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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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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.) https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (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.) https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis r ~ m ■- - “ _ ‘ __ _ 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1916 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis hi https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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: https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [ 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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: https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [227] (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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [ 228] 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., https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [229] 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [231] 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.) https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [233] 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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.) https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [235] 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [236] 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis 1237] 28 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [238] • 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [239] 30 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis £240] 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [241] 32 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............................ https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [243] 34 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [244] 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [245] 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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 . https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [247] 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [248] 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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 . * https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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 .” https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [253] 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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 ___ https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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 ............ ‘ https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [259] 50 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [ 260] 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 . 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [261] 52 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 . https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [2021 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, https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [203] 54 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [ 204 ] 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 . https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [265} 58 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [266 ] 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [267] 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [269] 60 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [270] 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [271] 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: https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [272] 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.) https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [273] 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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)................... https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [ 276 ] 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 . 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [277] 68 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [278] M O N T H L Y R E V IE W OE T H E B U R E A U OP LABOR S T A T IS T IC S . 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, https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [279] 70 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [ 280] 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 . 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [281] 72 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [2S2] 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.) https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [2S3] 74 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [284] 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 . 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [2S5] 76 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [286 ] 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [287] 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [289] 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.................. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [291] 82 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........................... https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [300] 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [303] 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 . https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [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 . https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [ 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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 . ........................................... https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [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] https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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- https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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- https://fraser.stlouisfed.org 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, https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [311] 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [312] 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). [313] https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis 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 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [314] 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- https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [3151 106 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis [3161 M O N T H L Y RE V IE W OF T H E BU R E A U OF LABOR ST A T IST IC S. 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. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis o [317] https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis