature brought out by the report is the numerical
importance in department stores of the extra, i. e., the woman or
girl who is employed only for special occasions. These extras may be
employed for a rush season and at Christmas and Easter or for a
special sale or for a single day or evening. Some stores regularly
engage extras for one day of the week and the same woman may serve
as an extra in several stores during the same week. The 15 stores
covered by the investigation had on their pay rolls for the year
studied 5,985 regular employees and about 5,600 extras; that is,
extras formed 48 per cent of the total number employed. Of the
1,763 women studied in this investigation 1,156, or 65.6 per cent,
were regular employees, 346, or 19.6 per cent, were employed as
extras, but for part of the year had also some employment as regulars,
and 261, or 14.8 per cent, had no employment at all during the year
except as extras. These extras were mostly school girls who worked
on Saturdays, or married women with some time to spare, or single
women who did not depend entirely on their earnings.
The 1,156 women and girls employed as regulars only worked
almost exclusively in retail stores. Only 92, or 8 per cent, reported
some employment in other industries and this employment was
trivial in extent. The amount of time lost while in the employ of
stores was studied in detail. For the whole group an average of 2.4
weeks was lost either before entering or after leaving industrial
pursuits; 2.4 weeks were lost while the worker was without a job;
3.9 weeks while the worker was in the employ of retail stores, and onetenth of one week while in other employment. This gives 6.4 weeks
out of 49.6 weeks of possible employment, lost either because the
worker could not find a job or because she was not steadily employed
while holding a job. The amount of time lost differs according to the
occupation. Saleswomen lost 6.7 weeks; cashiers, messengers, etc.,
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20
M O N T H L Y REV IEW OF T H E B U R EA U OF LABOR STA TISTICS.
6 weeks; office employees, 3.3 weeks; workroom employees, 10.6
weeks; stock girls, 6.6 weeks; others, 5.8 weeks. For the whole group
there were 43.2 weeks of employment during the year, but this was
scattered throughout a period of 47.2 weeks during which the workers
were nominally employed. These facts are shown somewhat more
in detail in the table which follows:
AVERAGE W EEK S OF UNEMPLOYMENT R E P O R T E D BY WOMEN AND GIRLS EM
PLOYED AS REGULARS ONLY, BY OCCUPATIONS.
[Occupations shown in this table refer to work in stores only; the occupations while employed in other
industries are not given. All who lost less than 6 days have been excluded from this table. Lost time
for which the firm paid wages has not been included as unemployment.]
Cash
iers,
Sales exam
women. iners,
etc.
Items.
Office
em
ploy
ees.
Number reporting.............................................
Per cent in each occupation...............................
601
52.0
21.8
167
14.4
Weeks not in industrial pursuits:
Before first employment..............................
After leaving industrial pursuits................
.3
.7
6.3
.2
1.9
Total....................................................
Weeks of possible employment during year__
51.0
1.0
6.5
45.5
Weeks in employ of—
Stores...................................................
Other industries...........................................
47.2
1.3
39.8
Total...........................................................
252
Work
room
employees.
76
Stock
girls.
25
Others. Total.
35
3.0
1,156
6.6
2.2
.1
.2
.1
4.9
50.0
2.0
.3
51.7
4.9
47.1
2.6
48.7
.9
47.6
1.0
48.5
42.4
49.6
48.6
Weeks of unemployment during period of
possible employment:
While without a jo b ...................................
While in employ of stores.......................
While in employ of other industries..........
2.5
4.2
C1)
3.0
2.8
.2
.4
2.9
(')
0)
Total...............................................
6.7
6.0
3.3
10.6
Per cent of unemployment in period of possi
ble employment.......................
Full weeks actually worked (weeks of possible
employment less weeks of unem ploym ent)..
13.1
13.2
6.6
20.5
14.0
11.2
12.9
44.3
39.5
46.7
41.1
40.5
46.2
43.2
3.1
7.5
100.0
1.9
.5
52.0
2.4
49.6
40.4
4.0
45.8
45.6
44.4
48.6
47.2
2.7
3.9
3.4
2.4
(>)
2.4
3.9
5.8
6.4
0)
6.6
2.8
1.6
.1
1 Less than one-tenth of 1 week.
The most important single cause of lost time is sickness, which
accounted for 30.2 per cent. Next comes enforced lay-offs, account
ing for 16.1 per cent. Closely connected with this last cause is the
unpaid vacation, accounting for 13.1 per cent, of which it is very
difficult to say whether the employee could have avoided taking it
if she had wished. These two together accounted for a trifle more
of the lost time than was due to illness. Inability to get work was
responsible for 15.8 per cent of the time lost, sickness in the em
ployee’s family for 10.6 per cent, home responsibilities for 7.4 per
cent, and other causes for 6.8 per cent. Distinctly personal reasons,
it appears, accounted for 48.2 per cent of the lost time. If the un
paid vacation be counted as a matter of necessity 45 per cent was
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[230]
M O N T H L Y RE V IE W OE T H E B U REA U OF LABOR ST A T IST IC S.
21
due to economic or business reasons, while 6.8 per cent was due to
unclassified causes.
Very little time was lost through changing positions. Of the 1,156
women studied 90.2 per cent worked only in one place during the
year under investigation, 8.3 per cent worked in only two retail estab. lishments, and less than 2 per cent were employed in three or more
stores.
Earnings were affected by the amount of time lost. For 1,152
women and girls the entire earnings for the year were ascertained.
These showed an average of $316.77 earned in retail stores during the
year. Eighty-eight of these employees also worked in other indus
tries, earning therein an average of $118.75 during the year. The
average amount earned both in stores and in other industries is
$325.84, or a weekly average of $7.54 for the 43.2 full weeks actually
worked, and an average of $6.57 for the 49.6 weeks of possible em
ployment which, in addition to the time actually worked, includes all
time lost, both voluntarily and involuntarily, amounting to 6.4 weeks.
For the saleswomen, who equal about half of those reporting earn
ings, the average amount earned in stores was $370.27, and for the
31 who also worked in other industries the average amount earned
therein was $151.97. The average yearly earnings both in stores and
in other industries was $378.16, and the weekly average for the 44.3
weeks actually worked was $8.54. The average for the 51 weeks of
possible employment was $7.41 per week for this occupation.
The workers included among these regulars were for the most part
young; 43.7 per cent were under 21 and only 23 per cent were over
30. Only 9.9 per cent were, or had been, married, and only 11.4 per
cent were living independently. The remainder lived either with
their parents or some other relative. The majority, however, were
depending upon themselves for support. Nine and three-tenths per
cent had absolutely no one on whom they could call for help in case
of need. Eighty-four and four-tenths per cent supported themselves
entirely, although in case of an emergency their families could and
undoubtedly would have given help; 5.2 per cent depended mainly on
themselves and only 13, or 1.1 per cent, were not dependent for
necessaries on their own earnings. A number of the workers studied
were not only wholly dependent but contributed largely to the sup
port of their respective families. In 85 per cent of the cases studied
the family would have found it necessary to lower its standard of
living if the woman did not contribute, while in practically two-fifths
of the cases from one-fourth to the whole of the family income was
derived from the woman studied.
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22
M O N T H L Y REV IEW OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR STA TISTIC S.
IRREGULARITY OF EMPLOYMENT,
The results of three separate inquiries into the problem of unem
ployment and the regularity of employment have recently appeared
and are of interest by reason of the similarity of their conclusions
concerning the extent of unemployment and the existence of irregu
lar employment in certain industries. The first report is that made
by the American Association for Labor Legislation, in cooperation
with the Association on Unemployment, upon conditions during the
winter of 1914-15. The second study was made under the direc
tion of the department of public works of Philadelphia, and concerned
itself with an investigation of unemployment in the textile industry
in Philadelphia, particularly in relation to the problem of industrial
management . The third is a study of the regularity of employment
in the women’s ready-to-wear garment industry by the Bureau of
Labor Statistics.
IRREGULARITY OF EMPLOYMENT IN WOMEN S GARMENT INDUSTRIES.1
In spite of the great advances made in late years in the women’s
garment industries in the elimination of excessive overtime, the short
ening of the regular hours of labor, and the raising of rates of wages,
the problem of irregularity of employment at the present time seems
to be quite as acute as ever. Shorter hours, better treatment, and
better weekly pay have not been accompanied by a lengthening of
the working season. A study of the extent and causes of irregularity
of employment and of the attempts to regularize employment is
published by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics of the
Department of Labor as its Bulletin No. 183.
The bureau’s study is based upon data secured from employers’
pay rolls showing the actual amount of wages paid from week to
week for a period of 52 consecutive weeks. The study covered four
out of the five so-called centers of manufacture of women’s readyto-wear garments, the cities of New York, Chicago, Cleveland, and
Boston, the field thus covered embracing approximately 76 per cent
of the industry of the country. In these four cities pay-roll data
were secured from more than 500 establishments, representing approx
imately 150,000 workers and 17 groups of manufacturers.
Seasonal fluctuations of employment are shown throughout this
report in terms of percentages of the average weekly pay roll. To
obtain this the annual total of the pay roll of a single establishment
or of an entire group was divided by 52 in order to obtain the pay roll
of the average week, which was then taken as the unit of measurei Regularity of employment in the women’s ready-to-wear garment industries. Washington, 1916. 155
pp. (Bulletin of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. Whole number 183.)
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[232]
M O N T H L Y REV IEW OF T H E B U REA U OF LABOR ST A T IST IC S.
23
ment—100 per cent—and specific amounts indicating expenditures for
all productive labor for individual pay-roll weeks were then reduced
to a percentage of this unit.
IRR E G U L A R ITY OF EMPLOYMENT IN WOMEN'S READY-TO-WEAR GARMENT INDUS
T R IES OF NEW Y O RK, AS MEASURED BY T H R E E D IF F E R E N T STANDARDS.
Variation for year.
Number of weeks in
which pay roll va
ried by a t least 20
points from average.
Num
ber of
weeks
in
which
a varia
tion of
at least
Below. Above. Total.
points
occur
red.
Industry.
Low
point.
Cloaks, suits, and skirts............. ...... . . . . . . . . . .
Dfftssas and waists..............................................
Women’s muslin underwear.............................
Children’s and misses’ dresses...........................
House dresses and kimonos...............................
Custom tailoring.................................................
High
point.
43.2
. 52. 6
70.9
53.7
45.3
12.3
164.4
137.2
119.8
127.3
139.9
195.5
Range.
121.2
84.6
48.9
73.6
94.6
183.2
19
S
3
19
9
7
23
20
6
7
13
38
17
3
13
20
43
20
8
2
3
3
5
10
It is evident, that the relative irregularity of a given trade differs
considerably according to the particular measure applied. Thus the
manufacture of dresses and waists, which stands fourth in range of
variation, stands sixth in number of sudden and violent fluctuations.
Arranging the six industries, therefore, in the order of their irregu
larity by each standard, and averaging their numerical positions in
each of these three categories, the following grouping is obtained,
which probably represents, as nearly as can be ascertained from the
data available, their comparative irregularity, beginning with the
most irregular: (1) Custom tailoring; (2) cloaks, suits, and skirts;
(3) house dresses and kimonos; (4) dresses and waists; (5) children’s
and misses’ dresses; (6) women’s muslin underwear.
Unemployment, on account of its chronic recurrence, has particularly
serious consequences in the women’s garment industries. In one of
the industries where a special study was made it was found that onetenth of the employees had work for less than 10 weeks, and less than
one-fifth of those actually employed in the course of a year had work
for as much as 40 weeks. In the cloak, suit, and skirt industry the
report shows pay rolls in the dullest week amounting to less than
one-half those of the average week and only a little more than onequarter those of the busiest wreek. In the dress and waist industry
pay rolls in the dullest week were found to be only a little over onehalf those in the average week and only a little over one-third of those
m the busiest week. With slight modifications similar fluctuations of
employment were found in the other branches of the women’s gar
ment industries.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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24
M O N T H L Y RE V IE W OF T H E B U R EA U OF LABOR STA TISTIC S.
In spite of this extreme irregularity the matter of regularization
of employment has so far received but scant attention from manu
facturers or their organizations. Many individual employers, when
first interviewed, were apparently unaware of the extreme irregularity
of their pay rolls and stated that for the most part their business
showed very little irregularity in the course of a year and that, gen
erally speaking, employment in the garment trades is as regular as
it could possibly be under the existing circumstances.
The matter of regularization of employment in these trades is of
vital importance to the manufacturer as well as to the employees.
The more regular the business the better the distribution of the over
head expense, an item amounting generally to not less than 10 per
cent of the total sales. Seasonality of employment also means that
wages in many instances during the height of the season must be
high enough to support workers in comparative idleness during slack
periods, a decided factor in increasing the cost of production and the
price at which the goods must be sold.
There are, in general, two periods of the intense activity in the
women’s garment trades—one in the fall and one in the spring—due
almost entirely to the changes in weather conditions, during which
time the making up of heavy fabrics is undertaken for cold weather
and of lightweight fabrics for summer wear. Specific degrees of
variation in employment can be traced to various causes, changes in
weather conditions primarily and, secondly, to changes in styles, the
degree of specialization, scale of production, the method of production,
and quality of the goods.
That considerable relief from the unemployment prevailing in these
trades can be secured by the systematic dovetailing of occupations
in some of the allied branches of the trades is evidenced by the
experience of a number of manufacturers found in the course of this
investigation. Dovetailing, as it was found in these establishments,
consisted in utilizing the employees during the dull seasons of the
year for the manufacture of garments of a simpler variety than the
line ordinarily produced, such that a garment worker of average
experience could easily adjust himself at short notice, or garments
such that the manufacture in considerable quantities was possible
regardless of seasonal demands—that is, in advance of sales.
One of the primary obstacles to dovetailing is the qualifications
called for in skilled trades. The manufacturers also are somewhat
reluctant to attempt it, firmly believing in specialization as the only
method of achieving success in their business and sometimes knowing
relatively little about materials, styles, marketing, or method of
manufacture in other lines. The workers also are in some cases
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[234]
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U O F LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
25
opposed to it, hesitating to accept the relatively smaller rates of pay
that usually prevail in trades where simpler garments are manufac
tured.
It was suggested by some employers that dovetailing could prob
ably be materially assisted by industrial training of a general or
technical character, which would increase th e . adaptability of the
worker.
SURVEY OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR LABOR LEGISLATION.1
Tile American Association for Labor Legislation based its report
on information received from over 300 workers against unemploy
ment in 115 different communities in the United States. Its infor
mation came from chambers of commerce, members of unemploy
ment committees, police departments, and public officials. An
unusual amount of idleness was indicated during the winter of
1914-15. Thirty-six charitable organizations in 29 cities reported
that during the six months ended April 1, 1915, in 29,039, or 48 per
cent of the family cases, the chief wage earner, though willing and
able to work, was unemployed at the time the application for relief
was made. “ The average number of men looking for jobs,” said
the chairman of the Boston Overseers of the Poor, “ has increased
over 100 per cent and the jobs for these men have decreased about
50 per cent. The figures are even greater in some cases.” This is
paralleled by testimony from public employment exchanges and by
returns from trade-unions in New York City, Washington, D. C.; Bir
mingham, Ala.; Dayton, Ohio; Louisville, Ky.; and St. Louis, Mo., as
well as by an unemployment police census of Providence, R. I., and
by a canvass of industrial policyholders made by the Metropolitan
Life Insurance Co. for the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 15 manufac
turing centers of the United States.
The report notes an awakening of public interest in the question
of unemployment as having taken place throughout the country.
The public interest was, however, handicapped, it is stated, by the
failure to differentiate between the unemployable and the unem
ployed, resulting in an inadequate provision being made for the
former class, and a considerable diversion to the unemployable of
funds intended to help the unemployed. The unemployed were
aided through industrial training in several different ways in a num
ber of communities, a form of aid to be encouraged as tending to
make a period of unemployment a time of benefit instead of loss.
The unemployment situation in 1914-15 emphasized the necessity of
establishing a nation-wide system of public employment exchanges,
i Unemployment Survey, 1914-15. New York, 1915. (American Labor Legislation Review, November,
1915, pp. 475-595.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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26
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U O F LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
and it is seen that the increase of cooperation between public employ
ment agencies, between city, State, and Nation in the management of
local exchanges, and between citizens and exchanges to increase their
usefulness, is a step in that direction. Legislation in the various
States, during the winter, showed that the unemployment crisis was
reflected in the passage of progressive laws.
The report emphasized particularly the significance of provision
for public works in times of unemployment as a relief for the situa
tion. I t was noted in that connection that the greatest obstacle in
the starting of public works was the failure to make plans for their
conduct until the emergency was at hand.
As a result of the survey here reported there is recommended: (1)
Organization in different municipalities of equipartisan committees
on unemployment for coordinating the work of existing agencies.
(2) Education of the citizen as to his civic and industrial responsi
bility for unemployment. (3) Provision for emergency relief, prefer
ably in the way of odd jobs or regular work. (4) Separation of the
unemployable and the unemployed, that different treatment may be
given each class. (5) Industrial training classes with scholarships
for unemployed workers. (6) Establishment of employment ex
changes properly managed, with the ultimate view of developing a
national system of employment exchanges. (7) Provision of public
work consisting not of unnecessary work but of needed public im
provement so adjusted as to allow the concentration in dull years
and seasons. Laws restricting cities to contract work should be
repealed. (8) Regularization of industries, suggesting the use of
regular employees in times of depression in making repairs and im
proving the plant, and the policy of part-time employment rather
than the reduction in numbers. (9) Unemployment insurance,
which should be compulsory and supported by contributions from
employers, employees, and the State, “ as the most just and eco
nomical method for the proper maintenance of the necessary labor
reserves and as supplying the financial pressure needed to secure the
widespread regularization of industry.”
T H E U N E M P L O Y E D IN P H IL A D E L P H IA .1
The existence of unemployment in Philadelphia in good times as
well as in bad times may be set down as clearly indicated by the in
vestigation made by the department of public works in Philadelphia
during the winter of 1914, under the direction of its special investi
gator:
1 Philadelphia unemployment, with special reference to the textile industries: A report by Joseph H.
Willits. Department of Public Works. Philadelphia, [1915]. 170 pp.
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M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U O F LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
27
The textile industry and the clothing industry reveal chronic unemployment at its
worst. It is very doubtful whether the lace weavers of Philadelphia have averaged
more than three-fifths time in the last five years. One large carpet mill, selected to
be as nearly representative as possible, has never failed to lose 20 per cent of its time
any year in the last four years. The manufacturers of dress goods frequently do not
make over three-fourths of the year’s normal working time. The women’s cloak and
garment factories ordinarily run at 20 per cent of capacity, for four months of each
year. ■One large railway-equipment plant has not averaged over 50 per cent capacity
in the last five years. It is estimated that dock hands, on the average, do not work
over two days a week. Every winter thousands of Italians return to Philadelphia
from the truck farms in South Jersey and render the city’s unemployment problem
more acute.
The problem of unemployment, according to this report, interests
every industrial center, because it menaces its leadership in compe
tition with other rival centers; it is of concern to the workers because
it tends to their degeneracy in skill, industry, thrift, standards of
living, and public morality; and the industrial welfare of employers
is eventually endangered.
The problem is one of industry and can be most effectively handled
by the employers themselves, though a partial duty rests upon con
sumers who can contribute regularity in employment by refusing to
follow extreme styles.
The report concludes that unemployment primarily can be reduced
very greatly by the employer, and cites in support of its conclusion
the practice of the most successful and thoughtful concerns in meeting
the problem. The city government, however, has its task to fulfill
in properly regulating its public work.
The report is divided into certain well-marked parts—part 1, pre
senting the facts of unemployment in different branches of the textile
industry in Philadelphia and to a less extent in other industries;
part 2, the cost of unemployment to the employee and to the employer;
part 3, the increase of knowledge about unemployment; part 4, the
management of the employing concern in its relation to unemploy
ment; part 5, the duty of the civil Government.
A significant development of the survey was the conviction that
the problem of regularizing employment in America must be met by
private employers in their own establishments.
The conclusions of the author as to the amount and extent of unem
ployment in Philadelphia are based upon a survey made during March,
1915, by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., which in the course of
its investigation canvassed 79,058 families, in which were found
346,787 persons and which represented 137,244 wage earners. The
general results of this investigation showed 10.3 per cent of the wage
earners as unemployed, and 19.6 per cent as part-time workers.
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M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
Regarding the problem of unemployment as primarily a question of
industrial organization, the report criticises the failure of employers
to keep adequate records of their employed force, hours worked,
wages paid, numbers taken on and off the pay roll, etc., with a view
to improvement in employment and its regularity and to the keeping
of cost records in such a way as not to exaggerate expenses in slack
time. It is recognized that the labor turnover of most employers is
out of all proportion to the number employed. In compiling the
records of one establishment furnished by its foreman, covering 1907
to 1915, it was shown that 75 per cent of the men and 66 per cent of
the women employees remained in the employ of the firm less than
one year. Yet it was stated by the foreman that most of the employ
ees do not do good work until they have been with the firm eight
weeks. The number of hirings per year was about 90 per cent of the
number normally on the pay roll for this same establishment.
Another essential to secure regularity of employment is the neces
sity of coordinating the manufacturing ends of a business so as to
make regularity of production possible through regularity of orders.
The report suggests, among numerous other methods, the practice
of dovetailing of trades so as to permit of manufacturing simpler
stock in slack times, and also notes the suggestion of a printing firm
to train its employees in department-store work so as to allow of a
shift to that line of work in dull times, and to act in cooperation with
the department store.
But the problems of unemployment are not wholly those of the
employer, but are partly to be met by the city. In this connection
the report urges cooperation by the city with the State department of
labor and industry and with the Federal Bureau of Immigration in
establishing a public employment bureau. The city should arrange
its own public works in such a manner as to minimize unemployment.
This can be done by executing public works when other work is slack.
As a concrete case, the city should not build its subway in such a way
as to terminate the work suddenly and then throw a large labor force
upon the market at one time, but should arrange to wind up the work
gradually and give it out, furthermore, in even amounts. Relief
works, the report concludes, are a mere makeshift in dealing with
unemployment.
The labor exchange suggested by the report is one of wide and vary
ing functions, and one which would need to be under efficient direc
tion. It is proposed that it shall (1) endeavor to bring together
employers seeking help and employees seeking work; (2) act as the
city’s headquarters in a steady fight against unemployment; (3)
endeavor to establish a clearing house for dock labor; (4) endeavor to
bring about regular seasonal transfer of workers between trades
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• M O N TH LY R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
29
whose seasons dovetail; (5) cooperate with the department of voca
tional guidance and instruction in the board of education, and act as
a vocational guidance bureau for young people; (6) assist in the col
lection and dissemination of knowledge concerning unemployment;
(7) eventually administer an unemployment- insurance system when
the plan shall have become practicable.
STRIKES AND LOCKOUTS FROM AUGUST, 1915, THROUGH
JANUARY, 1916. ,
According to data compiled from various sources by the United
States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of strikes and lockouts
during the six months, August, 1915, to January, 1916, inclusive, was
763. The total number occurring during the twelve months of the
calendar year, 1915, including a few that began prior to January 1,
1915, but were settled during the year, was 1,404, a number that may
be somewhat increased when the records are finally made up.
The following table, which has been corrected for months previous
to January, 1916, as reports have come in during the latter month,
shows the number of strikes and lockouts begun in each of the months
of August, 1915, to January, 1916, inclusive, but excluding 59 strikes
and 10 lockouts which started during months not specified. The
strikes and lockouts were distributed among the months as follows:
NUM BER OF STR IK ES AND LOCKOUTS, AUGUST, 1915, THROUGH JANUARY, 1916, BY
MONTHS.
August.
Septem October.
ber.
Novem
ber.
Decem January.
ber.
Total.
S trikes.. . ....................................
Lockouts......................................
137
155
98
92
62
6
10
8
6
6
3
655
39
T otal...................................
143
165
106
98
68
114
694
I ll
A brief account of the character of the strikes occurring from
August to December, 1915, may be found in preceding numbers of
the R e v ie w . The data in the tables which follow relate to 145
strikes and lockouts concerning which information was received by
the Bureau during the month of January, and include 15 which
occurred in previous months but were not before reported, as follows:
December, 12; November, 2; October, 1; and 16 others for which
the dates of commencement were not reported but most of which
probably occurred in the months of December, 1915, or January,
1916. Inasmuch as strikes which start toward the end of a month
are frequently not brought to the attention of the Bureau until after
the report for the month has been prepared, it is probable that the
28089°— 16-------- 3
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M O N T H L Y R E V IE W O F T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
corrected figures for the month of January will show a material
increase over the number of strikes herein reported for that month.
Most of the disputes reported during January were in the north
eastern section of the country, and all but 15 were in States east of
the Mississippi and north of the Potomac and Ohio Rivers. The fol
lowing table shows the States in which five or more strikes and lock
outs occurred:
STATES IN W HICH FIV E OR MORE STR IK ES AND LOCKOUTS OCCURRED DURING
JANUARY, 1916.
State.
Strikes. Lockouts.
New Y o rk ...................
Pennsylvania......................
Massachusetts............................
Ohio..................
Illinois...........................
New Jersey.....................
15 other S tates........................
29
28
25
ZO
9
25
11 :
12
10
T otal..........................
1is
Total.
31
28
25
13
11
10
10
Q
O
28
i
145
Four of these strikes were confined to women and three included
both men and women. No lockouts were reported in which women
were concerned.
The industries in which four or more strikes and lockouts were
reported were as follows:
NUM BER OF STR IK E S AND LOCKOUTS IN SPEC IFIED INDUSTRIES, RE PO R T ED
DURING JANUARY. 1916.
Industry.
Strikes. Lockouts.
Metal trades........................
Clothing industries.....................
Building trades..........................
Iron and steel mills............
Textile industries..........................
Paper workers...............................
Mining..........................
All others.............................
qg
0Q
20
1
16
35
21
1A
1o
1Z
1°
9
9
6
Total........................................
Total.
4
34
9
£
133
D
,
a
O
A
Oft
OO
139
Included in the above are 15 strikes of machinists, 16 strikes and
1 lockout of garment workers, 6 strikes of weavers, and 5 strikes of
carpenters.
In 54 strikes and 7 lockouts the employees were connected with
unions; in 9 strikes they were not connected with unions; and in 3
strikes they were not connected with unions at the time of striking
but organized themselves into unions as a result of the strike; in the
remaining strikes and lockouts it was not stated whether the strikers
had union affiliation or not.
In 117 cases the causes of the strikes and lockouts were given. In
80 per cent of these the question of wages or hours or both was the
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M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OP T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
paramount issue.
table:
31
The leading causes are shown in the following
PRIN CIPA L CAUSES OF STR IK E S AND LOCKOUTS R E PO R T ED DURING JANUARY, 1916.
Strikes. Lockouts.
Cause.
Increase in wages................................................................................................
Reduction of hours.............................................................................................
Wages and hours.................................................................................................
W a g e s h o u r s , a n d r e c o g n it io n ...............................................................................................
Recognition.........................................................................................................
Discharge of employees. . . .................................................................................
Because of wage reduction.................................................................................
J urisdict ional.......................................................................................................
Other causes.........................................................................................................
Total
....................................................................................................
70
3
2
2
11
Total.
72
6
11
8
1
2
6
6
2
4
9
111
6
117
2
5
1
6
2
4
In 89 of the strikes the number of the persons involved was reported
to be 81,665, an average of 918 per strike. In 12 strikes, in each of
which the number involved was over 1,000, the strikers numbered
67,350 persons, thus leaving 14,315 involved in the remaining 77
strikes, or an average of 186 to each. In 4 lockouts the number of
employees involved was reported as 145, or an average of 36 in each.
The duration of 44 strikes and 1 lockout ending in January was
given as 1,457 days, or an average length of 32 days for each
disturbance. If, however, the time of four strikes, each amounting
to more than 100 days, is deducted from the total, the average length
of the remaining 41 strikes is 19 days.
Three strikes were reported lost to the strikers; three others were
reported as won in every demand made; in another the strikers
returned under the promise of the employer to compromise later; one
lockout was lost to the employer; in the remaining 81 strikes reported
as settled in January, most of which related to wages or hours, a com
promise was reached which enabled both sides to the controversy to
claim a victory.
RETAIL PRICES OF FOOD IN THE UNITED STATES.
Reports to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of 17 of the principal
articles of food during the year 1915, covering 44 important industrial
cities throughout the United States, show a decrease of 1 per cent in
the price of all articles combined from 1914 to 1915. Only 3 articles
were higher in 1915 than in 1914; flour, which was 20 per cent higher,
sugar, 11 per cent higher, and corn meal, 3 per cent higher. It is
interesting to note that although flour was higher in 1915 than in 1914
it reached its highest point in May, 1915, and was 18 per cent lower
in December than in May.
A comparison of prices in December of each year from 1911 to 1915
shows an upward trend for all articles combined, with an increase of
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M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
3 per cent from December, 1914, to December, 1915, although only
4 of the articles advanced in price; flour and hens but slightly, and
sugar and potatoes to such a marked degren as to offset the decline in
other articles. Yet December of 1914 seems to have been a low point
in the price of potatoes, and while the price in December, 1915, shows
a decided increase over the price in December, 1914, there was almost
no change in December, 1915, as compared with December, 1913.
The table following shows the relative retail prices of each of the
17 articles and of all articles combined in each year, 1907 to 1915,
inclusive:
Y E A RLY AVERAGE RE LA TIV E R E T A IL PRICES OF FOOD, 1907 TO 1915, AS COMPARED
W ITH AVERAGE PRICES FOR 1915.
(A verage price for 1 9 1 5 = 1 0 0 .)
Article.
1907
Sirloin steak............................
Round steak...........................
Rib roast.................................
Chuck roast............................
Plate boiling beef...................
Pork chops..........................
Bacon......................................
H am ........................................
L ard ........................................
H ens.......................................
Flour.......................................
Corn m eal...............................
Eggs.........................................
B utter.....................................
Potatoes..................................
Sugar.......................................
Milk.........................................
All articles combined............
1908
71
75
73
69
77
77
75
78
79
77
80
66
1909
76
71
80
79
76
83
86
95
95
94
88
88
85
81
85
87
92
125
90
90
83
84
96
91
87
87
94
97
126
89
92
81
83
87
86
84
76
81
85
91
119
86
1910
1911
1912
SO
76
84
90
87
92
88
95
91
93
1913
99
97
99
104
1914
101
103
102
109
1915
100
100
100
114
91
95
92
92
95
93
81
87
95
94
147
98
96
105
149
96
98
107
113
83
101
122
101
101
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
91
90
96
98
101
100
111
96
86
88
99
101
100
103
107
103
80
92
100
96
84
94
100
101
102
105
106
105
83
97
104
90
In the table following is shown the relative retail prices of each of
the 17 articles and of all articles combined, in December of each year,
1911 to 1915:
RELA TIVE R E T A IL PRICES OF FOOD IN DECEMBER OF EACH YEAR, 1911 TO 1915, AS
COMPARED W ITH AVERAGE PRICES FOR THE YEAR 1915.
(A verage price for 1 9 1 5 = 1 0 0 .)
Decem Decem Decem Decem Decem
ber, 1911. ber, 1912. ber, 1913. ber, 1914. ber, 1915.
Article.
Sirloin steak...................................
Round steak........................................
Rib roast........................................
Chuck roast............................................
Plate boiiing beef.................................
Pork chops...................................
Bacon........................................
H am ............................................
L ard...............................................
H ens.............................................
Flour...........................................
Corn m eal...............................................
Eggs..................................................................................
B u tter..........................................
Potatoes....................................................
Sugar...........................................
Milk...........................................
All articles combined............................
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79
75
83
80
87
89
92
88
82
89
133
114
147
104
98
96
[242]
91
88
92
89
96
96
107
94
80
92
124
116
98
99
99
100
99
102
100
100
100
98
98
99
109
103
96
103
103
104
96
90
99
140
91
101
110
101
119
82
103
103
98
98
91
99
137
108
102
100
97
102
103
106
101
91
107
100
78
96
140
111
94
92
120
103
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
33
The relative prices in each month of 1915 of the same 17 articles
and of 9 other articles for which prices were secured beginning with
January, 1915, are given in the table which follows:
RELA TIV E R E T A IL PRICES OF FOOD IN T H E MONTHS OF 1915 AS COMPARED W ITH
AVERAGE PRICES FOR T H E Y EA R 1915.
