View original document

The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
FRANCES PERKINS, Secretary

BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
ISADOR LUBIN, Commissioner

For sale by

the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D.C.
.
.
.
.
.
Price 20 cents a copy
Subscription price peryear: United States, Canada, Mexico, $2.00; Other Countries, $3.25


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

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

C E R TIFIC A TE
This publication is issued pursuant to the
provisions o f the sundry civil act (41 Stats.
1430) approved March 4, 1921

CONTENTS
Special articles:
Occupational changes since 1850, as shown by census reports_______
Significance of nonmechanical factors in labor productivity and dis­
placement______________________________________________________________
National Recovery Administration:
Summary of permanent codes adopted from October 1 to 23, 1933:
Motor vehicle retailing trade_____________________________________ _
Boot and shoe manufacturing industry____________________________
Builders’ supplies trade industry___________________________________
Glass container industry___________________________________________
Knitting, braiding, and wire-covering machine industry_________
Lime industry_______________________________________________________
Luggage and fancy leather goods industry________________________
Retail lumber, lumber products, building materials, and building
specialties industry_______________________________________________
Saddlery manufacturing industry_____________ ____________________
Women’s belt industry_____________________________________________
Laundry and dry-cleaning machinery manufacturing in du stry,.
Bankers’ industry___________________________________________________
Boiler manufacturing industry_____________________________________
Electric storage and wet primary battery industry_______________
Ice industry_________________________________________________________
Optical manufacturing industry____________________________________
Silk textile industry_________________________________________________
Textile machinery manufacturing industry_______________________
Throwing industry_________________________________ ________________
Umbrella industry__________________________________________________
Automatic sprinkler industry______________________________________
Handkerchief industry______________________________________________
Compressed-air industry____________________________________________
Heat-exchange industry____________________________________________
Pump manufacturing industry--------------------------------------------------------Farm-equipment manufacturing industry_________________________
Mutual savings banks______________________________________________
Marking devices industry__________________________________________
Plumbago crucible industry________________________________________
Retail trade_________________________________________________________
Retail drug trade-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Cap and closure industry___________________________________________
Industrial supplies and machinery distributors’ trade____________
Steel tubular and fire-box boiler industry_________________________
Additions to and modifications of codes previously adopted:
Completed wage schedule for bituminous-coal industry_____
Appalachian agreement of the bituminous-coal industry____
Modification of lumber- and timber-products code__________
Modifications of Cotton Textile Industry Code_____________


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

h i

page
1017
1028

1039
1040
1042
1043
1043
1044
1045
1046
1047
1048
1049
1050
1051
1052
1053
1053
1054
1055
1056
1057
1058
1059
1060
1061
1062
1062
1063
1064
1065
1066
1069
1070
1071
1072
1073
1074
1081
1081

CONTENTS

IV

National Recovery Administration— Continued
Modification of President’s Reemployment Agreement:
Elimination of employment of factory workers in excess of 35
hours per week____________________________________________________
Application of agreement in small establishments and small
towns---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Definition of terms under agreement______________________________
Clarification of section 7 (a) of National Industrial Recovery A c t___
Child welfare: Conference on child health and nutrition__________________
Industrial and labor conditions:
United States Department of Labor at the Century of Progress
Exposition, Chicago, 1933____________________________________________
Meeting of Association of Governmental Officials in Industry, 1933-_
Effect of the depression upon the consumption of commodities______
Report on conditions in needle-trades industry in two counties of
Pennsylvania___________________________________________________________
Insurance, pension, and benefit plans:
Effect of public old-age pensions on almshouse populations__________
Retirement and unemployment plan of Hill Bros. C o _________________
Benefit payments by Photo-Engravers’ Union_________________________
Industrial accidents:
Meeting of the International Association of Industrial Accident
Boards and Commissions, 1933_______________________________________
Meeting of National Safety Council, 1933_____________________________
Industrial accidents in Massachusetts, 19 3 1 -3 2 ________________________
Safety :
Status of industrial safety codes and regulations in the various States,
by Charles E. Baldwin________________________________________________
Safety rules for window cleaning in New York_________________________
Labor organizations :
Convention of the American Federation of Labor, 1933______________
Labor unions in China, 1932____________________________________________
Reorganization of labor unions of miners in Germany_________________
Labor laws and court decisions:
Relief denied employer violating spirit of labor laws__________________
Courts holds National Recovery legislationconstitutional_____________
Egypt:

page
1082
1082
1083
1083
1084

1086
1088
1090
1092
1095
1096
1098

1099
1100
1101

1103
1119
1120

1131
1132
1133
1134

Legislation on employment of women in commerce and industry..
Child labor regulation______________________________________________
Industrial disputes:

1136
1137

Strikes and lockouts in the United States in September 1933_________
Conciliation work of the Department of Labor in September 1933___
Labor turn-over:

1138
1141

Labor turn-over in manufacturing establishments, third quarter of
1933--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Labor turn-over in the cotton manufacturing industry, 1931 and 1932.
Housing :

1150
1152

Building operations in principal cities of the United States, September
1933--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Wages and hours of labor:

1156

Wages and hours of labor in the manufacture of silk and rayon goods,
1933----------------

1171

Earnings and hours of labor in principal occupations in the iron and
steel industry, 1931 and 1933: Part 2. Bar, rail, sheet, and tin­
plate mills______________________________________________________________

1182


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

CONTENTS

V

Wages and hours of labor— Continued
Union scales of wages and hours of labor in 1933: Part 2. Average
wage rates, by trades__________________________________________________
Employment and wages in retail stores________________________________
Wage-rate changes in American industries_____________________________
Wage changes reported by trade unions and municipalities since July
1933--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Rates of wages on public-road work, August 1933_____________________
Brazil— Monthly wages in Sao Paulo, first half of 1933_______________
Denmark— Wages in industries, first quarter of 1933__________________
Germany:
Earnings in the building trades, August 1932_____________________
Hours of labor in the tobacco industry, 1932_____________________
Queensland— Forty-four hour week_____________________________________
Soviet Union— Yearly wages in 1932___________________________________
Sumatra— Wages and labor cost on tobacco plantations______________
Switzerland— Wages in 1932____________________________________________
Trend of employment:
Employment in selected manufacturing industries in September 1933 _
Employment in nonmanufacturing industries in September 1933____
Average man-hours worked and average hourly earnings_____________
Employment in building construction in September 1933_____________
Trend of employment in September 1933, by States__________________
Employment and pay rolls in September 1933 in cities of over 500,000
population______________________________________________________________
Employment in the executive civil service of the United States,
September 1933________________________________________________________
Employment on class I steam railroads in the United States_________
Unemployment in foreign countries_____________________________________
Retail prices:
Retail prices of food in September 1933________________________________
Retail prices of coal on September 15, 1933____________________________
Wholesale prices:
Index numbers of wholesale prices, 1913 to September 1933___________
Publications relating to labor:
Official— United States___________________________________________________
Official— Foreign countries_______________________________________________
Unofficial__________________________________________________________________


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

p age
1186
1193
1199
1203
1204
1208
1208
1209
1210
1211
1211
1211
1214
1216
1228
1233
1235
1237
1245
1245
1247
1248
1253
1258
1263
1270
1271
1272

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

This Issue in Brief

Great changes in the occupations of the people of the United States
have occurred during the past several decades as a result of new methods
of doing work, increased mechanization of industry, and changing
consumption habits. An analysis of the Census Bureau’s reports from
1850 to 1930 shows certain of the more striking changes— the decline
or death of certain trades and professions, the birth and increase of
others, etc. (p. 1017).
The significance of nonmechanical factors in labor productivity and
displacement is discussed in an article beginning on page 1028. While
the utilization of machinery and mechanical power has been the out­
standing factor operating to increase labor productivity since the
beginning of the machine age, there are other factors that have often
been of equal and sometimes of even greater importance. Especially
significant are such factors as the improvement of working conditions
and the adjustment of working time; selection of personnel; synchro­
nization of motion; improved cooperation; better arrangement of tools
or machinery; the discovery and installation of improved processes; and
the standardization of materials, processes, and finished products.
On October 1, 1933, the estimated membership of the American Fed­
eration of Labor was approximately 4,000,000, according to an an­
nouncement made by Mr. William Green, its president, just preceding
the recent annual convention of that body. The sessions of this
convention reflected from various angles the gains, aspirations, and
also the dissatisfactions of organized labor under the National
Industrial Recovery Act (p. 1120).
There were 149,094 persons employed on public roads during the
month of August, according to data received from the Bureau of
Public Roads of the United States Department of Agriculture. Of
this number, over 91,000 were paid from the emergency public roads
fund and the remaining 58,000 were employed under the regular
State-aid plan of the Bureau. The common-labor rate on emergency
construction averaged 36 cents per hour for the United States as a
whole. The common-labor rate under the regular State-aid plan aver­
aged 35 cents per hour. The rates differed materially in the different
geographic divisions, ranging from 20 cents to 50 cents an hour.
Skilled-labor rates ranged from 32 to 73 cents per hour (p. 1204).
The larger cotton manufacturing firms had higher turn-over rates in
both 1931 and 1932 than the smaller firms, according to a tabulation by
the Bureau of Labor Statistics of data from 172 identical firms from
which reports were received for these years. The 84 firms having
fewer than 300 employees showed a net turn-over rate for 1931 of
33.43 and for 1932 of 40.93. For the 88 larger firms, the net turn­
over rate for 1931 was 42.83 and for 1932 was 54.67 (p. 1152).


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

V II

VIII

THIS ISSUE

IN BRIEF

Decreases in union wage rates in 1933 as compared with 1932 were
shown in 60 out of 69 separate time-work trades covered by the Bureau
of Labor Statistics in its 1933 survey of union scales of wages and
hours of labor. An article beginning on page 1186 shows wage rates
and hours of labor on May 15, 1933, for chauffeurs and teamsters and
drivers; laundry workers; linemen; and longshoremen; and for
workers in the bakery, building, granite and stone, and printing
trades. The range in wage rates for these groups was from 43.5
cents per hour for laundry workers to $1,234 in the granite and stone
trades. Full-time working hours ranged from 40.4 in the building
trades to 53 for chauffeurs and teamsters and drivers.
Earnings in the manufacture of silk and rayon goods averaged 26.9
cents per hour and $11.85 per week in 1933 as compared with 40.6
cents per hour and $18.47 per week in 1931, according to a survey
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The hours actually worked in a
week averaged 44 in 1933 as compared with 45.5 in 1931, while
full-time hours would have averaged 50.9 in 1933 and 50.7 in 1931.
The principal products of the mills covered by these investigations
were broad goods, ribbons, dress goods, linings, shirtings, satins,
georgettes, pongees, crepes, taffetas, chiffons, and tie goods made of
silk and/or rayon (p. 1171).
A brief description of the exhibit which the Department of Labor and
its various bureaus presented at the Century of Progress Exposition at
Chicago, together with the outline used by the Department to show
the changes and progress experienced by the workers through the
century, will be found on page 1086.


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

MONTHLY

LABOR REVIEW
U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
VOL

37 N O . 5

W A S H IN G T O N

N O V E M B E R 1933

Occupational Changes Since 1850, as Shown by Census Reports

HE twentieth century has brought a new industrial world, built
up through continual changes in techniques, habits, and tech­
nology, with a consequent creation and shifting of occupations.
Some" of the skilled trades of 1850 either no longer exist or are fast
disappearing; others, however, have expanded and new trades have
arisen to take the place of those no longer needed. Also a large
part of the machinery used today requires operators more skilled
than were the hand employees replaced by machines.
The purpose of this study has been to assemble reasonably com­
parable data for selected significant occupations, both skilled and
unskilled, and to present the figures in sufficient detail for further
analysis. The basic information for the study was compiled from
the decennial reports of the occupational census of all persons 10
years of age and over in the United States, published by the Bureau
of the Census beginning with the year 1850, the first year in which
the population was classified by occupations. While employees in
most of the trades increased in actual numbers from one census
period to another, many of them show relative decreases when
compared with the change in population. The population increased
from 23,191,876 in 1850 to 122,775,046 in 1930, and it is only by
considering the changes in the occupations with relation to this in­
crease in population that the real significance of such changes becomes
apparent.
Before any discussion of the material presented, attention must be
called to the fact that many of the trades or occupations of the
present day are not strictly comparable with the same trades or
occupations in 1850. New tools, new methods, different products,
all tend to change the trade as well as the number of persons em­
ployed in it. For example, the carpenter of today uses many tools
similar to those which were in use in 1850, but he no longer makes
his own window frames, sashes, doors, etc., as these are now almost
all made in factories. Also, unfortunately, occupations have not
always been treated alike in the several decennial census reports.
Different occupational terms and combinations thereof are used, and
some occupations which were shown separately for a few years have
drifted into “ all others” in later years, rendering comparison im­
possible. Also it must be remembered that the statistics are gathered
at 10-year intervals, and that the date for census taking has not
always been the same. From 1850 to 1900 the census was taken as
of June 1, but in 1910 April 15 was chosen; January 1 was used in

T


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

1017

1018

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

1920, and April 1 in 1930. These changes in date affect, to some
extent, the comparisons in seasonal occupations. It may be pointed
out also that a comparison of 1930 figures with those for 1920 is
likely to be misleading, due to the abnormal conditions prevailing in
1920, a period closely following the war. Some occupations show
expansion in 1920, which is out of line with the trend, and a com­
pensating decline in 1930, while other occupations show the reverse.
As a result of all of these factors the figures presented below should
be accepted only as representative of general trends and not as
absolutely accurate measurements.
The occupations for which figures are presented have been arranged
under seven groups: Agriculture, forestry, and fishing; extraction of
minerals; manufacturing and mechanical industries; transportation;
professional service; domestic and personal service; and clerical
occupations. It was not possible to include all of the occupations
reported by the census, as in many cases they are of no particular
significance in any year and many of them could not be traced on a
comparable basis through the various reports. The occupational
terms used in the table are designed to cover the material for all
years, although they may not be the exact terms used in any census
report. Wherever necessary, combinations have been made in order
to maintain the comparison from year to year. The figures cited
show the number of employees per million of population.
The most conspicuous occupational change revealed by the figures
in table 1 is that to which attention has been frequently called, the
consistent shift during the entire period from agricultural to other
pursuits. For 1930 the Bureau of the Census made certain changes
in tabulation which make impossible a comparison of the subgroups
of agricultural occupations with those shown in previous censuses.
The total number of persons employed in agricultural pursuits in 1930
represents a 15 percent decrease from 1920 and shows that a smaller
percentage of the population was engaged in agriculture in 1930 than
at any time during the period studied. Slaves, who formed a large
part of the farm labor in the South in 1850 and 1860, were not included
in the censuses for those years; this accounts for the sharp increase
in 1870. In the census of 1850 it is estimated that in that year there
were 2,500,000 slaves, or approximately 108,000 per million of pop­
ulation, directly employed in agriculture, including both males and
females of all ages.1
Motor tractive power, electricity, and improved implements and
methods are making agricultural work less burdensome but more
productive, and the very great decline in the number of persons em­
ployed in agricultural pursuits has in a large measure been due to
these technological changes. Technical changes in other industries
have also resulted in divorcing the farmer’s occupation from a variety
of processes formerly done on the farm, such as slaughtering, cooper­
ing, the making of certain implements, and the preparation of certain
foods. Furthermore, industrial and commercial wage levels, and the
attractions of city life have drawn many away from the farm to the
city.________
1 U .S. Census Office. Statistical View of the United States— A Compendium of the Seventh Census,
by J. D . B. DeBow. Washington, 1854, p. 94.


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

OCCUPATIONAL CHANGES SINCE
T able

1 —

1019

1850

N U M B E R O F E M P L O Y E E S P E R M I L L IO N OF P O P U L A T IO N , B Y O C C U P A ­
T IO N , AS S H O W N B Y C E N S U S OF O C C U P A T IO N S , 1850-1930

Occupation

1860

1850

1870

1880

1890

1900

1910

1920

1930

Agriculture, forestry, and
fishing
Agriculture1------------- ------------

103, 568 106,129 153,436 152, 585 133,904 134, 579 134, 696 100,896 85, 294
37, 544
2 25, 305 74, 848 66, 271 47, 723 57, 449 65,047
79,809 77,320 84,318 83,904 74, 606 64, 231 57,550

7103, 097
Gardeners, nurserymen,
florists, vine growers, ete_
Stockraisers, d r o v e r s ,
Lumbermen, raftsmen, wood
choppers, etc-----------------Fishermen and oystermen___

366

697

872

1,117

1,153

1,406

3,015

2,955

105

318

396

879

1,124

1,118

1,256

1,271

491
486

614
844

651
703

865
825

1,582
956

1, 422
907

1,753
742

1,826
500

1,321
597

83
3,338

131
4,699

352
3,945
99

302
4,670
146

598
5, 554
145

455
6,959
237

879
8,758
278

427
8, 351
809

532
6,064
857

1,760
604
3,587
105
/ 2,011
(
417
5,644
5,348
1,611
1,131
7,992
8, 509
1,884
1,387

451
718
3,677
180
2,327
612
4, 438
1, 111
8,937
1,084

881
823
3,444
255
2,043
440
3,870
1,010
8,440
980

1,310
956
3, 262
339
2,525
620
3,392
571
9, 714
754

1,294
974
2, 533
487
1,842
518
2,836
456
8,884
275
1 1,307
152
892
246

1,364
927
1,847
701
1,314
362
2,879
431
8,394
180
2,014
142
784
189

755
1,147
1,013
407
1,518
571
2,482
472
7, 570
92
2,283
158
588
62

8,052
5,016
389

8, 006
7,586
209

6, 731
5, 215
186

Extraction of minerals
Quarry operatives ___________
Miners, coal and metalliferous.
M anufacturing and mechanical
industries
Apprentices..- ------------------B a k ers.-.
--- . - ------Blacksmiths. __ . . ----------------Boilermakers
. . .
Brick and stone masons--------Plasterers_________ - - ----------Boot and shoe workers —
Cabinetm akers.-. - --- Carpenters and joiners _
Coopers---- ----------- ---------

80
615
3 4,308
68

Engravers __
------------------Glassworks operatives.
Harness and saddle workers. _
Iron and steel workers, including blast-furnace, rollingmill, foundry, etc., em- - - . . . -----ployees______
Machinists___________ _______
Marble and stone cutters _. - .
M i l l e r s and millworkers
(grain, flour, and feed)----Painters, glaziers, and varnishers____
... ... Paper and pulp mill operatives — -------------------- ------Paper hangers___
Upholsterers.— - ----Pattern and model makers—
Plumbers, gas and steam
fitters-------- --------- -------------Potters and pottery workers. .
Printers, compositors, pressmen, lithographers, bookbinders, etc------------------Roofers and sla te r s ___
. .
Rubber factory operatives-----Steam engineers and firemen
(stationary). - ----- --- S t r u c t u r a l - i r o n workers,

95
140
982

88
111
814

110
247
851

91
358
797

132
545
691

1,072
1,042
2,869
410
1,962
465
2, 741
469
7,693
490
667
147
658
528

528
1,039
607

800
1,394
631

1,215
1, 420
670

2,284
2,016
655

3,355
2,813
970

3,919
3,508
717

1,199

1,186

1,078

1,066

839

534

396

468

316

1,215

1, 659

2,208

2,563

3,494

3,632

3,635

3,017

4, 261

63

146
64
102
87

323
65
149
103

427
100
208
116

442
197
408
164

478
287
406
198

737
278
220
256

1,012
177
280
262

1,094
231
419
242

81
179

191
110

289
131

387
144

899
237

1,214
212

1,613
277

1,956
277

1,937
281

788
19
7

944
62
15

1,285
71
101

1, 726
80
127

2,260
112
257

2,394
118
288

2, 552
153
477

2,339
108
1,302

2, 551
193
896

888

1,588

2,220

2,941

3, 722

3,651

3,123

124

178

236

Tailors,
tailoresses, seamstresses, dressmakers, milliners, etc. . ------- ----------Tanners, curriers, and tannery workers. . --------------Textile workers7.
.
- -T i n s m i t h s and tinware
workers and coppersmiths._
Tobacco and cigar factory
Wagon and coach makers.. . .
Wheelwrights........... ............... ..

128
f
\

510

(8)

8,045

6, 585

8,357

10,884

10, 652

10, 712

6,662

4, 421

646
1,925

446
1,686

744
4,842

595
6,015

625
5,442

561
7,087

591
8,162

565
9,097

373
7,796

582

615

847

920

935

925

848

467
673
1,323

681
618
1,040

1,044
1,101
543

1,536
995
311

1,773
549
204

1, 730
0)
178

1,826
376
41

See footnotes at end of table.


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

0)

» 1,059 « 1,034
1,706
182
35

1,012
34

......

1020

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

T able 1.— N U M B E R O F E M P L O Y E E S P E R M I L L I O N OF P O P U L A T IO N , B Y O C C U P A ­
T IO N , AS S H O W N B Y C E N S U S OF O C C U P A T IO N S , 1850-1930— Continued

Occupation

1850

1860

1870

1880

1890

1900

1910

1,757

2, 468

3,132

3,541

5,854

7,092

1920

1930

4,826

3,975

1,240

6, 714
1,409

11,378
1,877

10,914
1,904

7, 749
1, 371

1,667
506

1,634
519

1,220
527

Transportation
Chauffeurs. _______________
Draymen, hackmen, team-

498

Conductors, brakemen, and
other railroad employees
\
Locomotive

engineers

208

1,163

3,995

/ 6, 080
4,707
l 1,104

3,044

132
1,470

238
1,198

593

2,142

920
795

and

Motormen, conductors, and
other street railway em­
ployees (not c le r k s ).______
Professional service
26

40

52

67

128

139

181

172

179

20
1,157

20
1,194

20
1,138

39
1,290

72
1,401

116
1,469

177
1,283

312
1,204

302
1,212

40
126
1,032
1,757

100
178
1,081
1, 751

196
203
1,057
1,618

199
246
1, 279
1,708

318
278
1,424
1,665

355
390
1,506
1,737
57

346
435
1,247
1, 643

324
531
1,159
1,372

322
579
1,308
1,253

2,045

3,049

Chemists, assayers, and metPhotographers and daguerreoLawyers, judges, and justices.
Technical engineers
Domestic and personal service
Barbers,

hairdressers,

and
259

Servants, housekeepers, stewwards, stewardesses, etc____
Laundry operatives________ __
Cleaning, dyeing, and pressing shop workers___________

(6)

354

621

894

1,350

1, 725

2,123

218,696

25, 337

21,492

23, 111

22, 579
29

20,113

16, 285 21, 577

20, 793

f 16, 569
\13, 748

26, 691 10, 336
14, 565 19,469

Clerical occupations
Clerks, stenographers, type­
writers, bookkeepers, ac1 4,369
Clerks and salesmen and saleswomen in stores. . _______

5,933 / 1,926
1 6,139

2,999
} l 6 , 117
7, 691

i 1930 census classifications do not allow for detail of agricultural occupations as shown in previous years.
• \?cPiure5
ava^ able Or slaves who formed a considerable part of agricultural and domestic labor
in 1850 anu i860.
3 Includes a few whitesmiths.
4 Estimated by Bureau of Census in 1920.
3 Reported under another designation.
6 N ot shown, as males only were reported.
7 Including spinners, weavers, warpers, loom fixers, scourers, bleachers, dyers, knitters, etc., of cotton,
wool, worsted, silk, linen, and hosiery.
’
8 Includes sheet-metal workers.

Fishermen and oystermen numbered only a few more per million
of population in 1930 than in 1850 and considerably less than in any
other year of the period studied. In the decade 1920 to 1930, how­
ever, there was an increase of almost 20 percent.
In recent years the use of minerals has become more and more
indispensable and the technical progress of these industries has kept
pace with their importance, resulting in a steady growth in produc­
tion. The expansion of the coal and iron industries increased the
number of miners employed from 3,338 per million of population in
1850 to 8,351 in 1920. Although mechanization has not been as
rapid in coal mining as in certain other industries, recent technical
improvements have led to a reduction in labor requirements which,
combined with the development of other kinds of industrial power,
resulted in a decrease in the number of miners per million of popula
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

OCCUPATIONAL CHANGES SINCE

1850

1021

tion from 8,351 in 1920 to 6,064 in 1930. On the other hand, the
growth of the oil and gas industries raised the number of employees
of oil and gas wells from 99 per million of population in 1870, the
first year for which separate returns were made, to 857 in 1930.
Greater productivity has made it possible for the relatively smaller
increase in persons employed in manufacturing industries to provide
for the more rapidly expanding industrial population. Manufacturing
and mechanical occupations have thus suffered a relative shrinkage.
The building trades have experienced a considerable change since
1850. This is not surprising when consideration is given to the differ­
ence in buildings of today and those of 80 years ago. In the early
days lumber was the easiest as well as the cheapest material with
which to build, and most buildings were of wood. Today, however,
almost all large buildings are constructed of brick, concrete, steel, or
stone, while even the inside finish of wood is not so much used as
formerly. These materials are also in common use among home
builders, especially in the cities. Fabrication has transferred much
of the hand work to the factory. The new technology of recent years
has entered construction work and the amount of hand work has been
reduced. As yet there has been but little inroad of machinery on the
highly skilled crafts.
The use of steel for framing accounts for the new trade of structuraliron worker. This occupation was shown separately for the first time
in 1910, when 124 workers per million of population were reported in
this trade. By 1930 the ratio had almost doubled, workers having
increased to 236 per million of population.
Carpenters and joiners and plasterers increased in almost the same
ratio as the population during the 80-year period 1850 to 1930.
Brick and stone masons decreased perceptibly after 1850, but showed
an upward trend from 1920 to 1930. Marble and stone cutters, when
compared with the population, decreased constantly after 1890 and
in 1930 showed fewer workers per million of population than at any
other time studied. Stone is now, to a large extent, cut and polished
at the quarry by machinery, only the finer work being done by hand.
The result of the introduction of these machines was first noticeable
in the census returns for 1910.
The bathroom, a luxury enjoyed by few families in 1850, has now
become almost a necessity. Only 81 plumbers per million of popula­
tion were employed in 1850, as against 1,937 in 1930. There was a
slight drop in the relative number employed in this trade in 1930 as
compared with 1920.
Electric lights were unknown in 1850, while now practically all of
the large buildings and an increasing percentage of homes are equipped
with electricity for lighting, as well as for the numerous electrical
appliances now on the market. As a result 2,283 electricians per mil­
lion of population were reported in 1930 as compared with 667 in
1900, the first year for which a separate return was made for this trade.
Painters, glaziers, and varnishers increased steadily from 1,215 per
million of population in 1850 to 3,635 in 1910, decreased to 3,017 in
1920, but increased again in 1930 to 4,261. During the period there
has been an increase in factory painting and varnishing, and most of
the glazing is now done at the factory.
Comparatively few families indulged in the luxury of wall paper m
the early days and the occupation of paper hanger was not reported

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

1022

MONTHLY LABOE R E V IEW

separately in 1850, but this craft increased from 64 per million of
population in 1860 to 231 in 1930. In 1920 there was a considerable
decrease in the importance of this occupation, but during the last
decade the relative number has increased approximately 30 percent.
Commercially upholstered furniture was probably included among
the furnishings of but few homes in 1850. However, as home-made
furniture began to be replaced by the new factory-made upholstered
product, the trade of upholsterer became very important. After
1900 there was a decline in the ratio of upholsterers to the population,
but by 1920 the turn of fashion made a sharp increase in the demand
for this occupation and by 1930 there were 419 upholsterers per
million of population.
The principal woodworking shop crafts have decreased amazingly
in recent decades. Wagon and coach makers, important trades in
1850, diminished from 673 per million population in 1850 to 34 in
1930. These trades indeed are almost extinct, and wheelwrights are
no longer separately enumerated in the census returns. The cooper’s
trade, a very necessary one in 1850, is also fast disappearing. In
1850 there were 1,884 coopers per million of population; in 1930 the
census returns showed but 92. Steel drums, pails, sacks, and other
containers have been substituted for the old wooden barrel.
The decrease of cabinetmakers from 1,611 per million of popula­
tion in 1850 to 472 in 1930 is probably due more to the growth of the
factory system of manufacturing then to the introduction of machin­
ery. More desks, tables, chairs, etc., are made today than ever
before, but most of them are now made in the factory. By 1890 the
number of cabinetmakers per million of population had dropped to
571, and since 1900 the number has kept fairly even pace with the
growth of population. Owing to the occupational classification used
by the census, it is impossible to include factory operatives with the
hand cabinetmakers. Thus, the decrease shown in this occupation
represents the decrease of hand cabinetmakers and not the decrease
in the trade generally.
In the metal-working trades, machinists increased to more than
sevenfold in comparison with the growth in population from 1850 to
1920, about two fifths of the increase occurring between 1910 and
1920. After 1920 there was some decrease in the relative number.
Boiler makers increased steadily and rapidly, but during the decade
1920 to 1930, dropped from the high point reached in 1920 to the
general level winch the trade held relatively to the population for
three decades prior to 1920.
Pattern and model makers have increased greatly since 1850, and
have held a steady pace with population increases since 1910.
Stationary steam engineers and firemen grew from 510 per million
of population in 1850 to 3,123 in 1920. After 1910, however, the ratio
gradually declined.
The 982 harness and saddle workers per million of population in
1850 had been reduced to 62 in 1930. The advent of the automobile
and motor truck has had, of course, a great deal to do with the decline
in this trade.
Bakers have nearly doubled in number per million of population
since 1850. At that time there were but 615, in comparison with
1,147 in 1930. This increase is due largely to the substitution of
bakery foods for the home-made variety.

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

OCCUPATIONAL CHANGES SINCE

1850

1023

The effect of the introduction of machinery in our manufacturing
establishments is clearly illustrated in the occupation of the boot and
shoe worker. Boot and shoe production has grown by leaps and
bounds since 1850, although the number of workers per million of
population has decreased steadily. Back in the early days a shoe­
maker made the entire shoe. At present practically all the shoes
are made in the factory by machine and one man seldom performs
more than one operation on a pair of shoes.
Textile workers increased from 1,925 per million of population in
1850 to 7,796 in 1930, the decade 1920 to 1930, however, showing
a decrease of over 1,000. Technology has played a large part in
the relative reduction of employees in the textile trades and the
operation of the modern loom is quite different from the old processes
of 1850, but spinning and weaving continue to be the most important
occupations in the textile industry.
The tremendous increase in the use of machinery, steel frames for
buildings, steel rails, etc., is reflected to a large extent in the increase
in iron and steel workers.
Years ago communities were self-sufficient to a large extent, but
with the growth of the complex modern ways of living, need has
arisen for wide and accessible markets and for ease of transportation,
both of goods and passengers. Many changes have taken place in
this field over the years studied. In 1930 there were fewer draymen,
hackmen, teamsters, etc., than there were in 1850 or at any time
since then. In 1900 the peak was reached in these trades, and since
that time a constant relative decrease has been reported. From 1920
to 1930 the drop was great, there being over three times as many per
million of population in 1920 as in 1930. The effect of the automobile
and motor truck is apparent, the new occupation of chauffeur taking
the place of a large number of teamsters and drivers. This occupa­
tion was reported separately for the first time in 1910 and increased
from slightly less than 500 per million of population in that year to
7,920 in 1930. The relative number tripled in the 10 years from 1920
to 1930.
Steam railroad employment rose almost unchecked until 1910,
when a relative decline set in which has continued. Locomotive
engineers and firemen were shown separately for the first time in
1890 when 1,104 per million of population were employed. This
number increased to 1,904 in 1920, but by 1930 it had dropped to
1,371, the lowest since 1890.
During the three decades following the introduction of electric
cars, a rapidly increasing number of persons were required ip the
operation of street railways, but as in the case of steam railroads,
the number needed fell off relatively between 1910 and 1920 and has
gone down rapidly since that time.
Sailors and deck hands have grown fewer and fewer relatively
with the decrease in American ships. Our shipping industry was
quite important in 1850 and there were 3,044 sailors per million of
population. By 1930 this number had shrunk to 527. Since 1910
the number has kept pace with the population and has shown a
slight increase.
In the professional group of occupations there has been much
growth during the last 80 years. Few professions have declined,
and there has been a steady growth in many of the older professions
and a rapid extension of some of the newer ones.

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

1024

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IEW

The profession of architect increased to sevenfold by 1910 and there­
after kept pace with the population.
Chemists increased to more than fifteenfold in relation to the popu­
lation during the 80-year period from 1850 to 1930. The ratio in
1930 was relatively the same as in 1920.
The relation between clergymen and the population has remained
fairly constant, as has also been the case with lawyers and judges.
In 1930 the legal profession showed a slight relative gain over 1920
and 1910.
Photographers have multiplied relatively eight times since 1850,
hut kept a relatively constant growth with the population after 1890.
Dentists increased from 126 per million of population in 1850 to
579 in 1930, the increase being constant.
The number of physicians and surgeons was greater per million of
population in 1850 than it has been at any time since, and was
smaller in 1930 than at any other census year of the period covered.
The so-called machine age has had much to do with the creation
of the occupation of technical engineer, which occupation, excluding
electricians, has increased from 69 per million of population in 1890,
the first year in which a separate report was made, to 184 in 1930,
an increase of 166% percent.
While domestic and personal service has probably shown a smaller
degree of relative change than almost any other group of occupations
over the period of 80 years, there has been a great deal of change in
the occupations within the group. As was the case with agricultural
laborers in 1850 and 1860, many of the domestic servants in those
years were slaves and were not reported by the census. The census
of 1850 estimated that “ at least as many slaves will be employed as
domestics as there are slave properties” ,1 which would allow 347,525
domestic slaves or approximately 15,000 per million of population.
In 1850 the domestic service was made up largely of household
servants. Today domestic service consists of such occupations as
janitors, elevator tenders, boarding and lodging house keepers,
restaurant and lunchroom owners, laundry operatives, cleaners and
dyers. There is still a demand for servants, but instead of keeping
a few servants in his home, the American now goes outside and em­
ploys various servants, all specialists in their particular lines.
Domestic servants have fairly well kept pace with the population
ever since 1860, fluctuating up or down a little at each census period.
During the war large numbers of domestics left their employment
for more congenial _employment at better wages and the relative
number employed in that year fell below even the 1860 figure.
The 1930 census, however, shows the relative number back at the
approximate figure which has obtained throughout the period studied.
Barbers, hairdressers, and manicurists have increased relatively
to over tenfold during the period covered, in accordance with the
change in custom and fashion of the people.
Laundry operatives, which were not returned separately in the
census until 1900, increased from 29 per million of population in that
year to 196 in 1930.
Cleaning, dyeing, and pressing shop workers, which did not appear
in the census returns until 1910, increased relatively from 16 to 72
during the 20 years from 1910 to 1930, an increase of 350 percent.
i
U.S. Census Office. Statistical View of the United States— A Compendium of the Seventh Census, by
J. D . B. D eBow. Washington, 1854, p. 94.


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

Oc c u p a t i o n a l

changes

s in c e

1850

1025

Clerical service, which accounted for a very small proportion of
the total gainfully occupied group in 1850, has increased at a con­
sistently rapid rate over the entire period, and has probably experi­
enced a greater percentage of increase than any other group. Tech­
nological changes have released a great number of workers from
manual toil and made them available for clerical work. At the same
time, the complex business structure which has been made possible
by technological progress depends upon the efficient functioning of
an administrative and distributive organization which has absorbed
a great number of clerical workers.
It was not possible to separate clerical employees from clerks and
salesmen in stores in all years, but wherever possible the separation
has been made. The relative number of clerks in 1930 was over 10
times what it was in 1850. Up to 1920 office clerks increased a great
deal faster than sales clerks, but during the decade 1920 to 1930 office
clerks increased but 14 percent, whereas clerks in stores increased
34 percent.
W age Earners, by Industries, as Reported in the Manufacturing Censuses
W h i l e the occupation census reports from which the above figures
were compiled afford the only measure of the proportion of the several
occupations in the population, additional data bearing on the subject
are available from the Census of Manufactures which contains,
among other things, a report of the average number of wage earners
employed in the various industries by the manufacturing establish­
ments of the country. Occupations, however, are not considered.
These reports are available by 10-year periods from 1850 to 1899, and
by 5-year periods from that time to 1919. Since then reports have
been issued bienially.
It should be noted that the manufacturing census is a census of
factories, with more attention given to product and investment than
to producers. These statistics are compiled primarily for the pur­
pose of showing the absolute and relative magnitude of the various
branches of industry covered, and their growth and decline. In
addition, howéver, the number of wage earners is reported, and when
the various industries are being studied without regard to occupations
these figures are probably preferable to the occupational statistics.
In the occupational census, for example, a carpenter is reported
under the head of carpenter regardless of where he may be employed,
while in the manufacturing census he would be included only as a
wage earner under the industry in which he works.
In presenting the following data compiled from the Census of Manu­
factures, only four of the principal industries in the United States
have been chosen. Three of them are industries having occupations
that are included in the occupational table. In no case, however,
are the figures in this table comparable with those in the other, as the
method of collecting data is entirely different. The method of
enumeration used in the occupational census is the house-to-house
canvass, the occupation of each individual being reported regardless
of whether or not he is actually employed at the time of the census
taking. Every person 10 years of age or over engaged in productive
labor is included in the occupational information. Reports prepared
by manufacturing plants are used for the Census of Manufactures,
and only those persons employed in manufacturing plants with
annual products of a value of $500 or over are included in the data.


16487° — 33------ 2
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

I N D U S T R I E S AS S H O W N B Y T H E C E N S U S OF M A N U F A C T U R E S , 1850 T O 1931

Industry

1850

1860

1870

20,448
882

15,927
507

27, 554 i 30,000
715
598

39,837
1, 718

49,034
1,559

91, 651 110, 798 137, 766 183, 249 207, 562 240,076 248, 716 375,088 235, 515 388, 201 370, 726 361,312 395, 880 264, 561
2, 376
2, 209
2,189
2,411
2,554
2,610
2, 540
3,548
2,184
3,480
3, 227
3,057
3,224
2,132

1879

1889

1899

1904

1909

1914

1919

1921

1923

1925

1927

1929

1931

33,415
531

39, 241
516

35,078
432

38,429
418

29, 356
300

41, 660
394

18,698
173

36,712
329

29,188
254

27,958
237

24,960
203

13, 570
109

1026

T able 2 .—A C T U A L N U M B E R O F W A G E E A R N E R S , A N D N U M B E R OF W A G E E A R N E R S P E R M I L L IO N O F P O P U L A T IO N , E M P L O Y E D I N V A R IO U S

Iron and steel
Blast furnaces:
Wage earners per million population___
Steel works and rolling mills:
Wage earners____ .
__ __
Wage earners per million population. _ _

Wage earners per million population. _ _
Silk goods:
Wage earners per million population. _ _
Hosiery and knit goods:
Wage earners per million population.. .

92, 286 122,028 135,369 172, 544 218,876 302, 861 315,874 378, 882 393,404 446, 852 425,835 495,197 468, 352 489,036 447, 051 348,148
3,979
3,881
3, 511
3, 440
3, 477
3, 985
3, 887
4,120
4, 017
4, 227
3,949
4,440
4,077
4,137
3,641
2, 806
45, 438
L 959

50, 419 105,071 132, 676 154, 271 159,108 179, 976 202, 029 195, 285 196,404 190, 948 237,454 206,110 194,827 187,150 148,413
1,603
2,725
2, 645
2,451
2,094
2, 215
2,197
1,994
1,858
1,771
2,129
1,794
1,648
1, 524
1,196

1,723
74

5,435
173

6,649
172

31, 337
625

49, 382
784

65, 416
861

2, 325
100

10, 532
335

18,846
489

30,699
612

59, 774
950

83, 691 104,092 129, 275 150, 520 172, 572 162,078 194, 244 186, 668 190, 283 208, 488 171, 524
1,101
1,281
1, 406
1,537
1,632
1,742
1,503
1,625
1,382
1,610
1,698

79,601
980

99, 037 108,170 126, 782 121, 603 125, 234 132, 509 127,643 130,467 109, 203
1,077
1, 105
1,199
1,128
1,123
1,154
1,080
1,063
880

Boots and shoes 2
Boots and shoes (including repairing):
W age earners_____
__________ _______ 105,305 123, 030 138, 662 143, 301
Wage earners per million population. _ _
4, 541
3,913
3,596
2,857
Boots and shoes (not including repairing):
Wage earners. . .
. _. . . . .
115, 972 142,116 151, 231 160, 294 198, 297 206,088 229, 705 196, 586 241,119 223, 574 221, 671 225, 515 203,400
Wage earners per million population__
2,312
2, 258
1,972
1,990
2,156
2,104
2,162
2,173
1,823
1,875
1, 946
1,837
1,639
M otor vehicles 3
Wage earners . . .
_
________
W age earners per million population
1 N ot reported separately; this number is an estimate.
2 Including cut stock and findings.
3 Including bodies and parts.
4 No data covering bodies and parts— 2,241 wage earners for motor vehicles


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

(4)

12,049
148

75, 721 127,092 343,115 213,116 404,886 426,110 369, 399 447, 448 287, 225
823
1,298
1,976
3,246
3, 630
3, 710
3,125
3,644
2,315

MONTHLY LABOR R EV IEW

Textiles
Cotton goods:
Wage earners............... .............
Wage earners per million population.. _
Woolen goods:

OCCUPATIONAL CHANGES SINCE

1850

1027

The figures shown in table 2, while not comparable with those for
the same industries in the occupational data, serve a distinct purpose
and have been included in this article as supplemental information
and not with the idea of comparison. In the case of boot and shoe
workers, for example, in the occupation table the effort has been made
to trace such workers from 1850 to 1930. Census designations have
changed in the 80-year period and the shoemaker has given way to the
shoe-factory operative. In the manufacturing census, boot and
shoe wage earners, while mainly operatives engaged in the manu­
facture of shoes, include a few general occupations, such as carpenter,
machinist, engineer, fireman, etc.
In date the enumeration of population does not coincide with the
manufacturing census. For instance, in 1900 the population count
was made as of June 1, while the manufacturing census covered the
year 1899 and gave the average number of wage earners for that year.
These two numbers are used together in computing the proportion per
million of population, as in point of time they are near enough to the
same date. The estimates of population which the Bureau of the
Census made for the years 1904, 1914, 1921, 1923, 1925, 1927,
and 1931 have been used, as the census of population is taken at
10-year periods only.


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

1028

MONTHLY LABOR R EV IEW

Significance of Nonmechanical Factors in Labor Productivity
and Displacement
By

W il l ia m

G.

R o y l a n c e , U n it e d S t a t e s D e p a r t m e n t o f L a b o r

HE purpose of this article is to call attention to the importance
of certain nonmechanical factors affecting the productivity of
labor, and therefore the volume of employment. It is believed that a
proper emphasis upon these factors, as compared with the factors of
machinery and power, may aid in the development of a more rational
point of view with regard to what is now widely known as technological
labor displacement.

T

Main Characteristics of Modern Industrial Development
T h e period of modern industrial history beginning with the inven­
tion of Watt’s steam engine, the spinning jenny, and the power loom,
is universally designated as the machine age. The rapid develop­
ments which have been made in the discovery and utilization of
new sources of power have led to the differentiation of the latter part
of this period as the “ age of power.” There is ample justification
for these appellations. Machinery and power have been the chief
instrumentalities by which the modern world has been transformed
from a welter of half-starved, disease-ridden communities to a place
of at least potential abundance, health, and safety.
But the very magnitude of the accomplishments that have been due
to the utilization of machinery and power has led to an overemphasis of
both the evils and the benefits that have resulted from the growth of
mechanized industry. While machinery and mechanical power
have been from the beginning of the modem industrial era the more
obvious, and especially the more dramatic, factors making for indus­
trial efficiency and progress, there are other factors that from the
beginning, though not so obvious, nor so dramatic, have been possibly
of equal importance. In fact, there is one important phase of modern
industrial development that antedates the invention of the first power
machines that of the division of labor. This economic development,
outlined by Adam Smith before the successful installation of the first
power machinery, is the historical foundation of modern industrial
rationalization. It has supplied the ground plan for the work of
Taylor, Gannt, Emerson, and others in this country, as well as for the
various 1 ationalization schemes that have appeared in Europe, at
least insofar as they apply directly to the work of the factory. While
the organization of the working force, as exemplified in the modern
factory, has_been largely shaped by the requirements of machine
production, it is nevertheless a factor that deserves separate treat­
ment a factor that might have been of very great importance even
without the invention of machines and the utilization of mechanical
power.
There has also been an important development in individual skill,
which, though modified, and sometimes impeded, by the require­
ments of machine production, has contributed very largely to mod­
ern industrial efficiency. Many discoveries have been made and
many processes invented and utilized which would have been of very
great benefit even in the absence of elaborate machineiy or mechanical power. Indeed, the contributions of the science of chemistry to
industrial efficiency have been and still are in many respects more


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

NONMECHANICAL FACTORS IN LABOE PRODUCTIVITY

1029

important than the development and application of mechanical
power as such. Moreover, machine production is largely dependent
upon these discoveries and processes; while, on the other hand, many
of the contributions of industrial chemistry are relatively independent
of mechanical agencies. During recent years, these discoveries of
the chemists, together with equally important discoveries of the
physicists, have even tended greatly to reduce both the volume of
machine equipment and the quantity of mechanical energy required
per unit of output.
Nonmechanical Factors in Postwar Development

As e a r l y as 1928 it was noted that the progress in industrial effi­
ciency which had been achieved in this country during the postwar
decade was due in very large part to factors other than the increase
in machine equipment or in the number of power units utilized. Now
that additional data have become available it is even more apparent
that this is true. Recent investigations have indicated that the
volume of machinery and equipment replacement in manufacturing
industries during the decade 1919-29 was hardly, if at all, greater
than normal.2 This implies that a considerable part of the increased
efficiency that marked the period must have been due to other than
mechanical causes.
This conclusion is confirmed by other evidence. The increase in
“ value added by manufacture” in the manufacturing industries
between 1919 and 1929, when expressed in dollars of constant whole­
sale purchasing power, was 83 percent, while the increase in the
number of power units utilized was only 48 percent. The increase
in power units per wage worker engaged was 47 percent, as com­
pared with an increase in value output per worker of 92 percent.3
Classification of Nonmechanical Factors

I t a p p e a r s therefore, that there must have been causes other than
machinery equipment and power contributing to the large increases
in total output and in output per worker during recent years. Among
the causes that appear to have contributed to these results are the
following:
(1) A more adequate and a more even flow of raw materials to the
manufacturing industries.
(2) More easily workable materials, better adaptation of materials
to purposes of manufacture, and standardization of materials.
(3) A faster and more even flow of products from the mines, the
farms, and the factories to markets, reducing inventories and obviat­
ing the congestion of goods in warehouses.
(4) Improved factory layout and machine assembly, and more
efficient utilization of machinery and equipment.
(5) More economical distribution and application of power.
(6) Improved working conditions, and better adjustment of work­
ing time.
(7) Better organization of the working force, including personnel
selection and distribution.
2 The Business Week, Aug. 24, 1932, p. 14.
3 Computed from data summarized in U .S. Bureau of the Census, Statistical Abstract of the United
States, 1931, p. 816.


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

1030

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

(8) More effective application of the energy and skill of workers
(rationalization of movements, etc.).
(9) Direct increase in individual efficiency.
It is known that most of these factors were operative during the
period under consideration, but in most cases it is impossible to de­
termine their relative importance. There was, for the most part, an
abundance of readily accessible raw materials, the quality and
workability of which were being constantly improved. There was
marked progress in the standardization, both of finished products
and of the materials from which they were manufactured. Consumer
demand was fairly well sustained, and the “ hand-to-mouth” policy
of wholesale buying contributed to a rapid flow of goods away from
the factories. There was, in fact, a synchronization of the flow of
products— from the mine, the forest, and the farm to the factories;
from factories to jobbers and wholesalers; and onward through the
retailers to final consumers— without parallel in industrial history.
These are among the remoter factors influencing industrial effi­
ciency. Of the factors that operate more closely in connection with
actual production in the several industries, those which may be dis­
tinguished as human factors are especially difficult of exact measure­
ment. Take, for example, that of increased skill, energy, or diligence
on the part of the worker. There can be no doubt of its existence.
In a few instances, employers have definitely recognized its impor­
tance. Mr. J. H. Bloedell, of the Bloedell-Donovan Lumber Co., of
Seattle, Wash., commenting on the fact that the output per man-day
was greater after the change from the 12- to the 8-hour shift in the
logging and lumbering regions of the Northwest, credits the whole
of this increased efficiency to the workers themselves, independently
of any increase in equipment or of power, or of improvement in
management or methods. There had, indeed, been great improve­
ments in these latter respects which, according to Mr. Bloedell, offset
the increased cost of logging resulting from the receding of the timber
supply from the mills, and the increased value that the lumber in­
dustry was compelled to put into its products, in order to meet the
competition of the manufacturers of substitutes for lumber. Mr.
Bloedell adds that most of the improvements in methods and devices
were worked out by the men on the job.4
Among the human factors making directly for increased efficiency
are the following: (1) Improved organization and management; (2)
increased energy, skill, or diligence on the part of operatives; (3)
selection of personnel and organization of the working force; (4)
cooperation between management and operatives; (5) adaptability
to and liking for the job; (6) incentives—wages, bonuses, profit
sharing, etc.
Other important factors that are either relatively independent of
the machine set-up, or that greatly add to its efficiency are condi­
tions with regard to: (a) Safety; (6) light and sound; (c) ventila­
tion and temperature (air conditioning); (d) fitness and accessibility
of tools; (e) working conveniences— seating, work benches, tables,
eIc -j ( /) routing of materials to and from machines, and from one
worker to another; (g) machine set-up, assembly and control; (Ji)
synchronization of operations and processes.
1 Seattle Times, July 28, 1928.


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

NONMECHANICAL FACTORS IN LABOR PRODUCTIVITY

1031

The amount of saving in labor and other costs that has been ac­
complished by effective routing of materials, by scientific machine
assembly, by timing of operations and synchronization of processes
has been widely noted. Much attention has also been given to the
rationalization of workers’ motions, and related adjustments. But
the possibilities of improved organization and management of labor,
of adjustments of the working time, and of better working condi­
tions have, until very recently, received far less attention. Proper
lighting, ventilation, and heating were, until quite recently, regarded
almost wholly from the humanitarian point of view. An employer
made improvements out of consideration for his employees, or under
compulsion of law or of public opinion, rather than from the belief
that thereby he could reduce his labor costs. The same is true of
the adjustment of the working time.
Examples of Increased Labor Productivity Due to the Operation of Nonmechanical
Factors
A l t h o u g h the effects of nonmechanical factors upon labor produc­
tivity are, in most instances, especially difficult of computation,
there have been a number of recent surveys the results of which
afford a fairly good indication of the possibilities that lie in this
field. The following examples are selected from a summary given
in an article on “ The Social Aspects of Rationalization” , published
in Studies and Reports of the International Labor Organization,
Series B (Economic Conditions) No. 18, Geneva, 1931:
T able 1.— E X A M P L E S OF IN C R E A S E OF O U T P U T D U E T O N O N M E C H A N I C A L F A C T O R S

Method

Place, industry, or operation

60

Arrangement of premises and work­
places.

30-40
United States, 25 cases showing following results:

1 r»n<5ft
Gilbreth’sexamples (cited by F. W . Taylor, Principies of Industrial Management) bricklaying.

Adjusting stand to stature of operative-

.

.

.

,


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

Percent of
increase of
output per
labor unit

Ohio State University studies:

French experiments:
Rythmic motion (machine)........................ .............

10-20
20-30
35
42
92
100
50
50
25
170
130
10-40
30
27
40
13
31
35
23
10
270
50
38
100
100
600
60
700
800
17.8

1032
T able 1

MONTHLY LABOR R EV IEW
—

E X A M P L E S OF IN C R E A S E OP O U T P U T D U E T O N O N M E C H A N I C A L
F A C T O R S — Continued
Percent of
increase of
output per
labor unit

Place, industry, or operation

Method

Chain work.................... ............. ......... .

-

France:
Fitting brake levers_______________________ - Inspecting brake levers____________________
In bicycle factory____________ ______ ________ __ Germany:
Fitting brakes______ - - . _____________ __
Repairing locomotives- - - - - - - - - - - - - - Motor manufacture-- _ - - - - - - - Manufacture of women’s underwear,-_ - Manufacture of electrical appliances-------- --------Czechoslovakia: Packing webs_- - - - - - ---. Sweden: Manufacture of cooking u t e n s i l s . ----Assembling bicycle chain
______
Operating stamping machine
---------- - - ------Manufacture of sewing machines ---------------------------Krupp Factory (Austria)------ ---------------------- ------Germany: Manufacture of tin tubs—
Czechoslovakia: B a t’a boot factory. France: Metal industries ____ - - - - -

------- --- - - -

-----

69
70
70
70
87.5
70
100-260
40
100
30
6.2-58
13
13.2
69
50
50
170
66
10-80

The following gains in labor output from improvements in lighting
and ventilation, and regulation of sound conditions, are noted in
Bulletin No. 1 (v. 11-12), of the Society of Industrial Engineers
(U.S.), 1930:
Percent gain

Improved ventilation----------------------------------------- 12-14
11
Light and ventilation___________________________
Light_____________________________________________
14
Light, ventilation, and sound---------------------------12
Adjustment of Working Tim e

I n m o s t cases where the working shift lias been shortened, there
has been an increase in the per-hour performance of labor. This is
naturally to be expected, since monotony, fatigue, and exhaustion
through too greatly prolonged activity are apt, not only to slow up
the performance of the operative, but to entail considerable losses in
spoilage, breakage, and damage to tools or machinery. But it is not
so easily understandable that not only the output per hour, but the
output per day, week, or year may be and often has been increased by
shortening the working time. Perhaps the most notable example of
this is found in the experience of the iron and steel industries in chang­
ing from the 10- and 12-hour to the 8-hour shift.
In a study of productivity of labor in merchant blast furnaces made
by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the results of which
are given in its Bulletin No. 474 (1928), it was found that where some
of the plants studied made the change to the shorter workday in 1923,
not only the output per man-hour, but the output per man-day, was
increased. Quoting from the bulletin (p. 2):
Another development in recent years which has had an important effect on the
number of men required to operate a blast furnace is the substitution of the 8-hour
for the 12-hour day. Although three crews were required where two had been
used before, the labor force was so reorganized in a majority of plants that very
few more men were employed, while the total man-hours was actually reduced.
Shorter hours have lessened the strain on the workers, so that the men can keep
more continuously at work. This has frequently led to the combination or
elimination of operations formerly essential.


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

NONMECHANICAL FACTORS IN LABOR PRODUCTIVITY

1033

Again (pp. 46-47):
Another factor affecting labor (productivity) is (the) skill, willingness, and
ability of the worker himself. The difficulty is that there is no satisfactory way
of gaging the influence of this important factor * * *. However, there did
occur during the period covered by this study one specific change which has had
some influence on the efficiency of the worker himself, in the absence of any
improvement in equipment or organization. This is the substitution of the
3-shift for the 2-shift system in 1923, the elimination of the 12-hour day, and the
establishment of the 8-hour day for workers on continuous processes. Before
this change took place it was confidently expected by many that there would be
a considerable increase in the labor cost because of the increase in the number of
men required to operate the furnace. It is therefore of particular interest to
note the results of the change in the shift system in individual plants.
Theoretically, the substitution of the 8-'hour for the 12-hour day would have
no effect on productivity; that is, each position requiring two men at 12 hours
each would require three men at 8 hours each, and the output per man-hour
would remain the same. In actual practice, of course, it would be expected that
the output per man-hour would be somewhat higher in the latter case, for it is
evident that a man can work at higher speed for 8 hours than he can for 12 hours.
But the actual results in the blast-furnace industry following 1923 far exceed
anything that might have been expected. There are numerous cases of plants in
which, within a year after the change was made, the total labor force was back
again to the same number of men that had been employed under the 12-hour
system.

On page 77 of this bulletin it is said:
In plant no. 12 the steady increase in productivity was accelerated by the
introduction of the 8-hour day. The old system of 10 and 12 hours was abolished
at the end of 1923, and a new universal 8-hour system was substituted. The
total labor time expended per ton of product was 2.917 man-hours in 1923, and
2.227 man-hours in 1924. There was about a 10-percent increase in the output
per stack-day, which accounts for a small part of the increased productivity, but
even when this is allowed for, there still remains a substantial increase in pro­
ductivity, or, to put it conversely, a reduction in labor time. Of course, this plant
shows a steady increase in productivity in every year since 1919, but when the
effect in the increase in stack-day output has been eliminated the rate of increase
between 1923 and 1924 was greater than for any other 2 years.

Again (p. 85):
Another even better case is that of plant 32. Eliminating 1923, as the year of
the transition from the 2-shift to the 3-shift system, a comparison can be drawn
between 1922, with the 10-hour and 12-hour day, and 1924, with the universal
8-hour day. No mechanical improvements of any importance were made in this
interval, the output per stack-day was nearly the same in the 2 years, and even
the length of time operated was almost identical. In other words, the only
important difference in the 2 years is in the hours per day. Y et in 1922 it re­
quired 3.270 man-hours of labor to produce a ton of pig iron, and in 1924 only
2.662 man-hours.

While the increased output per man-hour in this plant was not
sufficient completely to offset the shortening of the working time,
additional data are available which confirm the statement made else­
where in this study, that in many plants no more men were employed
after the change from the longer to the shorter shift than were em­
ployed before. In fact, according to the reports of manufacturers to
the Bureau of the Census, there were only 24,960 wageworkers em­
ployed in the operation of blast furnaces in 1929, as compared with
36,712 in 1923, the last year before the change in the shift system.5
At the same time there was an increase in the total output of all blast
furnaces from 40,361,146 long tons in 1923 to 42,613,983 long tons in
1929.6 The number of workers engaged, the total tons produced, and
5 U .S. Bureau of the Census.
6 Idem, p. 778.


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

Statistical Abstract of the United States, 1931, p. 831.

1034

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IEW

tons produced per worker, for census years from 1923 to 1929, inclu­
sive, are shown in table 2:
T able 2 .—N U M B E R O F W O R K E R S , T O T A L L O N G T O N S P R O D U C E D , A N D L O N G TO N S
P R O D U C E D P E R W O R K E R IN B L A S T F U R N A C E S I N C E N S U S Y E A R S , 1923-29

1923
1925
1927
1929

-

Total long
tons pro­
duced

Number of
workers

Census year

____________________________________________
_________________________________________
______________________________
__ ___________________________________________

36, 712
29,188
27,958
24,960

40, 361,146
36,700, 566
36, 565, 645
42, 613,983

Long tons
produced per
worker

1,100
1,260
1,300
1,700

The increase in tons produced per wageworker engaged during
this period was 55 percent; that is, the 1923 output could have been
produced, with the 1929 efficiency, by 13,000 fewer workers than were
engaged in 1923.
An analysis of the census data for the entire group of basic iron and
steel industries will show that increases in output per man-year, not­
withstanding the general tendency to a reduction of the working time,
that pervaded all iron and steel industries during these years, was not
confined to the blast furnaces alone.
The following table shows the “ value added by manufacture” , the
average number of wageworkers engaged, and the value added per
wageworker in basic iron and steel industries for the years 1923, 1924,
1927, and 1929.5
T able 3.—V A L U E A D D E D B Y M A N U F A C T U R E , A V E R A G E N U M B E R O F W O R K E R S A N D
V A L U E A D D E D P E R W A G E E A R N E R IN I R O N A N D S T E E L I N D U S T R IE S , C E N S U S
Y E A R S , 1923-29
[Values in 1926 wholesale all-commodity dollars]

Year

1923.
1925.
1927.
1929

Average num­
Value added
Value added by ber of wage­
per wage­
workers
manufacture
worker
engaged

$1, 277,000, 000
1, 232, 000, 000
1, 283, 000,000
1, 672, 000, 000

424, 913
399,914
389, 270
419,533

$2,999
3,080
3,300
4,000

Index numbers

1923.
1925.
1927.
1929

100
96
100
126

100
94
92
99

100
103
110
133

It will be noted that there was an actual decline in the number of
employees engaged during this period, and at the same time an in­
crease in the total value output, notwithstanding the fact that there
occurred a general change from the longer to the shorter shift.
While there has been no such general change from a longer to a
shorter working time in any other large industrial group as in the iron
and steel industries, nor sufficient data indicating such changes as
have been made, information is available which tends strongly to
indicate that in most cases the shortening of the work day or week
t U .S. Bureau of the Census.


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

Statistical Abstract of the United States, 1931, p. 831.

1035

NONMECHANICAL FACTORS IN LABOR PRODUCTIVITY

results in an increased man-hour output. Not only is this true, but
in many instances the output per man-day or man-year shows a sub­
stantial increase within a few years after the new system has been
established. As noted elsewhere, most logging and lumber industries
on the west coast changed from the 10 to 12 to the 8-hour day after
1914. While the change was not universal, taking the country as a
whole, and while it appears that in the lumbering regions of the old
South the 10-, 12-, or even 14-hour day was still in effect prior to the
new lumber code under the N.R.A., in most regions the average
working time did not exceed 10 hours. Thus, when all lumbering
regions are included there must have been a considerable net decrease
in the average working time from 1914 to 1929; yet the output per
worker engaged in all lumber industries, when measured in dollars
of constant purchasing power, was 63 percent greater in 1929 than in
1914, while the increase in board feet per worker in the basic lumber
industries was 20 percent.7
The International Labor Office summary (see p. 1031), shows the
following results of changes to a shorter working day:
In France, changes to the 8-hour shift resulted in the following
changes in labor productivity—
Total number of samples_________________________________________

68

Decrease in daily output_________________________________________
Increase not sufficient to maintain former daily output________
Increase sufficient to maintain former daily output____________
Increased daily output_____________________________ ______________

3
8
6
51

In the United States changes were found as follows:
Total number of samples__________________ ______________________

127

No change in daily output_______________________________________
Increase___________________________________________________________
Slight decrease____________________________________________________
Large decrease____________________________________________________

64
32
24
7

Though it may not be possible to discover all of the factors making
for an increased labor productivity where the working time is reduced,
or to assign to each factor its proper importance, the fact that there
is such a result is in many ways of the greatest significance. For one
thing, insofar as there is an increase instead of a decrease in per-man
output on account of a shortening of the working time, a considerable
complication will be introduced into the problem of labor absorption
and employment stabilization. Thus, it is obvious that if a situation
exists where there is a surplus of products and of productive capacity,
and in which the output per worker is so high, relative to the volume of
goods that can be profitably marketed, that only a part of the labor
force can be utilized, and if at the same time a shortening of the work­
ing time results in an increased output per worker engaged, then
there will be more workers unemployed after the adjustment than
before. It is strongly indicated that under such conditions it will
be necessary to provide for a progressive adjustment of the working
time.
Another important consideration, which also has a bearing upon
the problem of employment stabilization, is that the gains indicated
are likely to be net gains, at least in the instances where there is no
increase in equipment costs, or a lesser increase in power utilization.
i U .S. Bureau of the Census.


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

Statistical Abstract of the United States, 1931, pp. 755, 816.

1036

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

Where, as in the cases of blast furnaces and of basic lumber industries,
there lias been a large increase in output per man-year and a much
smaller increase in other than labor costs or in power utilization, it is
obvious that the labor displaced will be only partly absorbed by indus­
tries manufacturing equipment or in supplying power. Such a devel­
opment can mean nothing else than a progressively decreasing cost,
whether of man-labor or of capital equipment, with a constant and
cumulative increment of unemployment, unless some method is found
whereby to absorb the labor dispensed with.
New Processes and Methods
I n n u m e r o u s instances the invention of new processes or methods
has not only increased the output per unit of man-labor, but has
eliminated entire processes or units of production. This does not
mean merely that a more efficient or a less costly process has been
substituted, but that in many cases the new development has ren­
dered the old process or industry no longer necessary. Recent devel­
opments in agriculture afford many examples, a few of which have
been selected for purposes of illustration.
For instance, in the growing of wheat in the semiarid regions it
has been found that, under favorable conditions, plowing as a separate
operation can be eliminated where modern methods of soil treatment
are applied. Similarly, corn growers have learned that in many
instances as good yields can be secured, and at the same time a
considerable amount of humus put into the soil, by “ laying b y ”
the crop, after the plants have reached a certain stage of growth—
that is, by ceasing to cultivate and letting the quack or cheat grass,
or other weeds grow for the remainder of the season. Again, it has
been found that in the growing of sugar beets on certain kinds of land,
better results are secured when the land is plowed only once in 2 years
than when it is plowed every year, and similarly for the familiar
practice of seeding grain on corn stubble. Likewise, where land is
fallowed every second year the average biennial yield may be retained,
or even increased, with less work in plowing, seeding, and harvesting,
less outlay for seed, and important saving in soil conservation.
There are numerous instances in which changes in processes or
methods of manufacturing farm products have resulted in important
saving of labor costs, with little if any addition to the mechanical
equipment, and it often happens that these changes affect farm
methods in such a way as greatly to reduce the labor requirement on
the farms. This is equally true of lumber and of many other primary
products. For example, good oak boards have been made from oak
sawdust. Obviously, as good results could be obtained if the whole
tree were utilized. In that case, everything from and including the
sawmill upward would be eliminated, and a single synthetic process
substituted. A similar example is afforded by a recent development
in the utilization of cellulose.
A considerable quantity of cotton has recently been grown and sold
for its cellulose content. Where this is done, the cotton may be
sown broadcast, and the crop mown and baled the same as hay, thus
eliminating the present laborious and costly processes of row planting
and cultivating, and picking. There is also a considerable gain from
the fact that the leaves and stems of the plant contain an appreciable
quantity of celluose, as well as from the fact that the ravages of the


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

NONMECHANICAL FACTORS IN LABOR PRODUCTIVITY

1037

boll weevil are largely eliminated. It has even been suggested that
this development, in conjunction with improved felting processes,
might in the future eliminate also the processes of ginning, carding,
spinning, and weaving in the manufacture of many kinds of cotton
cloth, substituting therefor a single uncomplex synthetic operation,
similar to that of making paper from wood pulp.
There have been numerous other developments in which, though
there is no complete elimination of entire processes or operations,
there have been considerable reductions in both machinery and power
and in labor requirements, with little or no addition of new equipment.
A familiar example is that of the increase in crop yields per unit of
man-labor applied by the economical use of fertilizers. This is illus­
trated by the following table, which is taken from the United States
Year Book of Agriculture for 1930 (p. 264):
T able 4 .— IN C R E A S E I N C R O P Y I E L D S P E R U N I T OP M A N -L A B O R B Y E C O N O M I C A L
U SE O F F E R T IL IZ E R S

Yield per acre
Crop

State
Unfertilized

Bushels

W heat.
Do.
C o rn ..
O a ts...

Missouri___
Ohio________
____ do______
____ do______

Cotton
Do

Mississippi..
South Caro­
lina.

12.5
11.5
27.2
31.9
Pounds

691
1,321

Average
hours of
man-labor
Fertilized per acre

Bushels

30.0
28.0
46.6
51.2
Pounds

1,096
1,816

11.7
11. 7
19.0
13.0
Pounds

128
128

Yield per hour of
man-labor

Unfer­
tilized

Fertilized

Bushels

Bushels

1.07
.98
1.43
2. 45
Pounds

5.4
10.3

2. 53
2. 39
2.45
3. 94

Increased
labor efUciency

Percent

140
143
71
61

Pounds

8. 56
14.20

While in this instance the comparison is between fertilized and unfer­
tilized plots, so that the cost of the fertilizer must be offset against the
increased output per man-hour, similarly favorable results may be
achieved by the right instead of the wrong use of fertilizers, by better
adaptation of crops to soil and climatic conditions, by improved
methods of cultivation, by improved seeds, and by better selection of
animal breeds and elimination of unprofitable animals.
In another class of examples, gains are in the nature of byproducts,
or often due to the utilization of pure accident. In agriculture, it
has been found that the application of copper sulphate for the removal
of aphides on tomato plants both increases the yield and improves the
quality of the fruit. In other cases, additional cultivation for the
control of pests has increased the yield more than sufficient to cover the
cost of the extra work. The use of mulch paper, primarily for the
purpose of conserving moisture, has in some instances greatly reduced
the cost of cultivation, weeding, and hoeing and has at the same time
increased the yield of certain crops. In examples cited by the Society
of Industrial Engineering, increases due to the use of mulch paper
were 30 percent in the growing of pineapples, 73 percent for potatoes,
and 691 percent for sweet corn.
The manufacturing industries afford many examples in which
materials formerly wasted have been converted into valuable byprod­
ucts, at less cost than the former cost of removing the waste. Opera­
tives often discover more economical ways of doing things, with no

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

1038

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

other motive than that of getting by with less expenditure of effort.
Thus even laziness may be turned into an asset. Explorers, inventors,
or scientists in search of one thing often discover something else of
equal or even greater value.
Standardization
A n o t h e r nonmechanical factor making for increased industrial
efficiency is that of standardization. In general, standardization
aims at uniformity of materials, products, or methods, or the simpli­
fication of processes, whenever output can be increased thereby, or
waste eliminated. The term is applied to materials, products, tools,
machines, processes, or methods. As applied to materials or products,
it may have reference to quantity, quality, size, type of construction,
or to use or purpose.
It is obvious that some degree of standardization is essential in
mass production, and that the efficiency, especially of large-scale
machine production must be largely limited by the possibilities of
standardization. The exact measurement of the contribution of this
factor in any particular case, however, is as difficult as for other
technical factors not measureable in terms of power units. The
International Labor Office cites a German instance in which a 300
percent increase in man-hour output was achieved in the manufacture
of electric meters by standardizing the product. The total annual
saving to American industry by standardization was estimated by
Mr. Hoover a few years ago at $600,000,000. According to another
estimate, the saving through standardization in the automobile
industries alone amounts to $750,000,000 annually.
The Place of Power Machinery in Modern Industry
I t is indicated by the foregoing analysis that machinery and
mechanical power, instead of being the controlling factors in modern
industrial progress, have been merely the principal instrumentalities
by which progress has been achieved. Throughout the entire devel­
opment in this country, and even back to the beginning of the modern
industrial age in the Old World, the moving forces making for eco­
nomic progress have been scientific research, invention, organization,
management, and cooperation. These have throughout been moti­
vated by a persistent striving for individual and social betterment,
which, as achieved, has reacted to aid and accelerate economic
progress, by raising standards of living, improving working conditions,
increasing the energy and skill of workers, and facilitating cooperation
between workers and employers.