(A verage price for 1 9 1 5 = 1 0 0 .)
Article.
Sirloin steak.........................
Round steak........................
Rib roast..............................
Chuck roast..........................
Plate boiling beef................
Pork chops...........................
Bacon...................................
Ham ......................................
Lard......................................
Hens......................................
Flour....................................
Corn meal.............................
Eggs......................................
B u tter...................................
Potatoes................... ............
Sugar..... ..............................
Milk......................................
Cheese...................................
Rice......................................
Beans....................................
Coffee....................................
Tea........................................
Canned salmon....................
Onions..................................
Prunes..................................
Raisins.................................
All articles combined.........
Jan.
99
99
99
101
102
92
101
101
104
98
99
100
131
108
95
91
101
100
100
93
Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. July. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.
97
97
98
99
96
96
97
98
99
101
88 - 88
99
99
104
98
98
103
100
110
101
108
99
105
94
98
101
101
100
98
102
101
75
100
93
100
100
101
100
98
98
97
98
98
100
100
100
100
100
101
97
98
97
103
99
98
103
109
103
102
101
77
101
97
101
100
100
100
99
102
102
102
101
102
101
102
100
100
102
101
111
101
103
100
111
77
97
103
99
'101
100
98
100
104
104
102
102
101
104
100
100
99
99
99
98
98
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
101
100
101
100
101
100
101
100
101
100
100
100
100
100
100
101
100
100
101
99
96
97
98
98
99
98
97
95
104
123
116
107
101
101
105
99
101
100
102
102
101
101
101
82
96
95
106
99
79
97
103
104
96
99
99
103
103
102
101
100
111
100
100
94
100
93
99
102
101
101
101
100
114
102
101
97
99
90
99
118
98
106
93
90
94
92
102
99
98
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
101
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
86
100
100
99
100
102
97
89
94
89
98
98
98
100
99
100
99
99
103
102
103
98
98
90
99
135
102
109
99
98
98
99
98
98
91
101
103
98
98
91
99
137
108
120
103
101
100
100
100
102
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
101
100
100
100
103
105
106
99
94
99
109
96
98
114
98
SUMMARY OF REPORT ON WOMAN AND CHILD WAGE
EARNERS.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department
of Labor has just issued as its Bulletin No. 175 a summary of its
19-volume Report on Condition of Woman and Child Wage Earners
in the United States. The volumes of the original report, giving the
results of the Bureau’s investigations, which had been made under
the instructions of an act of Congress, were issued during the years
1910 to 1912, but as no special appropriation was made for the
printing and distribution of these volumes, only a limited number of
copies of each volume was published. The many and continued
demands for the report have seemed to require its reprinting in some
form. The Bureau has, therefore, published a summary presenting
briefly the more important results of the investigation within limits
which will permit printing in sufficient quantity to supply reasonable
demands.
While each of the 19 volumes of the report relates to a distinct
subject, the subjects considered together fall into several groups, the
first volumes dealing with four important industries: Cotton, men’s
ready-made clothing, glass, and silk, all employing large numbers of
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M O N T H L Y R E V IE W O F T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
women and children. With these may also be grouped three other
volumes: Women in stores and factories; women in the metal trades;
and women and children in miscellaneous factory industries. Two
deal with special child labor problems: The reasons why children
leave school to go to work; and the connection between the employ
ment of children and juvenile delinquency. Three are historical,
dealing with the history of child labor legislation; the history of
women in industry; and the history of women in trade-unions. Four
deal with questions of health; the effect of laundry work upon women;
a study of infant mortality in Fall River; a study of the causes of
death among cotton-mill operatives; and a study of hookworm
disease as found in southern cotton-mill communities. Three others—
a study of family budgets of cotton-mill workers; a discussion of the
connection between occupation and criminality of women; and a
study of labor laws and factory conditions in the States visited—
complete the list.
The establishments included in the Bureau’s investigation employed
over 335,000 persons, of whom over 167,000, or approximately 50 per
cent, were females. The most striking feature of this great labor
force was the extreme youthfulness of those employed. In three of
the industry groups, the southern cotton group, the glass industry,
and the Pennsylvania silk group, more than two-thirds of the female
employees were found to be under 20 years of age. On the other
hand, the proportion 25 years of age and over was large enough to
suggest the need for vocational training for girls. The importance
of married women among these wage earners is shown by the fact
that of 2 1 industries studied, only three were found in which the
proportion of married women among those 20 years of age and over
was under 10 per cent, and from this it runs up to two-fifths, and in
one industry even to three-fifths.
Among the families from which the wage earners in these industries
come, the industrial employment of girls is well-nigh universal. Thus,
in the four industries which were the subject of intensive study, it
was found that in some 5,000 families from 82 to 98 per cent of the
families had girls 16 years of age and over at work, and that from 80
to 95 per cent of all the girls of this age group in these families were
wage earners. That this employment was a matter of economic
necessity is indicated by the fact that from 27 to 43 per cent of the
total family income was contributed by girls in this age group, and
that approximately 90 per cent of all the earnings were contributed
to the family.
One of the most significant facts disclosed by the investigation in
practically all industries was the large proportion of women wage
earners who were paid low wages, wages in many cases inadequate
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U O F LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
35
to supply a reasonable standard of living for women dependent upon
their own earnings for support. In the group of women employed
in the four great industries: Cotton; men’s ready-made clothing;
glass; and silk, from two-fifths to two-thirds of those 16 years of age
and over earned less than $6 in a representative week. In another
group of 23 industries, an examination of the earnings of over 38,000
women 18 years of age and over showed that over 41 per cent earned
less than $6 in a representative week.
The report shows that the employment of children was both exten
sive and serious, not only were children found employed in great
numbers, but they were found employed below the legal age; em
ployed at work legally prohibited to children of their years; employed
for illegally long hours and at illegal times; employed through eva
sion of the law and under false certificates of age, as well as under
many other undesirable conditions. In spite of all of this, evidence
was found of a decrease in the relative number of children employed,
and very plain indications that a public sentiment against their
exploitation is making itself felt effectively.
Since the publication of the Bureau’s report many and important
changes have been made in labor laws, especially in those affecting
the conditions of employment of women and children and the health
and safety of wage earners, regardless of sex and age.
It is not possible to say how far the findings of these reports have
been directly instrumental in securing new labor legislation, for
within the period since 1908 many agencies have been active in the
work of investigation, discussion, and propaganda, in many cases
using the data of these reports, in other cases supplementing them
by further investigation along the same or other lines.
' Most important of such supplementary investigations of an official
character have been those of the various State minimum wage com
missions, the workmen’s compensation or accident commissions, some
of the State bureaus or departments of labor, and the New Tork
State Factory Investigating Commission. Most important of the
unofficial agencies in the work of investigation and propaganda have
been the National Child Labor Committee, the National Consumers’
League, and the American Association for Labor Legislation. All of
the agencies mentioned have contributed in an important way to the
progress in labor legislation affecting women and children which has
been so marked during the last seven or eight years.
Some definite idea of the breadth and strength of the movement
for protective labor legislation during recent years may be gained by
an examination of the legislation of the various States from 1908 to
1915. Thus, taking as examples some of the more important pro
visions for the protection of woman and child wage earners, we find
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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36
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
within this period the number of States prohibiting factory employ
ment under 14 years of age increasing from 30 on January 1, 1908,
to 41 in 1915, the number requiring medical examination or a cer
tificate of physical fitness preliminary to the issue of work permits from
8 to 35, the number prohibiting night work under 16 years from 18
to 36, and the number limiting hours of work under 16 years to 8 per
day from 3 to 21. Changes quite as striking are found in provisions
affecting women. Since 1908 the number of States prohibiting night
work for women increased from 3 to 6, the number limiting the hours
of work in factories to 8 per day increased from none to 4, the number
limiting hours of work to 10 a day increased from 15 to 34, while two
classes of laws not known in any State in January, 1908, namely,
minimum wage, and mothers’ pension laws, have been enacted, the
former in 11 States, the latter in 29 States.
PROGRESS OF LEGISLATION AFFECTING TH E EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN (W ITHOUT
REGARD TO AGE) AND CHILDREN, 1908 TO 1915.
Subject of labor legislation.
Employment in factories prohibited
under 1 4 . . ................................. ......
Medical examination of children
required for work perm its..............
Certificate of physical fitness of chil
dren required for work perm its__
Night work prohibited under 16.......
Night work prohibited for w om en...
8-hour day under 16............................
8-hour day for women in factories. . .
10-hour day for women in factories__
Minimum wage...................................
Mothers’ pensions...............................
Factory inspection............................
Workmen’s compensation..................
Occupational disease reporting.........
States first enacting laws in specified years.
States
having
laws
Jan. 1,
1908.
1913
i 30
2,
2
4
1
3
3
28
s 18
3
2
•1
23
52
5
15
1911
States
navmg
laws,
1915 1915
1
0)
2
(«)
8
16
29
2
( 6)
7
1
1
7
41
2
13
1
22
2
6
21
3
4
2
8
1
8
1
36
4
34
11
29
42
31
16
1 Also the District of Columbia; employment forbidden only during school time in 3 States.
2 Also District of Columbia.
8 Applies only to mercantile establishments and bakeries in 1 State.
4 District of Columbia.
6 Law of Arizona applies to bakeries, laundries, mercantile establishments, hotels, restaurants, and tele
phone and telegraph offices; factories are not mentioned.
6 United States law of May 30, 1908, covering Federal employees, was first compensation act.
The progress in labor legislation affecting women and children
within this period is not adequately measured by the number of States
enacting new laws, for much more effective enforcement has also
been provided for by the creation of factory inspection in 13 States
where formerly there were no inspectors, by increases in the personnel
in other States, and by giving to factory inspectors in several of the
States greatly increased powers.
The movement for 'workmen’s compensation legislation and occu
pational disease reporting, which is entirely new within this period,
is scarcely less important than that which has secured the classes of
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[2461
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
37
laws already named, for the compensation laws have brought new
standards of safety and sanitation affecting all employees, with new
methods and powers of enforcement. Furthermore, the guaranty
of compensation payments in case of fatal and serious accidents helps
to maintain reasonable standards of living without forcing the de
pendent women and children of the injured workman’s family into
industrial employment.
SURVEY OF WAGE-EARNING GIRLS IN WILKES-BARRE, PA.1
The National Child Labor Committee, with the cooperation of the
National Consumers’ League, made during the months of February
to May, 1914, a statistical investigation of wage-earning girls 14 to 16
years of age in Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pa.
In the first part of the published report an attempt is made to give
the setting of these workers—where they are working; the native
country of their fathers; their family incomes; the disposal of their
wages; the occupations of their parents; how they are housed. The
second part is a study of the girls themselves—why they leave school;
the grade reached at the time of leaving school; how old they are;
how many of them take advantage of opportunities offered for further
education; how widely they continue to speak the language of their
foreign-born parents; why they choose their employment; hours of
work; health conditions; and how much influence education and
industrial experience have on their wages.
Specific information was received from 256 girls 14 to 16 years of
age who had left school with labor certificates for the purpose of going
to work, of whom 202 were employed in the silk and lace mills and
54 in 14 other industries. All of the girls scheduled were born in the
United States, more than one-half of them being of foreign parentage.
Of the 302 girls reporting the disposal of their wages, 239, or 79.1
per cent, handed their wages over to their parents or guardians, while
only 26, or 8.6 per cent, kept their wages.
Of 248 girl workers reporting the grade at which they left school,
106, or 42.7 per cent, had not reached the seventh grade, and the
investigation showed that more left school (29.4 per cent) at that
grade than at any other. Only 27.8 per cent remained in school be
yond the seventh grade. At the time of the survey children were
permitted by law to leave school with working papers at the age of
14 yearn, irrespective of grade, but without certificates they must
attend school from the sixth to the sixteenth birthday.
1 S u rv e y of W ag e-earn in g G irls B elow 16 Y e a rs of A ge in W ilk e s-B a rre, P e n n s y lv a n ia , b y S a ra h H .
A th e rto n . P u b lis h e d b y th e N a tio n a l C h ild L a b o r C o m m itte e , 105 E a s t T w e n ty -se co n d S tre e t, N ew Y o rk
C ity . 1915. 65 p p .
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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38
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
Ill that portion of the report devoted to industrial experience,
after suggesting, as already noted, that most of the girls (202, or 78.9
per cent, of the 256 girls giving specific information) are employed
in the silk and lace mills, it is pointed out that of 302 girls reporting
14.6 per cent had an opportunity to choose their work, while 33.1 per
cent had no such opportunity. It was found that the grade at which
these girls left school had very little effect upon the wage received,
and also that the length of their industrial experience as a whole
seemed to bear no direct relation to wages. In Pennsylvania, at the
time of this investigation, the legal limit for female labor was 54
hours per week, and the investigation seemed to indicate that in
general the majority worked the full number of hours—10 hours per
day on 5 days and 4 on Saturday.
Of the girls reporting, 27.9 per cent indicated a preference for
moving pictures as a means of recreation, with reading, music, and
sewing following in the order named. Of the 267 answering the
question as to dress, 215, or more than 80 per cent, are classed as
“ neat,” 2 as “ showy,” 15 as “ untidy,” and 22 as “ shabby.”
In conclusion the report gives a summary of the child-labor law
of Pennsylvania as amended in 1915, together with some suggestions
for its improvement, and a summary of the more important results
of the survey. The suggestions offered are as follows:
1. More adequate provision for factory inspection. The intricate laws dealing with
safety in industry, ventilation, fire protection, sanitation, and the hours of labor for
women and children are to be enforced throughout the factories, stores, hotels, amuse
ment halls of three counties in a highly industrialized region. Good laws without
provision for adequate enforcement are almost more pernicious than bad laws, since
they give a sense of false security.
2. Improved administration of the widows’ pension fund, so that a widow need
not in future do the work of two persons to support her children.
3. Vocational training designed not merely to increase earning capacity.
4. Annual medical examination of girls under 10 in mills.
5. Compulsory courses in home economy required of all girls before they leave school.
6. A living wage to men. Wherever a living wage is not paid, that industry is sub
sidized either by industries which do pay a living wage, i. e., family incomes are
eked out by those with higher wages sharing with those who have less, or by the
public, who eke out insufficient wages by supporting hospitals and poor boards, etc.
The findings of the survey are summarized as follows :
I n d u s tr y a n d sch o o l. —Of girls
14 to 16 years of age there are 40.9 per cent in industry
and 59.1 per cent in school.
D e p e n d e n c e o n g ir ls w id e r 1 6 y e a r s o f age.—,Silk industry is dependent for 12.8 per
cent of its labor force. The lace industry is dependent for 7.5 per cent of its labor
force. In all industries where girls are employed the percentage under 16 is 8.8.
D is tr ib u tio n a c co rd in g to o c c u p a tio n o f fa th e r s . —The charge that industries move to
mining regions for labor of miners’ families is partially justified—more miners have
children in the mills than other men.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
39
P o p u l a t i o n . —In every 46 males of voting age—native, white, of native parentage—•
there is a girl of similar parentage under 16 at work; in every 72 males of voting age—>
foreign born and naturalized—there is a girl of foreign parentage under 16 at work.
'W eekly in c o m e o f f a m i l y w ith g ir l's w a g e s a n d r e n t d e d u c te d . —Forty-six and four-tenths
per cent of the families get under $2 a week per capita income.
W eek ly in c o m e o f f a m i l y w ith r e n t d e d u c te d a n d g i r l ’s w a g e s in c lu d e d . —Thirty per cent
of these families get under $2 per capita income.
D is p o s a l o f w a g e . —All parents, save six, use part or all of their daughters’ wages.
F a th e r s . —Sixty-two and seven-tenths per cent are at work; 8.1 per cent are idle;
18.5 per cent dead; 2 per cent deserters or away; 8.7 per cent do not report.
C a u ses o f n o n s u p p o r t b y f a th e r s . —Seventy per cent, death; 21.3 per cent, illness or
accident; 3.8 per cent, slack work, etc.
M o th e rs. —Eighty-two and four-tenths per cent are at home; 11 per cent are at
work; 0.7 per cent are deserters or away; 5.9 per cent are dead.
C r o w d in g . —Austro-Hungarians show worst crowding; then Italian; then English
and Irish.
R e a s o n s f o r le a v in g sc h o o l. —“ Necessity” is the most frequent, then discontent with
school.
N u m b e r le a v in g sch o o l a c co rd in g to g ra d e. —More leave at the seventh grade than any
other. The highest per cent of English, Swedish, and Welsh leave at the eighth grade.
Forty-two and seven-tenths per cent leave before they reach the seventh grade.
N u m b e r le a v in g sch o o l a c co rd in g to a g e . —Twenty-one and nine-tenths per cent leave
before they attain the required age of 14 years.
B o y s a n d g ir ls ille g a lly o u t o f sch o o l.— The law requires children who are not at work
to be in school. Over 50 per cent who left school on labor certificates do not appear
in list of employees under 16, required of employers.
U se o f o u ts id e e d u c a tio n a l a g e n c ie s. —Ten and nine-tenths per cent have taken
advantage of any opportunity for further education in the way of night school, Y. W.
0. A., etc.
A g e o f g ir ls a t w o r k . —Twenty-nine and seven-tenths per cent are 14; 48.8 per cent
are 15.
I n d u s tr y a n d a g e . —Of 76 girls of 14 years, 61 are in the lace and silk industries.
Of 125 girls of 15 years, 101 are in these industries.
W h y p la c e s o f e m p lo y m e n t w ere ch o sen . —Thirty-three per cent had no opportunity
for choice; 14 per cent had opportunity for choice.
The r e la tio n o f ivage, a ge, a n d g ra d e. —The highest per cent of those now 14 who left
at the sixth grade get from $3 to $3.49, while those now 15 who left at the seventh
grade get from $4 to $4.49. Those 15 years of age leaving at the sixth grade get $3.50
to $3.99; here one grade more seems an advantage. As a whole, however, grade has
no consistent relation to wage. Those 14 years of age leaving at the fifth grade sho#
highest per cent in the same [wage] column as those 15 years of age leaving at the
eighth grade.
G rade, iva g e, a n d le n g th o f tim e s in c e le a v in g sc h o o l. —Neither grade nor length of time
since leaving school has any consistent influence on wage.
A m u s e m e n ts . —Moving pictures are the most important; dancing, cards, and outdoor
exercise of all kinds are conspicuously rare.
D r e s s . —Two w'ere “ showy” in comparison to 22 “ shabby.”
A m b i t i o n s . —Dressmaking is the favorite career. The second favorite among girls
is musician, among parents “ business course.” Ten per cent of the girls report that
thev have none; 7.4 per cent of the parents report that they have none.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
40
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
RECENT REPORTS RELATING TO WORKMEN’S COMPEN
SATION AND INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS.
MASSACHUSETTS.1
During the operation of the workmen’s compensation act for the
year ending June 30, 1914, as set forth in the second annual report of
the State industrial accident hoard issued on January 20, 1915,
96,382 nonfatal and 509 fatal injuries were reported, the total repre
senting an increase of 7.4 per cent over the previous year. Of the
nonfatal cases 83,920, or 87 per cent, were insured and of the 509
fatal cases 371, or 72.88 per cent, were insured and 138 were not
insured, the only method for recovering damages open to the latter
being in suits at common law, in which event the three common-law
defenses formerly available to employers would be removed. Of
the 138 not insured 57.2 per cent were employed on steam railroads.
Based on mean duration of total disability, the aggregate number
of days lost as a result of nonfatal industrial accidents was 1,336,966
and the aggregate number of weeks lost was 190,995. This loss of
time represented a total wage loss of $3,172,440. Of this total loss
of wages $2,760,023 was suffered by insured employees. The average
duration of total disability per reported nonfatal case was 13.87 days,
but eliminating those cases in which incapacity extended for less
than one complete day the average number of days lost per case was
24.26. The following table presents a comparison of the duration
of total disability for the year ending June 30, 1913, and June 30,
1914, showing that the noncompensable cases, that is, those injuries
lasting less than two weeks, were fairly constant for each period.
i S eco n d a n n u a l re p o rt of th e in d u s tria l a c c id e n t h o a rd , J u ly 1, 1913, to J u n e 30, 1914.
483 p p . I llu s tr a te d .
*
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[2501
B o sto n , 1915.
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
41
C O M P A R IS O N O F D U R A T IO N O F T O T A L D I S A B I L I T Y F O R Y E A R S E N D I N G J U N E 30,
1913, A N D J U N E 30, 1914. S H O W IN G P E R C E N T O F D I S A B I L I T Y L A S T IN G O N E D A Y O R
OVER.
[B ased on in ju rie s re p o rte d to th e b o a rd a n d n o t on cases h a n d le d b y in s u ra n c e c o m p an ies.]
1914
1913
L e n g th of d is a b ility .
Tvftiii? t h a n
1
d a y ............................................................................
N um
b e r of
cases.
Per
c e n t.
36,901
40.92
Per
cent
d isa
b ilitie s
1 day
and
o v er.
1 t,n 3 d a y s .......................................................................................
4 to 7 d a y s T
........................................................................
8 t,n 10 d a y s ....................................................................................
11 to 14 d a y s ...................................................................................
Per
cent
d isa
b ilitie s
1 day
and .
ov er.
N um
b e r of
cases.
Per
c e n t.
41,269
42.59
11,458
12,843
4,517
5,236
11.83
13.26
4.66
5. 40
2 0 . 60
23.09
8 .1 2
9.41
T o ta l, 1 to 14 d a y s ............................................................ 31,685
35.14
59. 48
34,054
35.15
61.22
T o ta l, 2 w eek s a n d u n d e r (n o n c o m p e n sa b le )........ 68,586
76.06
59.48
75,323
77.74
61.22
15 to 28 d a y s ...................................................................................
5 to 8 w e ek s....................................................................................
9 to 13 w e ek s..................................................................................
14 to 26 w e e k s ................................................................................
O v er 6 m o n th s ..............................................................................
F a ta l.................................................................................................
10,568
6.638
2,355
1,275
272
474
11. 72
7.36
2.61
1.41
.30
.53
19.84
12. 46
4. 42
2.39
.51
.89
9,222
7,066
2,549
1,491
731
509
9. 52
7.29
2. 63
1.54
.75
.53
16.58
12. 70
4.58
T o ta l, 15 d a y s a n d o v er (c o m p e n sa b le )..................
21,582
23.93
40. 51
21,568
22.26
38.77
G ra n d t o t a l ........................................................................
90,168
1 0 0 .0 0
1 0 0 .0 0
96,891
1 0 0 .0 0
1 0 0 .0 0
2 .6 8
1.31
.92
It is interesting to note that while the total number of cases in
which the injury lasted more than two weeks is almost identical for
each year, the number of injuries lasting six months and over increased
from 272 to 731, or 16.87 per cent.
Returns from insurance companies show that the estimated pay
ments for medical and hospital attention, compensation for disability
and dependency, together with outstanding losses payable to depend
ents and to those with continuing disabilities for the year ending
June 30, 1914, amounted to $2,621,752.91. This amount does not
include any of the expenses of insurance administration.1 The in1 I n th e re p o rt of th e M a s s a c h u s e tts in s u ra n c e co m m issio n e r for th e y e ar 1914 i t is s ta t e d t h a t in su ra n ce
c o m p a n ies tra n s a c tin g w o rk m e n ’s c o m p e n s a tio n b u s in e s s c overing a p e rio d of 27 m o n th s co llected in
p re m iu m s $8,892,535 a n d p a id o u t in b e n e fits $3,497,063, t h u s re q u irin g o n ly 39.3 p e r c e n t o f a c tu a l e a rn ed
p re m iu m s to p a y all th e ir losses. B ase d o n figures c o n ta in e d in t h a t re p o rt th e a m o u n t of p re m iu m s e a r n e d
i n t h e n in e m o n th s e n d in g S e p te m b e r 30, 1914, w a s $3,639,868, a n d th e t o ta l b e n e fits p a id a m o u n te d to
$1,783,220, or a p p ro x im a te ly 49 p e r c e n t of th e e a rn e d p re m iu m s . So far as t h e e x p en se of c o n d u c tin g th e
b u s in e s s is co n ce rn e d th e co m m issio n e r is of th e o p in io n t h a t “ 30 p e r c e n t of t h e p r e m iu m o u g h t to b e a n
o u ts id e allo w a n ce to th e c o m p a n ies, a n d t h a t a t le a s t 70 p e r c e n t o u g h t to b e a v a ila b le for p a y m e n t of
b e n efits. N o s to c k c o m p a n y h a s y e t k e p t i ts e x p e n s e w ith in t h a t lim i t , a n d w h ile th e y c o n tin u e to p a y
1 7 J p e r c e n t for g e ttin g t h e b u s in e s s , le a v in g o n ly 1 2 ] p e r c e n t for a ll o th e r e x p en se s a n d for p ro f its o n th e
b a s is of a 70 p e r c e n t lo ss ra tio , i t is e v id e n t t h a t closer fig u rin g o n e x p en se s th a n h a s y e t b e e n m a d o w ill
h a v e to b e a d o p te d u n le ss th e y c u t th e a c q u is itio n c o st. F o r w o rk m e n ’s co m p e n sa tio n in s u ra n c e it s h o u ld
b e r e d u c e d , for i t is in effect c o m p u ls o ry u p o n e m p lo y e rs. T h e re is n o re a so n for ta k in g $17.50 o u t of e v ery
$100 th e e m p lo y e r p a y s for h is in s u ra n c e a n d h a n d in g i t o v e r to a m id d le m a n . T h e t o ta l a c q u is itio n co st
for t h is b u s in e s s s h o u ld b e lim ite d to 10 p e r c e n t. T h is is p u b lic-w elfare b u s in e s s a n d n o t agen cy -w elfare
b u s in e s s , a n d all u n n e c e s sa ry b u rd e n s s h o u ld be re m o v e d .”
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[251]
42
m o n th ly
r e v ie w
of
th e
bureau
of
labor
s t a t is t ic s
.
crease in payments and estimates on outstanding losses, including
medical service, over the first year of the act amounted to 56.3 per
cent, which increase is probably due largely to the very considerable
increase in the proportion of those injured who were insured. ■
Based on the 41,383 fatal and nonfatal injuries handled by the
insurance companies during the year ending June 30, 1913, the aver
age compensation paid per case, including medical and hospital serv
ice, was $40.50, while the average per case for the 60,160 handled
during the following year was $43.57. The result of the operation
of the workmen’s compensation law for the year ending June 30, 1914
is indicated by the following transactions of all insurance companies
doing business in the State:
Number of employees receiving medical service only ...
Number of employees receiving compensation only.......
Number of employees receiving both medical services
and compensation..........................................................
42, 798
3, 008
14, 029
Total receiving benefits.................................................................
Number of cases reported requiring neither payment of
compensation nor medical expense..............................
28,118
Number of fatal-injury cases reported in which depend
ents totally dependent for support upon the employee
were left.................................................................
Number of fatal-injury cases in which dependents par
tially dependent were left.............................................
Number of fatal-injury cases in which no dependents
were left..........................................................................
59 835
219
69
37
Total fatal-injury cases in which compensation
was paid.....................................................................................
Total fatal and nonfatal cases receiving benefits.........................
Total compensation paid all injured employees and de
pendents of all fatally injured employees.................... $882,162.30
Payments covering medical and hospital services and
medicines........................................................................
446.171 . 52
Estimated liability on account of compensation due in
jured employees and their dependents covering the
amount of, deferred payments for losses incurred and
the estimated cost of undetermined losses.................... 1,183, 340.16
Estimated liability on account of medical services ren
dered but not yet paid..................................................
110, 078. 93
325
60, 160
Total benefits paid and estimated liability out
standing....................................................................................... $2, 621, 752. 91
Compensation paid in fatal-injury cases in which de
pendents totally dependent survived...........................
57, 396. 33
Estimated liability on account of deferred payments
under item 12 .................................................................
440.279.74
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[252]
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U O F LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
Compensation paid in fatal-injury cases in winch de
pendents partially dependent survived.......................
Estimated liability on account of deferred payments
under item 14.................................................................
Payments covering fatal-injury cases where no depend
ents survived..................................................................
Estimated liability on account of deferred payments
under item 16.................................................................
43
$12,171. 25
59, 830.26
3, 611, 03
5, 417.14
Total paid and estimate liability in fatal cases
(included in total of items 8 to 11)..........................................
$578, 705. 75
In the classification of nonfatal accidents by industries, iron and
steel ranks first with 17,176 injuries and the textile industry comes
second with 14,508 injuries. Of the fatal injuries, 174 occurred in
road, street, and bridge transportation, 74 occurred in the building
trades, and the remaining 261 were scattered among 20 other indus
tries, including the miscellaneous group. The number of accidents
per 1,000 employees for 25 selected branches of industry was highest
in the automobile factories, being 287, and lowest among the clothing
makers, being 22. The value of these figures, however, is seriously
impaired because the factor of the number of hours or days worked
is not available for the purpose of weighting the element of exposure.
An analysis of causes of nonfatal accidents shows that 32 per cent
were due to hand labor, 25 per cent were caused by machinery, and
43 per cent were due to all other causes. Of the 509 fatal accidents
hand labor was responsible for 5 per cent, machinery for 17 per cent
and all other causes for 78 per cent. More than 91 per cent of the
nonfatal cases and 99 per cent of the fatal cases were males. In
both the fatal and nonfatal groups the largest number of persons
affected were receiving between $11.01 and $12 per week, the per
cent in the former group being 15.3 and in the latter, 12.1. The
largest number, 23.3 per cent, of those fatally injured were between
the ages of 40 and 49, while of those nonfatally injured the largest
number, 37 per cent, were from 21 to 29 years of age.
The report suggests that workmen’s compensation has to a large
extent superseded the system of employers’ liability. In 1911 there
was collected in premiums for employers’ liability insurance $1,680,280, while the net recovery by employees, after the different expenses
of litigation were deducted, was estimated to be about $400,000, or
23.8 per cent of the premiums. This amount represents about 15
per cent of the payments and estimates on outstanding losses received
by employees under the benefits of the workmen’s compensation act
for the second year ending June 30, 1914. During the first year of
the compensation act, ending June 30, 1913, it is estimated that the
premiums collected for employers’ liability insurance decreased 87
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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44
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
per cent, while the decrease in the losses paid was estimated at 54 per
cent. On the other hand, according to the report of the State insur
ance commissioner, insurance companies collected in premiums, under
the compensation law, during 27 months ending September 30, 1914,
a total of $8,892,535, and paid in benefits $3,497,063, or 39.3 per
cent of earned premiums. Thus under the liability law a much lower
percentage of benefits was available to the injured employee than un
der the compensation act, while a correspondingly higher percentage
was absorbed in expenses of administration, litigation, etc. The
payments during the year ending June 30, 1914, nam ely $2,621,752.91, represented an increase of $944,372.09 over the first 12-month
period, which increase was due to the greater number of injured em-'
ployeesinsured under the act, to increasing efficiency in administration,
to an increased number of agreements in proportion to the number of inju
ries, and in general to the better understanding on all sides of the scope
and real intent of the law. In the year July 1, 1913, to June 30, 1914,
the employees of Massachusetts lost in wages $3,172,440. In addition
to the suffering and other intangible results of injuries in the aggre
gate there was a money loss to employees, contributed as their share
of the cost of industrial injuries, of at least $1,000,000. The cost of
providing compensation benefits borne in the original instance by
the employers, but ultimately intended to be shifted to the consumer,
amounted to $4,590,000, which on a total pay roll of $450,000,000
represented an average rate of approximately 1 per cent. The value
of manufactured products reported by the Massachusetts bureau of
labor statistics for the year 1913 was $1,658,728,363. The total
amount of wages earned was $351,299,706. Ity reducing this figure
to the probable amount covered by insurance, and estimating the
premium in accordance with the average rate, it is found that in manu
facturing industries the premiums would aggregate at least $3,000,000.
According to the returns for 1913, therefore, the cost of insurance
shifted to the consumer of manufactured product would amount to
only 18 cents per $100 value. This includes both the cost of losses
and the cost of insurance administration.
One feature of the pajnnent of compensation in Massachusetts is
the authority granted the board to make lump-sum settlements.
These, however, must be approved by the full board before they
become effective, and the conditions under which the payments are
made are three: (1) The case must be unusual, (2) the settlement
must be for the best interests of the employee or his dependent, and
(3) the amount fixed must be adequate. The determination of this
last point was found to be difficult, because it is almost impossible to
tell in advance how long the injured employee will be incapacitated,
to what extent the reparative process has developed at the time of
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[254]
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
45
the award, and to what extent there will be impairment in earning
ability, etc. In this connection computed percentages of disability
for specific injuries based on compensation awards in various State
and according to various foreign standards and authorities are used.
The board made a study of cases of fatally injured employees
whose employers were not insured under the workmen’s compensation
act, and secured information from 75 dependents of the 138 workers
in this group. The average age of the deceased employees was 37.6;
the average weekly wage was $14.94. In 10 of the cases there were
no dependents; in the remaining, 39 widows, 83 children, and 28
parents, brothers, and sisters were dependent upon the deceased
employees. The total amount paid to dependents was $35,885, an
average of $478.47 per case. Under the workmen’s compensation
act these dependents would have received $122,357.75, an average of
$1,631.44 per case. In these 75 cases considered there were 31
settlements made. The report suggests th a t the reason no settle
ment was made nor information received in a number of cases may
be attributed to the fact that many of the injured workmen were
foreigners whose families were living in Europe and who, through
ignorance of the law or method of procedure in this country, neglected
to make any claim. It was found that the actual settlement made
in many cases was in no way proportionate to the wages received
and the dependency involved. In 10 cases in which settlements
were made in excess of the amount which would have been due under
the act the total amount paid was about 68 per cent more than the
amount payable under the act, whereas in the remaining cases the
settlements made were less than one-third of the amount which
these dependents would have received had the employees been
insured. ‘‘Some large awards were made in cases where the de
pendency was comparatively slight, while families totally dependent
upon the wages of the employee received a pitiably small amount,
if any.”
In Massachusetts compensation is paid to all employees who are
incapacitated for work by reason of occupational diseases arising
“ out of and in the course of their employment.” In all, 354 nonfatal and 81 fatal cases were registered with the board during the
year covered by the report. These were grouped into three main
divisions: (1) Those due to harmful substances causing constitutional
disturbances, (2) those due to harmful conditions, and (3) those due
to irritant fluids and substances resulting in local affection. The
experience of the board in this connection is indicated by the follow
ing summary:
i T h is is q u o te d from th e te x t of th e re p o rt. I n th e ta b le w h ic h follow s, also ta k e n from th e re p o rt,
fa ta l a cc id e n ts are sh o w n . N o e x p la n a tio n is offered for th is difference.
28089°— 1G-------- 4
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[2551
10
46
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
PERSONAL INJURIES BY DISEASES OF OCCUPATION. JU L Y 1, 1913, TO JUNE 30, 1914.
Cases.
C lassification.
N o n fa ta l cases.
In d u s try .
N onfatal
T ota l.
Fata l.
Total.
D ays
lo st.
T ota l.
W ages
lo st.
12
$19
$19
386
42
954
280
996
Total.
H a rm fu l substances.
A rs e n ic .......................
D u s t s ..........................
O th e r ch em ica l w o rk e rs ...........
M arb le a n d s to n e c u t t e r s .........
F lo u r a n d g ra in m i l s ................
F o u n d rie s a n d m e ta l w o rk in g .
G ases, v a p o rs , a n d
B u ild in g a n d h a n d tr a d e s . . . .
fu m es.
P a i n t m a k e rs ................................
O th e r ch em ica l w o rk e rs ...........
A u to m o b ile fa c to rie s ..................
O th e r iro n a n d s tee l w o rk e rs ..
P r in tin g
and
p u b lis h in g
e sta b lis h m e n ts .
R u b b e r fa c to rie s ..........................
C o n stru c tio n a n d m a in te n a n c e of s tre e ts , ro a d s, sew ers, e tc .
H id e s (a n th r a x ) . . . T a n n e rie s .......................................
W a te r tr a n s p o r ta tio n ................
L e a d ............................ B u ild in g a n d h a n d t r a d e s . . . .
P a i n t m a k e rs ................................
G lass m a k e rs, w o rk e rs ..............
C ar a n d ra ilro a d s h o p s ..............
F o u n d rie s a n d m e ta l w o rk in g .
W ag o n s a n d c arria g e s................
J ew e lry fa c to rie s ..........................
P r in tin g
and
p u b lis h in g
e s ta b lis h m e n ts .
E le c tric a l s u p p lie s ......................
C o n stru c tio n a n d m a in te n a n c e of s tre e ts , ro a d s , sew ers, etc .
S tre e t r a ilw a y s .............................
W holesale a n d re ta il t r a d e ___
M e r c u ry ..................... S h ip a n d b o a t b u ild in g ............
1
1
12
1
1
1
1
21
2
1
l
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
3
3
365
1 Q6
1
2
85
151
6
12
31
2
321
132
69
175
201
8
1
6
1
1
1
2
1
53
7
158
142
479.
56
272
49
145
3
176
418
1
1
42
45
63
108
1
1
1
2
1
19
l
1
1
300
35
26
96
3D
67
3
505
3QQ
28 1,093
827
364
3.36
137
560
447
232
70
63
120
60
2, 505
H a rm fu l conditions.
E x tr e m e c o ld ........... Ic e h a r v e s tin g ...............................
B u ild in g a n d h a n d t r a d e s ___
F e rtiliz e r m a k e r s ........................
B a k e rie s ..........................................
F is h c u r e rs a n d p a c k e rs ............
F lo u r a n d g ra in m ills ..............
S la u g h te r a n d p a c k in g hou ses.
S u g ar m a k e rs a n d re fin e rs ___
F o u n d rie s a n d m e ta l w o rk in g .
S h ip a n d b o a t b u ild in g .............
T a n n e rie s .......................................
B re w e rie s .............................
B o x m a k e rs (w o o d ).................
F u r n i t u r e .................................
C o tto n m ills ..................
P r i n t w o rk s .................................
W oolen a n d w o rste d m ills ___
E le c tric lig h t a n d p o w e r comp a n ie s .........................................
G as w o rk s ............................
W a te r tra n s p o rta tio n ..............
C o n stru ctio n a n d m a in te n a n c e
of stre ets, ro a d s, sew ers, etc .
T ru c k , tra n sfe r, c a b , a n d h a c k
c o m p a n ie s .............................
S tree ts ra ilw a y s .........................
•
S te a m ra ilro a d s ....................
E x p re s s c o m p a n ie s ..................
T ele g ra p h a n d te le p h o n e .........
W holesale a n d re ta il t r a d e ___
W areh o u ses a n d cold-storage
p l a n t s ........................................
O th e r p e rso n s i n tr a d e ..............
P rofessional se rv ic e ....................
E x tr e m e h e a t ........... F e rtiliz e r m a k e rs ......................
B ak e ries ............................
S u g a r m a k e rs a n d re fin e rs ___
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
8
4
1
2
1
1
1
2
1
2
4
1
3
108
5
5
3
§
10
88
138
1
1
2
21
26
3
66
1
2
13
106
18
15
4
8
3
4
4
20
6
203
54
345
15
474
970
7
407
128
58
4
42
507
7Q4
938
119
7
104
11
4
1
1
30
[256]
3
1
1
1
3
1
125
2
19
14 1,057
4
30
6
68
23
6
5,493
1 0 1..........
47
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
P E R S O N A L I N J U R I E S B Y D IS E A S E S O F O C C U P A T IO N , J U L Y 1, 1913, T O J U N E 30,1914—
C o n tin u e d .
N o n fa ta l cases.
Cases.
I n d u s try .
C lassification.
N onfatal.
To
ta l.
Fa
ta l.
To
ta l.
D ays
lo st.
To
ta l.
W ages
lo st.
To
ta l.
H a rm fu l c o n d i
tions—C o n tin u e d .
S tr a in , f a t i g u e ,
c ra m p , fa u lt y , po
sitio n s , “ occupa
tio n a l n e u ro ses,”
blow s, v ib ra tio n ,
p re ssu re ,
e tc.,
c au sin g in ju rie s
to n e rv e s, m u s
cles, a n d bones.
BrpwprifiS P r in tin g a n d p u b lis h in g esta h lis h m e n ts __
Oof,ton m ills
W o o len a n d w o rste d m ills ___
R u b b e r fa c to rie s__ .
G as a n d e le ctric lig h t eom pan ie s ___
S tr e e t ra ilw a y s . T
S te a m railro ad s
W holesale a n d re ta il tr a d e ___
O c cu p a tio n s n o t i n in d u s trie s .
Fileetrieal s u p p lie s
R iiild in g a n d h a n d tra d e s
F o u n d rie s a n d m e ta l w o rk in g .
S h ip a n d b o a t b u ild in g
O th e r iro n a n d s tee l w o rk e rs ..
S h o es___
W h o lesale a n d re ta il t r a d e ___
1
5
1
6
1
1
3
1
2
7
i.3
8
20
3
2
2
1
1
1
2
12
6
20
1
i
i
i
i
7
i
i
i
3
3
7
4
365
5
23
17
37
7
77
13
7
126
1,300
9
18
24
56
454
10
1,417
Irrita n t flu id s and
substances.
R rass
C y an id e a n d p la t
in g so lu tio n s.
H id ps
T im e
O il
P o iso n o u s
v in e s,
trees, s h ru b s , e tc .
B rass m ills .....................................
O th e r m e ta l w o rk e rs __
E le c tric a l s u p p lie s __
T a n n e rie s ........................................
P r in tin g a n d p u b lis h in g e sta b
lis h m e n ts.
C o tto n m ills
W oolen a n d w o rsted m ills
O th e r iro n a n d stee l w o rk ers
O th e r m e ta l w o rk ers
O th e r m iscellan eo u s in d u s trie s a n d o c c u p a tio n s.
W h o lesale an d re ta il tra d e
S h o es..............................
T a n n e rie s
C o tto n m ills ..
P r i n t w o rk s
W o o len a n d w o rste d m ills ___
W h o lesale a n d r e ta il tr a d e ___
S hoes................................................
T a n n e rie s . . . .
O th e r iro n a n d steel w o rk ers
H a rn e ss a n d s a d d le m a k e rs
a n d re p a ire rs .
S h o e s ..
T a n n e rie s . ..
Tron and steel m ills
O th e r iro n a n d s te e lw o rk e rs ..
B u ild in g a n d h a n d t r a d e s . . . .
F .lectrical su p p lies
B u ild in g a n d h a n d tr a d e s ___
F o u n d rie s a n d m e ta l w o rk in g .
O th e r liq u o r a n d b everage
w o rk ers.
O th e r w o o d w o rk e rs__
C o n stru c tio n a n d m a in te
n a n c e of s tre e ts , ro a d s,
sew ers, etc .
B eal e sta te
..................
R aw w ool
T a n n e rie s .....................................
W a sh in g a n d cleans P rint, w o rk s
in g flu id s.
W o o len a n d w o rste d m ills ___
B a n k in g a n d b ro k e ra g e ............ ‘
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
38
38
25
3
5
7
i
3
12
1
1
16
15
1
3
6
24
14
116
501
350
38
4
3
6
73
38
5
390
111
32
1
1
1
1
1
1
78
320
30
21
1
1
2
2
59
31
73
21
46
28
157
98
18
16
45
4
7
315
4
19
34
202
61
134
18
26
71
7
13
5
27
421
97
52
1
5
6
2
2
1
4
45
91
93
205
16
96
1
1
19
14
23
1
2
3
44
5
71
i
h
[257]
45
84
7
32
7
11
i
3
2
è
4
14
17
136
9
93
221
21
116
14
162
8
221
24
33
178
24
11
222
48
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
PERSONAL IN JU R IE S BY DISEASES OF OCCUPATION, JU LY 1, 1913, TO JUNE 30, 1914—
Concluded.
Cases.
C lassification.
N o n fa ta l cases.
In d u s try .
N onfa ta l.
Tota l.
Fata l.
Tota l.
D ay s
lo st.
T ota l.
W ages
lo st.
Tota l.
Irrita n t flu id s and
substances— Con.
L o cal i r r i t a t i o n B u ild in g a n d h a n d tra d e s .......
fro m
c o n s ta n t F o u n d rie s a n d m e ta l w o rk in g
v ib ra tio n , blow s, O th e r iro n a n d s te e l w o rk e rs ..
Shoes..............................................
p re s su re , etc.
J ew e lry facto rie s..........................
C o tto n m ills ................................
G as w o rk s ................ .................
O th e r m iscellan eo u s in d u s trie s a n d o c cu p atio n s.
S tre e t ra ilw a y s .............................
S te a m ra ilro a d s ............................
L a u n d rie s a n d la u n d ry w o r k .
M iscellan eo u s........... F o r e s try ..........................................
B u ild in g a n d h a n d tr a d e s ___
O th e r c h em ical w o rk e rs............
O th e r food p re p a re rs ..................
F o u n d rie s a n d m e ta l w o rk in g .
O th e r iro n a n d s te e l w o rk e rs ..
L e a th e r b e lt, le a th e r case, a n d
p o c k etb o o k m a k ers.
Shoes..............................................
T a n n e rie s .............................
F u r n i t u r e .....................................
B o x m a k e rs ( p a p e r ) ..................
P r in tin g a n d p u b lis h in g e sta b
lis h m e n ts.
E lec tric a l s u p p lie s ......................
G as w o rk s ............................
O th e r m iscellan eo u s in d u s trie s a n d o ccu p atio n s.
W o rk ers i n “ n o t sp e c ifie d ”
m a n u fa c tu rin g a n d m e c h an
ical in d u s trie s .
W holesale a n d re ta il t r a d e ___
O ccu p a tio n s n o t in in d u s trie s .
T o ta l................
1
2
4
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
1
1
75
176
28
21
299
342
56
33
13
14
33
19
35
31
25
17
4
3
6
423
69
42
43
15
52
28
7
74
9
104
15
8
1
2
2
343
553
27
58
37
79
49
47
4
9
77
154
1
3
5
1
3
1
1
942
31
91
48
10
22
1
1
1
49
43
354
10
785
8,134
32
1,235
15,582
In a chapter on compensation benefits the statement is made that
from the point of view of administration the Massachusetts law is
good, but that its provisions for permanent disability should he
improved. By an amendment which went into effect October 1,
1914, the rate of compensation was increased from 50 per cent to
661 per cent of the loss in average weekly wages. Moreover the
maximum period of payments in case of death and either partial or
total disability has been extended to 500 weeks, with $4,000 as the
maximum amount of compensation which may be paid. For the
purpose of determining the adequacy of the provisions of the com
pensation law this chapter is devoted to a comparison between it
and the California workmen’s compensation, insurance, and safety
act. It is explained that the California law is chosen because it is
the only such law in force in this country wherein an attempt is
made to construct a schedule of benefits in which weight is given to
the varying effects of different kinds of injury on persons of different
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[258]
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
49
ages and engaged in different kinds of occupation. Examples are
given to indicate the probable award which would be made in Cali
fornia in a few actual cases of permanent disability taken from the
Massachusetts experience. A tabulated comparison of the benefits
under the two laws is presented.
During April, May, and June, 1914, the board, operating through
its inspection ^department, carried on a campaign of factory inspec
tion for the purpose of promoting accident prevention and encourag
ing employers to form safety committees to assist in reducing the
number of accidents in their plants. The data were collected from
48 factories employing 56,587 workers, and covered two 6-month
periods, one ending December 31, 1913, preceding the inspection,
and the other ending December 31, 1914, after the inspectors had
conferred with employers and suggested methods for eliminating
causes of accidents. This information is summarized in the follow
ing table:
C O M P A R A T IV E N O N F A T A L A C C ID E N T E X P E R I E N C E O F 48 S E L E C T E D F A C T O R I E S
F O R T W O 6 -M O N T H P E R I O D S , O N E B E F O R E A N D O N E A F T E R T H E A C C ID E N T P R E
V E N T IO N M E T H O D S W E R E IN F O R C E .
[A re p o r te d a c c id e n t is a n o tic e of in ju r y m a d e to th e b o a rd b y th e e m p lo y e r a n d a ll r e p o rts so m a d e a re
in c lu d e d w h e th e r or n o t th e re w a s a n y d is a b ility or ch arg e o n a c c o u n t of m e d ic al a tte n tio n . A d is
a b ility case is one in w h ic h th e re w a s d is a b ility o n a n y d a y o r s h ift o th e r th a n th e one o n w h ic h th e
in ju r y o c cu rre d . A c o m p e n sa tio n case is one in w h ic h c o m p e n sa tio n w as p a id for to ta l d is a b ility w h e n
th is d is a b ility w a s s till e x is te n t or a fte r th e fifte e n th d a y follow ing th e o c cu rren ce o f th e in ju r y . A
lo s t d a y is one in w h ic h th e re w a s d is a b ility o n a n y o th e r d a y th a n th e one o n w h ic h th e in ju r y o ccu rred .
A c o m p e n sa tio n d a y is one o n w h ic h c o m p e n sa tio n w as p a id for one d a y to o n e p erso n for to ta l d is
a b ility . T h e w age loss is b a se d o n th e a v erag e w e ek ly e a rn in g s h o w n o n th e v a rio u s a c c id e n t re p o rts
ta k e n in c o n ju n c tio n w ith th e p e rio d of to ta l d is a b ility . C o m p e n sa tio n p a id is d e riv e d fro m th e a m o u n t
so p a id in eaich case o n a c c o u n t of to ta l d is a b ility .]
N u m b e r for 6
m o n th s e n d in g —
C lassificatio n .
R e p o r te d a c c id e n ts ........................
D is a b ility c ases................................
C o m p e n sa tio n cases........................
D a y s lo s t............................................
C o m p e n sa tio n d a y s ........................
W ag es lo s s ..........................................
C o m p e n sa tio n p a i d ........................
1913
1914
2,403
1,138
422
22,548
11,476
$34,667
$9,035
1,901
907
301
14,237
6,401
$22,195
$5,329
Per
c e n t of
decrease.
.
20.89
20.30
28.67
36,85
44.21
35.98
41.02
A verage p e r con
c ern for 6 m o n th s
e n d in g —
1913
1914
50.06
23.70
8.79
469.75
239.08
$722. 22
$188. 21
39.60
18.89
6 . 27
296. 60
133.35
$462. 39
$1 1 1 . 0 2
A v erag e p e r 100
e m p lo y ees for 6
m o n th s e n d in g —
1913
4.24
2 .0 1
.74
39.84
20.28
$61. 26
$15.96
1914
3.35
1.60
.53
25.15
11.31
$39.22
$9.41
In this comparison no serious attempt was made to jn'oeure the
average number of full-time workers in each concern, and the total
number of employees given, 56,587, represents the average at any
one time in the course of the year. The number reported to the
board at the time of the inspection has been made to serve for the
two periods considered. This being the fact and no account there
fore having been taken of the inevitable fluctuation in the number of
persons employed and in the number of days in operation of the
various factories, thus eliminating the element of exposure, the
comparisons of the above table are rather unsatisfactory.
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M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
The costs and wage loss given above show only that part which is
due to lost time for total disability and do not include the entire
. money loss due to accidents.
Other real costs not included are those on account of medical and
hospital service, additional compensation for specific injuries and
compensation for partial disability. Likewise time lost on account
of partial disability is not included. These figures, while necessary
for computing the cost of insurance, were not considered essential for
the purpose of the study here made. While the cost of medical atten
tion might well be included, such information was not readily available
when the data were compiled. In this campaign the ultimate aim
of the board was to impress upon all concerns the fact that a real
reduction of accidents may be accomplished, first, through the
agency of eliminating unsafe conditions, and second, by organizing
for safety. Efficient organizations in which conditions are kept up
to a standard which should be constantly raised is a most vital factor
for the reduction of accidents and the enormous economic loss thereby
entailed and for the ultimate solution of the problem of reducing
the cost of insurance.
In connection with accident prevention in industries the report
shows, as already indicated, that the average amount of compensa
tion benefits for the 60,161 cases handled by insurance companies
was, in 1913, $40.51, and in 1914, $43.57. I t is stated that two years
of extensive and classified study has led the board to conclude that
at least 40 per cent of the accidents arising out of and in the course of
employment may be avoided and prevented by the introduction of
efficient safety devices and the organization of safety committees in
cooperation with the board. During the first two years, administra
tion of the workmen’s compensation act 186,076 nonfatal and 983
fatal injuries were reported, although the total reported by insurance
companies as receiving benefits^was 101,544. Based on this figure
the average sum paid for and estimated as outstanding in compensa
tion benefits per case was $42.33, while the actual premium cost was
slightly in excess of $107 for each case. By reason of the injuries
above referred to employers lost the services of experienced workmen
for a total of 2,493,753 working days, and the actual wage loss to the
employees was $6,137,665. The value of the economic loss to the
employer by reason of the substitution of less efficient employees
constitutes a heavy tax on industry often overlooked. At least 50
per cent of this loss, it is believed, may be saved to employers and
employees. A detailed plan for the organization of safety committees
is given, and it is the opinion of the board that if such plan were put
into effect it would eventually result in a saving by employers of an
average of nearly $40 on every injury reported to the board which
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51
subsequently is prevented. It is also claimed that the employers
may save through such organizations at least 50 per cent of loss in
wages sustained by them on account of injuries.
The inspection department was organized at the beginning of 1914,
and its work covering nearly 11 months is reported. During that
time 3,157 investigations were made in every part of the State.
Among matters investigated were circumstances and facts of particu
lar accidents necessary to determine whether they occurred “ out of
and in the course of employment/' whether either employer or the
employee was guilty of serious and willful misconduct, the extent and
duration of the disability, both total and partial, the average weekly
rate of wages of the injured employee on which his compensation
should be based, the extent and reasonableness of medical and hospital
services rendered, and, in fatal cases, all the facts relating to depend
ency. In addition, 145 industrial establishments, employing 110,000
workers, were inspected and a copy of the inspector's report and recom
mendations was sent to each employer. The replies received indicate
that this feature of the work is meeting with general cooperation
on the part of employers.
The cooperation of insurance companies in the matter of accident
prevention and reduction is commended, and evidence of this assist
ance is furnished in statements submitted for publication in the
report giving the attitude of the various companies toward accident
prevention and reciting some results accomplished. About 100 pages
of the report are devoted to these statements, including illustrations
of various methods of safeguarding machinery.
Two years experience in Massachusetts has prompted the industrial
accident board to make certain recommendations for changes in the
compensation law. For many accidents no compensation is available
either to the injured employee or his dependent family in case of
death. The board believes that this condition is due to the fact
that the law is elective and not uniform in its application, and
recommends that legislation be enacted to make the statute apply to
all employers and to employees and then* dependents within the
classes mentioned in the present elective act, and to such others
who on conditions may be included.
Of several other recommendations included in the report two are
of sufficient importance to merit specific reference. The present act
provides a waiting period of two weeks during which medical attend
ance is furnished but no compensation paid. The important reason
for a waiting period is to discourage malingering, and since it is stated
that “ such cases are practically unknown in this Commonwealth" the
board recommends that the law be changed so as to provide for a
waiting period of 10 days in all cases in which the incapacity does not
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M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
exceed 28 days, and in all other cases where the period of incapacity
exceeds such period of 28 days from the date of injury compensation
should date back to the day of injury.
The board also recommends that the maximum weekly amount
payable in all cases under the statute be changed from $10 to $14,
the minimum payment to remain as it now is, at $4 weekly. When
the general statute was amended increasing the rate of compensation
from 50 per cent to 66§ per cent of the average weekly wage of the
injured employee no change was made in the minimum and maximum
weekly payments and it is believed that the skilled employee should
receive at least a share of the benefits provided by the increase in the
rate of compensation.
In a chapter devoted to the comparative cost of compensation
under different scales of benefits, an analysis is presented to establish
a reasonably accurate set of loss cost differentials which will indicate
the effect of changes in the law as suggested above. The board
estimates that—
If the benefits which went into effect October 1, 1914, had been
operative in the period July 1, 1913, to June 30, 1914, the increase
in the cost of compensation would have been approximately 40 per
cent and the increase over the cost of the present law due to proposed
amendments would have been 12 per cent. Insurance companies
have reported to the Industrial Accident Board figures which show
the paid and estimated outstanding losses in compensation claims.
If we take their figures for the year July 1, 1913, to June 30, 1914—$2,299,330.60 1—and increase this amount by 40 per cent, we get
$3,219,330.60, as an estimate of payments which would have been
made in this period if the present law had then been in effect. The
addition of 12 per cent to this amount results in the estimated cost
under the proposed amendments if effective in this period. Such
increase makes the total estimate of cost under the changes considered
$3,605,650.27, or an additional cost of $386,319.67. Analysis of the
factors which result in the increase of 12 per cent shows that the total
increase would be 3 per cent if no change were made in the waiting
period. Since 3 per cent is one quarter of 12 per cent, and the total
increase in dollars is estimated at $386,319.67, one-quarter of this
amount, or $96,579.91, represents the increased cost due to increasing
the maximum weekly compensation to $14. The balance of $289,799.76 is the estimated cost due to a reduction in the waiting period.
As indicating the manner in which the act has been interpreted by
the board and applied in cases arising for settlement, 27 pages of the
report are devoted to a statement of rulings and decisions under the
act. This is followed by a chapter presenting a survey of workmen’s
compensation legislation in the various states.
Included in the report is a gallery of injured workmen with a brief
comment on each case.
1 T h is does n o t agree w ith th e a m o u n t g iv e n on p p . 24 a n d 472 of t h e re p o r t, a n d th e d is c r e p a n c y is n o t
e x p la in e d .
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M O N T H L Y B E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
53
OHIO.
In the Statement of the Condition of the Ohio State Insurance Fund,
as of November 15, 1915, it is asserted that had the plan ceased
operating on that date it would return to the employers $697,279.36,
which would be over and above all amounts necessary to bring to
full maturity every single claim and all collected unearned premi
ums, and would be made up of the following items:
Interest received from premium deposits................................................... $182, 408. 26
The 5 per cent premium required of all self-insurers................................ 142,174. 27
Catastrophe reserve developed by State risks
...................................... 346, 003.48
Net surplus premium.................................................................................... 26, 693. 35
Total...................................................................................................
697, 279. 36
It is explained that this total will be very substantially increased
when all additional premiums due the fund as of November 15, 1915,
as a result of very heavy underestimates of pay rolls, are collected.
Based on a large number of pay roll reports that have been recently
completed by the employers and returned to the commission, the
actual pay-roll total would be increased approximately 44 per cent
over the estimated pay roll.
“Most of the 209 rates which have been increased can be. substan
tially reduced and that the 253 rates which have been reduced as of
January 1, 1916, can be still further reduced.”
A tentative “ statement of the conditions of the employers’ fund as a whole” as of
November 15, 1915, issued by the commission, is as follows:
A SSETS.
Premiums received................................................................................... $6, 064,145. 81
Premiums in course of collection.................................................. .........
453, 237. 79
Additional premium factor. . ........... ............. ........................................
159, 607. 22
Interest from premium deposits...............................................................
182, 408. 26
Total................................................................................................
6, 859, 399. 08
L I A B IL I T I E S .
Warrants issued.........................................................................................
Reserve for losses (to bring all claims to full maturity).........................
Catastrophe reserve developed by premium of State risks....................
(a ) Interest received from premium deposits.........................................
(f>) 5 per cent premium from self-insurers..............................................
Unearned premiums.................................................................................
Net surplus premiums.............................. ................................................
3, 695, 885. 60
1, 875, 410. 58
346, 003. 48
182, 408. 26
142,174. 27
590, 823. 54
26, 693. 35
Total................................................... ...........................................
6, 859, 399. 08
This statement, it is explained, involves the factor of underesti
mated pay rolls as applied to both earned and unearned premiums.
It shows an unearned premium total of $590,823.54 and it is suggested
that when all additional premiums due the fund as of November 15,
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M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
1915, have been collected, the total unearned premiums will be near
$ 1, 000, 000.
The tentative statement of unearned premiums versus loss cost as
of November 15, 1915, covering employers’ fund only, shows gross
earned premiums amounting to $5,943,993.01; awards made, includ
ing paid and deferred, amounting to $5,018,040.56;1 pending claims,
including unreported, amounting to $553,255.62; total losses amount
ing to $5,571,296.18; surplus of $372,696.83, and gross loss ratio of
93.7 per cent. The net earned premiums versus loss cost, showing
a net loss ratio, is set forth in the following table:
STATEMENT OF NET EARNED PREMIUM VERSUS NET LOSS COST AS OF NOV. IS, 1915
(EM PLO Y ERS' FUND ONLY).
S ch ed u le.
G ross e a rn e d C a ta s tro p h e N e t e a rn ed
p re m iu m .
reserv e.
p re m iu m .
B a k e rs .......................................................
$53,649.87
C h em ical—p a in t a n d d r u g ................
26,417.12
C oach (c a rria g e a n d w a g o n ).............
149,189.39
C oal m in e s ...............................................
442,756.43
C o n tra c to rs ............................................. 1,105,806. 57
E le c tr ic .....................................................
117,380.45
L e a th e r (s h o e s ).....................................
63,848.01
L u m b e r ....................................................
187,926.75
M e a t...........................................................
54,350.49
M e ta l......................................................... 1,744,527.12
M illin g .......................................................
34,464. 70
M in in g ( n o t c o a l) .................................
19,755.03
M iscellan eo u s.........................................
427,853.29
O ils.............................................................
68,122.32
O re a n d b la s t fu r n a c e .........................
125,555.94
P a p e r .........................................................
120,996.14
P o tt e r y (g la s s ).......................................
221,997.97
P r i n t i n g ...................................................
67,560.82
R u b b e r .....................................................
107,255.28
S te v e d o re .................................................
22,548.15
S to n e .........................................................
138,951.39
T e x tile ......................................................
68,393.80
T o b a c c o ....................................................
14,240.94
V essel.........................................................
11,042.16
W a re h o u s e .............................................
364,818.42
W o o d .....................................................
152,367.35
A b s t r a c t..................................................
32,217.11
5,943,993.01
T o ta l
losses.
S u rp lu s.
$3,119.52 $50,530.35 $49,621. 81
$908.54
1,602. 45
24,814.67
26,862.22 - 2,047. 55
8,383.52 140,805.87 142,068.93 - 1,263.06
22,917.03 419,839.40 498,387.15 -7 8 ,5 4 7 .7 5
61,255. 84 1,044,550.73 920,060.22 124,490.51
6,881.56 110,498.89
87,619.35
22,879.54
3,820.27
60,027. 74
45,599.94
14,427.80
11,231.98 176,694.77 200,553.15 -2 3 ,8 5 8 .3 8
2,659.42
51,691.07
36,594.58
15,096.49
105,152.37 1,639,374.75 1,638,045.56
1,329.19
2,104:25
32,360.45
41,062.30 - 8,701.85
1,171.57
18,583.46
21,518.76 - 2,935.30
24,440.86 403,412.43 456,304.26 -5 2 ,8 9 1 .8 3
3,902.48
64,219.84
70,883.26 - 6,663.42
8,570.05 116,985.89 137,909.36 -2 0 ,9 2 3 .4 7
7,884. 8 8 113,111.26 129,599.33 -1 6 ,4 8 8 .0 7
13,000. 47 208,997.50 248,474.82 -3 9 ,4 7 7 .3 2
. 3,997.32
63,563.50
61,870.39
1,693.11
6,240.24 101,015.04
95,471.77
5,543.27
1,254. 61
21,293. .54
13,715.89
7,577.65
8,787.45 130,163.94 139,820. 73 - 9,656.79
4,086.21
64,307. 59
45,253.34
19,054.25
807. 00
13,433.34
3,546.22
9,887.12
581.36
10,460.80
15,859.68 - 5,398.88
20,972. 45 343,845. 97 293,684. 51
50,161.46
9,252. 6 6 143,114. 69 131,868.12
11,246.57
1,925.06
30,292.05
19,040.53
11,251.52
346,003.48 5,597,989.53 5,571,296.18
26,693.35
L oss
ra tio .