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

NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINIS­
TRATION
Summary of Permanent Codes Adopted from October 1 to
23, 1933

N this article codes approved under the National Industrial Re­
covery Act from October 1 to 23, inclusive, are summarized, thus
bringing down to date the record of codes in effect carried in the
August, September, and October issues of the Monthly Labor Review.

I

M otor Vehicle Retailing Trade

Coverage.— Dealers engaged in whole or in part in the business of
motor vehicle retailing whether retailing new or used passenger cars,
trucks, truck tractors, busses, taxicabs, hearses, ambulances, and other
commercial vehicles for use on the highway and excluding motor­
cycles, fire apparatus, and tractors other than truck tractors.
Effective date.— October 3, 1933.
Hours.— Provision is made for a maximum working time of 44
hours in any 1 week, except for outside commission salesmen and
watchmen. The hours as fixed refer to the availability of the em­
ployee in the shop or premises of the employer at the latter’s request
whether or not the employee is actively engaged in specific tasks
throughout the prescribed hours. All places of business shall be kept
open for not less than 52 hours a week, unless the regular hours were
less than that number prior to July 1, 1933, in which case no reduction
of hours is allowable. The hours here fixed do not apply to salaried
employees in a managerial, executive, or supervisory capacity who
receive $30 per week or more.
Wages.— Minimum wages are fixed for employees according to
population (as determined in the 1930 Federal census) and also for
certain occupational groups. The general minima are:
M in im u m
weekly
wage

In cities of over 500,000 population or immediate trade areas____________$15. 00
In cities of between 250,000 and 500,000 population or immediate trade
areas------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------14. 50
In cities of between 2,500 and 250,000 population or immediate trade
areas------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1 4 .00
In towns of 2,500 or less population_______________________________________
13. 00

In the towns of 2,500 or less one washer or greaser or porter or
helper or aged or physically handicapped worker may be employed
at less than $13, and where an establishment employs more than 19
employees, not to exceed 10 percent of the employees may receive
less than $13. It is further provided that no employee shall receive
less than $13 per week unless his wage was lower on August 1, 1933,

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

1039

1040

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

in which case his wage shall be increased by 20 percent, regardless of
the fact that hours are shortened, with the limitation that after the
raise in wages the total receivable shall not exceed $13 per week.
For full-time outside salesmen who are unrestricted as to hours and
are paid on a commission basis a guaranteed drawing account is
stipulated as follows:
M in im u m
drawing
account

In cities of over 500,000 population or immediate trade areas------------------ $17. 50
In cities of between 250,000 and 500,000 population or immediate trade
areas________________________________________________________________________
15. 00
In cities of between 2,500 and 250,000 population or immediate trade
areas________________________________________________________________________
12. 50
In towns of less than 2,500 population-------------------------------------------------------10. 00

Apprentice salesmen are not entitled to the guaranteed minimum
for the first 3 months of employment, 2 months of which shall be with
the last employer. These apprentices shall number no more than 1
out of 10 regular salesmen or fraction thereof.
No mechanic shall be paid less than 50 cents per hour unless he
received less on July 15, 1929, in which case the rate of that date
may be paid provided it does not fall below 40 cents. The general
minimum rates fixed by population areas shall also apply to mechanics.
The minimums set by the code shall be observed whether a worker
is paid on time or piece rates and compensation shall not be reduced
notwithstanding the reduction in hours. On the contrary, wages
shall be equitably adjusted.
Minors.— Minors under 16 are excluded from employment and where
State laws specify a higher age such laws must be observed.
Administration.—To administer the code a State advisory committee
of five members, one of whom shall be elected by the exclusive or
used-car dealers, shall be established in each of the several States.
The Emergency National Committee includes the chairman of each
State committee and five additional members, who shall be members
of some State Advisory Committee, elected at large by the exclusive
or independent used-car dealers. Each local committee shall deal with
local problems and the national committee shall act in matters affecting
more than one State, its decisions being binding subject to the approval
of the Administrator. For the purposes of the code the District of
Columbia, Metropolitan New York, the rest of New York, Metro­
politan Chicago, and the rest of Illinois are each considered as one
State.
From the Emergency National Committee a National Control Com­
mittee of four members shall be chosen, one of whom shall be an
exclusive used-car dealer. In addition, two non voting members may
be appointed by the President. This committee shall have such
authority as the larger body shall delegate.
Boot and Shoe Manufacturing Industry

Coverage.— Manufacture of boots, shoes, sandals, slippers, mocca­
sins, leggings, overgaiters, and allied footwear chiefly of leather, and
also footwear of canvas and other textile fabrics, together with such
other products of the industry as may from time to time be included.
Effective date.— October 13, 1933.

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

NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION

1041

Hours.—Maximum weekly hours are fixed at 40 per week except
that, during 8 weeks of a 6-month period (the first period beginning
on the effective date of the code), employees may work not more than
45 hours per week. Time and one third shall be paid for hours in
excess of 8 per day. Excluded from the hours and overtime pro­
visions are outside salesmen, watchmen, firemen, cleaners, or em­
ployees in a managerial or executive capacity who receive more than
$35 per week. Neither do the hours apply to employees doing emer­
gency, maintenance, and repair work, or work where restrictions of
hours of workers on continuous processes would unavoidably reduce
production or interrupt employment, but in any such cases at least
time and one third shall be paid for work in excess of 8 hours per day
or 45 hours per week.
Wages.— Wages are fixed on an hourly basis as follows:
Cities of over 250,000 population:
Males___________________________________________________________________
Females_________________________________________________________________
Cities of between 20,000 and 250,000 population:

Males_______________________________________________________________
Females_____________________________________________________________
Cities or towns of less than 20,000 population:
Males___________________________________________________________________
Females_________________________________________________________________

M in im u m
hourly rate

$0. 37%
. 32%

. 36/4
. 31%
. 35
. 30

The minimum rates established for cities and towns under 20,000
population shall apply to all cities and towns, regardless of size, in
the States of Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Caro­
lina, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi,
Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Where men and women
do the same work they shall receive equal pay. Apprentices during
a 6-week period shall be paid at a rate not less than 80 percent of
the minimum rate, and their number shall not exceed 5 percent of
all employees in any establishment. No unskilled employee receiving
in excess of the rates fixed shall be reduced. Equitable adjustments
in all pay schedules of employees receiving more than the minimum
are ordered within 30 days of the approval date of the code, unless
such adjustments have already been made under the President’s
Reemployment Agreement. For infirm, partially disabled, or physi­
cally handicapped employees wage agreements mutually satisfactory
to employers and employees may be made provided this group shall
not constitute more than 5 percent of the total number of employees.
Minors.— No minor under 16 years of age shall be employed, but
where State law fixes a higher age that law shall be observed.
Administration.— The National Boot and Shoe Manufacturers
Association becomes the agency for administering the code. From
its board of directors, elected by a fair method to be approved by the
Administrator of the National Industrial Recovery Act, a planning
and fair-practice committee shall be chosen, to which committee the
President may appoint three nonvoting members. The president of
the National Boot and Shoe Manufacturers Association shall preside
at committee meetings and vote in case of tie, and the managing
director of the association shall be a member of the planning and fairpractice committee without vote.
16487°— 33------ 3


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

1042

MONTHLY LABOR R EV IEW
Builders’ Supplies Trade Industry

Coverage.— The sale of builders’ supplies to contractor or consumer.
Effective date.— October 13, 1933.
Hours.— According to the terms of the code, hours are fixed at
a maximum of 40 in any 1 week with 4 exceptions. Executives
employed in a managerial capacity paid $35 per week or more; out­
side salesmen; night and Sunday watchmen; and branch yard mana­
gers (each yard to have only one such manager). For employees of
dealers employing not more than 2 persons in towns of less than 2,500
population, not part of a larger trading area, the maximum hours
permitted are 48, provided that 66% percent of the sales volume is to
agriculturalists. Such employees may work more than 48 hours pro­
vided time and a half is paid for all such overtime. Yard foremen,
truck drivers, and their helpers may work 44 hours per week with
provision for pay at time and a half for hours in excess of this maxi­
mum. Three months from the effective date of the code hours shall
be reviewed by the code authority to the end of shortening the hours
if business conditions warrant.
Wages.— Minimum wages are fixed for geographical divisions:
M in im u m
hourly rate

Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, W est Virgina,
Arkansas, New Mexico, and Arizona---------------------------------------------------------- $0. 35
Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia, Colorado, Wyoming, Okla­
homa, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and
. 40
southern division of California—
---------- ----------------------------- -------------California (northern division), Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, Nebraska, New York (except New York City), Vermont, New
Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Minne­
sota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Ohio, Missouri, Kansas,
. 45
Wisconsin, and Michigan__________________________________________________
. 50
New York C ity ________________________________ _______________________________

These rates shall be applied, except to night and Sunday watchmen,
in cities of 500,000 population and over (based on 1930 census), de­
creased by 5 cents in cities of 75,000 and under 500,000 population,
and decreased by 10 cents in cities under 75,000 population unless
such cities fall in the trade areas of the larger divisions. Payments
at these rates shall be made regardless of whether the employee is
engaged on a time or piece rate basis. Office employees shall be placed
under the same minimum scale, with the further provision that such
employees coming under the 48-hour maximum provisions receive not
less than $12 a week. The rates of wages for labor, used in handling
delivery, receiving above the scale shall be fixed by dealers with the
approval of the Administrator. The wages of those workers engaged
under the 48-hour maximum provision shall not be increased by reason
of the longer week, provided the pay for the excess hours is at the rate
of time and a half (based on the minimum hourly wage of a 40-hour
week).
Minors.— State law as to child-labor exemptions shall be observed
but in no instance shall minors under 18 years of age be employed.
Administration.— The code authority shall be elected from the
directors of the National Federation of Builders’ Supply Associations
and be made up of 7 members. Two additional members may be
appointed by the Administrator, if he so elects, as well as 3 non­
voting members. Appropriate administrative agencies shall be ap­
pointed by the code authority.

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

NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION

1043

Glass Container Industry

Coverage.— Production and selling of glass bottles, glass jars, and
glass accessories for glass bottles and glass jars.
Effective date.-—October 13, 1933.
Hours.— Factory workers’ hours are established at 40 per week
averaged over a 6-month period and not to exceed 48 hours in any 1
week. The balance of the year 1933 shall be considered the first
period and subsequent periods shall begin January 1 and July 1,
respectively. For office or branch employees the maximum is 40
hours per week averaged over a 1-month period and not to exceed
48 hours in any 1 week, with executives and supervisors, outside
salesmen, technical and laboratory staffs, watchmen, and those em­
ployed in emergency maintenance and repair work excepted. If
skilled workers are not available the code authority may approve
longer hours for a period not to exceed 3 months. No employee may
work for longer hours for two or more employers than those specified
for a single employer.
Wages .— Minimum wages are set at 40 cents an hour unless the rate
was lower on July 15, 1929, in which event they shall not be less than
30 cents an hour. The rates established shall apply to workers
engaged on timework or piecework and females and males shall receive
equal compensation for equal work. Apprentices and learners shall
receive 80 percent of the minimum rates provided they do not exceed
in number 5 percent of the employees of any 1 plant and that the
apprenticeship period shall not exceed 3 months.
Existing differentials between the low and higher paid classes of
employees up to $35 per week shall be maintained, provided that if
inequities between plants result reasonable adjustments shall be made
subject to supervision of the code authority. For employees earning
over $35, other than executives and supervisors and including out­
side salesmen, time and a half the regular rate shall be paid for hours
in excess of 40 hours per week, averaged over a 6-month period.
Minors.— No minor under 16 years of age shall be employed and in
hazardous manufacturing processes no person under 18 years.
In States having higher requirements, as to age of employees, hours,
wages, etc., than those established by the code the State laws shall
be observed.
Administration.— A code authority of 5 members shall be estab­
lished by the industry, and the Administrator may appoint 3 non­
voting members.
Knitting, Braiding, and Wire-Covering Machine Industry

Coverage.— Manufacture of such machines and parts used therein.
Effective date.— October 13, 1933.
Hours:— Hours of employees (except executives, supervisory staff,
and outside salesmen) may not exceed 40 per week, provided, however,
that in emergency or any period of concentrated demand an employee
may work as long as 48 hours per week for not to exceed 8 weeks in
any 6-month period, so long as the average for the 6-month period
remains at 40 hours per week. If any employee works in excess of 8
hours in any 1 day, the overtime pay shall be at the rate of time and
one half.

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

1044

MONTHLY LABOE E E V IE W

Wages.— Accounting, clerical, and office employees shall be paid at
the rate of $14 per week and all other employees (except learners
during their initial 90 days and apprentices, not to exceed more than
5 percent of the average yearly number of employees) shall receive a
minimum of 40 cents an hour regardless of whether they are paid for
timework or piecework performance. It is further stipulated that if
State law specifies a higher minimum wage the requirements shall be
met, and that employees expressly excepted shall receive not less than
80 percent of the minimum rates of pay. An equitable adjustment
of wages above the minimum is prescribed.
Minors.— No minor under 16 years of age may be employed, and
none under 18 shall be employed on hazardous metal-working ma­
chinery. If the State law in any instance sets higher exemptions the
law shall be observed.
Administration.— A committee to act as a planning and fair-prac­
tice agency is established numbering 3 representatives, respectively,
of the Knitting Machine Manufacturers’ Association and the Braid­
ing and Wire-Covering Machine Association, and 1 representative^
be selected by the 2 groups jointly. The President may also appoint
3 members to serve without voting power.
Lime Industry

Coverage.— Manufacture of quicklime and such of its allied products
as are natural affiliates.
Effective date.— October 13, 1933.
Hours.— Employees except outside salesmen are limited to working
hours of 40 per week and 8 in any 1 day, provided, however, that in
seasonal peak periods or if storage facilities are lacking, or in emer­
gencies these limitations shall not apply. In no event may total
working hours exceed an average of 40 over a 6-month period, and all
overtime in excess of 8 hours per day shall be paid for at not less than
one and one half times the hourly rate. Exempted from these provi­
sions are foremen, superintendents, managers, officials, or others com­
pensated on a regular salary basis in excess of $35 per week.
Wages.— Minimum wages of employees, exclusive of accounting,
clerical, and office employees, are fixed as follows:
M in im u m
hourly rate

Territory south of the northern boundary of Virginia, Tennessee, Arkan­
sas (including the manufacturing section known as Southwestern
Missouri), Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arizona______________________
All other territory__________________________________________________________

$0. 30
. 37^

Compensation fixed prior to adoption of the code in excess of the
minimum shall be equitably adjusted.
For accounting, clerical, or office employees compensation is ordered
according to population on the basis of the 1930 Federal census as
follows:
M in im u m
weekly wage

In cities of over 500,000 population or immediate trade area_____________ $15. 00
In cities of between 250,000 and 500,000 population or immediate trade
area_________________________________________________________________________
14. 50
In cities of between 2,500 and 250,000 population or immediate trade areas. 14. 00
In towns of less than 2,500 population--------------------------------------------------------12. 00

Employees who by reason of old age or physical infirmities are in­
capable of normal productive effort shall be paid not less than 80 per
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

N ATIONAL EECOVEEY ADMINISTEATION

1045

cent of tlie foregoing minimum rates and may not number more than
5 percent of tlie total number employed.
Minors.— No person under 16 years of age shall be employed.
Administration.— The trade relations committee of the National
Lime Association shall be the code authority and the Administrator
may appoint not to exceed three nonvoting members to participate in
its deliberations.
Luggage and Fancy Leather Goods Industry

Coverage.— The manufacture of brief cases, hand luggage, fancy and
small leather goods, sample cases and sample trunks, and trunks,
excluding such similar articles as may be covered by other specific
codes.
Effective date.— October 13, 1933.
Hours.— The maximum working week provided is 40 hours, with
a further restriction to 8 hours on any working day. Manufacturers,
executives, and employers working in a strictly managerial or execu­
tive capacity, outside salesmen, watchmen, and emergency repair
crews are excepted. Engineers, firemen, shipping force, and drivers
may work not to exceed 48 hours per week, except in emergency when
all hours worked in excess of 48 per week shall be regarded as overtime
and paid for at the rate of not less than time and one third. Clerical
and office force when required because of an emergency to work in
excess of the 40 hours prescribed shall also be paid for overtime at the
rate of time and one third the regular pay.
Wages.— Minimum wages are established for two geographical
divisions:
M in im u m
hourly rate

Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Car­
olina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Ar­
kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona:
Males_____________________________
$0. 3 2 ^
Females_________________________________________________________________
. 30
Elsewhere in United States:
Males___________________________________________________________________
. 35
Females_________________________________________________________________
. 32}£

Learners during a 6 weeks’ period shall be paid at not less than
80 percent of the minimum wage and may not exceed 5 percent of
the total number employed in a particular factory. Piecework rates
shall be so fixed as to guarantee the worker wages no lower than the
minimum, and all rates shall be so fixed that earning opportunities are
equivalent to those obtaining under the longer hours previously es­
tablished. There shall be no discrimination between sexes, equal pay
being given for the same work.
Minors.— Employment of minors under 16 years of age is forbidden.
Administration.— Administration of the code shall devolve upon the
Executive Code Committee, composed of directors of the National
Luggage and Leather Goods Manufacturers Association; the presi­
dent and vice president of the fancy and small leather goods division of
the association; 3 members selected by the Luggage and Leather
Goods Manufacturers Association of New York, Inc.; 2 members of
the industry at large; and 3 nonvoting members appointed by the
President.

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

1046

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IEW

Retail Lumber, Lumber Products, Building Materials, and Building Specialties
Industry

Coverage.— All those products used in building and construction
work with the following exceptions, which are known to the public
and trade as builders’ supplies and are included in the Code of Fair
Competition for Dealers in Builders Supplies: Brick, mortars, case­
ment and steel sash, cement and cement products, cement pipe, ceramic
tile, clay roof tile, common brick, cut stone, dampers and fireplace
accessories, drain tile, face brick, fire brick and clay, glazed structural
tile, gypsum products (except gypsum wallboard), hollow tile, lime
and lime products, mesh reenforcement, metal lath and kindred prod­
ucts, mineral aggregates, mortar and cement colors, molding plasters,
roof and flooring slates, sewer pipe, flue lining and other clay products,
structural terra cotta, and waterproofing compounds.
Effective date.— October 13, 1933.
Hours.— Maximum hours of labor are established as 40 per week
except for executives earning $35 or more per week, outside salesmen
and night and Sunday watchmen, and branch-yard managers (lim­
ited to one for each branch yard). Employees of dealers employing
not more than 2 persons in towns of less than 2,500 population may
work 48 hours per week, provided at least two thirds of their sales
volume is to persons engaged in agriculture, and that such employees
may work in excess of 48 hours per week if paid time and one half
(based on the minimum rate for the 40-hour week) for the additional
hours. Yard foremen are allowed to work up to 44 hours per week,
with the same overtime rates for additional hours. Truck drivers
and their helpers shall not work over 44 hours per week except where
existing contracts specify longer hours, in which event the hours shall
not exceed 48 in any 1 week and the hourly rate of pay shall be in­
creased in the same proportion as the contract hours bear to 48 hours.
Three months from the effective date of the code, the maximum
hours shall be reviewed and shortened if business conditions warrant
a reduction.
Wages.— Weekly wages of employees who received above the mini­
mum on the effective date of the code shall not be lowered notwith­
standing any reduction in working hours. With the exception of
night and Sunday watchmen and exceptions to be noted, the minimum
hourly rates shall be fixed as follows:
Division

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.

12.
13.
14.
15.

M in im um
hourly rate

Alabam a____________________________________________________________________ $0. 35
California (northern division)------------------------------------------------------------------. 45
North and South Carolina-----------------------------------------------------------------------. 35
Florida_____________________________________________________________________
. 35
Georgia____________________________________________________________________
• 35
Illinois_____________________________________________________________________
. 45
Indiana____________________________________________________________________
• 45
Kentucky__________________________________________________________________
. 35
Louisiana__________________________________________________________________
• 35
Lower peninsula of Michigan____________________________________________
. 45
Eastern portion of Pennsylvania, and 7 southern counties of New Jer­
sey______________________________________________________________________
• 45
Delaware, Maryland, and the District of Columbia_____________________
.4 0
Mississippi________________________________________________________________
• 35
Colorado and W yom ing---------------------------------------------------------------------------. 40
New Mexico______________________________________________________________
• 35
Nebraska__________________________________________________________________
• 45
Fourteen northern countiesof New Jersey______________________________
. 45


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

NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION

1047
M in im u m
hourly rate

Division

16. The city of New York____________________________________________________ $0. 50
17. New York (except the city of New York), Vermont, New Hampshire,
Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and McKean
County, Pennsylvania_________________________________________________
. 45
18. Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa________________________
. 45
19. Ohio__________________ _____________________________________________________
. 45
20. Western portion of Pennsylvania________________________________________
. 45
21. Arkansas__________________________________________________________________
. 35
.4 5
Missouri (except St. Louis and St. Louis County)_____________________
Kansas_____________________________________________________________________
. 45
Oklahoma_____________________________________ *________________________ . 40
22. Tennessee_________________________________________________________________
. 35
23. Texas______________________________________________________________________
. 35
24. U tah_______________________________________________________________________
. 40
25. Virginia____________________________________________________________________
. 35
. 40
26. Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Nevada________________________
27. W est Virginia_____________________________________________________________
. 35
28. Wisconsin and upper peninsula ofMichigan_____________________________
.4 5
29. Cook County, Illinois____________________________________________________
. 45
30. St. Louis and St. Louis County, M o ____________________________________
. 45
31. Arizona____________________________________________________________________
. 35
. 40
32. California (southern division)_______ ____________________________________

According as the population as established by the Federal census
of 1930 varies, these rates shall be as established or lowered. In cities
of 500,000 and over the rate shall be as fixed; in cities of 75,000 and
under 500,000 population it shall be 5 cents below the rate set; and
in cities of less than 75,000 population, 10 cents less.
In metropolitan or urban areas the rates for labor used in handling
and delivery above the minimum fixed shall be not less than the rates
agreed on by the majority of dealers, with the approval of the code
authority and the Administrator.
Office workers under 19 years of age and with less than 6 months’
experience and persons partially disabled may be paid not less than
75 percent of the minimum specified and may not exceed 10 percent of
the total number of yard, office, and service employees.
The pay of employees in towns of under 2,500, where not more than
2 are in the employ of an employer, shall be not less than the minimum
hourly rates for 40 hours and time and one half for the hours in excess
of 48, provided no such employee shall receive less than $12 for 48
hours.
All rates established guarantee a minimum rate of pay regardless of
whether the employee is engaged on a time- or piece- work basis.
Minors.— A minimum age of 16 is required for employment in the
industry and no person under 18 may be employed in handling lumber
and building materials or as an operator of or as an off bearer from
any woodworking machinery.
Administration.— The code authority shall consist of one member
from each of the constituent divisions of the National Retail Lumber
Dealers Association, which is also empowered to elect two additional
members at large, and three nonvoting members appointed by the
Administrator.
Saddlery Manufacturing Industry

Coverage.—Manufacturing harness, harness parts, strap work,
collars, and saddles, or any of them, and/or kindred lines whether made
of leather or substitutes for leather, and selling, by manufacturers,
of products of their own manufacture.
Effective date.— October 13, 1933.


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

1048

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

Hours.— Hours may not exceed 40 per week, averaged over a 4month period, nor 8 per day, except by payment for overtime at
the rate of V/% times the regular rate. The hours of the supervisory
staff and executives, watchmen, bookkeepers, and outside salesmen are
not subject to the limitation of hours; neither are machine repair
men, factory engineers, and firemen, who may be employed in emer­
gencies for a longer period (who shall, however, be paid the overtime
rate for hours exceeding 40) ; nor office workers, inside salesmen, stock
clerks, order clerks, shipping clerks, porters, warehousemen, packers,
truckmen, and drivers whcPshall not work in excess of 40 hours average
in any 26-week period. No employee shall work in excess of the
prescribed hours for one or more employers. The maximum hours
shall not apply to employees on emergency maintenance and repair
work, who in such special cases shall be paid the overtime rate for the
excess hours.
Wages.— The code classifies labor in the saddlery industry as con­
sisting of skilled mechanics and unskilled labor. The skilled occu­
pations include:
Cutters, sewing-machine operators, fitters, stampers, stuffers, hand collar
facers, bucklers, thong stitchers, whether by hand or machine, operators of click­
ing machines, dieing-out machines, riveting machines, finishing machines, punch­
ing machines, or other similar machines.

Unskilled labor shall be paid-as follows:
Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South
Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, M in im u m
Louisiana, New Mexico, and Arizona:
hourly rate
General rate______________________________________________________________$0. 32%
Women making pads, etc_________________________________________
. 30
Elsewhere in the United States:
General rate____________________________________________________________
. 35
Women making pads, etc_____________________________________________
. 32%

A differential of at least 15 cents shall be paid the lowest paid
skilled mechanic. Beginners without previous experience shall re­
ceive not less than 80 percent of the minimum rate for not over 90
days and those with experience (skilled) when transferred shall receive
not less than 80 percent of the applicable rate for not more than 90
days, the percentage of all beginners not to exceed 5 percent of the
total number employed, except that any manufacturer may employ
at least 2 beginners. Skilled mechanics having some physical or
mental disability are exempt from the wage provisions of their class
but such workers shall not exceed 5 percent of the total number em­
ployed except that any manufacturer may employ 2 such workers.
If paid on piece rates they shall receive the regular rate and if on a
time basis what they are worth but in no case less than 80 percent of
the minimum rate for unskilled workers.
Minors.— In this industry no minor under 16 years of age may be
employed or retained.
Administration.—A code authority is set up consisting of the Sad­
dlery Industry National Committee, and three nonvoting members
appointed by the President.
W om en’s Belt Industry

Coverage.— The manufacture and wholesale distribution of women’s,
misses’, and children’s separate belts made of leather, imitation
leather, and/or other materials and fabrics.
Effective date.— October 13, 1933.

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

NATIO NAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION

1049

Hours.— Under the terms of the code a 40-hour work week and an
8-hour day in any 24 hours are established. The hours provisions do
not apply to executives and outside salesmen. Subject to review of
the Administrator the code authority may fix the beginning and closing
hours. No overtime shall be permitted except with the approval of
the Administrator. Employees may not work in excess of the es­
tablished hours for one or more employers and no home work shall be
permitted.
Wages.— Wages for 40 hours shall be not less than the following
minimum rates and shall apply whether the worker is engaged on a
time- or piece-rate basis.
M in im u m
weekly wage

Cutters______________________________________________ $28. 00
Imitation leather strippers_________________________
25. 00
Operators___________________________________________
17. 00
14. 00
Unskilled labor and office workers___________
Outside errand boys________________________________
12. 00

Hourly rates of compensation in effect July 1, 1933, shall not be
reduced. Where hours have been reduced and wages not increased
equitable adjustments shall be made in order to maintain differentials.
Minors.— No person under 16 years of age shall be employed in the
industry.
Administration.—Administration of the code shall be in the hands
of the code authority, having seven members selected by the National
Association of Women’s Belt Manufacturers, Inc., and two nonvoting
representatives appointed by the Administrator.
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Machinery Manufacturing Industry

Coverage.— Manufacture for sale of all laundry and dry-cleaning
apparatus, machinery, appliances, and parts thereof other than small
macliinery, apparatus, appliances, and parts thereof for use in the
home.
Effective date.— October 14, 1933.
Hours.— Maximum hours are fixed at 36 per week for employees en­
gaged in the production of products and labor operations directly
incident thereto. Other employees, except executive, administrative,
and supervisory employees and service staff and traveling sales staff,
may not work in excess of 40 hours per week. However, where sea­
sonal or peak demand exists employees may be allowed to work up to
an aggregate of 72 hours in any calendar 6-months period in excess of
the hours established; such limitations shall not, however, apply in
cases of emergency. Furthermore, the average for any 6-month
period shall not exceed the limitations above specified. Extra time
shall be reported to the Administrator and all such work in excess of
8 hours in any day shall be compensated for at the rate of time and
one half the regular rate.
Wages.—The minimum wages are established as follows: For labor
directly incident to production, 40 cents per hour; for incidental labor
and learners, not to exceed 5 percent of the total number employed in
production, 80 percent of the minimum rate for direct labor and the
regular rate after 3 months; for other employees, $14 per week, with
office boys or girls, not to exceed 5 percent of the total number em­
ployed, paid 80 percent of the minimum rate.

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

1050

• MONTHLY LABOK EE V IE W

It is further provided that where female labor is engaged for the
same work and during the same hours as male labor the pay shall be
the same. Not less than 90 days after the effective date of the code
the adjustments made in wages shall be reported. Employers may
not reclassify employees to defeat the purposes of the National
Industrial Recovery Act. The wages fixed guarantee a minimum
whether employees are engaged on a time- or piece-work basis.
Minors.— Minors under 16 are barred from employment and where
State law fixes a higher exemption it must be observed.
Administration.— The Laundry and Dry Cleaners Machinery Man­
ufacturers’ Association shall promote the observance of the code and
the supervisory agency, made up of six members connected with the
industry and not more than three nonvoting members appointed by
the President or Administrator, shall enforce its provisions.
Bankers’ Industry

Coverage.— Any person employed by a bank in any capacity in
connection with its banking functions and operations.
Effective date.— October 16, 1933.
Hours.— Under the code provisions the maximum working time is
limited to 40 hours per week averaged over 13 consecutive weeks,
except that in sections where the seasonal factor in commerce, agri­
culture, etc., imposes an unusual load on banking facilities the week
may be extended to 48 hours for a period not to exceed 16 consecutive
weeks in any calendar year, and any such increase shall be reported
monthly to the banking code committee. Bank employees whose
services are required in connection with periodic Federal or State
examinations, over which the bank has no control, shall be exempt
from the limitations as to hours, as shall be employees in banking
institutions employing not more than 2 persons in addition to execu­
tive officers in towns of less than 2,500 population, not part of a larger
trade area, and employees in a managerial or executive capacity or in
any other capacity of distinction or sole responsibility (regardless of
bank location) who receive more than $35 per week. The hours
provisions shall not apply to night watchmen employed to safeguard
the assets of the bank, who cannot with safety be shifted or changed
during the night.
Wages.— Weekly wages are fixed according to population as follows:
M in im u m
w eekly wage

Cities of over 500,000 population, or immediate trade area_______________$15. 00
Cities of between 250,000 and 500,000, or immediate trade area_________
14. 50
Cities of between 2,500 and 250,000 population, or immediate trade area.
14. 00

In towns of less than 2,500 population wages are to be increased
not less than 20 percent, provided this does not increase wages to
more than $12 per week.
For employees without previous banking experience or training an
apprenticeship period of 6 months is provided with pay at the rate
of 80 percent of the rates provided, this group not to exceed 1 in 20
employees. It is also stipulated that employers shall not reduce
compensation for employment in excess of minimum wages provided,
notwithstanding that hours may be reduced under the code.


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

NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION

1051

Minors.—Employment of minors under 16 years of age is prohibited,
and if a State law provides a higher minimum age such law shall be
observed.
Administration.— A banking code committee is established as a
planning and fair-practice agency, to consist of 15 representatives of
the American Bankers Association; 1 representative selected by 51
percent (measured by total resources) of the nonmembers of the
association, and 1 representative or more without vote appointed by
the President.
Boiler Manufacturing Industry

Coverage.— Manufacturing all types of steel steam boilers for sta­
tionary and marine use (except boilers for locomotives and such
boilers as may be specifically covered by other codes), stokers of
36 square feet of grate area and over, pulverized fuel equipment,
superheaters, air preheaters, and economizers, and class 1 welded
pressure vessels, and, with the approval of the Administrator, such
other affiliated groups as may seek inclusion.
Effective date.— October 16, 1933.
Hours.— A 40-hour week worked on 5 consecutive days of 8 hours
each is the maximum provided. Where it is necessary to work
shorter hours the work may be divided by agreement between em­
ployer and employees to a lesser number of days per week, with a
limit of 9 hours on any 1 day. In emergency, production, repair,
or erection work that cannot be taken care of through the addition of
workers may be done by the regular force, but excess time shall be
paid for at the rate of time and one half the hourly rate for shop work
and double the hourly rate for repair, renewal, and construction
and/or erection work. Otherwise, executives, administrative, and
supervisory employees, and traveling and commission sales people
are the only employees exempt from the 40-hour maximum work week.
No employee shall work in excess of the prescribed hours per week in
the aggregate for one or more employers, but if he does so without the
connivance of any one of such employers, said employee shall not be
held to have violated the code.
No new apprentices shall be employed unless the Administrator
grants the power because of absorption of the existing labor surplus
in reasonably steady employment.
Wages.— For labor directly incident to the manufacture of boilers
the minimum rate of pay is fixed at 34 cents per hour in the South
and 40 cents in the North. The South is designated as south of the
States of Maryland, West Virginia, and Kentucky, and east of the
Mississippi River. Excepted from the minimum wages are old or
partially disabled employees and watchmen, who shall in no case be
paid less than 80 percent of the fixed rates and may not exceed 2 percent
of the total number employed; where less than 100 persons are em­
ployed 2 employees of this class may be engaged. For employees other
than those engaged in labor operations the rate of pay shall he $15 per
week, except for commission sales people; provided, however, that office
boys and girls, not to exceed 5 percent of the total number employed,
may be paid not less than 80 percent of that minimum, and provided
also that where a State law fixes a higher minimum wage no person
shall be paid a lower wage than that so fixed.
Any system of contract work by which an employee undertakes to
do work at a set price and engages other employees to work for him

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

1052

MONTHLY LABOR R EV IEW

is prohibited, nor may any employer contract for the fabrication
and/or erection of any product of the industry unless the person taking
the contract agrees to comply with the labor provisions of the code.
Wage differentials for all operations shall be equitably readjusted
and may not be decreased in any instance.
Minors.— No member of the industry may employ any person under
16 years of age, and if State law provides a higher exemption such law
shall be observed.
Administration.— To administer the code the American Boiler
Manufacturers Association committee of industrial recovery is desig­
nated as a planning and fair-practice agency. The Administrator is
privileged to appoint one or more representatives without vote to
serve in an advisory capacity.
Electric Storage and W et Primary Battery Industry

Coverage.— The manufacture of electric storage and wet primary
batteries, parts, and accessories therefor.
Effective date.— October 16, 1933.
Hours.— Under the terms established no factory employees engaged
in processing and incident labor, excluding supervisors receiving $35
and over per week, shall work in excess of an average of 40 hours per
week in any calendar week, nor in excess of 48 hours in any week or
8 hours in any 1 day. When it is necessary in order to avoid eco­
nomic waste, employees (not to exceed 10 percent of the total number)
may be permitted a 10 percent tolerance in maximum hours per day,
provided the maximum weekly hours are not raised for the calendar
week, nor the average hours per week in any calendar year. No other
employee, except managerial and executive staffs and technical
engineers and outside salesmen, receiving not less than $35 per week,
may work in excess of an average of 40 hours per week in any calendar
year. These provisions, however, do not apply to employees on
emergency maintenance and repair work, but for such work time and
one third the regular rate shall be paid for hours worked in excess of
those specified. No worker shall work, whether for one or more
employers, beyond the fixed number of hours per week.
Wages.— Factory employees shall receive a minimum rate of 40
cents an hour in processing and labor incident thereto, unless the
hourly rate for the same class of work was less on July 15, 1929, in
which case the rate on that date shall apply, provided it is not less
than 90 percent of the minimum set in the code. Learners may be
paid not less than 80 percent of the established rate and may not
number over 3 percent of the total number of factory employees.
For other employees the minimum established is $15 per week, with a
provision for payment of office boys and girls (not to exceed 3 percent
of the total number employed) at not less than 80 percent of the
minimum rate. Equitable adjustments of pay schedules above the
minimum on or before the effective date of the code are ordered.
Persons employed in the industry are entitled to claim the benefit of
the occupational classifications of June 16, 1933. There shall be no
discrimination in wages by reason of sex.
Minors.— No person under 16 years of age may be employed in the
industry and no person under 18 in factory work. No female shall
be employed where exposure to an appreciable lead hazard exists.
Administration.—The code authority shall have five members fairly
representative of the industry.


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

NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION

1053

Ice Industry

Coverage.— The production, manufacture, harvesting, selling, or
distributing and/or merchandising of ice at wholesale or retail.
Effective date.— October 16, 1933.
Hours.— The code establishes a 40-hour week and 8-hour day for
office and clerical employees and for those other than the groups
mentioned and those exercising executive or supervisory functions a
48-hour week averaged over a 12-month period, provided that such
employees shall not work in excess of 56 hours in any 1 week. This
may not be construed as permitting the employment of individual
workers for continuous 56-hour periods one after the other, and it is
the intent of this clause not to allow the operation of one shift on any
one job exceeding 56 hours in any 1 week and averaging over 48
hours for any 12-month period, with a further limitation that where
the weekly hours on July 15, 1933, were less than the maximum they
shall not be increased. The supervisory groups excepted from the
hours provisions are so excepted provided they have continuous em­
ployment and are paid not less than $30 in the North and $25 in the
South, regardless of the off season, and provided also that they do not
exceed 1 for every 7 employees or fraction thereof in operations em­
ploying at least 4 persons. Where an owner, partner, etc., performs
any of the functions of labor the hours of which are restricted under
this code, and to the extent that a nonmanufacturing distributor or
person selling solely on commission performs the function of labor in
distribution and service to the public, he shall be bound by the hours
regulations under the code. No employee may work for one or more
employers in excess of the prescribed number of hours.
Wages.— The minimum rates of pay are:
South: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, M in im u m
Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, hourly rate
Texas, Virginia____________________________________________________________ $0.23
Other sections---------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------.32}£

In the South, drivers’ helpers, the number of which shall not be in
excess of the number under regular employment July 15, 1933, shall
be paid not less than 80 percent of the minimum rate, provided that
if the rate was higher on that date it shall not be reduced. The rates
established cover time- and piece-rate employees except that persons
selling solely on commission basis are exempt. Equitable adjustment
in all pay schedules is ordered on or before the effective date of the
code.
Minors.— Minors under 16 years of age may not be employed, and
where State law specifies a higher minimum it shall supersede that in
the code.
Administration.— The code authority for the ice industry shall con­
sist of eight members, of whom three without vote shall be appointed
by the Administrator and five shall be selected by the National
Association of Ice Industries and approved by the Administrator.
Optical Manufacturing Industry

Coverage.— The manufacture of spectacles, oxfords, lorgnettes, and
other ophthalmic frames, mountings, and accessories; all ophthalmic
lenses in quantity, e}7e-glass and spectacle cases, parts, sun-glasses,
industrial goggles, and eye protectors, and, as adapted to this industry,

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

1054

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IEW

instruments, equipment, tools, machinery, and furniture for use in
examining eyes and in making, fitting, repairing, and otherwise
servicing eye-wear and ophthalmic products; provided, however, that
said term “ optical manufacturing industry” shall not include the
wholesale or retail operations with respect to the products manu­
factured.
Effective date.— October 16, 1933.
Hours.— The code establishes a 40-hour week with the privilege of
8 hours a week of overtime during a period not to exceed 16 consecu­
tive weeks in divisions where peak demand makes this necessary.
No employee may work in excess of 2,080 hours in any 1 year. Ex­
emptions under the hours regulations are allowed for the supervisory
staff, outside salesmen, and emergency crews. All such workers paid
on an hourly basis shall, however, be paid at the rate of one and one
third times the regular hourly rate for hours in excess of 40.
Waqes.— Minimum wages are fixed as follows:
Minimum,

N ot less than 75 percent of the total number employed b y hourly rate
any employer_________________________________ :--------------------$0.40
N ot less than 20 percent of the total number employed
by any employer___________________________________________
.32)4
N ot less than 5 percent of the total number employed by
any employer_______________________________________________
.25

The class paid 25 cents an hour shall include only learners for a
period not to exceed 6 weeks and errand boys and girls. The total
number employed shall mean the total engaged in the manufacture
of each single-line product whether or not the employer produces
more than one line.
Minors.— No employer shall employ or have in his employ any
person under 16 years of age, with a higher minimum where required
by State law.
Administration.-—The Optical Manufacturers’ Code Committee
shall be composed of seven members chosen by a fair method and
approved by the Administrator.
Silk Textile Industry

Coverage.— The manufacture of silk and/or rayon and/or acetate
yarn (or any combination thereof) woven fabrics or any of the proc­
esses of such manufacturing except throwing, but it shall not include
such manufacturing of rayon and/or acetate yarn fabrics as are gov­
erned by the provisions of the Cotton-Textile Code. The term shall
include also the converting of the woven fabrics enumerated above,
the manufacture of silk, rayon, and/or acetate yarn sewing threads,
spun silk, woven labels, and shall include such other related branches
whether engaged in merchandising or manufacturing as may from
time to time be brought within the provisions of this code.
Effective date.— October 16, 1933.
Hours.— By the terms of this code maximum working hours of
productive employees are set at 40 per week and machinery may not
be operated for more than two shifts of 40 hours per week. No other
employees may work more than 480 hours in any 12 weeks, or an
average of 40 hours per week with work in no 1 week exceeding 48
hours. From this restriction the following are excluded: Repair-shop
crews, engineers, electricians, firemen, supervising staff, shipping,

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

NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION

1055

watching, and outside crews. The hours of repair-shop crews, engi­
neers, and electricians, except in case of emergency, shall be 40 with
a tolerance of 10 percent. Emergency time must be reported monthly
to the general planning committee and overtime above 40 hours shall
be paid for at one and one third times the regular hourly rate. A
schedule of maximum hours for outside crews must be submitted to
the Administrator for approval not later than January 1, 1934. The
hours established provide the maximum allowable for each employee
and in no event may workers work in excess of these hours for one
or more employers. Where the maximum provided is greater than
that permitted by State law the law shall take precedence.
Wages.— Weekly wages are set at a minimum for employees, ex­
cluding learners, of $12 in the southern and $13 in the northern section
of the country. The southern section embraces the States of Vir­
ginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama,
Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and Florida, and the northern section
the remainder of the United States. A learner is one who has served
an apprenticeship of less than 6 weeks, and shall be paid not less
than 80 percent of the minimum rate. The total number of learners
must not exceed 5 percent of the total number of employees in any
plant. Differentials between wages of workers in the upper brackets
up to $30 per week as of July I, 1933, shall be maintained, but no
employer need make an increase that will bring his scale above those
of other employers who have made the required revisions. Incapac­
itated persons may waive their right to the minimum wages but shall
be paid the standard piece rates and not less than $8 per week for
timework. Employers having 100 or less workers may employ 1
worker of this category while employers with more than 100 employees
shall include within such category not more than 1 percent of his
employees.
Minors.— Minors under age 16 are barred from employment unless
State law specifies a higher exemption which, if existing, must be
observed.
Administration.— A general planning committee is provided as a
planning and fair-practice agency. Its membership shall consist of
11 representatives of the industry and 3 non voting members appointed
by the Administrator.
Textile Machinery Manufacturing Industry

Coverage.— The manufacture for sale of complete machines and parts
thereof and accessories therefor used in textile establishments for the
actual manufacture of yarn and/or woven fabrics or for finishing or
dyeing, whether as a final process or as part of a larger and further
process.
Effective date.— October 16,1933.
Hours.— With the exception of executives, supervisory staff, re­
ceiving more than $35 per week and outside salesmen, the hours of
labor are limited to 40 per week, provided that in periods of concen­
trated demand upon any division of the industry an employee of
such division may be permitted to work not more than 48 hours per
week in not more than 8 weeks of any 6-month period as long as the
average working week in such period does not exceed 40 hours. Any
employee not expressly excepted shall be paid time and one half the
regular rate for any hours exceeding 8 per day. Repair and main
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

1056

MONTHLY LABOE E E V IE W

tenance crews, engineers, and electricians may work a tolerance of 10
percent in excess of the maximum hours, provided they receive the
regular overtime pay therefor. No employee shall work regularly
more than six days in a 7-day period.
Wages.— Minimum wages under the code are established as $14
per week for accounting, clerical, and office employees; for all other
employees (except outside helpers and shippers south of the Potomac
River, learners during their initial 90 days, apprentices, and watch­
men) the hourly wage rate shall be 35 cents regardless of whether
payment is made on a time- or piece-rate basis. Wages above the
minimum shall be equitably adjusted to the end that the differentials
between rates paid skilled and unskilled workers existing prior to
adoption of the code be maintained. Outside helpers and shippers
south of the Potomac, learners during their initial 90 days, appren­
tices, and watchmen shall receive not less than the hourly rate prevail­
ing for the same class of labor on July 15, 1929, and in no event less
than 30 cents per hour. All of these provisions are subject to change
in States where the law establishes higher rates.
M inors— Minors under 16 may not be employed and no persons
under 18 may work in connection with any metal- or wood-working
or other moving machinery, or on heat process, or in any other haz­
ardous occupations. These provisions are again subject to revision
according to State law.
Administration— A code authority is formed as a planning and fairpractice agency, consisting of 9 representatives of the industry and 3
nonvoting representatives appointed by the President.
Throwing Industry

Coverage.— A ll p la n ts o f th ro w in g m a ch in e ry w ith in th e U n ited
S ta tes w h eth er o w n e d a n d /o r o p e ra te d b y com m issio n th row sters or
b y th ose th row in g m a terial fo r sale o r fo r th eir o w n use and m a d e o f
silk, ra y o n , o r a ce ta te yarn s.
Effective date.— October 16, 1933.
Hours.— No productive employee shall work or be employed for
more than 40 hours per wreek. Operation of productive machinery
shall be restricted to the hours between 6 a.m. on Monday and 7 a.m.
of the following Saturday. Full working shifts shall be limited to 2
of 40 hours each, except that a reduced force of male operatives over
18 years of age, not to exceed 35 percent of the total number working
in all throwing processes on the larger of the two full shifts, may be
employed as and when necessary during the time when neither of the
full shifts is working. The restriction on use of throwing machinery
between certain fixed hours shall not hold where such machinery is
in weaving plants operating under the cotton-textile industry code
and throwing yarn (rayon or other synthetic threads) for their own
use only in their own plants; operation of this equipment, however,
may not exceed 121 hours each week unless the code for the throwing
industry is amended to allow operation for more than 121 hours per
week.
Nonproductive employees, other than supervising staff, may work
not more than 40 hours in any 1 week, with the option of extension
to 44 hours when necessary and in emergency beyond that time,
provided such emergency work is duly reported monthly to the Code
Administration Committee and provided that one and one third
times the regular rate shall be paid for hours in excess of 44.


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

NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION

1057

Wages.— Productive and nonproductive employees (with certain
exceptions) are to be paid at the rate of 30 cents per hour in the
southern section of the industry (Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Loui­
siana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina,
Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, and
Maryland) and 32% cents in the northern section (i.e., all other
parts of the country). No employee shall be paid less for 40 hours of
labor per week than he received as of April 1, 1933, for a period not
exceeding 50 hours per week. The classes of labor excluded from
these minimum rates are: (1) Bobbin and skein carriers and bobbin
cleaners, who may not exceed 10 percent of the total number of
employees of the shift and must be paid not less than 80 percent of
the minimum rate; (2) learners (who have worked less than 12
weeks in the throwing industry), who shall be started at the rate of
20 cents per hour, increased to 26 cents at the expiration of the first
6 weeks and to the established minimum at the expiration of the
next 6 weeks; and (3) the special force of male operatives over 18
years of age, mentioned above, who are allowed to work extra hours
and who are to be paid at the rate of 40 cents per hour in the southern
section and 43.3 cents in the northern section of the country.
For clarification of the status of the learner and in order that he
may at all times be properly accredited with time served, it is pro­
vided that at the end of the first 6 weeks of the learning period the
learner shall be given a card showing the time served, etc., which is
to be replaced by a second card upon expiration of the full learning
period. The form of these cards is to be prescribed by the code
authority.
Provisions as to wages shall be subject to correction in conformity
with State law where higher rates are prescribed.
Minors.— No minor under 16 years of age may be employed, except
that if a higher minimum age is prescribed by State law the latter
shall be complied with.
Administration.—A Code Administration Committee is set up
having 12 members in addition to the president of the dbrowsters
Research Institute, Inc., who shall be chairman, and not to exceed 3
representatives without vote appointed by the Administrator. The
secretary of the Throwsters Research Institute, Inc., shall be the
secretary of the Code Administration Committee. At least one com­
mittee member shall be chosen, respectively, from the commission
throwsters of weaving yarns, commission throwsters of knitting yarns,
rayon and/or cotton weavers, knitters, yarn dealers, and silk weavers.
Members shall be chosen by vote of signers of the code on the
basis of one vote for each 5,000 spindles or fraction thereof oper­
ated by the owner and registered with the Throwsters Research
Institute, Inc.
Umbrella

Industry

Coverage.—-The manufacture of umbrellas, parasols, and covers
thereof.
Elective date.— October 16, 1933.
.
Hours.— Working time under the code is restricted to a total of 5
days and 40 hours per week and 8 hours per day. Salesmen, officers,
and directors of manufacturing corporations, partners in, or individual
owners of, manufacturing plants, when such persons are engaged m
16487°—33------- 4


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

1058

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

actual manufacture of products are subject to these provisions. Em­
ployees in a managerial or executive capacity who received more than
$35 at the time the code was approved and outside salesmen who de­
vote their entire time to selling are not restricted to such hours.
Neither do the hours apply to employees engaged in emergency repair
work, who may not work more than 16 hours in 2 successive days and
shall receive one and one third times the regular pay for hours exceed­
ing 8 on any 1 day. Watchmen may not exceed a total of 84 working
hours in any 2-week period, to consist of three 12-hour shifts in 1 week
and 4 the next. It is also provided that only one shift operation be
allowed employers on the basis of the hours stipulated and that in
case it becomes necessary to work more than one shift a petition may
be made to the Administrator for a ruling on the point in question.
Wages.— Wages are established at the following minimum rates:
M in im u m

New York City (50 miles of Times Square):
hourly rate
Cutters--------------------------------------------------------------------------$0. 65
Operators_______________________________________________
. 42}£
Tippers_________________________________________________
. 40
Examiners, finishers, mounters, steamers,
and
shippers______________________________________________
. 35
Others__________________________________________________ 1 14. 00
Outside of metropolitan New York:
Cutters_________________________________________________
. 60
Operators_______________________________________________
. 40
Tippers-------------. 37)4
Examiners,
finishers, mounters, steamers, and
shippers______________________________________________
. 32 y2
Others__________________________________________________ 1 13. 00

Learners having less than 6 weeks’ experience in the industry shall
be paid at not less than 80 percent of the specified rates, and may not
number more than 5 percent of the total employed. Workers suffer­
ing from the infirmities of old age who cannot be employed on a piece­
work basis at the established rate shall receive not less than $8 per
week and shall not exceed 5 percent of the total number of regularly
employed workers. For such infirm workers as were employed on
or before July 15, 1933, a record of earnings, sex, hours, etc., shall be
furnished to the planning and fair-practice agency by their respective
employers.
The established wages shall apply whether persons are employed
on a piece- or time-rate basis. For workers in wage brackets above
the minimum the existing wages shall not be reduced notwithstanding
the reduction in hours.
Home work is prohibited.
M inors— Minors under 16 may not be employed and where State
law establishes a higher exemption it shall be observed.
Administration.—A planning and fair practice agency is provided,
made up of the executive committee of the National Association of
Umbrella Manufacturers, Inc. With the approval of the Adminis­
trator this body may appoint such committees as are necessary.
Automatic Sprinkler Industry

Coverage.— Without limitation, a person, partnership, or corporation
engaged in the business of manufacturing automatic sprinklers and
devices, and fabrication and installation of such equipment.
Effective date.— October 19, 1933.
1 W eekly rate.


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

NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION

1059

Hours.— A 40-hour week is provided for construction employees
and also for manufacturing workers, except watchmen who may work
not to exceed 56 hours per week. Otherwise, only outside salesmen
and employees in managerial or executive capacities receiving more
than $35 per week are excluded from the 40-hour-week provision.
Wages.— Minimum wages are established as follows:
Construction labor:
Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina,
• Alabama, Mississippi, southern half of Arkansas, and southern
half of Virginia______________________________________________________
Elsewhere in the United States______________________________________
Common labor (not to exceed 8 percent of total skilled and semi­
skilled) , 80 percent of rates of construction labor.
Manufacturing labor:
Workers other than watchmen_______________________________________
Watchmen, 70 percent of rate of other manufacturing labor.
Accounting, clerical, office, service, and sales employees, excluding
office boys:
In cities of over 500,000 population______________________________
In cities of between 250,000 and 500,000 population____________
In cities of between 2,500 and 250,000 population______________
Office boys, 80 percent of rates of accounting, clerical etc., workers

howl™raU

$0. 37>£
. 43 %

. 40
M in im u m
weekly wage

$15. 00
14. 50
14. 00

These rates establish a guaranteed minimum rate whether workers
are engaged on a time- or piece-rate basis. No employee may be
classified in one of the excepted classes unless he performs work iden­
tical with that falling in such class on June 16, 1933. Wages of per­
sons receiving in excess of the minimum rates at the time the code
went into effect are ordered equitably adjusted.
Minors.— The employment of minors under 16 years of age is pro­
hibited with the further stipulation that where State law fixes a higher
exemption the law shall be observed.
Administration.—Administration of the code is delegated to the
code authority, having as members 3 representatives of manufacturing
companies and not more than 3 members without vote appointed by
the President or his delegated authority under the National Industrial
Recovery Act.
Handkerchief Industry

Coverage.-—The manufacture, embellishment, and finishing by hand
or machine of handkerchiefs, except that embellishment by Schiffli
embroidery machines, so-called “ hand-loom” machines and “ handembroidery machines” is not included.
Effective date.— October 19, 1933.
Hours.-—Hours under the code are fixed at 8 in any 24-hour period
and 40 per week. Machine operation is limited to one shift of 40
hours except during emergency periods and then only for a limited
time and with the express approval of the Administrator. The hours
as established apply to members of shipping crews except for a maxi­
mum of 16 weeks in any calendar year when 48 may be allowed at the
regular hourly rate for hours above 40 per week. Repair-shop crews,
machinists, electricians, and drivers are allowed a maximum of 45
hours per week, with longer hours in case of emergency, again with
overtime pay at the regular hourly rate. No employee may exceed
the fixed hours whether working for one or more employers. These
provisions refer neither to members of outside sales force nor watch­
men, executives, or persons in administrative capacities or engineers

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

1060

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IEW

or firemen, provided such employees receive not less than $25 per
week. It is also stated in the code that the provisions do not apply
outside the continental portion of the United States.
Wages.— Minimum wages are established as follows:
M inim um

Southern section:
weekly wage
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia____
$12. 00
Other sections of the United States__________________________________
13. 00

These differentials are subject to change by the Administrator if
unfair disadvantages result therefrom. No learner engaged in actual
manufacture shall receive less than $9 per week and may not be deemed
a learner for more than 8 weeks, regardless of where he may work.
The learners in any shop may not exceed 10 percent of the employees.
Differentials of other than those at the minimum shall be maintained
as of July 1, 1933, subject to review of the code authority and the
Administrator, and no weekly wages shall be reduced, notwithstanding
the lowering of hours worked, without such review. The rates as
established apply whether persons are compensated on a time- or
piece-rate basis. Physically handicapped and aged workers, not to
exceed 6 percent of the total number of employees, may receive not
less than 80 percent of minimum rates and their names must be filed
with the agency that shall be prescribed.
Home manufacture of handkerchiefs is prohibited after January 1,
1934, except where the handkerchief is wholly hand-made.
Manufacture and processing of handkerchiefs of which 60 percent
or more of the cost is for labor, with a wholesale price of not less than
$3.50 per dozen, are not subject to the hours, learners, physically
handicapped, and home-work restrictions. A study of the geographi­
cal distribution of this type of manufacture is ordered with a view to
confining the privilege within certain geographical range or ranges.
Minors.— Employment of minors under 16 is prohibited in the
industry.
Administration.— The code authority designated as an administra­
tive agency will consist of nine members or such number as may be
approved from time to time by the Administrator and, according to
his discretion, the Administrator may appoint representatives.
Compressed-Air Industry

Coverage.— The manufacture for sale of air and gas compressors
(requiring more than 10 horsepower), reciprocating vacuum pumps,
and pneumatic machinery and/or parts thereof other than refrigerator
equipment.
Effective date.— October 22, 1933.
Hours.— Maximum weekly hours are established at 40 per week,
except for executives, administrative, supervisory, and technical
employees and their respective staffs, who are paid at the rate of $35
or more per week, traveling, sales and service employees, watchmen,
and firemen. The limitation of hours does not apply under conditions
of seasonal or peak demand, creating unusual conditions in either pro­
duction or installation, when hours not to exceed 48 per week for any
6 weeks in any 6-month calendar period may be worked, nor does
it apply to workers in emergency, maintenance, or repair work or
to very special cases where restriction of hours of highly skilled

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

NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION

1061

workers would unavoidably reduce or delay production. If any
worker, other than salaried employees, whose hours of work are
specified in the code, is required to work in excess of 8 hours per day he
shall be paid at the rate of time and one third for such additional time.
Wages.— It is provided that the minimum hourly wage of employees
engaged in production or labor operations directly incident thereto is
fixed at 40 cents unless the rate was lower on July 15, 1929, in which
case the rate paid on that date shall be effective, except that in no
case shall the rate be less than 35 cents an hour. Learners, not to
exceed 5 percent of the total number of production employees, may
be paid not less than 80 percent of the minimum rate and at the end
of 3 months shall be paid the established minimum. Employees
other than those engaged in production and labor incident thereto
shall be paid $15 per week, whether pay is calculated on an hourly,
weekly, monthly, or piecework basis; and office boys or girls, not to
exceed 5 percent of the total engaged in work other than production,
may be paid at the rate of not less than 80 percent of the minimum
rate. Nothing in these provisions may affect a bona-fide apprentice
employed under a training system directed toward his becoming a
skilled mechanic. Not less than 90 days after the effective date of
the code employers must report to the Administrator action taken to
adjust hourly wage rates for employees receiving more than the
minimum rates established but less than $35 per week or regular
work period.
Minors.— Persons under 16 years of age may not be employed and
where State law provides a higher minimum the law shall take
precedence.
Administration.— The Compressed Air Institute is designated to
promote observance of the code provisions, and the code is to be
administered by a committee of five, known as the Supervisory
Agency, with three appointees, without vote, added by the President
or the Administrator. Employer members shall be elected at a
meeting of employers, as follows: One by majority vote of employers;
and four members by a 51 percent vote of members on the basis of
one vote for each $50,000 of sales in the calendar year 1932 as reported
to the secretary of the Compressed Air Institute, but with, each
member entitled to at least one vote.
Heat-Exchange Industry

Coverage.—-Manufacture for sale, of steam and vapor condensers,
tubular heat exchangers, storage heaters, direct contact heaters, de­
aerators, cooling towers, and kindred and allied apparatus and/or
parts thereof.
Effective date.— October 22, 1933.
Hours.— P rov isio n s sam e as fo r com p ressed -a ir in d u stry . (See p .
1060.)
Wages.— P rov isio n s sam e as fo r com p ressed -a ir in d u stry . (See
a b o v e .)

Minors.— P rov isio n s sam e as fo r com p ressed -a ir in d u stry .

(See

a b o v e .)

Administration.— The Heat Exchange Institute is designated as the
agency for promoting the performance of the code provisions. To
administer and supervise the enforcement of the code, the Supervisory

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

1062

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

Agency shall be established comprising 5 members representative
of employers and 3 without vote appointed by the President or
the Administrator. A meeting shall be called for the election of em­
ployer members of the Supervising Agency and members shall be
elected, 1 by majority vote and the remaining 4 by a 51 percent
vote on the basis of 1 vote for each $50,000 of sales in 1932 as
reported to the secretary of the Heat Exchange Institute, but with
each employer having at least 1 vote.
Pump Manufacturing Industry

Coverage.— Manufacture for sale of pumps, pumping equipment,
and/or parts thereof except as manufactured and sold solely as an
original or as a replacement part of the product of another industry
as now or hereafter organized, and except that there shall not be
included therein the manufacture for sale of hand pumps, windmills,
and domestic water-supply systems, and parts and accessories
thereof.
Effective date.— October 22, 1933.
Hours.— Provisions same as for compressed-air industry. (See
p. 1060.)
Wages.— Provisions same as for compressed-air industry. (See
p. 1061.)
Minors.— Provisions same as for compressed-air industry. (See
p . 1 0 6 1 .)

Administration.— The Hydraulic Institute is designated to promote
the performance of the provisions of the code and the administrative
and supervisory body established shall be the Supervisory Agency.
This agency shall have five members representing employers and
three without vote appointed by the President or the Administrator.
The employer members shall be elected at a specially called meeting,
one by a majority vote and the remaining four by a 51 percent vote
on the basis of one vote for each $50,000 of sales in the year 1932, as
reported to the secretary of the Hydraulic Institute, but with each
employer having at least one vote.
Farm-Equipment Manufacturing Industry

Coverage.— Manufacture and/or assembly and/or sale (other than at
retail) of all equipment used in farm operations (except automobiles,
motor trucks, household utilities, barn and barnyard equipment,
poultry equipment, and farm hardware such as hand rakes, shovels,
spades, and hoes), and repair parts therefor whether manufactured
by the maker of such equipment or others.
Effective date.— October 23, 1933.
Hours.— Factory employees shall not work in excess of 40 hours in
any 1 week with a tolerance of 10 percent for those engaged in prepa­
ration, care, maintenance of plant, machinery, and production facili­
ties, and in case of emergency work the schedule of hours shall not
apply. A similar 10 percent tolerance shall be allowed to take care
of seasonal peaks or special demands. In all cases the hours shall
average not more than 40 over a 6-month period, the 6 months
chosen to be the period most appropriate for any employer. Account­
ing, clerical, service, sales, express, or delivery employees may not be
employed in excess of 48 hours in any 1 week, nor for an average of

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

NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION

1063

over 40 hours per week averaged over a 6-month period. The hours
provisions apply neither to supervisory employees receiving $35 per
week nor to outside salesmen, collectors, field-service men, and serviceparts foremen.
Wages.— Minimum wages for factory workers are:
M in im u m
hourly rate

Zone A .— -Cities of over 1,000,000 population and industrial cities, towns,

and villages in the same immediate trade area_________________________
Zone B .— Territory other than zones A and C ___________________________
Zone C .— States of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia,

Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas,
Louisiana, Texas, and points east of the Mississippi River, south of
Louisville, K y ., and communities elsewhere in the United States of
less than 15,000 population where a majority of the adult male popu­
lation is not engaged in manufacturing_________________________________

$0. 40
.3 5

. 30

Female workers doing the same work as men shall receive the same
pay, and where females and youths perform different and light work
the minimum wage rate may be 5 cents an hour lower than the specified
rates. For all factory workers paid at rates higher than the minimum
and lower than $30 per week, wages shall not be less than 85 percent
of those obtaining on July 15, 1929, either in the business of the em­
ployer or his predecessor, provided that no employer be required to
pay a higher rate than other employers for the same class of work in
the immediate area.
Minimum rates for accounting, clerical, service, sales, express, or
delivery
employees
are:
.
^
^
M in im um
weekly wage

In cities of over 500,000 population or immediate trade area_____ ______
In cities of between 250,000 and 500,000 population or immediate trade
area_______________________________________________________________________
In cities of between 2,500 and 250,000 population or immediate trade
area_______________________________________________________________________
In towns of less than 2,500 population, 20 percent increase but not over__

$15. 00
14. 50
14. 00
12. 00

No employee shall have his compensation reduced on account of
any reduction in weekly hours.
Learners for a period up to 10 weeks, messengers and office boys, who
shall receive not less than 80 percent of the minimum, and old and
disabled employees are excepted from the minimum rates of pay, but
the total number of excepted employees may not exceed 5 percent of
the total number employed by any employer. The foregoing wage
rates apply regardless of whether workers are paid on a time- or piecerate basis. These provisions do not cover apprentices or learners
working part time in conjunction with any public education system.
Minors.— No person under the age of 16 years shall be employed.
Administration.— The administration of the code shall be under the
direction of the executive committee of the National Association of
Farm Equipment Manufacturers. The Administration may appoint
a representative or representatives to meet with this committee.
Mutual Savings Banks

Coverage.— Savings banks operating under a State law, without
capital stock or stockholders and solely in the interests of depositors.
Effective date.— October 23, 1933.
Hours.— Hours are established at a maximum of 40 per week
averaged over a period of 13 consecutive weeks. These requirements
are subject to exception in peak seasons when employees may work

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

1064

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

48 hours per week during a consecutive 12-week period. Such time
shall be reported to the banking code committee. Employees shall
also be exempt when needed in connection with bank examinations.
For workers in institutions employing not more than 2 persons in
addition to executive officers, in towns of less than 2,500 population,
not part of a larger trading area, for employees in managerial or
executive capacities or in other capacities of distinction or sole
responsibility (regardless of the location of the bank) who receive more
than $35 per week, and for night watchmen, the foregoing require­
ments as to hours do not apply.
Wages.—Wages are fixed according to population as shown in the
Federal census of 1930.
M in im u m
weekly wage

In cities of over 500,000 population or immediate trade area_____________ $15. 00
In cities of between 250,000 and 500,000 population or immediate trade
area________________________________________________________________________
14. 50
In cities of between 2,500 and 250,000 population or immediate trade area_ 14. 00
In towns of less than 2;500 population, 20 percent increase and not over__
12. 00

For those without banking experience during a 6-month period
remuneration shall be at the rate of 80 percent of the prescribed mini­
mum and such workers may not exceed 1 for every 20 employees or
fraction thereof.
No reduction may be made in the compensation of those receiving
above the minimum notwithstanding the reduction in hours.
Minors.— No person under 16 may be employed and if the State
requires a higher minimum it shall be complied with.
Administration.—A mutual savings banks code committee is set up,
comprising 15 representatives of the National Association of Mutual
Savings Banks, 1 representative selected by 51 percent (measured by
total resources) of nonmembers of the association, and 1 or more
representatives appointed by the President, without vote.
Marking Devices Industry

Coverage.— 'The manufacture and sale by the manufacturer of any
or all of the general classes of articles or any part or parts of any one
or more articles, such as rubber stamps, printing dies, brass stamps,
checks, badges, pressed metal signs, seals, and stencils.
Effective date.— October 30, 1933.
Hours.— No employee shall work in excess of 520 hours in any 13week period (average, 40 hours per week), nor more than 48 hours in
any 1 week, provided that one and one third times the hourly rate
shall be paid for all hours exceeding 8 in any 1 day. Watchmen must
be employed in pairs and may not work in excess of 36 hours in 1
week and 48 the next, averaging 42 hours per week. Excluded from
the hours provisions are: (1) Emergency repair crews and outside
sales force; (2) engineers, electricians, firemen, designers, draftsmen,
shipping crews, and truck or delivery-wagon employees, who are
limited to 48 hours in 1 week and shall be paid at time and one third
the hourly rate for hours exceeding 8 on any 1 day; (3) executives
and supervisory staff receiving more than $35 per week, except when
engaged in productive or mechanical work, provided these limitations
shall apply to all proprietors, executives, partners, supervisors, and
foremen when they undertake productive or mechanical work.
The hours as fixed apply whether a worker is employed by one or
more employers.