98.2
108.3
100.9
118.7
8 8 .1
79.3
76.0
113.5
70.8
99.9
126.9
115.8
113.1
110.4
117.9
114.6
118.9
97.3
94.5
64.4
107.4
70.4
26.4
151.6
85.4
92.1
62.9
99.5
In this table the total catastrophe reserve is that accruing from
premiums on State risks. To this must be added interest received
on premium deposits, amounting to $182,408.26; self insurance 5
per cent catastrophe reserve, amounting to $142,174.27; making a
total catastrophe reserve of $670,586.01. The net surplus is the
source from which liability insurance companies would declare divi
dends to stockholders. The reduction of rates from time to time
has been based on this surplus. The statement of May 15, 1915,
showed a net surplus premium of $284,206.06, and as of July 1, 1915,
the commission made its fifth reduction of rates.
1Including awards made to the middle of December, 1915, on all accidents occurring on or before
Nov. 15, 1915.
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M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABO R S T A T IS T IC S ,
55
OREGON.1
The first annual report of the Industrial Accident Commission is
a pamphlet of 44 pages setting forth the operations of the work
men’s compensation law for the 12 months ending June 30, 1915.
This law creates an industrial fund from which the benefits of the
act are provided for workmen who are injured by accidents arising
out of and in the course of their employment. These benefits have
been paid promptly, without litigation of consequence and irrespec
tive of the question of negligence or fault. The fund is made up by
payments from the employer, the workman, and the State. During
the first year the employee paid one-half of 1 per cent of his wages but
not less than 25 cents per month, while the employer paid six times
as much and the State contributed a subsidy. At present the em
ployer pays a percentage of his pay roll, which varies in rate accord
ing to the hazard of his operations. The workman’s payment is
1 cent for each day or part of day employed, his employer paying
the assessment and deducting it from his wage. The State appro
priates one-seventh of the total payments of employers and workmen.
While the law is optional in character employers and workmen are
presumed to have elected to become subject to the act where they
fail to serve written notice of rejection. The provisions of the law
apply to occupations named in the act, embracing factories, mills, and
workshops where power-driven machinery is used, construction work,
and certain other occupations. Employments not subject to the act
may secure its protection and benefits by application, the com
mission being authorized to fix the rates therefor.
While many employers at first filed formal notice rejecting the
provisions of the law, a large number later decided to come under
its protection, and when the law became effective July 1, 1914, em
ployers to the number of 4,384 were contributors to the State indus
trial accident fund. During the year the number increased to 5,088,
and it is estimated that between 80 and 85 per cent of the employers
and workmen subject to the law operated under its provisions during
the first 12 months. During the year the compensation benefits paid
out or set aside amounted to $370,200.46. The administrative ex
pense amounted to $49,528.05, making the total benefits and expense
$419,728.51, the administrative expense being 11.8 per cent of this
amount.
i S ta te of O regon: F ir s t a n n u a l re p o rt of th e S ta te I n d u s tr ia l A c c id e n t C o m m issio n for th e y e a r e n d in g
J u n o 30, 1915, in c lu d in g also th e p e rio d of o rg a n iz a tio n from N o v . 5, 1913, to J u n e 30, 1914. W o rk m e n ’s
c o m p e n sa tio n la w . S a le m , 1915, 44 p p .
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M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
The following is a recapitulation of the financial statement of the
State industrial accident fund at the close of business June 30, 1915.
R E C E IP T S .
Contributed by the State.................................... $90, 345.22
Employers’ contributions.................................... 450, 932.49
Workmen’s contributions.................................... 78, 754. 33
--------------- $620, 032.04
D IS B U R S E M E N T S .
Set aside in reserve to guarantee pensions........ 174, 843.99
Compensation for time loss.................................. 121, 638. 27
First aid to injured workmen............................. 61, 438. 70
Burial expenses...................................................
5, 219.23
Pensions paid.......................................................
7, 060.27
Cost of administration to date............................ 1 70,129.22
--------------- 440, 329. 68
Balance..........................................................................
179,702.36
As already suggested, the law provides for a payment to the in
dustrial accident fund by the State of an amount equal to one-seventh
of the total payment made by employers and employees. From this
fund are made all payments authorized by the act, including the cost
of administration. The item of $90,345.22 appearing above includes
the original appropriation of $50,000 made by the legislature and
$40,345.22 as the State’s contribution from July 1, 1914, to December
31, 1914. On June 30, 1915, the secretary of state credited to the
fund $40,910.38 to cover the State’s contribution for the preceding
six months. Therefore the contribution made by the State for the
year under consideration would be the total of $40,345.22 and
$40,910.38, or $81,245.60. The report states, however, that while
the payments for compensation benefits as shown in the above state
ment represent a period of one year, the receipts from employers and
workmen were for 11 months only.
The fact that during the period from November 5, 1913, to June 30,
1915, the insurance features had been operative for but 12 months,
suggests several methods of stating the cost of administration. The
total expense during the entire period, amounting to $70,129.22,
including original organization expense and the cost of permanent
adjustment, shows a ratio of expense to receipts of 10.6 per cent.2
For the year ending June 30, 1915, the administrative expense rep1 T h is figure re p re s e n ts th e c o s t of a d m in is tra tio n fro m N o v . 5,1913, to J u n e 30,1915. A s n o te d e lsew h ere
th e a d m in is tra tiv e c o st for th e y e a r e n d in g J u n e 30,1915, w a s $49,528.05.
2 If th is is b a se d o n t h e re c e ip ts for 11 m o n th s as s h o w n in th e r e c a p itu la tio n of th e fin a n c ia l s ta te m e n t
th e ra tio of e x p en se to re c e ip ts is 11.3 p e r c e n t, in s te a d of 10.6.
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M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
57
resented 8.69 per c en t1 of the moneys handled by the commission
during that period. Using still another method of stating the cost
of administration, it required during the year ending June 30, 1915,
$1,337 to carry $1 in benefits to injured workmen.
Where workmen are permanently partially disabled, as in the loss
of an arm or foot, the law provides a monthly payment of $25 for
periods of time which vary according to the severity of the injury.
The awards range from six months at $25 per month for the loss of
a little finger to 96 months for the loss of an arm at or above the
elbow. Where the loss of fingers, toes, or an eye is involved, the
workman has the option of taking the sum awarded in installments
of $25 per month or a single payment somewhat less than the total
of the installment payments. During the year 66 per cent chose to
take payment in a lump sum. While authority is given the com
mission in its discretion to make lump-sum payments under certain
conditions in fatal cases, no applications for such awards were made
during the first 12 months.
The Oregon law authorizes the commission to provide medical and
surgical attendance, transportation, and hospital accommodations
for injured workmen, the expenditure in any one case being limited
to $250. The charges of surgeons for their services are made in
accordance with a fee schedule which was adopted by the com
mission after securing the views of physicians in various parts of the
State and conferring with a committee from the State Medical
Society. Of the total number of claims filed during the year there
were 12 cases in which the cost of treatment would have exceeded the
limitation of $250. The total cost of medical, surgical, hospital, and
similar service during the year was $61,438.70, or 16.59 per cent of
compensation cost.
During the year but four appeals were made from decisions of
the commission. In only a few instances did workmen ignore the
compensation act and bring suit against their employers, and the
report states that this litigation was generally unsuccessful.
Reserves are set aside in all permanent partial disability cases
where the payments extend over two years. Where workmen are
disabled for short periods compensation is awarded and paid as
promptly as possible after the workman has resumed his employment.
There is no waiting period. In cases of serious injury extending over
1 This is not apparent from the above recapitulation of the financial statem ent, since the receipts there
indicated, as already shown, cover a period of only 11 months. Based on the estimated receipts, $659,076.67,
indicated in the last table, the adm inistrative expense represented 7.5 per cent of moneys handled by the
commission. Based on the receipts from employers and workmen as shown in the recapitulation and
taking the amount received from the State for the 12 months ending June 30,1915, namely, $81,245.60, the
ratio of expense to receipts is 8.11 per cent.
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58
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABO R S T A T IS T IC S .
one or more months compensation is paid at the expiration of each
month.
During the year a total of 4,546 claims were reported to the com
mission. The following table shows the disposition of these claims:
C L A IM S R E P O R T E D A N D D IS P O S E D O F F O R T H E Y E A R E N D I N G J U N E 30,1915.
C laim s.
N u m b e r. P e r c e n t.
R eceived .
N o n fa ta l a cc id e n ts r e p o r te d .......................................
F a ta l a c c id e n ts r e p o rte d ............................... ..............
4,475
71
98.44
1.58
T o t a l.......................................................................
4,546
100.00
2,714
237
876
324
155
59.70
5.21
19.27
7.13
3.41
152
3.35
15
1
.33
1
1
19
20
.02
.02
Disposition.
Final settlem ent................... ...................... ..................... .............
Suspensions (no claim for compensation received)............................
No time loss but first aid p a id .............................................................
Claims in process of adjustm ent...........................................................
Rejection for cause............................... ..................................................
Settled b y third p a rty .....................................................................]...
Monthly payments continued July 1,1915 (disability still existing).
Awards made and amounts set aside:
Perm anent partial.............................................................. ............
Perm anent to tal..............................................................................
Fatal cases.. . ............................................................................. ” ’
Fatal cases:
Finaled by remarriage....................................................................
Finaled by expiration.................................................................
In process of adjustm ent............................................... ..................
Suspended (no record of dependency)...........................................
R ejected ......... ................................................................................ .
Total...............................................................................................
1
27
3
4,546
.02
.02
.59
.42
.44
.07
100.00
Of the 155 claims rejected by the commission 32 of the claimants
were not injured in the course of their employment, 31 furnished in
sufficient evidence of injury by accident, 23 were not disabled, 21 suf
fered from disease, 16 were not subject to the act, the employers of 8
workmen had rejected the law, two claimants were employers, in two
cases the injury had been received while fighting, one claimant had
personally rejected the act, and one claim was rejected because the
workman had been injured while in the service of an employer in
another State. The remaining 18 cases were trivial—chapped hands,
lime and cement poisoning, and infection not resulting from an acci
dent. In the case of hernia, the commission ruled that the evidence
must show that hernia resulted or developed through accident and
had not existed prior to the accident.
Of the 4,546 clahns reported to the board during the year, 2,793
were definitely passed upon, for which compensation was paid. Of
these 60 were fatal, 110 were permanent partial disabilities, 1 was
permanent total disability, and 2,622 were temporary disabilities.
The total receiving compensation includes cases in which the claimant
lost time for as brief a period as one-half day. The summary of
injuries, awards, and first-aid cost is presented in the table following.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[26S]
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
59
SUMMARY OF IN JU R IE S , AWARDS, AND FIRST-AID COST, BY N ATURE OF IN JU R Y ,
FO R Y EA R ENDING JU N E 30, 1915.
Amount of awards.
Kind of injury.
N um
ber of
Burial Disabil
cases. Pension
reserves. (57cases).
ity.
Time
loss.
Firstaid
cost.
Average
Total
benefits
benefits. per
case.
Per
cent
of
total
ben
efits.
$677.70 $162,810.86 $2,713.51 49.7
Fatal ..
60 $156,713.93 $5,419.23
250.00 7,596.31 7,596.31 2.3
7,346.31
1
Permanent to tal.........
570.79 19.1
$54,811.20 $3,998.02 3,978.00 62,787.22
110
Perm anent partial__
36.09 28.9
Tem porary................. 2,622
75,130.73 19,511.37 94,642.10
T otal................. 2,793 164,060.24 5,419.23 54,811.20 79,128.75 24,417.07 1327,836.49 1,173.77 100.0
i This total does not include 876 cases in which no tim e was lost but which involved a first-aid cost of
$1,607.20; nor does it include $35,841.52 paid on account of hospital contracts. Adding these two items a
total of $365,285.21 is obtained, which is $4,915.25 less than the total compensation paid, namely, $370,200.46.
The report does not explain tin s difference.
Of the 2,732 nonfatal accidents 110 classified as permanent partial
disabilities and 2,622 classified as temporary disabilities are shown
according to the member of the body affected and the nature of the
injury. Without giving the details of these tables, the number of
cases, average disability award, average number of work days lost,
average time award, number of first-aid cases in which first-aid bills
were paid by the commission, and the average first-aid cost are indi
cated in the following table:
CASES, AWARDS, DAYS LOST, AND FIR ST AID IN PERM ANENT PA RTIA L AND TEM
PORARY D ISA BILITY CASES.
Nature of disability.
Number Average
Average Average
number Average
Number disability
of first- first-aid
time
of work award.
of cases. award.
cost.
aid
cases.
days lost.
Permanent p artial........................................
Temporary disability...................................
2,622
110
$498.28
47.5
17.1
$36.35
28.65
52
1,057
$76.50
18.46
T otal....................................................
2,732
498.28
18.4
25. 30
1,109
21.16
Of the 2,622 temporary disabilities, 814, or 31 per cent, lasted one
week or less and would have been eliminated by a one week waiting
period; 1,497, or 57 per cent, lasted two weeks or less and would have
been eliminated by a two weeks’ waiting period. In addition, the
longer term disabilities would have been reduced, for the purpose of
computing compensation, by one or two weeks had there been a one
or two weeks’ -waiting period. The compensation for temporary
disabilities would have been reduced approximately $21,000 with a
one week waiting period, and $34,600 with a two weeks’ waithig
period. The length of disability by weeks for fatal, permanent par
tial, and temporary disabilities is shown in the following table, one
permanent total disability case being omitted.
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M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
DURATION OF FATAL, PERM ANENT PA RTIA L, AND TEM PORARY DISABILITIES FOR
TH E Y EA R ENDING JUNE 30, 1915.
Permanent partial.
D uration of disability.
Fatal (disability
before death).
Temporary.
Per cent
of all
disabil
ities.
Number. Percent. Number. Per cent. Number. Per cent.
No tim e loss.................................
One week or less..........................
Over 1 to 2 weeks........................
Over 2 to 4 weeks........................
Over 4 to 8 weeks........................
Over 8 to 13 weeks......................
Over 13 to 26 weeks.....................
Over 26 weeks..............................
1
.9
4
16
38
35
3.7
14.5
34.5
31.8
10.9
T otal...................................
no
4
12
3.7
1 0 0 .0
814
683
599
357
107
50
2,
31.0
26.0
55
Q1 fi
2 1
2
3.3
29.3
94 fi
99 n
2 2 .8
13.6
4.1
1.9
12
5
622
1 0 0 .0
2
3 .3
1.7
14.2
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
1
5.1
92
.4
GO
In the classification of accidents according to industry, 1,378, or
49.3 per cent, occurred in the lumber industry, including logging and
logging railroads, and lumber manufacture and the manufacture of
lumber products. Five hundred and two, or 18 per cent, were due
to miscellaneous construction work. The accident frequency is in
dicated in the following table.
Fatals per 1,000 full-time workers.......................................................................
2. 86
Permanent totals per 1,000 full-time workers.............................................................. 05
Permanent partials per 1,000 full-time workers..................................................
5. 24
Temporary disabilities per 1,000 full-time workers............................................ 124. 85
Total accidents per 1,000 full-time workers..............................................
133.
00
On& hundred and sixty-two, or 5.8 per cent, of the injuries passed
upon were aggravated by infection. The cost of these injuries is
here indicated:
Number of injuries which were aggravated by infection................ ............
162
Compensation awarded (including reserve set aside in one fatal case). . .. $11, 911. 39
First-aid cost to the commission in 71 cases...................................... .........
g, 051. 05
Burial in one fatal case. .........................................................................
100. 00
Total cost to the commission..............................................................
14; 062. 44
The report shows that mechanical accidents were the most costly,
the average for the 661 thus classified being 8203.80, while the average
cost of 2,132 nonmechanical accidents was $79.13. Although the
nonmechanical accidents were greater in number the mechanical
accidents were decidedly more severe. The following table shows the
classification of accidents according to cause, presenting the relative
importance as indicated by the cost of compensation. In fatal cases
the cost of the average fatal case has been used in each instance, as
the cost of individual cases varies too greatly to be of any value as
an index of severity. First-aid expense is not included in the cost.
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M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
61
CLASSIFICATION OF ACCIDENTS ACCORDING TO CAUSE, SHOWING RELA TIVE IMPOR
TANCE AS INDICATED BY TH E COST OF COMPENSATION.
Number of accidents.
Cause.
Fatal.
Nonfatal.
Total.
Cost of com- Per cent
of total
pensation.
cost.
M ech an ical accid en ts.
Boilers and steam pipes.........................
Prime movers (engines and motors)__
Transmission apparatus.........................
Saws.........................................................
Working machinery (other than saws).
Hoisting and conveying apparatus.......
Power vehicles........................................
Miscellaneous mechanical accidents__
1
9
12
0.99
.51
6.17
7.12
4.51
18.48
6.61
661
134,709.28
44.50
75
405
377
393
304
87
14,539.78
35,426.18
32,438.29
19,166.07
9,795.72
17,368.73
10.69
6.32
3.23
5.72
214
214
268
269
5,633.35
21,617.76
12,724.26
7.12
4.19
6
261
43
26
635
4
9
5
71
396
371
393
303
82
8
1
14
12
Total, mechanical accidents.
10
21
66
$2,996.65
1,561.31
18,411.43
21,596.70
13,691.37
56,078.41
20,052.40
321.01
21
64
136
109
247
37
2
1
2
137
111
.11
N onm ech anical accid en ts.
Explosives, fires, corrosive substances, electricity
Falling objects..........................................................
Falls of persons....... .............................................."’
Hand tools......................................................... '
Handling materials and objects.......................... "
Rolling O D jects..........................................................................
Striking against or being struck by objects; step
ping on sharp objects...........................................
Drowning..................................................................
Miscellaneous nonmechanical accidents....... ! ! ! ! !
6
1
8
4.79
11.68
1.86
Total, nonmechanical accidents.
34
2,098
2,132
168,710.14
55.60
Total, all accidents.....................
60
2,733
2,793
303,419.42
100.00
Hospital fees were paid by the injured workmen in 1,520, or 57 per
cent, of the 2,675 cases in which information was available. The fees
amounted to SI per month in 1,276, or 47.7 per cent, of the cases and
the average paid per case reported was 97 cents per month. These
fees are in addition to the regular contributions which all employees
make under the compensation act. In all except one instance it
will be observed the hospital foes are in excess of these regular legal
contributions. In some cases they vTere probably equal to half of
the contributions paid by the employer under the law as in effect
during the period covered by the report. The following table indi
cates the distribution of these payments:
MONTHLY HOSPITAL F EE S PAID BY IN JU R ED WORKMEN.
Dues.
25 cents.....................
30 cents..............................
35 cents.......................
50 cents.....................
65 cents.......................
72 cents.....................
75 cents...................
80 cents.......................
85 cents................
87 cents...................................
Number Per cent.
of cases.
1
2
1
49
22
1
123
2
2
1
0. 04
.07
.04
1.83
.82
.04
4.60
.07
.07
.04
Dues.
SI
81.25
SI .50
$2 .
352.75
$3
— ----------------------------------------------------------------
28089°—16----- 5
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Number
of cases. Per cent.
6
1,155
0 . 22
47. 71
• 52
• 52
. 15
.04
. 04
43.18
2,675
100.00
11, 07
¿/oß
114A
1A
14
1
62
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W O F T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
The Oregon law has adopted in general a pension system of com
pensation. This is essentially different from the system which bases
awards on a percentage of wage and which is largely in use in other
States. A pure premium system is intended to pay compensation
from the standpoint of public policy. The system based on a per
centage of wage is intended to remunerate the injured or his depend
ents in rough proportion to the economic loss suffered. The pensions
awarded under the Oregon law to dependents in fatal cases are,
roughly speaking, as follows: $30 per month to surviving widows or
invalid widowers; $6 per month to children under 16; 50 per cent of
the average monthly support to actual dependents or single work
men, but not to exceed $30 per month.
Awards for temporary disabilities partake of both the pension sys
tem and that based on a percentage of wage. The pensions granted
vary with the marital condition and the number of children under 16
years. However, the law provides that in a vast majority of cases—
disabilities during the first six months—this pension may be increased
one-half provided it does not exceed 60 per cent of the wage. This
means that in effect the Oregon law grants to the injured person 60
per cent of his wage with the following principal minimum and maxi
mum limitations:
MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF PENSION FOR TEM PORARY DISABILITY-
Marital condition and number of children under 16.
Unm arried.......................................... . .
Married and no children...............................................................
Married and 1 child......................................................
Married and 2 children..................................................................
Married and 3 children......................................................
Minimum Maxi
mum
pension. pension.
m oo
35.00
41.00
47.00
50.00
$45.00
52.50
61.50
70.50
75.00
It will be seen that the minimum limitations are high, in some cases
$50 per month. This, coupled with the fact that Oregon has no
waiting period and that the wage per month is estimated on the basis
of 26 days, or 312 days per year, raises the aggregate Oregon awards
for temporary disabilities above the level of those granted in other
States. The wage loss for 2,622 temporary disability cases during
the year amounted to $125,287.63. The compensation paid to cover
this loss was $75,130.73, or 60 per cent of the wage loss. Under the
Washington law, in which the system of awards is the same as in
Oregon with some decrease in pensions, the percentage of wage loss
paid in compensation is 47.6 per cent. A comparison with the
percentage of wage loss that according to estimates would have
been granted in the Oregon cases under the schedule of a few typical
laws in other States may be useful, and the following is quoted from
the report:
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OP T H E B U R E A U OP LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
63
One type of law, adopted in a number of States, pays compensation on the basis of 50 per cent of the average wage, with a maximum
limit of $10 per week, a minimum limit of $5 per week, and a two
weeks’ waiting period. Such a schedule applied to the Oregon
cases would have paid 25 per cent of the wage loss.
A more liberal type of law is that of New York, in which the
awards are based on 66§ per cent of the average wage, with a maximum
limit of $15 per week, a minimum limit of $5 per week, or full wages
and a two weeks’ waiting period. Such a schedule applied to the
Oregon cases would have paid 34 per cent of the wage loss.
One of the most liberal of the Taws that pays a percentage of the
wage is that of Ohio. The awards are based on 66§ per cent of
the average wage, with a maximum limit of $12 per week, a minimum
limit of $5 per week, or full wages and a one week waiting period.
Such a schedule applied to the Oregon cases would have paid 42 per
cent of the wage loss.
In these last three typical cases the average weekly wage is taken
to be based on 300 work days per year. Some of the facts to be
noticed in thè above comparison are:
The awards for temporary disability granted under the system of
pensions in Washington and Oregon result in liberal compensation
as compared with the awards granted in States in. which compen
sation is based on a percentage of wage and in which waiting periods
exist. The percentage mentioned in the law is not always a true
index to the percentage of wage loss which is paid to injured workers.
The standard of 66f per cent of wage loss which has been set by some
federations and associations has not as yet been reached in any State.
PHYSICAL EXAMINATION OF WAGE EARNERS IN OHIO.
A recent report by the Department of Investigation and Statistics
of the Industrial Commission of Ohio presents an account of an in
vestigation of the results of physical examination of applicants for
work and of employees at work in certain establishments in Ohio
during the year 1914.1
According to this report “ the movement for physical examination
of applicants for work and of employees has grown rapidly in Ohio.”
Tlius, prior to April of 1914, excluding railroads and street railways,
only 4 establishments required applicants for work to undergo a
physical examination. During that year, however, 11 establish
ments began physical examinations of applicants for work and of
employees; 14 began the physical examination of applicants for
work only, and 1 establishment the examination of employees.
In the course of collecting data for this report, it was found that in
the first eight months of 1915 six establishments began the physi
cal examination both of applicants for work and of employees, 4
1 Physical Examination of Wage Earners in Ohio in 1914. Columbus, 1915. 29 pp. (Bulletin of the
Industrial Commission of Ohio, Vol. II, No. 6 ; Department of Investigation and Statistics, Report No. 18.)
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64
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OE T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
others began the physical examination of applicants for work alone
and 2 others of employees alone. There were, therefore, in Ohio at
the time of the investigation 42 establishments, normally employing
approximately 68,500 persons, which required physical examina
tion of applicants for work or of employees or of both.
The distribution by industries of the establishments which were
covered by the investigation was as follows:
N um b er of estab lish
m en ts reporting ex
am in ation of—
In d u stry.
S teel w orks a nd rollin g m ills ...................................................................................................
F o u n d ry and m achine"shop p rod ucts........................ ...........................................
R u b b erg o o d s m anufacture.."......................................................................................
T elegraph and telep hon e com p an ies.........................................................................................
W ire w o rk s............."..................................................................................
E lectrical m ach in ery and su p p lies............................................ ........................................
A ll others, in clud in g cash registers, calcu latin g m ach in es, cu tlery and to o ls,
transportation b y w ater, m ain ten an ce of b u ild in gs an d office w ork , and cloth
in g m an ufacture........................................................................................................................
T o ta l.................................................................................................................
A pp lican ts
for w ork.
E m p lo y ees
a t w ork .
13
5
1
3
4
4
2
1
1
1
1
4
i
29
12
Complete records are not available for all these establishments.
Twenty-six establishments, which required applicants to undergo a
physical examination and which kept records, examined 23,118 per
sons during 1914, and rejected 1,040 because of physical inefficiency.
Six establishments, which required employees to undergo a physical
examination and which kept records, examined 8,054 during 1914 and
reported 791 physically unfit for the work at the time of the examina
tion, but discharged only 118 as a result of the examination. The
remaining 673 were allowed to remain on the work on which they
were engaged, but were given advice concerning treatment or were
furnished treatment, or were transferred to work for which they were
better fitted.
The purposes of the physical examination of workmen were
declared to be (1) to enable the employer to select men physically fit
for the work he wants them to do, (2) to determine their physical
condition so as to avoid unjust claims for injuries, (3) to adjust the
employed to the work for which he may be physically best suited,
and (4) to maintain the health of employees by preventing the intro
duction of communicable diseases, by advising and educating indus
trial workers to care for their physical well being, and to reduce the
hazard to the individual employee and his fellow workmen arising
from physical defects.
The investigation showed that these physical examinations varied
greatly in the various establishments, both as to the character of the
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[274]
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
65
person by whom they were conducted and as to the degree of thor
oughness observed,. The report does not relate the results of the
examinations to the degree of thoroughness in the methods em
ployed, nor does it show results by establishments or industries. In
11 of the 29 establishments male applicants for work were examined
physically by graduate physicians employed on full time ; in 8 estab
lishments practicing physicians were retained on a fee basis; in 5
establishments graduate trained nurses made the examinations; in
4 establishments employment officers who were not medical graduates
made the examination, and in 1 establishment a practicing physician,
who took charge of the general medical work of the establishment, was
retained on annual salary. In the 12 establishments which exam
ined employees at work, graduate physicians were employed to do
the work. As to degree of thoroughness, it is noted that the time of
each examination ranged from about 5 to 30 minutes.
It is pointed out that as a general rule “ the examinations were not
conducted along exact lines of scientific investigation, but, instead,
each type of examination was arranged to point out the defects it
seemed important to disclose in relation to the particular requirements
of the establishment or the ideas of those in charge.”
The results of the examinations, both of applicants for work and
of employees at work, may bo summarized in the following table :
CAUSES OF REJECTIONS OF APPLICANTS FOR W ORK AND CAUSES RENDERING
EM PLOYEES AT W ORK U N FIT FOR TASKS AT WHICH ENGAGED AT TIME OF EXAM
INATION.
Employees found unfit for
work at which engaged.
Applicants rejected.
Cause.
Male.
Female.
Male.
Total
Female.
Total.
General diseases:
Syphilis...................................................
Tuberculosis...........................................
Other general diseases...........................
Total....................................................
Circulatory system:
Organic disease of the h eart..................
Organic disease of the heart, with com
plications .............................................
Other diseases of the circulatory sys
tem .......................................................
102
58
4
10
Total................................................... .
30
Nervous system, diseases of........................
3
Eye:
Impaired vision....................................
Trachoma..............................................
Other diseases of the eye.....................
125
10
14
Total...................................................
10
[275]
320
3
6
249
3
14
6
226
258
7
5
19
Ear (impaired hearing)..........
Mouth and throat, diseases of.
Chest (poor chest)...................
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
202
71
329
15
*2
66
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OE T H E B U R E A U OE LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
CAUSES OF REJECTIO NS OF APPLICAN TS FO R W O R K AND CAUSES R E N D E R IN G
EM PLOYEES AT W ORK U N F IT FO R TASKS AT W HICH ENGAGED AT TIM E OF
EXAM INATION—Concluded.
Employees found unfit for
work at which engaged.
Applicants rejected.
Cause.
Male.
Hernia:
Inguinal hernia.......................
Hernia, with complications. .
Other forms of hernia.............
230
30
7
Total.....................................
267
Female.
Total
230
30
7
Male.
218
46
Female.
Total.
218
46
272
Genito-urinary:
Gonorrhea................................
Other genito-urinary diseases,
T otal.....................................
Varicose veins................................
Glands, diseases of........... .............
Shin, diseases of.............................
Abnormal growths (tumors).......
Infections........................................
Occupational diseases:
Benzine poisoning...................
Lead poisoning........................
Total.....................................
3
Convalescent..................................
Deformities or maimed conditions
Not specified...................................
31
54
34
12
Grand to tal..........................
938
102
61
1,040
708
SANITARY STANDARDS FOR THE FELT HATTING INDUSTRY
IN NEW JERSEY.1
In an effort to safeguard the health of New Jersey’s half million
workers, and in the hope of promoting a spirit of cooperation among
those engaged in manufacturing processes offering sanitary problems
of peculiar difficulty, the New Jersey Department of Labor has in
preparation a series of bulletins intended not only to prove helpful
in establishing the claims to protection of certain workers who have
been too long sacrificed to supposedly ‘‘necessary hazards,” but also
to enable employers to compare their methods with the latest hygienic
standards now prevailing in their respective trades. One of these
bulletins, issued in July, 1915, is an illustrated pamphlet of 94 pages
which sets forth in detail all phases of the felt hatting industry, and
presents the sanitary standards to be maintained in order to render
employment reasonably safe and free from health-destructive menaces.
The report is based largely upon an investigation of conditions
existing, experiments tried, and results achieved in hat factories
of the Orange Valley and Newark, N. J., Danbury, Conn., Philadel1 Sanitary Standards far the Felt H atting Industry, published by the Department of Labor, State of
New Jersey. Trenton, 1915. Illustrated. 94 pp.
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67
phi a, Pa., and Fall River, Mass., supplemented by other facts gathered
by experts of the department.
Following a chapter describing the felting of fur, the report pre
sents in order a brief description of each process employed in fur
cutting from the time the skins are received to the time they are
sacked and stored ready for the hat maker. After being dampened
and opened, the skins are “ tumbled” or “ carded.” (an extremely
dusty process) to smooth out the little bunches of matted hair, and
are then fed into the “ plucking” machine to be rid of the excess of
hair found in all pelts. In the “ carrotting” process which follows,
the worker encounters the first great hazard connected with the
hatting industry, namely, mercurial poisoning. The carrot, so called
from the carrot-yellow color of the treated skins which have been
subjected to heat, is a diluted solution of nitric acid and mercury
applied by hand to the fur side of the skin for the purpose of opening
up the scales of the fur fiber in order to facilitate their tendency
to interlock, which is the secret of the felting process. Machine carroting is even more dangerous than that done by hand, because the
machines as a rule are operated without mechanical exhaust ventila
tion and the brushes which apply the liquid throw off a fine spray of
mercury, much of which the worker is compelled to inhale. The
skins are then dried. Here again the fumes are extremely dangerous
and exhaust ventilation or a powerful natural draft is imperative.
Brushing the felt to smooth out the matted hair so that the fur will
later come from the cutter with each filament separate generates a
highly dangerous dust heavily charged with crystallized nitrate
of mercury, and in the subsequent cutting process the workers are
liable to accident resulting in loss of the ends of fingers or even an
entire hand. The sorting of fur is done by girls and women and the
sacking and storage by men, both occupations being highly injurious
because of exposure to a mercury-impregnated atmosphere.