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

NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION

1065

Wages.— The minimum hourly wage rate shall be 32% cents.
Learners without previous experience in the industry shall, during
the first year’s apprenticeship, be paid not less than 80 percent of the
established minimum and during the second year not less than 90
percent. Thereafter they shall be paid not less than the full mini­
mum rate as established. Each plant is entitled to employ at least
1 learner but not to exceed 1 learner for each 6 employees. Bicycle
or foot messengers engaged exclusively to call for and/or deliver orders
shall be paid not less than 80 percent of the minimum rate, but may
not engage in productive or mechanical work unless paid at a rate
not less than the minimum fixed. These provisions establish a mini­
mum for all workers whether paid on a time- or piece-work basis.
The code states that it is the policy of the industry to refrain from
reducing compensation which was in excess of the minimum before
June 16, 1933, notwithstanding the reduction in hours. All members
of the industry are charged with endeavoring to increase the wages
of those receiving more than the minimum by an equitable adjust­
ment of all pay schedules proportionate to the increase in compensa­
tion fixed by the code.
Minors.— Minors under 16 may not be employed and no one under
18 may engage in operations or occupations hazardous in nature or
detrimental to health. The code authority shall submit to the Admin­
istrator a list of hazardous occupations within a reasonable time. An
employer shall be deemed to have observed this provision if he accepts
evidence as to age admissible in the courts of the State where employ­
ment takes place.
Administration.— The code authority established shall have 11
members, chosen by a fair method, and not more than 3 members
without vote to be appointed at the discretion of the Administrator.
The industry is divided into nine divisions for the purpose of admin­
istering the code.
Plumbago Crucible Industry

Coverage.— The manufacture for sale of crucibles, retorts, saggers,
covers, stoppers, lids, stirring rods, brazing boxes, and similar refrac­
tory products, all of which contain flake plumbago or graphite, ir­
respective of the amount of these products contained therein.
Elective date.— October 30, 1933.
Hours.— No employee shall work to exceed 40 hours in any 1 week
except: (1) Kiln burners, who shall be permitted to work not to ex­
ceed 48 hours in any 1 week; (2) employees engaged in the care and
maintenance of plant and machinery, and stock and shipping clerks,
who shall be allowed a tolerance of 10 percent oyer the maximum of
40 hours; and (3) employees generally, during periods of concentrated
demand when unusual and temporary burdens are placed on produc­
tion facilities, at which times employees may be permitted to work
not more than 48 hours per week in not more than 1 week of any
1-month period, provided extra work exceeding 8 hours in the day is
compensated for at one and one half times the regular hourly rates.
The hour provisions shall not apply to persons employed in a
supervisory capacity who are paid more than $35 per week, nor to
outside salesmen, field-service men, and watchmen. Watchmen shall,
however, have 1 day of rest in 7. Neither shall the hours apply
to employees engaged on emergency maintenance and repair work

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

1066

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

nor to very special cases where restrictions of hours of the highly
skilled would unavoidably reduce or delay production. Time and
one half the hourly rate shall be paid such skilled workers for hours in
excess of 8 per day and 40 per week, and it is provided that not more
than 7% percent of the total pay roll for skilled employees in any
1 week shall be employed in excess of 40 hours on such special cases.
Wages.— The minimum hourly wage rate established is 40 cents,
and those who are paid piece rates that yield less than the minimum
fixed shall have their rates adjusted to this level. Physically handi­
capped persons are exempted from these provisions, but may not
exceed 5 percent of the total number of workers employed by a mem­
ber of the industry. Each employer shall-report to the Administra­
tor on action taken in adjusting the hourly wage rates of workers
receiving more than the minimum rate established, except that this
shall not apply to employees earning over $35 per week. In deter­
mining the classification of any employee, he is entitled to claim the
benefit of the classification existing on June 16, 1933.
All accounting, clerical, sales, and service employees shall be paid
not less than $15 per week, except that office boys or girls may be
paid 80 percent of the established minimum, provided the total
amount paid this class of labor shall not exceed 7% percent of the
total amount paid by any employer to all employees of the account­
ing, clerical, etc., class.
Minors.— No minor under 18 years of age shall be employed on
manufacturing processes and no person under 16 years of age as a
messenger or in office or other work.
Administration.-—A supervising agency is set up to cooperate with
the Administrator in administering the code. Membership shall
consist of five (or such number as may be approved from time to
time) representatives of industry and not more than three members
without vote appointed by the Administrator.
Retail Trade

Coverage.— Selling of merchandise to the consumer and not for
purposes of resale in any form, in the continental United States,
excluding the Panama Canal Zone. The term does not, however,
include the selling at retail of milk and its products, tobacco and its
products, and foods and foodstuffs, or the dispensing of drugs,
medicines, and medical supplies by a physician, dentist, surgeon, or
veterinarian in the legitimate practice of his profession; nor does it
include any division of retail selling which is now or may hereafter be
governed by a separate code of fair competition approved by the
President of the United States. By Executive order establishments
employing not more than five persons, located in towns of less than
2,500 population (not in immediate trade area of a larger city) are
exempted.
Effective date.— October 30, 1933.
Hours.— Establishments may elect to operate on one of three
schedules of store hours and labor hours, as follows:
Group A. Any establishment may remain open for business 52 and
under 56 hours per week unless its store hours were less than 52 prior
to June 1, 1933, in which case such establishment shall not reduce


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

NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION

1067

its store hours. Employee hours, where store hours are 52 and less
than 56, shall be 40 per week; not more than 8 hours per day, and
not more than 6 days per week.
Group B. Any establishment may remain open for business 56 and
under 63 hours per week, in which case the employees’ working time
shall not exceed 44 hours per week nor 9 hours per day nor 6 days
per week.
Group C. Any establishment may remain open for business 63
hours or more per week but no employee in such establishment shall
work more than 48 hours per week nor more than 10 hours per day
nor more than 6 days per week.
No employee shall work for two or more establishments a greater
number of hours than the total he would be permitted to work for
one of such establishments which operates upon the lowest schedule
of working hours.
No employee not specifically covered in the foregoing paragraphs
relative to hours and not exempted in the following paragraphs shall
work for more than 40 hours per week, 8 hours per day, or 6 days
per week.
Those excepted from the maximum periods of labor are: (1)
Professional persons, outside salesmen, outside collectors, watchmen,
guards, and store detectives; (2) maintenance and outside service
employees but these employees shall not work more than 6 hours per
week above the fixed maximum unless they are paid at the rate of
time and one third for all hours over such additional 6 hours; (3) ex­
ecutives receiving $35 or more per week in cities of over 500,000
population, or $30 or over in cities of 100,000 to 500,000, or $27.50 or
more in cities of 25,000 to 100,000, or $25 or more in places with less
than 25,000 population (executives in the South, who are paid not less
than 10 percent below the wages just specified, also excluded). In
peak periods, i.e., at Christmas, inventory, and other peak times, for
a period not to exceed 2 weeks in the first 6 months and 3 weeks in
the second 6 months of the calendar year, workers whose basic working
time is 40 hours per week may work not more than 48 hours per week
and 9 hours per day, those whose basic working week is 44 hours may
work not more than 52 hours per week and 9}£ hours per day, and
those whose working week is 48 hours may work not more than 56
hours per week and 10 hours per day, in all cases without payment of
overtime.
The total number of persons (whether executives, proprietors,
partners, etc.) who shall be permitted to work unrestricted hours
(excluding professional persons, outside salesmen, outside collectors,
watchmen, guards, and store detectives) shall not exceed 1 for every
5 workers or fraction thereof in stores with 20 workers or less, and 1
for every 5 of the first 20 workers and 1 for every 8 additional workers
above 20 in stores having more than 20 workers.
The daily working hours of any employee shall be consecutive
except that 1 hour may be allowed for each regular meal period and
such time not counted as a part of the working time. Rest periods
are not deductible from working time.
Employees may work 1 extra hour on 1 day each week but this
additional time shall be included in the maximum hours permitted
each week.

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

1068

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

Where the provisions as established by State law conflict with the
provisions herein established, in that shorter hours are provided for,
the State law must be complied with.
No establishment may change from the group in which it has
elected to operate except upon December 3i of every year; any
establishment may, however, at any time increase its store hours,
provided it maintains the basic employee work week of the group in
which it originally elected to operate ; and for a period not to exceed
3 months during the summer any establishment may temporarily
reduce its store hours, provided weekly wages of employees are
maintained.
Wages.— Regardless of whether calculated on an hourly, weekly,
monthly, commission, or other basis, wages shall be paid as follows:
T able 1 .— M I N I M U M W E E K L Y W A G E S I N R E T A I L T R A D E ( E X C E P T D R U G STORES-)

M inim um weekly wage, in cities with
population of—
Hours per week
Over 500,000 i

40 hours. ____ ___ _____ _
44 hours______
____ .
48 hours______ __ __ ________ ___

$14.00
14. 50
15.00

100.000 to
500.000 1

$13. 00
13. 50
14.00

25.000 to
100.000 2

$12.00
12. 50
13.00

1 Differential of $l.less for the South.
2 In localities of under 25,000 populatioii rates existing on June 1, 1933, to he increased not less than 20
Pr.0V1(^ec^ ,
this shall not require an increase to more than $11 per week and that no employee
s r-i. e Pa.1(! ^ess than $10 per week in cities of 2,500 to 25,000 and not more than $10 in towns under 2,500:
a differential of $1 less for the South is provided.

Minimum wages paid to professional persons, outside salesmen,
outside collectors, watchmen, guards, store detectives, and mainte­
nance and outside-service employees shall be fixed on the basis of
the basic employee work week under which the employing establish­
ment is operating. Employees not specifically provided for shall be
paid on the basis of a 40-hour week.
Juniors and apprentices may be paid at the rate of $1 less per week
than the applicable minimum, provided that no employee shall be
classed both as a junior and an apprentice and that both groups com­
bined shall not exceed a ratio of 1 such employee to every 5 employees
or fraction thereof up to 20 and 1 for every 10 employees above 20.
Part-time employees shall be paid at rates proportionate to those
prescribed. Weekly wages of employees receiving more than the
minimum wages here prescribed shall not be reduced from the rates
existing as of July 15, 1933, regardless of any reduction in hours.
Where the State law prescribes higher minimum wages, that law
shall take precedence over the code.
Minors.— Minors under 16 years of age may not be employed, except
that persons 14 and 15 may be employed either for a period not to
exceed 3 hours per day on 6 days per week or for 1 day per week, such
day not to exceed 8 hours. In either case, the working hours shall
be between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. and shall not conflict with the em­
ployees’ day-school hours. No employee under 16 may, however,
be engaged in delivering merchandise from motor vehicles. Wfliere
the State law establishes higher age requirements, they shall be
observed.

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

1069

NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION

Administration.— The Retail Trade Authority shall be made up of
the Administrator or his deputy and three members appointed by the
President. The members of this group shall be members, without
vote, of the National Retail Trade Council; the latter is to consist of
1 and not more than 3 representatives from each major division
of retail trade, elected by a fair method, and with general powers
necessary to assist in enforcing the code. Regardless of the number of
such representatives of each group, there shall be only one vote for
each group. Additional administrative bodies shall be (1) a Regional
Advisory Committee with one representative appointed for each major
geographical section (as established by the Federal Reserve Districts)
and (2) the National Retail Trade Economics Board, consisting of
five members appointed by the President or Administrator.
Retail Drug Trade 1

Coverage.— All retailing to the consumer and not for the purpose of
resale in any form of drugs, medicines, cosmetics, toilet preparations,
drug sundries, and/or allied items, in the continental United States,
excluding the Panama Canal Zone.
Effective date.— October 30, 1933.
Hours.— Drug stores are given the option (in place of any of the
schedules set for other retail establishments, pp. 1066, 1067) of remain­
ing open for business 7 days per week for a total of 84 hours per week,
but not less than 8 hours on any 1 day. No employee may work for
more than 56 hours per week nor more than 10 hours per day, nor
more than 13 days in any 2 consecutive weeks. Excepted are regis­
tered pharmacists, assistant pharmacists, and apprentice pharmacists,
employed and working as such, who may work 10 percent above the
maximum hours as fixed and longer in cases of emergency.
Wages.—A special wage scale per 56-hour week is established for
retail drug establishments (except for juniors and apprentices and the
provision for a southern differential) as follows:
Cities with population of—
Over 500,000__________
100.000 to 500,000____
25.000 to 100,000_____
2,500 to 25,000________
Under 2 ,5 0 0 ___________

M in im um
weekly rate

$16
15
14

(2)

(3)
The wages established shall not apply to curb boys or girls employed
by retail drug establishments paid on a commission basis.
Minors.— Provisions same as for retail trade. (See p. 1068.)
Administration.— The retail drug trade shall have administrative
machinery consisting of a Retail Drug Trade Authority, and with the
Administrator or his deputy and three appointees of the President as
members. The members of the authority shall also be members,
without vote, of the National Retail Drug Trade Council, whose
other members shall be 1 representative of the American Pharma­
ceutical Association, 2 representatives from the National Associa­
tion of Retail Druggists, and such others the Administrator approves.

1As included in retail trade code, subsequently given separate code.
2 Rates existing on June 1,1933, to be increased not less than 20 percent, provided that this shall not re­
quire an increase to more than $11 per week and that no employee shall be paid less than $10 per week.
2 Rates existing on June 1, 1933, to be increased not less than 20 per cent, provided that this shall not
require an increase to more than $10 per week.


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

1070

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
Cap and Closure Industry

Coverage.-—The business of producing in the United States and sell­
ing caps or closures and liners therefor.
Effective date.—October 31, 1933.
Hours.— Working hours are fixed at a maximum of 40 per week
averaged over a 6-month period, and not to exceed 48 hours in any
1 week. From the effective date to December 31, 1933, shall be the
first period. Subsequent periods shall be January 1 to June 30, Jiffy
1 to December 31, etc. Office or branch employees shall not aver­
age over 40 hours per week in any 1-month period, and not over 48
hours in any 1 week, provided that these hours shall not apply to
executives and supervisors, outside salesmen, technical and labora­
tory staffs, watchmen, and those employed in emergency maintenance
and emergency repair work.
Employees may not be reclassified as to duties or occupations to
defeat the purposes of the National Industrial Recovery Act. No
employee may work longer than the prescribed hours for one or
more employers.
Wages.— Minimum wage rates are established as follows:
Accounting, clerical, office, service, or sales employees, except outside
salesmen:
P er week
In cities of over 500,000 population___________________________________ $15. 00
In cities of between 250,000 and 500,000 population_________________
14. 50
In cities of 250,000 population or less_______________ __________________
14. 00
P e r hour

Factory or mechanical workers

1 $0. 40

The rates given guarantee a minimum regardless of whether the
employee is compensated on a time- or piece-work basis. Female
workers doing the same work as males shall receive equal compensa­
tion.
Apprentices and learners without previous experience in the
industry shall not exceed 5 percent of the. total number of employees
subject to the code provisions, and shall be paid not less than 80
percent of the minimum rate during the apprenticeship period, which
shall not exceed 1 month.
Existing differentials between wages in the higher-paid brackets
up to $35 per week and amounts paid to lower-paid classes of workers,
shall be maintained. However, if such action results in inequities as
between plants for the same kind of work, adjustments shall be made
m a reasonable manner, subject to supervision of the code authority.
Any person exempted from the hours provisions, other than
executives and supervisors who receive more than $35 per week,
watchmen, and outside salesmen, shall be paid at the rate of time
and one half for all hours exceeding 40 per week averaged over a
6-month period.
Minors. No employer shall employ any person under 16yearsof age,
and no person under 18 shall be employed or allowed to work in
connection with hazardous manufacturing processes.
Administration. The code authority shall have five representatives
of the industry and up to three non voting representatives of the
Administrator. All persons^ engaged in the industry as defined in
the code are entitled to participate in election of members.
.. ! F U e,,1U e for,a particular class of work was lower on July


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

lin n r

1929, not less than the rate of the earlier

r

NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION

1071

Industrial Supplies and Machinery Distributors’ Trade

Coverage.— Warehousing, selling, distributing, and/or servicing in
conjunction therewith of tools, equipment, and supplies for railroads,
ships, boats, mines, mills, factories, and/or other industrial users.
Effective date.— November 2, 1933.
Hours.— Except as specified hereafter no employee may work in
excess of 40 hours per week, 6 days per week, or 8 hours per day.
This shall not apply during inventory and other peak periods when
employees may work not more than 48 hours in 1 week for not more
than 3 weeks in any 6-month period, providing that the average shall
be 40 hours per week in any 6-month period. These provisions shall
not apply to persons in managerial, executive, or supervisory capaci­
ties who receive over $35 per week, or to watchmen and outside
salesmen.
Those engaged in outside delivery service, plant maintenance,
outside repair, and/or installation service, and those engaged in stock
receiving and shipping service shall be permitted to work not more
than 48 hours in any 1 week, provided they are paid time and one
third for all hours in excess of 40. The total hours to be worked
shall not exceed the prescribed number per week whether a worker is
employed by one or more employers.
Wages.—
Minimum wages
are established as follows:
weekly
v
°
wage rate
In
In
In
In

cities of over 500,000 population----------------- -----------------------------$15. 00
cities between 250,000 and 500,000 population----------------------14. 50
cities between 2,500 and 250,000 population--------------------------14. 00
towns of less than 2,500 population, increase of 20 percent,
but not to exceed------------------------------------------------------------------------12. 00

No part-time or casual employee shall be paid an hourly rate lower
than prescribed in the above scale on the basis of a 40-hour week.
Learners (for not over 6 months) may be paid $2 less per week than
the prescribed minimum rates, but not less than $12 per week.
Jhnior employees (16 to 18 years of age, inclusive) with less than 6month experience in the trade may be paid $2 less than the minimum
weekly rates but in no case less than $10 per week. Learners and
juniors shall not exceed 5 percent of the total number of employees
of any employer, provided that each employer may have at least one
learner or junior employee.
Employees receiving compensation at a higher rate than that
provided at the time the code became effective shall not have their
compensation reduced on account of any reduction in weekly working
hours. All employees receiving more than the minimum rate or
salary shall have their hourly wage rate or salary adjusted equitably,
if not already adjusted. Males and females doing the same class of
work shall receive the same pay. No person shall be included in an
excepted classification unless the functions are identical with those
performed on June 16, 1933. The minimum rates as fixed establish
a guaranteed rate of pay per hour or week regardless of whether the
worker is paid on an hourly, a weekly, or a monthly basis.
Minors.— No person under 16 years of age shall be employed and no
person under 18 in hazardous occupations.
Administration.-—A code authority is set up consisting of eight
members of the trade, no two of whom shall represent the same
member, and one or more appointees of the Administrator, if he
so desires.

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

1072

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
Steel Tubular and Fire-Box Boiler Industry

Coverage.— All manufacture of steel heating boilers as described in
the boiler code of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers;
also, for all working pressures, Scotch type boilers for stationary use,
vertical fire-tube boilers, horizontal fire-box type boilers, tubeless
boilers, oil country boilers, and miniature boilers.
Effective date.— November 6, 1933.
Hours.— Hours per week shall be a maximum of 40 for labor
operations during 5 consecutive days and 8 consecutive hours per
day, exclusive of meal period. Where it is necessary to work a lesser
number of days per week the hours may be divided by agreement,
but in no case shall hours per day exceed 9. Watchmen are exempted
from these provisions. In cases of emergency production, repair or
erection work that cannot be met by employment of additional men
and/or it becomes necessary, in order to protect life or property, to
exceed the hours as scheduled, workers shall be paid at one and one
half times the regular hourly rate for shop work. For outside repair,
renewal, construction, and/or erection work the overtime rate is fixed
at double the regular hourly rate.
New apprentices shall not be employed except as approved by the
Administrator and subject to absorption in reasonably steady employ­
ment of the existing surplus of unemployed local labor. This is not a
prohibition against instruction of mechanics already employed in the
industry.
For all employees other than those engaged in labor operations and
executives, their secretaries, administrative and supervisory employees
and traveling salesmen, the maximum hours shall be 40 per week.
No employee shall be permitted to work in excess of the established
hours for one or more employers; provided, however, that if he does
exceed the allotted number of hours in such employment without the
connivance of one of such employers, the employer shall not be held
to have violated this provision.
Wages.— Wages are fixed by geographical areas.
M in im u m

Southern territory (south of the States of Maryland, West Virginia hourly rate
and Kentucky and east of the Mississippi River)______________ $0. 34
Elsewhere in the United States____________________________________
. 40

Old or partially disabled employees unable to perform their usual
duties shall be paid not less than 80 percent of the minimum rates
and may not exceed 5 percent of the total number employed by any
employer. Where less than 40 workers are employed 2 persons of
this class may be engaged.
Employees, other than those provided for above and commission
salespeople, shall be paid not less than $15 per week. Office boys
and girls may be paid not less than 80 percent of this minimum and
may not exceed in any calendar month 5 percent of the total number
of all employees covered by this paragraph. Where State law
provides a higher minimum the law shall take precedence over the
code provisions.
No employee may be placed in one of the exempted classes
described unless he performs functions substantially the same as
those performed by employees thus classified on June 16, 1933.


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

1073

NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION

Contracting by which an employee undertakes to do a piece of
work for a fixed price and engages other workers on the job is pro­
hibited. Contracting for fabrication and/or erection of any products
of this industry by any employer or employee is allowed only if the
person taking the contract agrees to comply with code provisions as
to labor during the performance of the contract.
Wage differentials for all operations shall be equitably readjusted
and in no case reduced. No unfair advantage shall be taken of any
employee in making the code effective. Each member of the industry
must report adjustments made within 30 days after the effective date
of the code.
Minors.— No minor under 16 years of age shall be employed, and
where State law fixes a higher exemption the law must be observed.
Administration.-—The executive committee of the Steel Heating
Boiler Institute, to which the President may appoint one nonvoting
member, shall administer the code.
Additions to and Modifications of Codes Previously Adopted
Completed Wage Schedule for Bituminous-Coal Industry
I n a p p r o v i n g the code for the bituminous coal industry the Presi­
dent reserved the right to determine later minimum wage rates for a
number of districts. Accordingly the completed schedule was made
part of an Executive order of September 29, 1933, which also made
minor changes in the administrative features of the code. The com­
plete wage schedule follows and with the summary of the code
appearing in the Monthly Labor Review of October 1933 (p. 820)
completes the summarization of the code as approved for the
bituminous-coal industry.
B A SIC M I N I M U M R A T E S E S T A B L IS H E D I N T H E B IT U M I N O U S -C O A L I N D U S T R Y

Skilled labor, inside

Common labor, outside

District and State
Per day

Per hour

Per day

Per hour

District A :
$4. 60
4.60
4.60
4. 60

$0. 57%
.57
.57%
•57%

$3. 60
3.60
3. 60
3.60

$0 .4 5
.45
.45
.45

District B:
4.36

.54%

3. 36

.42

4.20
4. 20
4. 20
4.20
4. 20
4.20

.52%
.52 %
.52 %
.52%
.52 %
.52%

3.20
3.20
3. 20
3.20
3. 20
3.20

.40
. 40
.40
.40
.40
.40
.52%

District C:

District D :
4. 57%

. 571/5

4.20

5.00

.62%

4.00

.50

4. 70
4. 56

.58%
.57

4.00
3.86

.50
.48%

3.75

.46%

3.28

.41

4.00

.50

3. 00

.37%

3. 40
3. 40
3,40

.42 %
.42%
.42%

2. 40
2.40
2, 40

.30
.30
,30

District E :
District F:
District G:
District H :
District J:
Hamilton and Rhea Counties, T e n n -----------------------

See footnotes at end of table,

16487°— 33---- 5


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

1074

MONTHLY LABOE REVIEW

B A SIC M I N I M U M R A T E S E S T A B L IS H E D I N T H E B I T U M I N O U S -C O A L I N D U S T R Y — Con.

S k il le d la b o r , in sid e

C o m m o n la b o r , o u tsid e

D is t r ic t a n d S ta t e

D is t r ic t J - l :
M a r i o n , G r u n d y , S e q u a tc h ie , W h i t e , V a n B u r e n ,
W a r r e n , a n d D e d s o e C o u n tie s , T e n n . --------------- ._
D is t r ic t K :
N e w M e x ic o - . . . .
. . _______________ ___________
S o u t h e r n C o lo r a d o 9
________ . __________________________
D is t r i c t L :
N o r t h e r n C o lo r a d o !0________________________________________
D is tr ic t M :
U t a h . . . __________ ________________________ . . .
. --------D is t r i c t N :
S o u th ern W y o m in g _ .
. . . ____________________ ______
N o r t h e r n W y o m i n g . . _ . _ ----------------------- . . . ------- . .
D is tr ic t 0 :
M o n t a n a __________________ . . . ________ _________________ D i s t r i c t P:
W a s h i n g t o n ..
. . . _______ __________________________________
D is tr ic t Q :
N o r t h D a k o t a _________ _________________ ________________ __
S o u th D a k o t a ..
_______________________________________
.

P er d a y

P er hour

$3. 84

$0. 48

P er d a y

P er hour

$ 2 .8 4

SO. 3534

4. 48
4 .4 4

.5 6
.5 5 %

3. 75
3. 75

.4 6 %
.4 6 %

5 .0 0

.6 2 %

3 .7 5

.4 6 %

5. 44

.6 8

4. 48

.5 6

5. 42
5. 42

. 67%
.6 7 %

4. 44
4. 54

.5 5 %
.5 6 %

5. 63

.7 0 %

4. 82

.6 0 %

5 .4 0

.6 7 %

4 .0 0

.5 0

4 .0 0
4 .0 0

.5 0
.5 0

3. 20
3. 20

.4 0
.4 0

1 Includes Hancock, Brooke, Ohio, and Marshall Counties.
2 Includes Monongalia, Preston, Marion, Harrison, Taylor, Lewis, Barbour, Gilmer, Upshur, Randolph,
Braxton, and Webster Counties and those mines in Nicholas County served by the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad.
3 Includes all mines in counties of W est Virginia not named under districts A and B and under the
Upper Potomac district.
4 Includes all mines in Kentucky located east of a north and south line drawn along the western boundary
of the city of Louisville.
5 Includes Grant, Mineral, and Tucker Counties.
6 Includes all counties in Tennessee not named in districts J and J-l.
2 Excludes W ayne and Appanoose Counties.
3 Includes all mines in Kentucky west of a north and south line drawn along the western boundary of
the city of Louisville.
9 Includes all counties in Colorado not named under district L.
10 Includes Jackson, Larimer, W eld, Boulder, Adams, Arapahoe, El Paso, Douglas, Elbert, and Jefferson
Counties.

N ote .— Differences between districts in the foregoing minimum rates are not to be considered as fixing
permanent wage differentials or establishing precedents for future wage scales.

Appalachian Agreement of the Bituminous-Coal Industry

In the following pages the Appalachian agreement of the bitumi­
nous coal industry, between the Northern Coal Control Association
and the Smokeless and Appalachian Coal Association, and the United
Mine Workers of America, is reproduced in full. This agreement,
signed September 21, 1933, becomes a part of the approved code
for the industry, which will be found in the Monthly Labor Review
of October 1933 (p. 820). This is one of a number of agreements
to be established in this industry under section 7 (b) of the National
Industrial Recovery Act.
This agreement is made and entered into pursuant to the provisions of section
7 (b) of the National Industrial Recovery Act, and shall become effective upon
approval by the President of the United States as provided therein.
This agreement, made the 21st day of September, 1933, between the Northern
Coal Control Association, a voluntary association on behalf of each member
thereof, and the Smokeless and Appalachian Coal Association, a voluntary
association on behalf of each member thereof, hereinafter referred to as the oper­
ators, parties of the first part; and the International Union United Mine Workers
of America and districts 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 17, 19, 30, and 31, hereinafter referred to as
mine workers, and on behalf of each member thereof, party of the second part.
(New districts of the United Mine Workers of America may be established in this
territory.)
Witnesseth: It is agreed that this contract is for the exclusive joint use and
benefit of the contracting parties, as heretofore defined and set forth in this agree­
ment; and it shall be construed as binding upon and effective in determining


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

NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION

1075

only the relations with each other of those represented by the parties signatory
hereto. It is the intent and purpose of the parties hereto that this agreement will
promote an improved industrial and economic relationship in the bituminous
coal industry, and to set forth herein the basic agreements covering rates of pay,
hours of work, and conditions of employment to be observed between the parties
in the following districts constituting the Appalachian territory:
Northern Coal Control Association territory: Pennsylvania, Ohio, together
with Ohio, Brook, and Marshall Counties, of W est Virginia, and Northern West
Virginia, including Counties of Monongalia, Marion, Harrison, Preston, Taylor,
Barbour, Randolph, Upshur, Lewis, Gilmer, Braxton, Webster, and that portion
of Nicholas County containing coal or coal mines along the line of the Baltimore
& Ohio Railroad.
Smokeless and Appalachian territory: The State, of Virginia, Northern Tennes­
see, that part of Kentucky lying east of a line drawn north and south through the
city of Louisville, and that part of West Virginia not included in Northern Coal
Control Association territory, as set out above, and except Grant, Mineral, and
Tucker Counties of W est Virginia.
M axim u m hours and working time

Eight hours of labor shall constitute a day’s work. The 8-hour day means
8 hours’ work in the mines at the usual working places for all classes of labor,
exclusive of the lunch period, whether they be paid by the day or be paid on the
tonnage basis; except in cases of accident which temporarily necessitates longer
hours for those mine workers required on account thereof; and also excepting
that number of mine workers in each mine whose daily work includes the handling
of man-trips and those who are required to remain on duty while men are entering
and leaving the mine.
The 8-hour day, 5-day week (40 hours per week), as provided in this agreement,
shall prevail.
The following classes of mine workers are excepted from the foregoing provisions
as to the maximum hours of work:
All mine workers engaged in the transportation of men and coal shall work the
additional time necessary to handle man-trips and all coal in transit, and shall be
paid the regular hourly rate.
When daymen go into the mine in the morning, they shall be entitled to 2 hours’
pay whether or not the mine works the full 2 hours, but, after the first 2 hours
the men shall be paid for every hour thereafter by the hour, for each hour’s work
or fractional part thereof. If for any reason the regular routine work cannot be
furnished inside daymen, the employer may furnish other than the regular work.
Drivers shall take their mules to and from stables, and the time required in so
doing shall not include any part of the day’s labor, their work beginning when
they reach the change at which they receive empty cars, but in no case shall the
driver’s time be docked while he is waiting for such cars at the point named.
The method at present existing covering the harnessing and unharnessing of mules
shall be continued throughout the life of this agreement.
Motormen and trip riders shall be at the passway where they receive the cars at
starting time. The time required to take motors to the passway at starting time
and departing from the same at quitting time shall not be regarded as a part of
the day’s labor, their time beginning when they reach the change or parting at
which they receive cars, but in no case shall their time be docked while waiting
for cars at the point named.
Holidays to be recognized are referred to the various district conferences for
settlement.
Basic tonnage rate

Pick mining is the removal by the miner of coal that has not been undercut or
overcut by a machine. The basic rate for pick mining and hand loading of coal
shall include the work required to drill, shoot and clean and load the coal properly,
timber the working place, and all other work and customs incidental thereto.
In the districts represented by Northern Coal Control Association a shortwall
machine differential of 10 cents per net ton between pick and machine mining
rates shall be maintained.
Any change in mining methods or installation of equipment that relieves the
mine worker of any of the above duties and increases his productive capacity
shall be recognized and a piecework rate agreed to therefor properly related to the
basic rate.


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

1076

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

The standard for basic tonnage rates shall be 2,000 pounds per ton; where the
gross ton of 2,240 pounds is the measure the equivalent rate shall be paid.
The basic tonnage, hourly and day wage rates for the various producing districts
represented in this conference are shown in the attached schedules A, B, and C,
which are parts hereof.
Yardage and deadwork rates in all districts shall be increased 20 percent.
Checkweighmen

The mine workers shall have the right to a checkweighman, of their own choos­
ing, to inspect the weighing of coal; provided that where mines are not now
equipped to weigh coal a reasonable time may be allowed to so equip such mines;
and provided that in any case where on account of physical conditions and mutual
agreement W'ages are based on measure or other method than on actual weights,
the mine workers shall have the right to check the accuracy and fairness of such
method, by a representative of their own choosing.
Cars shall be tared at reasonable intervals and without inconvenience to the
operation of the mine. Tare shall be taken of the cars in their usual running
condition.
A t mines not employing a sufficient number of men to maintain a checkweigh­
man the weight credited to the mine workers shall be checked against the billing
weights furnished by railroads to the operators, and on coal trucked from such
mines a practical method to check the weights shall be agreed upon. Such
weights shall be checked once a month.
The wages of checkweighmen will be collected through the pay office semi­
monthly, upon a statement of time made by the checkweighman, and approved
by the mine committee. The amount so collected shall be deducted on a per­
centage basis, agreed upon by the checkweighman and clerk, from the earnings of
the mine workers engaged in mining coal and shall be sufficient only to pay the
wages and legitimate expenses incident to the office, except where the method of
payment is otherwise provided by State law.
If a suitable person to act as checkweighman is not available among the mine
workers at the mine, a man not employed at the mine may be selected upon
mutual agreement.
The checkweighman, or checkmeasurer, as the case may require, shall be per­
mitted at all times to be present at the weighing or measuring of coal, also have
power to checkweigh or checkmeasure the same, and during the regular working
hours to have the privilege to balance and examine the scales or measure the cars,
providing that all such balancing and examination of scales shall only be done in
such way and at such time as in no way to interfere with the regular working of
the mine. It shall be the further duty of checkweighman or checkmeasurer to
credit each mine worker with all merchantable coal mined by him on a proper
sheet or book kept by him for that purpose. Checkweighmen or checkmeasurers
shall in no way interfere with the operation of the mine.
B oys

No person under 17 years of age shall be employed inside any mine nor in
hazardous occupations outside any mine, provided, however, that where a State
law provides a higher minimum age, the State law shall govern.
Exem ptions under this contract

The term “ mine worker” as used in this agreement shall not include mine fore­
men, assistant mine foremen, fire bosses, or bosses in charge of any classes of
labor inside or outside of the mine, or coal inspectors or weighbosses, watchmen,
clerks, or members of the executive, supervisory, and technical forces of the
operators.
Management o f mines

The management of the mine, the direction of the working force, and the right
to hire and discharge are vested exclusively in the operator, and the United Mine
Workers of America shall not abridge these rights. It is not the intention of this
provision to encourage the discharge of mine workers, or the refusal of employ­
ment to applicants because of personal prejudice or activity in matters affecting
the United Mine Workers of America.


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

N ATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION

1077

M in e committee

A committee of three mine workers shall be elected at each mine. The duties
of the mine committee shall be confined to the adjustment of disputes that the
mine management and mine worker, or mine workers, have failed to adjust.
The mine committee shall have no other authority or exercise any other control,
nor in any way interfere with the operation of the mine; for violation of this clause
the committee or any member thereof may be removed from the committee.
Settlement of disputes

Should differences arise between the mine workers and the operator as to the
meaning and application of the provisions of this agreement, or should differences
arise about matters not specifically mentioned in this agreement, or should any
local trouble of any kind arise at any mine, there shall be no suspension of work
on account of such differences, but an earnest effort shall be made to settle such
differences immediately:

First, between the aggrieved party and the mine management;
Second, through the management of the mine and the mine committee:
Third, by a board consisting of 4 members, 2 of whom shall be designated
by the mine workers and 2 by the operators.
Should the board fail to agree, the matter shall be referred to an umpire to be
selected by said board. Should the board be unable to agree on the selection
of an umpire, he shall be designated by the Administrator of the National Indus­
trial Recovery Act.
The decision of the umpire in any event shall be final.
District conferences may establish an intermediate board consisting of 2
commissioners, 1 representing the operators and 1 representing the mine work­
ers with such powers as said conference may delegate.
Pending the hearing of disputes the mine workers shall not cease work because
of any dispute; and a decision reached at any stage of the proceedings shall be
binding on both parties thereto, and shall not be subject to reopening by any other
party or branch of either association except by mutual agreement.
Expense and salary incident to the services of an umpire shall be paid jointly
by the operators and mine workers in each district.
Discharge cases

When a mine worker has been discharged from his employment and he believes
he has been unjustly dealt with, it shall be a case arising under the method of
settling disputes herein provided. In all discharge cases should it be decided
under the rules of this agreement that an injustice has been dealt the mine worker,
the operator shall reinstate and compensate him at the rate based on the earning
of said mine worker prior to such discharge. Provided, however, that such case
shall be taken up and disposed of within five days from the date of discharge.
Illegal suspension o f work

A strike or stoppage of work on the part of the mine workers shall be a violation
of this agreement. Under no circumstances shall the operator discuss the matter
under dispute with the mine committee or any representative of the United Mine
Workers of America during suspension of work in violation of this agreement.
Irregular work

When any mine worker absents himself from his work for a period of 2 days
without the” consent of the operator, other than because of proven sickness, he
may be discharged.
Preparation of coal and mining practice

Each district agreement shall provide for the preparation and proper cleaning
of coal. Proper disciplinary rules and penalties shall also be incorporated in
such agreements.
Safety practice

Reasonable rules and regulations of the operator for the protection of the per­
sons of the mine workers and the preservation of property shall be complied
with.


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

1078

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
Engineers and pum pers1 duties

When required by the management, engineers, pumpers, firemen, power plant
and substation attendants shall under no conditions suspend work but shall at
all times protect all the company’s property under their care, and operate fans
and pumps and lower and hoist men or supplies as may be required to protect the
company’s coal plant.
Shifts

The operator shall have the right during the entire period of this agreement to
work all the mines, or any one or more of them, extra shifts with different crews.
When the mine works only one shift it shall be in the daytime, but this shall
not prevent cutting and loading coal at night in addition to the day shift cutting
and loading.
P a y day

Pay shall be made semimonthly and at least twice each month.
Coke and cleaning plants

Proper rules may be negotiated in district conferences to provide for continuous
operation of coking and cleaning plants.
M iscellaneous provisions

Matters affecting cost of explosives, blacksmithing, electric cap lamps, and
house coal are referred to the district conferences.
To the extent it has been the custom in each district, all bottom coal shall be
taken up and loaded by the mine worker.
The cutter shall cut the coal as directed by the operator.
District conferences

District agreements shall be made dealing with local or district conditions, and
it is agreed that such district agreements shall embody the basic rates of pay,
hours of work, and conditions of employment herein set forth, and all specific
rights and obligations of operators and mine workers herein recognized.
This agreement shall supersede all existing and previous contracts; and all
local rules, regulations and customs heretofore established in conflict with this
agreement are hereby abolished. Prior practice and custom not in conflict with
this agreement.may be continued.
All internal differences are hereby referred to the various districts for settle­
ment, with the understanding that only by mutual consent shall anything be done
in district conferences that will increase the cost of production or decrease the
earning capacity of the men: Provided, however, all yardage and deadwork rates
not specified in this contract shall be properly adjusted.
Joint wage conference

A joint conference of representatives of Northern Coal Control Association
and Smokeless and Appalachian Coal Association, and of the International Union
United Mine Workers of America, shall be held in accordance with the following
provisions of the Code of Fair Competition for the Bituminous-Coal Industry:
“ On January 5, 1934, there shall be held a conference between representatives
of employers and employees operating under this code, together with representa­
tives of the National Recovery Administration, for the purpose of determining
what, if any, revisions may be desirable at that time of the wages, hours and
differentials, or any other requirements of this code, on the basis of conditions
then existing and the report of representatives of the National Recovery A d ­
ministration made as hereinbefore provided.
“ Unless revised by mutual agreement, as the result of said conference beginning
January 5, 1934, the hours of work, minimum rates of pay and wage differentials
as set forth in this code shall continue in effect until April 1, 1934.”
This agreement shall become effective after approval by the President and on
the same day that the bituminous-coal code applicable to the territory embraced
herein shall become effective, following its approval by the President; and it shall
continue in effect until the first day of April 1934.


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

1079

NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION

In witness whereof each of the parties hereto, pursuant to proper authority,
has caused this agreement to be signed by its proper officers.
U

By

J
P
T
N

L.

W

W

in e

o r k e r s

A

o f

m e r ic a

,

President.
h il ip
M u r r a y , Vice-President.
h o m a s
K e n n e d y , Secretary.
L

e w is

C

o r t h e r n

By J. D. A.
S

M

n it e d
o h n

a l t e r

M

A.

J

o n e

a n d

M

a h a n

H

a w t h

C

o a l

o r r o w

m o k e l e s s

By E. C.
H . R.

,

o n t r o l

A

s s o c ia t io n

,

President.
s , Secretary.
,

A

p p a l a c h ia n

C

o a l

A

s s o c ia t io n

,

President.
o r n e , Secretary.

,

Joint scale committee

For the mine workers: Van A. Bittner, P. T. Fagan, Sam Caddy, Percy Tetlow,
James Mark, Frank Miley, William Turnblazer, Frank Hughes, W illiam Feeney.
For the operators: J. D . A. Morrow, R. E. Jamison, W . L. Robison, R. L.
Ireland, Jr., William Emery, Jr., E. C. Mahan, D. C. Kennedy, H . C. Faust, W . A.
Richards, D. A. Reed, Charles O ’ Neill, Heath S. Clark, W . A. Bishop, J. D.
Francis, S. C. Higgins, R. E. Taggart, S. D . Brady, Jr.
S C H E D U L E A .— B A SIC R A T E S E S T A B L IS H E D I N T H E F O L L O W I N G N A M E D D IS T R IC T S

Tonnage
rate per

Tone age
rate per

Western Pennsylvania:
Pick mining, thin vein______________
Pick mining, thick vein................ .......
Machine loading, thin vein_________
Machine loading, thick vein________
Cutting, short wall machine, thin vein.
Cutting, shortwall machine, thick
vein___________________ ____________
Central Pennsylvania:
Pick mining_____________________ ____
Machine loading_____________________
Cutting, shortwall machine_________
Connellsville, Pennsylvania:
Pick mining............................... ...............
Machine loading_________ _________
Cutting, shortwall machine_________

2,000

2,000

pounds
run of
mine coal

pounds
run of
mine coal

$0.70
.65
.52
.48
.08
.07
.70
.52
.08
.56
.40
.06

Westmoreland-Greensburg P e n n s y l ­
vania:
Pick mining_________________________
Machine loading____________________
Cutting, shortwall machine_________
Thick vein Freeport, Pennsylvania:
Pick mining--------------------- --------- ------Machine loading____________________
Cutting, shortwall machine....... .........
Ohio and the Panhandle District of
Northern W est Virginia:
Pick mining______________________ _
Machine loading_________ _____ ______
Cutting, shortwall machine--------------

$0.65
.48
.07
.65
.48
.07
.70
.52
.08

The following hourly and day wage rates shall be paid in all mines in Pennsyl­
vania, Ohio, and the Panhandle District of Northern W est Virginia for the
classification of occupations shown herein:

Classification of occupations

Inside:

Hourly
rate

$0. 595

Drivers, brakemen, spraggers, snappers, coal drillers, trackmen, wiremen,

$4. 76

.575

4. 60

.545
.375

4. 36
3.00

.48
.45
.375

3. 84
3.60
3.00

Pumpers, trackmen helpers, wiremen helpers, timbermen helpers, and other
Outside*

D ay rate

Skilled labor not classified to be paid in accordance with the custom at the mine.


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

1080
SCH ED ULE

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
B .— B A S IC

RATES

E S T A B L IS H E D I N T H E N O R T H E R N W E S T V IR G IN I A
D IS T R I C T

Tonnage
rates per
2,000 pounds
run of mine
coal

$0. 56
.40
.06

The following hourly and day wage rates shall be paid in all mines in the north­
ern W est Virginia district for the classification of occupations shown herein:
Hourlyrate

Classification of occupations

Inside:

$0. 565

Drivers, brakemen, spraggers, snappers, coal drillers, trackmen, wiremen,

$4. 52

.545

4. 36

.515
.345

4. 12
2.76

.45
.42
.345

3. 60
3.36
2. 76

Pumpers7tr™kme™ehelpers°wiremen helpers, timbermen helpers, and other

Outside:

D ay rate

Skilled labor not classified to be paid in accordance with the custom at the mine.
S C H E D U L E C .— B A SIC R A T E S E S T A B L IS H E D IN T H E F O L L O W IN G N A M E D D IS T R IC T S

Tonnage
rate per
2,000
pounds
run of
mine coal

Tonnage
rate per
2,000
pounds
run of
mine coal

New River:
Machine loading-----------------Cutting, shortwall machine.
Winding Gulf:
Machine loading-----------------Cutting, shortwall machine.
Greenbrier:
Machine loading-----------------Cutting, shortwall machine.
Pocahontas:
Machine loading-----------------Cutting, shortwall machine.
Tug River:
Machine loading-----------------Cutting, shortwall machine.
Kanawha:
Machine loading------------ —
Cutting, shortwall machine.
Logan:
Machine loading----------------Cutting, shortwall machine.

$0. 442
.075
.384
.07
.392
.055
.357
.045
.357
.045
.422
.07

Williamson:
Machine loading____________
Cutting, shortwall machine.
Big Sandy-Elkhorn:
Machine loading____________
Cutting, shortwall machine.
Hazard:
Machine loading____________
Cutting, shortwall machine.
Harlan:
Machine loading____________
Cutting, shortwall machine.
Southern Appalachian:
Machine loading___________
Cutting, shortwall machine.
Virginia:
Machine loading___________
Cutting, shortwall machine

$0. 358
.056
.465
.08
.402
.08
.41
.07
.43
.08
.408
.067

.332
.052

The following hourly and day wage rates shall be paid in all mines in the New
River, Winding Gulf, Greenbrier, Pocahontas, Tug River, Kanawha, Logan,
Williamson, Big Sandy-Elkhorn, Hazard, Harlan, Southern Appalachian, and
Virginia districts for the classification of occupations shown herein:


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

1081

NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION

Classifications of occupations

Hourly
rate

D ay rate

Inside:
$0. 545

$4. 36

.525

4.20

.495
.325

3.96
2.60

.43
.40
.325

3. 44
3. 20
2. 60

Drivers, brakemen, spraggers, snappers, coal drillers, trackmen, wiremen,
Pumpers, trackmen helpers, wiremen helpers, timbermen helpers, and other
Outside:

Skilled labor not classified to be paid in accordance with the custom at the mine.
Modification of Lumber- and Timber-Products Code

An amendment to the lumber- and timber-products industry code
has been approved whereby a new division in the industry is created
with special provisions for wages and hours.
The new division consists of producers, manufacturers, importers,
and distributors of commercial and face veneers and furniture,
cabinet and interior finish plywood. This division will have three
separate administrative subdivisions dealing with problems related to
plywood, commercial veneer, and face veneer.
The minimum rates of pay for a 40-hour week are established as
follows:
M in im um

Commercial veneer and plywood:
hourly rate
South_________________________________________________________ $0. 23
N orth________________________________________________________
. 30
New York and Chicago (metropolitan areas)______ _______
. 42)4
Face veneer:
Northern cities______________________________________________
. 35
Northern rural_______________________________________________
. 30
Southern cities_______________________________________________
.3 0
Southern rural_______________________________________________
. 25
New York and Chicago (metropolitan areas)_____________
. 42)4
Modifications of Cotton Textile Industry Code

Limitation of machinery.—Upon recommendation of the Cotton
Textile Industry Committee, restriction upon machinery installation
is provided for, if the necessity is indicated. Such limitation was
approved by the Administrator of the National Industrial Recovery
Act on October 18, 1933.
The recommendations of the Cotton Textile Industry Committee
are that:
(1) Persons engaged in the cotton textile industry register their productive
machinery ;
(2) Prior to the installation of additional productive machinery by persons
engaged or engaging in the cotton textile industry, except for the replacement of
a similar number of units of productive equipment or to bring the operation of
existing productive machinery into balance, such persons shall secure certificates
from the Administrator that such installation will be consistent with effectuating
the policy of the National Recovery Act during the period of the emergency;
and
(3) A certain procedure shall be followed in applying for such certificates and
the making of recommendations by the Cotton Textile Industry Committee as
to the granting or withholding of such certificates by the Administrator.


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

1082

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

Method of fixing wage differentials.—By Executive order of October
21, 1933, a new paragraph has been substituted for the one originally
written into schedule A of the Cotton Textile Industry Code wherein
a method for fixing differentials in wages as between classes of labor
is provided. The paragraph has been rewritten as the result of a
complaint by the cordage and twine industry, temporarily coming
under the Cotton Textile Industry Code, that the paragraph as
originally phrased worked a hardship on manufacturers of cordage
and twine.
The new paragraph reads:
Every employer in the industry shall increase the rate of pay of all employees
paid either b y the hour or piece (if not already increased) and shall increase the
rate of pay of all employees paid by the day, week, or month now receiving less
than $35 per week (if not already increased) to not less than 90 percent of the
rates paid by said employer or his predecessor in business for the same class of
work at the same place of business in June 1929; provided, that no employee shall
be paid less than the minimum fixed in this code. In the event any place of
business did not have a rate for a particular class of work in June 1929, the pre­
vailing rate for the same class of work in the competitive district in which the
present place of business is located shall govern the application of this provision.

Modification of President’s Reemployment Agreement
Elimination of Employment of Factory Workers in Excess of 35 Hours Per Week

HE President’s Reemployment Agreement was modified on Octo­
ber 1, 1933, by Executive order so as to eliminate the employment
of factory workers or mechanical workers for any period in excess of
35 hours in any 1 week. In the agreement as previously applied
workers could be employed for a maximum of 40 hours during 6 weeks
prior to the close of the year 1933. It having appeared to the Presi­
dent that the hours provisions as set forth in paragraph (3) should be
modified it was revised to read as follows:

T

(3) N ot to employ any factory or mechanical worker or artisan more than a
maximum week of 35 hours until December 31, 1933; and not to employ any
worker more than 8 hours in any 1 day.
Application of Agreement in Small Establishments and Small Towns

I n t h e President’s order of October 23, 1933, application of the
President’s Reemployment Agreement in small establishments and
small towns was changed in the following particulars:
The provisions of the President’s Reemployment Agreement, issued July 27,
1933, shall not be held to apply to employers engaged only locally in retail trade,
or in local service industries (and not in a business in or affecting interstate
commerce) who do not employ more than 5 persons and who are located in
towns of less than 2,500 population (according to the 1930 Federal census) which
are not in the immediate trade area of a city of larger population, except so far
as such employers who have signed the President’s Reemployment Agreement
desire to continue to comply with the terms of said agreement after the date of
this order; and this release of such employers who have heretofore signed the
President’s Reemployment Agreement shall be further extended so as to release
to the same extent all such employers of obligations not voluntarily assumed
under the provisions of a code of fair competition approved by the President.
This exemption is intended to relieve small business enterprises in small towns
from fixed obligations which might impose exceptional hardship, but it is expected
that all such enterprises will conform to the fullest extent possible with the require­
ments which would be otherwise obligatory upon them.


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

NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION

1083

Definitions of Terms under Agreement

Executives.— To prevent evasions and the giving of meaningless
titles to minor employees in order to exempt them from the hours
provisions under the President’s Reemployment Agreement and modi­
fications thereof, General Johnson has made the following statement
defining “ manager” and “ executive” :
In the President’s Reemployment Agreement it is provided that the maximum
hours shall not apply “ to employees in a managerial or executive capacity who
now receive more than $35 per week.”
There are provisions in various codes excepting from the limitation upon hours
of those described as “ managers” or “ executives” and complaint has been re­
ceived that in many instances employees are classified as “ managers” or “ exec­
utives” either for the purpose, or with the result, of exempting them from limita­
tions upon hours. It has not been the intention of the Administration in approv­
ing such exceptions to provide for the exemption of any persons other than those
who exercise real managerial or executive authority, which persons are invested
with responsibilities entirely different from those of the wage earner and come
within the class of the higher salaried employees.
It will be presumed that no employee receiving less than $35 per week will be
classified as a “ manager” or “ executive” so as to be exempt from any provision
of any code regulating the maximum hours of work permitted in a trade or in­
dustry. Violations of the requirements of any code, as here interpreted, should
be reported to the National Recovery Administration.

Substandard workers.-—The National Recovery Administration also
makes it clear what employees may be considered mentally sub­
standard and therefore paid at less than the minimum wages
established:
A person whose earning power is limited because of physical or mental defect,
age, or other infirmity, may be employed on light duty below the minimum wage
set by the President’s agreement, if the employer obtains from the State authority
designated by the United States Department of Labor a certificate authorizing
his employment at such wages and for such hours as shall be stated in the certifi­
cate. State authorities will be guided by the instructions of the United States
Department of Labor in issuing certificates to such persons.

Clarification of Section 7 (a) of National Industrial
Recovery Act

N OCTOBER 19, 1933, in a letter to General Hugh S. Johnson,
the President clarified section 7 (a) of the National Industrial
Recovery Act as follows:

O

Following our recent discussion of various misunderstandings and misinterpre­
tations of section 7 (a) of the National Industrial Recovery Act, I wish to advise
you of m y position.
Because it is evident that the insertion of any interpretation of section 7 (a)
in a code of fair competition leads only to further controversy and confusion, no
such interpretation should be incorporated in any code. While there is nothing
in the provisions of section 7 (a) to interfere with the bona fide exercise of the
right of an employer to select, retain, or advance employees on the basis of indi­
vidual merit, section 7 (a) does clearly prohibit the pretended exercise of this right
by an employer simply as a device for compelling employees to refrain from
exercising the rights of self-organization, designation of representatives and col­
lective bargaining, which are guaranteed to all employees in said section 7 (a).


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

CHILD WELFARE
Conference on Child Health and Nutrition

N OCTOBER 6 a conference was held in Washington at the
instance of the United States Children’s Bureau to consider the
general subject of malnutrition among children and measures for
combating it. As a preliminary, an executive committee had been
formed representing the various agencies concerned with the question
to outline some plan for dealing with the problem, which should be
discussed and modified, if desirable, by the conference as a whole.
Miss Perkins, Secretary of Labor, opened the conference, and Mrs.
Roosevelt attended and spoke. Delegates, for the most part au­
thorities on their respective subjects, and representing organizations
having over 50,000 members, were present from all parts of the Union.
In the main, they represented four groups: Medical and health work­
ers, educationalists, nutritionists and home economists, and relief,
social service, and labor organizations.
The report of the executive committee stressed the seriousness of
the problem and the impossibility of dealing with it satisfactorily
except through the united efforts of all the different groups concerned
with the health, education, and training of children. It presented
two objectives for such an effort: First, the location of undernourished
children by physical examinations; and second, the initiation and
development of plans to overcome existing malnutrition and prevent
its further progress, through dietary measures and corrective medical
procedure. For both of these objectives it would be desirable to
have State-wide organizations of the various interests and agencies
concerned— State health authorities, the medical and dental pro­
fessions, child welfare bodies, nutritionists and home economists,
pediatricians, relief agencies and auxiliary organizations— linked up
by a national committee to aid in securing uniform standards and
making the experience of each available to all. A few States already
have such organizations, and some of these were described by dele­
gates, who also gave some account of the work they are doing.
Discussion of these plans showed that there seemed to be general
agreement on two points: (1) That a considerable amount of what
is generally called malnutrition existed among the children of the
country before the depression began. At the time of the last Presi­
dent’s conference on child welfare, it was estimated that there were
millions of children in the United States suffering from malnutrition.
Consequently, any effort simply to annul the effects of the depression
would be inadequate; the campaign must be to improve conditions
over the situation existing before the depression was even anticipated.
(2) That malnutrition and undernourishment are not necessarily nor
solely due to poverty. Children suffering from defects of nutrition
are found in families whose income is amply sufficient to provide all
1084

O


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

CHILD WELFARE

1085

the elements needed for healthful growth and development. Conse­
quently, an educational campaign is as necessary as a campaign
for relief.
On the question of how extensive malnutrition is, and to what
extent it has been increased by the depression, there was difference
of opinion, as there was concerning the value of physical examinations
of school children to discover it. Dr. Haven Emerson, of New York,
and some others, held that there is no evidence that children through­
out the Union generally are suffering from malnutrition, and that
on the whole, such evidence as can be obtained shows that health
in general has improved since 1929. “ All available scientific medical
indices, such as the death rate, the infant mortality rate, the tuber­
culosis rate, and the communicable disease rate had never been
lower than in the past 4 years.” Furthermore, they maintained that
as there is no recognized standard of_malnutrition, widespread school
examinations to discover undernourished children would be of little
value, since there would be no uniformity of observation, and the
data would be noncomparable. Such examinations might, on the
other hand, rouse unjustified apprehension, leading to an unfounded
belief that the child population as a whole is in a dangerous condition.
They admitted, however, that serious malnutrition does exist in
various unfortunate regions and among certain unfavored groups,
where it has been in existence for years past.
On the other hand, reports from various States showed a prevailing
opinion that malnutrition has increased, that the schools present the
most obvious point at which to discover its incidence, and that
whether or not it is greater now than it was 4 years ago, the fact,
admitted by everybody, that we have numbers of undernourished
children, demands immediate and effective remedial action. Dr.
Noble, of the Pennsylvania Health Department, cited the school health
examinations in that State as having been of much value and havingled to definite remedial action. Dr. Cooper, of the North Carolina
State Health Board, said that they had recently made a health
survey of their State, and that while they did not find malnutrition
general among the children of the State as a whole, they did find
some very bad spots which called for action. Especially, they
needed to increase the milk supply and to teach mothers to prepare
food properly. As to the milk supply, he pointed out that the
Government' had loaned money to 6,000 tenant farmers to buy
feed and seed; why should it not lend enough to buy a milch cow for
every family? Dr. Earle G. Browne, the State health officer of
Kansas, reported that the examination of 38,000^ school children in
that State had shown that 25 percent were suffering from malnutri­
tion, and that 70 percent of those in agricultural districts were not
drinking milk. From other regions came reports similarly stressing
the need of united action along both relief, preventive, and educa­
tional lines to improve present conditions and to prevent further
deterioration.
The objectives presented by the executive committee were ap­
proved, with the suggestion that there might be possible modifications
to suit the special conditions of the different States.


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

INDUSTRIAL AND LABOR CONDITIONS
United States Department of Labor at the Century of Progress
Exposition, Chicago, 1933

HAT the hundred year span, 1833-1933,has meant to the worker
was dramatically presented by the United States Department
of Labor at the Century of Progress Exposition in a symbolic por­
trayal of the long, laborious climb of the worker and his family
through the century. Using a pyramid of frosted glass to represent
time, the symbolism was developed by the upward movement across
the pyramid of a group of figures representing the workingman, his
wife, and his children, toward the goals and ideals which always lay
ahead. The historical significance of the hundred years of indus­
trial changes, progress and recessions, was treated in text which gave
succinctly the outstanding characteristics of the epochs through which
the worker had passed.
These epochs, represented by receding tiers of the glass pyramid,
have no definite historical boundaries, but cover, broadly, periods of
15 to 20 years, up to 1930. The textual treatment of the industrial
shifts of the hundred years follows:

W

1833-50: Out of the hardships and the simple life of pioneer days, the working­
man and his family, the working woman, and the child, emerge into the beginning
of the machine age. Slowly and painfully, with many reverses, they climb up
the path toward freedom, security, and greater opportunity. Industry moves
from the home to the factory. Wages are low and hours are from sunrise to
sunset, even for little children. Y e t off to the W est, free land helps to check ex­
ploitation and the products of the machine bring added comforts and luxuries.
18 50 -6 5: The era of railroad transportation begins and the tide of immigration
increases. Pushing ever farther westward, the pioneers carry with them ideals
of independent labor, sound family life, and the education of children. Small
industries become large industries. Labor unions are organized to protect and
advance the interests of workers. Unorganized woman workers and children are
exploited, yet industry brings opportunity for economic freedom for women. Lack
of sanitation and child hygiene take their toll of infant lives.
18 65 -8 5: The machine hastens the growth of cities. Juvenile delinquency and
disease flourish in the slums and alleys. Child labor is still taken for granted
yet school laws raise the age of child workers.
Organized labor gains shorter
hours and higher wages. Panics sweep away these gains, yet new inventions
and industries bring new prosperity. The slaves are now free but more little
children are absorbed into industry.
1885-1900: State and Federal bureaus of labor are established. The public
school and compulsory education spread. Immigration increases and machine
production expands rapidly. W age cuts and strikes occur frequently. The
Federal Government takes a hand in arbitrating labor disputes. Union crafts­
men gain an 8-hour day and higher wages, but most workers are still unorganized.
1900-15: State legislation helps protect woman and child workers. Work­
men’s compensation laws are passed and working conditions are improved. Im ­
migration is restricted. The United States Children’s Bureau is created and the
United States Department of Labor is established.
1915-30: The World W ar speeds up industry and brings further opportunities
for woman workers. The United States W om en’s Bureau is established. Con­
ciliation and collective agreements take the place of strikes. Social legislation
makes rapid strides, Wages and living costs reach their highest levels.

1086

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

INDUSTRIAL AND LABOR CONDITIONS

1087

1930-33: The mechanization of industry displaces workers. Labor’s purchas­
ing power decreases. Production drops. Wage reductions follow and millions
are unemployed. Standards of working and living conditions are lowered. Suf­
fering and privation are nation-wide.

The mounting figures stopped about two thirds of the way to the
top of the pyramid, and through the device of colored lights the sym­
bolism continued by showing the worker and his family looking ahead
toward the still unattained goals of earnings adequate for living,
saving, and leisure; a share in formulating labor policies; economic
security through steady employment; improved conditions of health,
education, and home life.
A more literal presentation of the labor history of the century was
given in a series of 40 pictures showing changes in working methods
and working conditions. These pictures, with brief historical sketches
dealing with the industrial development of the century, were repro­
duced in “ Labor Through the Century— 1833-1933 ” , a booklet (Bui.
No. 597) published by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics
for distribution at the Department of Labor exhibit.
Exhibits of the Bureaus
E a c h of the established Bureaus of the Department of Labor pro­
duced its own exhibit in addition to the general departmental dis­
play. These individual exhibits dealt both with the historical de­
velopment of the century in their respective fields and with the work
of the exhibiting Bureau.
Immigration Bureau.— A series of pictures showed types of immi­
grants; the old immigration station at New York City (Castle Gar­
den), and the more modern station at Ellis Island; the examination
and selection of applicants for visas in consular offices abroad, a prac­
tice which, the picture pointed out, “ prevents many a heartbreak at
Ellis Island” ; and the activities of the Immigration Service, such as
the patrol of the northern border, picturing immigration inspectors
going about their duties on snowshoes. Charts gave statistical data
on immigration through the century.
Naturalization Bureau.— By means of cartoons, the Bureau of
Naturalization achieved an instructive and popular presentation of
a subject which would seem difficult to treat at an exhibit. Starting
with the naturalization clause of the Constitution engrossed on a
scroll, the Bureau developed the steps by which an alien becomes a
citizen, and the outstanding changes in naturalization procedure since
the Constitution was adopted, such as the granting of citizenship to
Negroes. One effective cartoon showed the Cable Act of 1922 hand­
ing citizenship in her own right to a married woman standing on the
steps of the United States Capitol. Another suggested early abuses
of the naturalization laws and the means taken to stop them.
_Children’s Bureau.— The Children’s Bureau, in a series of 12 threedimensional dioramas, depicted the progress of child welfare over the
century. Four phases of the welfare of children were presented—
health, delinquency, dependency, and child labor— the status of each
of which at the beginning, the middle, and the close of the century
was pictured. The dependent children of 1833, for example, were
shown in a grim, stark orphanage; a scene of a later era showed a
trainload of dependent and orphan children at a railroad station in
the West being bound out, practically by auction, to farmers and


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

1088

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

merchants for “ their board and keep” ; while the third scene, that of
the present, was a small dwelling with children playing about in,i
yard, to suggest the normal home life made possible by State aid
mothers. Prison cells containing delinquent children w ear'
s
in the 1833 era gave way to the juvenile courts of th/' ^resent? day.
A booklet entitled “ Children’s Progress, 1833-1A° , covering the
same fields of child welfare and using con tern, nry pictures of each
era, was published by the Children’s Bureau ldr distribution in con­
nection with its exhibit.
Women’s Bureau.— Women’s work through the century, its shift
from the home to the factory, and working conditions in factory and
sweatshop, were vividly shown by the Women’s Bureau in a series of
realistic three-dimensional sets. A typical family group of women—
grandmother, mother, and daughters— churning, baking, spinning,
weaving, and making garments, dramatized the introductory state­
ment that “ women have always worked and shared in family sup­
port.” From the home the scene shifted to the early textile mill,
the sweatshop, the tenement workroom, and the munitions factory
of the World War period.
Women’s part in the early labor movement was depicted by a
reproduction of a contemporary picture of the march through the
streets of Boston in 1869 of the striking Daughters of St. Crispin,
the organized shoe workers who formed the first national trade union
for women. The historic incident of a working woman, Sarah Bagley,
addressing the Massachusetts Legislature in 1845 in support of the
proposed 10-hour law for women and children, was also reproduced.
The publication, “ Women at W ork” , which the Women’s Bureau
published as part of its exhibit, is the story of “ a century of industrial
change” in the work and the economic status of women.
Bureau of Labor Statistics.— Combining statistical charts and pic­
tured characters suggestive of the nature of the statistical data treated,
the Bureau of Labor Statistics made^#, graphic presentation of pro­
ductivity of labor, accident and cost of living statistics, and other
data which it collects and disseminates. These graphic charts, to­
gether with text pointing out the value and the practical application
of the Bureau’s statistical material, have been published by the Bureau
of Labor Statistics in a booklet entitled “ What Are Labor Statistics
F or?” (Bui. No. 599).
Meeting of Association of Governmental Officials in Industry
1933

HE nineteenth annual convention of the Association of Gov­
ernmental Officials in Industry of the United States and Canada
was held in Chicago, 111., on September 14 and 15, 1933.
The convention was opened by Dr. E. B. Patton, director of the
bureau of statistics and information, Department of Labor, New
York. Reports on new legislation were made by representatives from
the several States and Provinces, and the progress made in the field
of foreign labor legislation was outlined by Mr. Leifur Magnusson of
the International Labor Office, Washington, D.C.
On the first day of the meeting a joint session was held of this organ­
ization and the International Association of Industrial Accident
Boards and Commissions. The opening address of the joint meeting

T


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

INDUSTRIAL AND LABOR CONDITIONS

1089

was delivered by Dr. E. B. Patton of New York. Mr. Charles E.
oS&ddwin, Assistant Commissioner of the United States Bureau of
Ibor Statistics, reported the status of industrial safety codes and
’A
'ns in the various States. The progress of national safety
codes wasvt 1 own by Mr. P. G. Agnew, secretary of the industrial
division, Naa
^Safety Council. The afternoon session of the first
day was also a joh toflpfi&eting of the two organizations. A paper was
read by C. B. Boulet’ safety director of the Wisconsin Public Service
Corporation, on Cause Analysis of Accidents Causing Injury and
Near Injury. An interesting paper in regard to Standardization of
Codes and "Mechanical Guarding at Point of Manufacture, prepared
by Mr. R. McA. Iveown, engineer of the Wisconsin Industrial Com­
mission, was read by Mr. Wise. A spirited discussion followed the
delivery of all of the papers, under the chairman of the meeting,
Thomas P. Kearns, superintendent of the division of safety and
hygiene, Department of Industrial Relations, Ohio.
On the second and last day of the meeting a report was presented
on minimum wage. The report was prepared by the chairman of the
committee on minimum wage, Mr. E. S. Smith, commissioner of the
Department of Labor and Industries of Massachusetts, and read by
Mrs. Mabel E. Kinney, chief of the Division of Industrial Welfare,
California. Mr. John B. Andrews, secretary of the American Asso­
ciation for Labor Legislation, delivered an address on Administrative
Regulations in American Labor Law.
Mr. Paul Raushenbush, consultant on unemployment compensa­
tion, Industrial Commission of Wisconsin, gave an outline of the
Wisconsin Reserve Plan.
In the afternoon session reports of various committees were con­
tinued, including State laws on hours of employment of women by
Miss Mary Anderson, Director of the Women’s Bureau, United States
Department of Labor, and child labor by Mrs. Clara M. Beyer,
Director of the Industrial Division, Children’s Bureau, United States
Department of Labor. A round-table discussion followed the reading
of the reports of the several committees.
Following the reports of the various committees and the election
of officers, the meeting adjourned until 1934, the date of the 1934
meeting to be determined by the executive committee.
The following officers were elected for the coming year: President,
T. E. Whitaker, Department of Industrial Relations, Georgia; first
vice president, A. W. Crawford, Deputy Minister of Department of
Labor, Ontario, Canada; second vice president, Edward F. Seiller,
chief labor inspector, Kentucky; third vice president, Gerard Trem­
blay, deputy minister of department of labor, Quebec; fourth vice
president, Joseph M. Tone, commissioner of department of labor and
factory inspection, Connecticut; fifth vice president, Mrs. Mabel E.
Kinney, cliief of division of industrial welfare, department of
industrial relations, California; secretary-treasurer, Isador Lubin,
Commissioner of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics.


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

1090

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

Effect of the Depression Upon the Consumption of Commodities

WO recently published surveys,1 one for the Nation as a whole
made at Harvard University, and the other for the State of
Minnesota made at the University of Minnesota, throw light on the
relative force of the depression in curtailing use of production and
consumption goods. Both of these studies showed that consumption
goods (food, clothing, etc.) suffer a lesser reduction in sales than do
producers’ goods (lumber, iron and steel, etc.) and that not only is
the demand for producers’ goods reduced more sharply than that for
consumers’ goods in periods of business recession but the effects of
the recession are reflected earlier in the demand for such goods than
is true of consumers’ goods.
According to the findings in the Harvard study consumption by
the mass of the people has held up remarkably well considering the
severity of the depression and only the severe conditions of 1932
brought about a substantial decline in consumption. Even then the
reduction was not in proportion to the fall in business as a whole.
Figures are cited to show that the monthly average consumption of
wheat flour, for example, did not decline at all in the 1920-21
depression but fell about 6 percent from 1930 to 1931 and 4 percent
from 1931 to 1932. For meat there has been little change although
there has been a shift in kinds of meat bought. In the 1921 depres­
sion there was a slight fall but the total consumption in both 1930
and 1932 was somewhat higher than in 1925 (1,029 million pounds as
compared with 1,024 million pounds in 1925 and 1,058 million pounds
at the peak in 1929). In 1932 the consumption of beef, veal, and
pork was lower than in 1929 and that of lamb and mutton higher.
Department-store dollar sales, using 1923-25 as a base or 100, rose
from an index of 108 in 1928 to 111 in 1929, falling to 91 in 1931 and
70 in 1932. Taking into account the lower prices the author of the
study under consideration believes that the consumption of women’s
clothing in the aggregate was certainly no lower and was in all prob­
ability higher in 1932 than in 1928 and that of men’s clothing not
markedly lower.
The University of Minnesota found current consumption in the
State fairly well maintained, with the food industry showing no re­
duction in dollar sales until 1931 when a 14-percent decline occurred.
For clothing and textiles the decline came a year earlier, in 1930, the
decline being 24 percent. Here again the figures are on the basis of
dollar values and no correction is made to show what part of the
decline may be attributed to lowered price without affecting the
volume of consumption.
As regards the loss in markets for production goods the Harvard
University study states that a high rate of activity in these indus­
tries producing such goods characterized the years 1925 to 1929 but
this was followed by inactivity in 1930, lasting through 1932. On
the basis of the indexes of production compiled by the Federal
Reserve Board, percentage changes have been worked out for a
number of fields of production as between June 1929 and July 1932
as follows:

T

1 Harvard University, Graduate School of Business Administration, Bureau of Business Research,
The behavior of consumption in business depression, by Arthur R. Tebbutt; and University of M inne­
sota, Employment Stabilization Research Institute, Impact of the depression on business activity and
real income in Minnesota, edited by Roland S. Vaile.


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

1091

INDUSTRIAL AND LABOR CONDITIONS
T able

1 .—

I N D E X E S O F P R O D U C T I O N C O M P IL E D

B Y FE D E R A L R ESER VE B O ARD

[Adjusted for seasonal variation, 1923-25=1001

June 1929

Field of production

Industrial production___________
___________ _ ________
Manufactures__________ ______ _
_ ---------------------- , , Iron and steel___ _____ , . . _________
- ----------------Textiles- _______ __
_________________ - - - - Food products_____ _________________ __________ , ,
Paper and printing______ _____________________ , ,, ,, ,
L u m ber,- _ ______ __ . _________ , ,
Automobiles________________________________ ________
Leather and its products,,, ___________ _____
, , ,
, ,
Petroleum refining _ ,
, , , , , _______________
Rubber tires and tubes----------------- ------------------- —
Tobacco products----------------------- -----------------------------Minerals--------------------------- -----------------------------------Coal:
Bitum inous,. _, ------------------------------ --------------Anthracite,,
............ . - - - - - - - - - - - - - Petroleum, ,
-------------- ,_ ,
, -------------------Iron-ore shipments . , , ---------------------------------------Zinc,..
-_ , --------------- - ,
---------------------- -------Lead
, , ,
---------- ----------------------------------Silver------ ------------ . ------------------------ --------------------

Percent of
decrease

July 1932

125
127
148
120
96
127
94
153
108
170
146
138
114

58
57
25
69
81
85
27
33
77
141
1 68
114
64

54
55
83
42
16
33
71
78
29
17
53
17
44

102
84
135
128
124
120
110
95

46
55
104
8

55
35
23
94

34
31
40

72
72
58

1 August.

Thus it is shown that in a period when the reduction in food pro­
duction was 16 percent, in tobacco 17 percent, and in leather and
its products 29 percent, iron-ore shipments, showing the greatest
decline, fell 94 percent.
The University of Minnesota, using the year when particular indus­
tries first felt the depression in their sales, pay rolls, and profits,
found that the sharpest declines in sales were shown by wood (a
producers’ goods industry) and clothing and textiles (a consumers’
goods industry), in pay roll by the wood industry, and in profits by
the machinery and metals industry. Last to feel the combined
effects of lowered sales and pay rolls was the food industry, although
a reduction in profits was experienced in 1930.
T able 2 .—Y E A R I N W H IC H S P E C IF IE D IN D U S T R IE S F IR S T F E L T T H E D E P R E S S IO N

Industry

Y ear of
decline

Percent
of de­
cline

Year of Percent
of de­
decline
cline

Industry

Miscellaneous:

W ood:
1930
1930
1930

22
20
101

1930
1930
1930

15
14
155

1930
1930
1930

24
14
63

P ayroll__ __ _

_

___

1930
1931
1930

13
10
52

1930
1931
1931

16
17
96

1931
1932
1930

14
11
29

Paper and printing:

Machinery and metals:

Clothing and textiles:

P a yroll.........
............. _
Profits_________________________
Food:
Sales_______

In conclusion the Harvard University study brings out the fact that,
actual consumption having been maintained during the depression,
the resumption of production of producers’ goods and durable con­
sumption goods (i.e., houses, automobiles) must take place in order
for an improvement in general business conditions to come about.
Such activity is essential, according to the author, if balanced recovery

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

1092

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

is to take place, and to meet this end he states that the investment of
new capital will be necessary, an investment that will only be made
with the return of confidence that recovery is sound and permanent.

Report on Conditions in Needle-Trades Industry in Two
Counties of Pennsylvania

ABOR and Industry, the official publication of the Pennsylvania
J Department of Labor and Industry, contains in its issue for
August 1933 the report of the commission appointed by Governor
Pinchot to investigate conditions in the needle trades of Lehigh and
Northampton Counties. The commission consisted of Rev. Willis D.
Mathias, of the Emanuel Reformed Church, and Clarence J. Moser,
secretary Central Trades and Labor Council, both of Allentown; H.
Morley Holton, plant manager Phoenix Manufacturing Co., and Dr.
Harry L. Baker, physician, both of Catasauqua; A. F. Tidabock,
president Northampton & Bath Railroad Co., and Dr. Charles A.
Half, of the Haff Hospital, both of Northampton; and Miss Charlotte
E. Carr, secretary Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.
Hearings were held in Northampton, Allentown, and Bangor, oppor­
tunity being afforded for employers and employees to give testimony
and for civic interests to submit material. The findings of the com­
mission covered wages, working conditions, conditions as to employ­
ment of children, and general conditions, including morals.

I

Wages

T he evidence submitted indicated that the wage rates for many, many workers
were so extremely low that it was not possible for them to maintain a decent
standard of living, and in some cases not even a subsistence.

It was found also that there were violations of the legal requirement
that employers should make payment of wages at least every 15 days,
and that in some cases the employees lost their wages altogether.
“ In fact, certain companies * * * went out of business leaving
wage claims due workers amounting to thousands of dollars, without
any legal process available for making collection of same.”
Working Conditions

T he commission found that in many instances where women and
girls were employed there was no nurse or matron to whom they could
report concerning working conditions or illness; that there was
evidence of negligence on the part of employers in regard to keeping
gas connections in good repair in the pressing departments of needletrade factories, thus involving both health and fire hazards; that there
were cases of violation of the sanitary code; and that there was negli­
gence on the part of factory managements in not providing first-aid
materials, rest rooms, and cots, as required by law. The testimony
also showed the employment of women for more than the legal hours,
and instances were cited in which girl workers under 16 years of age
used pressing irons weighing 5 and 6 pounds during every working
hour of the day, “ Such employment is injurious to workers of a
tender age. ”

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

INDUSTRIAL AND LABOR CONDITIONS

1093

Child Workers

T he hearings brought out the fact that the child labor laws were
being violated in several different ways:
Evidence brought to the commission showed that children in industry under
16 years of age (a) worked more than the regulation number of hours per day, (b)
were required to work more than specified number of hours per week, and (c)
continued at work after the hour as posted on the labor schedule. The posting
of such a list as referred to in (c) is required by the department of labor and in­
dustry. It was indicated by children workers that they were warned by “ bosses ”
not to give information to inspectors and to tell falsehoods when questioned by
inspectors of the department of labor and industry, so that violations of the em­
ployer would not be discovered.

Evidence also showed that when children under 16 had struck
against conditions of employment, their working papers had been
returned to the school authorities, “ in an effort to force the children
to return to work. ”
General

E v id e n c e was submitted which showed that in certain cases those
in authority used their official position to take undue liberties with
girls and women while at work, “ and even to mako advances which
had immoral intent. Such conditions were reported as being mostly
in evidence where there were men foremen and foreladies were not
employed. ” Also, it was shown that where local chambers of com­
merce or other civic bodies had been instrumental in bringing needletrades factories into a community, they had sometimes been rather
negligent in ascertaining the standing of the company before giving
it a free hand to operate in the community.
Recommendations

I n v i e w of the evidence presented, and the conditions found, the
com m ission presented the follow ing recom m endations:
Wages

1. The enactment of a minimum wage law which will provide a decent wage
for the lowest paid worker.
2. The passage of a law giving authority to the department of labor and indus­
try to aid workers in the collection of unpaid wage claims, and other such legisla­
tion which will guarantee wages to workers.
3. The enactment of a law making provision for a system of unemployment
insurance for the needle-trades industry to be supervised by the State.
Working Conditions

1. The amending of the present 54-hour law for women workers so as to reduce
the same to a point of prohibiting more than 40 hours per week.
2. The enactment of legislation which will require that where 10 or more
women workers are employed, and there is no forelady or matron, one of the
women workers shall be designated as a matron to care for the needs of said
workers. In larger establishments, such a matron to be in full-time service in
that capacity.
3. The passage of legislation which will prevent male workers under 18, and
female workers under 20 from working as pressers in the needle-trades industry.
Child Workers

1. The amendment of the present State child labor act to prevent the employ­
ment of children in industry under 16 years of age.
2. The ratification of the Federal child labor amendment by the Common
wealth of Pennsylvania.


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

1094

M ONTH LY

L A B O R R E V IE W
General

1. W e recommend that since there are constant efforts in this industry to
evade adherence to existing labor laws, that the bureau of inspection of the de­
partment of labor and industry be more vigorous in their inspections, and that
they engage trained and efficient inspectors in order to compel compliance to
the law.
2. Since there is great need for arbitration and mediation today in the realm of
industry, we recommend the reestablishment of the bureau of industrial relations
in the department of labor and industry at the earliest possible date.


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

INSURANCE, PENSION, AND BENEFIT
PLANS
Effect of Public Old-Age Pensions on Almshouse Populations

HE results of an inquiry by the American Association for Social
Security on the effect of State old-age pension laws on the alms­
house population are given in the September-October 1933 issue of
Social Security. Data were obtained from 9 States, 4 of which have
old-age pension laws.
The following table, compiled from the article above mentioned,
shows the increase in almshouse population in specified years.

T

IN C R E A S E I N A L M S H O U S E P O P U L A T IO N I N 9 S T A T E S I N S P E C IF IE D P E R IO D S

Percent of increase in almshouse
population in—
State, and year of enactment of pension law
1930 as
Period 1924- compared
29
with 1929

Pension States:
48

7.8

20
40

13.0

32
26

16.0
14.0

Nonpension States:

1931-32 as
compared
with 1930

10.9
15.8
14.9
32.2
23.5
31.4
24.3

16.0

The report points out that in the 5 years prior to the depression
“ the poorhouse population had been increasing steadily/’ an increase
which was “ tremendously accelerated,” in most of the States report­
ing, during 1930. The one exception to this occurred in California
where the increase was only 7.8 percent, as compared with increases
ranging up to 16 percent in the other reporting States.
A great discrepancy is shown in the rates of increase between the
pension and nonpension States in 1931 and 1932, which the report
attributes to the effect of the pension laws. Concerning the situation
in New York State the report makes the following statement:
The New York figures, available now for a series of years up to 1932, cover 56
out of the 62 institutions in the State, sheltering nearly 90 percent of all inmates.
In 1929, the year just preceding the enactment of the State’s old-age security
system for persons 70 years and over, the number of inmates over 70 increased by
567, or 15 percent. Following the first 2 years of the operation of the law, the
number of inmates over 70 years of age actually dropped by 332, a decrease of 7.5
percent. Significantly, the number of inmates under 70, and therefore ineligible
for pension grants, increased during the same period by 1,837 or 29 percent.
An examination of the records for the various counties in New York State shows
strikingly the effect the State’s old-age security act has had in reducing the number


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

1095

1096

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

of older inmates. In Albany, the number of inmates 70 years and over fell from
184 in 1930 to 96 at the end of 1932, a decrease of nearly 50 percent. While this
decrease occurred in the oldest and most dependent group, the number of inmates
below the pensionable age increased by 280. In Green County the number of
inmates over 70 decreased by 37 in the 2 years, while the younger group
increased by 45. Livingston County showed "24 less in the older group. In
Niagara County, those under 70 increased from 119 to 240, but the older inmates
decreased from 78 to 46. In Oswego County the number of older inmates fell
from 42 to 15, while the number of younger inmates increased by 23. Rensselaer
County and the city of Kingston showed decreases of 54 and 29 in the older
groups, and increases of 73 and 43 in the younger groups. These figures are
representative of conditions throughout the Commonwealth.

The report draws the following conclusions from the study:
The above study is conclusive. Despite the fact that most of the pension laws
were launched under the most unfavorable conditions during a period of un­
precedented economic difficulties, the alarming increase of older inmates in
poorhouses was not only stopped, but a definite trend in the opposite direction set
in. Old-age security laws are not only stopping the influx of new inmates but are
gradually reducing the older poorhouse population. The extension and liberaliza­
tion of the present legislation to cover wider groups is the surest means for the
gradual abolition of the onerous, antiquated, and brutal system of poorhouses and
the substitution of a few well-equipped and humane hospitals for the chronically

Retirement and Unemployment Plan of Hill Bros. Co.1

SYSTEM of reserves for the payment of unemployment benefits
has been established by Hill Bros. Co., shoe manufacturers of
Hudson, Mass. The benefit plan consists of three reserve funds, the
first fund providing for payment of benefits for seasonal unemploy­
ment, the second for unemployment of a more permanent nature, and
the third for retirement of iong-service employees because of dis­
ability, old age, or technological changes. The company believes that
these three types of unemployment should be handled separately as
far as possible, although they are coordinated under a general plan.
The reserve fund for seasonal unemployment, which was established
in June 1931, consists of individual savings set aside by the employees
who are subject to seasonal fluctuation of employment, during their
periods of steady employment. Executives, foremen, office employees,
and salesmen on commission are not eligible, therefore, for member­
ship in the fund. Participation in the plan is optional, but participa­
tion in reserve fund no. 2 is dependent upon membership in the savings
fund covering seasonal unemployment.
This company, which manufactures men’s dress shoes, has two slack
periods, one occurring in May and the other in November. These
periods have been equivalent to 4 weeks of full shutdown or a total of
8 weeks in the year. The attempt has been made, however, to level
off the production as much as possible, so that at least half-time work
may be furnished during the slack period. In establishing the amount
of the individual payments into the fund, the employee is asked to
estimate his weekly requirements in case of a total shutdown for the
main necessities of life ;that is, heat, food, and rent. He is then asked
to establish a fund equivalent to eight times this amount. A member
is allowed to withdraw from the fund, subject to the approval of the
committee controlling disbursements, any amount which is con­
sidered reasonable, but he is requested to withdraw during half-time,
only one half of his estimated weekly requirements. He is, however,

A

1 Associated Industries of Massachusetts.


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

Industry, Boston, Sept. 9, 1933.

INSURANCE, PENSION, AND BENEFIT PLANS

1097

allowed to draw against this fund for emergencies, or, in the event of
establishing a fund in excess of his estimated requirements for 8
weeks, he may draw the balance above this amount at any time.
A statement of the operation of the fund furnished by the company
shows that from June 1931 to January 1, 1933, the total deposits
amounted to $11,570.50, or an average of about $60 per employee.
At that time 140 of the 185 eligible employees were depositors in the
fund. Withdrawals from the fund during 1932 amounted to $3,171.72,
leaving a balance in the fund at the beginning of 1933 of more than
$ 8 , 000.
All employees who are contributors to the seasonal unemployment
fund, as well as foremen and office employees who have had at least 6
months’ service, are eligible for membership in reserve fund no. 2, and
new employees become eligible for participation at the end of the 6
months’ probationary period. This fund is accumulated through a
weekly pay-roll deduction of an amount equal to 2 percent of the aver­
age salary or wages of the participating member, while the employer
contributions are equal to those of the individual members. If the
employer contribution credited to the individual-member accounts is
less than 2 percent of the total pay roll for eligible employees, an
annual adjustment will be made by the employer, who will contribute
to reserve fund no. 3 an amount equal to such a deficit. Under the
terms governing the operation of this fund a member of 1 year’s
standing or over who is laid off or discharged through no fault of his
own shall first be paid the amount of his credit in reserve fund no. 1.
No benefits will be paid from fund no. 2 during the first 4 weeks of
continuous unemployment, but thereafter such an unemployed
member shall receive one third of his average weekly salary or wages
until the combined member-employer deposit plus the guaranteed
interest is exhausted. If one third of the member’s average weekly
wage is less than $7, the weekly benefit may be increased but not to
exceed $7. The maximum weekly benefit which any member may
receive is $16.67. Members of less than 1 year’s standing who leave
voluntarily or are laid off or discharged receive the amount of their
own deposits without interest. A member who leaves the employ­
ment of the company and secures employment with a concern operat­
ing a similar plan or one satisfactory to the advisory committee may
transfer his fund, including the company share, to the new company’s
plan after a waiting period of 6 months. Provision is made, in the
event of the death of a member, for payment of his contributions plus
interest to his named beneficiary or to surviving dependents.
Reserve fund no. 3, from which annuities are paid to long-service
employees who are retired because of old-age disability or as a result
of technological changes, is maintained by contributions by the
employer, consisting of refunds of the employer’s contribution to
fund no. 2 plus any excess arising from the employer’s contribution
to reserve fund no. 2. Disbursements from this fund are made at
the discretion of the employer with the assistance of the advisory
committee.
The advisory committee consists of 5 members, 2 elected by the
members, 2 named by the employer, and 1 chosen by the 4 thus chosen
who is called upon to act in case the other members are unable to
reach a decision. The committee has charge of general administra­
tive details and controls disbursements,

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

1098

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

Benefit Payments by Photo-Engravers’ Union

HE American Photo-Engraver for September 1933 gives figures
showing the benefits paid by the International Photo-Engravers’
Union and its locals for the year ending May 31, 1933. Although
this is an organization of fewer than 9,000 members, the benefits
paid by it during that year aggregated nearly 2% million dollars.
The table below shows the amounts disbursed for each type of
benefit during 1931-32 and 1932-33.

T

B E N E F IT S P A ID

B Y L O C A L A N D I N T E R N A T I O N A L P H O T O -E N G R A V E R S ’ U N IO N S ,
Y E A R S E N D E D M A Y 31, 1932 A N D 1933

Benefits paid by—

International
union

Type of benefit

Total

Local unions
1931-32

1931-32

Strike and lockout-. - - - - -


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

_

_

1932-33

_ $249,836 $181,410
90, 274
72,000
15,000
12,800
32, 370
33, 419

368,055

319, 054

1931-32

1932-33

1932-33

1,959,618
19,834

$249,836
72,000
42, 788
33, 419
1,665,827
21,528

$181,410
90, 274
44, 943
32,370
1,959, 618
19,834

2, 009,395

2, 085,398

2, 328,449

$29, 988

$29,943

1,665,827
21,528
1, 717, 343

INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS
Meeting of International Association of Industrial Accident
Boards and Commissions, 1933

HE twentieth annual meeting of the International Association
of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions was held at
Chicago, 111., September 11 to 14, with delegates present from the
various States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the
Canadian Provinces.
A review of the developments during the past year in the work­
men’s compensation field was presented in the opening address by
R. A. Wenzel, chairman of the Workmen’s Compensation Bureau of
North Dakota and president of the association. This was followed
by several sessions devoted to workmen’s compensation problems,
with the question of uniform legislation as the keynote throughout.
It was pointed out that uniform practices in the several administra­
tions would not only benefit the injured workers and simplify pro­
ceedings for the commissioners, but would also prove a boon to the
many employers and large insurance companies that operate in sev­
eral States. The idea was also advanced that commissioners handling
compensation claims should not be subject to politics but should have
longer terms of office and should be paid reasonable salaries.
The third day of the convention, wdiich was devoted to the medical
phases of administration, developed an interesting and novel program
through the arrangement of the chairman for the day, Dr. Samuel S.
Graves, former medical director of the Industrial Commission of
Illinois, in dealing exclusively with one important specific subject—
back injuries and their relation to workmen’s compensation.
On September 14 a joint session was held with the Association of
Governmental Officials in Industry of the United States and Canada,
for the discussion of industrial accident prevention and safety codes.
The convention authorized a study of the methods used in the
various States for determining the average weekly wage which is used
as a basis for compensation payments. A recommendation was ap­
proved for the establishment of a universal second-injury fund in
' States which do not provide for such funds; and a resolution was
passed urging the members to do everything in their power to adopt
the uniform blanks for the reporting of accidents, now adopted by 12
States, for use in their respective jurisdictions.
Joseph A. Parks, chairman of the Department of Industrial Acci­
dents of Massachusetts, was elected president for the ensuing year;
G. Clay Baker, chairman of the Commission of Labor and Industry
of Kansas, was elected vice president; and Chas. E. Baldwin, assistant
commissioner of United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, was con­
tinued as secretary-treasurer. Other members selected for the execu-

T


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

1099

110 0

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

tive committee were: Matt H. Allen, North Carolina; Peter J. Angsten,
Illinois; Fred W. Armstrong, Nova Scotia; Parke P. Deans, Virginia;
Thomas M. Gregory, Ohio; and It. E. Wenzel, North Dakota. The
next annual meeting will be held in Boston, Mass., beginning Septem­
ber 10, 1934.
At the joint meeting of the association with the Association of Gov­
ernmental Officials in Industry, held September 14, 1933, the following
resolution was adopted:
Resolved by the I.A .I.A .B .C . and the A .G .O .I. in joint convention, That it be
recommended to the National Recovery Administration that some such clause
as the following be included in each of the industrial codes:
“ Every employer coming under the jurisdiction of this code shall comply with
all safety and health laws and regulations of the State in which the workplace
is located. In all occupations in which workmen are not protected by such
State laws or regulations, the employer shall comply with provisions of any
standard safety code approved by the American Standards Association, which
provides protection against any hazard encountered in such occupations.”
Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to General Hugh S.
Johnson, Administrator of National Industrial Recovery Act.

Meeting of National Safety Council, 1933

HE Twenty-second Congress of the National Safety Council, held
at Chicago, October 2 to 6, was opened in the usual manner by a
general session, during which the accomplishments of the past year
were reviewed by James I. Banash, retiring president of the council.
Reference was made to the effect of the Industrial Recovery Act on
the safety movement and the recognition through it of safe and health
ful working conditions as a fundamental of fair competition. Indus­
try was, however, warned that existing measures are not sufficient and
that the safety movement must be extended even more vigorously to
overcome the results of drastic economy during the past few years,
together with the serious menace of the present moment of a decided
increase in accidents through increased industrial activity.
The program scheduled 100 sectional meetings, including a widely
extended list of subject sessions, with about 350 speakers.
A message from President Roosevelt praised the work of the Na­
tional Safety Council and asked a continued fight on accidents and the
economic waste resulting from that source. The resolutions adopted
by the congress included a pledge of unceasing efforts, and also a
pledge of “ allegiance to President Roosevelt for his able leadership
and his unswerving determination to bring the American people out
of economic chaos into rightful prosperity.”
The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: President,
John E. Long, Delaware and Hudson Railroad Corporation, Albany,
N .Y.; managing director, W. H. Cameron, Chicago, 111.; treasurer,
W. E. Worth, International Harvester Co., Chicago, 111.; vice pres­
ident for finance, G. T. Hellmuth, Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee
Railroad Co., Chicago, 111.; vice president for public safety, Robert I.
Catlin, Aetna Life Insurance Co., Hartford, Conn.; vice president for
engineering, J. E. Culliney, Bethlehem Steel Co., Bethlehem, Pa.; vice
president for membership, R. T. Solensten, The Elliott Service Co.,
New York City; vice president for business administration, C. W.
Smith, Standard Oil Co. (Ind.), Chicago, 111. ; vice president for the
division of safety councils, Lew R. Palmer, Equitable Life Assurance

T


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

INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS

1101

Society, New York City; vice president for industrial safety, George
H. Warfel, Union Pacific Railroad Co., Omaha, Nebr. ; vice president
for health, Dr. C. H. Watson, American Telephone & Telegraph Co.,
New York City; vice president for education, A. W. Whitney,
National Bureau of Casualty and Surety Underwriters, New York City.

Industrial Accidents in Massachusetts, 1931-32

CCORDING to the report of the Department of Industrial
Accidents of Massachusetts for the year ending June 30, 1932,
reports were received during the year of 123,517 industrial injuries, or
20,616 less than for the year ending June 30, 1931. There was a
corresponding decrease in the number of tabulatable injuries (injuries
causing the loss of at least 1 day or shift) from 50,006 in 1930-31 to
42,067 in 1931-32. . . . .
The tabulatable injuries included 222 fatalities (60 cases less than
in the previous year), 7 injuries resulting in permanent total disa­
bility, and 864 cases resulting in permanent partial disability.
Of the total tabulatable injuries 96.3 percent, or 40,514 cases, were
under the provisions of the Workmen’s Compensation Act, while 3.7
percent, or 1,553 cases, were not insured. This compares with 96 and
4 percent respectively for 1931-32.
The report shows the average compensation cost of fatal cases as
$3,378.42 and of nonfatal cases as $169.72, while the average medical
cost for all cases where incurred is given as $27.65. In 13,651 cases,
or 33.3 percent, of the temporary total disabilities, the employee was
not incapacitated for a period of more than 7 days (the waiting
period in Massachusetts), and would consequently not be entitled to
compensation benefits, but would receive medical benefits if the
employer was insured.
Handling of objects caused 12,842 injuries, falls of persons 7,368,
machinery 4,885, and hand tools 3,800, making these four causes
responsible for 68.6 percent of all injuries against 31.4 percent due
to all other causes. The largest number of workers injured occurred
in the age groups of 20 to 24, 25 to 29, 30 to 34, and 35 to 39 years,
to which are charged 56.9 percent of all injuries.
The experience under the Workmen’s Compensation Act is given
in detail in a number of statistical tables in the report. The table on
page 1102 gives a summary distribution of the tabulatable injuries
reported during the year by industry groups and by extent of dis­
ability.
Road transportation shows the greatest number of fatalities, 55;
trade is second, with 33; service and the building trades follow, with
17 and 15, respectively; and iron and steel is fifth, with 11. Seven
injuries resulted in permanent total disability; two of these occurred
in the building trades and two in the iron and steel industry. Per­
manent partial disabilities were distributed as follows: Iron and steel
was highest, with 119 cases; road transportation second, with 91;
textiles third, with 83; trade fourth, with 78; and building trades fifth,
with 67.

A


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

1102
TABU LATABLE

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W
IN J U R IE S I N M A S S A C H U S E T T S , Y E A R E N D E D JU N E
I N D U S T R Y G R O U P S A N D E X T E N T OF D I S A B I L I T Y

30, 1932, B Y

Number of injuries reported

Perma­
nent to­
tal disa­
bilities

Industry group
Fatal

7
15
3
2
17
1
7
11
6

2
1

2

5
1
4
6
7
4
7
33
Transportation:


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

Perma­
nent par­
tial disa­
bilities

Tempo­
rary to­
tal disa­
bilities

9
67
5
17
5
40
2
40
119
60
3
55
16
8
44
12
13
83
78

619
4, 827
317
417
500
2,612
313
1,871
3,176
2,443
131
1,055
408
161
1,032
600
759
123
2,736
8,063

635
4,911
325
437
505
2,669
316
1,918
3, 308
2, 509
134
1,115
425
173
1,082
612
779
127
2,826
8,174

5
5, 776
357
131
2,542

6
5,923
360
137
2,661

40, 974

42, 067

3
28

1

1
91
3
3
90

222

7

864

55

1

Total

SAFETY
Status of Industrial Safety Codes and Regulations in the
Various States 1
B y C harles

E.

B a l d w i n , United States Assistant Commissioner of Labor Statistics

URING the period of domestic and handicraft employment,
before the application of steam and electric power, workers
were exposed to few hazards, and the question of safety in industrial
life was principally a matter of individual caution. Introduction of
machinery changed conditions completely. Accident hazards were
multiplied, and the safety of the worker depended not only on his
own judgment and caution, but also on the judgment and caution
of his fellow workers, as well as on the amount of protection afforded
by the employer or by the manufacturers of the mechanical devices
against the hazards incident to machine operation.
It did, however, take considerable time before it was realized that
an accident to a worker is evidence that something has gone wrong,
and that a repetition of a particular kind of accident is evidence that
something is habitually wrong and should be corrected. The mount­
ing toll of industrial accidents causing physical and mental suffering
as well as financial loss to the workers, and the increased cost of pro­
duction to the employers, finally resulted in enactment of State
regulations to safeguard workers from preventable accidents.
Massachusetts took the lead in 1877 with the first American law
requiring factory safeguards, providing that all transmission ma­
chinery and all machinery having movable parts in factories and
workshops, or mechanical and mercantile establishments, should be
securely guarded as far as practicable, if so placed as to be dangerous
to employees while engaged in their ordinary duties. Factory inspec­
tors were appointed 10 years earlier, and a permanent bureau for the
investigation of labor conditions was established in 1869.
The example of Massachusetts was followed by New York, W is­
consin, and other States, many of which adopted blanket codes or
regulations of similar character. It was, however, found that under
blanket provisions the standard was very indefinite and vague, and
that the constant changes in industries and methods required specific
and detailed regulations. As a result, a number of special safety codes,
rules, or regulations for industrial activities covering either specific
important industries, certain mechanical processes, or special haz­
ards have been developed in the leading industrial States and in
others that have considered accident prevention important.

D

1 R ead before the T w en tieth A n n u al Convention o f the In tern atio n al A ssociation
In d u strial A cciden t B oards and C om m issions, Chicago, 111., Sept. 1 1 - 1 5 , 1 933 .


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

1103

of

1104

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

Safety codes or regulations are adopted and enforced for the
purpose of preventing accidents. The enactment of workmen’s
compensation laws and the compilation of accident statistics have
played very prominent parts in the accident-prevention movement
and have pointed out the necessity for safety regulations. Industry
was forced, through workmen’s conpensation acts, to pay the bills
for all accidents. Through such payments the employers began to
realize the frightful toll o f indifference and, sometimes, criminal
negligence. Statistics disclosed that it was cheaper to prevent acci­
dents than to pay for them, and investigation showed, that a large
majority o f accidents could be prevented. The experience of some
large firms, which had applied rules of their own, proved both points.
Safety regulations in some States are still statutory, with certain
agencies designated for enforcement. In other States it has been
found advisable to authorize the enforcing agency (industrial com­
mission, department of labor, utilities commission, etc.) to formulate
reasonable rules, regulations, or orders for the prevention of in­
dustrial injuries. In such case the rules are sometimes promulgated
by the enforcing agency itself, but the principal industrial States
have adopted the method of forming advisory committees for as­
sistance in the drafting of safety codes or orders. Such advisory
committees are composed o f the various groups interested: Employ­
ers; employees; and insurance, medical, legal, or technical experts
with special knowledge of the particular problems involved. In
some States public hearings are also held before the codes become
effective.
Since the previous report to this association an inquiry has been
made, through the United States Bureau o f Labor Statistics, con­
cerning the specific safety regulations in effect at the present time
in the individual States and the District of Columbia. Information
has been received from practically all, and is shown in the appendix,
by States. Previous information, supplemented by data obtained
through careful research, is given for! the States from which definite
information was not obtained.
In some instances the safety regulations shown in the appendix
are authorized specifically by statute, while in others they are pro­
mulgated under authority of the industrial commission, the depart­
ment of labor, or other regulatory agency to carry out the general
provisions of law which authorize safety measures, without defi­
nite specifications. Safety provisions covering mines and mining
operations are indicated under a general classification “ Mines ” , and
are not given in detail, as that subject is ordinarily covered by the
United States Bureau of Mines.
Two o f the States, Alabama and New Mexico, have no safety regu­
lations of any kind, and Florida has only regulations covering em­
ployment of children under 16. Other States show considerable
variation. Some of them have safety provisions covering all dan­
gerous practices, while others have regulations for a few specific
subjects onlySome revisions and changes were made during the past year in
the existing regulations in several States and some new safety codes
were adopted. Notable among the latter were the laws and regula­
tions for the use of nonshatterable glass in motor vehicles, adopted

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

SAFETY

1105

by California, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, and New York.
Bills on this subject have also been introduced in the legislatures of
Illinois, New Jersey, and Ohio, and in the United States Congress.
In California a new code was adopted for work in compressed
air. In Maryland the existing list of approved safety codes was en­
larged by the adoption of codes on compressed-air work; floor and
wall openings, railings and toeboards; and protection against light­
ning; making a total of 32 separate safety codes approved by that
State. In North Carolina regulations were issued covering spray
painting and quarries.
In Ohio a new code has been adopted, covering pressure piping
and mechanical-refrigeration systems and equipment, while two of
the previous codes have been completely revised, bringing regula­
tions up to date for elevators and for fabricating machinery.
Appendix A .— Safety Regulations for Industrial Workers, by States, 1933

Safety codes, rules, or regulations for tlie protection of industrial workers
have been adopted by all of the States except Alabama and New Mexico, and
by the District of Columbia. Considerable difference exists, however, in the
number of subjects covered in the various jurisdictions, partly due to differ­
ences in industrial development.
A compilation is here presented of the specific subjects covered in each of the
States, either by statutory enactment or by orders of the enforcing governmen­
tal agency authorized through the laws to develop and issue regulations, accord­
ing to information received by September 1, 1933, from the various States and
from research of reports and laws.
The classification may not be complete, as some States have blanket regulations
covering health and safety of industrial workers in all industries located in the
jurisdiction, but it is assumed that all subjects are listed that are covered by
specific rules and practically all that are covered by the general rules. Brief
explanatory notes are included.
Alabam a .— No industrial safety laws have been adopted, and no govern­
mental agency has authority to formulate rules or regulations. Suggestions
furnished to industrial establishments, when requested, are usually based on
regulations advocated by the various engineering societies or the National
Safety Council.
Alaska .— Statutory regulations cover health and safety of workers in mines,
and sanitary conditions in factories, canneries, or other establishments where
labor is employed, but failure of securing appropriation for necessary expenses
has prevented enforcement of the sanitary provisions for nearly a decade.
A rizon a .— Safety measures are provided to a certain extent through the
industrial commission by variation in the cost of insurance in the State com­
pensation fund. Statutory provisions cover the following subjects: Abrasive
wheels, construction work, electrical installation, and power-transmission appa­
ratus.
A rkan sas .— Statutory provisions cover boilers, mines, public-safety corpora­
tions, and industrial sanitation for female employees, and prohibit employment
of children under 16 in dangerous occupations. Some proprietors of laundries,
woodworking plants, printing plants, etc., provide safety appliances in con­
formity with recommendations of companies manufacturing such appliances,
but such measures are voluntary.
California .— Safety orders of the industrial accident commission apply to all
places of employment in the State, and the commission has power to require
that all unsafe conditions be removed, whether that condition is or is not covered
by a special order. The safety orders cover the following subjects:
1 6 4 8 7 °— 33

7


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

1106

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

Abrasive wheels
Aeronautics
Air-pressure tanks
Amusement parks
Automobile brakes and brake testing
Automobile headlighting
Bakeries
Boilers
Brewing and bottling
Canneries
Ceramics
Chemicals
Colors for traffic signals
Compressed-air machinery (in part)
Compressed-air work
Construction work
Conveyors and conveying machinery
(in part)
Cranes, derricks, and hoists
Dredges
Drycleaning and dyeing
Dust explosions, prevention of
Electrical installations
Elevators and escalators
Engines
Exhaust systems
Explosives
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards
Forging and hot-metal stamping
Foundries, protection of workers in
Gas installations
Grandstands
Ladders
Laundry machinery and operation
Lighting factories, mills, etc.
Logging and sawmill machinery
Colorado .— Safety regulations, based
enforced by the inspection department
exception of mining regulations whici
department or the State bureau of min
are covered :
Abrasive wheels
Boilers
Compressed-air machinery
Construction work
Conveyors and conveying machinery
Drycleaning and dyeing
Dust explosions, prevention of
Elevators and escalators
Exits, building
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards
Foundries, protection of workers in
Ladders
Laundry machinery and operation
Lighting factories, mills, etc.
Connecticut .— Statutory provisions e
Automobile brakes and brake testing
Automobile headlighting
Boilers
Construction work
Electrical installations
Elevators and escalators
Exhaust systems


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

Machine tools
Metal working
Milling industry
Mines
Motorboats
Oil drilling
Painting
Paper and pulp mills
Plant railways
Plate- and sheet-metal working
Plumbing
Potteries
Power control, electrical
Power control, mechanical
Power-transmission apparatus
Printing
Protection from fire and panic
Quarries
Refrigeration, mechanical
Rubber machinery
Safety glass
Sanitation, industrial
Scaffolds and staging
Shipbuilding
Steam shovels
Steel mills
Stevedoring operations
Sugar factories
Tanneries
Textiles
Tunnels
Ventilation
Walkway surfaces (in part)
Welding
Window washing
Woodworking plants
on broad statutory provisions, are now
of the industrial commission, with the
come under the coal-mine inspection
s, respectively. The following subjects
Lighting of school buildings
Machine tools
Mines
Paper and pulp mills
Plate- and sheet-metal working
Power presses, and foot and hand
presses
Rubber machinery
Sanitation, industrial
Scaffolds and staging
Spray painting
Sugar factories
Ventilation
Walkway surfaces
Woodworking plants
,Ter the following subjects:
Exits, building
Laundry machinery and operation
Lighting factories, mills, etc.
Power-transmission apparatus
Sanitation, industrial
Scaffolds and staging

Ventilation

SAFETY

1107

Delaware.— Statutory provisions cover the following subjects : Aeronautics ;
automobile brakes and brake testing; automobile headlighting; boilers; can­
neries ; exits, building ; and explosives. Local safety provisions for the city
of Wilmington cover drycleaning and dyeing, gas installations, plumbing, and
protection from fire and panic.
D istrict o f Colum bia .— Safety regulations, adopted by the Commissioners of
the District under authority enacted by Congress of the United States, cover
the following subjects :
Air-pressure tanks
Automobile brakes and brake testing
Automobile headlighting
Boilers
Compressed-air machinery
Drycleaning and dyeing
Electrical installations
Elevators and escalators
Engines
Exits, building

Grandstands
Plumbing
Power control, electrical
Power-transmission apparatus
Pressure piping
Pressure vessels
Protection from fire and panic
Refrigeration, mechanical
Sanitation, industrial
Steam shovels

F lorid a .— The only safety regulations in the State are the statutory provi­
sions of the child-labor law, which include safety and sanitary provisions for
children under 16.
Georgia .— Statutory provisions cover building exits and child labor only.
None of the governmental agencies are authorized to promulgate safety codes.
H a w a ii .— Statutory provisions cover aeronautics, and explosives (under super­
vision of the Territorial superintendent of public works), while sanitary regu­
lations are promulgated and enforced by the Territorial board of health.
The workmen’s compensation law has no provision for safety regulations,
but the industrial accident boards cooperate with local insurance carriers and
employers to minimize industrial accidents, and ordinances of the city and
county of Honolulu regulate several industrial conditions. Including the items
mentioned previously, the subjects covered by the various regulations are :

Aeronautics
Automobile brakes and brake testing
Automobile headlighting
Construction work
Electrical installations
Exits, building
Explosives
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards
Grandstands

Ladders
Laundry machinery and operation
Lighting factories, mills, etc.
Lighting of school buildings
Lightning, protection against
Plumbing
Protection from fire and panic
Safety glass
Sanitation, industrial
Scaffolds and staging

Ida h o .— Safety regulations issued by the industrial accident board, which is
empowered by statute to protect workers, cover the following subjects:

Elevators and escalators
Exits, building
Laundry machinery and operation
Power-transmission apparatus

Printing
Protection from fire and panic
Woodworking plants

Illin ois .— Statutory provisions, administered by the department of labor
through the division of factory inspection, cover the following subjects :

Abrasive wheels
Construction work (structural iron)
Cranes, derricks, and hoists (limited)
Electrical installations
Exhaust systems
Exits, building
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards
Foundries, protection of workers in
Gas installations
Ladders (in part)


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

Laundry machinery and operation
Lighting factories, mills, etc.
Power control, electrical
Power control, mechanical
Power-transmission apparatus
Sanitation, industrial
Scaffolds and staging
Spray painting
Ventilation

Woodworking plants

1108

MONTHLY LABOR R EV IEW

Indiana .— Statutory provisions of the factory act, the boiler inspection act,
and items under the State safety department, cover the following subjects:

Abrasive wheels
Aeronautics
Air-pressure tanks
Amusement parks
Automobile brakes and brake testing
Automobile headlighting
Bakeries
Boilers
Brewing and bottling
Canneries
Ceramics
Chemicals
Compressed-air machinery
Compressed-air work
Construction work
Conveyors and conveying machinery
Cranes, derricks, and hoists
Dredges
Drycleaning and dyeing
Dust explosions, prevention of
Elevators and escalators
Exhaust systems
Exits, building
Explosives
Felt-hatting industry
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards
Forging and hot-metal stamping
Foundries, protection of workers in
Grandstands
Heads and eyes, protection of
Ladders

Laundry machinery and operation
Lighting factories, mills, etc.
Lighting of school buildings
Logging and sawmill machinery
Machine tools
Metal working
Milling industry
Mines
Paper and pulp mills
Plate- and sheet-metal working
Plumbing
Potteries
Power control, electrical
Power control, mechanical
Power presses, and foot and hand
presses
Power-transmission apparatus
Quarries
Refrigeration, mechanical
Sanitation, industrial
Scaffolds and staging
Shipbuilding
Spray painting
Steam shovels
Steel mills
Sugar factories
Tanneries
Textiles
Ventilation
Welding
Woodworking plants

Io w a .— Blanket regulations, covering specified health and safety conditions in
all workshops or other industrial establishments, except mines or in agricul­
tural work, authorize orders by the State bureau of labor for proper observ­
ance of the law. Regulations for mine safety are under the jurisdiction of the
State bureau of mines. Special industrial subjects covered include the
following :

Abrasive wheels
Boilers
Dust explosions, prevention of
Electrical installations
Elevators and escalators
Exhaust systems
Exits, building
Forging and hot-metal stamping
Foundries, protection of workers in
Heads and eyes, protection of
Ladders

Laundry machinery and operation
Mines
Paper and pulp mills
Plumbing
Power presses, and foot and hand
presses
Power-transmission apparatus
Printing
Rubber machinery
Sanitation, industrial
Woodworking plants

K a n sa s .— No specific* codes for special subjects, but statutory blanket regu­
lations for all industrial establishments authorize orders from inspectors for
necessary changes according to individual judgment. In a general way the
following subjects are covered:


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

SAFETY
Abrasive wheels
Aeronautics (in part)
Amusement parks
Automobile brakes and brake testing
Automobile headlighting
Bakeries
Boilers (in part)
Canneries
Colors for traffic signals
Construction work
Conveyors and conveying machinery
Cranes, derricks, and hoists
Drycleaning and dyeing
Dust explosions, prevention of
Electrical installations
Elevators and escalators
Exits, building
Explosives
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards
Foundries, protection of workers in
Gas installations
Gas-mask canisters, colors for
Heads and eyes, protection of (in
part)

1109

Ladders
Laundry machinery and operation
Lighting factories, mills, etc.
Machine tools
Milling industry
Mines
Oil drilling
Power control, electrical
Power control, mechanical
Power presses, and foot and hand
presses
Power-transmission apparatus
Printing
Protection from fire and panic
Quarries
Refrigeration, mechanical (in part)
Sanitation, industrial
Scaffolds and staging
Sugar factories
Ventilation
Walkway surfaces
Woodworking plants

K e n tu c k y .— Statutory regulations cover only industrial sanitation (under the
State board of health), fire prevention (under the State department of fire
prevention and rates), coal mines (under the State department of mines),
safety provisions for miners and dust removal for polishing or grinding
machinery (under the department of agriculture, labor, and statistics). The
latter is authorized to inspect industrial establishments and suggest correc­
tions of hazards. Some safety codes have been adopted by the department for
the guidance of inspectors in making recommendations.
Louisiana .— Some statutory regulations exist, but the only inspection is
in the parish of Orleans by an inspector specifically provided by the law to
enforce the child labor act. The following subjects are covered:

Construction work
Elevators and escalators
Exhaust systems
Exits, building
Ladders

Printing
Protection from fire and panic
Sanitation, industrial
Scaffolds and staging

M a in e .— No codes have been adopted. The department of labor and industry
is permitted by law to order changes in ways, works, and machinery, where
same are deemed necessary. Safety provisions cover the following subjects:

Automobile headlighting
Boilers (in part)
Compressed-air work
Exits, building

Plumbing
Power-transmission apparatus
Sanitation, industrial
Tunnels

M aryla n d .— American Standard safety codes have been adopted by the State
industrial accident commission as minimum specific requirements for safety
and have the force of law. The following subjects are covered :

Abrasive wheels
Compressed-air machinery
Dust explosions, prevention of
Electrical installations
Elevators and escalators
Exits, building
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards
Forging and hot-metal stamping
Foundries, protection of workers in
Gas installations
Gas-mask canisters, colors for
Heads and eyes, protection of
Digitized forLadders
FRASER

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

Laundry machinery and operation
Lighting factories, mills, etc.
Lightning, protection against
Logging and sawmill machinery
Mines
Paper and pulp mills
Power presses, and foot and hand
presses
Power-transmission apparatus
Refrigeration, mechanical
Rubber machinery
Textiles
Woodworking plants

mo

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

M a ssa ch u setts .— Under authority conferred by statute the State departments
of labor and industries, of public safety, and of public works have adopted a
number of health and safety codes covering the following subjects:

Abrasive wheels
Aeronautics
Air-pressure tanks
Automobile brakes and brake testing
Automobile headlighting
Bakeries
Boilers
Brewing and bottling
Canneries
Ceramics
Compressed-air machinery
Construction work
Conveyors and conveying machinery
Cranes, derricks, and hoists
Drycleaning and dyeing
Electrical installations
Elevators and escalators
Exhaust systems
Exits, building
Explosives
Felt-hatting industry
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards
Foundries, protection of workers in
Gas installations
Heads and eyes, protection of
Ladders
Laundry machinery and operation

Lighting factories, mills, etc.
Lighting of school buildings
Lightning, protection against
Logging and sawmill machinery
Metal working
Painting
Paper and pulp mills
Plate- and sheet-metal working
Potteries
Power control, electrical
Power control, mechanical
Power presses, and foot and hand
presses
Power-transmission apparatus
Protection from fire and panic
Quarries
Refrigeration, mechanical
Rubber machinery
Safety glass
Sanitation, industrial
Scaffolds and staging
Spray painting
Steel mills
Sugar factories
Tanneries
Textiles
Ventilation
Woodworking plants

M ichigan .— In addition to statutory legislation, the department of labor and
industry has adopted rules and regulations for safety in industrial establish­
ments, some of them as a result of conferences with those interested. The laws
and regulations cover the following subjects:

Abrasive wheels
Automobile brakes and brake testing
Automobile headlighting
Boilers
Canneries
Colors for traffic signals
Construction work
Conveyors and conveying machinery
Dust explosions, prevention of
Electrical installations
Elevators and escalators
Exhaust systems
Exits, building
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards
Forging and hot-metal stamping
Foundries, protection of workers in
Gas installations

Heads and eyes, protection of
Ladders
Laundry machinery and operation
Lighting factories, mills, etc.
Lighting of school buildings
Paper and pulp mills
Power control, electrical
Power control, mechanical
Power presses, and foot and hand
presses
Power-transmission apparatus
Rubber machinery
Sanitation, industrial
Spray painting
Textiles
Ventilation
Welding
Woodworking plants

M in n esota .— The statutes relating to industrial safety are very general in
their application and authorize the industrial commission to promulgate specific
rules and regulations. W ith the exception of regulations for plumbing, which
are under the jurisdiction of the health department, these cover the following
subjects :


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

SAFETY
Abrasive wheels
Automobile brakes and brake testing
Boilers
Brewing and bottling
Canneries
Construction work
Conveyors and conveying machinery
Drycleaning and dyeing
Dust explosions, prevention of
Electrical installations
Elevators and escalators
Exhaust systems
Exits, building
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards
Forging and hot-metal stamping
Foundries, protection of workers in

m i

Heads and eyes, protection of
Laundry machinery and operation
Logging and sawmill machinery
Paper and pulp mills
Plumbing
Power control, mechanical
Power presses, and foot and hand
presses
Power-transmission apparatus
Quarries
Refrigeration, mechanical
Sanitation, industrial
Scaffolds and staging
Ventilation
Window washing
Woodworking plants

M ississippi .— No special safety codes have been adopted, but statutory provisions cover the following subjects :

Exits, building
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards
Guarding of all machinery
Lighting factories, mills, etc.

Lighting of school buildings
Power-transmission apparatus
Sanitation, industrial
Ventilation

M issou ri .— The labor laws of the State contain general provisions for the
protection of industrial workers, with specific reference to several subjects but
details left to the judgment of the State department of labor and industrial
inspection, and the only specific rules formulated by the department pertain to
boilers. Including this code, and the regulations for mines which are under
the jurisdiction of the State bureau of mines, the following subjects are
covered:

Abrasive wheels
Automobile headlighting
Bakeries
Boilers
Colors for traffic signals
Construction work
Dust explosions, prevention of
Elevators and escalators
Exits, building
Explosives
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards

Foundries, protection of workers in
(in part)
Gas installations
Heads and eyes, protection of
Mines
Plant railways
Power control, mechanical
Protection from fire and panic
Sanitation, industrial
Scaffolds and staging
Ventilation
Woodworking plants

M ontana .— Statutory provisions cover boilers and steam machinery, electrical
installations, and mines.
N ebraska .— The safety codes approved by the American Standards Associa­
tion have been adopted as minimum requirements for safety. The following
subjects are covered :

Abrasive wheels
Air-pressure tanks
Bakeries
Boilers
Construction work
Conveyors and conveying machinery
Cranes, derricks, and hoists
Drycleaning and dyeing
Exhaust systems
Exits, building
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards
Heads and eyes, protection'of
Ladders


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

Laundry machinery and operation
Metal working
Paper and pulp mills
Power control, electrical
Power control, mechanical
Power-transmission apparatus
Pressure vessels
Rubber machinery
Safety glass
Sanitation, industrial
Scaffolds and staging
Ventilation
Window washing
Woodworking plants

1112

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

N evada .— Statutory provisions cover the following subjects :

Abrasive wheels
Electrical installations
Exits, building
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards

Ladders
Mines
Power-transmission apparatus
Tunnels

N e w H a m psh ire .— The factory-inspection law permits the bureau of labor
to issue orders covering any condition that is dangerous to the life and limb
of workers. Regulations issued cover the following subjects:

Abrasive wheels
Automobile brakes and brake testing
Automobile headlighting
Boilers
Compressed-air machinery
Elevators and escalators
Exhaust systems
Exits, building (in part)
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards (in part)
Foundries, protection of workers in
Heads and eyes, protection of
Ladders
Laundry machinery and operation

Lighting factories, mills, etc.
Logging and sawmill machinery
Machine tools
Paper and pulp mills
Power presses, and foot and hand
presses
Power-transmission apparatus
Refrigeration, mechanical
Sanitation, industrial
Tanneries
Textiles
Ventilation
Walkway surfaces
Woodworking plants

N e w J er se y .— Statutory provisions and safety regulations cover the following

subjects :
Abrasive wheels
Boilers
Ceramics
Chemicals
Construction work
Cranes, derricks, and hoists
Dust explosions, prevention of
Electrical installations
Elevators and escalators
Exhaust systems
Exits, building
Explosives
Felt-hatting industry
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards
Forging and hot-metal stamping
Foundries, protection of workers in

Heads and eyes, protection of
Ladders
Laundry machinery and operation
Lighting factories, mills, etc.
Potteries
Power control, electrical
Power control, mechanical
Power presses, and foot and hand
presses
Printing
Refrigeration, mechanical
Rubber machinery
Sanitation, industrial
Scaffolds and staging
Ventilation
Window washing
Woodworking plants

N ew M ex ic o .— No safety regulations exist. Some safety practices have been
applied in coal mines through cooperation of inspectors and employers, but
strictly voluntary as there are no State laws for enforcement.
N ew Y o r k .— The State department of labor is authorized to formulate and
adopt codes or rules which have the same force and effect as statutes enacted
by the legislature. Such codes are supplementary to the labor law, which in
some sections is specific, but in others broad and general. They are developed
with the aid of an advisory committee and public hearings are mandatory before
final adoption. The existing codes cover the following subjects:


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

SAFETY
Abrasive wheels
Bakeries
Boilers
Brewing and bottling
Canneries
Compressed-air work
Construction work
Conveyors and conveying machinery
Cranes, derricks, and hoists
Drycleaning and dyeing
Dust explosions, prevention of (in
part)
Elevators and escalators
Engines
Exhaust systems
Exits, building
Explosives
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards
Forging and hot-metal stamping
Foundries, protection of workers in
Hand tools
Heads and eyes, protection of
Ladders
Laundry machinery and operation
Lighting factories, mills, etc.

Machine tools
Metal working
Milling industry
Mines
Paper and pulp mills
Plate- and sheet-metal working
Plumbing
Potteries
Power control, mechanical
Power presses, and foot and
presses
Power-transmission apparatus
Printing
Protection from fire and panic
Quarries
Rubber machinery
Sanitation, industrial
Scaffolds and staging
Tanneries
Textiles
Tunnels
Ventilation
Walkway surfaces
Welding
Window washing
Woodworking plants

1113

hand

N orth Carolina .— Rules and suggestn s promulgated by the State department
of labor covering the following subjects

Abrasive wheels
Automobile brakes and brake testing
Automobile headlighting
Bakeries
Chemicals
Colors for traffic signals
Cranes, derricks, and hoists
Electrical installations
Elevators and escalators
Exits, building
Explosives
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards
Hand tools
Heads and eyes, protection of
Ladders
N orth D a kota .— Safety regulations <
and labor cover the following subjects

Boilers
Construction work
Conveyors and conveying machinery
Cranes, derricks, and hoists
Electrical installations


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

Lighting, factories, mills, etc.
Lighting of school buildings
Lightning, protection against
Mines
Painting
Plant railways
Plumbing
Power control, electrical
Power-transmission apparatus
Protection from fire and panic
Quarries
Sanitation, industrial
Spray painting
Textiles
Ventilation
Woodworking plants
the State department of agriculture
Engines
Exits, building
Mines
Scaffolds and staging

1114

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

Ohio .— Safety codes prepared under statutory authorization by the indus­
trial commission, with the assistance of representatives of employers and
employees, have the force and effect of statutory regulations. The following
subjects are covered :

Abrasive wheels
Air-pressure tanks
Bakeries
Boilers
Ceramics
Compressed-air work
Construction work
Cranes, derricks, and hoists
Drycleaning and dyeing
Elevators and escalators
Exhaust systems
Exits, building
Explosives
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards
Forging and hot-metal stamping
Foundries, protection of workers in
Hand tools
Ladders
Laundry machinery and operation
Lighting factories, mills, etc.
Lighting of school buildings
Machine tools

Metal working
Painting
Plate- and sheet-metal working
Plumbing
Potteries
Power presses, and foot and
presses
Power-transmission apparatus
Pressure piping
Pressure vessels
Protection from fire and panic
Quarries
Refrigeration, mechanical
Rubber machinery
Scaffolds and staging
Spray painting
Steel mills
Tunnels
Ventilation
Welding
Window washing
Woodworking plants

hand

Oklahoma .— Statutory regulations, or safety provisions issued by the State
department of labor to give effect to the laws, cover the following subjects :

Abrasive wheels
Bakeries
Boilers
Brewing and bottling
Canneries
Compressed-air machinery
Construction work
Conveyors and conveying machinery
Cranes, derricks, and hoists
Drycleaning and dyeing
Dust explosions, prevention of
Elevators and escalators
Engines
Exhaust systems
Exits, building
Explosives (in part)
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards
Foundries, protection o f workers in
Heads and eyes, protection of
Ladders (in part)
Laundry machinery and operation
Lighting factories, mills, etc.
Logging and sawmill machinery

Machine tools
Metal working
Milling industry
Oil drilling
Plate- and sheet-metal working
Potteries
Power control, electrical
Power control, mechanical
Power presses, and foot and hand
presses
Power-transmission apparatus
Pressure vessels
Printing
Safety glass
Sanitation, industrial
Scaffolds and staging
Steam shovels
Steel mills
Tanneries
Textiles
Ventilation
Walkway surfaces
Woodworking plants

O regon .— Statutory provisions, or safety standards, promulgated by the in­
dustrial accident commission and having the effect o f legislative action, cover
the following subjects:


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

SAFETY
Abrasive wheels
Air-pressure tanks
Boilers
Canneries
Compressed-air machinery
Construction work
Conveyors and conveying machinery
Cranes, derricks, and hoists
Electrical installations
Elevators and escalators
Exhaust systems
Exits, building
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards (limited)
Foundries, protection of workers in
Ladders
Laundry machinery and operation

1115

Lighting factories, mills, etc.
Logging and sawmill machinery
Paper and pulp mills
Plumbing
Power control, electrical
Power control, mechanical
Power presses, and foot and hand
presses
Power-transmission apparatus
Pressure piping
Pressure vessels
Printing
Sanitation, industrial
Scaffolds and staging
Walkway surfaces
Window washing
Woodworking plants

Pen n sylvan ia .— Safety codes, developed under statutory authorization by the
State department of labor and industry, assisted by employer and employee
representatives of the respective industries, and submitted to public hearings
before adoption, cover the following subjects:

Abrasive wheels
Automobile brakes and brake testing
Automobile headlighting
Bakeries
Boilers
Brewing and bottling
Canneries
Chemicals
Compressed-air machinery
Compressed-air work
Construction work
Drycleaning and dyeing
Electrical installations
Elevators and escalators
Engines
Exhaust systems
Exits, building
Explosives
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards
Forging and hot-metal stamping
Foundries, protection of workers in
Gas installations
Heads and eyes, protection of
Ladders
Laundry machinery and operation

Lighting factories, mills, etc.
Lighting of school buildings
Logging and sawmill machinery
Machine tools
Milling industry
Mines
Paper and pulp mills
Plant railways
Power control, electrical
Power control, mechanical
Power presses, and foot and hand
presses
Power-transmission apparatus
Printing
Protection from fire and panic
Quarries
Safety glass
Sanitation, industrial
Scaffolds and staging
Spray painting
Tanneries (in part)
Textiles
Tunnels
Window washing
Woodworking plants

R hode Islan d .— Statutory provisions of the factory-inspection law and the
boiler-inspection law cover the followin subjects:
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
Abrasive wheels
toeboards
Aeronautics
Foundries, protection of workers in
Automobile brakes and brake testing
Laundry machinery and operation
Automobile headlighting
Lighting factories, mills, etc.
Bakeries
Sanitation, industrial
Boilers
Scaffolds and staging
Colors for traffic signals
Textiles
Construction work (cities)
Ventilation
Explosives
South C arolin a — Statutory regulations pertaining to industrial establish­
ments prohibit children under 14 from cleaning machinery while in motion and
require seats for female employees in mercantile establishments and sanitaiy
drinking receptacles, the only industrial safety regulations in the State.
South Dakota — Statutory regulations cover automobile brakes and brake
testing, automobile headlighting, boilers, lighting of school buildings, and indus-


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

1116

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

trial sanitation where women or children are employed. They also cover
building exits (under the jurisdiction of the State fire marshal), as well as
mines, quarries, and the removal of gases, fumes, or dust in smelters or
reduction works (all under the jurisdiction of the State mine inspector).
T en n essee .— Safety standards adopted by the factory-inspection division of
the State department of labor and published for the use of inspectors or the
industries cover the following subjects :
Abrasive wheels
Amusement parks
Compressed-air machinery
Conveyors and conveying machinery
Cranes, derricks, and hoists
Dry cleaning and dyeing
Elevators and escalators
Engines
Exhaust systems
Exits, building
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards
Foundries, protection of workers in
Gas-mask canisters, colors for
Ladders
Laundry machinery and operation
Lighting factories, mills, etc.
Logging and sawmill machinery
Machine tools

Metal working
Paper and pulp mills
Plate- and sheet-metal working
Power control, electrical
Power control, mechanical
Power presses, and foot and hand
presses
Printing
Protection from fire and panic
Quarries
Refrigeration, mechanical
Sanitation, industrial
Spray painting
Tanneries
Textiles
Ventilation
Walkway surfaces
Woodworking plants

T e x a s .— The health, comfort, and safety law, the law for female employees,
and the child-labor law permit a broad field for safety rules in factories, mills,
workshops, and mercantile establishments. Specific requirements include exits,
handrailings, and industrial sanitation, but the State bureau of labor statistics
includes the following subjects as covered :

Amusement parks
Automobile brakes and brake testing
Automobile headlighting
Colors for traffic signals
Construction work
Dust explosions, prevention of
Electrical installations (local)
Elevators and escalators
Exhaust systems
Exits, building
Explosives
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards (in part)
Gas installations
Hand tools
Ladders
Laundry machinery and operation
Lighting factories, mills, etc.
Lighting of school buildings

Logging and sawmill machinery
Milling industry
Mines
Plant railways
Plumbing
Power presses, and foot and hand
presses
Power-transmission apparatus
Printing
Protection from fire and panic
Quarries
Sanitation, industrial
Scaffolds and staging
Stevedoring operations
Sugar factories
Textiles
Tunnels
Ventilation
Woodworking plants

U tah .— The industrial commission is authorized to promulgate and adopt
safety codes, rules, and regulations.
A number of standards have been
adopted as a result of conferences with employers and employees. The follow­
ing subjects are covered:


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

SAFETY
Abrasive Wheels
Air-pressure tanks
Amusement parks
Automobile brakes and brake testing
(in part)
Automobile headlighting (in part)
Bakeries
Boilers
Brewing and bottling
Canneries
Ceramics
Chemicals
Colors for traffic signals
Compressed-air machinery
Compressed-air work
Construction work
Conveyors and conveying machinery
Cranes, derricks, and hoists
Drycleaning and dyeing
Dust explosions, prevention of
Electrical installations
Elevators and escalators
Engines
Exhaust systems
Exits, building
Explosives
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards
Forging and hot-metal stamping
Foundries, protection of workers in
(in part)
Gas-mask canisters, colors for
Grandstands
Hand tools
Heads and eyes, protection of (in
part)
Ladders (in part)
Laundry machinery and operation
Lighting factories, mills, etc. (in part)

1117

Lighting of school buildings
Logging and sawmill machinery (in
part)
Machine tools
Metal working
Milling industry
Mines
Oil drilling
Painting
Plant railways
Plate- and sheet-metal working
Plumbing
Potteries
Power control, electrical
Power control, mechanical
Power presses, and foot and hand
presses (in part)
Power-transmission apparatus
Pressure piping
Pressure vessels
Printing
Quarries
Refrigeration, mechanical
Safety glass
Sanitation, industrial
Scaffolds and staging
Spray painting
Steam shovels
Steel mills
Sugar factories
Tanneries
Textiles
Tunnels
Ventilation
Walkway surfaces
Welding
Window washing
Woodworking plants

V erm on t .— No specific safety codes have been adopted. The statutes are
indefinite but broad so far as the jurisdiction of the State commissioner of
industries is concerned and the activities of that office cover the following
subjects:

Abrasive wheels
Compressed-air machinery
Construction work
Conveyors and conveying machinery
Cranes, derricks, and hoists
Elevators and escalators
Exits, building
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards
Foundries, protection of workers in
Heads and eyes, protection of
Laundry machinery and operation

Lighting factories, mills, etc.
Logging and sawmill machinery
Paper and pulp mills
Power-transmission apparatus
Quarrries
Sanitation, industrial
Scaffolds and staging
Tanneries
Textiles
Ventilation
Walkway surfaces
Woodworking plants

Virginia .— Statutory regulations give the State department of labor dis­
cretionary powers in the regulation of safety appliances and sanitary con­
ditions in industrial establishments, but does not provide for the establish­
ment of safety codes. In 1930 the legislature appointed a committee to study
the advisability of adopting a safety code for employers and employees. A
report of this committee has been submitted to the legislature, recommending
promulgation of safety codes by the industrial commission, with enforcement
in the department of labor and industry. Specific statutory provisions cover
the following subjects :


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

1118

MONTHLY LABOR R EV IEW

Abrasive wheels
Elevators
Exits, building
Explosives

i Mines
Power-transmission apparatus
Quarries

W ash in gton .— Under statutory regulations the State department of labor and
industries has promulgated general safety standards, adopted after conferences
with employers and employees and holding of public hearings. These stand­
ards have the status of legislative action, and carry penalties for noncompli­
ance. Much of the safety work is covered by city ordinances, such as building
exits, elevator operation, etc., and motor-vehicle subjects are under the juris­
diction of the highway patrol. The following subjects are covered:

Abrasive wheels
Amusement parks
Automobile brakes and brake testing
Automobile headlighting
Boilers
Brewing and bottling
Canneries
Chemicals
Construction work
Conveyors and conveying machinery
Cranes, derricks, and hoists
Dredges
Drycleaning and dyeing
Electrical installations
Elevators and escalators
Engines
Exhaust systems
Exits, building
Explosives
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards
Foundries, protection of workers in
Hand tools
Heads and eyes, protection of
Ladders
Laundry machinery and operation
Lighting factories, mills, etc.
Logging and sawmill machinery
Metal working
Milling industry

Mines
Oil drilling
Painting
Paper and pulp mills
Plant railways
Plate- and sheet-metal working
Plumbing
Potteries
Power control, electrical
Power control, mechanical
Power presses, and foot and
presses
Power-transmission apparatus
Pressure vessels
Printing
Quarries
Refrigeration, mechanical
Sanitation, industrial
Scaffolds and staging
Shipbuilding
Steam shovels
Steel mills
Textiles
Tunnels
Ventilation
Walkway surfaces
Welding
Window washing
Woodworking plants

hand

W e s t Virginia .— No special rules have been issued, but statutory provisions
cover the folowing subjects:

Abrasive wheels
Boilers
Elevators and escalators
Exits, building
Laundry machinery and operation
Mines

Power control, electrical
Power control, mechanical
Power-transmission apparatus
Sanitation, industrial
Ventilation
Woodworking plants

W iscon sin .— The industrial commission is charged with the duty of fixing
standards of safety in all places of public employment, and has promulgated
a number of safety codes or general orders, with the assistance of advisory
committees, and public hearings. Including the provisions for plumbing which
are undei the jurisdiction of the State board of health, the following subjects
are covered :

Abrasive wheels
Aeronautics
Automobile brakes and brake testing
Automobile headlighting
Bakeries
Boilers
Colors for traffic signals
Compressed-air work
Construction work


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

Cranes, derricks, and hoists
Dredges
Drycleaning and dyeing
Electrical installations
Elevators and escalators
Engines
Exhaust systems
Exits, building
Explosives

SAFETY
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards (in part)
Forging and hot-metal stamping
Foundries, protection of workers in
Flammable liquids
Heads and eyes, protection of
Ladders
Laundry machinery and operation
Lighting factories, mills, etc.
Lighting of school buildings
Logging and sawmill machinery (in
part)
Machine tools
Mines
Paper and pulp mills
Plumbing
Power control, electrical
Power control, mechanical

Power presses, and foot and
presses
Power-transmission apparatus
Pressure vessels
Printing
Quarries
Refrigeration, mechanical
Rubber machinery (in part)
Sanitation, industrial
Scaffolds and staging
Spray painting
Tanneries (in part)
Textiles
Tunnels
Ventilation
Window washing
Woodworking plants

1119
hand

le act creating the State department of
W yo m in g .— Under the authority of
labor and statistics, the commissioner ii ;sues safety orders for industrial establishments, while under statutory min ing regulations the safety orders for
mining are issued by the coal-mine inspection department. The following
subjects are covered:
Abrasive wheels
Aeronautics
Automobile brakes and brake testing
Automobile headlighting
Colors for traffic signals
Compressed-air machinery
Construction work
Conveyors and conveying machinery
Cranes, derricks, and hoists
Dust explosions, prevention of
Elevators and escalators
Exhaust systems
Exits, building
Floor and wall openings, railings, and
toeboards
Forging and hot-metal stamping
Foundries, protection of workers in
Ladders
Laundry machinery and operation
Lighting factories, mills, etc.

Logging and sawmill machinery
Machine tools
Mines
Paper and pulp mills
Plate- and sheet-metal working
Power control, electrical
Power control, mechanical
Power presses, and foot and hand
presses
Power-transmission apparatus
Refrigeration, mechanical
Rubber machinery
Sanitation, industrial
Tanneries
Textiles
Ventilation
Walkway surfaces
Window washing
Woodworking plants

Safety Rules for Window Cleaning in New York

SAFETY code for window cleaners in tlie State of New York 1
became effective April 1, 1933. The regulations, which amplify
previously existing rules on the subject, enable both employers and
workers to obtain safety as far as regulations will permit. Owners,
tenants, or persons in charge of public buildings are prohibited from
requiring or permitting cleaning of windows from the outside unless
proper means for safety are provided, and workers are required to
make use of such safety devices.
The code contains definitions of terms, general rules, specifications
for the various safety devices (ladders, scaffolds, boatswains chairs,
belts, belt terminals and anchors, and anchor installations according
to building material), and penalties for violations.