One of the most obstinate problems in the fur-cutting trade is
stated to be found in the blowing room where the marketable hatters’
fur is reclaimed from the sweepings and refuse destined for the fer
tilizer plants. Not only floating fur but great quantities of mercu
rialized dust are thrown into the air of the workroom during the
process. In some factories the danger to health resulting from
inhaling this dust has been largely eliminated by the installation of
machines equipped with some type of mechanical exhaust ventilation,
illustrations of which are presented in the report.
The department of labor presents the following summary of sanitary
standards established for the purpose of making fur cutting reason
ably safe and sanitary:
Inclosure, and standard exhaust ventilation on tumbling drums.
Standard exhaust ventilation for the fur-plucking machine.
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M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
Mixing the carrot outside the shop.
Storing the carrot in ventilated chambers.
Rubber gloves and impervious aprons for the carrotter.
A drained bench of impervious material slanting away from the carrotter.
Ventilating hood with efficient exhaust above the carrotting table for both hand and
machine work.
Efficient draft to carry off all fumes from drying ovens.
Standard exhaust ventilation on the brushing machines.
Exhaust ventilation on the cutting machines.
Mechanical exhaust ventilation on all blowing machines.
Removal of steam by means of ventilating hoods from all boiling tanks in the treat
ment of “ roundings.”
Mechanical exhaust ventilation on all tearing machines, teasing blowers, choppers,
and grinders.
No raising of the temperature of the workroom above GOdegrees by means of artificial
heat.
Wearing of overalls and head coverings.
Abundant natural or mechanical ventilation in the storeroom for sacked fur, and
wherever “ white-carrotted” skins are drying.
Daily gathering up of all waste, vacuum cleaning, or wet sweeping of the whole
shop at noon and after work hours daily.
Separate washing facilities for both men and women, with hot and cold water;
modern toilet accommodations; and pure, cool drinking water, preferably bubbling
fountains.
Separate lunch rooms outside of the rooms where mercury and carroted fur are
handled.
Warning notices (such as this one posted in certain English shops) which would
call the attention of workers to the need for cleanliness and personal hygiene:
Fur cutters are warned of the danger of mercurial poisoning of which the principal
symptoms are soreness of the gums, offensive breath, increase in the amount of spittle
and trembling of the fingers.
Workers are warned of the danger arising from the chewing of tobacco, and of eating
food with unwashed hands.
Mercury has a tendency to destroy the teeth, and this can be best obviated by the
use of a toothbrush once every day.
The processes of hat manufacture are carried on in two general
departments, namely, the “ back shop” and the “ front shop,” in
each of which are found health hazards peculiar to the work per
formed. In the back shop the various kinds of graded fur, which
have been purchased from the cutters but which must be refined
before being fit for hat making, are mixed by hand,1 subjecting the
mixer to extreme danger because of the cloud of poisonous fur and
dust thrown into the air, and then in the blowing machine cleaned
of every bit of foreign matter, after which the mixture is weighed out
in the quantity required for one hat. This mixed fur being fed into
a machine is drawn by powerful fan suction and deposited on a
rapidly revolving slightly dampened copper cone where, under the
1 I t is stated th at one firm handling the finest grades of fur mixture is now using for this purpose a machine
which does the work as satisfactorily and more cheaply than hand labor and keeps the room free from dust
and fur.
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69
eves of the “ coner,” it assumes the shape of a huge fool’s cap. This
is removed and hardened and then passed on for the so-called “ w et”
processes, performed in that portion of the back shop called the
“ plank shop.” After being dried, brim stiffened, dyed and finally
blocked, the hat is ready for the “ pouncer” who removes all hair
which, during the sizing operation, worked through the felt and was
left protruding from the surface. In the front shop the hat under
goes the finishing processes, including steam blocking, crown and
brim ironing, surface finishing, curling (in the case of derbies), trim
ming, and flanging by which the curl is set and the desired curve
' given to the brim.
In most of the above processes, to a much less degree however in
the front shop than in the back shop, the chief dangers to health
which are noted are the mercurialized-dust hazard and the steam
hazard, both of which result from essentially necessary factors in the
making of hats. In many of the processes performed in the back
shop the workers are constantly exposed to poisonous dust, although
in some cases this is minimized by properly constructed machinery,
and it is stated that no single department ordinarily contains more
serious health hazards (both mercury poisoning and consumption)
than the blowing room, owing to the quantity of carrotted fur and
dust thrown out by the machine while in operation.
Some idea of the dangers of the work in the back shop may be
gained from the following excerpt from the report:
To those outside the trade no adequate conception of the discomforts of the typical
plank shop can be conveyed by the mere statement that-—from starting to blocking—
the makers work over kettles of water kept at the boiling point. For the greater part
of the year the average sizing and dye rooms are filled with an impenetrable fog. The
starters at the octagonal battery (their shoulders almost touching), may each one be
conscious of his speeding mates, but can only identify them by sense of touch. The
machine sizers only hear the clatter of their revolving “ lagged” rolls; and divine the
aisle guarded by a vibrating line of invisible and, therefore, dangerous power-driven
belts. In cold and damp weather, in dye room or plank shop, there is no escape for
the worker from the hot, podgum-sceuted fog; through which the strongest electric
spot light shows blurred and ineffectual. In addition, all kettles are drained twice a
day, but without direct sewer connections; the hot water flowing through open drains
in the cement floors of the best shops, or spreading out over the whole department
in the majority of cases. The same traditional practice also obtains in the dye room.
Moreover, the brim and tip stretching and blocking machines are continually slopping
over; condensed steam drips from ceiling and rafters; while each starter and sizer
contributes his quota of sousing and splashing to a resulting unparalleled total of
handicaps to health and industrial efficiency.
There are few familiar with earlier winter trade conditions at their worst who can
not recall seeing highly skilled American workers standing with chilblained feet in
water but little above the freezing point; dripping with steam and sweat from the
waist upward; their hands raw from the friction of their plank pins and wooden or
leather shields (called gloves); an old umbrella hung overhead to keep off the trick
ling condensation from the roof; uncomplainingly paying their physical toll of colds,
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M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABO R S T A T IS T IC S .
coughs, bronchitis, pneumonia, consumption, and mercury “ shakes,” to the so-called
“ necessary hazards” sanctioned by centimes of hat making.
On the other hand, there is none familiar with certain of our largest factories (whose
model concrete-floor construction, free outside ventilation, ample light, and location
of the sizing department in the upper story would seem to possess all the obvious
advantages due to modern sanitary standards) who does not know that when natural
draft hoods alone are relied on for steam removal, the results are distinctly unsatis
factory. Even in such shops, for at least five months of normal winter weather, the
workers must rely on sense of touch rather than vision in the operations of starting
and sizing. Tests have shown that the humidity in the vicinity of the worker
approaches the saturation point; although health risks are lessened by other sanitary
provisions, at all seasons they are subjected to the almost daily discomfort of steam
and excessive heat.
Serious as are the physical effects of such habitual exposure to heat and humidity
during working hours, there are also allied risks incidental to the ordinary back-shop
practices which for generations have been ignored alike by employer and employees.
While a lack of proper washing facilities and the prevalence of unsanitary toilets
(including those in detached buildings that involve chilling exposure of workers to
inclement weather) are a health menace, the absence of airy, well-heated dressing
rooms (where street clothing may be kept during the day and wet working clothing
be changed and hung to dry over night) is largely responsible for the back-shop’s
sickness and death record from respiratory diseases.
The report states that efforts to control the steam hazard have
almost universally resulted in failure. An account is given of a
costly failure in the Danbury district which was based upon the
scientifically correct principle that raising the temperature of the
atmosphere immensely increases its moisture-carrying capacity.
However, its successful operation was found to be almost impossible
owing to the difficulty of maintaining a purely mechanical means of
air exchange, for which closed windows and tight walls are the first
requisite.
After months of investigation, experimentation, and discussion
with ventilation experts the New Jersey Department of Labor
decided upon the direct method of steam control at the point of
origin rather than the adoption of the warm-air system. Briefly
stated, this system is based on the idea that the place to control
steam is at the point where it is generated, and that it should be
confined at that point and drawn off before it has a chance to circu
late in the air of the workroom. The report indicates that practical
experience has proved this method to be a complete success, and it
is stated that nearly all the New Jersey felt hat factories have been
equipped with this system.
That the hazard of dust and steam may be largely eliminated is
emphasized by reference to a single Philadelphia hat factory in which,
it is stated, “ all the health problems of the blowing room have been
solved.”
The methods employed in meeting the problems of dust and hu
midity are described in detail.
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71
Tlie universal practice of running the waste water from sizing
kettles and dyeing vats over the floor through open drains is not
approved by the department.
Workers in the front shop are in many factories subjected to dust
and heat hazards, although to a much less degree than in the back
shops, and in addition the air in rooms where crown and brim ironing
are done is vitiated by the long lines of gas-heated ironing machines.
Not only is the oxygen exhausted by combustion but it is an excep
tion, declares the report, to find installations entirely free from gas
leaks. Furthermore, the fire hazard must be considered. In some
establishments these dangers have been eliminated by the use of
electricity instead of gas, and where the use of gas is continued the
department of labor requires efficient exhaust ventilation.
In the surface-finishing department the hat is singed by the use
of naphtha, the fumes of which must be carried outside. In the
trimming room, where women only are employed, it was found that
in New Jersey factories ventilation is sometimes inadequate but that
few such rooms are other than well lighted and cheerful. Toilet
facilities were too often found to be inadequate or unsanitary,
washing arrangements below standard, and dressing and lunch rooms
absent or cheerless. However, it is noted that these disadvantages
to health and efficiency are being done away with as rapidly as trade
conditions permit.
To eliminate the dangers to health mentioned in the report and
thus make the various occupations of the hatting industry safe and
sanitary the department of labor has issued the following summary
of sanitary standards, which it requires all shops to observe:
All mixing should be done mechanically in an inclosed device. There should be
no layering-down or mixing in the open.
The fur mixture should be fed into the “ devil” by means of an inclosed automatic
device.
The “ devil” should be tightly housed and the feed opening properly safeguarded.
All settling chambers should be rendered as dust proof as possible by means of
cheesecloth coverings over the necessary wire-mesh openings.
All boxes containing fur mixture should be kept tightly covered during transporta
tion or while standing in the workroom.
All blowing machines should be fed by means of an automatic device; and all
dust and fur fiber liberated during the blowing and cleaning operations should be
removed from the air of the workroom either by means of the exhaust system stand
ardized in the bulletin, or other approved and equally efficient device.
Vacuum or wet cleaning only should be employed in the dusty departments; and
no dry sweeping during working hours or cleaning by means of compressed air should
at any time be permitted.
The temperature of the blowing room (when due to artificial heat) should not be
permitted to exceed 75°, and when live steam is employed to increase the humidity,
excess temperature should be prevented by means of a cold-water spray, or other
efficient device.
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M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
Fourteen feet should be the minimum height of ceiling in all mill forming-rooms
where the feeder stands on a raised platform at the rear of the forming-machine. When
the ceiling is lower than this requirement, the platform should be lowered, and a
double inclined apron attachment to the forming machine or other device be adopted.
The temperature of the mill room (when due to artificial heat) should not be allowed
to exceed 75 degrees; and when live steam is employed to increase the humidity,
excess temperature should be prevented by means of a cold-water spray or other
efficient device.
All steam generated in the operations of starting, first and second sizing, dyeing and
blocking should be controlled and eliminated by means of efficient mechanical exhaust
ventilation, such as have been standardized in the bulletin.
Wherever factory construction permits, all kettles should be emptied through
closed drains to central traps with convenient clean-outs, and thence to the sewer.
In all shops where the contents of the kettle is pulled and allowed to flow over the
floor or in open drains, substantial wooden floor-gratings should be provided.
Fixed pegs should not be permitted in any drying room which must be entered
while hot by the worker. Unless it is the invariable custom of a factory to only turn
on steam outside of work hours, movable racks or other devices are required, and the
dry room should be of a type standardized in the bulletin.
Wood alcohol fumes should not be permitted to pollute the air of the workrooms
either during the shellacking or drying operations. Efficient means for their removal
should be installed, and care exercised to safeguard against the hazard of explosion.
All dust generated in the operation of pouncing and sandpapering machines should
be controlled and eliminated by means of the efficient mechanical exhaust ventilation
standardized in the bulletin.
All steam pots and singeing flames should be hooded and have direct connection to
the outer air by means of pipes not less than 12 inches in diameter, with efficient
natural draft ventilation.
All hand or mechanical ironing shells should be heated by means of electricity.
Wherever gas is employed for ironing purposes, the health of the worker should be
safeguarded by means of efficient mechanical ventilation.
When the grade of hats handled makes powdering necessary, the dust generated
should be drawn away from the workers by means of efficient exhaust ventilation.
To control the excessive heat generated in the flanging and matricing operations,
ample ventilation should be provided by means of windows, wall fans, or other devices;
all steam plates should be covered on bottom and sides with asbestos to prevent direct
radiation; and wherever possible an electrical device for heating the flange bags should
be installed.
There should be daily gathering up of all waste; and only vacuum cleaning of dry
departments should be p ermitted during working hours.
There should be separate washing facilities for men and for women, with hot and
cold water; and separate dressing rooms, lockers, modern toilet accommodations, and
pure, cool, drinking water, preferably bubbling fountains.
Standard safeguarding should be installed on all shafting under power-driven sewing
machines, and on all belts, gears and wheels; and all set screws should either be re
moved or countersunk.
In the appendix of the report is a chapter in which are described
the symptoms of mercury poisoning both as affecting the mouth and
alimentary canal and the nervous and muscular systems. Asserting
that "pitiful as are the physical effects of mercury poisoning, the
great scourge of the felt-hatting industry is induced tuberculosis of
the lungs,” a statement which is amplified and supported by quota
tions from various medical authorities.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
73
A method and table are presented for ascertaining the content of
moisture in the air of a workroom. A certain amount of humidity is
absolutely essential, but the danger sought to be guarded against as
prejudicial to health is the combination of humidity and excessive
heat. Experiments have seemed to prove that a requisite humidity
may be attained without excessive heat.
The hatting industry is seasonal, practically no worker being em
ployed for 12 months in the year. The enforced periods of rest, it is
pointed out, while a hardship to the trade as a whole, are, from the
health standpoint, physically beneficial to the workers.
THE HEALTH OF GARMENT WORKERS.1
The Surgeon General undertook these investigations of the health
of garment workers at the request of the Joint Board of Sanitary Con
trol of the cloak, suit and skirt, and dress and waist industries in New
York City. (See bulletins of this bureau Nos. 146 and 147.) The
cloak, suit and skirt trades included in 1913 1,735 shops, employing
48,967 persons; the dress and waist industry included 700 shops,
employing 36,868 persons. Thus both combined operated 2,435
shops with 85,835 workers.
The investigation began April 13, 1914, and lasted until Novem
ber 1 of that year. It consisted of five principal inquiries: (1) Com
plete physical examination of about 2,000 male and 1,000 female
workers in the industries concerned; (2) detailed studies of condi
tions of illumination in the shops of both industries; (3) test of the air,
particularly as to carbon monoxide gas, in the shops of the cloak,
suit and skirt and waist industries; (4) conditions of heat and hu
midity in the shops; and (5) a general sanitary inspection of the shops.
The physical examination made is said to have been thorough, and
was conducted by the writers of the monograph, assisted by physicians
of the Public Health Service and one from the Joint Board of Sani
tary Control. An average of 40 to 50 minutes was given to each
worker examined. It consisted in careful physicial examinations
with a view to recording physical data, the incidence of defects and
diseases, the present state of health of each individual, and certain
social data in relation to the social and economic status and the gen
eral standard of living of the workers.
Male workers in the cloak and suit trades are divisible into the
following groups: Cutters; operators, who sew the garments to
gether on electrically-driven sewing machines; finishers; pressers;
1 Studies in vocational diseases. I. The health of garment workers, by J. W. Schereschewsky; II. The
hygienic conditions of illumination in workshops of the women’s gaxmentindustry, by J. W. Schereschewsky
and D. II. Tuck. Prepared by direction of the Surgeon General. Washington, 1915. 224 pp. (Treasury
Department, United States Public Health Service. Public Health Bulletin, No. 71, May, 1915.)
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M O N T H L Y R E V IE W O F T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
and miscellaneous workers engaged in various other operations,
such as buttonhole making, draping, and the like. Females are
classified into but three groups of workers, i. e., operators, finishers,
and miscellaneous workers. Their duties are similar to the corre
sponding groups in the cloak and suit trades.
The data are presented separately for males and females. The results
of the physical examinations are presented in relation to the various
occupations of the two industries which formed the subj ect of the in
vestigation, but are not related to the age of the persons examined.
The incidence of defects and diseases was noted in the cases of
3,086 workers (2,086 males and 1,000 females), and showed an average
of 4.36 defects to each individual. Only about 2 per cent of those
examined were found free from defects or diseases. The examina
tions, however, showed no vocational diseases peculiar to garment
workers. The results are thus summarized, with some slight unim
portant changes in percentages appearing in the original:
F R E Q U E N T O R S I G N I F IC A N T D E F E C T S O R D IS E A S E S A M O N G 2,086 M A L E A N D 1,000
FEM ALE GARM ENT W O RK ERS.
Males.
Defect or disease.
Number.
Anemia (1,998 males, 999 females).....................................
Albuminuria (1,512 examinations)....................................
Appendicitis, chronic.........................................................
Arteriosclerosis.....................................................................
Bronchitis, chronic..............................................................
Color blindness.....................................................................
Constipation, chronic..........................................................
Defective hearing................................................................
Defective posture................................................................
Defective teeth (1,911 males, 955 females)........................
Pyorrhea alveolaris......................................................
Defective v isio n ..................................................................
Deflected nasal septum ......................................................
Diabetes mellitus (1,392 tests for sugar)...........................
Em physem a of lung's...........................................................
F lat and weak feet (all degrees)........................................
Gastric ulcer.........................................................................
Hernia (all varieties)...........................................................
High blood pressure (150 mm. and over).........................
H yperthyriâ.........................................................................
Hypertrophy of tonsils.......................................................
Low blood pressure (below 100 m m .)..............................
Menstrual disorders:
Amenorrhea (not physiological).................................
Delayed m enstruation............. ...................................
Dysmenorrhea..............................................................
Irregular m enstruation................................................
Menorrhagia..................................................................
Nervous ailections...............................................................
O titis media (c ronic catarrhal, and suppurative).........
Pharyngitis and naso-pharvngitis.....................................
Piles, external, internal, arid m ix e d ................................
Pleurisv, fibrinous..............................................................
R hinitis, atrophic, and hypertrophic...............................
Spinal curvature (all grades).............................................
Trachoma:
A ctive............................................................................
O ld.................................................................................
Tuberculosis.........................................................................
Valvular disease of h eart....................................................
Varicose veins of legs...........................................................
Visceroptosis, including gastroptosis and nephroptosis..
96
45
13
65
81
56
466
281
582
516
480
21,422
217
17
70
599
Females.
Per cent.
4.8
3.0
.6
3.1
3.9
2.7
22.3
13.5
127.9
27.0
25.1
2 68.2
10.4
1.2
3.4
28.7
Number.
118
17
3
11
1
1.7
.3
1.1
.1
26.8
6.5
111.4
23.7
16.5
2 75.5
3.6
2
.2
20.8
152
165
7.3
7.9
268
46
12.8
2.2
204
15
.1
11.8
268
65
114
226
158
2 741
36
208
5
3
14
2
Per cent.
.5
.3
1.4
20.4
1.5
4
207
142
381
241
51
612
1,050
8
6
65
37
62
54
in
10
200
22
21
20 0
2 2
2 1
18.2
32
74
99
3.2
7.4
9.9
2.4
29.3
50.8
25
198
205
10.0
6.8
11.6
.4
.3
3.1
1.8
3.0
2.6
66
2
12
23
23
21
6.6
2.5
19.8
20.5
.2
1.2
2.3
2.3
2.1
1F u r t h e r e x a m in a tio n s s h o w n in th a te x t in d ic a te a ra tio of 50 p e r c e n t for b o th m o b s a n d fem ales.
2 T h u s in t h e o rig in al. C o m p a rin g p . 75 of th e re p o rt, i t a p p e a rs t h a t th e p e rc en tag e s sh o u ld b e re s p e c t
iv e ly 74 for m a le s a n d 75.5 fo r fem ales.
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75
Apart from tuberculosis, with which 3.1 per cent of the males exam
ined and 1.2 per cent of the females were found to be afflicted, the
most common defects and diseases among garment workers were, in
order of frequence for both sexes combined, defective vision (74 per
cent), faulty posture (50 per cent of males), chronic nose and throat
affections (26.2 per cent), defective teeth (26 per cent) and pyorrhea
alveolaris (20 per cent), weak and flat feet (26 per cent), chronic con
stipation (23.7 per cent), dysmenorrhea (females, 20 per cent),
hypertrophied tonsils (15.3 per cent), defective hearing (10 per cent),
nervous affections (7.75 per cent).
The degree of physical development of garment workers is only fair,
the average expansion of the chest for both males and females not
being high. There appeared to be a great prevalence of faulty pos
ture, particularly among male finishers, who showed the higher per
centage. Chronic catarrhal affections of the nose and throat were
found very common among garment workers, although the garment
trades in themselves did not seem directly responsible for the existence
of these conditions. The great prevalence of these diseases may be
partly accounted for from the fact that the majority of garment
workers have been city dwellers from birth and exposed to crowded
and congested conditions, which are said to favor the occurrence of
chronic nose and throat affections. Also common among garment
workers are defective teeth and pyorrhea, as well as defective hearing
and nervous affections, particularly neurasthenia. The prevalence of
syphilis was decidedly low.
As to preserving the health of garment workers, the report concludes
with certain recommendations, urging the necessity for the correction
of physical defects and for the formation of correct postural habits,
necessity for attention to oral hygiene, attention to the elimination
of dust or 11fly” from the air of the workshops, enforcement of regu
lations to guard against the spread of communicable diseases in work
shops, necessity of maintaining the temperature of the shops in the
cold season between 62° F. and 70° F., promotion of the use in the gar
ment trades of adjustable seats with backs, establishment of a special
dispensary for garment workers, establishment of sick benefit funds as
inaugurated at present in some of the locals of the cloak, suit, and
skirt makers’ unions for the treatment of tubercular workers, and the
extension of the system of physical examinations by the Joint Board
of Sanitary Control so as to make it applicable to all workers who
may apply.
The second part of the above study on occupational hygiene, con
cerning conditions of illumination in the workshops in the women’s
garment industry, urges, as the result of the examination of the work
shops, adequate provisions for illumination, because of the existing
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M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABO R S T A T IS T IC S .
visual demands of the occupation and because of the presence of a
a large number of visual defects among the workers in the industries
as disclosed by the investigation reported in Part I of the study.
This study also showed that as the result of photometric measure
ments made during the summer of 1914 in a group of 34 typical work
shops the illumination was inadequate in the case of a little over
one-half the working planes measured and that departures from cor
rect principles in illumination were common in the shops. The effects
of these departures were such as to produce inadequate illumination,
glare effects, lack of uniformity of distribution of illumination, and
troublesome shadows.
In view of these findings the report makes recommendations both
as to improving the daylight illumination of workshops as well as
to improving the artificial illumination.
The report contains a group of appendixes dealing with matters of
technical interest in producing adequate and proper illumination.
OLD-AGE RELIEF IN WISCONSIN.1
In a pamphlet of 76 pages the Industrial Commission of Wisconsin
presents the results of an investigation into the problem of relief
for aged persons, the work having been undertaken in compliance
with the provisions of a law (ch. 185, Acts of 1913), directing such
an inquiry. The act prescribes “ a thorough and complete investi
gation of the number, condition, and welfare of the aged and infirm
in this State with a view of establishing old-age pensions.” I t was
also directed that such recommendations and bills as the commission
should deem necessary to offer should accompany the report.2
The commission is a permanent one, charged with the adminis
tration of all labor laws of the State, including the workmen’s com
pensation law. The present report was made, therefore, by men who
are in direct contact with the great body of wage earners, for whom
the question of old-age relief is not to bo answered by improved
methods of charity, but by what the commission designates a “ dig
nified form of support,” in keeping with the character and habits of
those who have rendered worthy industrial service, but wrhose declin
ing years are without adequate provision for their material needs.
The report does not claim exhaustiveness, nor does it advocate any
existing plan or scheme of old-age pensions, but it offers suggestions
favorable to the idea, and submits a rough estimate of the probable
cost of such pensions on plans that might prove to be feasible.
1 Wisconsin: Industrial Commission. Report on old-age relief, issued Mar. 1, 1915. Madison, 1915.
76 pp.
2 An earlier study in the same field is the report of the Massachusetts Commission on Old-age Pensions,
Insurance, and Annuities, Boston, 1910.
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M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
77
The reason for some provisions of the sort is found in five prin
cipal causes arising out of modern industrial conditions. In brief,
these are (1) the great and increasing number of persons dependent
upon the returns of their daily labor for the supplying of current needs;
(2) the shortening of the effective working life by reason of the
demand for speed in the performance of industrial operation, so that
men not in any sense decrepit are none the less unable to secure
employment because of the physical necessity of a degree of slowing
up; (3) the generally increased longevity of human life, prolonging
the unproductive period induced by the second cause; (4) the ten
dency of home and neighborhood ties to be broken, due to the
mobility of our population, so that one may find himself in his
declining years isolated from those to whom he might naturally
and successfully look for needed assistance; (5) the more humane
attitude toward poverty, especially where coupled with age, so that
the aged poor are not so readily consigned to the almshouse as for
merly. The result of these conditions has been the adoption of
systematic measures in most industrial countries other than our own.1
In Great Britain, Denmark, Australia, and New Zealand, State
pension systems exist. Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain,
and Sweden provide old-age insurance under State management.
In discussing the present means of support for the aged in Wis
consin, seven principal sources are considered: (1) Individual savings,
characterized as an uneconomic method because by it every person
is charged with providing, by a lifetime of effort and often of painful
frugality, against a contingency which only a few persons will sur
vive to experience; this uncertainty, and often the impracticability,
combines with other causes to render this an inadequate general
dependence; (2) private insurance, which has been but little prac
ticed in this country, either by purchasing annuities or through
trade-unions or by fraternal organizations; (3) support by children
and relatives, which in many cases doubles the burden to be dis
charged by those undertaking to provide for a growing family, even
if there be those in existence who could be called upon for aid;
i Action has been taken in one State of the Union, Arizona having enacted by initiative petition and
popular vote an act granting to needy citizens of the United States, 60 years of age and over, who have
resided in the State for five years prior to application therefor, a pension of $15 per month so long as they
continue to live in the State.
An act of the Territory of Alaska also provides a form of old-age pensions for “ any pioneer of Alaska,
regardless of sex, who has attained the age of 65 years and shall have resided in Alaska for 10 consecutive
years or more since the year 1905.” An act of 1913 provided for the establishment of a pioneers’ home at
Sitka, and proposed another for indigent pioneers in the interior of the Territory. These are for the relief
of indigent persons who have no relatives or members of their families required by law to support them.
The present act provides th at persons entitled to the benefits of these homes may in lieu of taking residence
therein receive a pension not exceeding $12.50 per month in amount, the same to be paid quarterly. The
board of trustees of the home receives and investigates applications, and makes payments through the com
missioners of the several precincts of the Territory. The sum of $10,000 yearly is appropriated, arrears
of payments, if any, to be a claim on future funds when available (ch. 64, Acts of 1915).
28089°—16— -6
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78
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABO R S T A T IS T IC S .
(4) retirement or service pensions provided by employers, which is
in practice and of necessity a restricted resource; (5) United States
military pensions, which are now paid to some 19,000 residents of
Wisconsin—a number which must decrease from year to year; (6)
public poor relief, mainly by means of almshouses; and (7) private
charity, either through the maintenance of “ old people’s homes” or
more uncertain and transitory agencies.
The inadequacy of these methods to meet the needs of the indigent
portion of the 185,000 1 inhabitants of the State 60 years of age and
upwards is so evident as to require little more than their statement
to raise the question as to what other measures may be adopted.
Four forms of relief are discussed: (1) Voluntary insurance under
the supervision and encouragement of the State; (2) compulsory
insurance of wageworkers; (3) universal compulsory insurance; and,
(4) gratuitous pensions.
Those who advocate the first method claim that it encourages thrift
and maintains the self-respect of its beneficiaries. In practice, but
little success has attended a half century of effort for its develop
ment, and it has hi some countries been partly or entirety superseded
by other methods. The compulsory insurance of wage earners,
chiefly practiced in Germany, though France adopted this plan in
1910, is also commendable in that it avoids the idea of dependence
on charity, even though it can hardly be said to encourage voluntary
thrift. Objections pointed out are its omission of many who may
need such protection no less than wage earners, as women who are
home workers not for wages, small craftsmen, peddlers, and the like;
the inapplicability of such a system to a country in which labor is
so largely migratory as in Wisconsin; and the length of time—at least
30 years—that must elapse before substantial annuities begin to
mature, thus leaving without adequate protection those who are
already old. Universal compulsory insurance meets the first objec
tion but not the other two. I t is stated in the conclusion, more
over, that the contributory systems of foreign countries do not
receive from the beneficiaries more than 30 per cent of the benefits
secured to them, so that it would appear “ that the value of the con
tributory principle is more sentimental than practical.”
The remaining method, gratuitous or noncontributory pensions, is
on the other hand, both comprehensive and immediately effective.
While nominally noncontributory, it is argued that all have con
tributed in so far as they have paid taxes, and further that as
laborers they have helped create the body of wealth out of which all
taxes are paid. The conditions of the receipt of such a pension relate
to age, residence, property, character, and conduct. The objections
1 Estim ated by the commission.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
The num ber returned by the census of 1910 was 176,864.
[
288 ]
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
79
commonly urged are its cost, the discouragement of thrift, an un
favorable effect on character, and a tendency to weaken family ties.
As to cost the report argues that it is rather a matter of incidence
than of amount, the British pension law bearing more heavily on the
general revenue, while the German compulsory insurance system
takes its toll from wages and the employer’s profits. I t is also urged
that the relief proposed will not discourage saving, since it will meet
only bare necessaries, and must be coupled with a modest provision
by the recipient to afford a fair degree of comfort. After 20 years
of experience in Denmark the number of applicants for old-age pen
sions shows a tendency to decrease rather than the contrary, so that
it can not be said that habits of thrift have declined. As to the effect
on self-respect, it is submitted that this will depend mainly upon
public opinion. If considered in the light of deferred real wages
instead of poor relief, no debasing effect is anticipated. The argument
as to the influence on family ties seems of doubtful merit to the writer
of the report, as it would be a strange theory to suggest that a parent
or grandparent is dearer and welcomed into one’s home the more
readily as he is the more burdensome.
Setting aside speculative theories, the report proposes two methods,
not mutually exclusive, the one providing for voluntary insurance
under State management, and the other for a system of old-age
pensions resembling that in operation in Denmark. Under the
second plan which is considered at some length actual indigence is not
required, nor may those who can adequately support themselves
receive pensions. Vagrants, idlers, and others who can not pass
prescribed character tests receive nothing from this “ dignified form
of support,” but must have recourse to poor relief of the old type.
A maximum benefit of ,$150 per annum is proposed, the probable
average being $10 per month, the amount to be raised one-half by a
general poll tax, and one-half from the revenues of the State, the
aggregate cost being estimated at $3,600,000 per annum. The
administration proposed is by the State board of control, probably
through a superintendent of old-age support, acting locally through
the county judges. Pensions are to begin at the age of 65, or 60 if
permanently incapacitated for gainful labor, their receipt not to
affect civil or political status.
The plan is worked out in considerable detail as to conditions of
receipts of benefits, the disposition of any property owned, etc.
Less complete is the discussion of the plan for voluntary insurance
under State management. I t is pointed out, however,’ that 400,000
wage earners of the State pay $1,600,000 annually for “ industrial
insurance,” of which amount only $350,000 was returned to policy
holders in 1913. I t is argued that with proper administration this
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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80
m o n th ly
r e v ie w
of
th e
bureau
of
labor
s t a t is t ic s
.
sum could ultimately endow every wage earner in the State with a
monthly income of $6 at the age of 65 years.
Twenty pages of the report are given to a discussion, chiefly
statistical, of the condition of the aged in Wisconsin, while in the
last 33 pages are summarized the history and results of the various
systems of old-age relief in use in foreign countries, with conclusions
based thereon.
These conclusions are, in brief, that voluntary insurance has been
inadequate as a general means of relief, any success which it may
have attained being nearly in proportion as it has been subsidized
by the State, and that even under compulsory insurance not more
than a fraction of the benefit fund is raised from the beneficiaries
themselves; that no system can meet the problems of old-age relief
without taking into account unmarried, widowed, and divorced
women; that the pension age should be set not later than the age of
65; and that in most foreign countries the provision for pensions is
inadequate in amount, though in passing upon this, differences
in the standards of living and the costs of necessaries must be taken
into consideration.
RETAIL PRICES OF FOOD IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES.
AUSTRIA (VIENNA).
The prices quoted in the table below are, in the case of meats, from
the central meat market, and those for other articles are from the
public markets. They show the general increase in prices in Vienna
in November and December, 1915, as compared with those months
in 1914. If compared with 1913, when no war was in progress, the
increases would probably be even greater. The prices show lowest
and highest points.
R ETA IL PRICES OF FOOD IN VIENNA MARKETS NOV. 6 AND DEC. 12, 1914, AND NOV. 6
AND DEC. 4, 1915.
(Source: Neue Freie Presse, Nov. 8 and Dec. 13,1914, and Nov. 7 and Dec. 5, 1915.)
Article.
Beef, fore quarter.......
Beef, hind quarter__
Beefsteak.....................
Veal..............................
P o rk ............................
Cabbage, w hite..........
Cabbage, red ...............
Lemons.......................
Potatoes......................
Onions.........................
Beans, green............. .
Sauerkraut..................
Tomatoes___; ...........
Peas, yellow................
B u tter.........................
Peas, green, unshelled
Eggs, Iresh..................
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Unit.
Pound__
. . .do..........
. . .do..........
. . .do .........
. . .do..........
Each.........
. . .d o .. . . . .
Dozen.......
Bushel___
Pound__
. . .do..........
. . .d o ..........
. . .d o ..........
. . .d o ..........
. . .do..........
.. .d o .........
Dozen.......
[290]
Nov. 6,
1914.
Cents.
11.4 11. 816. 613. 6-
20.1
21. 2
2.85. 517. 35.532. 5-
4.6
11. 0
39. 8
7.4
37. 5
19. 5
19. 8
14.1- 22.1
1.6- 5.3
2.4- 8.1
9. 6- 19. 2
66. 3-132. 6
2.9- 4.1
5.5- 7.4
2.6
Nov. 6,
1915.
Cents.
31. 3- 49. 7
32. 2- 55. 2
58. 0- 58. 9
34.1- 42. 4
45.1- 51. 6
. 8- 7.1
4.1- 12. 2
19. 2- 28. 8
82.9-176. 8
5.2- 6.1
6.1- 7.0
3.7- 4.4
6.4- 7.0
16. 6- 22.1
55. 2- 84. 7
11. 0- 12. 2
48. 7- 54. 1
Dec. 12,
1914.
Cents.
11.0- 20. 3
14. 8- 21. 2
18. 4- 20. 3
13. 6- 20. 3
15. 5- 22.1
1.2- 3.2
2. 0- 10. 2
9. 6- 14. 4
66.3-154. 7
3.3- 4.2
11. 0- 12.9
3.35. 531. 311. 037. 5-
2.6
5.2
12. 5
44. 2
12.9
48. 7
Dec. 4,
1915.
Cents.
33.1- 47.9
34.1- 51. 6
47.9
29.5- 38. 7
38. 7- 51. 6
1.2- 4.9
4.1- 10. 2
24. 0- 28. 8
82. 9-176. 8
5.5- 6.3
4.4
57.1- 81. 0
58."5-" 60."9
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
81
CANADA.
The chief feature of Canadian prices during 1915 as reported by
the Labor Gazette of the Department of Labor was the continued
advance in materials, especially of iron and steel and their products.
Advances were also noted for wheat, oats, flour, and oatmeal.
In retail prices the weekly cost of 29 staple foods arose from $8.02
to $8.13 from November to December, 1915. From December, 1914,
to December, 1915, the rise was from $7.95 to $8.13. Eggs, butter,
cheese, bread, flour, rice, beans, evaporated apples, potatoes were
slightly higher, while meats were generally lower during December
than in November. Coal and wood were higher and rents remained
unchanged. The following table shows the cost per week of a family
budget of 29 staple articles of food in terms of the average price pre
vailing in some 60 industrial centers in the nine provinces of Canada,
1910 to 1915:
COST P E R W E E K OF A FAMILY BUDGET OF STAPLE FOODS IN TERMS OF TH E
AVERAGE PRICES OF TH E CITIES IN EACH PROVINCE, 1910 TO 1915.
Province.
1910
1911
*7.166
6.107
7.130
6.968
7.251
6.666
7.405
7.884
8.083 8.164
8.147
8. 081
9.028
8 . 789
Nova Scotia............................ «6.817
Prince Edward Island.......... 5.812
New Brunswick..................... 6.548
Quebec.................................... 6.331
Ontario.................. ................. 6.504
Manitoba................................. 7.462
Saskatchewan......................... 7.859
Alberta.................................... 7.998
British Columbia................... 8.321
$6.776
5.795
6.836
6 .457
6 .954
7.138
Total..............................
1913
1914
1915
Decem Novem Decem
ber,1914 ber, 1915 ber,1915
$7.289
6.338
7.041
6.870
7.203
7.873
8.250
8.327
9.128
$7.475
6.693
7.443
7.158
7.479
8.149
8.327
8.266
7.606
$7.826
6.617
7.682
7.387
7.676
$8.071
7.023
7.866
7.578
7.947
8.19
8.181
8.175
8.618
$8.239
6.953
8.108
7.760
8.114
8.427
8.315
8.356
8.649
7.337
7.731
7.866
8.016
8.128
1912
7.339
$7.806
6 . 894
7.755
7.310
7.742
8.on 8.269
8.299 8.805
8.209 8.467
8.807 8.796
7.951
FRANCE (PARIS).
The bulletin of the Ministry of Labor reports a very sharp advance
in the prices of many of the necessaries during the third quarter of
1915. In one community the average price of all food products is
reported as having increased 50 per cent during the quarter. In
general the cost of living has increased from 25 to 33 per cent over
a year ago.
No presentation of actual retail prices is given, but the following
table affords a comparison of wholesale prices of certain commodi
ties in Paris during the months indicated in 1914 and 1915 and of
the general average in September and October for the period 1901
to 1910.
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M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS TIC S ,
W HOLESALE PR IC E S—S EPT EM B E R AND OCTOBER, 1914, 1915, JU LY , 1914, AND
AVERAGES, SE P T E M B E R AND OCTOBER, 1901-1910.
1915
Article.
Sep
tem
ber.
Octo
ber.
Sugar, white, No. 3__ ....... per 100 pounds..
(9
Oil, linseed..................... .......................... do___ §7. 700
Oil, rapeseed.................. ....... ..................do___ 11.560
W heat............................ ................per bushel.. 1.440
Flour.............................. ....... per 100 pounds..
(9
Barley............................ ................per bushel..
(9
Oats, black..................... .......................... do___
(9
Beef 2............................... ................ per p o u n d ..
.182
Veal 2.............................. .......................... do___
.235
M utton 2.......................... .......................... do___
.197
P o rk 3.............................. .......................... do___
.205
P o u ltry 3........................ .......................... do___
.285
Cabbage 8....................... ....... per 100 pounds.. 6. 760
Beans, green 3................ ......................... do___ 4.810
Potatoes, H olland 3....... ................per bushel..
.870
Potatoes, round, green, w hite 2...............do___
.790
Fish, select 3................... ................per p o u n d ..
.438
Fish, ordinary 8............. ..........................do___
.109
Butter, Isigny............... ..........................do___
.361
Butter, common........... .......................... do . . .
.338
Eggs............................... ................per dozen..
.352
Cheese, green................. ................per p o u n d ..
.164
Cheese, dry.................... ........................ do___
.269
1Not reported.
1914
July.
86.670
1901--1910
Sep
tem
ber.
Octo
ber.
82.950 83.670
5.340
5.340
6. 390
7.510
1.470
1.510
1.460
3.040
3.330
(9
(9
(9
(9
.660
.610
(9
.186
.149
(9
.214
.160
(9
.183
.214
(9
.193
.151
(9
.272
(9
(9
6 . 560
1.740
1.930
5.690
4.380
2.190
.950
1.160
.740
.760
.630
.500
.569
.350
.219
.131
.066
.070
.398
.268
.229
.350
.256
.188
.405
.226
.267
.079
.200
.130
.309
.193
.193
8.120
12. 810
2 At the stockyards.
Sep
tem
ber.
84.620 82.550
5. 340 5.300
7.680
5.400
1.470
1.200
2. 710
(9
.760
(9
.640
.500
.151
(9
.182
(9
.175
(9
.131
(9
(9
(9
1.160
(9
4.380
(9
.790
(9
.530
(9
.306
(9
.070
(9
.235
(9
.233
(9
.328
(9
.146
(9
.172
(9
Octo
ber.
82.450
5.340
5. 430
1.220
2. 730
(9
.500
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
3 Central depots.
GERMANY (BERLIN).
The following table shows the average retail prices of certain foods,
principally meats, in the municipal market of Berlin during the
months of November and December, 1915, as compared with the same
months of 1914. The increases are considerable and would be some
what greater if comparison were made with the corresponding months
of 1913, when no war was in progress. Lack of official sources has
made necessary the use of newspaper quotations.
R E TA IL PRICES OF FOOD IN T H E MUNICIPAL MARKETS OF B E R L IN .
[Source: Vossische Zeitung, No. 616, Dec. 2,1915, and No. 10, Jan. 6,1916.1
Week of—
Article.
Beef:
Sirloin, round steak, rump.
Breast...................................
Veal:
Cutlets, loin........................
Breast...................................
Mutton:
Chops, loin..........................
Breast, flank.................. .....
Pork:
Loin, spareribs..
Ham , fresh.........
Shoulder, belly..
Bacon, smoked.........
Ham , smoked, sliced
B u tter........................
L ard ...........................
Potatoes.....................
Eggs...........................
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Unit.
28, Dec. 27 to
Nov. 23 to Nov. 22 to Dec.
to
Nov. 28, Nov. 27, 1914,
31.
Jan. 2, Dec.
1914.
1915.
1915.
1915.
P ound..
..d o .......
..d o ......
..d o .......
Cents.
22.2
Cents.
Cents.
22.5
18.8
Cents.
18.8
32.6
28.7
21.4
33.5
31.8
22.0
20.3
38.9
30.5
20.1
36.3
31.5
..d o .......
. .do.......
21.2
34.1
31.5
21.8
37.2
34.2
. .do.......
. .do.......
..d o .......
. .do.......
..d o .......
. .do.......
. .do.......
B ushel..
Dozen...
20.3
18.1
17.7
23.8
37.2
33.5
1 30.2
1 30.2
130.2
56*6
65.4
54.9
59.4
1 51.8
62.8
21.0
1 30.2
1 30.2
1 30.2
149.7
1 64.8
1 57.9
1 54.0
1 51.8
80.0
1 Legal maximum price.
[292]
19.0
21.6
1 51.8
37.1
19.7
19.0
18.4
23.3
37.8
36.3
23.8
1 51.8
40.0
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABO R S T A T IS T IC S .
83
GREAT BRITAIN.
On January 1, 1915, the retail prices of food had increased approxi
mately 18 per cent over the average prevailing price of July, 1914,
according to the Board of Trade Labor Gazette. Since that time
there has been a comparatively steady advance in prices until Jan
uary 1 , 1916, when the increase amounted to 45 per cent of the price
of July, 1914. These data are based on reports of 500 to 600 returns
of prices from every town in the Kingdom having a population of
over 50,000, about 200 towns with a population ranging from 10,000
to 50,000, and about 250 placeshaving a population less than 10,000.
The following summary show's the increase at the first of each month
during 1915 over the corresponding months of 1914:
P E R CENT OF INCREASE IN 1915 OVER 1914, BY MONTHS.
January. Febru
ary.
March.
22
24
18
April.
May.
June.
26
32
24
No
Decem
Sep Octo
July. August. tember.
ber. vember. ber.
32J
35
34
41
40
44
Taking the price of each article as reported in July, 1914, as abase
the following table shows the per cent of increase, by half-yearly
periods, in towns having a population of over 50,000, and separately
for small towns and villages:
AVERAGE P E R CENT OF INCREASE IN PRICES OF CERTA IN ARTICLES SINCE JU LY ,
1914, ON JA NUARY 1 AND JU LY 1, 1915, AND JANUARY 1, 1916.
In cities having a population
of over 50,000.
Small towns and villages.
Article.
Jan. 1,
1915.
Beef, British:
Ribs .......................................................
Flank, th in .............................................
Beef, chilled or frozen:
Ribs .......................................................
Flank, th in .............................................
Mutton, British:
Legs..........................................................
Breast......................................................
Mutton, frozen:
Legs ......................................................
Breast......................................................
Bacon, streaky...............................................
F ish .................................................................
Flour, household...........................................
Bread..............................................................
T ea..................................................................
Sugar granulated.........................................
M ilk............................................... .................
Butter:
F resh........................................................
Salt...........................................................
Cheese .........................................................
Mar anr in.........................................................
Fggrs ..............................................................
P ntn toes
..... ..............................
.All articles (weighted increase)...................
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
July 1,
19Ì5.
Jan. 1,
1916.
Jan. 1,
1915.
July 1,
1915.
Jan. 1,
1916.
15
8
39
51
37
51
6
8
36
41
34
39
18
32
49
70
51
70
15
21
44
58
43
57
6
28
49
27
48
5
7
30
35
28
34
19
28
9
51
18
18
14
69
44
45
70
34
119
46
45
49
97
30
14
5
31
23
14
13
65
7
38
57
15
51
51
38
26
65
9
38
56
28
75
52
39
48
89
28
32
30
32
10
15
17
33
4
36
33
32
16
6
12
10
10
5
62
i 11
19
1 Decrease.
[293]
66
20
78
46
43
29
70
11
15
15
34
5
27
4
35
8
108
48
21
16
14
4
65
i 22
17
20
i8
30
6
102
i 10
42
84
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
The following shows the trend of prices by means of index numbers
for the period of 1900 to 1915. These numbers are based on the
average of annual retail prices of 23 articles, the prices for the year
1900 being taken as 100.
IN D E X NUM BERS FOR TH E PER IO D OF 1900 TO 1915.
Year.
Index
No.
Year.
100.4
1906...................................
1907...................................
1908...................................
1909...................................
1910.................................
1901.....................................
1902.....................................
1903..................................
1904.....................................
1905.....................................
101.0
102. 8
102.4
102.8
Index
No.
Index
No.
Year.
1911
1912
1913...
1914
1915
102.0
105.0
107.5
107. 6
109.4
109 4
114 5
114 8
116.8
148.6
IT A L Y .
The semimonthly bulletin of the Italian Labor Office publishes at the
beginning of each month a short table of retail prices of seven articles
of ordinary consumption, showing average prices in several cities (40
to 43) as furnished by cooperative stores, local labor unions, and
chambers of commerce. Relative prices of these same commodities
are also shown in parallel columns, the base from which changes are
reckoned being the average prices for the year 1912.
The following table shows the actual and relative prices of the
seven commodities for each of the months September, October, and
November, 1914 and 1915.
ACTUAL AND R ELA TIV E PRICES OF 7 ARTICLES OF FOOD BASED ON AVERAGE PRICES
IN CITIES IN ITALY, SEPTEM BER TO NOVEM BER, 1914 AND 1915.
A V E R A G E A C TU A L P R IC E S .
September.
Article.
October.
November.
Unit.
Bread, wheaten...........................
Flour, w heat................................
Macaroni, spaghetti, etc.............
Beef...............................................
Bacon...........................................
Oil, table......................................
P ound..
...d o ......
. . .do.......
...d o ......
...d o ......
Q u art...
Milk........................................... . . .do......
1914
1915
1914
1915
1914
1915
Cents.
Cents.
Cents.
Cents.
Cents.
Cents.
3.5
3.6
4.8
13.0
18.4
35.6
6.4
4.3
4.7
6.1
19.7
23.5
38.2
6.7
3.6
3.7
5.0
13.4
18.6
34.2
6.5
4.2
4.7
6.2
20.0
23.6
39.3
6.6
3.8
3.8
4.9
13.8
18.5
34.5
6.6
4.3
4.9
6.2
20.0
23.8
39.8
6.7
R E L A T IV E P R IC E S .
(A v erag e p ric e s fo r 1912 = 100.)
Bread, wheaten...........................
Flour, w heat................................
Macaroni, spaghetti, etc.............
Beef...............................................
Bacon...........................................
Oil, table......................................
P ound..
...d o ......
...d o ......
. . .do......
. . .do......
Q u art...
Milk........................................... ...d o ......
General average................
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
94.6
93.2
98.1
100.9
96.0
102.3
86.0
114.8
121.9
124.7
130.8
128. 8
104.5
106.6
96.0
118.8
[294]
98.0
94.7
89.3
102. 5
93.6
103.4
113.6
121.9
128.2
133.1
129.8
107.5
105. 8
91.9
101.3
94.3
105.0
115.5
125.8
127.5
133.1
130.8
109.0
107.5
97.6
120.0
99.1
121.3
102.0
101.1
99.1
101.0
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
85
' NETHERLANDS.
No actual retail prices of any considerable scope are available for
the Netherlands, although the Maandschrift of the Dutch Statistical
Bureau reports each month the relative retail prices of 28 articles of
ordinary consumption from two cooperative stores doing a retail
business in Amsterdam, Haarlem, Arnhem, Utrecht, Leeuwarden,
and at The Hague. The base price on which the changes have been
calculated is the average monthly price for the year 1893. No data
are available for seasonal comparison. The index prices for 1913
and for the period comprising the first seven months and the last five
months in 1914 and for June to November of 1915 are given in the
table which follows:
RELA TIV E PRICES OF 28 ARTICLES OF HOUSEHOLD NECESSITY, NETH ERLA N D S,
1913, 1914, AND T H E LAST H A LF OF 1915.
(A verage m o n th ly p ric e s fo r 1893 = 100.)
Article.
Beans:
Brown...............................................
W hite................................................
Peas...........................................................
Peas, yellow.............................................
Peas, green...............................................
Barley, pearl...........................................
Buckwheat, hulled, cleaned..................
O atm eal...................................................
Cheese:
Leyden..............................................
Full cream ........................................
Coffee........................................................
Oleomargarine.........................................
Flour:
R y e....................................................
W heat................................................
Buckwheat........................................
B u tter.......................................................
Oil, rapeseed............................................
Rice...........................................................
Soda..........................................................
Starch.......................................................
Sirun.........................................................
Sugar:
Moist..................................................
Granulated........................................
T ea............................................................
Vermicelli................................................
Soap:
White, Bristol..................................
Green, soft........................................
S alt...........................................................
All commodities............................
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1913
January
to July,
1914.
154
166
150
125
157
113
104
103
150
169
167
152
140
140
124
94
127
August
No
Au Sep Octo vem
to De
cember, June. July. gust. tem
ber. ber. ber.
1914.
164
179
161
139
147
126
137
107
171
207
181
175
150
145
162
140
171
214
186
182
160
145
167
140
171
214
172
182
160
145
167
140
140
126
87
98
139
124
89
167
149
91
164
145
91
85
124
105
94
136
116
83
103
78
124
105
94
133
85
141
119
115
171
143
136
208
128
100
100
100
133
129
89
87
97
115
214
210
89
85
110
104
103
112
83
103
101
101
142
119
100
107
112
121
112
117
95
92
114
141
100
100
100
87
80
114
83
80
113
[295]
102
100
175
181
170
170
145
175
143
186
203
175
159
167
148
179
113
193
203
178
159
ISO
148
187
140
160
138
91
160
137
92
167
135
94
102
102
164
135
93
102
102
115
182
143
140
215
128
135
171
152
147
216
116
119
159
167
145
216
119
137
129
137
136
140
136
119
153
176
129
192
119
117
137
136
119
147
176
131
199
125
150
137
136
102
100
100
210
100
115
115
115
115
100
100
120
210
100
120
210
119
207
92
90
117
146
90
123 ' 126
154 129
90
90
134
128
90
90
121
145
148
147
111
117
147
112
102
115
100
120
207
128
100
112
145
148
90
86
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
EMPLOYMENT IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES.
The R e v i e w has reported from time to time conditions of employ
ment in foreign countries, as shown by statements found in the
official labor periodicals of those countries. These summaries were
given at some length in issues of the R e v i e w for July, October, and
December. Summaries, for recent months, of conditions in Canada,
Germany, and Great Britain follow:
CANADA.
The Labor Gazette of the Canadian Department of Labor summa
rizes employment conditions throughout the Dominion in 1915 in
these words:
The opening of the year 1915 showed a marked change from the conditions existing
at the commencement of 1914. At the beginning of that year the depressed conditions
of the previous year were still apparent, but in 1915 the improvement which became
noticeable from month to month during the latter part of the previous year had become
fairly well pronounced and the close of 1915 witnessed a return to almost normal con
ditions in many respects. While at the close of 1914 there was still considerable unem
ployment, and in some localities this condition existed during the early months of
1915, the gradual enlistment of men for over-seas service, the employment of others in
the manufacture of munitions and other military supplies, in agricultural and lumber
ing operations and the heavy falling off in immigration, all combined to bring condi
tions in many parts of the Dominion back to almost a normal basis so far as employment
was concerned. Manufacturing in many lines outside of special activity in the manu
facture of munitions of war was improved; lumbering showed activity practically
throughout the year; fishing on the whole was good; mining, both coal and metal,
showed great improvement, and toward the latter part of the year was back to, if not
above, the normal activity of previous good years. Outside of building operations,
which continued to be dull, practically all the Dominion’s industries showed great
improvement.
As the department has but recently commenced the publication of
the activities of employment bureaus throughout the Dominion, only
a limited amount of statistical data is available. Eleven employ
ment bureaus of the Young Women’s Christian Association reported
1,217 vacancies notified and 253 women and girls placed during
November, 1915. Twelve bureaus of the Salvation Army reported
the distribution of 1,402 casual jobs to 870 persons. The nine public
employment offices cooperating with the department reported 4,668
vacancies and 3,782 individuals placed. The operations of the lastnamed offices are here summarized:
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[296]
M O N T H L Y E E V IE W OF T H E B U E E A TJ OF L A B O E S T A T IS T IC S .
87
R E P O R T S OF PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT BUREAUS FOR TH E MONTH ENDED NOVEMBER
30,1915.
Location and name.
Quebec: Provincial free employment
bureau....................................................
Sherbrooke: Provincial free employment bureau..........................................
Montreal:
Provincial free employment bureau.
Municipal employment bureau.......
Toronto: Civic employment bureau__
Winnipeg: Free employment bureau...
New Westminster: Public employment
bureau...............................................
Vancouver: Free employment bureau..
Victoria: Public employment bureau..
Indi
viduals Indi
On
on
Days
Indi
Vacan Vacan Indi vidual
open register viduals
regis register
cies
at
for
at
end
cies
viduals
placed
tered
noti filled. placed. outside
of
busi begin during
ness. ning period. period. fied.
city.
of
period.
25
91
197
154
63
46
43
24
168
168
174
25
25
26
26
341
341
164
421
791
756
1,665
765
735
306
226
674
11,343
5
ISO
17
315
407
451
1,008
32
366
400
19
359
399
19
359
399
34
5
169
25
26
26
68
124
i Positions filled.
GERMANY.
The Reiclis-Arbeitsblatt reports that since German industry has
adjusted itself to the conditions arising from the war, economic devel
opment has taken an even course, with insignificant changes from
month to month. During September and October conditions in
German industry were essentially the same as during the preceding
months, with a slight improvement in November. General industrial
conditions were reported as satisfactory, exception being made of
conditions in the textile and building industries. Mining and warsupplying industries continue active. Improvement is reported in
shipping activity on the Rhine.
Returns from employers for September show an increase of 18 per
cent in the number of workmen employed, as compared with Septem
ber of the preceding year, and returns for October and November,
1915, show an increase of 15 and 14 per cent, respectively, in the
number employed as compared with the same months in 1914. In
September male workers formed the larger part of the increase noted,
while in October and November the larger part was due to the influx
of female workers. If employment during the above three months of
1915 is compared with employment in the same months of 1913, there
is indicated a decrease in the number of workmen employed of 9, 14,
and 18.5 per cent, respectively.
Practically no change of significance as to the percentage of unem
ployment in trade-unions, as compared with the preceding months,
July and August, is noted. The per cent of unemployment in August
and September, 1915, was 2.6, and in October and November 2.5.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[2 9 7 ]
88
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR S T A T IS T IC S .
Reports from the labor exchanges show a decline in the number of
applicants for positions in all three months of 1915 under review, as
compared with these months in 1914. For every 100 situations reg
istered as vacant in September, October, and November, 1915, the
number of male applicants was 89, as compared with 200, 154, and
140, respectively, for the same months of 1914, and the number of
female applicants was 170 in September, 182 in October, and 179 in
November, 1915, as compared with 183, 191, and 189, respectively,
for the same months in 1914.
GREAT BRITAIN.
The Board of Trade Labor Gazette reports that the high level of
employment of recent months was fully maintained in December, and
a general shortage of labor, except in some branches of the clothing
trades, was reported. Compared with the corresponding month of
1914, there is considerable improvement noted.
Great scarcity of labor is reported in the mechanical industries,
and the ship-building trades, in the cotton trade, and in the textile
trades. Tin-plate works building trades, and brick works showed a
decline in activity, the cause being seasonal in the latter two. The
following table shows the per cent of unemployment in trade-unions
during each month of 1914 and 1915:
P E R CENT OF UNEM PLOYM ENT IN TRADE-UNIONS DURING EACH M ONTH, 1914 AND
1915.
Year.
1914........................................
1915........................................
Jan.
2.0
1.9
Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. July. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.
2.3
1.6
2.2 2.1 2.3 2.4 2.8 7.1
1.2 1.2 1.0 . 9 1.0
1.3
5.9
.9
4.4
.8
2.9
.6
2.5
.6
The mean annual percentage of unemployment for the year
1915 in British trade-unions was 1.1 as compared with 3.3 in 1914;
2.1 in 1913; 2.4 in 1912; 3 in 1911; and 4.7 in 1910.
Employment conditions in certain industries are reflected in
the following table which shows the total number of establishments,
number of employees, and total amount of wages paid during a
representative week in December, 1915, and the per cent of increase
or decrease in numbers employed and wages paid over in the corre
sponding week of November, 1915, and of December, 1914. These
data of course relate to the same establishments in each period of
time indicated; otherwise the comparison would be valueless. Ac
cording to this table the number employed in this week of December,
1915, as compared with the corresponding week of December, 1914,
was 0.3 per cent less, while the amount of wages paid to the same
number of employees was 13.8 per cent greater.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[298]
M O N T H L Y REV IEW OE T H E B U REA U OF LABOR STA TISTIC S.
89
NUM BER OF PERSONS EM PLOYED BY ESTABLISHM ENTS R E P O R T IN G , AND WAGES
PAID SUCH EM PLOY EES, FO R T H E W E E K ENDING DECEM BER 18, 1915, COMPARED
W ITH DATA FO R T H E CORRESPONDING W E E K OF NOVEM BER, 1915, AND OF DE
CEM BER, 1914.
Number
of
persons
em
ployed,
third
week of
Decem
ber, 1915.
Industry.
Cotton..........................
W oolen.......................
Worsted.......................
Linen............................
J u t e ....................................
Lace..............................
Hosiery........................
Other textiles..............
Bleaching, d y e i n g ,
printing, and finish
ing.............................
Boots and sh o es.........
Clothing, ready-made.
Shirts and collars.......
B rick............................
Cement.........................
Food preparations
Printing..................
Bookbinding...........
G lass.......................
P ottery...................
T o ta l..................
205,230
24,408
35,493
38,676
14,674
7,968
23,417
16,313
November,
1915.
December,
1914.
Total
amount of
wages
paid.
1.6
1.0
0.6
.3
4.2
3.0
7.6
2.1
4.2
.9
.1
4.1
2.9
2.0
.4
25.4
15.0
2.0
1.1
11.1
.2
10.5
9.0
2.9
.1
.3
1.9
November,
1915.
December,
1914.
In
In
De
De
crease. crease. crease. crease.
De
In
De
In
crease. crease. crease. crease.
1.7
646,904
Per cent of increase or de
crease as compared w ith
corresponding week of—
Per cent of increase or de
crease as compared with
corresponding week of—
$1,058,493
i 135,464
i 160,492
131,683
72,608
40,922
i 105,297
69,825
i 191,
i 378,
153,
71,
48,
62,
346,
115,
50,
83,
91,
3,369,141
1.3
2.1
0.2
4.8
.7
.6
20.5
7.7
9.3
7.6
31.6
38.1
12.8
10.6
1.2
30.9
7.2
.2
1.2
.5
7 .0
6.2
12.6
3.4
.6
1.5
1.8
1.6
4.5
4.1
16.2
1.0
.7
The comparison of wages with December, 1914, is affected by war bonuses.
LEGAL REGULATION OF PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT OFFICES IN
AUSTRIA.
Public employment bureaus have been the subject of both actual
and proposed legal regulation in Germany and Austria somewhat
recently, presumably in order to coordinate their work and to make
it more effective to meet the increased burden which will be placed
upon these offices at the close of the war when the disbanded soldiery
return to their industrial pursuits.
The October number of the R e v i e w noted that all public employ
ment offices in Germany have been required to make reports of their
activities to the Imperial Statistical Office. In June, 1915,1 the
directors of the National Federation of Public Employment Offices
in Austria submitted regulations for the conduct of employment
agencies for enactment into law. These regulations, if given the
force of law by the Government, provide for the discontinuance of
private employment agencies conducted for profit.
1 Der Arbeitsnachweis, Vienna, 1915, vol. 9, No. 5, pp. 373>et seq.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[299]
*
90
M O N T H L Y RE V IE W OF T H E B U R EA U OF LABOR ST A T IST IC S.
The principles laid down by these regulations included the follow
ing points :
(1) The establishment of public employment bureaus for all kinds
of labor and classes of workers, where provision has not already
been made for such by provincial or State legislation; (2) compulsory
establishment of employment bureaus by municipalities having
15,000 inhabitants and over; (3) the establishment of registry offices
by the central employment bureau created for each Province, in
those localities in which the military authority engaged in demobiliz
ing the forces is located, provided a public employment bureau
does not already exist there; (4) the establishment in Yienna of a
special employment burean for the placing of migratory agricultural
workers; (5) the creation of advisory councils of technical experts
in connection with a general system of exchanges; (6) acceptance of
the principle of free service, excepting a small Government fee; (7)
cost and maintenance of the bureaus to be borne jointly by the muni
cipalities, the Province and the State; (8) exemption of the offices
from the payment of telephone and telegraph fees and postage, or
their refund by the State; and (9) exemption from payment of all
direct taxes. The exemption from the payment of telephone fees,
etc., and from all direct taxes is also to be made applicable to
existing public welfare employment bureaus, i. e., those not con
ducted for profit.
A marked feature of the proposed legislation is that provision which
grants free transportation by the State and provincial railroads to
applicants for employment to the place of work, and if, without their
fault, no work is secured, free transportation, either returning or to
some other locality, is to be granted.
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91
M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OF T H E B U R EA U OF LABOR ST A T IST IC S.
OFFICIAL REPORTS RELATING TO LABOR.
UNITED STATES.
Illinois .'— D e p a r tm e n t
o f F a c to r y I n s p e c tio n .
T w e n ty -s e c o n d a n n u a l r e p o r t o f the c h ie f
S ta te fa c to r y in s p e c to r o f I l l i n o i s , fo r the y e a r J u ly 1 , 1 9 1 4 , to J u n e 3 0 , 1 9 1 5 .
S p r in g f ie ld , 1 9 1 5 . 2 3 5 p p .