A

‘ New York. Department of Labor.
window cleaning.


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

Industrial Code Bulletin N o. 21: Rules (as amended) relating to

LABOR ORGANIZATIONS
Convention of the American Federation of Labor, 1933

HE representatives of the American Federation of Labor at the
fifty-third annual convention of that organization, which met in
Washington, October 2-13, 1933, were confronted by new problems
and new responsibilities in a changed and swiftly changing economic
order. There were 596 delegates in attendance.
After the invocation and addresses of welcome by various local
officials, Mr. William Green, the president of the federation, voiced
some of the aspirations and dissatisfactions of labor under the “ new
deal.” A few of his remarks are given below:

T

From March to August of this year 2,800,000 persons were placed back at work
in all industries. Of that number 150,000 found new work in the agricultural
industry. But in spite of this there are still 11,000,000 persons out of work.
W e hope that when the figures for September are compiled they will show as sub­
stantial an advance in overcoming unemployment as was shown during the month
of August.
The return of these workers has increased the total buying power about 25 per­
cent since March 1, but because living costs have increased rapidly, the total
amount of this buying power cannot be manifested in the consumption of manu­
factured products. When the rise in living costs is accounted for, the total in­
crease in buying power will approximate 17 percent.
All this increase in buying power is due to reemployment, not to the increase
in buying power of the individual worker, for the average monthly income of the
individual worker was increased only 6.9 percent since March, while the cost of
living has increased 7.1 percent. This is according to the figures of the National
Industrial Conference Board.
These figures on buying power are based on reports covering 15 industries from
the Department of Labor and other Government agencies. They cover wage
earners in mines, factories, railroads, trade, utilities, and certain service industries.
Buying power in all industries has increased by about $310,000,000 a month, or
$3,720,000,000 a year.

In Mr. Green’s judgment the 11,000,000 unemployed will not get
back to work until the 6-hour day and the 5-day week are established
in the industrial codes of fair practice. He also emphasized the
necessity of raising the rates of pay.
So that there is involved in this question a revision of the hours of labor and a
revision of the rates of pay. I believe those who are administering the act are
sincerely and earnestly desirous of accomplishing that purpose, but in all big
undertakings such as this, and in the midst of confusion when we embark upon a
great adventure, w e must realize that mistakes will be made and that we must all
exercise that patience that is so characteristic of the working men and women of
the Nation. _W e must have faith— faith in the “ new deal ” , faith in the principles
of this act, faith in those who are honestly and liberally administering it, and most
important of all, faith in that great, fearless leader— the President of the United
States.

Mr. Green also spoke of the augmenting interest of the workers in
organization— an interest such as even tried veterans in the labor
movement had never before witnessed.
1120


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

LABOR ORGANIZATIONS

1121

In his address at the unveiling of the Gompers Memorial on October
7, President Franklin D. Roosevelt referred to the following words in
which President Woodrow Wilson in 1917 “ summed up the splendid
national services of Samuel Gompers and at the same time preached
a sermon that applied to capital and labor alike” :
If I may be permitted to do so, I want to express my admiration of his patriotic
courage, his large vision, and his statesmanlike sense of what has to be done.
I like to lay my mind alongside of a mind that knows how to pull in harness.
The horses that kick over the traces will have to be put in a corral.

That sermon President Roosevelt declared is “ just as good today
as it was in 1917. We are engaged in another war, and I-believe from
the bottom of my heart that organized labor is doing its share to win
this war. The whole of the country has a common enemy; industry,
agriculture, capital, labor are all engaged in fighting it. Just as in
1917, we are seeking to pull in harness; just as in 1917, horses that
kick over the traces will have to be put in a corral.”
Among other speakers at various sessions of the convention were:
Hon. Frances Perkins, United States Secretary of Labor; Hon. James
A. Farley, Postmaster General; Gen. Hugh S. Johnson, Administra­
tor, National Recovery Administration; Miss Elizabeth Christman,
fraternal delegate, National Women’s Trade Union League of Amer­
ica; Mr. James Rowan and Mr. Joseph A. Hale, fraternal delegates,
British Trades Union Congress; Mr. Fred J. White, fraternal delegate,
Trades and Labor Congress of Canada; Rev. Francis J. Haas, member
of Labor Advisory Board, National Recovery Administration; Spencer
Miller, Jr., secretary, Workers’ Education Bureau of America; Hon.
Robert F. Wagner, United States Senator; and Hon. James J. Davis,
United States Senator.
In reviewing the rapid advances made in the interest of the wage
earners since March 1933, when an advisory labor committee drew
up for the United States Department of Labor a program of accom­
plishment which it might desire to see under way in the next 4 years,
the Secretary of Labor reported that the abolition of child labor and
the drastic limitation of present and future hours of labor, which were
included in that program, were already “ well under way.”
She also reported progress in connection with various other pro­
visions of that program, among them unemployment relief by the
Federal Government with State cooperation, with labor upon the
boards administering the relief; the registration with the Federal
Administration of a warning “ to take care that relief was not used to
supplement sweatshop wages” ; and the raising of minimum-wage
levels. Another recommendation of that advisory committee, the
recognition of this right of the workers to organize and to bargain
collectively through representatives of their own choosing, the Sec­
retary stated, was now “ established in the law and in the custom of
the land.”
She also said:
I think that for the only time in m y memory the people of the United States
are united in the acceptance of one common idea, and that is the idea that upon
the prosperity of the wage earners of America depends the prosperity of the whole
United States. Since we all see that, if we can all be but patient and have the
character necessary to carry through this responsibility, I think we shall win
through.

In closing her address the Secretary asked the delegates to regard
the Department of Labor as their Department, “ a Department
16487°— 33------ 8


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

1122

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

developed by the United States Government for labor and for the
service and help and information of labor/’ She asked their “ posi­
tive, whole-hearted, constructive cooperation” , and declared that she
felt she could most surely count upon it.
The realization of the tremendous significance of the National
Industrial Recovery Act was strongly reflected in the convention
speeches.
According to Miss Elizabeth Christman, fraternal delegate National
Women’s Trade Union League of America, a new approach to old
problems and a real understanding of newer policies were imperative.
She also said:
I would like to strike another dominant note which I believe is in harmony
with the changing times. I believe that we shall have to make some structural
change in our present trade-union set-up. While I fully recognize the value of
craft unions, I am in sympathy with the idea now being advanced here and
there of a great need for the functional union in such many-sided industries as
the rubber, textile, automobile, meat packing, for example. I urge, therefore,
a functional organization of unions in industries which comprise a great diversity
of occupations. Looking toward such a development I have in mind the forma­
tion of something that we might call a strategy board. Such an agency could
map out general plans and policies for strengthening the united action of the
regular craft unions and at the same time extending organization into those
industries in which the present form of organization has obviously not been
successful.

It was the belief of Mr. James Rowan, fraternal delegate British
Trades Union Congress, that the United States had “ initiated a de­
parture in the economic life of nations and that other countries will be
compelled to follow” such lead in matters of fundamental policy.
Mr. Joseph A. Hall, fraternal delegate British Trades Union Congress,
advised the delegates to grasp their present opportunity. “ If ever
a nation had an opportunity democratically it is this continent of
America.” In the judgment of Mr. Fred J. White, fraternal delegate
Trades and Labor Congress of Canada, the Canadian trade unions
have not the present outlook for improved conditions that organized
workers in the United States under the National Recovery Act have.
Prudence in recognizing the need of trying new methods to solve
new problems was stressed by Rev. Francis J. Haas, Ph.D. He said:
Specifically, I have in mind the necessity of wiping out narrow jurisdictional
lines when those lines stand in the way of the larger interests of all, and of adjust­
ing the legitimate weapon of the strike to the arbitration machinery, national
and local, which the Government has set up and on which organized labor is to
have representation equal with employers.

Later on in his address he stated that if the National Recovery
Administration fails “ something else with just another name will
succeed it. That something else, barring the thought of bloodshed
and revolution and dictatorship, will have to start from the same
premises from which the N.R.A. has started, because these premises
are basically sound.”
The Postmaster General pointed out the great contribution organ­
ized labor can make to the success of the President’s recovery program
“ by continuing to exhibit not only upon the part of its leaders, as has
been eminently the case, but also upon the part of the rank and
file, a recognition of the patriotic cooperation which the great majority
of the employers of labor have rendered” to such program.
Under the recovery program, labor is confronted with “ the responsi­
bility of developing a continuous program of study of the conditions

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

LABOR ORGANIZATIONS

1123

not only of a particular shop but of a whole industry. In the develop­
ment of the codes of fair competition and in their revision there is no
room for guesswork ” , Mr. Spencer Miller, Jr., secretary of the Workers’
Education Bureau of America, told the delegates.
Labor must understand the facts, must be able to present the facts, must be
able to know how to secure additional facts. Here again, the workers’ education
movement through its courses on economic subjects, on public speaking, on labor
negotiations, can do a great deal to assist in the preparation of labor for these
new tasks. It is clear that labor cannot rise above the source of its own authentic
information about these questions. It must encourage a systematic program of
education among its members in study groups, in institutes, and summer schools
to prepare the members for these new and important responsibilities.

A strong appeal for industrial peace was made by Hon. Robert F.
Wagner, United States Senator. “ Labor,” he said, “ has been given a
new charter under the ‘ new deal,’ and there must be recognition on
the part of labor of the responsibilities involved in this new freedom.”
The strike as_a first resort is not prohibited by law; it is banned by common
sense. If any individual rights remain, none is clearer than that of workmen
simply to refrain from working, and at times this may be the only protest against
intolerable wrongs. But the crucial point is that the strike is never more than
a protest. It has no constructive force. It creates hundreds of new problems,
but cannot solve a single one. It should be used only as the very last resort.

Farther on, Senator Wagner stated that: “ Any group which in­
dulges in strikes or lockouts without first invoking the intervention
of the National Labor Board violates every dictate of good policy
and exhibits a complete oversight of the magnificent possibilities of
our whole recovery philosophy and program.”
At a night session on October 10, Gen. Hugh S. Johnson reviewed
the economic conditions which necessitated the passage of the National
Industrial Recovery Act, explained its effects, defined the rights of
the wage earners under section 7 of the law, and sounded the following
warning:
I am speaking to leaders of organized labor. I have no words strong enough
to implore you to acquit yourselves like men and American leaders in this great
crisis. * * * If you act as Americans have usually acted when these great
responsibilities impended, you can assure the future of organized labor. If you
fail you will destroy it, and with it the one greatest hope of despairing humanity
in this country. W e cannot stand another vast collapse. You are the principal
props against collapse. You cannot escape your responsibility.

He assured all honest employers who have displayed the N.R.A.
emblem that they would be protected to the limit. “ The whole
power of Government is behind the Blue Eagle. It is the symbol of
the cooperation of a whole people.”
Adopted Resolutions and Recommendations

T h e action of the convention on various resolutions and recom ­
m endations is sum m arized below:

Organization.— The decision of the executive council to grant a
charter to the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America was
approved. After protracted discussion the delegates approved the
decision of the committee on adjustment, expressing full concurrence
with executive council’s recommendation on the jurisdictional dis­
pute of the brewery workers, teamsters, engineers, and firemen. Ap­
preciation was expressed concerning the work of the president of the
federation, in cooperation with affiliated national and international

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

1124

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

unions, in purging the labor movement of racketeers and antiunion
agitators. A report of the resolutions committee, which read in part
as follows, was referred to the executive council:
However, recent developments in our industrial and political life (the N .I.R .A .)
with the great development of mass production plants have presented new prob­
lems which must be recognized and dealt with so that the rights and interests
of affiliated national and international unions may be fully safeguarded and also
that there be provided an immediate basis for the tentative organizing of these
wage earners.
Your committee is of the opinion that the issuance of Federal labor-union
charters may well serve this necessary temporary purpose, that is the organizing
of workers in mass production plants when the affiliated national and interna­
tional unions give consent to the granting of such Federal labor-union charters,
and in plants in small communities where it may prove difficult for affiliated
national and international unions to give the question of organizing their imme­
diate attention.
It is the opinion and mature judgment of your committee that this declaration
of policy be approved in lieu of all resolutions presented dealing with the sub­
ject and with the additional recommendation that in carrying out this policy
that organizers of the American Federation of Labor be instructed to cooperate
instead of compete with the representatives of the national and international
unions affiliated, and that these organizers be instructed whenever there is a
sufficient number of craft mechanics to maintain their organizations in the
plant or to form a local union of their trade that such workmen shall be placed
in the membership of the international organizations having jurisdiction.

A minority report of a delegate from the International Typo­
graphical Union on the subject of changes in organization was also
referred to the executive council.
Among the resolutions that were not concurred in by the conven­
tion was a proposal for an amendment to the federation’s constitu­
tion, which would increase the membership of the executive council
from 8 to 25.
Government administrations and agencies.— Approval was given the
executive council’s statement: “ If the declared purpose of the Re­
covery Act is to be achieved, it is obvious that such [thus far ap­
proved! codes must be reopened for reconstruction.” Regulations to
protect wage standards on the public works construction program of
the National Recovery Act were demanded. Protest was made to
the Administration against the policy tending to cut wages below a
decent living standard and to prolong hours in a way which would
result in effecting no considerable absorption of the unemployed.
Executive officers and affiliated bodies of the federation were in­
structed to endeavor to obtain an interpretation that section 7 of
the National Industrial Recovery Act is applicable to all municipal,
county, and State employees.
Support was extended to unionized and chartered locals of office
workers in securing a hearing on the National Recovery Administra­
tion codes relating to the wages and conditions of employment of
such workers. AH State federations of labor and city central labor
bodies were urged to give prompt and continued attention to the
matter of proper and adequate labor representation on all State and
local National Recovery Administration committees and boards. The
convention insisted upon the equal representation of labor and indus­
try upon local boards to be established by the National Labor Board.
The executive council was requested to introduce into Congress a
measure providing for the establishment, under the appropriate Fed­
eral department, of a technological research and statistical division.

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

LABOR ORGANIZATIONS

1125

The council was also instructed “ to have a measure or measures
introduced into the Congress which will provide the necessary appro­
priations to bring the Federal cost-of-living index up to date, and for
the adequate and more comprehensive collection of statistics covering
the volume of unemployment [sic], the hours of labor, the man-hours
worked, and the weekly, monthly, and yearly amount of wages paid
in the manufacturing and nonmanufacturing industries and also
covering all civilian employees of the Federal Government, the
several States, and all other political subdivisions. ”
The continuation of the United States Compensation Commission
as an independent governmental agency was strongly favored. The
federation’s officers were urged to endeavor to have an act passed
creating a resident commissioner for the Canal Zone. Recommenda­
tion was made for continued efforts to set up the principle that the
Government shall, when possible, purchase only such raw materials
and manufactured articles as are produced in the United States and
that the use of these domestic products be provided for in Government
contracts.
Federal employees.— The enactment of a law providing a 30-hour
week law for Federal employees was favored, such law to_ stipulate
that there be no reduction in the weekly pay received prior to the
passage of the “ Economy Acts.” The American Federation ^of
Labor’s position in favor of the immediate restoration of just workingconditions of Federal employees was reaffirmed, as was also its posi­
tion in favor of a 30-year optional retirement law for such employees.
The organization again went on record as being opposed to using a
cost-of-living standard for determining wages or salaries of Govern­
ment workers and also (so long as a cost-of-living standard is in effect)
to the existing inequitable method of determining the cost of living.
The position of the Federation in favor of higher standards of Govern­
ment employment was reaffirmed and the executive council was
instructed to continue to cooperate with affiliated organizations of
Federal employees for remedial legislation. Officers of the federa­
tion were further instructed to make every effort to induce the
President of the United States to cancel the 15-percent pay reduction
at the earliest opportunity, and to induce Congress to pass legislation
resulting in the application of the National Industrial Recovery Act
principles to all Federal employees. An amendment to the Economy
Act of March 20, 1933, to allow administrative and automatic pro­
motions in the United States civil service was recommended.
Older workers.-—Prompt provision for Federal and State compulsory
old-age pensions was favored. The delegates also urged the adoption
of provisions to assure every producing worker, after the production
years are over, an adequate income at least equal to his earned income
at the time of retirement. The executive council was directed to
make a thorough inquiry into the discrimination against older workers
with a view to developing legislation to remedy this evil.
Education and research.— The delegates renewed the federation’s
pledge to endeavor as far as possible to protect education, from the
kindergarten to the university, and the president of the federation
and available members of the executive council were asked to present
the convention’s petition to the President of the United States to
“ use his good offices during this emergency to help save our schools.”
The federation’s officers were also instructed to submit to the director

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

1126

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

of the Citizens' Conservation Camps a request to formulate an educa­
tional program for such camps. Referring to labor’s increasing need
to back its proposals by factual information^ the action of the officers
of the federation in enlarging the organization’s research group was
commended. Approval was given the report of the committee on
education recording the executive council’s announcement of the
striking success of the program of the Workers’ Education Bureau,
particularly during the preceding 6 months.
Puerto Rico.— The delegates approved the aspirations and demands
of the Puerto Rican Federation of Labor, directed the attention of the
legislative committee of the American Federation of Labor to the
demands of the Puerto Rican Federation of Labor for the extension
of progressive legislation, through interpretation, to Puerto Rico, and
advocated that the island should have proper protection in the draft­
ing of National Recovery Administration codes.
Foreign relations.— The delegates urged that labor be represented
at the forthcoming Pan American Congress of governmental repre­
sentatives to be held in Uruguay. In view of the financial condition
of the Pan American Federation of Labor and its constituents, the
opinion was voiced that that body was not prepared to hold a con­
vention. The welfare, protection, and advancement of wage earners
in all Pan American countries were declared to call for strong, compact
trade unions and their affiliation to the Pan American Federation of
Labor. The hope was expressed that the people of Cuba might estab­
lish a true trade-union movement to act in unison with the tradeunion movement of the other nations on the Western Hemisphere, in
cooperation with and through the Pan American Federation of Labor.
The delegates endorsed the executive council’s recommendation that
the American Federation of Labor boycott “ German-made goods and
German service, this boycott to continue until the German Govern­
ment recognizes the right of the working people of Germany to organ­
ize into bona fide, independent trade unions of their own choosing,
and until Germany ceases its repressive policy of persecution of
Jewish people.” The Government was commended for sending
official representatives to the seventeenth session of the International
Labor Conference and was urged to send official delegates to future
conferences of the International Labor Organization.
Immigration.— The immediate and effective restriction of the im­
migration of Filipino laborers was demanded. The federation’s
policy of upholding immigration quotas was reaffirmed and Congress
urged to resist any efforts to liberalize the same. The United States
Department of Labor Immigration Service was called upon for a more
vigorous enforcement of the immigration laws at all ports.
Financial.— The federation was requested to ask the President of
the United States to establish with the aid of “ the present financial
machinery of the United States interim facilities of consumer credit.”
The nationalization of banks was also favored, and the executive
council was instructed to have introduced into Congress a Federal
license bill with reference to individual firms and corporations en­
gaged in interstate business. Instructions were also given the council
to continue its efforts to have legislation enacted which will eliminate
every opportunity for the “ mulcting of the public through the brazen
manipulation of securities.” The convention also declared in favor
of President Green’s attitude against currency inflation as set forth

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

LABOR ORGANIZATIONS

1127

in his opening speech to the convention, in which he said “ It is my
judgment that labor will stand unflinchingly against inflation.”
I do not mean that we will not favor credit expansion, the development of a
wise financial policy that will tend to increase the volume of money in circulation,
so that business can be carried on in a proper and businesslike way. But, my
friends, when the worker earns a dollar he wants to be sure that that dollar is a
real dollar and that it does not represent to him a reduction in buying power.

In addition the convention unanimously adopted a recommenda­
tion of the committee on resolutions that “ the executive council be
directed to resort to every possible and practicable means at its com­
mand to prevent currency inflation as herein defined and reported
upon.”
Officers Reelected

M r . W il l ia m G r e e n was reelected president of the federation and
Mr. Martin F. Ryan and Mr. Frank Morrison will again serve, re­
spectively, as treasurer and secretary.
San Francisco, Calif., was decided upon as the 1934 convention city.
Report of the Executive Council

T h e report of the executive council, which covers the fiscal year
ended August 31, 1933, shows an average total membership of
2,126,796 in the unions affiliated with the American Federation in that
year— a decline of 405,465 as compared with the membership for the
preceding 12 months. In a press release, however, of October 2,1933,
from the federation’s Official Information and Publicity Service, Mr.
William Green stated that this average total membership means
that during the bottom of the depression in 1932 and early in 1933
the membership was much lower, while at the time the council’s
report was prepared in August the number of members was much
greater. According to the release at least 400,000 should be added
to show the “ present worth” of the above reported average taxpaying membership. The recapitulation, after such addition, is given
as follows:
Reported as paying taxes_________________________________ 2, 526, 796
Exempt from dues________________________________________
100, 000
In new Federal unions____________________________________
300, 000
In new international union locals_______________ ________
500, 000
Recruits in old international union locals_______________
450, 000
Recruits in old Federal unions___________________________
50, 000
Total present membership________________________ 3, 926, 796

In the same press release Mr. Green said:
True figures, if they could be had, would, I have no hesitation in saying, bring
that total to more than 4,000,000, a tremendous growth since July 1, which would
be shown in our bookkeeping report if our fiscal year had closed 1 month later.
W e cannot omit from any true calculation of our union strength those bona fide
unions, such as the railroad brotherhoods, which are not in affiliation and yet
which are as stanch and true as labor men can be. In the various units of this
type there are approximately 1 million members, including those who are
paying dues and those who remain union men and women but are exempted from
dues for various reasons. The trade-union strength of America today is 5
million in membership.


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

1128

M ON TH LY

L A B O R R E V IE W

The following figures on the federation’s membership, 1913 to
1933, are taken from the executive council’s report:
T able 1.— M E M B E R S H I P OF T H E A M E R I C A N F E D E R A T I O N OF L A B O R , 1913 T O 1933,
BY YEAR

Year

1913___________________________________
1914_______________________ _____ ______
1915___________________________ _______
1916___________________________________
1917___________________________________
1918___________________________________
1919___________________________________
1920___________________________________
1921___________________________________
1922___________________________________
1923___________________________________

Membership

1, 996,004
2,020, 671
1,946, 347
2,072, 702
2, 371, 434
2, 726, 478
3, 260. 068
4,078, 740
3, 906, 528
3,195, 635
2,926, 468

Year

1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930 _
. _
1931
1932
1933
1933 (Oct. 2)

Membership

2,865, 799
2,877,297
2,803,966
2,812, 526
2, 896, 063
2, 933, 545
2, 961,096
2,889, 550
2, 532, 261
1 2,126, 796
2 3,926, 796

1 Average for year ended Aug. 31, 1933.
2 American Federation of Labor, Official Information and Publicity Service, Oct. 2, 1933.

In July and August 1933 the federation issued 340 charters to local
trade and Federal labor unions. These new local unions did not begin
paying the per capita tax until September 1933. Furthermore, during
the fiscal year ended August 31, 1933, the national and international
unions issued 2,953 local charters. The membership, however, of the
local unions chartered by the 108 national and international unions in
July and August of this year is not included in the council’s report to
the 1933 convention.1 The 29,315 local unions of the national and
international bodies and the 673 local trade and Federal labor unions
make a total of 29,988, an increase, as compared with 26,669 (including
307 local trade and Federal unions) for the preceding year, of 3,319
charters.
The balance on hand for the year ended August 31, 1932 ($366,444.97), and the total balance and income for the 12 months ended
August 31, 1933, amounted to $824,368.87. The balance on hand
August 31, 1933, was $402,132.80.
Problems Discussed

T h e m a jo r p a rt o f th e re p o r t o f th e e x e cu tiv e co u n cil is d e v o te d to
th e N a tio n a l R e c o v e r y A c t .
A m o n g o th e r s u b je c ts ta k en u p are:
U n e m p lo y m e n t, relief, d iscrim in a tio n a gain st th e o ld e r w ork er, trad eu n ion benefits, n a tio n a l legislation , c o n v ic t la b o r, ch ild la b o r a m en d ­
m en t, rep eal o f th e eig h teen th a m en d m en t, o ld -a g e secu rity , n o n ­
p artisan p o litica l p o lic y , ju r is d ictio n a l trou b les, d e v e lo p m e n ts fo r
ra ilroad w ork ers, th e sh orter w o r k d a y a n d w o r k w eek , P a n A m erica n
F e d era tion o f L a b o r , P u e rto R ic o , th e G erm a n la b o r m o v e m e n t, the
p u b lic sch ools, and the W o r k e r s ’ E d u c a tio n B u reau.
Unemployment

T h e fo llo w in g ta b le g iv e s the fe d e r a tio n ’s estim ate o f the tota l
n u m ber o u t o f w o rk in the U n ite d S tates a t v a riou s d a t e s :
1 According to a press report of Oct. 2, 1933, the total estimated membership of the federation is approxi­
mately 4 000,000, including an increase of 1,300,000 since the enactment of the National Industrial Recovery
Act.


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

1129

LABOR ORGANIZATIONS
T able 2 .— A M E R I C A N F E D E R A T I O N OF L A B O R ’ S E S T I M A T E
O U T OF W O R K I N T H E U N I T E D

Month

January_._
February..
M arch___
April______
M a y ______
June______
July_______
August___
September
O ctober...
November.
December.

OF T O T A L N U M B E R
S T A T E S , 1930 T O 1933, B Y M O N T H S

1930

1931

1932

1933

3, 216, 000
3, S65, 000
3, 543, 000
3,188, 000
3, 090, 000
3, 250, 000
3, 714, 000
4,101, 000
4,150,000
4, 639, 000
5, 364, 000
5,541, (»0

7,160, 000
7, 345, 000
7, 098, 000
6, 739, 000
6, 750, 000
6, 841, 000
7,198, 000
7, 357, 000
7, 303, 000
7,778, 000
8,699, 000
8,908, 000

10,197, 000
10, 486, 000
10, 739, 000
10,990, 000
11, 470,000
11,853,000
12,300, 000
12,344, 000
11,767,000
11,586,000
12,008, 000
12,124, 000

13,100, 000
13, 294, 000
13, 689, 000
13, 256, 000
12,896, 000
12, 204, 000
i 11, 781, 000

i Preliminary. Since the preparation of the report of the executive council the federation has issued the
following estimates on unemployment for three months in 1933: July, 11,793,000; August, 10,960,000; Sep­
tember (preliminary), 10,089,000.

Explanatory note on unemployment estimate .— Our estimate of unemployment
covers all workers in the United States including farmers, farm laborers, manage­
ment, professional workers, public service and the industrial groups. The figures
are based on the census brought up to date by employment indexes furnished
monthly by the Labor Department and other monthly figures from the Govern­
ment: Roads— Bureau of Public Roads: railroads— Interstate Commerce Com­
mission; Federal employees— Civil Service Commission; hired workers on farms
Department of Agriculture; armed forces— Army, Navy, etc.; local and State
government— Government reports from the localities.
A group of some 7,851,800 workers (in April 1930) were not covered by any
index and employment in this group is considered to vary correspondingly with
emplovment in all other groups combined. This group includes domestic serv­
ants; automobile service; restaurants; clerical workers in banking, insurance, and
real estate; semiprofessionals and others.
In addition to these workers who have already been employed, there are con­
stantly being added to our population new recruits seeking jobs. Our estimate
counts these as part of the total number seeking employment. The increase
in this group from April 1930 to July 1933 is over 1,350,000.
Some groups cannot be accounted for in the estimate because no reports exist
to show their conditions. Of these groups the following are counted as unem­
ployed: 1. Those unemployed who have gone to the country to occupy deserted
shacks and raise their food. 2. Those who are given food and shelter on farms
but no wage payment in return for their work. _ 3. Those in forestry camps and
on relief work are not counted as employed since they are not in permanent
earning positions. 4. Many unemployed are of course able to find temporary
work bringing in intermittently a small income. This work cannot be accounted
for and these workers are considered unemployed.
Offsetting these groups are three groups counted as employed because, lacking
data on which estimates for their unemployment may be based, they automatically
fall into the employed groups: 1. Teachers who are teaching school but not being
paid. 2. Those unemployed who have gone to the country to live with relatives
on farms and are provided with at least food and shelter. 3. Those who were
living on income from investments and are now forced to seek work; we have no
way of estimating them.
,
,
In general our estimate aims to count as employed only those who actually
have earning positions in normal industrial or service work.


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

1130

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

The following table presents the federation’s statistics on tradeunion unemployment:
T able 3 .— T R A D E -U N IO N U N E M P L O Y M E N T A N D P A R T -T I M E W O R K

Percent1 of members out of work

Percent1 of mem­
bers on part time

M onth

January-------------- ---------------------- --------- --------- .
F e b ru a ry .___
. . . ______ ____________________
___
...
__________
__ .
M a r c h ____
A p ril.. . . __ ------------------------- --------------------------M a y ______________ . . . . ___ _________ . . . . . .
June. . . .
. . . . .
_ _
_
_ ... _
July---------------------------------------------------------------------August_______ ____________________ . . . ________

Average for y e a r _____

__________ ______

1928

1929

1930

1931

1932

1933

1931

1932

12.1
11.9
11.8
10.5
9.1
8.1
8.4
6.8
7.0
7. 2
7.6
10.0

11.3
10.6
8.5
7.9
6.7
6.6
6.9
6.7
6.6
7.3
8.7
10. 3

12.5
14.0
13.6
13.3
13.3
14.3
15.7
16.0
14. 6
14. 1
15.9
16. 6

19.8
19.0
18.1
17.6
17.1
18.2
18.8
19. 2
19. 4
19.5
20.1
21. 8

23.1 25.8
23.0 26.0
22.5 26.6
22.8 26. 1
22.8 25.8
23.6 24.5
25.4 24.1
25. 1 2 23.7
24. 8
23. 9
24. 2
24. 9

18
19
18
18
19
19
19
19
18
19
19
19

19
20
20
21
22
21
21
21
22
22
23
22

20
20
22
21
20
21
21
20

9.2

8.2

14.5

19. 1

23.8

19

21

21

25.3

1933

1 Weighted figures.
2 Preliminary. Since the preparation of the executive council’s report the federation has made a pre­
liminary estimate that the percent of members out of work in September 1933 (weighted figure) was 22.6.
The estimate of members on part time for that month is 20 percent.

Relief

Because of the immense need confronting the unemployed this
winter the executive council recommended:
1. That the American Federation of Labor insist on adequate relief appropria­
tions from Federal funds by Congress immediately after its reconvening in
January, so that funds may be available by February when it is expected the
present appropriations will be exhausted.
2. That we insist that the surplus agricultural product be made available for
distribution to the unemployed.
3. That the American Federation of Labor and all State and local federations
of labor do all in their power to educate public opinion to the immensity of the
relief need this winter. There is danger that taxation and appropriations for
relief may not have the necessary public support, since there is widespread belief
that the reemployment of millions has greatly reduced relief needs, and that relief
needs are therefore less than last winter.
4. That special consideration be given to the character of taxation which is
being passed by State governments in order to raise funds for relief. Higher
incomes and surplus profits should be made to bear their fair share of the burden.
Benefit Services of National and International Unions

The following figures on the benefits paid by national and inter­
national unions in 1932, submitted to the 1933 convention, are
contrasted with the statistics on the same subject for 1931, taken
from the report of the council to the preceding convention.
T able 4 .— B E N E F IT S P A ID B Y N A T I O N A L A N D I N T E R N A T I O N A L U N IO N S IN
1931 A N D 1932

Type of benefit

Sickness..................... ...............
D e a th ..................................
Unemployment...................... .
Old age..'..................................
Disability.................................
Miscellaneous.............................


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

Total..... .............................

1931

$2, 220,974.
17,132, 023.
9,146, 724.
6,090, 742.
3,671, 380.
1, 700,027.

1932

64
07
35
90
30
88

$2,308, 040. 08
17,674, 383. 64
19,970, 556.86
6,148, 302.12
4, 006, 890. 68
1, 340,175. 35

39, 961, 873.14

51, 448, 348. 73

1131

LABOR ORGANIZATIONS

In concluding its report the council made the following statement:
This convention meeting at a crucial period in the history of this country has
the opportunity and the responsibility for shaping policies of momentous impor­
tance. W e are at least attempting to work out the principles of a new deal which
our Government has legislated. As unions, we have no choice but to obey the law
and to serve as the agencies for putting it into effect. Our immediate problem
is to function so as best to advance justice and economic progress for all those
concerned in carrying on the industry and all those served by the industry.
As unions, we have the immediate task of: (a) Increasing union membership
so as to represent the workers in industries fully; (6) to develop unions for workers
in mass production industries; (c) to survey union activities so as to make ou”
machinery and methods increasingly effective.

Labor Unions in China, 1932

T

HE following data on labor organizations in China are from a
recent report 1 of the Chinese National Government.
T able 1.— L A B O R U N IO N S I N S P E C IF IE D C H IN E S E P R O V IN C E S , 1932

Labor unions

Membership

Province
Number

Anhwei .
_
_________ - .................. ..
- - - - Chekiang_.
- - ---------- --Fukien---------- . ------------------------ - --- -----------------Honan________________ _ ---------------------Hopei
_
- - - - - - - - - Hunan........ . .
- ---------- ----------------------------H upeh----------------- -------------------------------------. ------------------Kiangsi______________ - - - - ------------------------------------------Kiangsu ___________
- - - -------------- - - - -------------------Shansi------- --- -------------_
-------------------Shantung______________
_ - - -_ ------------------------- --------Suiyuan— - - - - - - - - ------------------------- - - - - - S ze ch w a n .____ _________________________________________
Total

- -

____________ _____ - -

Percent

Number 1

Percent

46
149
4
30
67
83
49
36
36
12
17
37
3
31

7. 67
24.83
.67
5.00
11.17
13. 83
8.16
6. 00
6. 00
2. 00
2. 83
6.17
.50
5.17

19, 265
41,453
995
16,187
71,020
59, 328
93,346
17, 702
52, 618

4. 70
10.11
.24
3. 95
17. 32
14. 47
22.76
4. 32
12.83

5,162
28, 998
806
3,187

1.26
7. 07
.19
.78

600

100.00

410, 067

100.00

1 The numbers of members of labor unions in the following localities are not available: Chinkiang, Sutsien
Taihing, Hwaion, Paihsien, Icheng, Woohsien, Fenghsien in Kiangsu; Taishun in Chekiang; Tsingtao
in Shantung; Tientsin in Hopei; Keeshih, Pishan in Szechwan; Pichich in Kweichow.

T able 3 .— L A B O R U N IO N S I N S P E C IF IE D I N D U S T R I E S I N C H IN A , 1932

Labor unions

Members

Industry or profession
Number

i China. National Government. Ministry of Industries.
vol. 1, no. 1. Nanking, February 1933.


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

Percent

Number

Percent

66
6
35
51
93
23
96
56
6
25
29
54
60

11.00
1.00
5.83
8. 50
15. 50
3. 83
16. 00
9. 34
1.00
4.17
4. 83
9.00
10.00

38, 346
350
21,177
27,827
60,100
4,689
34, 820
10,358
1,446
6,066
50,972
126,261
27,655

9. 35
.09
5.16
6. 79
14. 66
1.14
8. 49
2.53
.35
1.48
12. 43
30.79
6.74

600

100.00

410, 067

100.00

Bureau of Statistics.

Industrial Statistics,

1132

MONTHLY LABOR R EV IEW

Reorganization of Labor Unions of Miners in Germany1

N August 1, 1933, the Federal Government decided on the
dissolution of all former mining labor unions in Germany and to
replace them with German labor unions of miners. The new unions
will be under national socialistic control, which claims that this will
reduce labor trouble to a minimum. It was first intended to replace
the existing employers’ unions by a similar system, but some diffi­
culties prevailed and this plan was postponed.
The new organization of miners consists of 1,612 local unions,
which are under the inspection of 136 administration district offices.
The supervising staff consists of a chairman, his substitute, the finance
committee, the organization committee, the branch committee, the
management committee, and the press committee. On the branch
committees are representatives from the coal mining, lignite mining,
potash mining, ore mining, slate mining, and raw oil industry. The
head office of the organization is in Bochum, Westphalia.
All members of the dissolved unions, with the exception of the
Communists and the persons of non-Aryan race, are compelled to join
the new unions, and all unorganized German laborers are forced to
enter. A pamphlet was recently issued containing an appeal to the
workers to join the new union. It ends as follows:

O

The doors are still widely open to all those who now for the first time become
aware of their moral obligations and for those who wish to join the German labor
front. W ho cannot now make up his mind must know that the doors will be
closed for him permanently and as a proscribed person will be excluded from
the fellowship with the working class, he can have no part in the national
community and its cultural and material possessions.
Decide before it is too late.
1 Report of William W . Heard, United States consul at Breslau, Germany, Sept. 14, 1933.


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

LABOR LAWS AND COURT DECISIONS
Relief Denied Employer Violating Spirit of Labor Laws

NFAIR wages, unreasonable working hours, and unhealthful
working conditions were directly connected with the subject
matter of a suit to enjoin acts of employees on strike, and the employer
if guilty of such inequitable conduct was deemed to have come into
court with unclean hands and injunctive relief denied, according to
the recent decision of Judge Harry M. Fisher, in the case of La Mode
Garment Co., Inc., v. International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union,
decided in the circuit court of Cook County, 111.1
The dispute dates back to July 15, 1933, when a strike was called by
the employees of La Mode Garment Co., Inc., to secure the recognition
of their union and to improve working conditions and secure a higher
wage. The employer petitioned for an injunction to restrain the
employees on strike from picketing the plant and committing alleged
acts of violence. The case came up to be heard upon a motion for a
preliminary injunction and, during the course of the trial, evidence
was offered which in substance showed—

U

* * * That the female employees of the complainant were working from 55
to 60 hours a week, earning from $3 to $5.50 per week; that in many instances
the girls were required to punch cards which indicated that they concluded their
day’s work at 5 o’clock p.m ., and then continued to work until 10 or 11 o’clock
at night; that the conditions under which these women worked wete what has
become commonly known as the “ sweatshop” system.

The members of the union further showed that the agreement made
by the employer not to interfere with members joining the union was
violated, as several who did join were immediately discharged, and
that an arbitration proposed by the union was refused by the em­
ployer. The union insisted that only peaceful means were used in
conducting the picketing complained of by the employer.
In determining whether an injunction should be issued, the court
held it was necessary to determine whether the complainant comes
into court with clean hands, as the court found no distinction between
a labor suit in equity and all other cases in an equity court in which
the parties “ must come into court with clean hands.”
Pointing to the fact that “ the jurisdiction of the court to issue
such injunctions rests solely on the ground that its purpose is not the
restraint of the evildoer, but the protection of property and business”
the court said:
Clearly, then, if one deals so inequitably in respect to the very business he
seeks to" protect as to naturally and directly cause the trouble he complains of,
how can he be heard to say that his wrongdoing is not connected with the subject
matter of his suit?
True, the inequitable conduct of an employer which causes a lawful strike does
not justify lawlessness on the part of the strikers, but for such lawlessness cor1 Printed opinion and decree of case N o. B272112.


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

1133

1134

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

rectives are to be found in the criminal laws of the State and in civil suits for
damages. But in equity the complainant’s own hands must be clean if he is to
prevail against those who injure him.

In holding that the conduct of the employer was of such a nature and
so closely connected with the subject matter of the suit as to prevent
him from coming into court with clean hands, the court based its
decision upon three major reasons:
(1) The prevailing employment conditions in La Mode Garment
Co. violated the spirit of the National Recovery Act. The court
commented on the fact that “ the country is struggling heroically to
emerge from an unprecedented economic depression” and that the
President in carrying out the powers granted him by Congress had
prescribed codes for industry which prescribe maximum hours of
labor and minimum wages, as “ the primary effort toward economic
recovery.” Continuing, the court said:
The provisions of the codes already adopted, as well as the provisions of the
general agreement suggested by the President, prove conclusively that the hours
of labor of the employees in complainant’s industry and the wages received by
them are violative of the purpose and spirit of the National Recovery Act and
tend to prolong the depression. In determining whether the conduct of the
complainant in respect to the business it seeks to protect is equitable, the violation
of this act cannot be ignored.

(2) The wages paid in the complainant’s industry violated the
letter and spirit of the minimum fair wage law recently adopted by
the State of Illinois. This act, the court said, is a clear and concise
statement of the public policy of the State of Illinois in respect to fair
wages. The employer defended the low-wage scale on the ground that
keen competition in the industry compelled it, but the court said,
“ Granting that to be true, a court of chancery will not lend its aid to
protect a business that can survive only by its proprietors oppressing
its workers, by violating the law, and by conduct contrary to equity
and good conscience.”
(3) If the injunction were issued, the court held it would “ directly
aid the continuance of an indefensible condition in the industry in
question.” In concluding the opinion, the court said:
* * * Whatever might have been the accepted thought on the subject in
days prior to the economic breakdown, today, no employer can insist that it is
his right to bargain with each of his employees separately for the longest possible
hours of labor, at the lowest possible wage and then turn to the courts for aid
when such insistence brings labor troubles upon him. The welfare of the Nation
forbids it.

The injunction was therefore denied, and the strike ordered to be
terminated, the court fixing the minimum rate of wages and the
maximum hours of labor pending the adoption of a code under the
National Industrial Recovery Act.

Court Holds National Recovery Legislation Constitutional

HE National Recovery Act and the Agricultural Adjustment
Act, two of the major laws adopted in laying the foundation for
the recovery program, have successfully passed the first tests of
constitutionality.
The National Recovery Act was upheld in an opinion delivered by
Mr. Justice Cox rendered August 15, 1933, in the case of Southport Pe-

T


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

LABOR LAWS AND COURT DECISIONS

1135

troleum Co. v. Harold L. Ickes, Secretary of the Interior (33 Wash. Law
Rep. 577). In this case the Petroleum Co. sought to secure an injunc­
tion restraining the Secretary of the Interior from prohibiting the inter­
state shipment of oil which had been produced in violation of State
regulations. Orders to that effect had been issued by the Secretary
of the Interior under the powers conferred upon him in the section of
the National Recovery Act covering the oil industry.
The opinion of the court in this case was based primarily upon juris­
dictional questions but the court also passed formally upon the
constitutionality of the Recovery Act, and was in favor of its validity.
In regard to the question of jurisdiction, the court said:
Injunctive relief involves in most cases an element of discretion on the part of
the court. One of the principal points of attack of the bill is that the Secretary,
acting for the President, is giving effect to an invalid regulation of the Texas
Railroad Commission, by excluding from interstate commerce oil produced in
violation of the rules of the commission. This court is asked to pass on the
validity of this regulation. On that point, the plaintiff seems to have a remedy
in the State courts of Texas, or in the three-judge Federal court of that State.
Either of those courts would be in a better position, in the first instance, to pass
on the validity of the regulation than a court in the District of Columbia. So I
am disposed, so far as I have any discretion in the matter, to leave the validity
of the regulation to the courts in Texas. If the regulation be held invalid in
Texas, I take it that the Secretary’s order, here complained of, would auto­
matically cease to be applied against the plaintiffs.

The court also pointed to the fact that “ the executive power of the
President may not be controlled by injunction” and authorities were
cited establishing that principle. This was considered by the court
to be a definite obstacle standing in the way of the petition for an
injunction.
.
t it
The remainder of the opinion was devoted entirely to upholding the
constitutionality of the National Recovery Act, and is quoted in full
as follows:
Congress has declared the existence of a great national emergency, and has
given the President great powers to meet that emergency. _ The rationale of the
doctrine of the self-protection is that the necessity for it is inherent in the nature
of every organism. Necessity confers many rights and privileges, which other­
wise would not exist. In the case of an individual, necessity may be a complete
justification for the commission of acts which would otherwise be serious tres­
passes or heinous crimes. For example, if a highway is blocked, a man may
from necessity properly tear down a neighbor’s fence and proceed through his
field, or in self-defense he may be justified even in taking the life of another.
T h e ’idea back of this law is sometimes expressed as “ necessity knows no law ” ,
or as “ Self-preservation is the first law of nature.”
This principle, at least to
some degree, also extends to governments. In time of war, which is the best
known emergency, the most extraordinary _powers are exercised, and sacred
rights are sometimes ignored. The conception is expressed in the old maxim,
“ When arms speak, the laws are silent.” The same concept also extends to
other emergencies. It may happen that other emergencies prove more perilous
to national life than war itself. W ar may tend to unify a nation. _ There are
emergencies that tend to disorganize and to destroy. ^Another maxim is
I he
safety of the people is the supreme law.”
This conception must have its place m
our laws dealing with emergencies that threaten national safety or stability.
While the courts hold that the Constitution is not suspended or set aside by war
or national emergency, it is thought that the Constitution and all other laws
must be read in the light of and, to some extent, subject to, the primal and
fundamental concept of the necessity for self-preservation.
Here we are facing a national emergency declared to exist by the legislative
department, which has invested the President with power and authority to meet
it. Every presumption is in favor of the validity of the authority so granted to
the President. The argument on behalf of the plaintiffs has failed to show that
the authority conferred under section 9 (c) of the National Recovery Act, the
exercise of which is here complained of, is not appropriate or adapted to the


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

1136

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

purpose for which it is granted, or beyond the powers arising under the Constitu­
tion. The court will not lightly exercise its power in any way to complicate the
problem of the legislative and executive departments in the present emergency.

The request for preliminary injunction was therefore denied.
The Agricultural Adjustment Act was declared valid and the regu­
lations and licenses promulgated thereunder were held to be reasonable
in an oral opinion rendered by Mr. Justice O’Donoghue of the Supreme
Court of the District of Columbia in the case of Economy Dairy Co.,
Inc., v. Henry A. Wallace, Secretary of Agriculture (35 Wash. Law Rep.
633).
The question presented for determination was the constitutionality
of the Adjustment Act and the opinion by the court in this case was
based solely upon the constitutional issue. The case involves the
section of the Agriculture Adjustment Act which clothes the Secretary
of Agriculture with the power to issue permits or licenses to persons
engaged in the sale of agricultural commodities and also gives him the
power to suspend or revoke these licenses after a satisfactory cause is
established upon a hearing. The Economy Dairy Co. challenged the
price-fixing provision established under the licensing power by the
Secretary of Agriculture as being confiscatory. The retail price fixed
in the license was 10 cents a quart and approximately 3% cents of this
was to be paid the dairyman. The dairy company contended that the
ruling was confiscatory because it fixed the same price for milk
delivered to the customer as it did for milk sold over the counter, in
the manner that company sold milk. It was contended that con­
sumers would not purchase milk over the counter when they could get
it delivered to them at the same price by another company. In
declaring the act constitutional and the regulations and licenses
promulgated thereunder reasonable and valid the court found “ that
a national emergency exists and that the welfare of the people and the
very existence of the Government itself is in peril. The day has
passed when absolute vested rights in contract or property are to be
regarded as sacrosanct or above the law. Neither the necessities of
life nor commodities affected with a public interest can any longer
be left to ruthless competition or selfish greed for their production
or distribution.”
The court therefore refused to grant the injunction and dismissed
the bill.
Egyptian Legislation on Employment of Women in Commerce
and Industry

N ITS issue for September 25, 1933, Industrial and Labor Informa­
tion states that a new law governing the employment of women in
industry and commerce in Egypt was passed July 10, 1933, to become
effective 6 months after publication. Under its terms women may
not be employed in industrial or commercial undertakings for more
than 9 hours a day, exclusive of rest periods. The rest periods must
amount to at least 1 hour a day in all, and must be so arranged that
women do not work consecutively for more than 5 hours.
Women may not be employed at night, with the following excep­
tions: Women employed in hotels, restaurants, boarding houses,
cafes, refreshment rooms, theaters, cinemas, music halls, and similar
establishments, and women employed in such seasonal industries

I


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

LABOR LAWS AND COURT DECISIONS

1137

co n ce rn e d w ith p erish able g o o d s as m a y b e sch ed u led b y ord er issued
b y the M in iste r o f the In te rio r a fter con su lta tio n w ith the L a b o r
O ffice.
T h e n ig h t, fo r the p u rp o se o f th e a ct, m ean s an u n in terru p ted p eriod
o f 11 h ou rs in clu d in g the p e rio d b etw een 9 p .m . a n d 5 a.m .

Women employed in managerial or confidential positions, and
woman commercial travelers, so far as they work outside the establish­
ment, are exempted from the provisions as to hours, rest periods, and
night work. Any of these provisions may be set aside in case of
emergency “ as an exceptional and temporary measure’ ’, provided
the Labor Office is informed within 24 hours, and the prohibition of
night work may be temporarily suspended, by official action, during
certain great national and religious festivals, and for other public
occasions.
Every employed woman must have a weekly rest of at least 24
consecutive hours. Women may not be employed in certain indus­
tries and occupations, and provision is made for a rest of a month
before and a fortnight after childbirth. For the fortnight following
confinement, the woman is entitled to wages at half her usual rate.
A woman nursing her child must be given two rest periods daily of
half an hour each for this purpose, in addition to the rest periods
prescribed for woman employees in general.
P ro v isio n is m a d e fo r in s p e ctio n o f prem ises to see th a t the law
is b ein g o b e y e d , an d pen a lties are p r o v id e d fo r its in fra ctio n .

Child Labor Regulation in Egypt

HE September 4, 1933, issue of Industrial and Labor Informa­
tion states that a bill to regulate the employment of children and
young persons in industry passed the Egyptian Parliament, was pro­
mulgated as law No. 48 of 1933, and will come into operation 6 months
from the date of publication, which was June 26. Its terms are thus
summarized:

T

The act applies generally to industrial undertakings as defined in the inter­
national labor conventions. As amended, it prohibits the employment of chil­
dren under 12 years of age in industrial undertakings, instead of children under 9
years of age, as provided in the original bill, although an exception permitting the
employment of children between 9 and 12 years in certain occupations is main­
tained. Special provisions regulate the employment of young persons in danger­
ous or unhealthy processes. _ In fixing the hours of work of children between the
ages of 9 and 12 years at 7 in the day and those of young persons under 15 years
of age at 9 in the day, the act has abandoned the notion of “ hours of effective
work ” contained in the original bill. Night work is prohibited for young persons
under 15 years of age, for whom a weekly rest is also provided. The act also
makes provision for measures of supervision by the administrative authorities.
16487°— 33

9


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

INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES
Strikes and Lockouts in the United States in September 1933

ATA regarding industrial disputes in the United States for
September 1933, with comparable data for preceding months,
are presented below. Disputes involving fewer than six workers
and lasting less than 1 day have been omitted.
Table 1 shows the number of disputes beginning in each year from
1927 to 1932, the number of workers involved, and man-days lost for
these years and for each of the months January 1931 to September
1933, inclusive, as well as the number of disputes in effect at the
end of each month and the number of workers involved. The
number of man-days lost, as given in the last column of the table,
refers to the estimated number of working days lost by workers
involved in disputes which were in progress during the month or year
specified.

D

T able

1 . — I N D U S T R I A L D IS P U T E S B E G I N N I N G I N A N D I N E F F E C T A T E N D O F E A C H
M O N T H , J A N U A R Y 1932 T O S E P T E M B E R 1933, A N D T O T A L N U M B E R OF D IS P U T E S ,
W O R K E R S , A N D M A N -D A Y S L O S T I N T H E Y E A R S 1927 T O 1932

Number of disputes

Number of workers in­
volved in disputes

M onth and year
Beginning
in month
or year

In effect
at end of
month

Beginning
in month
or year

In effect
at end of
month

Number of
man-days
lost in
disputes
existing
in month
or year

1927__________________________________________
1928________________________________ ________ _
1929__________________________________________
1930__________________________________________
1931__________________________________________
1932__________________________________________

734
629
903
653
891
808

1932
January _ _____________ ________
_
February_____________ ___ _______________
.
M arch_______ ______ _____________ _____
April. _______
___________________ _____
M ay___
_______________________________ _
June................
..
... . . . . ________
July_________________________________________
August. ___________________________________
September _ .
_ . . . . _____________
October_________________ ___________________
November . ____ . _______ _______ ... . .
D ecem b er... __ . . .
. . . ___ . .... _____

87
56
04
89
87
69
66
85
85
47
38
35

37
34
30
44
52
46
40
38
33
23
21
12

12,091
33, 713
33, 087
19,187
44, 357
15,858
20,890
28. 492
17, 824
10,442
3, 460
3, 425

4,993
31 103
13,937
21, 513
49, 777
24,138
33,216
27, 717
7,456
2, 324
1,896
997

132, 873
460, 701
736, 782
020,866
1,251,455
943, 338
740, 785
754, 423
566, 045
147, 059
68,154
40,492

1933
January_____________________________________
February _ _ . .......... _
..
.... . .
March
. . . .
____
...
_______
A p ril.
. . . .
M a y _____ ___________________ ____ .
June . . . . . .
. . . ...
...................... ..
July_________________________________________
August 1 _________ __________ __________
._
Septem ber1___________________ ____________

67
63
91
72
133
131
219
183
143

29
32
41
46
49
45
68
102
133

19,616
10, 909
39,913
23,077
41,652
40, 903
108, 350
159, 287
220, 756

8, 790
6, 706
12, 794
19,867
16, 584
24,593
49, 058
63,420
171,288

240,912
109,860
445,771
535, 039
603, 723
504, 362
1, 404,850
1, 730, 634
3, 826, 835

1 Preliminary figures subject to change.

1138


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

37 799 394
31 Sfifi 947
9* 97n’ 213
2 730 3fiS
fi 33fi 133
6, 462| 973

349,434
357,145
230, 463
158,114
279, 299
242, 826

1139

INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES
Occurrence of Disputes

T a b l e 2 gives, by industrial groups, the number of strikes begin­
ning in July, August, and September 1933 and the number of workers
directly involved.
T able 2 .— I N D U S T R I A L D IS P U T E S B E G IN N I N G I N J U L Y , A U G U S T , A N D S E P T E M B E R
1933

Number of workers involved
in disputes beginning in—

Number of disputes begin­
ning in—
Industrial group
August

July

1
6

5
1
1
14
2
65
1
1
1

10
1
45

3
3
2
1
2

3
8

2
4

.
2
2
3
6
7

1
2
4
1
2
12
16

Septem­
ber

2
5
1
1
7
5
32
1
1
7
1
2
5
1
1
3
1
2
4
13
6

July

163
270
18

August

100
1,416

1,585
33
56, 772
18
400
100

705
600
86, 633

214
1,313
1,390
34
530

1,050
3,538

347
530
594
1,212
11,320

560
3,150

5,000
130
1,467
100
350
2,789
22,806

Septem­
ber

3,800
925
45
46
2, 353
13, 068
67,025
20
2, 791
3,695
60
3, 000
1,663
300
300
1,700
30
68
985
3,788
82,150

Motion-picture operators, actors, and the755

5
1
3
1
6
1
3

2
1
1
2

63
4
11

41
8
9

219

183

1
1

2
1
18

150
667
250
1,183
60
1,200

416
14
150
2,019

19

26, 456
222
714

13, 266
8, 878
4,000

143

108, 350

159, 287

50
4,000

47
117
22,162
6,568
220, 756

Size and Duration of Disputes

T a b l e 3 gives the number of industrial disputes beginning in
September 1933, classified by number of workers and by industrial
groups.


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

1140

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

T able 3 .—N U M B E R

O F I N D U S T R I A L D IS P U T E S B E G IN N I N G I N S E P T E M B E R
C L A S S IF IE D B Y N U M B E R OF W O R K E R S A N D B Y I N D U S T R I A L G R O U P

1933,

Number of disputes beginning in September 1933
involving—

Industrial group

5.000
1,000
500
100
10,000
6 and 20 and
and
and
and
and
under under under under under under workers
and
100
20
10.000
1,000
5,000
500
workers workers workers workers workers workers over

2
1

2
1
1
3
2
6
1
2
1

1

1

2

1

12

5

1
1
5

3

2
1
1
1
2

1

2

1
2

4

1

2
2

1
1
2
4

1
1
2
1

1
5
1

1
3

1

1
1
1

1
2
4

1
7
11

4
1

3
1

2

2
6

39

48

16

25

6

3

1

In table 4 are shown the number of industrial disputes ending in
September 1933, by industrial groups and classified duration.
OF I N D U S T R I A L D IS P U T E S E N D I N G I N S E P T E M B E R
I N D U S T R I A L G R O U P A N D C L A S S IF IE D D U R A T I O N

T able 4 .—N U M B E R

1933, B Y

Classified duration of strikes ending in September
1933
Industrial group


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

month
or less

2
1
5
5
22
1
4
1
4
3
1

Over Vi
and less
than
1 month

1 month
2 and less 4 and less
and less
than 5
than 3
than 2
months
months
months

1

1

1

4

1

1
1

2

1
1
2
6
1
1
1
2
1
10

1
2
1

1

3

4
1

8

3

82

13

1

14

2

1

INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES

1141

Conciliation Work of the Department of Labor in September
1933
By

H ugh

L.

K e r w in , D ir e c t o r o f C o n c il ia t io n

HE Secretary of Labor, through the Conciliation Service, exer­
cised her good offices in connection with 176 labor disputes during
September 1933. These disputes affected a known total of 111,626
employees. The table following shows the name and location of the
establishment or industry in which the dispute occurred, the nature of
the dispute (whether strike or lockout or controversy not having
reached the strike or lockout stage), the craft or trade concerned, the
cause of the dispute, its present status, the terms of settlement, the
date of beginning and ending, and the number of workers directly and
indirectly involved.
There were 8 cases involving the law on the prevailing rate of
wages. In these cases it is not always possible to show the number
involved, due to lack of information as to total number required
before completion of construction.

T


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

1933

Workers in­
volved

Duration
Company or industry and location

Shrimp fisheries, Biloxi, M iss-------

Winona Machine Foundry Co.,
Winona, Minn.
Stone Silk Co., Carbondale, P a ....
Chantrell Tool Works, Reading,
Pa.
Geo. E. Lee Coal Co., Plymouth,
Pa.
Dresner Shop, Chicago, 111----------M uskin Shoe Co., Chesapeake
Shoe Co., and Merriam Shoe
Co., Baltimore, M d.
Ponemah Mills, Taftsville, Conn..
Hayes-Custer Stove Co., Bloom­
ington, 111.
Benedict Coal Mining Corpora­
tion, St. Charles, Va.
Virginia Iron, Coal & Coke Co.,
St. Charles, Va.


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

Cause of dispute

Fishermen.

Prices and working conditions..

Silk workers.

Asked increase__________ _______

Controversy _ Miners----------

Working conditions___________ _

Zinc and chemical
workers.
Strike_______ Bill posters--------------

Wages, conditions, and viola­
tions of blanket code.
Wage increase___________________

Strike.
____ do_______

____ do_______

Tile and clay work­
ers.
____ do_______ Clothing workers—

____ do______

Threatened
strike.
Strike_____

Wages and discrimination..
W ages________ _______ ______

____ do_____________

____ do------------- --------- -----------

Foundry workers.

Wages cut 5 cents per hour.

_do.

Silk and rayon work­ Asked wage increase_______
ers.
W ages______________________
Toolmakers________

.do.

Miners .

Working conditions________

Leather workers.

Refusal to recognize union or to'
confer with workers.
Union recognition and work con­
ditions.

.d o .

____ do— .
Lockout-

Shoe workers------

Strike—
____ do----------

Cotton-textile work­
ers.
Molders____________

____ do----------

Miners.

Controversy. ____ do_.

Stretch-out system.
Wages--------------------Working conditions; checkweighman.
Discrimination and recognition..

Terms of settlement

Unable to adjust. Out of 22 can­
neries, 5 are working under
agreement with fishermen.
Adjusted. Agreement to recog­
nize workers’ union.
Adjusted. Agreement concluded.
Adjusted. Satisfactory agreement
concluded.
Adjusted. Increase of 15 percent
allowed; returned.
Adjusted. Amicable settlement;
work resumed.
Adjusted. Increase of 33Lì percent.

Direct­ Indi­
rectly
ly

Begin­
ning

Ending

1933
Aug. 31

1933
Sept. 12

3, 400

Sept.

Sept. 21

900

1

Sept. 15

75

1

500

Aug. 30 ___do____

50

Aug. 25

Sept.

Aug. 25

Sept.

5

180

Aug. 20

Sept.

1

500

Sept. 15

20

Sept.

5

Aug.

3

Sept.

5

Unclassified.
Returned
before
commissioner’s arrival.
Adjusted. Miners returned; griev­
ances to go through proper chan­
nels.
Pending___________________________

Sept.

4

Sept.

5

100

Sept.

5

Sept.

9

250

Sept.

6

Adjusted. Satisfactory settlement.

Aug. 28

Oct.

2

543

Sept.

1,000

Adjusted. Satisfactory settlement
under existing agreement.
Pending___________________________
_do_

20

35

3

Sept.

5

36

Aug. 15

Sept.

1

800

Aug. 22

Sept. 14

400

Adjusted. No
discrimination;
checkweighman allowed.

—

200

Oct.

1

250

(>)

percent ___do-------

_do.
Adjusted. Allowed
increase.

750

70

MONTHLY LABOR R EV IEW

Textile
workers,
Willimantic,
Conn.
Tommelson Coal Co., St. Charles,
Va.
American Zinc & Chemical Co.,
Langeloth, Pa.
General
Outdoor
Advertising
Agency, Akron, Ohio.
Tile & Clay Products, Clearfield,
Pa
Hillsdale Work Clothing Co.,
Hillsdale, Mich.
Vogue Wright Co., Chicago, H I ...

Nature of con­ Craftsmen concerned
troversy

1142

L A B O R D IS P U T E S H A N D L E D B Y T H E C O N C I L IA T I O N S E R V IC E D U R I N G T H E M O N T H OP S E P T E M B E R

Virginia Lee Mine and Dominion
M ine, St. Charles, Va.
Blumenthal Bros., Philadelphia,
Pa.
Elekles Cigar Box Co., Quakertown, Pa.

Strike

. .

___ do______

Confectionery workers.

Organization, collective bargain­
ing, and protest discharges.
Excessive wage cuts when hours
reduced.

Cigar-box makers___

Discharges; asked increase_______

Kerr Glass Co., Huntington, W .
Va.
College Weavers, North Hampton,
Mass.

Working conditions
____ do_______________

Bobby Hat Co., Modern Hat Co.,
Elizabeth, N.J.
Drake Baking Co., Irvington, N.J.
Controversy. Retail fruit clerks. . .

Working conditions______________

National Lock Co., Rockford, I1L_
AJabama Braid M ill, Gadsden,
Controversy. Braid makers_____ .
Ala.
Huntington Stove & Foundry Co., Strike . . . . . Foundry workers___
Huntington, W .V a .
Delta Finishing Co., Philadelphia,
Pa.
Relief workers, Tri-Cities, Illinois
and Iowa.
McClintoc-Marshall Co. New
Controversy. Ironworkers’ helpers and engineers.
York City.
Goncordia Gallia - Corporation,
Philadelphia, Pa.
Leviton Co., Long Island, N .Y . . _
Hart Hat Co. and Cleveland Hat
Co., Cleveland, Ohio
Star H at & Frame Co., Cleveland,
Ohio.
Miners, Gordon Creek and Spring
Canyon, Utah.
F. P. W oll & Co., Philadelphia,
Pa.

1 N ot reported.


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

Asked that strikers be allowed to
return without discrimination.
Discrimination and stretch-out
system.

(0 ---------------------------

Sept. 13

200

Aug. 22

300

Sept.

9

Oct.

125

Sept.

6

Sept. 20

475

Aug. 19

Sept.

5

150

Aug. 30

Sept.

5

31

(i)

Sept.
Sept.

8
7

Adjusted. Adjustment of work­
ing conditions and union recog­
nition.
Unable to adjust. Others em­
ployed throughout plant.
Pending______ ______ ______________

Aug.

7

Sept. 28

550

Sept.

1

Sept. 17

1,000

Sept.

7

0)

-------do________________ _______ ______

Sept.

8

(0

Asked increase and recognition. __ -------do........................ ..................... .........

Aug. 23

Dissatisfaction with handling of -------do— ............... ................................
moneys.
Prevailing wage not paid on fab­ ____ do______________ _______ ______ _
rication of steel.
Wage increase and recognition___ Adjusted. Increase of from 20 to
30 percent and recognition.
-------do____________________ _____ _
Unclassified________________ _____ _
Working conditions alleged in­ Adjusted Increase of 25 percent;
imical to spirit of N .R .A .
recognition; and collective bar­
gaining.
----- do---------- ____ do_______________ Recognition and collective bar­ Adjusted. Increase of approxi­
gaining.
mately 25 percent; recognition
and collective bargaining.
Working conditions______________ Pending____________________________

Aug. 28

Excessive wage cuts by introduc­
tion of 40-hour week.

___ d o _____

3

Adjusted Increase of 20 percent
in piecework rates; other differ­
ences adjusted.
Piano workers---------- Wages and working conditions... Adjusted." Increase of 10 percent;
returned to work.

160

Sept.

3
0)

0)
0)

Aug. 31

Sept.

8

470

Sept. 12
Sept. 8

Sept. 20
Sept. 22

670
360

Aug. 16 --_d o ____

40

1

Sept.

1

Aug. 17

150

110

7

Aug.

75

236

800
Sept. 11
Sept.

4

20
350

1143

Kimball Co., Chicago, 111_________

Adjusted. Arbitration to be de­
termined. by Industrial Recov­
ery Committee.
Wages and recognition of I.M .
Adjusted. W ill abide by blanket
W .U .
code.
W ages____________ _______ ________ Adjusted. Increase of from $22 to
$25 plus percentage.
Violation of private agreement__ Pending___________________________
Wages, hours, and conditions____ ------- do__________________________ ___

Aug. 21
Aug. 18

INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES

Morris Holkower, New York City_
Coal City Cooperage Co., Pell
City, Ala.
Matthiessen Hegler Zinc Co., La
Salle, 111.

Adjusted. Reinstated those dis­
charged.
Adjusted. Company agreed to
deal with union committees and
adjust all complaints.
Unable to adjust. Unable to se­
cure compliance terms from
company.
Pending__________________ ______ _

Workers in­
volved

Duration
Company or industry and location

Nature of con­ Craftsmen concerned
troversy

Garden and market
workers.
Hosiery workers____
Cab drivers________

Low wages and conditions.
Working conditions______________
Asked $14.50 for 48-hour week___

Terms of settlement

Unclassified. Commissioner not
engaged.
Pending___________________________
Unable to adjust. Strike contin­
ued.
Adjusted. Returned; negotiations
continued.
Pending______________ _____ ________
___ do---------- --------- -------------------------

Ending

1933
Sept. 11

1933
Sept. 13

Sept. 19
Low wages and discharge of fore­
Bakery workers__
_do.
O oldblatt’s Department Store,
man.
Chicago, 111.
W ages____________________________
McBride Glass Co., Salem, W .V a_. Controversy- Glass workers___
Garment workers___ Working conditions______________
Strike___
Garment workers, Huntington,
W .V a .
Adjusted. Settlement concluded. Sept. 16
Discharges for union activity-Em ployees-.
Bluejay Co., Huntington, W .V a -. ____ do--------Alleged violations of N .R .A . code- Adjusted. W ill comply with all Sept. 13
Box makers .
Corrugated box factories, Parkers­ Threatened
provisions of code.
strike.
burg, W .V a.
Pending___________________________
Employees_________ .---_ d o --------------------------------------Ames-Baldwin W yom ing Shovel ____ do--------Co., Parkersburg, W .V a .
Adjusted. Allowed 335-6 percent Sept. 18
Glass-bottle blowers Wages and working conditions
J. T . & A . Hamilton Co., Pitts­ Strikeincrease and recognition.
burgh, Pa.
Sept. 5
Pending___________________________
Employees_________ ____ do------------------------------------------Threatened
Sender Co., Jennette, Pa_________
strike.
Adjusted. Settlement concluded Sept. 13
Union difficulty; plants closed--.
Strike______ N ut shellers________
A . Calamari Co., Chicago, I1L
and plants reopened.
Sept. 19
Pending___________________________
Linton’s chain restaurants, Phila­ ____ do_______ Hotel and restaurant Working conditions-------------------workers.
delphia, Pa.
Sept. 17
Alleged discharges for union Unclassified. Referred to N .R .A .
Valley M ould & Iron Co., Sharps- Controversy. Ironworkers_____
officials.
affiliation.
ville, Pa.
Sept.
11
Adjusted. Referred to Industrial
Bradford Cotton Mills, M ontgom­ ____ do_______ Cotton-textile work­ Stretch-out system---------------------Relations Board.
ers.
ery and Prattsville, Ala.
Sept.
19
P e n d in g ..,________________________
Shoe workers, Milford, M ass____ _ Strike_______ Shoe workers_______ Working conditions_____________
Adjusted. Union recognition------ ___do-----Faultless Castor Co., Evansville, ____ do_______ Tool and die makers _ Discharges for union activity----Ind.
Adjusted. Increase of 25 percent; Sept. 11
Paper hangers, Philadelphia, Pa-_ ____ do_______ Paper hangers______ Asked 40 percent increase .
closed shop.
Sept. 19
Unclassified. Mediation not de­
Standard Forgings, Indiana Har­ ____ do_______ Steel workers_______ Working conditions______
sired .
bor, Ind.
Sept. 18
Pending-----------------------------------------■Crystal Pocketbook Co., Union ____ d o ........... Pocketbook makers. M inim um wage___________
City, N.J.
Sept. 19
.d o .
Working conditions______
Operators__________
Motion-picture theaters, Indian­ Threatened
strike.
apolis, Ind.


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

Direct­ Indi­
rectly
ly

Begin­
ning

12
(i)
53

Sept. 23

12
(i)
0)

Sept. 21
Sept. 26

0)
(0
750

Sept. 25

300
P)

Sept. 19

1,000
100

Sept. 25

90

Oct.

2

835

Oct.

2

300
200

Sept. 19

600

Oct.

475

2

35
200

MONTHLY LABOR R EV IEW

Controversy.
R . H . Bogg Market Garden, W est
Springfield, Mass.
Merrill Hosiery Co., Hornell, N .Y _ ____ do_
Strike-.
Yellow Cab Co., Akron, Ohio__

Cause of dispute

1144

L A B O R D IS P U T E S H A N D L E D B Y T H E C O N C I L IA T I O N S E R V IC E D U R I N O T H E M O N T H O F S E P T E M B E R 1933— Continued

Western Gas Co., Bechtel-Kaiser
C o., Ltd ., and Henry J. Kaiser
C o., Douglas to Phoenix, Ariz.
Logan Porter Mirror Co., High
Point, N .C .
Rayon
manufacturers,
socket, It.I.

Wages.

Adjusted.
hour.

Glass workers----------

Objection to change in system of
computing wages.

Rayon workers_____

D ischarges..------- --------------------------

Adjusted. Returned to work;
wages to be computed as before
strike.
Unclassified. Places filled by
others.
Pending------------------------------------------____ do_______________________________
Adjusted. Increase of 10 percent;
40-hour week.
Adjusted. Agreed to arbitrate
differences.
Pending_______ _______ _____ _____ —

Laborers
line.
Strike_______

Woon- _

do___ --

on

pipe

Allowed 50 cents per


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

750 _

Sept. 21

Sept. 25

52 _

Sept. 19

Oct.

1

48

Sept. 11

Sept. 15

(i)
107
32

Aug. 29

Sept. 27

120

Sept. 21

292

750

40

Sept. 21

63

Sept. 23

3

5

Sept. 21

60

Sept. 18

Sept. 29

90

Sept. 19

Oct.

7

35

365

Sept. 20

Sept. 25

670

10

___do____
Sept.

(!)

Sept. 21

18
Sept. 18

Sept. 22

(i)
45

Sept. 11
Sept. 18
Sept. 25

12

500

Oct.

1

118

125

15
Sept. 15

Oct.

10

600

Sept. 25

Sept. 29

150

Sept. 26

Sept. 27

300

Sept. 16

Oct.

3

105

Aug. 15

Sept. 22

15

30

45

1145

■Not reported.

Sept. 26

INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES

Cleaners____________ Working conditions___________ _
Pocketbook makers. Refusal to recognize union-----------Linen-supply hand­ W age increase and right to or­
Lockout___
Gordon Nick Linen Supply Co.,
ganize.
lers.
Philadelphia, Pa.
Consolidated Cleaners et al., Se- S t r i k e ..----- Drivers and inside ____ do_____________________________
workers.
attle, W ash.
Ideal Specialty Co., Royersford, ___ do________ Molders_____________ ____ do_____________________________
Pa.
Corset makers........... Working conditions______________ Adjusted. Reinstatement of those
discharged.
Nafziger Baking Co., Springfield, ___ do_______ Bakers......................... Discharges for union affiliation.. . Adjusted. Plant unionized and
conditions satisfactory.
M o.
Clothing workers___ Working conditions......................... Unable to adjust. Factory closed
C. O. Vactor Co., Cleveland, ___ do____ __
indefinitely.
Ohio.
Shoe cutters------------- Union recognition refused________ Adjusted. Recognition; collective
P. W . M inor & Son Shoe Mfgrs., Lockout___
bargaining; workers reinstated.
Batavia, N .Y .
Shoe workers_______ Union recognition..------- --------------- Adjusted. Resumed work; settle­
do___ __
Buster Brown Shoe Co., Vinment
reached.
cennes, Ind.
Steel workers_______ Discharges for union activity------- Pending— ------------ -------------------------Standard Steel Spring Co.,Cora- Threatened
strike.
opolis, Pa.
Restaurant and ho­ Wages, hours, and conditions------ ____ do_________________________ _____
Strike___ __
Hotels and restaurants, Portland,
tel workers.
Oreg.
platers, Asked increase and 36-hour week. Adjusted. Increase of 25 percent
Electro-Platers’ Association and Controversy. Polishers,
and 36-hour week.
and buffers.
Lamp Manufacturers’ Associa­
tion. Philadelphia, Pa.
Woodruff Edwards Co., Elgin, 111. Strike_______ Molders_____________ Discharges for union activity------- Pending____________________________
Hudson M otor Co., Detroit, M ich. ____ do______ Pattern makers_____ Asked 7J^-hour day and 5-day ____ do______________ _______ ________
week.
Solid Steel Scissors Co., Fort ____ do_______ Scissors makers_____ Wage cuts and conditions________ Unable to adjust___________________
Smith, Ark.
Pacific Woodenware Plant,Marys- Lockout____ Woodenware work­ Agreement offered by workers Pending-----------------------------------------refused.
ers.
ville, W ash.
Mission K nit Hosiery M ills, Los Strike_______ Hosiery workers____ Wages and working conditions. . . Adjusted. Agreement concluded.
Angeles, Calif.
and
brick Discharges for union activity------- Adjusted. Recognition and col­
Stark Brick Co., East Canton, ___ do______ Clay
lective bargaining allowed; will
workers.
Ohio.
reemploy.
Elsberry M fgr. Co., Elsberry, M o . ____ do_______ Glove workers______ Wages and working conditions.. . Adjusted. Satisfactory wage agree­
ment.
S. L. Allen Co., Philadelphia, Pa. ____ do_______ Farm and garden ____ do_____________________________ Adjusted. Increase 22 percent;
recognition and no piecework.
implement makers.
Controversy. Clerks, waiters, and W a g es.------------------------------------------ Adjusted. W ill abide by blanket
Beulah Race Track, Grove City,
code.
laborers.
Ohio.

Sept. 20

Workers in­
volved

Duration
Company or industry and location

Nature of con
troversy

Bloomington Crushed Stone Co.,
Controversy
Bloomington, Ind.
Reick McJunkin M ilk Co., Pitts­ Threatened
burgh, Pa.
strike.
Chevrolet M otor Co., Flint, M ich. ____ do_______


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

Terms of settlement
Begin­
ning

Crushed-stone work­
ers.
Dairy workers_____

Low wages and conditions.. .

Pending.

1933
Sept. 25

Discharges___________________

____ do ...

...d o ____

Pattern m akers.. .

Hours per day________________

Adjusted. Three shifts of TYi
hours each.
Pending_________________ __________

Sept.

Strike___

Laundry workers _

Discharges for union activity.

Threatened
strike.
Strike______

____ do_____________

____ do........................ .....................

.d o .

Leather workers...

Asked union recognition_________

.d o .

Strike.

M in ers............ .......

Equalization of work;
ment of local men.

Printers and dyers.

Wage increase and collective
bargaining.
Asked increase and collective Adjusted. Increase of from 12%
bargaining.
to 15 percent.
-------do______________ _____ _________ ____ do........ ............................... ...............

Printers and dyers, Paterson, N .J. ------ do______
Jersey C ity Dairy, Jersey City,
N .J.
Carlstadt Dairy C o., Carlstadt,
N .J.
Bachman Bros., Inc., Philadel­
phia, Pa.
Shurig Bros. Electric Co., Cin­
cinnati, Ohio.
Multnomah Laundry and Port­
land Laundry, Portland, Oreg.
Fort W ayne Tailoring C o., Fort
W ayne, Ind.
Filipino farm workers, San Joa­
quin Valley, Calif.
M ason Parker C o., W . D . Cass
C o., and Gardner D oll Carriage
Co., Winchendon, Athol, South
Royalston and other towns, Mass.
O’ Brien Bros. Overall Mfgrs.,
Nashville, Tenn.
Blue Diamond Coal Co., St.
Charles, Va.
Penn Anthracite Coal Co., Scran­
ton, Pa.
M . R . Regenberg, New York C ity _

Cause of dispute

Dairy workers_____
Threatened
strike.
Controversy. ____ do______________

employ­

Optical workers___

Asked increase in wages_________

Controversy. Electrical workers..

Dispute between contractors and
unions.
Working conditions______________

Strike___

____ do______

Laundry workers. _

Strike______

Garment w orkers..

-do.

Controversy.

Farm workers_____

Wages and working conditions. .

Strike______

Woodworkers______

Refusal to recognize union______

.d o ...

Garment m akers..

do___

Anthracite miners.

Stretch-out system and other
grievances.
Working conditions........................

.d o ___

____ do_____________

.d o ...

Cigarmakers______

Asked reinstatement of men
discharged.
Asked 25 percent increase for all
workers.

4

Ending

(>)
(>)
Sept.

5

Adjusted.
Reinstated without
discrimination; further negoti­
ations.
Adjusted. Settlement concluded.

5

Sept. 11

Sept.

6

Oct.

Sept.

2

Sept.

Aug. 31

2, 974

50

6

Aug. 22

250

26
13

Sept. 21
...d o ____
Sept;

Direct- Tndily
rectly

700

13 25.000
7

23

. .. d o ____

65

Sept. 25

200

Increase of 20 percent.

Sept.

6

Pending............................................... ..

Sept.

3

2

200

Adjusted. W ill abide by terms
of N .R .A . code.
Adjusted. Union contract con­
cluded.
P e n d in g ............................................ ..

Sept. 11

Sept. 15

100

50

Sept.

Sept. 18

330

Adjusted.

5

10.000

Aug. 16

Adjusted. Code adopted; arbi­
tration for all grievances not
fixed by code.

Sept. 13

Sept. 21

5.000

Unable to adjust..................................

Sept.

7

Sept. 16

340

Adjusted. Resumed operations
under agreement.
Adjusted. Resumed operations
and conditions normal.
Pending___________________________

Sept.

1

Sept. 13

750

Sept.

2

Sept. 12

3.000

Sept.

8

155

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

Mannheim Laundry Co., Phila­
delphia, Pa.
Acme Laundry C o., Philadelphia,
Pa.
W hite Luggage Shop, Philadel­
phia, Pa.
D . & H . Coal Co., Jermyn, Pa___

Craftsmen concerned

1146

L A B O R D IS P U T E S H A N D L E D B Y T H E C O N C I L IA T I O N S E R V IC E D U R I N G T H E M O N T H OP S E P T E M B E R 1933— Continued

M . Ulmer & W m . Freidberger,
New York City.

.d o .

_do.

-d o.

Staten Island Dairy C o., Port
Richmond, N .Y .
H . Sommer Cigar Co., Quakertown, Pa.

Threatened
strike.
Controversy

Drivers and plant
men.
Cigarmakers_______

W ages____________________________

Sexton Can C o., Everett, M a s s ...
Security H at Corporation, New
York C ity.
Omaha H at Co., New York City
Carter Shoe Co., Nashville, Term
Ingber & C o., Philadelphia, P a ...
International Leather Goods Co.,
Philadelphia, Pa.
Howard, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa------

Strike..
___ do.

Em ployees...
Hat workers .

Working conditions.
Union difficulties___

____ do_______
___ do______
___ do______
____ do_______

.d o .
Millinery workers..
Shoe workers----------- Working conditions.
Pocketbook makers. ____ do_______________
___ do_______________ ____ do_______________

Controversy.

Cleaners and dyers.

Imperial Glass Corporation, Bellaire, Ohio.
Belcher Lumber C o., Bessemer,
Ala.
Fur workers, Boston, M ass----------

.d o .

Controversy.

Fabricated
steel
workers.
Glass workers---------

Asked wage increase and shorter
hours.
Working conditions.._____________

Lockout____

Lumber workers___

____ do____________

Threatened
strike.
Strike______

Fur workers________

____ do____________

Strike______

.d o .
_do.
„do.
Adjusted. Closed-shop agreement
concluded
Adjusted. Increase of from 10 to
50 percent; no discrimination.
Pending....................... ....... ...............

Willimantic Silk M ills, Willimantic, Conn.
Dock workers, East Chicago, Ind. ____ do______
____ do----------

•Not reported.


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

Dock workers______
Welders...... ......... —

2

Sept.

7

51

Sept.

1

Sept. 10

108

Aug. 29
July 15

Sept. 28

90

0)
0)
(>)
(0
(0

Sept. 13

Oct.

2

1.500

2,000

Sept. 11

Sept. 16

415

35

0)

_do.

Sept.

0

_do_

Sept. 10

Adjusted. Allowed 40 cents per
hour.
Adjusted. Increase of 20 percent
and closed shop.
Adjusted. Returned pending final
settlement under terms of code.
$1.90
per
Asked $1.85 per thousand p ic k s .. Adjusted. Allowed
1,000 picks.
Wages, sanitary conditions, and Adjusted. Increase allowed and
recognition of committee.
recognition of committee.
Wages and working conditions... Pending------------------------------------------

5

)

0)

7

Sept. 16

100

Sept. 10

...d o ........

400

Sept.

. .d o ____

Sept. 15

1.500

Aug. 25

...d o ____

900

Sept. 10

Sept. 14

50

Clothing workers. . . ____ do__________________ __________

Adjusted.

Signed agreement____

Sept.

Battery workers____

Wages______________ _____________

Adjusted.

Increase of H percent.

Sept. 15

Oct.

6

160

Aeronautical work­
ers.

Wages and working conditions._.

Adjusted.

Strike averted------------

Sept. 16

Sept. 19

1,600

Building crafts--------

Working conditions______________

Pending.

Sept. 15

300

Fur workers________

Asked 100 percent increase and ____ d o .. .
closed shop.
Working conditions______________
_do.
____ do_____________________________ Adjusted.

Sept. 16

0)
0)

Textile workers.
Employees_____

M en reinstated.

1

200

(0

. .d o ____

Sept. 13
Sept. 15

Sept. 15

Sept. 19

300

1147

Standard Steel Casting Co., East
Chicago, Ind.
Lansky Brothers Clothing M fg. ____ do---------Co., Buffalo, N .Y .
Globe Union Battery Co., Phila­ ____ do______
delphia, Pa.
Curtiss Aeroplane & Motor Co. Threatened
strike.
and Consolidated Aircraft Co.,
Buffalo, N .Y .
Pennsylvania Station, Philadel­ Strikephia, Pa.
Fur workers, Danbury, Conn------ Threatened
strike.
Strike______
Mobile Cotton M ill, Mobile, Ala
Bowler Roller Co., Detroit, M ich ____ do_____

Silk workers________

Sept.

Sept. 12

Hollow tile workers. Wages and hours.
National Fireproofing Corpora­
tion, Perth Am boy, N.J.
Cleaners and dyers, New Haven, ____ do______ Cleaners and dyers.. ____ do____________
Conn.
_do.
Cleaners and dyers, Seattle, W ash. Controversy. ___ do........ ...................
Strike______

Sept. 13

. .d o ____
Sept. 1
Sept. 7
. .d o ____

.d o .

30

Aug. 21

INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES

Griffin Mfgr. Co., Erie, Pa-----------

Working conditions; refusal to
use “ bunching machines.”

Adjusted. Increase 12 percent;
40-hour week; $12 per week
minimum.
Adjusted. Increase 12}4 percent;
collective bargaining.
Adjusted. Company abandoned
use of protested machines; other
conditions corrected.
Unable to adjust__________________
Pending------------------------ -----------------

Workers in­
volved

Duration
Company or industry and location

Nature of con­
Craftsmen concerned
troversy

Cause of dispute

B uilding.............

Wage scale not satisfactory.

Metal polishers, Philadelphia, Pa. Strike______
Chatillon C o., Rome, Ga__________ Threatened
strike.
Strauss Cigar Co., Chicago, 111___ Strike______
M . & M . Transportation Co.,
___ do______
Springfield, Mass.
Illinois Glass Bottle Co., Clairton,
_do.
Pa.
Can workers, Chelsea, M ass______ ____ do______
Kaufman Plush Co., Philadelphia, Controversy.
Pa.
Chrysler Co., Philadelphia, Pa___ Strike.

Metal polishers.
Textile workers.

Working conditions.
____ do_______ _______

Cigarmakers..
Truck drivers.

Wages and working conditions..
___ do________________ ________ _

Glass workers.

W ages.

Granite cutters, Atlanta, G a______
Niagara Apparel Shop, Buffalo,
N .Y .

Controversy.
Strike______

Can workers . . .
Plush workers.

____ do.
____ do.

Metal polishers and
buffers.

Discharge of workers, working
conditions, and increase in
wages.
Working conditions______________
____ do_______________ _________ _

Granite cutters___
Clothing workers.

Wages and working conditions. . .

Philco Radio Co., Philadelphia, Threatened
strike.
Pa.
U . S. Gauge Co., Sellersboro, Pa__ Strike______
Pennsylvania Sugar Refinery, ____ do_____
Philadelphia, Pa.

Radio workers.
Employees-------------Refinery workers.. .

Working conditions______________
Wage increase and reinstatement
of discharged workers.

Chamberlain Weatherstrip Co.,
Boston, Mass.
Weirton Steel Works, Weirton,
W .V a ., and Steubenville, Ohio.
Louisville Street Railways, Louis­
ville, K y.
Carpenters and joiners, Salem,
Mass.
Julius Kauser Co., including Ster­
ling Silk Glove Co., Bangor, Pa.
King Colonial Radio Corporation,
Buffalo, N .Y .
California Fancy Leather Goods
Co., Los Angeles, Calif.

Employees_________

Working conditions and viola­
tions of N .R .A . code.
____ do_____________________________


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

____ do______

Terms of settlement

Adjusted. Resumed work and
negotiations continued.
Pending___________________________
A d ju sted ..-------------------------------------Pending___________________________
Adjusted. Agreed to arbitrate;
settled b y N .R .A .
Adjusted. Increase of 10 percent;
returned to work.
Pending------ --------- ------------------------____ do.............. ............. ....................... .
Adjusted. Increase of 25 percent
and 36-hour week.

Ending

1933
Sept, l l

1933
Sept. 29

29

Sept. 25
Sept. 26

Sept. 28

100

Sept. 25

...d o ___

200

(0
0)

Sept. 26
Sept. 27
Sept. 26

Pending___________________________ Sept. 25
Adjusted. Agreed to abide by Sept. 27
popular vote, supervised by
commissioner.
Adjusted. (Report not yet re­ ...d o —
ceived.)
Pending--------------------------------- ------- . . . d o ____
Adjusted. Increase from $3 to $4 Sept. 23
per week; 700 returned without
discrimination.
Adjusted. Returned pending fur­ Sept. 25
ther consideration of issues.
P e n d in g ..------- ------------------------------ Sept. 28

Steel workers______

Controversy.

Traction workers...

Violations of N .R .A .

-d o .

. . . d o ____

Threatened
strike.
____ do______

Building___________

Working conditions.

-d o .

Sept. 25

____ do.

Hosiery and glove
workers.
Radio workers_____

____ do_______________

Strike.

Leather workers___

-d o .

25
350

Sept. 16
Sept. 15

____ do______

Asked N .R .A . code be put into
effect, minimum of 40 cents per
hour, and 25 cents per hour in­
crease on all rates above.

Direct- Indily
rectly

Begin­
ning

Adjusted. Company agreed to Sept. 28
remedy differences.
Adjusted. Satisfactory agreement . . . d o ____
concluded.
Adjusted. Increase of 25 percent— Sept. 20

Sept. 28

Sept. 28

(0
150

3

1,600

Sept. 29

350
900

Oct.

Sept. 30

15
5,000

0)
180
Oct.

5

1,600

Oct.

10

700

Oct.

4

22

6,400

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IEW

Controversy.

Jobst & Sons, Pekin, 111____ ______

1148

L A B O R D IS P U T E S H A N D L E D B Y T H E C O N C I L I A T I O N S E R V I C E D U R I N G T H E M O N T H O F S E P T E M B E R 1933— Continued

Oct.

Sept. 21

Sept. 27

Sept.

6

Sept. 26

225

91

Sept. 22

Sept. 25

18

200

Recognition refused------------ ---------

Wages, working conditions and
hours.
Lumber workers____ Wages, hours and discharges____

Adjusted. Same pay for shorter
work week.
Pending___________________________

Sept. 30

Husch Bros. Department Store,
Louisville, K y.

.d o ____

Painters and paper
hangers.

Objection to nonunion men on
job.

Juvenile Shoe Corporation, A u ­
rora, M o.
O. E . Kearns & Sons Knitting
M ill, High Point, N .C .

-d o ____

Shoe workers.

Working conditions; organiza­
tion.
Wages____________________________

.d o ____

Knitters_____

-do-

Bakery and grocery
workers.
Traction workers—

Threatened
strike.
Controversy.
Threatened
strike.
Strike______

Street railways--------- Working conditions.. .

Embroidery workers, New York
City.
Cotton pickers, Arizona----------------

____ do_____

Embroidery workers.

____ do_____

Cotton pickers_____

Low wages and working condi­
tions.
W ages___________________________

Owners of cleaning and pressing
shops, Seattle, Wash.

Controversy.

Retail shop workers.

Wages, hours and affiliation.

Bricklayers.

Prevailing wage.

111.
Shoe repair shops, Buffalo, N .Y ...

Shoe a n d
workers.

r e p a ir

Wages and conditions.

30

Sept. 29
Oct.

10

603

0)
(0

Sept. 28
Sept. 26

-d o .

17 .............

Adjusted. M inim um pay $25 Sept. 25 Sept. 29
week for benehmen, $15 for ap­
prentices; 48-hour week.
Adjusted. Home work to be Sept. 15 - .. d o ........
abolished.
d o ._
Adjusted. Allowed $1 per 100 for — do___
long staple, 60 cents for short
staple; increases in future.
6
Adjusted. Agreement formulated Aug. 29 Oct.
and recommended for adoption.

INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES

Consumers Grocery and Baking
Co., Chicago, 111.
Birmingham Electric Co., Bir­
mingham, Ala.
Belcher Lumber Co., Greenpond,
Ala.
Street railways, East St. Louis,

20

Sept. 18

.d o ____

5

20

Adjusted. Increase of 20 percent;
5 percent additional on N ovem ­
ber 1.
Adjusted. Agreed to finish job
with union men at union scale
of 90 cents per hour.
Adjusted.
Satisfactory
settle­
ment.
Adjusted. Returned with under­
standing that prices would be
revised.
Pending------------------------------------------

Piecework rates; protest furnish
ing their own glue brushes.

____ do____

United Suit & Bag Co., Los A n ­
geles, Calif.

100
1,000
3.000

1.000

GOVERNMENT CONSTRUCTION

Post offices:
Middleburg, V t ........................ -

d o ..........

Pittsburgh, Pa—Oberlin, Ohio-----Philadelphia, Pa.

-do_do_
_do_

Elwood City Pa.

_do.

Columbus, Ohio.

Strike.

Iron workers------------Rod setters_________
Structural-ironwork'
ers.
Hod carriers, stone
masons, bricklay­
ers, and laborers.
Building trades me­
chanics.

Total________________________
1 Not reported.


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

Adjusted. Wages fixed in conference.
Pending..
____ do____
____ do____

Aug. 25

Aug. 25

Aug. 15
Sept. 8
Aug. 31

Back wages paid in

Sept. 27

Sept. 29

25

Adjusted. M ason tending to be
done by members of that craft.

Sept. 15

Sept. 28

130

Pending___________________________
Adjusted. Allowed 90 cents per
hour retroactive to Sept. 9.
Mechanics allowed
Prevailing wage not being p a id -.. Adjusted.
$1.10 per hour.

Sept. 27
Sept. 29

Oct.

1

Sept. 26

Oct.

2

-d o .
Substitution of common laborers
at 40 cents per hour for me­
chanics’ work at 60 cents.
Prevailing wage not paid------------Prevailing wage---------- ----------------

Adjusted.
full.

(0

16

60

15
94, 272

17,354

1149

Dubuque, Iowa----- ----------------- Controversy. Marble setters______
Plumbers and steam
"Plumbers and steam fitters, M u s­ ____ do—
fitters.
kegon, Mich.
Mechanics__________
Conservation Corps Barracks, ____ do___
Andover, Mass.

_do.
_do.
-do.

LABOR TURN-OVER
Labor Turn-Over in Manufacturing Establishments, Third
Quarter of 1933

HE Bureau of Labor Statistics receives reports as to labor
turn-over from representative manufacturing establishments in
148 census industry classifications. The reports received for the
third quarter of 1933 show that their accession rate was 22.88. This
hiring rate was nearly double the rate for the third quarter of 1932,
and slightly exceeded the rate for the second quarter of 1933.
The lay-off rate for the third quarter of 1933 was slightly higher
than for the second quarter of this year, but much lower than the
lay-off rate during the third quarter of 1932.
The third quarter quit rate was higher than for any quarter in 1932
or 1933. Many strikes occurred in a number of leading industries;
over 20 percent of the quits were caused by these industrial disputes.
The greatest number of disturbances occurred in the silk and boot and
shoe industries.
The rates shown herein represent the number of changes, per 100
employees, that took place during the 3 months ending September
30, 1933. The average used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for
compiling turn-over rates is the arithmetic mean. The rates shown
in table 1 covering manufacturing as a whole were compiled from
reports made to the Bureau by establishments employing approxi­
mately 1,000,000 people. In the industries for which separate indexes
are presented, reports were received from representative plants em­
ploying at least 25 percent of the workers in each industry as shown
by the Census of Manufactures of 1927.
In addition to the separation rates and the accession rate, the net
turn-over rate is also shown. Net turn-over means the rate of re­
placement, that is, the number of jobs that are vacated and filled
per 100 employees. In a plant that is increasing its force, the net
turn-over rate is the same as the separation rate, because while more
people are hired than are separated from their jobs, the number hired
above those leaving is due to expansion and cannot justly be charged
to turn-over. On the other hand, in a plant that is reducing its num­
ber of employees, the net turn-over rate is the same as the accession
rate, because while more people are separated from the pay roll than
are hired, the excess of separations over accessions is due to a reduc­
tion in force and therefore cannot be logically charged as a turn-over
expense.
Table 1 shows for manufacturing as a whole the total separation
rate, subdivided into the quit, discharge, and lay-off rates, together
with the accession rate and the net turn-over rate for the four quarters
of 1932, and the first, second, and third quarters of 1933.

T

1150


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

1151

LABOR TU R N -O YER
T able 1 .— Q U A R T E R L Y T U R N -O V E R R A T E S I N R E P R E S E N T A T I V E

F A C T O R IE S IN

148 I N D U S T R IE S

Separation rates

Period

Quit

Discharge

Accession
rate

Total
separation
rate

Lay-oil

Net turn­
over rate

1932

1933

1932

1933

1932

1933

1932

1933

1932

1933

1932

1933

2. 28
First quarter- ___
Second quarter-------- 2.15
Third quarter_______ 2.10
1.77

1.56
2.23
4.16

0.58
.49
.45
.43

0.38
.52
.78

8.18
12. 92
10. 78
8. 75

10.14
4. 46
6. 31

11.04
15. 56
13. 33
10. 95

12.08
7. 21
11. 25

9. 65
7. 80
12. 55
10. 50

8. 50
20. 86
22.88

9. 65
7. 80
12. 55
10.50

8. 50
7. 21
11. 25

Table 2 shows the quit, discharge, lay-off, accession, and net turn­
over rates for the 10 industries for which the Bureau’s sample covers
a sufficiently large number of firms to justify the publishing of sepa­
rate industry figures.
Among these industries, cotton manufacturing had the highest quit
rate during the third quarter of 1933. The lowest quit rate was
shown by the furniture industry. Automobiles had the highest
discharge rate and iron and steel the lowest. The highest lay-off
rate occurred in brick manufacturing and the lowest in the iron
and steel industry. The highest accession rate occurred in the
slaughtering and meat-packing industry and the lowest in the men’s
clothing industry. The manufacture of brick showed the highest
net turn-over rate and the iron and steel industry the lowest.
T able 2 .— Q U A R T E R L Y T U R N -O V E R R A T E S I N S P E C IF IE D IN D U S T R I E S

Automobiles
Class of rates

Net turn-over________________

Class of rates


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

Brick

Third Second Third
Third Second Third
Third Second Third
quarter quarter quarter quarter quarter quarter quarter quarter quarter
1932
1932
1932
1933
1933
1933
1933
1933
1933

1.29
.35
40. 61
42.25
7. 90
7. 90

Class of rates

Boots and shoes

2.49
.97
5. 57
9. 03
29. 52
9.03

4. 82
1. 74
12. 05
18.61
28. 76
18. 61

Cotton manufacturing

3. 46
.80
5. 62
9. 88
31. 05
9. 88

6.10
1.11
2.14
9. 35
32. 23
9. 35

5. 53
1. 25
9.68
16. 46
21.30
16. 46

Iron and steel

1.22
. 14
5.32
6.68
3.98
3.98

1.72
.22
1. 59
3. 53
22.03
3. 53

2.51
.33
2. 33
5.17
22. 70
5.17

3.01
.77
4. 77
8.55
16. 43
8. 55

2. 50
. 54
4. 19
7.23
12. 15
7.23

5. 35
1.16
4. 27
10. 78
15. 20
10. 78

0. 93
.39
27. 44
28. 76
22. 27
22. 27

Foundries and machine
shops

0. 75
.25
10. 23
11.23
7. 32
7. 32

1.31
.47
5. 70
7. 48
19. 08
7.48

2. 42
.72
5. 84
8. 98
27.14
8. 98

2. 53
.40
2. 94
5.87
16. 26
5. 87

3.10
.58
6.85
10. 53
13. 26
10. 53

2.58
.73
22. 05
25. 36
29. 32
25.36

Furniture

1.11
.24
9. 48
10. 83
20.88
10.83

M en ’s clothing

3.14
. 16
2. 73
6.03
22. 54
6.03

1.13
.59
13.17
14.89
46. 30
14.89

3. 49
.33
7. 74
11. 56
30. 71
11.56

2.23
1.09
5. 56
8. 88
36. 56
8.88

Sawmills

3. 49
.75
15. 77
20. 01
17. 94
17.94

3. 48
.75
9.26
13. 49
42. 47
13.49

3.00
1. 26
10. 38
14.64
27. 05
14. 64

1152

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IEW

T able 2 .— Q U A R T E R L Y T U R N -O V E R R A T E S IN S P E C IF IE D I N D U S T R I E S — Continued

Slaughtering and meat packing
Class of rates
Third quarter
1932

Second quarter
1933

2. 57
1.11
14. 77
18.45
20.24
18. 45

2. 64
.96
8.12
11. 72
23.04
11.72

Quit____________ _____________ ___________ ____________ __
Discharge _______
...
- _________
- -------------Lay-off_____________ _ . _ _________ _ - ----- ---------------Total separation . - - ____
..
......................... —
Accession____________________________ ____________________
N et turn-over_________________ ___ -----------------------------. .

Labor Turn-Over in the Cotton Manufacturing
1931 and 1932

Third quarter
1933

4. 21
1.11
13.96
19.28
36.99
19.28

Industry,

HE present article (the third of a series dealing with labor turn­
over in individual industries *) covers 172 identical firms in the
cotton manufacturing industry for the years 1931 and 1932. These
firms had on their pay rolls an average of 89,918 workers in 1931 and
an average of 83,814 workers in 1932.
The net turn-over rate for the cotton manufacturing industry was
47.25 for the year 1931; for the year 1932, 38.89. The net turn-over
rate for manufacturing as a whole during 1931 was 35.72 and during
1932, 40.50. It will be noted that cotton manufacturing, while
having a higher turn-over rate than manufacturing as a whole in
1931, had a lower rate than manufacturing as a whole during 1932.
Table 1 shows the number of firms, the number of employees,
and the number of quits, discharges, lay-offs, and accessions in 172
identical cotton manufacturing plants, by rate groups, for the years
1931 and 1932.

T

T able 1.— C H A N G E S I N P E R S O N N E L I N 172 I D E N T I C A L F IR M S I N T H E C O T T O N
M A N U F A C T U R I N G I N D U S T R Y , 1931 A N D 1932, B Y R A T E G R O U P S

Quits
Number of
firms

Number of
employees

Number of
quits

Rate group
1931

Under 2.5 percent.- ----------------------------------------2.5 and under 5 percent. - ------------ ------------------- 5 and under 7.5 percent.
_______
_________ ________
7.5 and under 10 percent-- - ________
--10 and under 15 percent . . . - - - - - - - - ...
15 and under 20 percent-.- - - - - - - - - - 20 and under 25 percent_____________ - ----------------- 25 and under 30 percent-- ------------------------- --- —
30 and under 35 percent - -------------35 percent and over- ---------- ------------------- --- ----------------Total-

-

________ -_ _ - ----------------- ---------

1932

1931

1932

1931

1932

37
20
17
18
29
21
9
7
1
13

57
22
29
9
24
17
4
2
2
6

15,291
7, 643
10,104
8,895
13, 935
12, 479
5,642
5, 957
402
9, 570

22,096
10, 986
13,335
3,941
13, 192
6,943
1, 523
1,160
1, 924
8, 214

73
291
590
757
1,722
2, 221
1,255
1,715
140
6,478

153
420
824
334
1,568
1,171
349
298
661
4,805

172

172

89,918

83,314

15, 242

10,583

1 The first dealt with the automobile industry (M onthly Labor Review, June 1933, p. 1316) and the
second with the boot and shoe industry (M onthly Labor Review, October 1933, p. 893).


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

1153

LABOR TURN-OVER

T able 1 .— C H A N G E I N P E R S O N N E L IN 172 I D E N T I C A L F IR M S IN T H E C O T T O N
M A N U F A C T U R I N G I N D U S T R Y , 1931 A N D 1932, B Y R A T E G R O U P S — Continued

Discharges

Number of
firms

Number of
employees

Number of
discharges

Rate group
1931

Under 0.5 percent___
._ . . . ________________
0.5 and under 1 percent.. . . . . . ______ _____________
1 and under 2 percent________________ ______________ _
2 and under 3 percent_______________________
3 and under 4 percent_____
_ _ _ _ _
4 and under 5 percent___________________________________
5 and under 7 percent
_ _ _______________________
7 and under 9 percent-__ _ _
________ _______ ___
9 and under 11 percent__________________________________
11 percent and over _ . . . __________________________ _
Total

____________ . _________ ____

____

_ _

1932

1931

1932

1931

1932

48
15
31
14
15
9
16
6
4
14

62
22
21
19
14
8
8
7
3
8

17, 040
9,832
16, 962
8, 155
12,450
5, 071
9, 784
2, 041
1,534
7,049

27, 508
10, 284
14,834
6, 620
6,985
3, 979
2, 562
4, 276
1, 152
5,114

13
73
211
208
403
219
556
152
157
1,007

11
71
187
166
237
166
147
342
120
712

172

172

89,918

83,314

2, 999

2,159

Lay-offs

Number of
firms

Number of
employees

Number of
lay-offs

Rate group
1931

Under 5 percent _
...
_
............ ..
5 and under 10 percent
10 and under 20 percent20 and under 30 percent. .
_ _ _ _ _
_
___ __
30 and under 40 percent__________________________ ____
40 and under 60 percent________________________________
60 and under 90 percent _ _
_ -------------------------------90 and under 120 percent. ___________ _ ___ --------- _
120 and under 150 p e r c e n t -._______
150 percent and over.
___________ _ _ ___ _
Total

1932

1931

1932

1931

1932

53
12
31
18
16
17
13
7
1
4

47
11
22
16
10
13
17
22
4
10

23, 510
3,860
23,081
9,804
4, 253
11,880
7, 377
2,936
295
2,922

21, 397
5,877
13,135
6,136
4, 991
8, 964
6,134
9, 287
2,114
5,279

422
292
3, 324
2, 402
1,425
5,877
6,035
2,982
428
4,659

299
482
1, 962
1,484
1,685
4,243
4, 671
9,810
2,656
10,057

172

172

89,918

83, 314

27,846

37, 349

Total separations

Number of
firms

Number of
employees

Total separa­
tions

Rate group
1931

Under 10 percent _
. . . ____
_________
10 and under 20 percent _ _ _ ................ .......................
20 and under 30 percent_____________________ __________
30 and under 40 percent_______________ ____ _ _
40 and under 60 percent._ _ ................ __._
-----60 and under 90 percent-------------------- ------------- -------------90 and under 120 percent________ _ _ _
120 and under 150 percent___________ _______ ___ ___
150 and under 180 percent_____________
_ ----------------180 percent and over
________________
__________
Total

__________ __ ----------------------------------- -__

16487°— 33------ 10


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

1932

1931

1932

1931

1932

20
23
34
25
28
22
10
5
2
3

30
27
18
12
23
18
22
10
6
6

7,014
12, 675
14, 351
14, 781
17, 429
10, 733
4,660
4, 334
2,940
1,001

11, 677
13, 695
11, 536
3,087
11, 988
8,246
10, 235
6, 324
3, 691
2,835

350
1,973
3,547
5,135
9,158
8,281
4,879
6, 052
4,669
2,043

688
2,035
2,873
1, 055
5,606
6,517
10, 722
8,207
5,992
6,396

172

172

89, 918

83, 314

46,087

50,091

1154

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

T able 1.— C H A N G E I N P E R S O N N E L I N 172 I D E N T I C A L F I R M S I N T H E C O T T O N
M A N U F A C T U R I N G I N D U S T R Y , 1931 A N D 1932, B Y R A T E G R O U P S — Continued

Accessions

N u m b er of
fir m s

N u m b er of
e m p lo y e e s

R a te group
1931

1932

N u m b er of
acce ssion s

1931

1932

1931

1932

U n d e r 5 p e r c e n t ____________
5 a n d u n d e r 10 p e r c e n t s _
10 a n d u n d e r 2 0 p e r c e n t . _
20 a n d u n d e r 3 0 p e r c e n t . .
30 a n d u n d e r 40 p e r c e n t ..
40 a n d u n d e r 50 p e r c e n t ..
50 a n d u n d e r 70 p e r c e n t ..
70 a n d u n d e r 110 p e r c e n t110 a n d u n d e r 150 p e r c e n t
150 p e r c e n t a n d o v e r ______

14
16
32
25
16
15
26
15
8
5

17
19
27
17
7
11
16
28
18
12

5 ,3 2 6
5 ,6 2 0
16, 760
8 ,7 4 8
5, 759
14, 669
17, 075
7, 936
4 ,8 9 3
3 ,1 3 2

5 ,8 2 2
8, 935
8 ,3 4 5
10, 663
3 ,8 3 8
4 ,3 4 8
9 ,7 8 9
1 1 ,6 7 7
12, 436
7, 461

143
421
2 ,5 8 1
2 ,2 3 9
1 ,9 2 5
6 ,4 1 6
9 ,6 1 8
7, 255
6, 516
5 ,2 6 1

178
657
1 ,1 9 5
2 ,4 4 6
1 ,3 8 6
1 ,9 9 8
5, 722
9 ,7 4 8
16, 229
13, 237

T o t a l ___________________

172

172

8 9 ,9 1 8

83, 314

42, 375

52, 796

Net turn-over

N u m b e r of
fir m s

N u m b e r of
e m p lo y e e s

N e t t u r n -o v e r

R a te group
1931

U n d e r 10 p e r c e n t _______________
10 a n d u n d e r 2 0 p e r c e n t . .
._
20 a n d u n d e r 3 0 p e r c e n t _ .
3 0 a n d u n d e r 4 0 p e r c e n t _______ ____
40 a n d u n d e r 50 p e r c e n t. .
______
50 a n d u n d e r 60 p e r c e n t . . ____
60 a n d u n d e r 70 p e r c e n t . _ . . .
70 a n d u n d e r 100 p e r c e n t _______
100 a n d u n d e r 130 p e r c e n t . _
.
13 0 p e r c e n t a n d o v e r ____________
T o t a l _____________________ __ _

1932

1931

1932

1931

1932

1 2 ,9 5 6
17, 726

615
2 ,7 1 3
2, 448
4, 403
3 ,7 0 0
7, 538
260
6, 252
2, 755
6 ,4 6 5

87 2
2 ,1 1 9
1 ,7 8 2
1 ,2 0 4
4 ,2 9 9
1 ,3 6 9
1 ,3 6 8
9 ,6 6 3
9, 078
11, 963

3 7 ,1 4 9

43, 717

33
34
28
20
12
20
i
16
4
4

42
31
15
9
15
8
4
22
14
12

1 2 , 800
8, 462
1 3 ,6 7 1
40 2
7 ,3 1 6
2, 333
4, 353

1 6 ,8 6 1
1 4 ,1 1 9
7 ,4 9 6
3, 476
9, 578
2 ,5 4 5
2 ,1 1 4
1 1 ,4 9 2
7 ,7 8 6
7 ,8 4 7

172

172

89, 918

83, 314

9 899

The quit rate for cotton manufacturing was 16.26 during 1931, and
12.78 during 1932. Many firms, however, had a remarkably low quit
rate in each of the 2 years. In 1931, 37 firms having 15,291 employees
had an annual quit rate of less than 2.5 percent. In 1932 the record
was even better, as 57 firms having 22,096 employees on their pay
rolls had a quit rate of less than 2.5 percent. In contrast, 13 firms in
1931 and 6 firms in 1932 had an annual quit rate of 35 percent or over.
Many firms had remarkably low lay-off rates also. The lay-off rate
for the cotton manufacturing industry as a whole during 1931 was
32.60, and during 1932, 42.53. Yet, 53 firms in 1931 and 47 firms in
1932 had lay-off rates of less than 5 percent. At the other end of the
scale, however, 4 firms in 1931 and 10 firms in 1932 had lay-off rates
of 150 percent or over.
The annual accession rate for the industry in 1931 was 47.93 percent
and for 1932, 63.75 percent. During 1931, however, the hiring rate
for 14 firms was less than 5 percent and during 1932, 17 firms had a
hiring rate of less than 5 percent. As opposed to these firms with low
hiring rates, 5 firms in 1931 and 12 firms in 1932 had hiring rates of
150 percent or over.


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

1155

LABOR TU RN-O YER

Of the 172 firms included in the table, 33 employing 12,956 persons
had a net turn-over rate of less than 10 percent in 1931, while in 1932,42
firms having a total employment roll of 16,861 had a net turn-over
rate of less than 10 percent. In contrast, the net turn-over rate of 4
firms during 1931 and 12 firms in 1932 was 130 percent or over.
Table 2 shows the comparative turn-over rates in 172 identical firms
in the cotton manufacturing industry for the years 1931 and 1932, by
size of establishments.
T able 2 .— C O M P A R A T IV E L A B O R T U R N -O V E R R A T E S , 1931 A N D 1932, I N C O T T O N M A N U ­
F A C T U R I N G F IR M S H A V IN G F E W E R T H A N 300 E M P L O Y E E S A N D IN T H O S E H A V IN O
300 OR M O R E E M P L O Y E E S

Firms having—
Item

Quits_____________________________________________
Discharges- - ______________________
Lay-offs___________________________ _
Total separations.- ____ __________ _____
Accessions
N et turn-over
_
____ _ ___ ___

Firms having—

Under 300 300 or more Under 300 300 or more
employees, employees, employees, employees,
1931
1931
1932
1932

11.14
2. 67
30. 05
43.86
38. 96
33. 43

18.07
3.46
31.14
52. 67
47. 72
42.83

6.91
2.04
41.36
50.31
46. 33
40. 93

13.80
2.70
45.49
61.99
66. 61
54. 67

Of the 172 identical firms from which reports were received for both
the years 1931 and 1932, 84 had fewer than 300 employees per estab­
lishment, while 88 firms had 300 or more employees.
The 84 firms in the first group had a total force of 14,477 in 1931 and
13,309 in 1932, while the 88 establishments in the second group had a
total force of 75,441 in 1931 and 70,005 in 1932.
The smaller cotton manufacturing firms had a better turn-over
record than the larger ones, their net turn-over rate for 1931 being
33.43 and for 1932, 40.93. In the 88 larger firms, the net turn-over
rate for 1931 was 42.83 and for 1932, 54.67. The smaller firms also
had lower quit, discharge, lay-off, and accession rates than the larger
firms during each of the 2 years.
The above showing is in direct contrast to that of the boot and shoe
industry, where the larger firms had much better turn-over records
than the smaller plants.


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

HOUSING
Building Operations in Principal Cities of the United States
September 1933

HERE was an increase of 9.7 percent in indicated expenditures
for total building operations in September 1933, as compared
with August 1933, according to reports received by the Bureau of
Labor Statistics from 764 identical cities in the United States having
a population of 10,000 or over. The number of buildings for which
these permits were issued decreased 3.7 percent.
The cost figures shown in the following tables are as estimated by
the prospective builder on applying for his permit to build. No land
costs are included. Only building projects within the corporate limits
of the cities enumerated are shown. This excludes considerable
building in the suburbs of some cities.
,

T

Comparisons, August and September 1933

T a b l e 1 shows the estimated cost of new residential buildings, of
new nonresidential buildings, of additions, alterations, and repairs,
and of total building operations in 764 identical cities in the United
States having a population of 10,000 or over, by geographic divisions.
T able 1 .— E S T I M A T E D C O S T OF N E W B U IL D IN G S , OF A D D I T I O N S , A L T E R A T I O N S ,
A N D R E P A IR S , A N D OF T O T A L B U I L D I N G C O N S T R U C T I O N I N 764 I D E N T I C A L
C IT IE S , AS S H O W N B Y P E R M I T S IS S U E D I N A U G U S T A N D S E P T E M B E R 1933, B Y
G E O G R A P H IC D IV IS IO N S

New residential buildings
(estimated cost)

New nonresidential buildings
(estimated cost)

Geographic division
August
1933

September
1933

Percent
of
change

August
1933

September
1933

Percent
of
change

New England..............
Middle Atlantic_____
East North Central...
West North Central..
South Atlantic........ .
South Central_______
Mountain and Pacific.

$2,112, 230
2,696, 568
1, 519, 796
925,900
921, 548
744, 059
2, 432,415

$1, 521,926 - 2 7 .9
7, 510, 398 +178. 5
1,130,848
- 2 5 .6
641, 205 - 3 0 .7
824,999 - 1 0 .5
494, 609 - 3 3 .5
1,584,643 - 3 4 .9

$1, 078, 618
2,879,864
2, 299, 796
3, 736,088
886,902
874, 583
1,461,440

$2, 228,678
7,152,880
2,844,265
698,273
1, 004,487
741, 597
1, 611, 607

+106. 6
+148. 4
+ 2 3 .7
- 8 1 .3
+ 1 3 .3
-1 5 .2
+ 1 0 .3

Total__________

11, 352, 516

13, 708, 628

13, 217, 291

16,281, 787

+ 2 3 .2

+ 2 0 .8

Additions, alterations, and re­
pairs (estimated cost)

Tota Iconstruction (estimated
cost)

Geographic division
August
1933

September Percent
of
1933
change

August
1933

September
1933

N um ­
ber of
Percent cities
of
change

New England_____________ . . .
M iddle Atlantic_______________
East North Central_________
W est North Central___________
South A t la n tic ............................
South Central____________ _____
Mountain and Pacific_________

$1,446, 494
5,310, 712
1, 491,339
828, 240
1, 054, 096
922, 757
2,129,938

$1,131,207
3,989, 661
2, 237,194
651, 644
1,117, 708
737, 435
1, 562,067

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

$4, 637,342
10,887,144
5, 310,931
5,490, 228
2,862, 546
2, 541, 399
6,023,793

$4,881,811
18, 652,939
6,212,307
1, 991,122
2,947,194
1,973, 641
4, 758, 317

+5. 3
+ 7 1 .3
+ 1 7 .0
- 6 3 .7
+ 3 .0
- 22. 3
-2 1 .0

105
172
177
74
76
79
81

Total_____________ ______ _

13,183, 576

11,426, 916

- 1 3 .3

37,753, 383

41, 417, 331

+ 9 .7

764

1156


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

1157

HOUSING

There was an increase of 20.8 percent in indicated expenditures for
new residential buildings comparing September permits with August
permits. This increase, however, was entirely limited to the Middle
Atlantic division. The other six divisions registered decreases.
New nonresidential buildings increased 23.2 percent in indicated
expenditures. Five of the seven geographic divisions showed in­
creases in this type of structure.
Additions, alterations, and repairs decreased 13.3 percent in indi­
cated expenditures, only two geographic divisions showing increases.
Indicated expenditures for total building operations increased in
four divisions and decreased in three, the highest increase being 71.3
percent in the Middle Atlantic States.
Table 2 shows the number of new residential buildings, of new non­
residential buildings, of additions, alterations, and repairs, and of
total building operations in 764 identical cities of the United States,
by geographic divisions.
T able 3 .—N U M B E R OE N E W B U IL D IN G S , OF A D D I T I O N S , A L T E R A T I O N S , A N D R E ­
P A IR S , A N D O F T O T A L B U I L D I N G C O N S T R U C T I O N I N 764 I D E N T I C A L C IT IE S , AS
S H O W N B Y P E R M I T S IS S U E D I N A U G U S T A N D S E P T E M B E R 1933, B Y G E O G R A P H IC
D IV IS IO N S

New residential
buildings

New nonresi­
dential
buildings

Additions, alter­
Total construc­
ations, and
tion
repairs

Geographic division
Sep­
Sep­
Sep­
Sep­
August
tember August tember August tember August tember
1933
1933
1933
1933
1933
1933
1933
1933
New England___________ _____ . ______
M iddle Atlantic___ . . . . ____________
East North Central. . . ___________
W est North Central___
. _________
South Atlantic_________ _____________
South C entral... . . . . . . ................ ..
Mountain and Pacific_______________

402
469
301
260
270
279
586

289
419
235
206
201
159
423

849
1,280
1,451
768
529
434
1,151

845
1,372
1,453
741
481
512
1,096

2,713
5,996
3,461
1,410
2,691
2,115
4, 674

2,536
6,181
3,002
1,460
2,919
2,054
4, 306

3, 964
7, 745
5, 213
2,438
3,490
2,828
6,411

3, 670
7,972
4, 690
2, 407
3, 601
2,725
5,825

T o ta l. _________________________
Percent of change___ __ _____________

2,567

1,932
- 2 4 .7

6,462

6, 500
+ 0 .6

23, 060

22,458
-2 .6

32, 089

30,890
-3 .7

The number of new residential buildings, of additions, alterations,
and repairs, and of total building operations showed decreases, com­
paring September with August. The number of new nonresidential
buildings, however, showed a slight increase comparing these 2
months.
Table 3 shows the number of families provided for in the different
kinds of housekeeping dwellings, together with the estimated cost of
such dwellings, for which permits were issued in 764 identical cities
during August and September.


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

1158

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IEW

T able 3 — E S T I M A T E D C O S T A N D N U M B E R O F F A M I L I E S P R O V I D E D F O R I N T H E
D I F F E R E N T K IN D S O F H O U S E K E E P I N G D W E L L I N G S F O R W H I C H P E R M I T S W E R E
IS S U E D I N 764 I D E N T I C A L C IT IE S I N A U G U S T A N D S E P T E M B E R 1933, B Y G E O ­
G R A P H IC D IV IS IO N S

1-family dwellings

Estimated cost
Geographic division

August
1933

Septem­
ber 1933

New England- __________ $1,822,830 $1,413, 626
M iddle Atlantic_________ 2,108,468 1,816, 748
East North Central______ 1,427, 296 1,094, 548
622, 205
W est North Central_____
898, 400
794, 099
875,848
South Atlantic- - - - - - 462,809
550,759
South C en tral___ _____
Mountain and Pacific___ 2,078,070 1,443,453
Total

____________

9,761, 671

7, 647,488
- 2 1 .7

2-family dwellings

Families pro­
vided for

Sep­
August tember
1933
1933

Estimated cost

August
1933

Septem­
ber 1933

Families pro­
vided for

Sep­
August tember
1933
1933

366
410
283
256
253
243
545

274
384
230
202
193
151
404

$184,400
385,100
92, 500
27, 500
45, 700
158, 650
169, 345

$74,300
153, 350
36, 300
19,000
22,900
24,300
95, 390

61
99
32
8
30
57
66

20
44
9
8
13
12
39

2,356

1,838
-2 2 .0

1,063,195

425, 540
-6 0 .0

353

145
- 5 8 .9

Total, all kinds of housekeeping
dwellings

Multifamily dwellings

Geographic division

Estimated cost

Families pro­
vided for

Sep­
August
tember
1933
1933

Estimated cost

August
1933

Septem­
ber 1933

Families pro­
vided for

Sep­
August
tember
1933
1933

August
1933

Septem­
ber 1933

New England-- _________
M iddle Atlantic_________
East North Central______
W est North Central_____
South Atlantic- _________
South C en tral_______
Mountain and Pacific___

$31, 000
' 203, 000
0
0
0
34,650
185,000

$34,000
5, 540, 300
0
0
8,000
7, 500
45,800

15
72
0
0
0
24
64

15 $2,038, 230 $1, 521,926
1,802 2, 696, 568 7, 510, 398
0 1, 519,796 1,130,848
0
641, 205
925,900
921, 548
824, 999
4
4
744, 059
494, 609
18 2,432, 415 1, 584, 643

442
581
315
264
283
324
675

309
2,230
239
210
210
167
461

Total _____________

453, 650

5,635, 600
+ 1 ,1 42.1

175

1,843 11,278, 516 13, 708, 628
+953.1
+ 2 1 .5

2,884

3, 826
+ 3 2 .7

There was a decrease in the estimated cost and in the number of
families provided for by both 1-family and 2-family dwellings. Indi­
cated expenditures for apartment houses were more than 10 times as
great during September as during August. The number of family­
dwelling units provided in the multifamily structures was approxi­
mately 10 times greater during September than during August.
Indicated expenditures for all kinds of housekeeping dwellings in­
creased more than 20 percent, while the number of family-dwelling
units provided in all types of structures was nearly one third greater
in September than in August.
Table 4 shows the index numbers of indicated expenditures for new
residential buildings, for new nonresidential buildings, for additions,
alterations, and repairs, and for total building operations.


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

1159

HOUSING

T able 4 . — I N D E X N U M B E R S OF F A M I L I E S P R O V I D E D F O R A N D O F T H E E S T I M A T E D
C O S T O F B U I L D I N G O P E R A T IO N S AS S H O W N B Y P E R M I T S IS S U E D I N P R I N C I P A L
C IT IE S OF T H E U N I T E D S T A T E S
[Monthly average, 1929=100]

Estimated cost of—
Families
provided
for

M onth

1929
September________________________________

New resi­
dential
buildings

New non­ Additions,
residential alterations,
buildings and repairs

Total
building
construc­
tion

_

70.2

63.7

81.3

95.0

73.7

1930
August---------------------------------------------------------September---------- ----------------------------------------

48.7
51.3

43.4
44.4

67.2
■ 73.8

58.6
64.2

54.4
58.2

1931
August---------------------- ------------------------- -------September_________________________________

36.6
30.1

33.5
24.8

63.9
41.8

48.3
41.0

47.3
33.5

1932
August___ _______ _____________________ _____
September---------------------------------------- .............

9.7
10.8

6.8
7.5

15.7
11.4

24.9
21.7

12.6
10.7

1933
August___________ ______________________
September__________________________________

8.9
11.8

7.1
8.6

10.4
12.8

29.4
25.5

11.9
13.1

The index number of families provided for and the index numbers of
new residential buildings, of new nonresidential buildings, and of total
building construction were all higher during September 1933 than
during September 1932 or August 1933. The September 1933 index
number for additions, alterations, and repairs, while higher than for
September 1932, was lower than for August 1933.
Construction from Public Funds
T a b l e 5 shows the value of contracts awarded for public buildings
by the various agencies of the United States Government and by the
various State governments during the months of September 1932 and
August and September 1933, by geographic divisions.
T able 5 .— V A L U E

O F C O N T R A C T S F O R P U B L IC B U IL D IN G S A W A R D E D B Y T H E
U N I T E D S T A T E S G O V E R N M E N T A N D B Y S T A T E G O V E R N M E N T S , S E P T E M B E R 1932
A N D A U G U S T A N D S E P T E M B E R 1933, B Y G E O G R A P H IC D IV IS IO N S

State

Federal
Geographic division
September
1932

New England_________________
M iddle Atlantic_______________
East North Central___________
W est North Central _________
South Atlantic________________
South Central-------- -----------Mountain and Pacific_________
T o ta l. _________________

August
1933

September
1933 1

September
1932

August
1933

September
19331

$605,735
829,842
2,396,660
163,349
349,396
322,974
829,166

$2,875
72,099
9,005
17,481
106,941
34,093
22,738

$118,925
4,184,561
56, 386
42,890
408,870
340,802
55,461

$51,341
1,656,398
425,471
86,050
690,317
533,421
224,433

$44, 070
1,708,679
267,637
85, 601
291,767
806, 649
647,807

$306,250
366,542
187,126
61,420
131,638
502, 734
626,093

5, 497,122

265, 232

5, 207,895

3,667,431

3,852,210

2,181,803

> Subject to revision.

The value of contracts awarded for Federal building construction
during September 1933, while slightly lower than for September 1932,
was nearly 20 times as great as during August 1933. In contrast, the

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

1160

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

value of contracts awarded, for State governments was only approxi­
mately 50 percent of the September 1932 and the August 1933 total.
Table 6 shows the value of highway construction contracts awarded
during August and September by the Bureau of Public Koads, by
geographic divisions.
T able 6 . — V A L U E OF H I G H W A Y C O N S T R U C T I O N A W A R D S M A D E D U R I N G A U G U S T
A N D S E P T E M B E R 1933, A S R E P O R T E D
G E O G R A P H IC D IV IS IO N S

B Y T H E B U R E A U OP P U B L IC R O A D S , B Y

State

Federal

Total

Geographic division

New England_________________
M iddle Atlantic ____________
East North Central....................
W est North Central...................
South Atlantic________________
South Central....................... .......
Mountain and Pacific.................
T o ta l.. ________________
Percent of change____________

August
1933

September
1933

August
1933

September
1933

August
1933

$432,254
175, 559
1,252,312
2, 362,663
346,452
748,082
7,353,540

$381,605
513, 291
240.440
877, 699
392.441
882, 799
1,952,938

$1,251,512
4,522,336
2,286, 232
1,936, 605
438,940
2, 275,029
6, 580, 627

$1, 522,605
5,523,492
4,905, 540
7,402,100
2,973, 297
4, 555, 015
14,377,199

$1,683, 766
4,697,895
3,538, 544
4,299,268
785, 392
3,023, 111
13,934,167

$1,904,210
6,036,783
5,145,980
8,279,808
3,365, 738
5,437,814
16,330,137

12,670,862

5,241,213
- 5 8 .6

19,291,281

41,259,257
+ 113.9

31,962,143

46, 500,470
+ 4 5 .5

September
1933

The value of awards made for public roads from State and Federal
funds during September was $46,500,470, an increase of 45.5 percent as
compared with August. The value of awards made from State funds
decreased 58.6 percent, while awards from Federal funds increased
113.9 percent.
Table 7 shows the value of contracts awarded by the United States
Government during September for construction projects of all kinds.
T able 7 .— V A L U E OF C O N T R A C T S A W A R D E D F O R A L L C O N S T R U C T I O N P R O JE C T S B Y
T H E U N I T E D S T A T E S G O V E R N M E N T , D U R I N G S E P T E M B E R 1933, B Y G E O G R A P H IC
D IV IS IO N S i

Geographic division

New England................
Middle Atlantic______
East North C entral...
W est North C e n tr a lSouth Atlantic_______
South Central________
Mountain and Pacific.
Outside of United States.

Geographic division

Building
construc­
tion

$118,925
4, 213, 759
56,386
42, 890
427, 254
340,802
55,461

Naval
vessels

180,705,130

Outside of United States_________________________ .
1 Subject to revision.
2 Other than those reported by the Bureau of Public Roads.
3 Includes $7,000 not allocated by geographic divisions.


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

River, har­
bor, and
flood-con­
trol projects

$1, 522, 605
5, 523,492
4,905, 540
7,402,109
2,973, 297
4, 555,015
14, 377,199

$14,315
1, 569,201
2,182,307
13,090,220
3, 202, 601
9,332,191
2, 747,948

3.325 ______

New England________________________ ____________ _ $39,486, 283
M iddle Atlantic__________ __________ _____ ______ _
74,038, 296
East North C e n t r a l_____ ______ _________ _________
231,158
W est North Central........................ ............................... .
0
South Atlantic ______________ _______ ___________ _
57,873, 713
South Central__________ ________ _______ _____ ______
0
Mountain and Pacific________ _____ _________ ______
9,075,680
T o ta l.................................................................... ..

Public roads

Streets 2
and roads

0
0
0

$225,329
171,355
404
504,776
93,855

Reclama­
Forest­ Miscel­
tion
laneous
ry
projects

Total

0
0
0
6,000
30,000
8,000
4,823,671

0
0
0
0
0
0
5,456

$74,401
372, 533
32,326
0
434,291
6,474
14, 345

$41,216,529
85,717,281
7,407,717
20,766,548
65,112,511
14,242,886
31,604, 536

3 4,874,671

5,456

934, 370

3 266,075,008

28,046

125, 226

1161

HOUSING

During September the Federal Government awarded contracts for
construction projects of various kinds totaling $266,075,008. Awards
for naval vessels accounted for nearly 70 percent of the total. Public
roads accounted for the next largest expenditure, followed by river,
harbor, and flood-control projects, and building construction.
Comparisons, September 1933 with September 1932
T a b l e 8 shows the estimated cost of new residential buildings, of
new nonresidential buildings, of additions, alterations, and repairs,
and of total building operations in 347 identical cities of the United
States having a population of 25,000 or over, for the months of
September 1932 and September 1933, by geographic divisions.

T able 8 — E S T I M A T E D C O S T O F N E W B U IL D IN G S , O F A D D I T I O N S , A L T E R A T I O N S ,
A N D R E P A I R S ; A N D O F T O T A L B U I L D I N G C O N S T R U C T I O N I N 347 I D E N T I C A L C IT IE S
AS S H O W N B Y P E R M I T S IS S U E D I N S E P T E M B E R 1932 A N D S E P T E M B E R 1933, B Y
G E O G R A P H IC D IV IS IO N S

New nonresidential buildings
(estimated cost)

New residential buildings
(estimated cost)
Geographic division
September
1932

New England...................................... M iddle Atlantic--------------------- .........
East North Central_______________
W est North Central----------------------South Atlantic. ---------------------------South Central___
___
Mountain and Pacific----------------- Total------ -------------------

---------

September Percent of September
1932
change
1933

September Percent of
change
1933

$916,800
2, 608,060
1, 207, 258
782, 971
846, 617
613, 212
2,095,783

$806, 700
6,933,368
899,098
555, 665
663,475
435,129
1, 287,952

- 1 2 .0
+165. 8
- 2 5 .5
- 2 9 .0
- 2 1 .6
- 2 9 .0
-3 8 . 5

$2, 298,414
2,782,414
3, 646, 599
1, 752, 532
1, 516, 291
912, 287
963,127

$1,865,429
6, 798, 648
2,707, 281
608,949
746,875
616, 767
1,331,387

- 1 8 .8
+144. 3
-2 5 .8
-6 5 .3
- 5 0 .7
- 3 2 .4
+ 3 8 .2

9,070, 701

11, 581, 387

+ 2 7 .7

13,871, 664

14, 675,336

+ 5 .8

Additions, alterations, and repairs
(estimated cost)

Total construction
(estimated cost)

Geographic division
September
1932

New England________
M iddle Atlantic--------East North C entral...
W est North C entral..
South Atlantic----------South Central-----------Mountain and Pacific.
Total....................

September Percent of September
1932
change
1933

September Percent of
change
1933

+ 1 8 .2

$4,036,914
8, 267,185
6,405, 376
3,094,042
3,437, 769
2,044, 391
4, 214, 991

$3, 630, 376
17,474,137
5,461,732
1, 668,987
2,470, 991
1, 525,960
3,985, 582

- 10.1
+ 111.4
- 1 4 .7
- 4 6 .1
- 2 8 .1
- 2 5 .4
-5 .4

+ 1 6 .4

31, 500, 668

36, 217, 765

+ 1 5 .0

$821, 700
2,876,711
1,551, 519
558, 539
1,074,861
518, 892
1,156, 081

$958, 247
3, 742,121
1,855, 353
504, 373
1, 060, 641
474,064
1, 366, 243

+ 1 6 .6
+ 30.1
+ 1 9 .6
- 9 .7
-1 .3

8, 558, 303,

9,961,042

-

8.6

ber of
cities

53
73
94
25
38
29
35

Increases were shown in indicated expenditures for both types of
new buildings, for additions, alterations, and repairs, and for total
construction, comparing September 1933 with the same month of the
previous year.
Table 9 shows the number of new residential buildings, of new
nonresidential buildings, of additions, alterations, and repairs, and of
total building operations in 347 identical cities having a population
of 25,000 or over for the months of September 1932 and September
1933, by geographic divisions.


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

1162

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

.? iV ,N V ? ? B E R 0 E N E W B U IL D IN G S , OP A D D I T I O N S , A L T E R A T I O N S
AND
R E P A IR S , A N D OP T O T A L B U I L D I N G C O N S T R U C T I O N I N 347 I D E N T I C A L CTTTES
g

1 o G R ^ H I C Y D I V K I O n I IS S U E D I N S E P T E M B E R 1932 A N D S E P T E M B E R 1933, B Y

New residen­
tial buildings

N ew nonresi­
dential build­
ings

Additions, al­
terations, and
repairs

Total con­
struction

Geographic division
Septem­ Septem­ Septem­ Septem­ Septem­ Septem­ Septem­ Septem­
ber
ber
ber
ber
ber
ber
ber
ber
1932
1933
1932
1933
1932
1933
1932
1933
New England_____________
M iddle Atlantic____________
East North Central ____________
W est North Central
South A tlan tic.. ___ .
South Central________
Mountain and PacificTotal________ _____
Percent of change. ______

182
486
276
236
219
253
575

147
317
198
166
149
138
340

622
1.498
1.498
819
507
463
1,218

544
1,055
1,277
619
410
445
892

2,219
4, 590
2,780
1,124
2,720
1,792
3,484

2,034
5, 664
2,693
1,269
2,668
1,419
3,501

3,023
6, 574
4, 554
2,179
3,446
2,508
5, 277

2, 725
7,036
4,168
2,054
3, 227
2,002
4, 733

2,227

1,455
- 3 4 .7

6, 625

5,242
- 2 0 .9

18, 709

19, 248
+ 2 .9

27, 561

25,945
-5 .9

There was a decrease in the number of new residential buildings, of
new nonresidential buildings, and in the number of total building
operations, comparing September 1933 with September 1932. The
number of additions, alterations, and repairs, however, increased
slightly comparing these 2 months.
. Table 10 shows the number of families provided for in the different
kinds of housekeeping dwellings, together with the estimated cost of
such dwellings, for which permits were issued in 347 identical cities
during September 1932 and September 1933.
E S T I M A T E D c o s t a n d n u m b e r o p F A M I L I E S P R O V I D F D FOR TM t w w
K o ^ i T R E I^E E I N D S OP H O U S E K E E P I N G D W E L L I N G S F O R W H IC H P E R M I T S W E R E
G ^ O G R A r a i C 1)1 V IS IO N S L ° I T I E S I N S E P T E M B E R 1932 A N D S E P T E M ™ ^ ^ ^

1-family dwellings

Geographic division

Estimated cost

2-family dwellings

Families pro­
vided for

Estimated cost

Families pro­
vided for

September September Septem­ Septem­ September September Septem­ Septem­
ber
ber
ber
1932
ber
1933
1932
1933
1932
1933
1932
1933
New England.
M iddle Atlantic .
East North Central-.
W est North Central.-.
South Atlantic____
South Central.
Mountain and Pacific___

$802, 300
1,813, 765
1,094, 058
779,471
773, 317
533, 262
1, 736,093

$753, 700
1, 281, 518
862, 798
536, 665
638, 675
410, 829
1,175,862

167
396
262
235
208
239
528

139
287
193
162
143
131
324

$98, 500
579,495
57,300
3,500
3,800
44,950
159,990

$46, 000
121,850
36, 300
19,000
16,800
24, 300
86,390

25
159
18
2
7
23
59

13
40
9
8
10
12
37

Total___________ .
Percent of change. . ___

7, 532, 266

5,660,047
-2 4 .9

2,035

1,379
-3 2 . 2

947, 535

350, 640
- 6 3 .0

293

129
- 5 6 .0


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

1163

HOUSING

T able 10 .—E S T I M A T E D C O S T A N D N U M B E R O F F A M I L I E S P R O V I D E D F O R I N T H E
D I F F E R E N T K IN D S O F H O U S E K E E P I N G D W E L L I N G S F O R W H I C H P E R M I T S W E R E
IS S U E D I N 347 I D E N T I C A L C IT IE S I N S E P T E M B E R 1932 A N D S E P T E M B E R 1933, B Y
G E O G R A P H IC D IV I S I O N S — Continued

Total, all kinds of housekeeping
dwellings

Multifamily dwellings

Geographic division

Estimated cost

September September
1932
1933

Families pro­
vided for

Estimated cost

Families pro­
vided for

Septem­ Septem­
Septem­ Septem­
September September
ber
ber
ber
ber
1932
1933
1932
1933
1932
1933

N ew England____________
M iddle Atlantic___ - East North Central______
W est North Central_____
South Atlantic___________
South Central____________
Mountain and Pacific___

$16,000
214, 800
52, 000
0
69, 500
35, 000
157, 700

$7, 000
5, 530, 000
0
0
8, 000
0
25, 700

8
74
17
0
29
8
89

3
1,793
0
0
4
0
11

Total_______________

545, 000

5, 570, 700
+922.1

225

1,811
+704.9

$806, 700
6,933, 368
899,098
555,665
663,475
435,129
1, 287,952

200
629
297
237
244
270
676

155
2,120
202
170
157
143
372

9,024,801 11, 581,387
+ 2 8 .3

2,553

3,319
+ 3 0 .0

$916,800
2, 608,060
1,203,358
782,971
846,617
613, 212
2,053, 783

Decreases were shown in the indicated expenditures and in the
number of families provided for in 1-family and 2-family dwellings,
comparing September 1933 and September 1932. There was, how­
ever, a large increase in the expenditures for apartment houses and in
the number of family dwellings provided therein.
Details by Cities
T a b l e 11 shows the estimated expenditures for new residential
buildings, for new nonresidential buildings, and for total building
operations, together with the number of families provided for in new
dwellings, in each of the cities in the United States having a popula­
tion of 10,000 or over, for which reports were received for September
1933.
Permits were issued during September for the following important
building projects: In New Haven, Conn., for a college dormitory to
cost $1,300,000; in the Borough of Manhattan for three apartment
houses to cost $5,100,000; in Indianapolis, Ind., for store buildings to
cost over $400,000; in Newark, N.J., for a factory building to cost
$300,000; in Pittsburgh, Pa., for a church to cost $600,000; and for a
public utilities building in Miami, Fla., to cost $225,000.
Contracts were awarded by the Supervising Architect of the Treas­
ury Department for a naval hospital in Philadelphia, Pa., to cost over
$2,000,000, and for a marine hospital on Staten Island, N.Y., to cost
nearly $2,000,000.