A detailed report of the work of the factory inspection department containing the
results of inspection under the factory law; child labor law; health, safety, and comfort
law; washhouse law; blower law; structural law; women’s 10-hour law; garment law;
and ice cream law. Attention is also called to the work of the department under the
occupational-disease law, which was drawn as the result of the report of the committee
for the investigation of industrial diseases in 1910. This law provides in general
for the protection of certain workers engaged in occupations considered particularly
hazardous, and safeguards the worker by compelling the employer to make medical
examinations of his employees, to install adequate washing facilities, to provide places
apart from the workroom where the employee may take his meals, to furnish proper
working clothing for his workmen and to safeguard them from poisonous fumes, dust,
and gases by means of adequate methods of ventilation. During the year the medical
inspectors of the State department in enforcing the provisions of this law made 264
inspections in 165 establishments in 26 cities and towns, not including Chicago. In
Chicago they made 331 inspections in 192 establishments. The following table pre
sents a general summary of reports under the occupational-disease law :
NUMBER OF CASES OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES R E P O R T E D , BY INDUSTRIES, FOR
EACH MONTH, JU LY 1, 1914, TO JU NE 30, 1915.
Industry.
Number of employees reported for—
Num
ber
of
firms
August. September. October. November. December.
July.
re
port
ing. Sick. Well. Sick. Well. Sick. Well. Sick. Well. Sick. Well. Sick. Well.
LEAD POISONING.
White lead..........................
Smelting and refining........
Manufacture of p ain ts........
Manufacture of sto rag e
batteries__
Manufactures of tin w are...
Manufacture of car seats
and bearings...............
Telephone an d switchboards...............................
Painting
................
Electrotyping.....................
Wall paper and oilcloth__
Enam eling..........................
4
29
24
Total..........................
141
10
3
4
2
56
2
3
4
1
313
18 2,629
346
1
296
14 2,674
333
183
342
131
394
269
269
39
1,669
58
42
1 1,515
65
333
37 6,203
18
22
292
13 2,668
337
1
292
11 2, ISO
341
394
13 2,537
321
18
2
315
2,781
334
1
141
227
168
289
2
133
239
206
259
2
199
41
1,320
39
39
1,402
50
334
331
16 6,074
15 5,801
2
21
132
413
22
1
2
199
37
1,307
59
1
174
34
1,369
5
16
346
13 j, 216
17 5,593
24
5,761
2
52
1,930
795
22
20
341
OTHER POISONING.
53
Arsenic, paris green, etc. -.
Brass foundries...................
Spinners, polishers, etc.......
Plating and electroplating.
Decalcomania.....................
Galvanizing.........
58
36
16
3
819
203
9
41
Total..........................
116
All causes............................
257
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
2
1
1 1,844
51
2 2,125
48
1 2,104
43
2 2,059
53
1 1,914
38
39
37
792
166
13
34
1 2,969
2 3,137
2 3,163
2 3,166
1 2,972
2
3,022
38 9,172
18 9,211
17 8,964
15 8,382
18 8,565
26
8,783
735
177
11
[301]
1
774
187
11
830
186
11
202
11
32
92
M O N T H L Y RE V IE W OF T H E BU R EA U OF LABOR STA TISTICS.
NU M BER OF CASES OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES R E P O R T E D , BY IN D U STR IES, FO R
EACH MONTH, JU LY 1, 1914, TO JU N E 30, 1915—Concluded.
Industry.
Number of employees reported for—
Num
ber
of
firms January. February.
April.
March.
May.
June.
re
port
ing. Sick. Well. Sick. Well. Sick. Well. Sick. Well. Sick. Well. Sick. Well.
LEAD POISONING.
W hite lead..........................
Smelting and refining........
Manufacture of p ain ts........
Manufacture of storage
batteries...........................
Manufacture of tinw are__
Manufacture of car seats
and bearings....................
Telephone and switchboards...............................
P ain tin g ..............................
Electro ty p in g.....................
W all paper and oilcloth__
Enam eling..........................
4
29
24
Total..........................
141
380
12 2,390
1
337
300
Ì7 2,711
1
316
379
5 2,577
314
105
352
5 2,721
326
1
364
5 2,548
360
395
5 2,854
373
133
218
1
220
129
244
2
ISO
219
197
267
1
2
259
4
149
2
149
157
1
198
26
1
193
2
37
1,509
58
37
1; 226
41
2
37
1 520
’ 80
317
37
3 1 ISO
23
19
i
301
37
3 1 224
76
328
37
2 1; 425
67
23
315
14 5,561
21 5,443
7 5,667
12 5,568
9 5,431
56
60
1,611
'679
146
9
45
10
3
56
2
3
4
1
22
21
21
201
22
311
151
h
6,091
OTHER POISONING.
Arsenic, Paris green, e tc ...
Brass foundries..................
Spinners, polishers, etc___
Plating and electroplating.
Decalcomania.....................
Galvanizing.........................
2
58
36
16
2 1,762
3
34
1
689
187
10
1
66
1,829
'719
175
7
37
74
1,868
699
169
10
36
85
1 1,948
684
190
7
25
i
81
1 964
643
156
6
38
Total..........................
116
2 2,738
2,550
1 2,833
2,856
1 2,939
i
2,888
All causes............................
257
16 8,299
21 7,993
8 8,500
12 8,424
10 j8,370
12
8,979
Under the various laws enforced by the inspection department, 485 convictions
were secured in the course of the fiscal year with fines and costs amounting to $7,114.40.
Of this number of convictions 280 were obtained in the municipal courts of Chicago,
with fines and costs amounting to $4,192.75.
The number of children under 16 years of age employed in 1913-14 was reported as
12,610, in 1914-15 as 5,805. Of this latter number 4,854 were employed in Chicago.
Illinois.—I n d u s tr i a l B o a r d . S e c o n d a n n u a l r e p o r t, J u n e SO, 1 9 1 5 . S p r in g f ie ld , 1915.
39 p p .
This constitutes the report of the administrative body under the workmen’s com
pensation act of Illinois, and a summary of it will be found in a future number of
th e
R
e
v
i e w
.
-------- S ta te B o a r d o f A r b itr a tio n . R e p o r t, M arch 1, 1 9 1 5 . C h icago, 1 9 1 5 . 5 2 p p .
This volume gives the history of various labor disputes occurring in the State during
1914, and of the proceedings in those in which the hoard was called upon to institute
arbitration processes, and the results of such interventions, together with resulting
agreements entered into. No statistical or text summary is presented. The Federal
and the Illinois arbitration laws are reproduced.
K an sas . — D e p a r tm e n t o f L a b o r a n d I n d u s tr y . T h irtie th a n n u a l r e p o r t, 1 914. T o p e k a ,
1915.
3 2 8 p p . , fo ld e r .
The activities of the bureau were broadened in scope during this year as the result of
newly enacted laws. The work of inspection and law enforcement has been continued
under more favorable conditions and with a greater degree of satisfaction than in
former years, it is stated.
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[302]
M O N T H L Y REV IEW OF T H E B U REA U OF LABOR ST A T IST IC S.
93
Special investigation has been made into the working conditions of women and
children, and data collected in reference to wages and hours of labor in 25 towns, 365
establishments, and 27 different occupations, and applying to 10,854 women, showing
the following results: 34 per cent received less than $6 a week, 50 per cent, $7 or less a
week; 21 per cent worked 10 or more hours a day, and 50 per cent worked 54 hours or
longer per week.
It is estimated that more than 50,000 women are employed in the industries within
the State, and that 10 years ago 10 per cent of the wage earners in factories, workshop,
and like establishments were under 16 years of age, while the records for 1914 show
that of 40,658 wage earners in inspected factories, only 114, or about one-fourth of 1 per
cent, were under that age.
Classified weekly wages for the more important industries; directory and statistics
of labor organizations in the State; and proceedings of the seventh annual convention
of the Federation (State) of Labor are set forth. The current miners’ contract is repro
duced. Decisions of the Kansas Supreme Court under the workmen’s compensation act,
suits to enforce contracts, and under laborers’ and material men’s liens are reported.
During the year 1,743 industrial establishments, employing 40,658 persons, were
inspected, approximately 500 buildings examined under the fire-escape law, and 1,000
recommendations made, resulting in improved conditions, declares the report.
The following is abstracted from the chapter “ Manufacturing and Industrial Statis
tics ” :
COMPARATIVE SUMMARY OF MANUFACTURING STATISTICS FOR TH E YEARS 1909,
1913, AND 1914, W ITH P E R CENT OF INCREASE.
Per cent in
crease.
Item.
1909
1913
1914
1914
over
1913.
1914
over
1909.
Number of establishments.....................
1,662
1,918
1,938
Capital invested............................... $141,354,877.00 $174,608,465.59 $174,935,237.82
16.61
. 19
1.04
23. 76
Number of salaried officials, clerks, etc..
Salaries...............................................
6,148
$6,098,368.00
6,362
$7,082,938. 93
8,036
$8,611,545.87
26.31
21. 58
30.71
41.21
Average number of wage earners...........
51,628
Total wages___7........................... $31,338,827.00
54,439
$34,328,555.40
51,697
$34,214,713.57
1 5. 04
1 .33
.13
9. IS
Miscellaneous expenses.......................... $12,118,765.00 $15,056,082.43 $17,805,205.98
Cost of material used.............................. 201,521,096. 00 230,564,609. 93 241,125,048.34
Value of products, including custom
work and repairing.............................. 264,133,757.00 318,536,748.68 328,936,964. 85
18.26
4.58
46.92
19.65
3.26
24.53
i Decrease.
A table in detail shows the number of serious accidents occurring during the year,
wages paid, injury received, length of disability, amount of compensation paid in
reference to each injury. There were reported during the year 3,641 accidents, of
which 57 were fatal, 806 serious (2 weeks or more duration), and 2,778 less serious.
Exclusive of harvest hands the free employment bureau reports 1,784 applications
for situations, 940 vacant positions registered, and places secured for 833 persons.
As to coal-mine inspection, see the R e v i e w fo r December, 1915, page 73.
M aryland .— B u r e a u o f S ta tis tic s a n d I n f o r m a tio n , 1914■ T w e n ty -th ir d a n n u a l rep o rt.
B a ltim o r e , 1 9 1 5 .
213 p p .
The larger part of this report relates to the extent of child labor in the State. Tables
are given showing age, nationality, sex, height, and other physical data concerning
children to whom certificates of employment were issued during the year; class of
28089°—16— 7
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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94
M O N T H L Y REV IEW OF T H E B U R EA U OF LABOR STA TISTICS.
employment secured; length of service; cause of leaving; weekly wages by industries;
results of medical examinations; reported occupational diseases; effect of certain
employments on physique of the children; children on the stage; factory inspection;
and home workers. There is also given the results of a special study of conditions in
15 industries employing the largest number of children.
It is reported that 2,130 children were working in violation of the law. There were
secured, however, only 33 prosecutions and 26 convictions. There were nearly 13,000
positions filled by children under 16 years of age, and 15,181 applications for certifi
cates under the child labor law were made in Baltimore City alone. Throughout the
State 12,494 such certificates were issued, and in addition thereto 2,249 boys between
10 and 16 years of age were granted street trades licenses.
M assachusetts.—Bureau, o f S ta tis tic s . F o r ty -s ix th a n n u a l r e p o r t o n the s ta tis tic s o f
la b o r f o r the y e a r 1 9 1 5 .
B o s to n , 1 9 1 5 .
The matter presented in this volume consists of nine separates issued by the bureau
during the course of the fiscal year ending December 1, 1915, in the form of numbered
bulletins (Nos. 104-112) according to a practice established in 1913. These bulletins,
for the most part, have been listed as received by the M o n t h l y R e v i e w , their title
and number of the R e v i e w in which they appear being as follows: Handbook of labor
lawsof Massachusetts, 1914; Sixth annual reporton labor organizations, 1913 (Septem
ber, 1915, p. 60); Fourteenth annual directory of labor organizations in Massachu
setts, 1915 (October, 1915, p. 87); Fifth annual report on union scale of wages and hours
of labor in Massachusetts, 1914 (October, 1915, p. 87); Immigrant aliens destined for
and emigrant aliens departing from Massachusetts, 1914 (September, 1915, p. 60);
Wages and hours of labor in the manufacture of paper products in Massachusetts
(March, 1916. See below); Labor legislation in Massachusetts, 1915 (December,
1915, p. 74); Labor bibliography, 1914 (January, 1916, p. 63); Seventh annual report
on labor organizations, 1914 (January, 1916, p. 64).
• -------------- W ages
a n d h o u rs o f la b o r i n the m a n u fa c tu r e o f p a p e r p r o d u c ts i n M a ssa
c h u se tts. 1 9 1 5 . 1 4 6 p p .
{ L a b o r B u l l e t i n N o . 1 0 9 , P a r t V I o f the a n n u a l r e p o r t o n
the s ta tis tic s o f la b o r, 1 9 1 5 .)
For the three groups of industries considered collectively the average weekly earn
ings of the 4,848 male wage earners employed in the different establishments, regard
less of occupation or time worked, were found to be $13.04 as compared with the aver
age of $13.30 for the 57 per cent of these mill employees who earned full-time pay
during the representative week for which pay rolls were copied. The corresponding
average for 7,249 female employees, 43.9 per cent of whom worked full time, were $7.37
a week for all females as compared with $7.59 for those working full time. These aver
age earnings included the wages of 1,542 children under 16 years of age. Eliminating
the data for these latter, the average weekly earnings of all males 16 years of age and
over was $13.63, which was greater by 59 cents than the corresponding rate for all
males, while the average earnings of females 16 years of age and over was $7.80, which
was greater by 43 cents than the corresponding rate for all females.
“ Although the so-called 54-hour law is legally applicable only to the employment
of women and minors in manufacturing and mercantile establishments, it has, never
theless, effected a corresponding reduction in the hours of labor of men in many of the
establishments in which both men and women are employed, thus establishing the
54-hour schedule as a standard working week for men as well as for women ” (p. 42).
• ----- D is tr ic t P o lic e . R e p o r t f o r the y e a r e n d in g O c to b er 3 1 , 1 9 1 5 , in c lu d in g the detec
tiv e , b u ild in g in s p e c tio n , a n d b o i l e r i n s p e c t i o n d e p a r tm e n ts .
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[304]
B o s to n , 1 9 1 5 .
274pp.
M O N T H L Y REV IEW OF T H E B U R EA U OF LABOR ST A T IST IC S.
New Y ork—N ew Y ork City.—D e p a r tm e n t
o f E d u c a tio n .
o f the C ity s u p e r in te n d e n t o f th e sch o o ls, 1 9 1 4 -1 5 .
N ew
95
S e v e n te e n th a n n u a l r e p o r t
Y ork, 1916.
4 v o ls .:
■
--------R e p o r t o n e v e n in g sch o o ls f o r the y e a r e n d e d J u l y 3 1 ,1 9 1 5 . P r e s e n te d to the B o a r d
o f E d u c a tio n O cto b er 2 1 , 1 9 1 5 . 1 1 5 p p . , p la te s .
■—■
—-—■R e c r e a tio n cen ters, v a c a tio n sch o o ls, v a c a tio n p la y g r o u n d s . P r e s e n te d N o v e m b e r
10, 1 9 1 5 . 8 5 p p . , p la te s .
——— P r e p a r a ti o n f o r tra d es: M a n h a tta n tr a d e s ch o o l f o r g ir ls ; V o c a tio n a l sch o o l f o r
b o y s; M u r r a y H i l l v o c a tio n a l sch o o l f o r b o y s. P r e s e n te d N o v e m b e r 2 4 ,1 9 1 5 . 99 p p . ,
p la te s .
--------S u r v e y o f the G a ry a n d p r e v o c a tio n a l sc h o o ls. P r e s e n te d J a n u a r y 2 6 ,1 9 1 6 . 61 p p .
C o n c e rn in g t h e la s t- n a m e d i n v e s ti g a t i o n t h e s u p e r i n t e n d e n t i n h is l e t t e r of t r a n s
m i t t a l to t h e b o a r d of e d u c a t i o n d e c la r e d t h a t “ t h e r e s u lts sh o w t h a t , of t h e th r e e
ty p e s , t h e t r a d i ti o n a l sc h o o ls m a d e t h e b e s t sh o w in g , t h e ‘ p r e v o c a t i o n a l ’ sc h o o ls
s to o d s e c o n d , a n d t h e G a ry sc h o o ls s to o d t h i r d ” i n a t e s t m a d e a s to t h e a c a d e m ic
k n o w le d g e of t h e p u p ils .
Ohio.— I n d u s tr i a l
C o m m is s io n . D iv is i o n o f M in e s. F o r tie th a n n u a l m in e r e p o r t f o r
the y ea r e n d in g D e ce m b e r 3 1 , 1914C o lu m b u s , 1 9 1 5 . 4 1 3 p p .
T h e S t a t e of O h io , a c c o r d in g to t h i s r e p o r t, p r o d u c e d 18,736,407 to n s of co a l i n 1914
a s c o m p a re d w i t h 3 6,285,406 to n s i n 1913; t h e a v e ra g e n u m b e r of m in e r s fo r t h e y e a r
d e c r e a s e d fro m 48,420 to 46,965, o r t h e lo w e s t i n a n y y e a r s in c e 1906; t h e a v e ra g e
n u m b e r of d a y s w o rk e d b y p i c k m in e r s f e ll fro m 189 to 150, a n d of m a c h in e m in e r s
fro m 206 to 150.
A c c id e n ts i n co a l m in e s , i t i s r e p o r te d , c a u s e d t h e d e a t h of 58 p e rs o n s d u r in g t h e
y e a r , o r o n e fo r e v e r y 813 p e r s o n s e m p lo y e d , a s c o m p a r e d w i t h o n e fo r e v e r y 299 p e r
so n s e m p lo y e d i n 1913. T a k in g a ll d e a t h s c a u s e d b y a c c id e n ts r e p o r te d d u r in g t h e
y e a r 1914, o r 61, 3 of w h ic h o c c u r r e d a s t h e r e s u l t of a c c i d e n t s m e t w i t h i n 1913, falls
of roof a n d co a l w e re a c c o u n ta b le fo r 44 d e a th s ; m in e c a rs, 7; m o to rs , 3; e x p lo s io n s
of g as, 1; e x p lo s io n of p o w d e r, 1; e l e c t r i c i t y , 1; m in in g m a c h in e , 1; a n d m is c e lla n e
o u s, 3.
D u r in g t h e y e a r 1914 t h e r e w e re r e p o r te d 24 v io la tio n s of t h e m in in g la w , r e s u ltin g
i n p r o s e c u tio n s . T h e m o s t se rio u s v io la tio n s r e p o r te d w e re th o s e fo r r e m o v in g a n d
g o in g b e y o n d a d a n g e r s ig n a l.
T h e r e p o r t c o n ta in s in f o r m a tio n i n so m e d e t a i l , c o n c e r n in g m e a s u re s of sa fe ty ,
m in in g la w s a n d le g is la tio n , c o a l p r o d u c tio n , co a l m in e in s p e c tio n , e tc . P a r t I I
is a d e t a i l e d r e p o r t of t h e d e p u t y m in e i n s p e c to r s fo r t h e i r r e s p e c tiv e d is tr ic ts ; a n d
P a r t I I I c o n ta in s a d i r e c t o r y of co a l c o m p a n ie s b y - c o u n tie s .
------------------ F in a n c ia l
C o lu m b u s, 1 9 1 5 .
s ta te m e n t o f the S ta t e in s u r a n c e f u n d o n N o v e m b e r 1 5 , 1 9 1 5 .
4 pp.
This report will be found summarized elsewhere in this issue of the Monthly R e
in connection with a digest of recent reports relating to workmen’s compensa
tion. (S e e p. 5 3 .)
v ie w
Oregon—P o r t l a n d .—D e p a r tm e n t
o f P u b l i c W o rk s. R e p o r t o n the p r o b le m o f u n e m
p lo y e d d u r in g the w in te r 1 9 1 4 -1 5 . [ P o r tla n d .] 1 8 p p .
T h is p a m p h l e t r e p o r ts t h e e x p e r ie n c e of t h e C i t i z e n ’s E m p l o y m e n t C o m m itte e i n
c a rin g fo r t h e u n e m p lo y e d m e n i n t h e c i t y of P o r t l a n d , d u r in g t h e w i n t e r 1914—15.
T h e c i t y s p e n t $ 75,000, i t i s s t a te d , i n a n e n d e a v o r to c o p e w i t h u n e m p lo y m e n t.
T im b e r w a s p u r c h a s e d o n s tu m p a g e c o n t r a c t a n d t h r e e w o o d - c u ttin g c a m p s w e re
e s ta b lis h e d , f u r n is h in g e m p lo y m e n t to 902 m e n , fo r a n a g g re g a te of 11,752 d a y s , for
w h ic h w a g e s w e re p a i d i n c a s h a m o u n tin g to $6,462.58, a n d m e a ls f u r n is h e d to t h e
v a lu e of $ 7 ,4 1 6 .9 3 . T h e t o t a l e x p e n d i t u r e s i n t h e p r o je c t a m o u n te d to $33,253.83.
T h e p u b l i c u t i l i t i e s c o m m is s io n g a v e 8 2 2 J d a y s e m p lo y m e n t a t $3 p e r d a y to m e n
h a v in g la rg e f a m ilie s .
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[ 305 ]
96
M O N T H L Y REV IEW OF T H E B U REA U OF LABOR STA TISTICS.
At a temporary city lodging house, 1,392 men were provided with quarters, and
employment furnished in cutting cordwood, at $1 per cord. The equipment and
operations, etc., purchase of logs and rent amounted to $9,009.16.
V irginia .— B u r e a u
o f L a b o r a n d I n d u s tr i a l S ta tis tic s .
R ic h m o n d , 1 9 1 5 . 1 9 0 p p .
E ig h te e n th a n n u a l r e p o r t, 1915.
Statistical data relative to value of product, wages paid, and capital invested; also,
average monthly pay of office help, and average daily wages of skilled and unskilled
employees in the various industries in the State.
The summary shows that in 1913 the value of production was $213,530,858 while in
1914 the value was $212,416,996, including $19,031,305 for industries not reported in 1913.
Accidents to employees are reported as follows:
Electric railways: Killed, 4; injured, 70; steam railroads: Killed, 61; injured, 3,139;
in coal mines 43 fatal and 538 nonfatal accidents. In the section on inspection of
factories the conditions observed in the various manufacturing and mercantile estab
lishments are reported. Under the title, “ Enforcement of Labor Laws” a record of
each prosecution is given.
W est V irginia .-— D e p a r tm e n t
o f M in e s.
A n n u a l r e p o r t, 1914■
[C h a r le s to n ,
1915'].
336, v iii p p .
This is the thirty-first annual report of the department upon the conditions of coal
mines. It gives detailed statistics of coal mining and coke manufacturing, including
accidents, strikes, wages, inspections, and visits made to mines. The report contains
a directory of the mines of the State. In the chapter on accidents comparative data
are given for the period 1883 to June 30, 1914, by year and by causes.
The following table of data summarizes the results of coal mine operations for the
fiscal years 1913 and 1914:
NUM BER OF COAL MINES IN OPERATION, OUTPUT, AND VALUE OF COAL MINED;
TONS OF COKE PRODUCED; DAYS OF OPERATIONS; IN JU R IES AND DEATHS CAUSED
BY ACCIDENTS, 1913 AND 1914.
[T c n = 2,240 pounds.]
Year ending June 30—
Year endin g June 30—
1913
1914
1913
33
33
Counties mining coal 1.......
Firms operating 1
485
442
Openings suoject to min850
847
ing law .............................
Tons of pick-mined coal 1.. 28,134,552 29,541,498
Tons of machine-mined
coal1................................. 33,335,800 35,941,590
61,470,352 65,483,088
300,000
300,000
Tons from small m ines2...
T o n s from , all minus........... 61,770,352 65,783,088
Coal converted into co k e.. 3, 763j 077 2 , 907^434
T ons 3 of coke manufac1,957,401
tu red ................................ 2,521,800
Valnu, o f noal at min os....... $61,132,648 $65,783,088
Value of coke at ovens---- $ 4 , 79i; 520 $ 3 , 914; 802
Value of coal at mines (per
$1.00
$0.99
ton.)
Value of coke at ovens (per
$1.90
$2.00
to n )..................................
2,393
Mining machines in u s e ...
2,467
8,393
5,902
Average coke ovens in use.
220
226
Days mines in operation..
252
255
Days ovens in operation...
19,924
18,320
Pick miners employed1. . .
Machine operator's and
26,684
21,803
miners 1............................
i Commercial mines.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Underground laborers 1__
Outside employees1...........
Coke-oven employees........
Total employed in coal
m ines 1 and coke ovens..
Number killed...................
Number injured, noniatally.................................
Number employed per
fatality.............................
Number employed per injured................................
Tons m ined 1 per fatality..
Tons mined 1 per injured..
N umber of wives widowed.
Number of children orphaned.............................
Acres of coal worked o u t..
Tons produced per m iner 1
Average annual earnings
per pick m iner................
Average monthly earnings
per pick m iner................
Average mining cost per
ton (run of m ine)...........
2 Estimated.
[306]
17,075
10,553
2 ,571
70,321
1914
18,323
11,212
fi 898
78,041
308
541
668
870
228
144
105
199,579
92,021
'132
299
90
121,041
11,183
1,709
10,100
$737.62
$726.67
$61.47
$60.56
$0.48
$0.49
32,000 pounds.
’ 206
621
1,549
M O N T H L Y REV IEW OF T H E B U REA U OF LABOR STA TISTIC S.
97
W isconsin .— I n d u s tr ia l
J u n e SO, 1 9 1 5 .
C o m m is s io n . R e p o r t o n a llie d f u n c tio n s f o r the y e a r e n d in g
M a d iso n , 1 9 1 5 . 51 p p .
Contains record of the activities of the Industrial Commission of Wisconsin during
the fiscal year 1915.
Safety in factories is secured by the commission by close cooperation with employers
and employees, and orders are drawn up on the basis of the practical experience of
these parties in interest. Thus, after six months spent in investigation by such a
representative committee, 25 orders on safety and sanitation in zinc mines were issued
in January. In a similar manner committees are at work drafting orders covering
electric hazards, additional orders on safety and sanitation for factories for the guarding
of'machinery, etc., and orders covering safety in the logging industry. The com
mission has begun to make use of moving pictures in its educational campaign for
safety.
In the work of inspection 2,879 establishments were visited during the fiscal year
and 3,991 inspections were made. In 45 per cent of these establishments violations
of safety orders were found and ordered corrected. During the preceding year viola
tion of safety orders were found in 64 per cent of the 2,658 places inspected. As the
building inspection code has been operative only since October 15, 1914, the work of
the commission in connection therewith has been largely educative. Tnis has been
accomplished through conferences, by the drafting of short building ordinances
suitable for adoption by cities, and by the use of pamphlets on fire protection in the
schools.
The activities of the commission in relation to workmen’s compensation were
reviewed in a preceding number of the R e v ie w (January, 1916, pp. 53-62.)
Many men looking for work and few positions to be found was the general condi
tion of the labor market during the first 10 months of the fiscal year ended June 30,
1915. During the spring months the increased activity of manufacturing industries,
and outside construction work relieved the situation to some extent. The existence
of a real farm-help problem and an unusual dearth of employment in the cities brought
about an aggressive movement by the free employment office to encourage the umenployed of the cities to accept work on the farms, and with the assistance of country
banks and the long-distance telephone much has been accomplished in this field.
In the year ending June 30, 1914, 1,408 farm hands were sent to different localities.
Figures for the last year show that farmers asked for 3,572 men, and 2,035 applicants
for farm work secured employment. The report states that the employment officials
arc very careful in choosing only men who are able to make good for farm vacancies
and the farmers are beginning to place confidence in the judgment of free employment
offices. The following table shows the result of the operation of free employment
offices for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1915, as compared with the preceding fiscal
year.
OPERATIONS OF THE WISCONSIN F R E E PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT OFFICES, 1914-15 COM
PARED W ITH 1913-14.
■
Males.
Females.
Total.
Item.
1913-14 1914-15 1913-14 1914-15 1913-14 1914-15
Fmployprs*
. . ....... .................... ...........
Applicant^ ini' w ort
.............................- ...............
Help wapta<1
_____ _______- ............. - ............
Rofonwl positions
...............................................
P q3jpiQ-pq sftpnrod
. ...........................................
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[307]
13,113 10,722
42,494 39,242
33, 209 20,811
32,300 20,575
19,651 15,389
9,043
9,495
9,892
10,029
5,276
9,691 22,156
13, 326 51,989
10,284 43,101
12,114 42,329
6,840 24,927
20,413
52,568
31,095
32,689
22,229
98
M O N T H L Y REV IEW OF T H E B U REA U OF LABOR STA TISTICS.
Regarding private employment offices, the commission proposes to inspect these
during the coming year in order to insure full compliance with the law on their part.
A system is being devised for regular reports by these offices to the commission.
The work of the commission in relation to woman and child labor has been largely
routine work, it is stated, in inspecting work places where these are employed and in
interesting employers with a view to a larger and more practical understanding of
industrial welfare in behalf of these workers.
Among other matters reported upon by the commission were those concerning boiler
inspection, enforcement of the minimum wage law, compulsory school attendance
law, and the apprenticeship law of 1911. This latter law is declared to have been a
failure, and as the result of inquiries by the commission an amended law was secured
in 1915 which gives the industrial commission power to make regulations for the
different trades and industries.
Bakeries and confectioneries to the number of 4,513 were inspected during the year
and 1,248 were found unclean.
The arbitration functions of the commission were practically dormant during the
year, the absence of serious strife, it is suggested, being due to the prevailing state
of unemployment throughout Wisconsin.
Only 11 prosecutions for violation of the law were found necessary, 2 cases of violation
of the sanitation law, 5 of violation of the woman labor laws, and 4 of violation of child
labor laws.
The total expenditures of the commission for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1915,
were $106,240.74, as compared with $104,973.04 for the preceding fiscal year.
U nited S ta te s .— A s s o c ia tio n o f G o v e r n m e n ta l L a b o r O fficials o f the U n ite d S ta te s a n d
C a n a d a . P r o c e e d in g s, sec o n d a n n u a l c o n v e n tio n , D e tr o it, M ic h ., J u n e 2 8 - J u ly 1,
1 9 1 5 . K a n s a s C ity , M o . 1 1 8 , [2] p p .
Prior to 1914 the two associations, the International Association of Factory Inspectors
and the International Association of Labor Commissioners, had maintained separate
existence, the former since 1887 and the latter since 1885; but in June, 1914, at a joint
meeting of the associations at Nashville, Tenn., the two by mutual agreement went out
of existence and reorganized themselves into a new association called “ The Associa
tion of Governmental Labor Officials of the United States and Canada.” The joint
meeting of 1914 from June 8 to 12 continued after the amalgamation as the first annual
convention of the newly organized association.
The proceedings here listed constitute those of the second annual convention held
at Detroit, Mich. Among the topics discussed were the following: Cooperation in the
enforcement of labor legislation; need of the extension of continuation schools; na
tional child labor; elimination of dust, noxious fumes, excessive heat, etc., from
factories; administration of industrial laws; public employment offices; factory inspec
tion laws, etc.; factory inspection and labor conditions in the South; industrial
hygiene; industrial progress in New England; need and benefit of industrial hygiene;
need of women factory inspectors; and the work of the United States Department of
Labor.
-------- B u r e a u o f E d u c a tio n . R e p o r t o f the C o m m is sio n e r o f e d u c a tio n f o r the y ea r
e n d in g J u n e 3 0 , 1 9 1 5 .
W a sh in g to n , 1 9 1 5 .
2 v o ls.
Chapter 9 of volume I of this report consists of a survey of the present status and
tendencies in vocational education in the United States, written by the specialist in
industrial education of the bureau.
“ The intensity of popular interest, the increasing numbers of those who seek definite
suggestions for specific purposes, the eagerness with which information is sought, and
the magnitude of the physical proportions of the movement [for vocational education]
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[308]
M O N T H L Y RE V IE W OF T H E B U REA U OF LABOR ST A T IST IC S.
99
as manifested in legislation and in the creation and extension of schools to meet newly
conceived needs—all of these grow steadily and rapidly more impressive.” (p. 221.)
U nited S ta te s .— B u r e a u o f F o r e ig n a n d D o m e s tic C om m erce. {D e p a r tm e n t o f C o m
m e rc e .)
T h e h o s ie ry in d u s tr y : R e p o r t o n the c o st o f p r o d u c tio n o f h o sie ry i n the
U n ite d S ta te s .
W a sh in g to n , 1 9 1 5 . 2 5 8 p p .
{M is c e lla n e o u s S e r ie s , N o . 3 1 .)
Tins is the second of a series of reports to be issued by the Bureau of Foreign and
Domestic Commerce concerning the cost of production in different branches of the
clothing industry. The report contains information concerning cost of production,
imports and exports, working conditions, factory equipment, selling methods, and
other trade conditions in connection with the hosiery industry, together with some
practical suggestions with regard to efficient factory management based on interviews
with manufacturers and on the personal observations of the special agents of the bureau.
Attention is called to that chapter which gives a description of the principal processes
of hosiery manufacture.
In 1909 the hosiery and knit goods industry, considered on the basis of value of
production, ranked thirtieth in importance among the industries of the United States.
It is widely distributed, not less than 38 States having at least one such manufacturing
establishment. The value of hosiery manufactured in the United States in 1909 is
reported at $68,721,825, of which cotton hosiery was valued at $55,909,987. The
importation of cotton hosiery for the fiscal year 1909 was $6,390,923, or 11.43 per cent
of the value of domestic production, while in 1914 such importation amounted to
$2,949,678, or 5.28 per cent of domestic production.
Reports were secured from 73 estabbshments located in 16 States. Their sales
during the last business period, usually a year, aggregated $27,010,893. The capital
invested amounted to $15,548,885, and employed during the busy season 4,620 males
and 12,424 females, a total of 17,044 persons 16 years of age or over, and 466 males and
984 females under 16 years of age, making a total of 18,494 employees-, of whom 7.85
per cent were under 16 years of age. Females constitute a large portion of the em
ployees in hosiery mills. The piece-price system prevails, and is generally preferred
by both employees and employers.
As to average cost of production the percentage expended for various items was as
follows for all 73 establishments: Raw material, 53 per cent; direct labor, 25; indirect
labor, 4; factory expense, 6; administrative expense, 3; and selling expense, 9.
Manufacturers north of Mason and Dixon’s line complain that the rapid develop
ment of the hosiery industry in the South is making serious inroads on their business,
and that it is hard for them to meet the competition of the southern mills, because in
these mill3 wages are lower, working hours longer, and younger children employed
than in northern factories, and workmen’s compensation acts have not been passed in
Southern States.
Chapter VI (pp. 195-217) of the report presents further details of working conditions,
distribution of employees engaged in the different classes of establishments, wages,
and hours of labor. These data were drawn for the most part from Bulletin No. 177
of the Bureau of Labor Statistics relating to wages and hours of labor in the hosiery
and underwear industry, 1907 to 1914.
Pages 237 to 253 are devoted to suggestions for increasing foreign trade with various
countries.
----------------- The k n it u n d e r w e a r in d u s tr y : R e p o r t o n the c o st o f p r o d u c tio n o f k n it
u n d e r w e a r i n the U n ite d S ta te s .
N o . 3 2 .)
W a sh in g to n , 1 9 1 5 .
217 p p .
{M is c e lla n e o u s S e r ie s , ■
This is the third of a series of reports to be issued by the Bureau of Foreign and
Domestic Commerce concerning the cost of production in different branches of the
clothing industry. The report contains information concerning the cost of produc-
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[309]
100
M O N T H L Y RE V IE W OF T H E B U REA U OF LABOR STA TISTICS.
tion, imports and exports, working conditions, factory equipments,'selling methods,
and other trade conditions of interest in connection with the knit underwear industry, together with some practical suggestions with regard to efficient factory manage
ment, based on interviews with manufacturers and on the personal observations of
the special agents of the bureau.
According to the census of manufacturers the value of knit underwear produced in
the United States in 1909 was $84,446,353. In the fiscal year 1914 the imports of all
cotton knit goods except hosiery, gloves, and mittens amounted to $341,973. or 0.57
per cent of the production in 1909, and it is estimated that this percentage would be
even lower if the imports in 1914 were compared with the domestic production in that
year. The exports of knit goods and hosiery increased from $1,016,325 in the fiscal
year 1909 to $2,544,822 in the fiscal year 1914, or over 150 per cent.
In the investigation reports were secured from 63 establishments located in 13
States said to be fairly representative of the industry. Their sales during the last
business period, usually a year, amounted to $26,693,778.
Concerning employees and wages in the industry the following summary is quoted
from page 44 of the report:
“ In most establishments the busy season includes the months of April, May, and
June, and the full months are July, August, and December. The total number of
employees in the 63 establishments reporting was 15,081 during the busy season, of
whom 344, or 2.20 per cent, were under 16 years of age.
“ The average number of employees 16 years of age and over during the busy season
was: Males, 69.5; females, 167.6; total, 237.1. The average in the dull season was:
Males, 67.1; females, 160.7; total, 227.8; a falling off of only 9.3, or 3.96 per cent.
“ Of the establishments in the first four groups, including mills that buy all of their
yarns, those in Group III, which includes mills in the Southern States, show the
largest average number of employees.
“ The whole number (not the average) of children under 16 years of age employed
in the 63 establishments was 68 males and 276 females during the busy season and
57 males and 235 females during the dull season.
“ Females constitute a large proportion of the employees in knit underwear mills.
Most of the labor in such mills is paid for on the piece-price basis, which is preferred
by both employer and employee.”
The percentage distribution of the average cost of production for the 63 establish
ments, based on the total manufacturing and selling expense, was as follows, accord
ing to items of expense: Raw material, 61 per cent; direct labor, 21; indirect labor,
3; factory expense, 5; administrative expense, 3; and selling expense, 7.
Chapter VI of the report (pp. 176-195) presents further details as to working condi
tions in the industry, the number and distribution of employees, their earnings and
hours of work as gathered from Bulletin No. 177 of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Chapter V contains a description in some detail of the processes and occupations
recognized in the industry.
U nited S ta te s .— N a v ig a tio n la w s: C o m p a r a tiv e s tu d y o f p r i n c i p a l f e a tu r e s o f the la w s
o f the U n ite d S ta te s , G re a t B r it a in , G e rm a n y , N o r w a y , F ra n c e , a n d J a p a n .
in g to n , 1 9 1 6 . 1 9 0 p p .
{ S p e c ia l A g e n ts S e r ie s N o . I l f ) .
W ash
This volume is a comparative analysis of the navigation laws of the leading maritime
countries, namely, United States, Great Britain, Germany, Norway, France, and
Japan. ‘‘This analysis is believed to be the first of its kind published in this country
and is designed to meet the present urgent need for adequate official information on the
subjects covered.”
Among the features of the laws analyzed in this study are those provisions relating
to the hours of labor of seamen, to provisions of the wage contract and conditions sur-
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
[310]
M O N T H L Y RE V IE W OF T H E B U REA U OF LABOR STA TISTIC S.
101
rounding the health and hygiene of seamen, regulations concerning the number cf the
crew and its nationality, their general disposition and treatment by the shipper. The
provisions of the law are classified primarily according to subject matter, with sub
classification according to country. Three principal group classifications have been
adopted: (1) Laws affecting the vessel; (2) laws affecting officers and crews; (3) ad
ministration of navigation laws.
The Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce in the preparation of the report had
the cooperation of the Commissioner of Navigation and of the Supervising Inspector
General of the Steamboat-Inspection Service.
U nited S ta te s .— C iv il S e r v ic e C o m m is s io n . T h irty -se c o n d a n n u a l r e p o r t f o r the fis c a l
year ended J u n e 30, 1915.
W a sh in g to n , 1 9 1 5 .
211 p p .
“ The Government is doing more work with fewer employees and with increased
economy and efficiency” is the verdict of the Civil Service Commission in the report
listed here. On June 30, 1915, there were 476,363 officers and employees in the execu
tive civil service. Of this number 292,296 were employees who held their positions
by reason of competitive examinations; 10,690 were presidential appointees; 5,292,
clerks in charge of contract postal stations; 72,000, clerks in third and fourth class post
offices and consequently selected by the local postmasters; 8,098, mail messengers;
12,129, star-route, steamboat, and screen-wagon contractors; 4,556, pension examining
surgeons; 20,674, engaged on the Panama work chiefly as laborers and minor em
ployees; 27,464, unclassified laborers; 204, temporary employees of the Census; and
the'remaining 22,960 were either excepted from examination or subject to noncompefitive examinations.
Special attention is directed in the report to the securing of men for the valuation
work of the Intersate Commerce Commission, with the statement that “ the men
engaged in the physical valuation of railroads constitute one of the most remarkable
engineering forces ever assembled and their selection through competitive examination
is a striking illustration of the efficiency of the merit system in meeting the demands
of the public service.” (Page8.)
The table which follows may serve as. a summary of the examination and appoint
ment work of the commission for the two fiscal years, 1914 and 1915:
PERSONS EXAM INED AND APPO IN TED U NDER T H E CIVIL SERVICE DURING THE
FISCAL YEARS 1914,1915.
Examined.
Appointed.
1915
1914
LTnder civil-service rules, original entrance:
Ficlrl serv ie
...................................... .......................
Departmental at- Washington ; D. O ......................................
141,927
24,100
183,003
13,609
33,927
1,914
39,134
2,072
Total
........................................................................
Promotions, transfers, and reinstatements through examination
160,027
1,137
196,612
1,487
35,841
557
41,206
729
Total TiTirlp.r mips
...........................................................
Not under Federal civil-sèrvice act and rules:
3>tiilippini‘ s^rviup
.........................................................
Under loPor resolutions
....................................................
167,164
198,099
36,398
41,935
337
17,366
585
9,326
63
3,949
45
3,025
Total
..........................................................................
W ithout further examination:
184,867
208,010
rjrand tots!
......................................................... 2 184,867
208,010
1915
1914
40,410
45,005
i 1,137
1,327
1,307
1,647
42,874
47,959
1 These were transfers and promotions requiring certificate of the commission under the rules.
2 In addition and upon appropriate official request the commission examined 1,587 applicants foradmission to the District of Columbia service, the Military and Naval Academies, and the Federal Reserve
Board,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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102
M O N T H L Y REV IEW OF T H E B U R EA U OF LABOR STA TISTICS.
Under the rules of the civil service prohibiting political activity, coercion, and
discrimination administrative punishment was imposed during 1915 resulting in 64
removals or involuntary separation from the service, 4 reductions in grade, 27 suspen
sions without pay, and 56 warnings or reprimands. In this connection the commission
asks that uniform and definite restrictions in the form of a civil-service rule be placed
upon the political activity of unclassified and excepted officers and employees in the
Government service.
As to Philippine appointments it appears that in 1902, 48 per cent were Filipinos,
while in 1914 this proportion had increased to 94 per cent. “ The appointment of
Americans to clerical positions has practically ceased.”
The problem of civil-service retirement the commission holds is intimately related
to the efficiency of the service, and by no means the result of the merit system.
Although civil-service rules have never protected incompetents, nevertheless “ the
improvement of methods and the proper adjustment of pay can not be effectively
provided for until a retirement system is established which will make provision for
this class of employees. The commission believes that a contributory plan is the
only just and practicable one for the retirement of employees, and earnestly recom
mends its adoption at an early date.”
U nited S ta te s .'— F e d e r a l T ra d e C o m m is s io n . A n n u a l r e p o r t f o r the fis c a l y e a r en d e d
J u n e 30, 1915.
W a sh in g to n , 1 9 1 5 .
14 p p -
The commission had been organized 16 weeks at the time of the issue of this report.
The report is therefore only a brief statement concerning the organization of the com
mission and its staff, the employees of the former Bureau of Corporations of the Depart
ment of Commerce. The act creating the commission and that part of the antitrust,
or so-called Clayton Act, as far as its enforecemeut lies with the commission, are
appended.
-------- I n te r s ta te
C o m m erce C o m m is s io n . A c c id e n t B u l l e t i n N o . 5 5 .
C o llis io n s , d e ra il
m e n ts , a n d o th er a c cid en ts r e s u ltin g i n in j u r y to p e r s o n s , e q u ip m e n t, o r roadbed,
a r is in g f r o m the o p e r a tio n o f r a ilw a y s u s e d i n in te r s ta te com m erce.
J a n u a ry, F ebru
a r y , M a rch , 1 9 1 5 .
W a sh in g to n , 1 9 1 5 . 5 7 p p .
Accidents occurring on interstate railways affecting passengers and employees of
carriers have been reported quarterly by the commission since the act of May 6, 1910,
came into effect, which required common carriers engaged in interstate and foreign
commerce to make reports of all accidents to the commission, and which authorized
investigation of accidents. There are reported all kinds of accidents to passengers,
but accidents to employees resulting in injuries which do not prevent them from per
forming their accustomed services for more than three days in the aggregate during
the 10 days immediately following the accident are not reported. Accidents to em
ployees are reported separately for those on duty and those not on duty, and sepa
rately for those accidents occurring to railway employees other than trainmen on
railway premises, which latter group of accidents are termed “ industrial accidents,”
i. e., accidents not connected with train operation. No accident rates are presented
as the number of employees is not reported. The bulletin contains data concerning
accidents on electric railways and reports on railroad accidents specially investigated
by the commission during the quarter in question.
During the first quarter, January, February, and March, 1915, the number of em
ployees killed in “ industrial accidents” was 79; the total number of employees killed
by accident was 608; the number killed in coupling, 44; and the number killed in
train accidents, 99.
--------S u r g e o n G e n e ra l U n ite d S ta te s A r m y . R e p o r t to the S e c re ta ry o f w a r , 1 9 1 5 . W ash
in g t o n , 1 9 1 5 .
306 p p .
This report is here listed because of the data it contains concerning the medical
examinations and occupations of recruits to American Army, who, it need hardly be
said, are made up largely of the floating labor supply of the country. Thus, according
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M O N T H L Y RE V IE W OE T H E B U R EA U OF LABOR ST A T IST IC S.
103
to this report, of 28,772 men who were accepted for first enlistment during the calendar
year 1914, 10,190 or 35.4 per cent were ordinary laborers. For the five occupations
which ranked first in importance the actual and relative numbers were as follows:
Laborers, 10,190, or 35.4 percent; farmers, 3,487, or 12.1 per cent; clerk and bookkeep
ers, 1,706, or 5.9 per cent; drivers and stablemen, 1,272, or 4.4 per cent; machinists,
1,018, or 3.5 per cent.
Of the total, 1,574 were colored, of whom 977, or 62.1 per cent, were classed as
ordinary laborers.
During the year there were examined by the medical officers of the Army 57,244
recruits. This is the number of recruits it should be remembered, who have already
passed a preliminary examination at the recruiting station, and this examination by
the medical officers is a final and more thorough one. Of the number above, 6,102
were rejected for enlistment, 4,699 rejections or 77 per cent for physical causes and
1,403 or 23 per cent for causes not physical. Of the total rejected the largest propor
tion or 12.3 per cent, were rejected on account of venereal diseases; 9 per cent on
account of diseases of the ear and defects of hearing, 6. 8 per cent for defects of
vision, 6.3 per cent for heart disease, 4.7 per cent on account of flat feet, and 3.6 per
cent each on account of alcoholism and hernia.
The report contains much detailed data on the health and sanitary conditions of the
Army for the year 1914 and a financial statement for the fiscal year ending June 30,1915.
FOREIGN COUNTRIES.
A u stria .— A rb e its s ta tis tis c h e s
A m t im H a n d e ls m in is te r iu m . D ie
u n d A u s s p e r r u n g e n i n O esterreich w a h r e n d des Jahres 1 9 1 3 .
a n d 138 p p .
A r b e its e in s te llu n g e n
V ie n n a , 1 9 1 4 . 107
This report on strikes in Austria during 1913 was published at the end of 1914, but
only recently received by the bureau.
There are reported 438 strikes in 1913, which involved 1,024 establishments em
ploying 88,150 workmen. Of this latter number 39,814 participated in the strikes,
with a total loss of 409,353 working days. The strikes were generally of short dura
tion. As to results from the point of view of the strikers 88 were completely success
ful, 193 partial successful, while 157 were without results. Demands in some way
concerned with wages were the cause of 68.3 per cent of all strikes, while demands
relating to organization were the next most frequent cause.
The number of lockouts during the year was 23, which involved 1,675 establish
ments employing 30,296 workers. Of these latter 75.3 per cent were locked out.
D enm ark .— D ir e k to r a te l f o r A r b e jd s o g F a b r ilc tils y n e t. B e r e tn in g o m a rb ejd so g fa b r ih tils y n e ts v irk s o m h e d i a a ret 1914■
C open hagen, 1915.
46 p p .
The present report embraces operations of the factory inspection department for
the first year under the law of April 29, 1913, which became applicable December 1
of that year, as well as its activities in enforcing the bakery and steam boiler inspec
tion law. The inspection department consists of a director, two office chiefs, a tech
nical expert, a bookkeeper, and 18 district inspectors, together with one woman
inspector, also a special inspector for bakeries, another for elevators, and a third for
steam boilers. On January 1, 1914, 15,241 factories and workshops and 3,226 bakeries
were subject to inspection; at the close of the year the number had increased to
17,590 and 3,227, respectively. Excluding the inspection of agricultural machinery
and the like, 18,774 fixed industrial establishments were inspected during the year,
involving 20,755 inspections, or an average of 111 for each 100 establishments, as
compared with 98 inspections for each 100 establishments during the previous year.
It should be noted that the municipalities maintain inspection divisions which are
engaged in the inspection of dangerous machinery in their respective localities.
One hundred and thirty prosecutions for infractions of the factory law were manitained during the year, giving rise to fines amounting to 2,830 crowns ($758). Under
the factory law 107 prosecutions were conducted with resulting fines amounting to
1,914 crowns ($513).
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104
M O N T H L Y RE V IE W OF T H E B U R EA U OF LABOR STA TISTICS.
PERIODICAL PUBLICATIONS RELATING TO LABOR.
LABOR DEPARTMENTS AND BUREAUS.
Canada. —
T h e L a b o r G a ze tte , is s u e d b y the D e p a r tm e n t o f L a b o r b y order o f P a r lia m e n t.
O tta w a .
J a n u a r y , 1 9 1 6 . —Notes on current matters of industrial interest; Industrial and
labor conditions, December, 1915; Proceedings under the industrial disputes investiga
tion act, December, 1915; Industrial and labor conditions in Canada, 1915; Wholesale
and retail prices, 1915; Reports of employment bureaus; Fair wages schedules in
Government contracts; Trade disputes, 1915; Industrial accidents, December, 1915;
Immigration, emigration, and colonization; Building permits, December, 1915;
Reviews; Legal decisions affecting labor.
D enm ark. — S ta tistis lc e E fte r r e tn in g e r u d g iv e t a f d e t StatistisT ce D e p a r tm e n t. C o p e n
h a g en .
( V o l. 7 , N o . 2 6 ) . —Wages of servants and day workers in agricul
ture, 1915; Taxes on theaters, concerts, public shows, etc.; Unemployment, October,
1915; Retail prices, December, 1915; Insurance premiums paid in Denmark, 1910,
1914; Municipal relief funds, 1913-14 and 1914-15; Index number of the Economist.
J a n u a r y 2 0 , 1 9 1 6 ( V o l . 8 , N o . 1 ) . —Root crops, 1915; Electrical works in Denmark;
Textile production, 1913; Retail prices, January, 1916.
Finland.—A r b e ts s ta tis tis k T id s h r ift u tg if v e n a f I n d u s tr is ty r e ls e n . H e ls in g fo r s.
N o . 6 , 1 9 1 5 .— Changes in rates of wages, 1914 and 1915; Conditions of labor in the
lumber industry; Public employment exchanges, third quarter, 1915; Proposed new
workmen’s compensation law in Sweden, 1915; Reports from foreign countries;
Retail prices, third quarter, 1915.
France. — B u lle tin d u M in is tè re d u T r a v a il e t d é la P r é v o y a n c e S o c ia le . P a r is .
S e p te m b e r - O c to b e r , 1 9 1 5 . —Social movement—France: Work of the mixed com
missions in the departments for the adjustment of employment (continued); Employ
ment in mines, September, 1915; Strikes and lockouts, September and October, 1915;
National unemployment funds; Central office for placing the unemployed and refu
gees; Investigation of unemployment in certain occupations in Paris; State subsidies
to employment bureaus, 1914; Operations of the National Old-age Retirement Fund,
1913; Economic situation expressed in index numbers, second quarter, 1915; Elec
tion of two of the members of the central minimum wage board. Foreign countries—
Germany: Labor market, July, August, 1915; Employment offices; Cost of living in
Berlin, August, September, 1915; Sickness insurance, 1913. Austria: Cost of living
in Vienna, August, September, 1915. Trade-unions in Canada, 1914. United States:
Immigration, 1914; Trade-unions in New York State, 1913; Strikes and lockouts, 1914.
Great Britain: Labor market, strikes and employment exchanges, August-September, 1915; Cost of living, November 1, 1915; Strikes and lockouts, 1914. Sweden:
Strikes and lockouts, 1913, 1914; Work of Government mediators, 1914. Miscellane
ous: Reports of the industrial courts, third quarter, 1915; Wholesale prices in Paris,
September, October, 1915; Foreign commerce of France, first six months, 1915; Pro
duction of sugar and alcohol; Prices of bread. Laws, decrees, court decisions, etc.,
on matters of interest to labor.
D e ce m b e r 2 8 , 1 9 1 5
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M O N T H L Y REV IEW OF T H E B U R E A U OF LABOR ST A T IST IC S.
G erm any.—R e ic h s -A r b e its b la tt,
h era u sg eg eb en v o m
A b te ilu n g f u r A r b e ite r s ta tis tik .
B e r lin .
105
K a is e r lic h e n S ta tis tis c h e n A m te ,
D e ce m b e r, 1 9 1 5 . —Labor market in Germany, November, 1915; Labor market in
foreign countries (Great Britain, Switzerland, Netherlands, France, New York, Aus
tralia); Employment offices and unemployment; Unemployment in German tradeunions, November, 1915; Unemployment in foreign countries (Austria, April to July,
1915, Netherlands, September, 1915); The trade-unions and the war; Miners’ wages,
first and second quarter, 1915; Labor disputes in Germany and Great Britain during
the war (Sept. 1, 1914, to Aug. 31, 1915); Courses in elementary academic instruction
for workmen in Germany; Decisions of industrial courts; Statistical tables of the labor
market.
G reat B rita in .— T h e B o a r d o f T ra d e L a b o r G a ze tte . L o n d o n .
J a n u a r y , 1 9 1 6 . —Employment chart; The labor market; Special articles on employ
ment, wages, prices, and labor disputes, 1915; Employment in Germany in Novem
ber; Retail food prices in the United Kingdom, Berlin, Vienna, and Italy; Increase
in cost of food in New Zealand, July, 1914-August, 1915; Welfare supervision; Coal
mining organization committee; Official mediation in labor disputes in Norway;
Reports of employment in the principal industries; Labor in the Dominions and in
foreign countries, Denmark, Norway, United States; Board of trade labor exchanges.
Statistical tables: Trade disputes; Distress committees; Changes in rates of wages;
Prices of wheat, flour, and bread; Pauperism; Unemployment insurance; Diseases of
occupations; Fatal industrial accidents; Building plans; Foreign trade; Passenger
movement to and from the United Kingdom. Legal cases, official notices, etc.
Ita ly .— B o lle ttin o
m e rc io .
R om e.
delV U fhcio d e l L a v o r o , M in is te r o d i A g r ic o ltu r a , L n d u s tria e C o m (S e m im o n th ly .)
D e ce m b e r 1 5 , 1 9 1 5 . —Labor market by localities and industries; Labor disputes, sec
ond half of November; Employers’ and employees’ associations; Congresses and con
ventions; Labor legislation Decree, November 11, 1915, providing facilities for the
execution of public works; Activities of the bureau of labor; Illumination in factories
and work shops.
J a n u a r y 1 , 1 9 1 6 .— Labor market by localities and industries; Labor disputes,
November, 1915; Employers’ and employees’ associations; Congresses and conven
tions; Retail prices and index numbers of food stuffs in Italian cities, first six months
1914 and November, 1915; Retail prices of foodstuffs in foreign countries: Great Britain
(December, 1914, and July, 1915) Germany, Berlin (July, 1914, and October, 1915).
Activities of the bureau of labor; Enforcement of labor legislation; Immediate effects
of inhaling chlorine vapors; Poisoning in mines in the Transvaal.
J a n u a r y 1 6 ,1 9 1 6 .- —Labor market by localities and industries; Labor disputes, second
half of December, 1915; Employers’ and employees’ associations; Congresses and con
ventions; Activities of the bureau of labor; Labor legislation; Decree, December 23,
1915, extending the term of validity of the decree of May 2, 1915, relating to expatria
tion for the purpose of securing work; Decree, December 23,1915, prohibiting fishing in
the Ionian Sea; Decree, December 29, 1915, extending the validity of various decrees
for facilitating the payment of rents; Decree, January 2, 1915, authorizing the Govern
ment to extend its military discipline to dock labor at Italian seaports; Enforcement
of social legislation; Court decisions relating to labor.
----------------- ( M o n th ly ) .
S e p te m b e r -O c to b e r , 1 9 1 5 . —Labor market in foreign countries (France, July, 1915);
Labor disputes in Italy; Labor disputes in foreign countries (France, July and August,
1915; Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1913); Trade-unions in Canada, 1914; the problem
of illumination in factories and workshops ; Hygiene of the painters’ trade; Occu-
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M O N T H L Y RE V IE W OF T H E B U R EA U OF LABOR STA TISTICS.
pational aneurism of the hand; Approval by the second national conference of the
American Association for Labor Legislation of a practical program of action against
unemployment. Labor legislation—Australia: Report of the chief inspector of fac
tories, Melbourne, on antistrike legislation; Canada: Proposed amendment of the
industrial disputes investigation act. Prices of articles of consumption paid by State
educational institutions.
N eth erlan d s . — M a a n d sc h rift v a n h et C e n tra l B u r e a u v o o r de S ta tis tie k . T h e H a g u e .
D e ce m b e r, 1 9 1 5 .—Review of the labor market, building trades, clothing and clean
ing, and coal mining, November, 1915; Fisheries and dock labor, December, and
employment of interned soldiers to supply deficiency of labor in Netherlands; Unem
ployment and unemployment insurance, 1911-1915; Labor exchanges; Strikes and
lockouts; Wages, collective agreements, etc.; Workmen’s organizations; Wholesale
prices, 1914, 1915; Retail prices (index figures), 1913 to November, 1915; Number
and classes of passports issued; Court decisions. Miscellaneous reports—Statistics of
population, workmen’s dwellings; Public contracts awarded; Invalidity and old-age
pensions, Accidents; Postal savings bank, etc. International: Resume of war meas
ures, Laboi market in various countries; Labor exchanges; Strikes and lockouts in
Australia, Germany, Great Britain, and Italy; Retail prices in Denmark, Great
Britain, Italy, Norway, Austria, Sweden, and Switzerland; Cooperative societies in
Germany; Conciliation and unemployment insurance in Norway. Statistical tables
relating to the labor market and to public finance.
New South W ales .—
T h e N e w S o u th W a les I n d u s tr i a l G a ze tte , is s u e d b y the D e p a r t
m e n t o f L a b o r a n d I n d u s tr y . S y d n e y .
N o v e m b e r , 1 9 1 5 —The industrial situation, October, 1915; Law of industrial import;
Working of the factories and shops act, October, 1912; Departmental intelligence
(industrial law); Judgments of industrial boards; Industrial arbitration; Factories and
shops act, notice in regard to returns; Judicial, etc., proceedings; Departmental rec
ords (Chief inspector of factories office; Gas examiner’s office; Industrial registrar’s
office; Investigation office; Labor exchanges); Records of industrial boards, etc.;
Industrial agreements and awards expired, rescinded, new, and in force.
New Z ealand .— J o u r n a l o f the D e p a r tm e n t o f L a b o r . W e llin g to n .
D e ce m b e r, 1 9 1 5 .—Conditions of employment and trade, November, 1915; Woman’s
employment branches reports; Recent legal decisions of interest to labor; Death cases
under the workmen’s compensation act; Statistical tables of employment exchange
data, registered trade-unions, cooperative works, accidents in factories, and current
retail prices (November, 1915).
.opain.
B o le tin d e l I n s t i t u t o de R e fo rm a s S o c ia le s .
P u b lic a c ió n M e n su a l.
M a d rid .
D e ce m b e r, 1 9 1 5 .—Report
of the secretary’s office and of the special divisions;
Directory of associations; Strikes in 1914 and in November, 1915; Prices of various
articles of food, October, 1914, and March, 1915; Proceedings of the convention of
national federation of railway employees; Legislation. Foreign notes: Strikes and
lockouts in Germany, third quarter, 1915; Great Britain, October, 1915. Index for
July to December, 1915, issues.
Sweden. — S o c ía la
M ed d e la n d e n u tg i v n a a v K . S o c ia ls ty r e ls e n .
S to c k h o lm .
Report of the State unemployment commission on unemplovment among stone workers, May, 1915; Relief and bonus payments by employers to
offset the high cost of living; Foreign countries and the war (France); Prices and wages
at certain armament works; Results of the housing census, 1912-13, at Eskilstuna;
Maximum price fixed by the State on rye, wheat, and oats; Feeding of school children
in Stockholm; Cost of living in Denmark during the war; Fatal industrial accidents;
N ovem ber 12, 1915.
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107
Brief notices, mainly from foreign countries; Public-employment exchanges, Novem
ber, 1915; Retail prices and cost of living, 1904 to November, 1915; Prices of cattle
on the hoof, 1904 to November, 1915; Fish prices in Stockholm, November, 1914 and
1915; Reports from the royal pension bureau.
MISCELLANEOUS.
A u stria .— A m tlic h e
N a c h rich ten d e s k . k . M in is te r iu m s des I n n e r n b e tre ffen d d ie U n fa ll
v e rsic h e ru n g u n d d ie K ra n k e n v e r s ic h e r u n g der A r b e ite r .
V ie n n a .
D e ce m b e r, 1 9 1 5 . —Accident insurance; Election and appointment of officers of the
workmen’s accident insurance institutes and courts of arbitration; Decisions of the
courts of arbitration; Sickness insurance; Order relating to annual reports of sick
funds; Redetermination of the customary local daily wages.
G erm any .— A m tlic h e N a c h rich ten des R e ic h sv e rs ic h e ru n g sa m ts . B e r lin .
S e p te m b e r , 1 9 1 5 .— General part: Decree, August 19, 1915, of the imperial chancellor
postponing the new determination of the customary local wages. Accident insurance.
Circular decree, September 3, 1915, of the imperial insurance office to the directorates
of trade accident associations as to the employment of persons injured in the war;
Decisions of the imperial insurance office. Sickness, invalidity, and survivors’ insur
ance: Circular decree, September 3, 1915, of the imperial insurance office to the
directorates of the State insurance institutes as to the granting of curative treatment
to tubercular persons participating in the war; Decree, September 15, 1915, of the
imperial insurance office exempting specified persons from the obligation to insure;
Decisions on appeal; Decisions of the decision senates; Disbursements of the in
validity insurance institutes, July, 1915, for pensions and benefits to insured persons
and their survivors; Receipts from the sale of contribution stamps, August, 1915.
O cto b er 1 5 , 1 9 1 5 . —Accident insurance: Approval by the imperial insurance office
of regulations for accident prevention and risk tariffs, third quarter, 1915; Decisions
on appeals. Sickness, invalidity, and survivors’ insurance: Circular letter, June 24,
1915, of the imperial insurance office to the directorates of the State insurance insti
tutes containing a statement of the investments of these institutes, December 31,
1915; Decisions on appeals; Decisions of the decision senates; Disbursements of the
invalidity insurance institutes for pensions and benefits to insured persons and their
survivors, August, 1915; Receipts from the sale of contribution stamps, September,
1915.
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