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

1164

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

T able 11.—E S T I M A T E D C O S T OF B U IL D IN G S F O R W H I C H P E R M I T S W E R E IS S U E D
I N P R I N C I P A L C IT IE S , S E P T E M B E R 1933

N ew England States

C ity and State

Connecticut:
A n sonia.. . . .
Bridgeport —
B risto l___
D anbury____
Derby___ . . .
East Hartford.
Fairfield. . . .
Greenwich___
Ham den____
Hartford___ __
M anchester...
Meriden--------M iddletow n..
M ilford______
New Britain..
New H a v e n ..
Norwalk_____
Norwich_____
Stamford. . .
Stratford.. . .
T orrin gton ...
W allingford. _
W a te r b u r y ...
W est Hartford
W illim an tic..
Maine:
Auburn______
Lewiston_____
Portland-------South Portland________
Westbrook—
Massachusetts:
Arlington____
Attleboro____
Belmont____
Beverly______
B oston1. . . .
Braintree- . . .
Brockton_____
Brookline____
Cam bridge-. .
Chelsea______
Chicopee_____
Dedham ___
Easthampton.
Everett______
Fairhaven___
Fall River___
Fitchburg___
Framingham.
G ard n er_____
Holyoke______
Lawrence____
Leom in ster...
Lowell. . . .
L ynn________
M alden___
Marlborough.
Medford_____

Fami­
New
New
Total
lies
residen­ nonresi(includ­
pro­
tial
dential
ing re­ vided
build­
build­
pairs)
for
ings
ings

$600
$3, 750
$3, 000
3,090
44, 025
18,900
1,500
5,785
10,077
500
9, 080
4, 500
0
935
0
8, 225
4, 500
1,575
21,500
96, 060
57, 600
32, 000
47,450 136,900
1,250
25, 365
23,900
10, 500 125,950 173,152
15,115
3, 390
6, 000
1,780
4,200
15, 585
14, 787
977
10, 900
11,280
28,056
7,000
575
9, 262
0
6,000 1,305, 395 1, 327,125
4, 875
33, 215
21,100
9, 625
350
0
29,825
59,005
6,400
1,807
25,899
18, 426
13, 205
2, 500
5, 825
500
9,183
4, 300
25,950
2, 000
17,150
1,975
84, 780
61, 600
14, 850
0
9,100

2
8
1
1
0
1
5
3
7
2
1
1
4
3
0
2
5
0
1
4
1
1
1
10
2

44,000
8,000
12, 000

172, 200
2 ,80C
12,415

219, 200
10,800
30, 540

15
1
3

11,000
0

4 ,40C
400

17,19C
2, 275

5
0

46, 000
4, 00C
91, 90C
13, 00C
112,00C
21,00C
26, 30(
48, 000
0
1
4, 500
8 ,00C
50C
(
0
4, 550
(
6, 250
7 ,00(
0
(
4, 00C
6, 30C
14, 00C
13, 30C
3 ,00C
13,00C

2,600
1,020
1,400
2,580
31, 685
53,495
2, 305
2,821
2, 525
900
3,775
16,185
600
165
1, 140
815
2,400
905
1, 50C
2 , 10C
1,000
50C
1,295
1,875
1,685
70C
2,825

55, 315
6, 57C
95, 200
20,025
446, 39E
78, 35C
46,62C
55, 476
20, 400
6, 280
11,210
29, 550
1,200
3,365
1,64(
14, 872
4, 600
7, 580
10, 450
13, 000
12, 230
6, 357
33,140
42, 090
20, 21(
3, 750
17,995

6
2
13
3
24
3
5
4
0
0
1
2
1
0
0
2
0
2
3
0
0
1
3
4
4
1
3

1 Applications filed.


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

City and State

New
New
residen­ nonresidential
tial
build­
build­
ings
ings

Fami­
Total
lies
(includ­
pro­
ing re­
vided
pairs)
for

M assachusettsContinued.
$18,500
$1, 650 $21,190
Melrose_____
60,900
52, 300
6, 070
M ilton _______
3,900
13, 500
N atick2. . . .
4, 500
4,325
33, 725
23, 300
N e e d h a m ___
12,990
5, 200
New Bedford.
0
1,950
700
400
Newburyport.
12,400
133,064
N e w to n .. . . .
111,500
14,040
North Adams..
8, 0C0
1,150
11,100
Northampton.
0
10, 700
North Attle­
borough___
3,600
1,200
1,750
1,965
18,650
Norwood. . . .
15, 000
3,000
1,075
Peabody ____
8, 500
5, 000
8, 375
21,175
Pittsfield____
Plym outh___
11,150
4, 500
16, 750
29, 600
3, 430
58, 270
Quincy_______
0
750
6, 475
Revere_______
Salem. ______
11, 200
8, 500
38, 890
0
1,140
Saugus_______
3,165
0
800
9, 550
Somerville___
0
0
Southbridge..
0
Springfield___
13, 265
39, 515
17,800
Stoneham____
15,500
2, 300
17,950
Swam pscott-.
0
2,850
6,900
0
695
Taunton_____
7, 296
W altham ____
5, 600
1,353
11,768
W a tertow n ...
3, 80C
450
23, 720
93, 700
6,910 102,435
W ellesley.. . .
1,500
1, 50C
3,000
W estfield-. . _
W est Spring4,000
6, 210
field________
1, 825
W eym ou th .. .
4, 500
3, 660
17,195
32, 30C
Winchester . .
1 ,45C
36,360
0
1,200
W inthrop____
6,053
C
805
4, 545
W oburn____
Worcester____
24, 87C
62, 295
19, 200
N ew
H am p­
shire:
6,000
31, 500
38, 000
Concord.. . . .
Manchester—
18,10C
49, 015
88, 915
Rhode Island:
0
150
Central Falls.
2,580
Cranston____
13,150
24, 53C
9,035
East Provi­
22, 500
2, 440
33, 472
dence—
4, 800
550
5,900
Newport . . .
North Provi­
6,500
2,400
9, 600
dence.. —
22, 77!
Pawtucket —
15, 00(
4, 450
24, 50(
Providence.._
46, 55(
155, 90(
W arw ick_____
51, 900
3,250
78,30(
15, 575
W esterly_____
10, OOC
1,300
W e s t W ar­
4, 30C
90C
5,500
wick___ ._
9,844
1, 09C
W oonsocket..
Vermont:
8, OOC
Bennington..
8 ,00C
14, 00C
9, 62C
26, 61C
B u rlin gton ...
4,881,811
1,
521,
92C
2,228,
678
Total____

2 N ot included in totals.

3
14
1
4
0
1
10
2
0
1
2
1
1
5
5
0
1
0
0
0
5
3
0
0
3
1
8
1
1
1
5
0
0
6
2
6
0
4
5
1
2
1
4
14
4
1
0
2
2
309

1165

HOUSING

T able 11.—E S T I M A T E D C O S T OE B U I L D I N G S F O R W H I C H P E R M I T S W E R E ISS U E D
I N P R I N C I P A L C IT IE S , S E P T E M B E R 1933— Continued

M iddle Atlantic States

C ity and State

New Jersey:
Atlantic C ity,
Bayonne.
Belleville.
Bloomfield___
Bridgeton____
Burlington__
Camden____
Clifton_______
East Orange.
Elizabeth . .
E n glew ood...
Garfield______
Hackensack. .
Harrison . . .
Hillside T w p .
Hoboken_____
Irvington___
Jersey C i t y ...
Kearny______
Linden_______
Long Branch.
Lyndhurst___
Maplewood
T w p ___ . .
Montclair____
M orristow n..
N e w a r k ... _
New Brunsw ic k _____
N u tley. . . . .
Orange_______
Passaic_______
Paterson____
Perth
Amboy------------Phillipsburg..
Plainfield____
Pleasantville.
Red Bank____
Ridgefield
Park_______
R id gew ood ...
Roselle_______
Rutherford.. .
South Orange.
Sum m it______
Teaneck Tw p.
Union C i t y ...
Union T w p ...
W eehaw ken..
Westfield. _
W est
New
Y o rk _______
W est Orange.
New York:
Albany_______
Amsterdam _ _
Auburn______
Batavia______
Binghamton..
Buffalo_______
Cohoes___ __
Dunkirk_____
Elm ira_______
Endicott_____
Freeport_____
Fulton_______
Glen Cove___
Glens F a lls ...
Gloversville..
H em pstead...
H ornell... . . .

New
New
residen­ nonresitial
dential
build­
build­
ings
ings

0
0
0

$1,191

$63, 000
5,000
4, 700

Fami­
Total
lies
(includ­
pro­
ing re­
vided
pairs)
for

0
0
0
10
2
2
0

15,800
7,155
0
22, 000
38, 500
0
9, 668
0
9,000
0
0
4, 000
0
0
1,500
0

4, 700
845
1,680
13,453
3,075
c
1,400
4, 90C
10,109
95C
1,050
685
2,050
0
3,000
1,300
5, 440
6,175
5, 585
162

$14, 276
15,125
5, 500
69, 700
6 , 045
7,873
2 1 , 218
26, 250
9, 318
53, 052
31,45C
53,129
3, 600
15,878
1, 015
12; 450
15, 700
7, 525
32; 950
22, 740
6, 725
8, 793
1,041

0
0
0
11,000

1,635
1,613
4,100
303, 205

6, 010
35, 927
10, 675
377, 735

0
0
0
2

9, 500
5, 000
0
0
14, 700

1, 225
17,976
702
19, 075
71,075

19,490
24,173
76’ 756
51, 335
113,701

3
1
0
0
3

0
9,000
11, 000
20, 000
1,200

995
0
7,100
50
400

7, 988
10, 675
20, 651
20,150
4, 750

0
2
2
1
1

0
42,450
6, 600
6, 000
10,000
29, 600
46, 250
0
30, 225
0
17, 500

350
500
400
2, 720
650
0
1,200
250
4,175
0
16,985

1,300
44,150
7, 775
11,127
12, 700
31,500
48, 565
13,325
37, 300
4, 257
38, 400

0
4
3
1
1
4
7
0
6
0
3

0
4,800

0
1,485

7, 395
11,350

0
1

61, 000
0
8,500
0
21,100
30, 750
0
0
0
18,350
11, 500
0
0
0
22, 600
5,000
0

36, 025
525
22, 510
3, 950
5,485
52,955
1C
22,115
2, 331
15,175
4, 38C
1, 000
815
650
2,500
2,085
0

122, 622
2, 725
31,810
4,046
77, 420
156, 807
835
25,197
33,482
39,412
21, 580
1,000
3, 015
1,722
26, 825
12,885
0

5
0
2
0
5
9
0
0
0
9
2
0
0
0
7
1
0

0

1 A p p li c a t i o n s file d .


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

0
2 , 600

4
2
0
4
2
0
1
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
1
0

City and State

New Y 0 r k—
Continued.
Irondequoit..
Jamestown..
Johnson C ity.
Kenmore. . .
Lackawanna.

New
New
residen­ nonresitial
dential
build­
build­
ings
ings

$6 , 500
19, 900
0
0
0
28, 000
3 ,2 0 0

Newburgh___
N ew
R 0 -

$9, 492
.84 500
8,596

1
3
0
0
0

0

0

455
3, 700

1

10, 300

150
1 850
500
775
1,170
3, 590
0
850

2,520
10, 255
8, 500
15, 515

0
0
3
3

16, 500
25, 500

4 910
6,400

3S, 646

4

2 150
Lynbrook____
Mamaroneck
Massena_____
Middletown. .
Mount Yer-

$2, 392
800
1,625

Fami­
Total
lies
(includ­
pro­
ing re­
vided
pairs)
for

0
0
6 ,0 0 0

2

3
41,000
1,915
50, 715
New
York
City:
The Bronx1.
163, 300
21,700 452,356
62
Brooklyn
414, 500 321, 320 1, 689,021
146
M a n h a ttan 1_____ 5,100, 000 380,100 6, 206, 565 1,618
Queens 1___
326, 500 453,886 1,179,402
83
Richmond1.
38, 600 2, 0C5,211 2,084, 361
16
Niagara Falls.
18, 000
9,250
2
57,580
North Tonaw and a... . .
8,900
5, 802
15,102
2
Ogdensburg..
0
0
0
0
0

0

___
Oswego
Plattsburg...
Port Chester.
Port Jervis___
Poughkeepsie____
___
Rensselaer___
Rochester____
Rockville
Center_____
Saratoga
Springs____
Schenectady..
Syracuse.
Tonaw anda..
Troy_________
Utica. . . . - .
V a l l e y
Stream___
W atertow n ...
W hite Plains
Yonkers_____
Pennsylvania:
A bington
T w p . _____
Allentown___
Altoona______
Arnold___ . .

0
7, 500
0
0

45,300
5, 225
3, 400
0

45, 300
12,925
5, 200
0

0
4
0
0

6,500
0
4, 500

1,050
575
9,864

11,800
3,065
60, 977

1
0
1

31,000

1,643

37, 509

5

0
0
5,000
1, 500
16, 500
14, 500

875
4,312
4, 315
1,300
1,250
22, 475

10, 225
18, 229
29,812
4,300
44, 450
39,775

0
0
1
1
4
4

3,500
1,800
0
70, 000

510
6, 715
11,217
7, 350

5,240
13, 659
19, 967
98,825

1
1
0
15

5, 300
0
0
6,000

1,840
4,150
900
1,650

17,845
32,856
7,845
7,650

3
0
0
1

Bethlehem .. .
B rad d ock ___
Bradford.........

10,000
0
0

850
0
2,350

13,400

1

0

8,031

0
0

Canonsburg _
Carlisle______
C h a m b ersburg______
C hester___
C oatesville...

1,000
0

3,300
410

4,300
1,200

0

0
7,000
0

800
500
0

800
9,400
725

1
0

1
0

1166

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

T able 11.—E S T I M A T E D C O S T O F B U I L D I N G S F O R W H I C H P E R M I T S W E R E ISS U E D
I N P R I N C I P A L C IT IE S , S E P T E M B E R 1933— Continued

M iddle Atlantic States— Continued

City and State

Fami­
New
New
Total
lies
residen­ nonresi(includ­
pro­
dential
tial
ing re­
vided
build­
build­
pairs)
for
ings
ings

Pennsylvania—
Continued.
Connellsville.
Conshohocken
Coraopolis 2_ .

34,000
0

$2, 225
0
75,000
0
0
4,000
100
0
143,045
800
1,850
3,113
4,400
0
1,530
25, 200
0
2,400
950

$2, 650
80
80,000
10,000
0
7,265
9,095
10,000
151,836
1,075
37,000
20,433
74, 553
1,000
6', 120
29,700
0
45,445
3,470

0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
1
1
2
0
1
0
0
2
0

0
3, 200
0

0
100
100

6,000
9,640
450

0
1
0

15,000
0
0

950
0
2, 490

17,650
0
3,720

2
6
0

3,300

0

3, 300

2

0
0

0
0

D u B o is _____
Duquesne____
Easton. . . .
Elwood C ity .
Erie___ ______
Greensburg .
Harrisburg . .
Haverford . .
Hazleton_____
Johnstown___
Lancaster____
Latrobe______
LowerMerion.
M cK eesport..
M ahanoy
C ity________
Meadville . . .
M o n e sse n ___
M ount Lebanon________
M unhall. . . .
New Castle .
New Kensington_______ .

0
0
$6, 800

io,ooo
0
0
8, 400
10,000
9,400
0
1,000
0

0

City and State

Pennsylvania—
Continued.
Norristow n...
North Braddock . . . .
Oil C ity______
Philadelphia..
Phoenixville..
Pittsburgh—
Pittston.. . . .
Plymouth____
Pottstown___
Pottsville____
Reading______
Scranton_____
Sunbury_____
Tamaqua___
U niontow n...
Upper Darby.
Vandergrift...
W arren.. . .
W ashington..
Waynesboro. _
W est Chester.
Wilkes-BarreWilkinsburg..
Williamsport.
York_______

New
Fami­
New
Total
residen­ nonresilies
(includ­
dential
pro­
tial
ing re­
vided
build­
build­
pairs)
for
ings
ings

$13,003

0

1,100
$1,000
100
0
48, 535
49,986
227,600 2, 094,715 2,448, 725
200
0
0
42,450 614,475 799,176
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
6,575
11,270
5,000
6,950
21,985
0
400
12, 300
41,245
20,800
9,825
0
0
0
0
0
5,500
0
0
200
0
610
610
20, 800
39,375
61,610
0
0
0
0
2,500
2, 500
4, 500
300
4,800
0
21,000
7,500
0
0
450
4,150
38,495
54,520
4,000
100
4,530
6,186
24,106
7, 600
882
12, 504
4, 500

0

$500

1
0
61
0
12
0
0
0
1
0
6
0
0
0
0
4

0
0
1
1
0
2
2
2
4

Total____ 7,510,398 7,152,880 18,652,939 2,230

East North Central States
I llin o is :
A l t o n ___________
A u r o r a _________
B e l l e v ill e ______
B e r w y n _______
B lo o m in g t o n .
B l u e I s l a n d ___
B r o o k fie ld ____
C a ir o ___________
C a lu m e t C i t y .
C a n t o n ________
C e n tr a lia ______
C h a m p a ig n ...
C h ic a g o _______
C h i c a g o
H e i g h t s _____
C i c e r o _________
D a n v i l l e _______
D e c a t u r _______
E a s t S t . L o u is .
E l g i n ___________
E l m h u r s t _____
E l m w o o d
P a r k ................
E v a n s t o n ____
F orest P a r k ..
F r e e p o r t ...........
G r a n it e C i t y .
H a r v e y ________
H i g h l a n d
P a r k ................
J o lie t ___________
K a n k a k e e ____
L a G r a n g e ____
M a y w o o d ____
M e lr o s e P a r k .
M o l i n e ________

0
$500
3,000
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
78, 500

0
$700
125
1,600
1,000
575
725
2,150
0
400
0
0
277, 540

$3, 440
6,883
5, 625
6, 200
1,700
5,638
2,025
2,150
325
400
2,000
4,800
810,953

0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
14

0
0
4,000
5,500
5,825
6, 750
0

16, 350
3,770
1,300
275
5,195
8,915
1,025

17, 430
6,470
7,959
6, 750
26,162
18,008
1,025

0
0
1
2
1
1
0

0
0
0
2,500
0
0

200
2,500
5, 735
16, 570
12,000
200

1,100
37,500
6,035
19, 070
12,000
1,570

0
0
0
1
0
0

5, 300
0
6,000
0
0
0
2,000

15,380
0
200
0
1,020
50
2,615

21, 730
41, 270
6,200
2,000
1,020
595
8,033

2
0
1
0
0
0
1

2 N ot included in totals.


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

Illinois— Con.
Mount Vernon________
Oak Park___
Ottawa_______
Park R id ge...
Peoria________
Quincy_______
Rockford____
Rock Island _.
Springfield___
Sterling______
Streator______
Urbana ______
Waukegan___
W ilm ette____
Winnetka____
Indiana:
Bedford______
Connersville..
Crawfordsville
Elkhart______
Elwood______
Evansville___
Fort W a y n e ..
G a r y ..............
Goshen_______
Hammond___
H untington..
Indianapolis..
Jeffersonville.
Kokomo_____
Lafayette____
La Porte 2___
Logansport...
Marion_______
Michigan City

0
0
0
0
$18,000
0
5,000
3,000
18,100
0
22,000
0
3,000
0
12,000

$2,500
1,103
0
500
189, 525
3,825
975
940
210, 615
225
0
0
2,450
650
12,150

$2, 500
9,703
0
4, 645
240,635
5, 325
8,050
10,187
241,063
975
22,150
2,980
11,600
2, 775
46,150

0
0
0
0
4
0
3
1
8
0
1
0
1
0
1

0
0
0
0
0
3,000
0
3,000
0
3,500
0
18,500
0
0
0
0
0
1,400
0

2,000
145
750
700
0
2,478
205,910
1,525
250
6,274
0
476, 642
0
4,880
0
325
150
555
1,730

2,040
5,645
1,500
5,515
688
15, 370
221,930
7,025
250
12,884
516
541,233
3,000
9,530
1,800
2,000
26,341
11,135
2,495

. 0
0
0
0
0
1
0
3
0
1
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
1
0

1167

HOUSING

T able 11.—E S T I M A T E D C O S T OF B U I L D I N G S F O R W H I C H P E R M I T S W E R E IS S U E D
I N P R I N C I P A L C IT IE S , S E P T E M B E R 1933— Continued

East North Central States— Continued

C ity and State

New Castle--.
Richmond___
South B e n d ..
Terre H aute-Michigan:
Ann Arbor___
Battle Creek.
Bay C ity____
Dearborn____
Detroit ____
Escanaba— - Flint_________
Grand Rapids
Grosse Pointe
H am tram ck.Holland______
Kalamazoo___
Lansing_____
Lincoln Park,
Marquette___

New
New
residen­ nonresidential
tial
build­
build­
ings
ings

Fami­
Total
lies
(includ­
pro­
ing re­ vided
pairs)
for

o
$2 500
0
o
0
0
3,000

$492
4 627
850
0
500
1,730
495

$1, 212
16, 786
850
75
1,950
7,885
5,907

0
1
0
0
0
0
1

o
9,500
0
14,850
10,500
174,450
1,500
0
1,900
2,500

1,300
1,100
1,775
1,900
3, 560
402,901
150
815
29,694
9,835

2,100
21,780
8,075
26,479
16,060
741,885
2,350
1,315
44,634
30,010

0
2
0
5
2
34
1
0
1
1

19, 600
0

0
1,450

19,600
5,200

2
0

500
0
0
8,000
2,550
0
0
10,000
0

700
235
70
4,785
74,385
6,045
605
0
5,100

3,340
'375
510
14,195
85,088
10, 775
1,805
10 , ooc
5,725

1
0
0
1
2
0
0
4
0

0
4,100

1,250
948

1 ,25C
5,803

0
2

0
o
o
0
0
3,500
0
2,800

40C
70C
11,540
'700
C
382
1,605
1,045

1 ,10C
1 ,10C
30,370
7,350
29C
4,992
13,408
6 ,97C

0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1

9,810
0
40, 000
0
0
0
0
1,500
(
10,800
174,400
55,500

6, 765
38C
3 ,85(
138
(
(
0
(
20(
2,930
262,810
112,90<

25,692
2, 28C
43,85C
3, 279
3,135
C
900
1, 500
55(
15,971
601, 250
491,40(

4
0
2
0
0
0
0
1
0
2
29
10

22,000
11, 500

1.25C
72,40C

26,75C
128, 25C

4
2

10C
8 , 10C

10C
39, 51C

0
0

25C

55C

0

Mount ClemMuskegon----M uskegon
Heights____
Port H u r o n ..
River Rouge.
Royal Oak
Sagin aw _____
W y a n d o tte ...

Barberton___
Bucyrus--------C am bridge..Cincinnati..-

Cuyaho g a
East Clevel a n d . ---------

1


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

City and State

New
New
residen­ nonresidential
tial
build­
build­
ings
ings

Ohio— Contd.
0
Elyria________
$20,900
Euclid_______
0
Findlay...........
0
Fostoria..........
3,000
Fremont_____
G arfield
0
Heights-----0
Hamilton------0
Ironton_____
10,000
Lakewood-----0
Lim a_________
0
Lorain---------22, 500
Mansfield-----0
Marietta____
0
Marion—.........
0
Massillon------5,000
Middletown—
0
Newark--------0
Norwood------3, 950
Parma___ —
0
Piqua________
0
Portsm outh..
0
Salem _______
0
Sandusky-----S h a k e r
27,500
Heights........
5,000
Springfield—
0
Steubenville—
0
Struthers------4,000
Tiffin------------7,000
Toledo_______
2,750
Warren—
—
0
Wooster______
26,800
Youngstown—
Wisconsin:
10,500
Appleton------C
Beloit _______
0
C u d ah y..
12, 200
Eau C ia ire ...
0
Fond du Lac.
29,900
Green B a y —
0
Janesville------0
Kenosha-------7,000
Madison-------3,350
M anitowoc-- .
2,000
Marinette-----37,513
M ilw aukee-. .
9,100
Oshkosh ----0
Racine----------3,000
Sheboygan—
9, 500
Shorewood —
South M i l 0
waukee------27,500
Stevens Point.
2,600
Superior--------0
Two Rivers. .
3 ,85C
Waukesha___
C
W ausau______
5,800
Wauwatosa—
W est A llis----T o ta l..

Fami­
Total
lies
(includ­
pro­
ing re­
vided
pairs)
for

$815
445
900
0
200

$1,950
21, 595
3,435
250
3,400

0
5
0
0
1

0
725
50
1,135
1,900
190
10,000
650
820
750
30,865
630
15,950
800
0
690
6,025
2, 593

0
2,150
415
13,625
6, 050
3, 6U5
34, 767
1,150
2,180
1,730
40, 570
2,180
17, 750
6,385
150
1,704
6,025
3,643

0
0
0
2
0
0
3
0
0
0
1
0
0
2
0
0
0
0

1,300
2,880
2, 000
2,225
200
41, 867
1,290
0
39,375

31,800
11,115
5, 375
2, 225
4, 200
59,967
11,005
1, 525
73,671

3
1
0
0
1
1
1
0
3

2,330
825
20C
2,600
2, 275
3, 735
250
615
4,210
10,929
1,010
60, 735
530
850
17,929
782

15, 890
2,675
1,300
22,900
8, 665
40,000
5, 650
15, 583
56,853
251,876
4,650
152, 413
21, 580
4, 518
28,199
12,132

3
0
0
6
0
9
0
0
1
1
1
9
6
0
1
1

0
3,200
495
4,285
70C
2,030
2, 500
67C

0
34, 325
5, 700
5, 721
16,600
2,030
10,410
1,870

0
4
i
0
i
0
1
0

1,130, 848 2,844, 265 6,212,307

239

1168

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

T able 1 1 .— E S T I M A T E D C O S T OF B U IL D IN G S F O R W H I C H P E R M I T S W E R E ISS U E D
I N P R I N C I P A L C IT IE S , S E P T E M B E R 1933— Continued

W est North Central States

City and State

Iowa:
Ames_________
Burlington___
Cedar Rapids.
CouncilBluffs.
D a v en p o rt.-.
Des M oines. .
Dubuque____
Fort D o d g e ...
Iowa C i t y .- .
Marshalltown
Mason C it y ..
Muscatine___
Ottum wa____
Sioux C ity___

New
New
Fami­
Total
residen­ nonresilies
(includ­
tial
dential
pro­
ing re­
vided
build­
build­
pairs)
for
ings
ings

0
0
$15,000
10, 200
5,850
3,600
37, 875
0
0
0
2, 500
0
18, 690
1, 500
7,000
6,000
5, 00C

$585
475
1,285
2,710
4,992
16, 375
24,175
2, 555
4,040
1,282
1,450
2,100
6, 555
900
3,000
7, 530
6,085

$2, 085
550
23, 260
25, 548
17, 342
40, 708
85,625
10,163
6,315
1,432
4, 750
18,100
29, 072
4,518
13, 750
14,810
14,970

0
0
1
3
3
2
18
0
0
0
1
0
13
1
3
2
3

0

12,000
150
250

0
0
0
0
0
0
5
0
2
1
1
0
0
0
1
3
0
0
5
1
1
0
18

Kansas:
Arkansas City
Atchison.
Dodge C ity—
Eldorado. . .
Fort Scott____
Hutchinson. _
Independence.
Kansas C it y ..
Law rence___
Leavenworth.
M an h attan -..
Salina________
W ichita......... .
Minnesota:
Albert Lea___
Faribault____
Hibbing______
M ankato_____
M inneapolis..

0
0
8,700
0
6 ,00C
1,200
3,800
0
0
0
1, 000
11, 950
0

0
0
725
150
3,720
200
300
50
0
0
3,360
2,130
2, 682

14, 324
150
250
615
800
0
16, 750
150
14,805
2, 680
7, 600
50
800
550
4,860
16, 200
10, 306

0
6, 100
500
3,000

300
3,960
120
7,000
890
141,480

550
39, 776
19, 430
17, 700
5,127
308, 725

c
c
c

c
65,170

C

City and State

New
New
Fami
Total
residen­ nonresilies
(includ­
tial
dential
pro­
ing re­
build­
build­
vided
pairs)
ings
ings
for

Minnesota—
Continued.
$5,700
2, 800
40, 920
10, 950
4,000

$400
820
221, 262
175
0

$7, 200
3; 770
337, 920
13,200
4,790

1
8
3
2

7,600
4,000
2,800
0
5,000
0
58,000
0
500
0
12, 000
138, 325
16,100

180
0
200
100
4,800
150
11, 000
2, 600
1,150
0
550
126,188
4, 965

7,980
4,000
3,000
43, 780
15,180
1, 741
82, 700
2, 700
2,350
0
13, 760
345, 222
42,982

3
1
2
0
1
0
15
0
1
0
4
32
5

0

0
150
0
0
12,440
23, 000
6,445

1,200
'800
3,685
12,000
44,499
30,500
116,280

0
0
0
7
2
21

0

375
0
150
500

375
11,090
3; 900
500

0
1
1
0

Rapid C i t y ...
Sioux Falls.

0
0
0
0
16, 300

10, 600
0
142
1,825
2,545

10, 600
0
142
8,025
20,055

0
0
0
0
9

Total____

641, 205

698,273 1,991,122

210

St. Cloud ___
St. Paul
South St.Paul.
W inona.
.
Missouri:
Cape Girardeau_____ _
C olu m b ia___
Independence.
Jefferson City.
Joplin------- --Kansas C it y ..
M aplew ood-.
M oberly_____
St. C h a rles..St. Joseph___
St. L o u is.. - .
Springfield___
Nebraska:
Fremont_____
Grand Island.
Hastings_____
Lincoln______
North Platte.
Omaha_______
North Dakota:
Grand Forks.
South Dakota:
Aberdeen.. . .
H u r o n _______

0
0
0
20, 550
7,500
63,825
0
1, 200
2, 500

3

0

South Atlantic States
Delaware:
W ilm ington..
District of Columbia:
W ashington..
Florida:
G ainesville.-.
Jacksonville..
Key W est____
Miam i . . - . .
Sanford______
St. Augustine.
St. Petersburg
Tallahassee.. .
Tam pa_______
Georgia:
Atlanta______
B ru n sw ick ...
Columbus___
Lagrange____
R om e........... ..
Savannah____

$27, 200

$2,315

$57,410

5

308,100

4 5 ,15C

450, 500

51

9,000
5, 650
0
13, 350
0
5, 350
0
0
1,000
11,095
4,900

1,925
69,908
0
245, 345
0
3, 880
0
0
6,000
6,000
2, 377

12,118
139, 303
0
375,884
21,051
14, 515
75
2,120
57,446
19, 625
42,141

3
6
0
8
0
6
0
0
1
5
3

0
22,150
8, 350
0
3,000
0
2,000
7,000

0
112, 035
250
0
130
200
200
8, 050

3,979
153, 694
28,449
1,585
11,803
200
4,000
37,310

0
11
4
0
1
0
1
2


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

Maryland:
Annapolis____
Baltimore____
Cumberland..
Frederick____
H agerstow n..
Salisbury____
North Carolina:
Asheville____

Elizabeth
C ity________
Gastonia.........
Goldsboro___
Greensboro.. .
High Point . .
New Bern____
Rocky Mount
Shelby_______
Statesville___
W ilm ington. _
W ilson.............

$7, 240
48,000
2, 500
18,800
4,200
9,995

$7, 500
31,850
1,200
249
1,090
5,425

$15, 500
437,050
4,450
25,989
10,175
16,945

12, 000
15,100
2,100
48', 400

825
700
0
675

15,460
19,920
3' 950
50,900

0
2,500
0
1,575
4,800
0
0
0
3,000
13, 300
0
14,700
0

0
0
475
2,800
482
600
217,891
735
70
0
0
2,350
0

0
3, 575
575
7,113
6,607
600
217,891
7,185
3,095
14, 300
0
18,845
0

3
9
1
2
1
6
2
4

3
7
0
1
0
1
1
0

0
0

1
4
0
3
0

HOUSING

1169

T able 11.—E S T I M A T E D C O S T OF B U I L D I N G S F O R W H I C H P E R M I T S W E R E IS S U E D
IN P R I N C I P A L C IT IE S , S E P T E M B E R 1933— Continued

South Atlantic States— Continued

City and State

Fami­
New
New
Total
lies
residen­ nonresi- (includ­
pro­
dential
tial
ing re­ vided
build­
build­
pairs)
for
ings
ings

C ity and State

Virginia— Con.
Norfolk------- _
P etersburg...
Portsmouth. _
Richmond___
Roanoke-------Staunton------Suffolk_______
Winchester.—
W est Virginia:
Bluefield_____
Charleston.. .
C larksbu rg...
Fairm ont.. . .
Huntington. .
Martinsburg.
Morgantown.
Parkersburg..
Wheeling____

N o r t h CaroliWinston - Sa0

$565

$11,225

0

0
$4, 500
2,500
3,600
0
0
0
0
3, 600

600
2, 500
800
0
61,781
25
800
0
400

2,825
9,160
16,664
5,100
65,891
1,334
2,490
2, 255
4, 00C

0
2
1
2
0
0
0
0
2

31,500

75C

38, 762

9

Danville--------

9, 500
27,294

c

2, 275
1,802
7(

13, 722
32, 558

3
6

N ew port
News____

12,000

5,892

26, 559

1

South Carolina:
Anderson . . .
Charleston.. .
Columbia____
Florence_____
Greenville
Greenwood . .
Spartanburg..
Virginia:
Alexandria___
Charl ot t es-

Fami­
New
New
Total
residen­ nonresi- (includ­ lies
dential
pro­
tial
ing re­
vided
build­
build­
pairs)
for
ings
ings

Total___

$14, 250
0
7, 500
31,800
0
3, 500
0
0

$6, 075
31, 500
9,310
26,592
4,490
135
370
1,300

$64, 072
32,660
21, 365
122, 721
9,109
4,925
2,390
2, 300

5
0
3
10
0
1
0
0

3, 500
1,200
5, 500
0
18,150
0
0
0
8, 750

250
2,450
1,500
5,800
32, 488
500
2,000
7,085
15,700

5, 215
9, 539
10,105
5,835
53, 588
3, 500
4, 550
13,340
35. 527

1
1
1
0
4
0
0
0
2

824,999 1,004,487 2,947,194

210

South Central States
Alabama:
A nniston.- .
Bessemer.. . .
Birmingham..
Decatur. _ Fairfield. . . .
Huntsville —
Mobile ______
Montgom ery.
Selma____. . .
Tuscaloosa.. .
Arkansas:
B lyth eville...
E l Dorado----Fort Sm ith. .
Hot Springs..
Little R o c k ...
Texarkana___
Kentucky:
Ashland--------Fort Thomas.
Frankfort____
nenderson___
Lexington____
Louisville____
Middlesboro—
Owensboro.. .
Paducah_____
Louisiana:
Alexandria. . .
Lafayette------M o n r o e -------New Orleans
Shreveport...
Mississippi:
Biloxi________
Clarksdale___
Columbus___
Greenwood- .
Gulfport_____
Hattiesburg. .
Laurel_______
Meridian____
Vicksburg___
Oklahoma:
Ada
_____
Ardmore_____

0
0
0
0
0
0
$9, 500
0
0
0

$525
0
2,100
0
0
0
3,700
0
1,035
150

$800
369
20,843
0
1,695
0
23,766
18,105
1,835
275

0
0
0
0
0
0
6
0
0
0

500
0
0
0
1,175
0

0
0
971
600
3, 780
400

3,500
200
8,155
3,400
12,872
4, 570

1
0
0
0
2
0

4,000
8,000
0
0
0
87,000
0
0
1,100

0
0
6,697
0
2,130
69, 550
0
375
14,000

4,000
8,000
6,697
0
6,452
174,390
6,000
515
18,100

1
1
0
0
0
11
0
0
1

c
2,700
1,70C
44, 527
8,850

730
600
500
6,029
6,765

7, 278
4,401
14,106
75,431
33,977

0
2
2
10
12

0
0
0
0
0
1,500
0
1,000
(1

500
0
0
0
25, 292
0
0
75,000
0

500
0
0
0
25, 292
1,800
0
76,576
1,825

0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0

(
c

(
25

6 ,00(
25

0
0

2 N ot included in totals.
16487°— 33----- 11


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

Oklahom aContinued .
Bartlesville—.
Chickasha___
McAlester----Oklahoma
C ity-----------Sapulpa______
Shawnee___
Tulsa________
Tennessee:
Chattanooga..
Jackson. . . .
Johnson C ity.
Kingsport____
Knoxville____
M emphis____
Nashville____
Texas:
Abilene---------Am arillo.........
Austin_______
Beaumont----Big Spring—
Corsicana____
Dallas-----------Del R io______
El Paso______
Fort Worth _
Galveston____
Greenville 2—
Harlingen-----Houston . . . .
Lubbock_____
Palestine_____
P a m p a ... . . .
Paris________
San A n g e lo ...
San Antonio..
Sherman 2-----Sweetwater. .
Temple______
Tyler_________
W aco------------Wichita Falls.
Total-------

0
0
$1,500

$275
1, 100
100

$275
1,493
1,600

0
0
1

16, 500
0
0
6,000

135, 750
0
400
30,140

169,082
500
2, 500
46,365

2
0
0
4

7,500
9, 325
1,000
3,200
18, 600
2, 080
11,800

500
0
0
190
3,456
155, 623
22,878

27,722
10,175
1,000
3, 390
57,090
234,143
44,461

1
3
1
2
3
3
5

0
0
27, 767
1,098
0
0
0
0
0
39, 500
3,900
6.80C
0
108, 35Q
C
6,855
1,000
700
0
22, 882
0
(
0
19, 20(1
14,300
(

795
0
16,940
285
0
600
39, 670
55
945
14,133
5,353
13, 400
0
76,893
2,210
1,000
0
560
875
3,542
4,900
1,800
0
2,845
350
880

4,980
4,752
89, 359
13, 672
2,090
3, 025
73,365
3, 770
2,780
75,036
17, 571
20, 200
181, 618
203, 078
2,535
10,902
3, 500
7,498
1,725
46, 237
7,354
4,125
1,250
28, 747
17,825
2, 655

0
0
16
2
0
0
0
0
0
5
5
2
0
34
0
3
1
1
0
15
0
0
0
6
3
0

494, 60S

741,597 1, 973, 641

167

1170

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

T able 11.—E S T I M A T E D C O S T O F B U I L D I N G S F O R W H I C H P E R M I T S W E R E IS S U E D
IN P R I N C I P A L C IT IE S , S E P T E M B E R 1933— Continued

M ountain and Pacific States

City and State

New
New
Fami­
Total
residen­ nonresilies
(includ­
tial
dential
pro­
ing re­
build­
build­
vided
pairs)
ings
ings
for

Arizona:

Pomona______
Riverside____
Sacramento.—
Salinas_______
San BernarSan Diego___
San Francisco.
San J o s e .___
San Leandro..
San M a t e o ...
Santa Ana___
S a n t a Barbara
____
Santa C r u z ...
Santa Monica.
Santa R o s a ...
South Pasadena_______
Whittier_____

New
New
Fami­
residen­ nonresi- Total
lies
(includ­
tial
dential
pro­
ing re­
build­
build­
vided
pairs)
ings
ings
for

Colorado:
C
0

Tucson-...........
California:
Alhambra____
Anaheim_____
Bakersfield..Berkeley_____
Beverlv Hills.
Burbank____
Burlingam e..
Compton____
Eureka_______
Fresno_______
Fullerton____
Gardena_____
Glendale_____
H u n tin g to n
Park_______
Inglewood___
Long B e a ch ..
Los A n geles..
Modesto_____
Monrovia____
Oakland_____

City and State

$4,175
8,420

$10, 567
28| 703

0
0

11, 241
20; 245
2, 851
64, 600
93, 514
67, 480
13, 880
23,993
4, 721
10, 250
35, 278
7,977
1,725
54, 036

1
4
0
2
9
10
4
3
0
1
3
1
0
7

6,750
1,500
22, 300
433, 300
0
2,300
66,840
1,350
11,450
29, 500
0
0
5,900
38, 350
8,500

1,310
26, 399
9, 500
16, 690
47,120 282, 790
440,856 1, 222, 523
2,925
9, 300
1,065
9, 603
52,659 167, 787
200
3,125
1,450
15,450
69, 429 136, 891
8, 255
14, 239
1, 200
5, 664
3,900
16i 800
1,110
05, 541
7,930
21, 491

3
1
12
131
0
2
16
1
3
4
0
0
3
10
3

1,350
89,470
205,142
7,250
7,000
47,890
19,625

645
45,390
196, 060
193,825
0
37, 800
0

8,286
159; 462
551, 753
214, 730
8,960
88,860
29, 851

1
31
59
2
2
7
4

7,300
2,800
18, 300
8, 400

1,070
4,190
12,247
1,700

19, 309
10,015
44, 627
15,990

2
1
3
3

0
30 «00
2, 500

0
13 875
’ 100

2, 022

0

A 675

1

$1, 50C
6, 650
C
4, 300
56,94C
34,100
8,000
14. 523
0
2,000
14,000
4, 000
0
31, 500

912
2,400
C
5,815
17, 825
10,100
3, 33C
4, 20C
2, 220
5, 750
3, 333
345
1,525
17,411

C olorado
Springs____
Fort C ollins..
Grand Junetion 2_______
Pueblo_______
Idaho:
B o is e ._______
Pocatello_____
Montana:
Anaconda____
Great F a lls ...
Missoula_____
Nevada:
Reno_________
New Mexico:
Albuquerque.
Oregon:
Astoria_______

0

$130

$4, 085

0

$2,000
64, 300
0

4,794
23, 29C
'300

14, 279
156, 868
2, 700

1
15

0
0
1,000

165
1, 685
960

1,450
1, 965
6,243

0
0
1

8, 500
1,500

590
655

23, 681
5,945

2
1

14,000
8, 825
0
5, 300
0

0
8,950
855
4, 745
1,660

14, 000
19 700
2,655
12, 840
1,660

0
7
0

26, 500

250

31, 500

2

1,000

975

11,970

1

0
0
2, 400
72; 745
L 500

129,040
150
4,160
21, 530
288

132, 252
6, 050
9, 315
187, 205
15, 776

0

500
5,000

200
0, 500

3 100
13, 630

20, 800

2,634

49,062

0

800
26,453

500
25,825
7,550

0

0

0
2, 250
800
37, 500
15, 100
11,990
500
0

75
175
0
39, 285
1, 624
70, 450
175
300

3 180
29; 804
45,078
280
320
3,942
800
137, 650
31 352
91, 335
2, 550
2,100

0

7, 735

10, 660

0

1, 584,643 1, 611, 607 4, 758,317

461

0

1

6

Utah:
Salt Lake
C ity______
Washington:
Bellingham. __
Bremerton.. .
Longview____
Olympia_____
Port Angeles.
Seattle_______
Tacom a______
Walla W alla..
W enatchee.. .
Wyom ing:
Cheyenne___
Total___

7

1
10
0
2
1
10
4
1
0

H aw aii

City

H o n o lu lu ______ ___________________ _______ _________________
1 N ot included in totals.


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

New resi­
dential
buildings

New nonresidential
buildings

Total (in­
cluding re­
pairs)

$77, 383

$5, 515

$107,468

Fami­
lies pro­
vided
for

56

WAGES AND HOURS OF LABOR
Wages and Hours of Labor in the Manufacture of Silk and Rayon
Goods, 1933

AGE earners employed in the manufacture of silk, rayon, or
mixed silk and rayon goods in the United States actually
worked an average of 45.5 hours in a representative week in 1931, as
compared with 44 hours in 1933. These hours are for a representative
week in March, April, May, or June in each year. The wage earners
earned an average of 40.6 cents per hour and $18.47 in 1 week in 1931,
as compared with an average of 26.9 cents per hour and $11.85 in
1 week in 1933. In contrast with the hours actually worked, full-time
hours per week averaged 50.7 in 1931 and 50.9 in 1933. Had the
employees worked full time and at the same average per hour as was
earned in the hours actually worked, they would have earned an
average of $20.58 in 1931 and $13.69 in 1933.
Average earnings per hour in 1933 were 13.7 cents, or 33.7 percent
less than in 1931; and actual earnings in 1 week in 1933 were $6.62,
or 35.8 percent less than in 1931. The percentage loss of average
earnings per week was more than for average earnings per hour
because of more lost time or part-time work in 1933 than in 1931.
The average of the hours that were actually worked in 1 week was
89.7 percent of the average full-time hours per week in 1931, as com­
pared with 86.4 percent in 1933, thus showing that there was 10.3
percent of lost time in 1931, as compared with 13.6 percent of lost
time in 1933.
The figures quoted above are part of the summaries of the results
of studies by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the manufacture of
silk, rayon, or of mixed silk-and-rayon goods. In making the studies,
wage figures covering days, hours, and earnings were collected from
the 1931 pay rolls of 340 representative mills in 13 States for 49,036
wage earners, and from the 1933 pay rolls of 291 mills in the same
States for 41,713 wage earners.
Studies of the silk-goods industry were made by the Bureau in
each of the years from 1910 to 1914 and in 1919. The figures in
table 1 for these years are for silk goods only. The manufacture of
rayon yarn in the United States is a comparatively new industry and
was for years prior to 1925 of so little importance that it was grouped
by the United States Census of Manufactures with “ Chemicals, not
elsewhere classified.” Details of the 1933 study will be published
later as a bulletin 1 of the Bureau.
The studies in the various years from 1910 to 1933 were limited to
mills the principal products of which were broad goods, ribbons,
dress goods, linings, shirtings, satins, georgettes, pongees, crepes,
taffetas, chiffons, and tie goods, made of silk and/or rayon.

W

1 For details of the studies for the specified years prior to 1932, see Buis. Nos. 128, 150, 190, and 568.


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

1171

1172

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

There were according to the United States Census of Manufactures
130,467 wage earners in the silk and rayon industry in 1929 and
109,225 in the industry in 1931. The number (41,713) covered in
1933 is 38 percent of the total in the industry in the United States in
1931.
Except for a few mills the 1933 days, hours, and earnings of wage
earners were collected by agents of the Bureau directly from the pay
rolls of the mills included in the study for one representative pay
period in March, April, May, or June and therefore reflect the con­
ditions of the industry for that part of the year. The length of pay
periods varied in the different mills from 1 to 2 weeks or more. Those
of more than 1 week were converted by the Bureau to a 1-week basis.
The average earnings per hour and per week in this report include
earnings at basic rates and any bonuses or premiums earned in the
week covered in the study.
Trend of Hours and Earnings, 1910 to 1933
T h e averages in table 1 for each of the years from 1910 to 1914 and
for 1919 are for. a combination of the wage figures for the wage earners
in certain selected occupations in the industry. The averages for
these years are comparable one year with another. The averages in
the table for 1914, 1931, and 1933 for a combination of the wage
figures of the wage earners in all occupations in the industry are also
comparable, one year with another, but are not comparable with the
averages for a combination of the wage figures of the wage earners in
the selected occupations for any year from 1910 to 1914 or in 1919.
The index numbers in the table are for the purpose of furnishing
comparable figures for the specified years from 1910 to 1933. The
index for any year for selected occupations only is the percent that
the average for that year is of the 1913 average. The index of average
earnings per hour for 1931 or for 1933 was computed by increasing
the 1914 index for selected occupations by the percent that the 1931
or 1933 average for all occupations is in excess of the 1914 average for
all occupations. The index of average full-time hours and full-time
earnings per week were each computed in like manner.
Index numbers of full-time hours per week ranged, by years, from
a low of 91 in 1931 to a high of 101.3 in 1910 and 1911, and in 1933 was
8.6 percent less than the 1913 index.
The index of average earnings per hour ranged, by years, from a
low of 86.5 in 1910 to ahighof 215.8 in 1931, and in 1933 was 43 percent
more than the 1913 index.
The index of average full-time earnings per week ranged, by years,
from a low of 88.6 in 1910 to a high of 198.2 in 1931, and in 1933 was
31.8 percent more than in 1913, the basic year. The index of average
full-time earnings per week did not change in the same proportion as
earnings per hour, owing to the change from year to year in average
full-time hours per week.


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

1173

WAGES AND HOURS OF LABOR
T able

1

.— A V E R A G E

H O U R S A N D E A R N IN G S , W IT H

Year

Selected occupations:
______
1910 .
...
1911______________________
1912______________________
1913______________________
1914 2____________________
1919______________________
All occupations:
1914 2____________________
1931______________________
1933______________________

I N D E X N U M B E R S , 1910 T O 1933

Aver­
Average Aver­
N um ­
age
N um ­
hours
age
ber
full­
ber of
actually earn­
of
time
worked
ings
estab­ wage
earners hours
in
per
lish­
per
1 week
hour
ments
week

42
42
51
59
63
33

7, 779
11,105
11, 762
12,002
18, 293
9, 415

56.4
56.4
55.9
55.7
54.6
51.6

0)
(>)
0)
(>)
(>)
(>)

63
340
291

22, 344
49,036
41,713

54. 6
50.7
50.9

(i)
45.5
44.0

$0.167
. 172
. 182
. 193
.202
.384
. 197
.406
.269

Ind ex num bers
Aver­
G 913 = 10 9)
age
Aver­
full­
age
time actual
Full­
Full­
earn­ earn­
Earn­ time
ings ings in time
ings
earn­
per 1 week hours
per
ings
per
week
hour
per
week
week

$9.43
9.70
10.18
10. 64
11.06
19. 81

0)
(0
0)
(0
(0
(1)

(1)
10. 79
20.58 $18.47
13. 69 11.85

101.3
101.3
100.4
100.0
98.0
92.6

86.5
89.1
94.3
100.0
104.7
199.0

88.6
91.2
95.7
100.0
103.9
186.2

91.0
91.4

215.8
143.0

198. 2
131. 8

1 N ot available.
2 2 sets of averages are shown for 1914 for the industry, one for selected occupations and the other for all
occupations in the industry. The 1910 to 1919 averages for selected occupations only are comparable, one
year with another, as are those for all occupations for 1914 to 1933.

Average Days, Hours, and Earnings, 1931 and 1933, by Occupation and Sex
T a b l e 2 shows for males in each of 23 of the important occupations
in the industry and in the miscellaneous group designated in the table
as “ Other employees” , and for females in each of 20 of the 23 im­
portant occupations and in the group of “ Other employees” average
number of days on which wage earners worked in a representative week
in 1931 and 1933, average full-time and actual hours and earnings per
week in each year, average earnings per hour, and the percent that
the average hours actually worked in the week in each year is of the
average full-time hours per week. Females were not employed in
three of the 23 important occupations, namely dye-house laborers,
loom fixers, and bobbin boys. The group of “ other employees”
include wage earners in all occupations in the industry other than
those referred to as important occupations.
The figures at the end of the table are for a combination of all
wage earners, males and females, and show that they worked an aver­
age of 5.2 days in 1 week in 1931 and an average of 5 days in 1933.
In computing this average each day on which a wage earner did any
work in the week was counted a day.
Average days worked in the week in 1931 by males ranged, by occu­
pation, from a low of 4.3 for rayon winders to a high of 5.7 for packers,
and in 1933 ranged from 3.9 for dye-house laborers and coners to 5.8
for cloth pickers. Average days for females ranged in 1931 from 4.7
for doublers to 5.9 for coners and in 1933 ranged from 4 for soft-silk
winders to 5.5 for smash hands.
Average hours actually worked in 1 week by males ranged, by
occupation, in 1931 from 38.2 for enterers’ helpers to 57.8 for doublers,
and in 1933 from 35.6 for dye-house laborers to 55 for hard-silk winders.
Averages for females ranged in 1931 from 39.3 for reefers and packers
to 51.5 for smash hands, and in 1933 from 33.8 for soft-silk winders to
48 for smash hands.
Average earnings per hour of males in 1931 ranged, by occupation,
from 19.7 cents for redrawers to 74.6 cents for loom fixers, and in


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

1174

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IEW

1933 ranged from 17.4 cents for hard-silk winders to 53.4 cents for
loom fixers. Averages for females ranged in 1931 from 24.3 cents for
redrawers to 47.6 cents for warpers, and in 1933 from 17.7 cents for
redrawers to 32.1 cents for warpers.
Average earnings per hour of males in each of the occupations in
the table except two— soft-silk winders and cloth pickers—-and of
females in each occupation were less in 1933 than in 1931. No
males were found in the occupation of soft-silk winders in 1933.
Cloth pickers, males, earned an average of 26 cents per hour in 1931
and 26.9 cents in 1933.
T able 2 .— A V E R A G E D A Y S , H O U R S , A N D E A R N I N G S , 1931 A N D 1933, B Y O C C U P A T IO N
AN D SEX

N um ­
ber
of
Year
estab­
lish­
ments

Occupation and sex

Aver­
age
days on
N um ­
which
ber of
wage
wage
earners
earners
worked
in 1
week

Hours
actually
Aver worked in
1 week
age
fulltime
Per­
hours
Aver­
per
cent
age
week
num­ of
full
ber
time

Aver­
age
ings
per
hour

Aver­
—
age
age
full­
actual
time earn­
earn­
ings
ings
in 1
per
week
week

Winders, hard-silk:
Female......... ..

_ __ ______

Doublers:
M ale________________________
Female

. ..

Spinners:
Male . .

_

____

. .

. . .

Female_____________________
Reelers:
M ale__________
Female

________

_______ __
_____. . .

Laborers, dye-house, m a l e ...

1931
1933
1931
1933

14
6
183
184

61
10
5,105
4,222

5.1
5.4
5.0
4.9

51.9
56.7
50.1
50.3

48.7
55.0
40.7
40.7

93.8 $0. 267 $13.86
. 174
97.0
9.87
81.2
.293 14.68
.206 10. 36
80.9

$13.00
9.58
11.94
8. 38

1931
1933
1931
1933

6
4
33
24

52
17
372
273

5.5
4.3
4.7
4.7

58.9
49. 7
50.3
50.8

57.8
36.3
39.8
40.7

98.1
73.0
79.1
80.1

.350
.270
.287
.201

20.62
13. 42
14. 44
10. 21

20. 26
9. 82
11.42
8.19

1931
1933
1931
1933

109
105
104
96

1, 794
2,074
2, 346
2,208

4.8
4.6
5.1
5.1

54.2
55.6
50.2
50.0

49.9
47.9
43.1
42.6

92.1
86.2
85.9
85.2

.344
.251
.289
.211

18.64
13.96
14. 51
10. 55

17.18
12.06
12.46
9.01

1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933

6
5
31
20
13
9

19
23
237
117
464
443

5.4
4.5
4.9
4.4
5.2
3.9

46.8
48.9
49.8
49.4
52.0
50.0

41.3
41.0
39.3
35.8
50.9
35.6

88.2
83.8
78.9
72.5
97.9
71.2

.319
.284
.287
.203
.479
.410

14.93
13.89
14.29
10.03
24.91
20. 50

13.16
11.66
11.30
7.25
24.36
14. 59

2
2
23
61

30
12
372
1,082

4.3
4.6
5.0
4.9

55.0
55.8
52.5
49.5

47.4
51.6
42.2
39.7

86.2
92.5
80.4
80.2

.375
.205
.295
.200

20.63
11. 44
15.49
9.90

17. 77
10. 57
12. 45
7.97

6
126
47

22
1,554
512

5.4
5.0
4.0

57.3
49.2
50.1

52.4
42.2
33.8

91.4
85.8
67.5

.319
.340
.235

18.28
16. 73
11.77

16. 73
14.38
7. 96

13
15
113
120

63
119
1,887
2,499

5.3
4.4
5.0
5.0

52.7
56.2
50.4
50.6

49.9
45.3
41.5
41.8

94.7
80.6
82.3
82.6

.197
.205
.243
.177

10.38
11.52
12.25
8.96

9.83
9. 27
10.08
7.39

166
153
164
139

993
844
1,974
1,343

5.1
4.9
5.1
4.8

51.1
51.7
50.4
50.5

45.4
44.6
43.5
40.3

88.8
86.3
86.3
79.8

.648
.396
.476
.321

33.11
20.47
23.99
16.21

29.42
17.66
20.72
12.94

62
66
238
193

299
325
1,934
1,608

4.9
5.0
5.3
5.0

54.2
51.9
50.0
50.5

49.2
46.3
44.2
42.5

90.8
89.2
88.4
84.2

.250
.188
.265
.192

13. 55
9. 76
13.25
9.70

12.28
8. 69
11. 74
8.16

7
9
18
25

161
183
528
664

4.9
3.9
5.9
5.1

52.1
56.1
50.4
50.9

48.8
38.6
43.4
43.5

93.7
68.8
86. 1
85.5

.323
.258
.278
.213

16.83
14.47
14.01
10.84

15.76
9.94
12.07
9.27

20
24
73
73

41
73
376
407

5.2
4.6
5. 1
4.5

51.7
53.0
50.8
51.7

46.7
42.3
42.4
37.6

90.3
79.8
83.5
72.7

.414
.268
.387
.291

21.40
14.20
19. 66
15.04

19.32
11.34
16. 39
10.93

Winders, rayon:
M ale
.............. ............... 1931
1933
Female_______ __ . . . ______ 1931
1933
Winders, soft-silk:
M ale_______________ . . . . . . . 1931
F e m a l e ....________________ 1931
1933
Redrawers:
M a le .. _____________________ 1931
1933
Female.__________ __________ 1931
1933
Warpers:
M ale___ _________________ . 1931
1933
Female______ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1931
1933
Quillers:
M ale________________________ 1931
1933
F e m a le ______ . ______ .
1931
1933
C oners:
M ale____
_ .. .
1931
1933
Female_____________________ 1931
1933
Enterers:
M ale___ __ _________ _______ 1931
1933
Female_____________________ 1931
1933


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

1175

W AGES AND HOURS OF LABOR

T able 2 .— A V E R A G E D A Y S , H O U R S , A N D E A R N I N G S , 1931 A N D 1933, B Y O C C U P A T IO N
A N D S E X — Continued

N um ­
ber
of
Year
estab­
lish­
ments

Occupation and sex

Enterers’ helpers:
M ale________________ ______

Aver­
age
days
on
Num ­
which
ber of
wage
wage
earners
earners
worked
in 1
week

Hours
actually
Aver- worked in
age
1 week
fulltime
hours
Per­
Aver­
per
cent
age
week
of
num­
full
ber
time

Aver­
age
earn­
ings
per
hour

Aver­
Aver­
age
age
full­
actual
time
earn­ earn­
ings
ings
in 1
per
week
week

1931
1933
1931
1933

15
7
39
24

30
30
154
123

4.6
5.1
5.1
4.3

51.5
54.9
50.8
51.3

38.2
49.6
42.3
35.4

74.2 $0. 246 $12. 67
90.3
. 177
9. 72
83.3
.260 13.21
69.0
.197 10.11

$9. 40
8. 75
10. 98
6.97

1931
1933
1931
1933

145
123
61
51

407
372
228
230

5.3
4.8
5.3
5. 1

49.7
50.5
50.6
50.3

45.5
41.8
42.5
43.1

91.5
82.8
84.0
85.7

.634
.435
.428
.279

31.51
21.97
21.66
14.03

28. 84
18.20
18. 19
12.04

1931
1933
_ 1931
1933
Loom fixer, male____________ . . 1931
1933
Bobbin boys
_______
. _ 1931
1933
Weavers, broad silk:
M ale____________ _ ________ 1931
1933
Female______
______ ..
1931
1933
Weavers, ribbon:
M a le.____ __________________ 1931
1933
Female._____ _______ ___ . 1931
1933
Smash hands:
M ale. ______ ________ . . 1931
1933
le m a le _____ ________________ 1931
1933
Pickers, cloth:
M ale_______ __
1931
1933
Female___ __________________ 1931
1933
Inspectors, cloth:
M ale_______ .
. . . .
1931
1933
Female_______ ____________ 1931
1933
Packers:
M ale________________________ 1931
1933
Female____ . .
1931
1933
Other employees:
M ale_______________ _______ 1931
1933
Female_____________________ 1931
1933

94
85
40
23
234
197
88
129

198
163
97
58
1,518
1,236
460
760

5.6
5.2
5.2
5.2
5.6
5.4
5.5
5.0

50.7
51.7
51.5
51.4
51.0
51.2
51. 4
51.7

49. 2
49.0
43.8
42.4
50.2
49.9
48.6
45. 6

97.0
94.8
85.0
82.5
98.4
97.5
94.6
88.2

.615
.427
.440
.315
.746
.534
.222
.178

31.18
22.08
22.66
16. 19
38.05
27. 34
11.41
9.20

30. 27
20. 95
19. 30
13. 35
37.47
26. 63
10.78
8.09

224
185
203
169

9, 796
8, 604
5,904
3,829

5.2
5. 1
5. 5
5.3

51.2
50.7
49.6
49.6

47.0
46.4
46.0
44.9

91.8
91.5
92.7
90.5

.499
.287
.422
.254

25. 55
14. 55
20.93
12.60

23.47
13. 34
19.38
11.39

15
16
12
11

332
284
272
227

5.0
4.9
5.3
5.4

47.3
48.7
48.2
47.7

42. 1
43.6
42.8
43.8

89.0
89.5
88.8
91.8

.558
.362
.444
.248

26. 39
17. 63
21.40
11.83

23. 51
15. 79
19.01
10.87

29
38
9
15

116
176
16
27

5.3
5. 1
5.8
5.5

51.5
51.3
52. 1
51.5

48.5
47. 7
51.5
48.0

94. 2
93.0
98.8
93.2

.536
.372
.409
.320

27. 60
19.08
21. 31
16.48

25.98
17.73
21.03
15.37

21
22
183
133

64
24
1,062
725

4.4
5.8
5.2
4.9

52.0
50.9
49.8
50.5

39. 1
50.7
42.9
40.0

75.2
99.6
86. 1
79.2

.260
.269
.270
.194

13. 52
13.69
13.45
9.80

10.18
13. 64
11.58
7.78

68
66
57
66

160
153
208
245

5.8
5.5
5.6
5.3

51.1
52.2
50.6
51.4

50.2
50.0
47.7
42.3

98.2
95.8
94. 3
82.3

.538
.382
.327
.242

27.49
19.94
16. 55
12.44

27. 03
19.13
15.60
10.25

36
44
23
22

81
127
70
198

5.7
5.3
4.9
4.9

49.8
50.6
49.5
51.1

48.5
46.6
39.3
42.2

97.4
92.1
79.4
82.6

.355
.279
.263
.197

17.68
14.12
13.02
10.07

17.22
12.99
10.34
8.34

282
244
208
178

4, 724
3,448
2,455
1,616

5.6
5.3
5.2
5.0

51.5
51. 5
50.0
50.5

50.8
47.7
43.3
41.9

98.6
92. 6
86.6
83.0

.434
.356
.276
.206

22.35
18. 33
13.80
10. 40

22.08
16.96
11.95
8. 62

1931
1933
1931
1933

340
291
340
291

21,885
19,500
27,151
22, 213

5. 3
5.0
5.2
5.0

51.5
51.6
50.0
50.2

48.4
46.5
43.2
41.8

94.0
90.1
86.4
83.3

.485
.319
.335
.221

24.98
16.46
16. 75
11.09

23.45
14.82
14. 46
9. 24

1931
1933

340
291

49,036
41,713

5.2
5.0

50.7
50.9

45.5
44.0

89.7
86.4

.406
.269

20.58
13. 69

18.47
11.85

Female_________________ . .
Twisters-in, hand:
M ale_______ ______________
Female___________

_ ______

Twisters-in, machine:
M ale__________ _________
Female.

___

___

A ll employees:
M ale________________ _______
Female_____________________
All wage earners, male and female__________________________

Average actual earnings in 1 week of males in 1931 ranged, by
occupation, from a low of $9.40 for enterers’ helpers to a high of
$37.47 for loom fixers, and in 1933 ranged from $8.09 for bobbin boys
to $26.63 for loom fixers. Averages of females in 1931 in the various

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

1176

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IEW

occupations ranged from $10.08 for redrawers to $21.03 for smash
hands, and in 1933 from $6.97 for enterers’ helpers to $15.37 for
smash hands. The decrease between 1931 and 1933 of $10.84 per
week in the earnings of loom fixers was more than for males in any
other occupation, and of $8.14 per week of smash hands was more
than for females in any other occupation. Average actual earnings in
1 week of males in each of the occupations in the table except two and
of females in each occupation were less in 1933 than in 1931.
Average Days, Hours, and Earnings, 1931 and 1933, by Sex and State
T a b l e 3 shows for the wage earners of each sex covered in each
State in 1931 and in 1933, or in the group of 3 States (Alabama,
Georgia, and South Carolina), average days, hours, and earnings, and
the percent of full time actually worked in 1 representative week in
each year. The wage figures for the wage earners in the 3 States
were combined to avoid presenting data for 1 establishment only,
and thus possibly reveal its identity.
Average actual hours worked in 1 week in 1931 by males ranged,
by States, from 43 to 53, and for all States averaged 48.4; those by
females ranged from 41.3 to 49 and for all States averaged 43.2. The
averages in 1933 for males ranged from 42 to 55.8 and for all States
the average was 46.5; and for females ranged from 40.2 to 47.6 and
for all States averaged 44.
Average earnings per hour for males in 1931 ranged, by States,
from 21.8 to 59.7 cents and for all States averaged 48.5 cents, and
those for females ranged from 18.1 to 41.8 cents and for all States
averaged 33.5 cents. In 1933 the averages for males ranged from
15.1 to 36.4 cents and for all States averaged 31.9 cents, and those for
females ranged from 12.7 to 28.4 cents and for all States averaged
22.1 cents per hour.
Average earnings per hour, full-time earnings per week, and actual
earnings in 1 week for each State and for the group of 3 States were
less in 1933 than in 1931.
T able 3 .— A V E R A G E D A Y S , H O U R S , A N D E A R N I N G S , 1931 A N D 1933, B Y S E X A N D S T A T E
Aver­
age
Aver­
N um ­
days
on age
N um ­
ber of
which fullYear estab­ ber of
wage
time
wage
lish­
earners earners hours
ments
worked per
in 1
week
week

Sex and State

Hours actu­
ally worked
in 1 week Aver­
age
Aver­ Per­
age
cent
num­ of full
ber time

ings
per
hour

Aver­
age
full­
time
earn­
ings
per
week

Aver­
age
earn­
ings
in 1
week

M ales
Connecticut________

______ ___

M aryland--

. . . __ _

M assachusetts.--

_

.

...

New Jersey___. . .
N ew Y o r k ..

________

North Carolina. __
Pennsylvania

. . . ___

Rhode Island_______________


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

___

1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933

13
15
3
5
12
11
97
74
37
33
10
10
131
112
20
12

1,546
1,823
132
236
734
597
3,331
2,352
1,780
1,596
1,378
1,422
10, 349
9,332
1,403
932

5.6
4.9
5. 1
5. 1
4.9
5.2
5.2
5. 1
5.3
5.4
5. 1
5.0
5.3
4.9
5.2
5.2

51.0
50.1
56.0
49.3
50.2
50.6
47. 5
49.1
51.3
51. 2
55.3
51.9
52.2
52. 1
50.3
51.5

49.7
42.0
51.7
45. 4
43.0
49.3
43.7
45.0
48.1
49.3
51. 2
45.3
49.5
46.2
47. 1
49.4

97.5 $0. 522 $26. 62
83.8
.364 18.24
92.3
.310 17. 36
92.1
.247
12.18
85.7
.459 23.04
97.4
.292 14. 78
92.0
.597 28. 36
91. 6
.363
17. 82
.502 25. 75
93.8
96. 3
.350 17.92
92.6
. 419 24.97
87.3
.285 14. 79
94.8
.474 24. 74
88.7
.313 16.31
93.6
.553 27.82
.364 18. 75
95.9

$25.92
15.29
16. 01
11.18
19.71
14.40
26.06
16. 30
24.14
17.28
21.44
12.94
23. 45
14.46
26.04
17. 96

WAGES AND HOURS OF LABOR

1177

T able 3 . — A V E R A G E D A Y S , H O U R S , A N D E A R N I N G S , 1931 A N D 1933, B Y S E X A N D S T A T E —
Continued

Aver­
age
Aver
N um ­
days
on age
N um ­
ber of
which fullber
of
1 ear estab­
wage
time
wage
lish­
earners hours
earners
ments
worked per
week
in 1
week

Hours actu
ally worked
Aver­
in 1 week
age
earn­
ings
Aver Per­
per
age
cent
num­ of full hour
ber time

1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933

5
6
6
8
6
5

447
417
311
369
474
424

5.2
5.1
5.4
5.3
5.2
5.2

55.1
56.0
56.8
56.9
53.8
55.7

51.7
51.6
53.0
55.8
50.2
52.2

93.8 $0. 294 $16. 20
92.1
.225 12.60
93.3
.218 12.38
98.1
. 151
8.59
93.3
.323 17. 38
93.7
.265 14. 76

_ 1931
1933

340
291

21,885
19, 500

5.3
5.0

51.5
51.6

48.4
46.5

94.0
90.1

.485
.319

24.98
16.46

23. 45
14.82

1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
Massachusetts_____________
1933
1931
New J e r s e y . _____________ __
1933
New Y o rk _____
_
_ 1931
1933
North Carolina_______________
1931
1933
Pennsylvania_______
1931
1933
Rhode Island_____
1931
1933
South Carolina, Alabama, and
Georgia.
1931
1933
Tennessee—. _ _____________
1931
1933
Virginia_______________________
1931
1933

13
15
3
5
12
11
97
74
37
33
10
10
131
112
20
12

1,429
1,354
381
309
776
500
3, 764
2,204
3,047
2, 400
809
817
14, 250
12,165
1,170
842

5.5
4.9
5.4
5.1
5.3
5.4
5.2
5. 1
5.4
5.4
5.2
4.9
5. 1
4.9
4.9
5.4

49.3
50.8
50.0
48.8
47.6
46.9
46.9
47.8
48. 7
48.8
55.2
52.4
50. 5
50.2
49.7
50.7

45. 7
41.4
44.5
42.8
42.4
42.4
41.3
41.8
44.4
43.4
47.8
42.4
42.4
40. 2
42.6
46.8

92.7
81. 5
89.0
87.7
89.1
90.4
88. 1
87.4
91.2
88.9
86.6
80.9
84.0
80.1
85.7
92.3

.385
.259
.230
. 172
.278
.213
. 410
.251
.335
.227
.314
. 217
.324
. 216
.418
.284

18.98
13.16
11. 50
8. 39
13.23
9. 99
19. 23
12.00
16.31
11.08
17. 33
11. 37
16. 36
10. 84
20. 77
14. 40

17.56
10. 75
10.22
7. 35
11.79
9. 02
16.94
10. 50
14.90
9. 85
15.00
9 18
13. 71
8. 70
17.80
13 28

5
6
6
8
6
5

428
498
511
633
586
491

5.3
5.1
5.3
5. 1
5.2
5.3

55.6
55.6
56. 1
55.4
54. 1
55.3

49.0
47.6
48. 1
47.2
47.6
49.2

88.1
85.6
85.7
85. 2
88.0
89.0

.240
. 165
. 181
. 127
.265
.202

13. 34
9.17
10. 15
7.04
14. 34
11.17

11. 75
7.86
8.70
6.02
12. 61
9. 96

Total______ _______________

1931
1933

340
291

27,151
22,213

5.2
5.0

50.0
50.2

43. 2
41.8

86.4
83.3

.335
. 221

16. 75
11.09

14.46
9.24

1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933

13
15
3
5
12
11
97
74
37
33
10
10
131
112
20
12

2,975
3,177
513
545
1,510
1,097
7,095
4, 556
4, 827
3,996
2,187
2,239
24, 599
21,497
2, 573
1,774

5.6
4.9
5.3
5.1
5.1
5.3
5.2
5.1
5.4
5.4
5.1
5.0
5.2
4.9
5.0
5.3

50.2
50.4
51.5
49.0
48.9
48.9
47.2
48.5
49.7
49.7
55.2
52. 1
51. 2
51.0
50.0
51. 1

47.8
41.8
46.3
43.9
42. 7
46.1
42.4
43.4
45.8
45.8
49.9
44. 3
45.4
42.8
45.0
48. 2

95.2
82.9
89.9
89.6
87.3
94.3
89.8
89.5
92.2
92.2
90.4
85.0
88.7
83.9
90.0
94.3

.459
.320
.253
.205
.367
. 259
.500
.311
.400
.280
.382
.261
.393
. 262
.495
. 327

23.04
16.13
13.03
10. 05
17. 95
12. 67
23.60
15.08
19. 88
13. 92
21.09
13. 60
20. 12
13. 36
24. 75
16. 71

21.91
13.36
11. 71
9. 01
15.64
11. 95
21.23
13.49
18.31
12. 82
19.06
11. 57
17.81
11. 20
22.29
15 74

1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933

5
6
6
8
6
5

875
915
822
1,002
1,060
915

5.2
5.1
5.3
5.2
5.2
5.2

55.4
55.8
56.4
55.9
54.0
55.5

50.4
49.4
49.9
50.4
48.8
50.6

91.0
88.5
88.5
90.2
90.4
91.2

.268
. 194
. 196
. 137
.292
.232

14.85
10.83
11.05
7. 66
15. 77
12.88

13. 51
9. 57
9. 77
6.91
14.23
11. 75

1931
1933

340
291

49,036
41,713

5.2
5.0

50.7
50.9

45.5
44.0

89.7
86.4

.406
.269

20.58
13.69

18. 47
11.85

Sex and State

Aver­
Aver­
age
age
full­
actual
time
earn­
earn­
ings
ings
in 1
per
week
week

M a les— Continued
South Carolina, Alabama, and
___
Georgia__________ _
T ennessee.___
Virginia—

_ _ ___

______________

Total______________

_

$15. 20
11.61
11. 53
8.44
16.22
13.83

Fem ales
Connecticut

Maryland

___

__

__ ______________

M ales and fem ales
Connecticut
Maryland

_ _

________________

___

Massachusetts_________ ________
New Jersey___________ -__ _
New York

__

_

North Carolina
Pennsylvania___

_

Rhode Island _ _ ______________
South Carolina, Alabama, and
Georgia___________
________
Tennessee_____________

_______

Virginia___________ __________
T otal______ _______________


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

1178

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

Average Hours and Earnings for Nine Occupations, 1933, by Sex and State

T he averages in table 4 are limited, for economy in space and cost
of printing, to the wage earners in nine representative occupations in
the industry. They illustrate the variations in average days, hours,
earnings, and of the percent of full time worked in 1 week for the
wage earners in all of the occupations in the industry.
T able L —A V E R A G E D A Y S , H O U R S , A N D E A R N I N G S F O R 9 R E P R E S E N T A T I V E O C C U ­
P A T IO N S , 1933, B Y S E X A N D S T A T E

N um ­
ber of
estab­
lish­
ments

Occupation, sex, and State

Winders, hard-silk, male:
Connecticut. _
.. .
Pennsylvania--. -----------Tennessee.V irginia.. ___
Total____

(>)

Aver­
Aver­
age
age
full­
actual
time
earn­
earn­
ings
ings
in 1
per
week
week

-----

__ __________ _____ - - - -

6

10

5.4

56.7

55.0

97.0

.174

9. 87

9. 58

10
4
6
46
26
3
66
9

248
46
61
410
489
131
2, 392
158

4.9
5.2
5.3
5. 1
5.3
5.5
4. 6
5.4

51.1
49.5
43.4
47.4
48.7
55.1
50.3
51.1

41.0
43.5
37.0
40.6
42.9
52.9
38.3
46.7

80. 2
87.9
85.3
85.7
88. 1
96.0
76.1
91.4

.199
. 141
.205
.216
.214
.215
.211
.212

10.17
6. 98
8.90
10. 24
10. 42
11.85
10.61
10.83

8.15
6.12
7.59
8. 77
9. 18
11.36
8.09
9. 93

4
8
2

37
159
91

5.3
4.9
5. 6

56.4
55.2
54.1

54.8
46.3
50.7

97.2
83.9
93.7

.151
. 125
.188

8. 52
6. 90
10.17

8.26
5. 77
9.55

184

4,222

4.9

50.3

40.7

80.9

.206

10.36

8. 38

5
3
2
16
12
2
55
2

38
50
22
142
191
54
1,446
13

3.7
4.9
5.7
4.8
5.3
4.1
4.5
5.8

52.1
52.0
48.0
54.3
58.9
59.5
55.5
54.0

38.0 72.9
43.3 83.3
49.3 102.7
47.8 88.0
57.7 98.0
45.5 76.5
46.9 84.5
57.8 107.0

.246
. 159
.253
.273
.297
.236
.254
.279

12.82
8. 27
12.14
14. 82
17.49
14.04
14.10
15. 07

9. 36
6. 87
12.47
13.05
17.12
10.73
11.89
16.15

2
4
2

5
46
67

5.2
5.6
4.7

57.5
55.5
55. 2

57.5 100.0
55.6 100.2
46.7 84.6

.153
.119
.183

8.80
6. 60
10.10

8.80
6.59
8. 54

105

2,074

4.6

55.6

47.9

86.2

.251

13. 96

12.06

3
3
2
17
11
2
51
1

49
17
11
127
422
91
1,351

5.0
4.8
5.7
5.3
5.6
4.6
5.0

50.7
46.8
48.0
49.1
48.5
55.4
49.8

42.9
44.4
46.6
44.0
45.3
45.6
40.6

84.6
94.9
97. 1
89.6
93.4
82.3
81.5

.226
.217
.227
.211
.210
.203
.216

(0

(>)

(0

11.46
10. 16
10.90
10. 36
10.19
11.25
10. 76
0)

9.71
9. 64
10.57
9. 30
9.54
9. 27
8. 76
0)

2
2
2

14
41
82

5.8
4.9
5.4

57.3
54.2
54.9

56.8
42.8
52.9

99.1
79.0
96.4

.168
.145
.193

9.63
7. 86
10.60

9.56
6. 21
10.19

96

2,208

5.1

50.0

42.6

85.2

.211

10.55

9.01

Massachusetts ______ N ew Jersey
- ----

---------

_
-

--------------------------------------

North Carolina.
Pennsylvania _ _ _
_
----___
____
Rhode Island
South Carolina, Alabama,
and
Georgia.
______ __________
.

o

Hour s actua lly
A ver­
work ed in Aver­
age
age
1 w eek
full­
earn­
time
ings
hours A ver­ Per­
per
per
age
cent hour
week num­ of full
ber time

1
3
1
1

Winders, hard-silk, female:
Connecticut-..
.

Virginia,

N um ­
ber of
wage
earn­
ers

Aver­
age
days on
which
wage
earners
worked
in 1
week

- - - - -

T o t a l . . ____ __ ___________ __

--

Spinners, male:
C onnecticut..- _____________ M aryland,
.
------Massachusetts
- . - - ------------ - New Jersey—
.
------------------------New Y o r k ,. ------------ -----------------------North Carolina___ --------------------Pennsylvania - ------- -----------------------Rhode Island
______- - ------------South
Carolina, Alabama, and
Tennessee............. Virginia_______ - Total. ___________

.
_
- - - --------- --.

- -- - -- - - .

Spinners, female:
Connecticut.
__ __
----M aryland- ____ ______________ ______
Massachusetts____________ __________
New Jersey— . - —
- - - ----New Y o rk -. -------------- ---------------------North Carolina------- ------------ - - - - - Pennsylvania — . — . ----------------Rhode Island_______________ _________
South
Carolina, Alabama,
and
Georgia----------- -----------------------------Tennessee____________
__ _ ---------Virginia,. __
_ ______________ - - Total_____________

________________

1 D ata included in total.


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

5.4

7

0)

0)

(>)

(■)

(>)

«

0)

(■)

(■)

57.4

57.1

0 )

(>)

w

( ')

(0

(0

0)

99.5 $0.166
0)
0)

( ')

0)

$9.53
(■)
0)

0)

$9.46
0)
0)

W AGES AND HOURS OF LABOR

1179

T able 4.—A V E R A G E D A Y S , H O U R S , A N D E A R N I N G S F O R 9 R E P R E S E N T A T I V E O C C U ­
P A T IO N S , 1933, B Y S E X A N D S T A T E — Continued

Hours ac­
Aver­
tually
Average
worked
in Aver­
Num N um ­ days on age
1 week
age
ber o ber of which fullearnestab­
time
ings
lish­ earn­ earners hours
A ver­ Per­
per
ments ers worked per
cent hour
week age
in 1
num­ of full
week
ber time

Occupation, sex, and State

Winders, soft-silk, female:
________
Connecticut_________ . . .
New Jersey_________________________
New York______________ __ _________
Pennsylvania____________________
South Carolina, Alabama,
and
Georgia_____________________________
Total__________________________ _____
Redrawers, male:
New York_______________
North Carolina____ __________________
Pennsylvania—. ___ _______ _______
South Carolina, Alabama,
and
Georgia_________________
____ . .
____________
Tennessee.. _. . . . .
Total_________ _________________

...

Redrawers, female:
Connecticut.. . _
_ ..................
M arylan d .. . . . . . . . . .
____
Massachusetts______ _____ ______ . .
New Jersey...
___
_ _
_ .
New York___ __
North C arolin a________________
...
Pennsylvania... _____________________
Rhode Island___ _____________________
South Carolina, Alabama,
and
G eorgia.._____ _____ . . . . _____
Tennessee____
_ . ...
_ ...
Virginia________________ _ __________
Total___________ ____

. . . . . . ___

Warpers, male:
Connecticut_______. . . . .
. . .
Maryland
________ . . . . . _ _ . . .
Massachusetts ________ __ . _________
New J e r s e y ..._______________________
New York.
_______ . . . ________
North Carolina . ________
Pennsylvania______ _________ . . .
Rhode Island.. __________ ________
South Carolina, Alabama,
and
Georgia___________ . . . _ _ ________
Tennessee_______ _____________ ______
Total_____ __________

_____________

Warpers, female:
Connecticut. ______ __
________ _
M arylan d.. _____ _________________
Massachusetts.. . . . . . ______ __
N ew Jersey.. . . ______. . . .
. . .
N ew Y o rk .. _________________________
North Carolina . ________ . . _______
Pennsylvania___ _____________________
Rhode Isla n d .._ . . . _ _ ____ _______
South Carolina, Alabama, and
Georgia . . . . .
___ ___________
.
Tennessee____ . . .
. . . ____.
Virginia____________________ _ _ . . .
Total_______________

1Data included in total.


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

_

___________

4
16
4
22
1

109
84
31
275

0)

48.3
44.8
49.9
52.1

27.4
35.8
37.8
34.7

56.7 $0.293 $14.15
79.9
.288 12.90
.242 12. 08
75.8
.210 10.94
66.6

$8.03
10. 32
9.14
7. 27

O

(>)

0)

(')

(>)

47

512

4.0

50.1

33.8

67.5

.235

11. 77

7.96

2
1
10

4
(')
108

4.8
0)
4.5

54.4
0)
56.4

44.8
0)
45.6

82.4
(>)
80.9

.175
(')
.209

9. 52
(>)
11.79

7. 84
0)
9. 52

(>)
(0

0)
(>)

0)
M

0)
W

(0
C1)

0)
«

(0
(‘)

1
1

0)

3.3
4.5
4.3
4.0

Aver­
Aver­
age
age
full­
actual
time
earn­
ings
ings
in 1
per
week
week

(0

(0
(0

15

119

4.4

56.2

45.3

80.6

.205

11.52

9. 27

9
3
3
17
10
4
60
4

70
77
45
156
272
85
1,623
30

4.9
5.7
4.8
5.4
5.5
3.8
5.0
5.7

51.3
50.0
48.0
49.7
49.5
48.2
41.5
50.8

40.0
45.8
37.0
43.9
45.1
29.2
41.5
49.3

78.0
91.6
77.1
88.3
91.1
60.6
81.9
97.0

.204
. 127
.150
.169
.198
.154
.176
.186

10.47
6. 35
7. 20
8.40
9.80
7. 42
8. 92
9. 45

8.14
5.81
5. 56
7.43
8. 93
4.50
7.32
9.20

4
4
2

26
58
57

4.4
4.4
5.3

56.0
54.6
54.0

41.2
38. 1
50.0

73.6
69.8
92.6

.182
.134
.209

10.19
7.32
11.29

7. 50
5.11
10. 47

120

2,499

5.0

50.6

41.8

82.6

.177

8.96

7.39

8
2
8
53
21
4
42
6

37
5
29
185
104
58
367
9

5. 9
5.4
5.0
5. 1
5.3
5.5
4.4
5.9

53.2
51.0
50.2
49.2
50.8
49.9
52.6
54.1

56.5 106.2
48.0 94.1
47.3 94.2
44.3 90.0
47.6 93.7
45.4 91.0
40.6 77.2
54.2 100.2

.372
.323
.415
.480
.469
.329
.378
.465

19.79
16. 47
20.83
23.62
23.83
16.42
19.88
25.16

21.02
15. 52
19.64
21.26
22. 32
14.90
15. 33
25.18

4
5

18
32

4.8
5.2

56.4
57.8

53.6
55.8

95.0
96.5

.206
.173

11. 62
10. 00

11.03
9. 65

153

844

4.9

51.7

44.6

86.3

.396

20.47

17.66

10
2
8
27
13
4
50
11

114
14
39
126
49
40
744
138

5.3
2.7
5.8
4. 8
5.0
4.7
4.5
5.4

51.6
47.7
48.0
46.6
48.6
52.9
50.5
50.9

46.8
23.3
45.8
38.8
39.8
41.5
37.1
46.2

90. 7
48.8
95.4
83.3
81.9
78.4
73.5
90.8

.323
.202
.295
.356
.350
.280
.318
.419

16. 67
9. 64
14.16
16. 59
17. 01
14. 81
16.06
21.33

15. 12
4. 72
13. 53
13.80
13.94
11.61
11.80
19.36

6
5
3

43
32
4

5.6
5.5
5.5

56.3
56.1
56.3

55.2
52.6
45.8

98.0
93.8
81.3

.182
. 147
.263

10.25
8.25
14.81

10.03
7. 75
12.03

139

1, 343

4.8

50.5

40.3

79.8

.321

16. 21

12.94

1180
T able

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

4 .— A V E R A G E

D A Y S , H O U R S , A N D E A R N IN G S F O R 9 R E P R E S E N T A T IV E
P A T I O N S , 1933, B Y S E X A N D S T A T E — C o n t in u e d

Num ­
b e r o:
esta b ­
lis h ­
m e n ts

O c c u p a tio n , s e x , a n d S ta t e

Q u ille r s , m a l e :
C o n n e c ti c u t
_
....
M a ssa c h u se tts
--------N e w J e r s e y ____________ ___________________
N e w \ o r k -_ ____________________________ N o r t h C a r o lin a - - - - - P e n n s y l v a n i a ____ ___
. . . . . . . . ______
R h o d e I s l a n d ____ ______ . . .
_________
S o u th
C a r o lin a ,
A la b a m a ,
and
G e o r g i a .- . ____________ ________________
____ __
_
__
T e n n e s s e e .. . .
V i r g i n i a ____ __
. . . .
T o t a l . - - . ____

_______ _______________

Q u ille r s , f e m a le :
C o n n e c t i c u t ____
_ . ______
... .
M a r y la n d
__
M a s s a c h u s e t t s . - ____ . . .
N e w J e r se y .
. __________ N ew Y ork
_ _
N o r t h C a r o lin a . _
. _____________
P e n n s y lv a n ia . _______________________
R h o d e I s l a n d _____ _______________
______
S o u th
C a r o lin a ,
A la b a m a ,
and
G e o r g ia
__ _ .
__________________
T e n n e s s e e . _ . . . ____
______
V ir g in ia .
_______________
T o t a l ___ ___________

___

_ ___________

L o o m fix ers, m a l e :
C o n n e c tic u t
M a r y la n d _
M a s s a c h u s e t t s ..
_
__
...
_ __
N e w J e r s e y ___________ ____________________
N e w Y o r k . .... _
_ .
_
_ _
N o r t h C a r o lin a .
_ . _ _______ __ ______
P e n n s y l v a n i a . __________. _ _____________
R h o d e Is l a n d
S o u th
C a r o lin a ,
A la b a m a ,
and
G e o r g ia . ............ ................................
__.
T e n n e s s e e ______________________
V i r g i n i a ______________ ________________ _ _
T o t a l..

_________

___________

_ _ ...

W e a v e r s , b r o a d -s ilk , m a l e :
C o n n e c ti c u t
._
...............
..........
M a ssa c h u se tts . . . . . .
_______ . . . .
N e w J ersey.
____________ _ . . . .
_.
N e w Y ork
N o r t h C a r o lin a
P e n n s y l v a n i a ____
_ ____ __ ________
R h o d e I s l a n d ____________________ _______
S o u th
C a r o lin a ,
A la b a m a ,
and
G e o r g ia _________________________________ __
T e n n essee
...............
V i r g i n i a _________________________________ _
T o t a l _____________________

1 D a t a in c lu d e d in t o ta l.


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

_ _ _ ._

_

H o u rs ac­
A ver­
t u a ll y
A ver­
age
w o r k e d in
A ver­
N u m ­ d a y s on age
1 w eek
age
fu l l­
b e r o f w h ic h
t im e
in g s
e a rn ­ earn ers h o u r s
A v e r ­ P er­
p er
per
ers
w ork ed
age
cen t
hour
w eek
in 1
n u m ­ o f fu ll
w eek
ber
t im e

A ver­
age
fu ile a rn in g s
p er
w eek

OCCU­

A ver­
age
a c tu a l
e a rn ­
in g s
in 1
w eek

4
7
5
7
5
28
2

24
29
8
24
84
107
10

5 .6
5 .1
4 .5
5 .4
4 .6
5 .1
4 .0

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

4 7 .8
5 0 .4
4 3 .8
4 6 .9
39. 1
4 8 .3
3 5 .0

9 4 .1
9 8 .2
8 4 .7
9 1 .4
7 8 .4
9 2 .5
6 5 .1

$ 0 .1 9 8
.2 1 8
.1 9 4
.1 5 6
.1 9 1
.1 9 4
.2 0 0

$10. 06
1 1 .1 8
10. 03
8 .0 0
9 .5 3
1 0 .1 3
1 0 .7 6

$ 9 .4 6
10. 97
8. 49
7. 33
7. 47
9. 38
6 .9 8

1
4
3

(>)
17
20

(0
5 .1
5. 1

(>)
5 8 .1
5 5 .0

(0
5 9 .7
5 1 .2

(0
1 0 2 .8
9 3 .1

0)
.0 9 5
.2 1 5

0)
5. 52
1 1 .8 3

0)
5. 67
11. 01

66

325

5 .0

5 1 .9

4 6 .3

8 9 .2

. 188

9. 76

8. 69

9
2
9
58
25
6
60
10

103
29
64
223
118
92
711
71

5 .4
4 .7
5 .3
5 .3
5 .0
4 .7
4 .9
5 .5

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

4 8 .3
4 1 .4
4 2 .8
4 2 .3
3 9 .2
3 8 .2
4 1 .2
4 8 .5

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

.2 0 6
. 184
. 156
.2 2 8
.2 1 6
.1 9 7
.1 8 4
.2 2 9

10. 77
9. 24
7 .3 2
10. 94
10. 26
9. 99
9 .2 9
11. 56

9 .9 8
7. 63
6. 66
9. 64
8. 49
7. 51
7. 59
1 1 .1 2

4
5
5

80
44
73

4 .8
4 .9
5. 1

5 5 .4
5 6 .0
5 5 .2

4 5 .0
46. 7
4 6 .6

8 1 .2
8 3 .4
8 4 .4

. 157
.0 8 6
. 197

8. 70
4. 82
10. 87

7 .0 7
4. 02
9 .1 9

193

1 6 .0 8

5 .0

5 0 .5

42. 5

8 4 .2

. 192

9. 70

8 .1 6

11
1
11
58
25
8
60
9

99

5 .4
( ')
5 .7
5 .5
5 .4
5 .3
5 .4
5 .5

5 0 .9

9 5 .7
0)
1 0 3 .8
9 8 .0
9 3 .1
9 4 .4
9 8 .2
1 0 2 .0

28. 25

0)
5 0 .1
4 8 .8
5 0 .5
5 1 .5
5 1 .1
5 1 .1

48. 7
(0
5 2 .0
4 7 .8
4 7 .0
4 8 .6
5 0 .2
5 2 .1

.5 5 5

(')
43
158
115
107
524
84

(! )
.5 4 7
.6 0 3
.5 4 6
.4 5 2
.5 5 7
. 593

( ')
27. 40
2 9 .4 3
27. 57
2 3 .2 8
28. 46
30. 30

26. 99
( ')
28. 48
2 8 .8 4
25. 62
21. 97
27. 97
3 0 .9 5

6
5
3

43
32
28

5 .0
5 .4
5 .8

5 5 .6
5 7 .3
5 5 .9

4 9 .9
5 6 .3
59. 1

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

.3 1 2
.2 8 1
.4 0 2

17. 35
1 6 .1 0
2 2 .4 7

15. 56
15. 79
23. 77

197

1 ,2 3 6

5 .4

5 1 .2

4 9 .9

9 7 .5

.5 3 4

27. 34

26. 63

11
11
54
20
8
56
11

917
361
1 ,3 1 7
702
735
3, 458
619

5 .2
5. 1
5 .2
5 .4
5 .2
5 .0
5 .0

5 0 .2
5 1 .1
4 9 .0
4 9 .9
5 1 .1
50. 7
5 1 .5

44. 6
4 9 .2
4 5 .8
4 6 .9
4 5 .0
4 6 .0
4 7 .5

8 8 .8
9 6 .3
9 3 .5
9 4 .0
8 8 .1
90. 7
9 2 .2

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

1 6 .1 1
12. 98
14. 60
15. 07
14. 92
1 4 .1 5
1 6 .8 4

14. 29
12. 51
13. 67
1 4 .1 9
1 3 .1 2
12. 83
1 5 .5 1

6
5
3

188
160
147

4 .9
5 .0
5 .1

56. 1
5 6 .5
5 5 .4

50. 5
5 3 .4
53. 7

9 0 .0
9 4 .5
9 6 .9

.2 2 2
.1 4 7
.2 8 2

1 2 .4 5
8 .3 1
15. 62

11. 23
7. 83
15. 14

185

8, 604

5 .1

5 0 .7

4 6 .4

91. 5

.2 8 7

14. 55

13. 34

1181

W AGES AND HOURS OF LABOR

T able 4 .— A V E R A G E D A Y S , H O U R S, A N D E A R N I N G S F O R 9 R E P R E S E N T A T I V E O C C U ­
P A T IO N S , 1933, B Y S E X A N D S T A T E — Continued

Occupation, sex, and State

Weavers, broad-silk, female:
--------- Connecticut,
Massachusetts---------- ---------------------New Jersey---------------------------------------N ew Y o rk .----- -------------- - North Carolina.
... ---------Pennsylvania------- - --------- --Rhode Island_______ - ----------------South Carolina, Alabama, and
Georgia ____
- --------------Tennessee_______ __
- - - . . -----Virginia-- ___
- - - - - - - T o t a l ---------- -----------------------------------Pickers, cloth, male:
Connecticut.
-----------------Massachusetts
- --------------New Jersey..
-------------------N ew York
-_ _
---------- - - -Pennsylvania
_
---------South Carolina, Alabama, and
Georgia.
_____
- - - - - -

N um ­
ber of
estab­
lish­
ments

T o ta l___ __

.

.

■ Data included in total.


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

. . -----------------

Hours ac­
tually
Aver­
worked in Aver­
age
1 week
age
full­
earntime
ings
hours A v er­ Per­
per
per
cent hour
age
week
num­ of full
ber time

Aver­
Aver­
age
age
full­
actual
time
earn­
earn­
ings
ings
in 1
per
week
week

11
8
48
19
6
55
8

304
114
572
379
83
1,817
239

5.5
5.8
5. 2
5.3
5. 2
5.3
5.2

51.3
47.0
48. 7
48.0
51.5
48. 7
50.4

47.8
46.3
44.1
42.9
44.8
43. 5
46.8

93.2 $0. 301 $15.44
.242 11.37
98.5
90.6
.277 13. 49
89.4
.288 13. 82
87.0
.268 13. 80
89.3
.242 11. 79
. 294 14. 82
92.9

6
5
3

98
140
83

5. 1
5.6
5.7

55.5
55.0
57.3

49. 1
52.5
54. 1

88.5
95.5
94.4

.159
. 147
.222

8. 82
8. 09
12. 72

7.81
7.73
12. 02

169

3,829

5.3

49.6

44.9

90.5

.254

12. 60

11. 39

1
1
3
4
12

(*)
0)

(0
(0
4.3
6.0
6.0

0)
0)
49.3
50.8
51. 1

0)
0)
(>)
<‘ )
37.6 76.3
55.3 108.9
51.4 100.6

(0
0)
.263
.290
.276

(>)
(0
12.97
14. 73
14.10

0)
0)
9.89
16.01
14. 22

1

(0

0)

3
4
13

(0

(>)

$14. 41
11.19
12.23
12. 35
12.03
10.54
13. 76

(0

0)

0)

0)

24

5.8

50.9

50.7

99.6

.269

13. 69

13.64

8
4
37
21
3
42
5

42
38
91
71
12
371
27

5. 5
5.5
5.2
5.0
5.6
4.5
5.3

53. 2
48.0
46. 1
47.8
53.0
50.8
50.8

48.0
43. 1
40.6
37.0
37.3
37.0
47.4

90.2
89.8
88.1
77.4
70.4
72.8
93.3

.180
. 162
.258
.205
.221
.193
.234

9. 58
7. 78
11.89
9. 80
11. 71
9. 80
11.89

8. 63
6. 96
10. 48
7.59
8.26
7.16
11.11

6
4
3

20
27
26

5.6
5.6
5.0

55.3
56.6
57.3

52.3
52.6
43.2

94.6
92.9
75.4

. 142
.086
. 173

7. 85
4. 87
9.91

7.45
4. 50
7.48

133

725

4.9

50.5

40.0

79.2

. 194

9. 80

7.78

Total_______________________________ __ 22
Pickers, cloth, female:
Connecticut____
Massachusetts
. . . ----------------New Jersey... - - .
-------------------N ew Y o rk .. . _ _ --------------- North Carolina
-------_ _ _
Pennsylvania.—
. - - --------Rhode Island
---------South Carolina, Alabama, and
Georgia „
-.
- --------------Tennessee__
-- - -- Virginia
-

Num ­
ber of
wage
earn­
ers

Aver­
age
days on
which
wage
earners
worked
in 1
week

1182

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

Earnings and Hours of Labor in Principal Occupations in the
Iron and Steel Industry, 1931 and 1933
Part 2. Bar, Rail, Sheet, and Tin-Plate Mills

HIS article presents average earnings and hours of labor of wage
earners in four rolling-mill departments of the iron and steel
industry bar, rail, sheet, and tin plate.1 The data were collected in
the early part of 1933 and in most instances relate to the last half of
March, which was also, in general, the period covered by the 1931
study made by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The plants furnishing
information were, with few exceptions, the same as those included
in the 1931 study.
As stated in a previous article, many wage earners in the iron and
steel industry work at operations other than their regular occupation
during a given pay period. In order to show actual conditions, data
for each of the various occupations were compiled so as to show
average hours and earnings (1) in the primary occupation only and (2)
in all occupations at which the wage earners did any work during
the pay period studied.
In the sheet-mill department the Bureau has included mechanical
mills for the first time and information is presented separately for
rollers on hand mills and rollers on mechanical mills. It will be
noticed that sheet heaters appear for 8 plants only, while rollers on
hand mills are shown for 10. This is due to the fact that mills in this
department were, at the time of the study, at various stages of
mechanization, some being completely mechanical and others only
partly changed, i.e., having both hand and mechanical operations.
In 1933 average full-time hours per week of wage earners in the
primary occupations shown for these 4 departments ranged from
37.6 hours for pack furnace chargers in the sheet-mill department to
57.9 hours for laborers in the rail-mill department. In 3 occupa­
tions in sheet mills, in 4 in tin-plate mills, and in 5 in bar mills wage
earners had a longer average full-time week in 1933 than in 1931.
Female assorters in tin-plate establishments worked an average of
38.9 hours per week at the primary occupation which exceeds the
hours worked by wage earners in any other occupation. While 7
tin-plate establishments were covered, information for assorters is
shown for only 6 of them, due to 1 having only male assorters for
which averages are not shown. Cold-saw men’s helpers in rail mills
worked an average of 10.1 hours per week at the primary occupation
which is the lowest average of any occupation in the 4 departments.
In 1933 wage earners in tin-plate establishments worked a greater
percentage of full time than did wage earners in the other departments
covered by this article.
Rollers in rail mills had the highest average earnings per hour for
work at the primary occupation ($1,355) and female assorters in tin­
plate establishments the lowest (29.5 cents). In 1933 rollers on
hand-sheet mills earned an average of $1,209 per hour for work at the
primary occupation as compared with $1.016 for rollers on mechanicalsheet mills. Rollers on tin-plate mills earned an average of $1.25 per
hour while working at their primary occupation.

T

1 Summary averages for the industry appeared in the September M onthly Labor Review. Averages for
wage earners in certain primaryi occupations in 6 departments of the industry were published in the
October M onthly Labor Review.


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

1183

W AGES AND HOUES OF LABOR

Hours at all work in 1933 ranged by occupation, during the period
from a low of 11.4 for chippers and cold-saw men’s helpers in rail mills
to a high of 39.1 for level-handed doublers on tin-plate mills, and
earnings in 1 week ranged from $4.28 for cold-saw men’s helpers in
rail mills to $37.36 for rollers on tin-plate mills.
AVERAGE

HOURS

AND

E A R N IN G S

OF W A G E
A N D 1933

EARNERS,

BY

O C C U P A T IO N ,

1931

Tin-plate mills

Primary occupation only

Primary occupation

N um ­
N u m ­ ber Average hours
ber
of
per week
Aver­
Year
wage
of
age
plants earn­
earn­
ers
ings
Actu­
per
Full
ally
time worked hour

1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
Heaters’ helpers.. .
1933
Pair heaters____________ 1931
1933
1931
Rollers_______
1933
Rollers, level-handed . . 1931
1933
Roughers______
- - - - - - 1931
1933
1931
Catchers . _
_ _
1933
Screw boys________ . . 1931
1933
Single boys_____________ 1931
1933
Doublers, h a n d _____ . 1931
1933
1931
Doublers, mechanical
1933
Doublers, level-handed,
1931
hand________________
1933
Doublers’ helpers, hand. 1931
1933
Shearmen _______ __
_ 1931
1933
Shearmen’s helpers____ 1931
1933
Openers_________________ 1931
1933
____ 1931
Tinners, h a n d ..
1933
Tinners, machine______ 1931
1933
1931
Branners_______________
1933
Assorters, female. . . . 1931
1933
Laborers. _____ ._ . . . 1931
1933

Heaters____________ ___
Heaters, level-handed

All occupations (in­
cluding primary)

Aver­
Aver­
Aver­
Aver­ Aver­
age
age
age
age
age
fullactual hours earn­ actual
time
earn­
earn­
earn­
worked ings
ings
ings
per
in 1
ings
in 1
in 1
hour
week
per
week
week
week

8
5
9
7
8
6
7
4
9
7
7
4
9
7
9
7
9
7
7
6
3
3
7
6

113
83
580
451
164
96
346
313
391
359
84
66
428
356
378
324
395
352
351
345
65
35
380
356

42.7
42.6
42.7
42.6
42.7
42.6
42.7
42.6
42.7
42.6
42.7
42.7
42.7
42.6
42.7
42.6
42.7
42.6
42.7
42.6
42.7
42.6
42.7
42.6

32.3 $1.102 $47.06 $35.63
.771 32.84 20.88
27. 1
35.4
.942 40. 22 33.37
30.9
.721 30.71 22.25
.798 34.07 26.10
32.7
26.0
.557 23. 73 14. 49
34.4
.744 31.77 25.59
28.3
15.09
.533 22.71
34.4 1.737 74.17 59.71
28.6 1.250 53.25 35.78
28.2
.930 39.71 26.19
26.7
.679 28.99 18.15
32.4
.989 42. 23 31.99
28.8
.709 30.20 20. 41
31.6
.902 38. 52 28. 52
27.0
.654 27. 86 17.63
.682 29.12 21.16
31.0
27.1
.489 20.83 13.23
33.8
.737 31.47 24. 86
27.0
.531 22. 62 14. 36
23.4
.883 37. 70 20. 70
30.2
.776 33. 06 23. 40
34.7
.749 31.98 25. 99
27.2
.544 23.17 14.79

36.0 $1.064
.738
30.3
.936
36.6
.698
34.5
.788
35.2
.542
29.4
.721
37.1
.504
31.9
1. 689
36.5
31.0 1.205
35.8 1.088
.744
30.8
.956
36.7
32.1
.680
.854
35.8
.615
30.7
34.1
.659
30.0
.470
.698
38.3
. 502
30.8
.871
24.3
.758
32.6
38.2
.717
.518
30.3

$38. 34
22.36
34.25
24.06
27. 74
15. 95
26.76
16.09
61.63
37.36
38. 96
22.88
35.05
21.80
30. 62
18.92
22. 47
14. 10
26. 76
15. 46
21.13
24.69
27. 42
15.68

2
2
1
2
8
5
4
3
8
4
5
4
6
5
6
6
6
6
9
7

38
19
32
27
135
77
60
27
355
182
125
92
119
117
83
69
305
295
350
413

42.7
42.7
42.7
42.7
43.6
43.6
46.1
45.8
47.5
51.7
42.7
43.8
42.7
42.9
44.7
45.3
45.5
45.2
55.4
55.4

16.4
3T.8
38.9
35.4
32. 1
28.8
34.3
25.8
36.0
21.0
33.9
34.1
31.9
29.5
35.7
36.6
38.1
38.9
40. 2
34.0

16.6
39.1
40.3
36.4
32.9
28.8
35.7
25.8
37.5
22. 1
34.3
34.8
33.3
30.8
37.3
38.2
38.1
39.0
42.9
35.1

.756
.677
.624
.503
.974
.528
.558
.430
.737
.509
.899
.648
.821
.578
.576
.415
.380
.295
.425
.335

12. 52
26.45
25.14
18.29
32.01
15. 20
19.92
11. 10
27.59
11.25
30.84
22. 56
27. 34
17. 81
21.51
15.85
14.49
11.50
18.25
11.73

24.4 $0.866
17.0
.608
24.7 1. 790
19.1 1.174

$21.11
10. 32
44. 20
22.44

.760
.684
.622
.507
.983
.528
.551
.430
.748
.516
.899
.654
.834
.587
.577
.415
.380
.295
.419
.332

32.45
29. 21
26.56
21.65
42.86
23.02
25. 40
19.69
35.53
26.68
38. 39
28. 65
35.61
25.18
25. 79
18. 80
17. 29
13. 33
23. 21
18.39

12.44
25. 82
24. 20
17.98
31.55
15.20
18.90
11.10
26.94
10. 82
30. 50
22.31
26.57
17.32
20.58
15.21
14. 47
11.46
16.82
11.29

Sheet mills
Pair heaters------ -----------Rollers, hand mills_____
Rollers, level handed,
hand mills_____
Rollers helpers and finishers, hand mills____

1931
1933
1931
1933

15
12
15
10

532
195
541
143

43.5
42.4
43.5
42.3

23.8 $0. 870 $37. 85 $20. 75
9. 77
15.6
.626 26. 54
24. 1 1.811 78. 78 43.68
18.1 1.209 51.14 21.82

1931
1933

7
7

112
48

42.8
41.6

30.9
18.4

.971
.962

41.56
40.02

29.97
17.71

32.3
22.1

.969
1.053

31.32
23.24

1931
1933

13
9

388
152

43.2
42.4

25.0
16.2

.773
.583

33.39
24.72

19. 32
9. 45

25.8
17.6

.779
.576

20.07
10.17


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

1184
A V ER AG E

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W
HOURS A N D

EAR N IN G S OP

W AG E EAR N ER S, B Y OCCU PATIO N , 1931

A N D 1933— Continued

Sheet mills — Continued

Primary occupation only

Primary occupation

R o l l e r s , mechanical
mills__________________
Assistant rollers, me­
chanical mills________
Spannermen____________
Roughers.______________

Year

N um ­
N u m ­ ber Average hours
ber
of
per week
Aver­
wage
of
age
plants earn­
earn­
ers
ings
Actu­
Pull
per
ally
time
worked hour

A ll occupations (in­
cluding primary)

Aver­
Aver­
age
Aver­ Aver­ Aver­
age
age
full­
age
age
actual
time
earn­ actual
earn­ hours
earn­
earn­
worked ings
ings
ings
ings
in 1
per
in 1
in 1
per
week
hour
week
week
week

1933

6

57

41.5

25.4 $1,016 $42.16 $25. 75

26.4 $0. 998

1933
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933

5
4
15
12
15
13
15
11
14
11
15
8

55
83
513
220
619
292
550
288
522
203
484
115

40.9
39.6
43.6
40.5
43.5
40.5
43.5
40.7
43.6
41.7
43.5
43.4

25.8
11.9
23.5
16.0
24.2
15.0
22.9
15. 1
22.8
17.1
24.6
16.9

.651
.647
.952
.744
.915
.665
.772
.526
.764
.516
1.287
.828

1931
1933
Sheet heaters’ helpers.._ 1931
1933
Chargers, pack furnaces
(mechanical)_________ 1933
Shearmen_______________ 1931
1933
Shearman’s helpers_____ 1931
1933
Openers_________________ 1931
1933
Openers, level handed __ 1931
1933
Picklers_________________ 1931
1933
Feeders_________________ 1931
1933
Cold-roll rollers_________ 1931
1933
Cold-roll catchers_______ 1931
1933
Laborers________________ 1931
1933

8
7
14
9

37
53
415
118

43.5
43.4
43. 1
43.3

23.3
17.0
24. 7
15.5

.822
.601
.758
.527

7
15
13
14
13
9
9
6
4
13
11
9
10
15
14
15
14
15
14

109
321
177
321
183
276
228
107
123
116
124
73
89
142
109
174
120
396
580

37.6
43.5
41.9
43.7
41.9
43.8
38.4
43.3
43.5
50.6
48.4
46.4
48.6
53.3
51.3
53.0
51.5
57.7
54.2

19.4
26.3
20.8
25.6
20.1
20.0
16.2
23.2
21.1
31.9
30.5
34.8
24.1
33.8
29.3
31.1
25.8
31.0
23.8

.392
1.052
.702
.627
.429
.659
.442
.544
.418
.712
.384
.750
.410
.759
.463
.663
.399
.428
.330

Catchers________________
Matchers...................... ..
D o u b lers.._____________
Sheet heaters___________
Sheet
heaters,
level
handed.______________

$26. 35

26. 63
25. 62
41.51
30.13
39.80
26.93
33. 58
21.41
33. 31
21. 52
55.98
35.94

16.83
7. 66
22. 37
11.88
22.18
10.01
17. 67
7.92
17. 39
8.81
31.64
14.02

29.2
13.1
24. 3
17.7
25.4
16.3
24.0
16.2
24.2
18.1
25.0
18.0

.641
.647
.953
.723
.907
.649
.770
.519
.763
.513
1.279
.809

18. 72
8. 49
23.18
12. 77
23.01
10. 60
18.44
8.38
18.48
9. 30
31.96
14.58

35.
26.
32.
22.

76
08
67
82

19.15
10. 23
18. 70
8.17

25.0
20.6
25.5
16.8

.830
.634
.765
.521

20. 73
13.03
19. 49
8. 77

14. 74
45. 76
29.41
27.40
17.98
28. 86
16. 97
23. 56
18.18
36. 03
18.59
34.80
19.93
40. 45
23. 75
35.14
20. 55
24. 70
17.89

7.60
27.61
14. 57
16.07
8. 63
13. 20
7.17
12.61
8. 84
22.71
11.69
26.13
9.90
25. 62
13. 58
20. 60
10.31
13. 25
7. 87

20.5
27.5
21.6
26.9
21.2
20.8
16.8
25.8
21.9
33.5
33.2
36.6
26.3
35.7
31.7
33.0
28.6
33.3
26.2

.393
1.032
.692
.629
.433
.658
.443
.548
.417
.701
.387
.739
.407
.747
.457
.659
.397
.437
.339

8. 05
28. 39
14.93
16.88
9.16
13. 69
7.47
14.13
9.13
23. 50
12.83
27.06
10. 71
26. 65
14.47
21. 76
11. 35
14. 53
8.89

Bar mills
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
Heaters’ helpers--1933
Chargers and helpers. __ 1931
1933
1931
Drag d o w n s.. --------- 1933
1931
Roll engineers. _ _ _.
1933
Rollers_______ ______ . . 1931
1933
Roughers... ----------------- 1931
1933
Catchers. ----- --------- . . 1931
1933
Stranders----- --------------- 1931
1933
___ __

Stockers___
Heaters—

------


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

38
34
43
42
38
38
33
31
21
17
18
21
43
42
32
33
30
35
32
34

244
249
175
176
202
207
181
149
86
79
50
50
122
118
175
153
128
139
230
241

54.2
52.2
57.4
55. 6
56.5
55.3
54.5
54. 2
56.5
56.8
59.3
57.6
55.4
54.5
56.7
55.8
56.1
55.2
55.8
54.8

31.7 $0. 455 $24. 66 $14. 44
15.8
.326 17. 02
5.16
33.4
.902 51. 77 30.18
17.7
.650 36.14 11. 52
31.4
.621 35.09 19. 51
15.7
.402 22.23
6. 33
31.4
.567 30.90 17.81
15.9
.357 19. 35
5.69
26.0
.548 30.96 14. 26
15.2
.406 23.06
6.16
35.3
.534 31.67 18. 85
19.8
.401 23.10
7.96
37.8 1.542 85.43 58.27
23.8
.965 52.59 23. 02
32.8
.791 44. 85 25. 92
17.9
.536 29.91
9. 59
30.9
.781 43. 81 24.15
18.0
.532 29. 37
9.58
32.4
.701 39.12 22.68
16.9
.458 25.10
7.73

32.9 $0.455
16.0
.326
33.7
.901
18.4
.639
33.0
.618
17.0
.404
32.6
.564
16.9
. 357
26.8
.543
15.9
.404
36.3
.535
20.3
.403
38.2 1. 533
24.4
.956
33.7
.787
18.4
.535
32.0
. 775
18.6
. 527
34.1
.693
17.8
.459

$14.95
5.20
30. 39
11.77
20.42
6.87
18.34
6.02
14.59
6.43
19. 42
8.16
58. 61
23.31
26.56
9.86
24. 77
9.83
23.65
8.15

1185

W AGES AND HOURS OF LABOR
AVERAGE

HOURS

AND

E A R N I N G S OF W A G E E A R N E R S ,
A N D 1933— Continued

BY

O C C U P A T IO N ,

1931

Bar mills — Continued

Primary occupation only

Primary occupation

N um ­
ber Average hours
per week
of
Aver­
Year
of wage
age
plants earn­
earn­
ers
ings
Actu­
per
Full
ally
time worked hour

Finishers----------------Hook-ups---------------Roll hands, other.-.
Hotbed men----------Shearmen--------------Shearmen’s helpers
Bundlers---------------Laborers___________

N um ­
ber

1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933

38
39
27
25
31
33
42
36
40
39
35
34
22
18
39
34

143
142
161
137
284
288
472
406
193
169
438
389
147
95
637
506

54.4
55.0
55.2
56.1
55.1
54.9
54.1
55.5
53.5
54.3
54.3
54. 1
54.3
53.1
54.2
53.7

All occupations (in­
cluding primary)

Aver­
Aver­ Aver­ Aver­ Aver­
age
age
age
age
age
full- actual
actual
hours earn­ earn­
time
earn­ worked ings
earn­
ings
ings
per
in 1
ings
in 1
in 1
hour week
week
per
week
week

31.5 $0. 864 $47. 00 $27.24
8. 85
.500 27.50
17.7
.645 35. 60 16. 35
25.3
5. 35
14. 1
.381 21.37
.712 39.23 22.07
31.0
7.85
.471 25. 86
16.7
.578 31.27 16.14
27.9
19.37
5. 30
.349
15.2
.594 31.78 18. 71
31.5
6.60
.412 22. 37
16.0
.529 28. 72 13. 82
26.1
4.27
.348 18.83
12.3
30.4
.513 27.86 15. 57
5.03
18.43
.347
14.5
.394 21.35 11.06
28.1
4.47
.305 16. 38
14.6

34.0 $0.842
.497
19.3
.640
26.5
.386
14.8
.708
32.5
.469
17.2
.572
29.9
.346
16.3
.582
33.7
.409
17.1
.525
28.1
.346
13.0
.509
32.6
.349
15.4
.399
30.2
.304
15.3

$28. 65
9.61
16.95
5. 73
23. 01
8.06
17.11
5.64
19.59
7.00
14. 76
4. 50
16. 60
5.38
12.05
4. 67

39.4 $0. 627
.530
19.7
37.7 1.113
.948
20.6
.645
31.7
.553
19.1
.915
33.9
.684
15.0
43.2 1.596
25.6 1.321
.936
55.4
.719
17.4
.809
36.0
.693
17.5
.811
42. 5
.751
16.2
.652
37.8
.580
18.8
.491
34.7
15.0
.431
.561
38.9
.436
15.3
.524
33.7
.392
13.6
32.8 1.122
.876
15.0
.625
35.3
.528
12.9
.650
38.5
11.4
.575
.645
36.1
.579
13. 2
.484
44.0
17.6
.379
.476
28.5
11.4
.375
44.2
.581
.458
15.5
.416
35.7
13.2
.336

$24.68
10.41
41.93
19. 57
20. 45
10.58
31.01
10. 27
68.89
33.80
51.85
12. 47
29.16

Rail mills
Charging machine op­
erator_________________
Re-heaters---------------------Re-heaters’ helpers-------Roll engineers---------------Rollers--------------------------Assistant rollers-----------Table levermen------------Guide setters----------------Hot-saw men----------------Hot-saw men’s helpers..
Hotbed leverman---------Hotbed men-----------------Straighteners, gag press.
Straighteners’ helpers—.
Chippers-----------------------Drillers and punchers—
Cold-saw m en--------------Cold-saw helpers----------Inspectors------- --------------

16487°— 33------12


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

1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933
1931
1933

4
3
5
4
5
4
4
2
7
4
6
4
8
6
8
6
8
6
7
5
7
5
7
4
8
6
7
5
7
5
8
6
7
6
6
4
8
6
8
5

20
16
18
15
23
14
18
17
15
10
15
7
81
62
38
26
24
21
32
15
52
29
136
46
134
66
138
72
119
75
210
130
14
9
50
25
88
41
225
156

54.6
51.0
50.5
49.5
52.9
50.6
51.1
48. 0
53.7
50.4
55.6
53.5
52.2
50.4
55.5
53.4
54.0
51.9
53. 1
50.4
54.0
52.6
52. 1
51.6
52.7
62. 3
53.5
52. 4
54.3
53. 4
55.1
53.9
57.1
53.9
53.4
49.4
55.7
54. 6
58.0
57.9

37.8 $0. 637 $34. 78
.534 27. 23
19.2
37.5 1. 117 56.41
20.4
.949 46. 98
.633 33. 49
29.5
.556 28.13
18.1
.922 47.11
32.7
.684 32. 83
15.0
43.2 1.596 85.71
1.355 68.29
24.6
.954 53.04
45.9
.732 39.16
15.0
34.4
.816 42.60
.696 35.08
17.1
.816 45. 29
40.6
.760 40. 58
15. 1
.653 35. 26
36.9
.581 30.15
18.7
26. 34
.496
29.8
.420 21.17
12.7
.565 30. 51
36. 1
14.8
.438 23.04
31.5
.525 27. 35
.395 20. 38
12.8
32.0 1.131 59.60
13.4
.931 48.69
.625 33. 44
33.3
.538 28.19
12.0
.655 35. 57
35.8
.585 31.24
10. 4
.649 35. 76
34.5
.589 31. 75
12.5
.489 27. 92
38.2
15.4
.376 20. 27
.472 25. 20
24.5
.372 18. 38
10'. 1
42.1
.587 32. 70
.462 25.23
14.7
.406 23. 55
31.8
.324 18. 76
12.3

$24. 08
10. 23
41.83
19. 37
18. 66
10.06
30.13
10.27
68. 89
33. 27
43. 77
10. 96
28. 06
11.93
33.11
11.48
24.08
10. 88
14. 77
5. 34
20. 42
6. 48
16. 55
5. 06
36.19
12. 47
20.80
6.44
23.49
6.10
22. 40
7. 35
18. 68
5. 79
11.56
3. 74
24.71
6. 78
12.90
3. 97

12.11
34.48
12.13
24.66
10. 90
17.04
6.48

21.86
6. 65
17.64
5. 34
36. 76
13.11
22.05
6. 79
25.03
6. 54
23. 30
7. 66
21. 28
6. 68
13.59
4.28
25. 70
7.11
14. 85
4. 45

1186

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

Union Scales of Wages and Hours of Labor in 1933
Part 2. Average Wage Rates, by Trades1

HE 1933 survey of union scales of wages and hours of labor,
recently completed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, covered
nearly a half million organized workers, in 67 important industrial
cities.
The present article shows the average rates per hour of certain of
the principal time-work trades—bakery trades, building trades,
chauffeurs and teamsters and drivers, granite and stone trades,
laundry workers, linemen, longshoremen, and the printing trades
(book and job and newspaper), where such trades were found to be
organized and maintaining an effective scale.
The average hourly wage rate in 1933 for all of the trades indicated
was $1,062, as compared with $1,111 in 1932, a decrease of 4.9 cents
an hour, or 4.4 percent. Of the 69 separate time-work trades,
9 showed slight increases and 60 showed decreases in the average
wage rates per hour.
There are many trade unions whose members are employed wholly
or mainly on piecework, but these frequently have a multitude of
rates which are practically impossible to incorporate in a general
tabulation and difficult to understand by anyone not familiar with
the particular industries, and are therefore not included in the present
tabulation. The rates for organized bus drivers, street-railway
motormen and conductors, and barbers have likewise been omitted
from this tabulation because their hours of labor are either lacking
in uniformity or the wage rates are such as not to be susceptible
of presentation in the same manner as the trades above mentioned.
Data for bus drivers, street-railway motormen and conductors, and
barbers will be published later.
In table 1 are shown the average hourly wage rates by trade groups
for the years 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, and 1933, together with the
amount and the percent of decrease, comparing 1933 with 1932.

T

T able 1 . — A V E R A G E H O U R L Y W A G E R A T E S I N S P E C IF IE D T R A D E G R O U P S , 1929 TO
1933, A N D A M O U N T A N D P E R C E N T OF D E C R E A S E , 1932-33

Average hourly wage rates
Trade group
1929

1930

1931

1932

1933

B akers-_ _
___
_ _
............
_____
$0. 979 $0. 965 $0. 934 $0. 951 $0. 799
Building trades____ ________ _____________ _____ 1.352 1.410 1.428 1. 216 1.201
.732
Chauffeurs and teamsters and drivers-______
.715
.740
.722
.663
Granite and stone trades__________
_ _
_____ 1.369 1.412 1.437 1.293 1.234
Laundry workers- ____
_ _ _ _ _ _
.458
.479
.481
.487
.435
Linemen_ _
___
_
____
1.019 1.128 1. 135 1.091 1.034
Longshoremen-.. _________________________ ___ _ .863
.875
.868
.868
.837
Printing and publishing:
Book and job.
__
_
_
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1.049 1.074 1.068 1.084 1. 006
1.241 1.241 1.247 1.231
Newspaper _________
1. 149
Average, all trades

_ _ __ _______________

1. 204

1.250

1.254

1. I l l

1.062

Amount
of decrease
1932-33

Percent
crease
1932-33

$0.152
.015
.059
.059
.052
.057
.031

16.0
1.2
8.2
4.6
10.7
5.2
3.6

.078
.082

5.6
6.7

.049

4.4

Table 2 shows for 1933 the average hours per full-time week and
the percent of members in each trade group having specified working
1 Preliminary data on 20 trades in 40 cities were given in the September 1933 M onthly Labor Review
(pp. 660-673).


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

1187

W AGES AND HOURS OF LABOR

hours. The hours stated represent the regular full time per week. No
data are available as to broken time or overtime that may have been
worked.
It will be noted that 59.1 percent of the total membership have a
regular work week of 40 hours or less and 89.9 percent a work week of
48" hours or less. Of the separate trade groups, the building trades
with an average of 40.4 hours have the shortest full-time work week.
To a large extent this short week is occasioned by the rather general
adoption of a 5-day week within this group. However, the normal
change in this regard has been slightly interfered with in the past 2
years by the adoption of short-time work for the purpose of spreading
employment among the members. In some cases members in indi­
vidual local unions are limited by agreement to less than 5 days’
work each week. The chauffeurs and teamsters and drivers with
an average of 53 hours per week had the longest full-time week. In
this group it will be noted that 68.5 percent had a full-time week of
more than 48 hours.
T able 2 .— A V E R A G E H O U R S P E R W E E K A N D P E R C E N T OF T R A D E -U N I O N M E M B E R S ,
B Y T R A D E G R O U P S , W O R K I N G E A C H C L A S S IF IE D N U M B E R OF H O U R S P E R W E E K ,
M A Y 15, 1933

Trade groups

Aver­
age
hours
per
U n­
full­
der
time
40
week

Bakers___________ _____ _____
Building trades------------------Chauffeurs and teamsters
and drivers_______________
Granite and stone trades.__
Laundry workers---------------Linemen____________________
Longshoremen_____________
Printing and publishing:
Book and job---------------Newspaper--------------------

47.6
40.4

Grand average-----------

1.5
.9

53.0
40.9
48.0
43.4
44. 5

Percent of members whose hours per week were—

40

Over
40
and
under
44

3.2
88.1

0.3

.5
78.3

.5

44

10.4
1.2
21.7

Over
48
and
under
54

Over
44
and
under
48

48

7.2
.2

84.3
.3

5.4

24.0

7.6

100.0
. 2 33. 1
9.4

2.6
1.4

6.2

38.0

1.0

19.0
88.9

42.0
43.8

10.8
13.4

31.7
6.3

.2
11.3

53.6
11. 1

.1
37.6

3.6
20.3

43.1

2.4

56.7

.7

18. 5

3.2

8.4

54

Over
54
and
under
60

60

16.6

12.0

Over
60

3.6
0)
29.1

3.2

.3

—
1.2

4.3

2.4

1.7

.5

i Less than one tenth of 1 percent.

Table 3 shows the percent of members falling within each specified
rate interval, by trade groups, May 15, 1933.
Considering the total membership it is found that 40.3 percent
have regular rates of less than $1 per hour, 74.5 percent under $1.37%
per hour and 91.4 percent under $1.50 per hour.
The spread between rates of the majority of the members’ wage
rates per hour in the several trade groups are as follows:
Bakers: 68.7 percent fall between 62% cents and under $1 per hour.
Building: 69.6 percent fall between $1 and under $1.50 per hour.
Chauffeurs and teamsters and drivers: 84.5 percent fall between 50 cents and

under 87% cents per hour.

..

Granite and stone trades: 68.5 percent fall between $1 and under $1.37% per

hour.
Laundry workers: 100 percent fall under 75 cents per hour.
Linem en : 82.9 percent fall between 75 cents and under $1.12% per hour.
Longshoremen: 89.4 percent fall between 75 cents and under $1 per hour.
Printing and publishing: Book and job, 78.5 per cent fall between 75 cents and

under $1.37% per hour; newspaper, 82.5 percent fall between 87% cents and
under $1.37% per hour.


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

1188

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

T able

3 .— P E R C E N T O F T R A D E -U N I O N M E M B E R S W H O S E A V E R A G E R A T E S IN
C E N T S P E R H O U R F A L L W I T H I N E A C H S P E C IF IE D R A T E I N T E R V A L , M A Y 15, 1933,
B Y T R A D E GROUPS

Percent of members whose rates (in cents) per hour were—

87^4
100 112J>i 125 137^
150 162H
50
62 H
75
U n­
175
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
der
and
under under under under under under under under under under
50
over
62^
75
100 1121/2 125 137
150 162 y2 175
87 H

Trade group

Bakery _ _
Building trades. . .
Chauffeurs and teamsters

2.3
.2

14.1
1.5

28. 2
2.6

19.8
5.6

20.7
7.5

7.4
19.1

5.5
10.4

2.1
12.9

7. 2

29. 5
.1
21.7
.4
.5

37.9

17.1
2.8

7. 6
.7

.3
25.0

.1
9.4

.1
34.1

13. 3
1. 7
6. 3

11. 4
55. 7

19.6
33.7

51.9
.4

2.2
.2

2.8

6.1
.1

4.2
.7

13.6
5.3

21.8
20.4

15.6
20. 1

8.6
20.7

18.9
21.3

4.5
6.7

6.3

8.7

11.6

11.6

14.7

8.4

11.1

17.0

65. 0
.3
Printing and publishing:
Book and job _______ _ 4.4
Newspaper_____________ —
Total_________________

2. 1

27.2

7.5

1.4

26.6

9.1
0)

1.0
2.8

4.9

0.5

2.3
2.6

.5

(0
1.4

5.3

2.9

.4

1 Less than one tenth of 1 percent.

Trend of Union W age Rates and Hours, 1907 to 1933
T h e grand average hourly union wage rate on May 15, 1933, was
lower by 4.4 percent than it was on the same date in 1932; it was
11.8 percent lower than in 1929; however, it was 102.5 percent higher
than in 1917, 131.2 percent higher than in 1913, 144.8 percent higher
than in 1910, and 157.7 percent higher than in 1907.
On the -weekly basis, the grand average rate in 1933 was 4.3 per­
cent lower than the grand average rate in 1932, 15.7 percent lower
than in 1929, 80.6 percent higher than in 1917, 103 percent higher
than in 1913, 113.2 percent higher than in 1910, and 121.8 percent
higher than in 1907.
T able 4 .— I N D E X N U M B E R S O F U N I O N W A G E R A T E S A N D H O U R S O F L A B O R I N T H E
U N I T E D S T A T E S AS O F M A Y E A C H Y E A R , 1907 T O 1933
[1913=100]

Index numbers of—

Year

Rate of
wages
per hour

Hours
per full­
time
week

89.7
91.0
91.9
94.4
96.0
97.6
100. 0
101.9
102.8
107. 2
114. 2
132.7
154. 5
199.0

102.6
102. 1
101. 9
101.1
100.7
100.3
100. 0
99. 6
99. 4
98.8
98.4
97.0
94. 7
93.8

1907
. . _____
1908
_ __________
1909
__
________
1910
1911__________ _ .
1912________
1913
1914
1915
1916
1917
1918________________
1919
1920________________

Index numbers of—

Rate of
wages
per full­
time
week

91.5
92.5
93.3
95. 2
96.5
97.7
100.0
101.6
102.3
106. 2
112. 4
129.6
147.8
188.5

Year

1921________________
1922________________
1923________________
1924________________
1925________________
1926________________
1927________________
1928_______________
1929________________
1930________________
1931________________
1932________________
1933 _______________

Rate of
wages
per hour

Hours
per full­
time
week

205.3
193.1
210. 6
228.1
237.9
250.3
259. 5
260. 6
262.1
272. 1
273. 0
241.8
231. 2

93.9
94. 4
94. 3
93 9
93. 0
92.8
92.4
91.9
91. 5
89.8
89. 2
87.7
88.0

Rate of
wages
per full­
time
week

193 3
183 0
198 6
214 3
222 3
233. 4
240.8
240. 6
240. 7
243.8
242. 9
212.2
203. 0

The index numbers shown in table 4 are computed on the basis of
1913 as 100. These indexes include all the time-work trades and all

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

W AGES AND HOURS OF LABOR

1189

the cities covered in preceding years, but the number of trades and
cities included in the data has varied to some degree during the
period.
Because of the wide interest in building operations and the resultant
inquiries to the Bureau for wage changes in building trades as a
group, the data for these trades are given below.
Index numbers of union wage rates per hour in the building trades
Index
number

Index
number

1913
1914
1915
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923

100. 0
101.
102.
106.
112.
125.
145.
196.
200.
187.
207.

9

8
2

8
2
4
8
3
5
3

1924
1925.
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933

224.
232.
248.
256.
258.
261.
272.
276.
235.
232.

0
7
0
7
1
6
8
3
3
4

Table 5 shows the average union wage rates per hour, average
full-time hours per week, the number of quotations on which 1933
averages are based, and index numbers of hourly rates for the years
1928 to 1933. The index numbers for the years back to 1907 may be
found in Bulletin No. 482 of this Bureau, but are omitted here for
want of space. For some trades data were not collected as early as
1913, hence there can be no index numbers for them on a 1913 base.
In computing an average rate, each rate quoted is multiplied by
the number of union members having such rate. The products are
added and the sum divided by the grand total membership; in other
words, the rates are weighted by the number of union members.
This membership is furnished the Bureau for this sole purpose and
is held strictly confidential.
The rates for a city may enter into an average 1 year because
the trade has an effective wage scale, but may drop out the next
year because the trade cannot enforce its scale or because the union
has disbanded. Also, the membership fluctuations in high- or lowrate cities have an important bearing on this weighted average rate.
The grand average rate may, possibly, vary to a greater extent than
the rate in any city reporting for both years or it may show a decrease
while the individual rates composing it may show no change and
some increases. For the past 2 years the fluctuations in rates and
membership have been unusually severe, which factors have been
productive of anomalous or paradoxical average rates for several
occupations and group averages. The index numbers are computed
from these averages, and are, of course, affected by these same
influences.
In table 5 hourly rates only are considered. Equivalent weekly
rates do not exactly parallel hourly rates because of changes in
working hours.


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

1190

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

T able 5 — N U M B E R OF Q U O T A T IO N S I N 1933, A V E R A G E W A G E R A T E S P E R H O U R , 1932
A N D 1933, A V E R A G E F U L L -T I M E H O U R S P E R W E E K , 1933, A N D I N D E X N U M B E R S OF
H O U R L Y R A T E S F O R S P E C IF IE D Y E A R S

Trade

Bakery trades
Bakers____________________

N um ­ Average rate
ber of of wages per
hour
quo­
ta­
tions
M ay M ay
M ay
1932
1933
1933

Aver­
age
hours
per
week,
M ay M ay
1933 1933

Index numbers of rates of wages per
hour (1913=100)

M ay
1928

M ay
1929

M ay
1930

M ay M ay
1931 1932

201 $0.951 $0. 799 285.9 293.4 289.2 279.9 285. C 239.5

47.6

Building trades

Asbestos workers____________________
Bricklayers:
Building________________________
Sewer, tunnel, and caisson______
Building labor group:
Building laborers________________
Hod carriers_____________________
Plasterers’ laborers______________
Plumbers’ laborers______________
Carpenter group:
General carpenters______________
Millwrights (carpenters)_________
Parquetry-floor layers (carpen­
ters)_____________ _______ _____
Ship carpenters_____________ ____
Wharf and bridge carpenters_____
Cement finishers____________________
Composition roofers_________________
Composition roofers’ helpers_________
Elevator constructors________________
Elevator constructors’ helpers________
Engineers, portable and hoisting_____
Glaziers________________ _____________
Inside wiremen______ ___________ ___
Inside wiremen, fixture hangers______
Lathers______________________________
Marble setters_______________________
Marble setters’ helpers_______________
Mosaic and terrazzo workers_________
Painter group:
Building painters,...........................
Fresco painters__________________
Sign painters_____________________
Plasterers____________________________
Plumbers and gas fitters_____________
Sheet-metal workers_________________
Slate and tile roofers_________________
Steam and sprinkler fitters___________
Steam and sprinkler fitters’ helpers__
Stonemasons_________________________
Structural-iron workers______________
Structural-iron workers, finishers_____
Tile layers___________________________
Tile layers’ helpers___________________

42

1.237

1. 222

63
8

1.465
1.522

1.435 233.9 239.6 245. 1 245.9 211.9 207.5
1.604 214.2 199.5 199. 1 212.2 158.4 166.9

53
39
38
9

.762
.883
.910
.883

.761 257.0 258.2 275.3 267.5 228.3 228.0
.754 280.7 293.0 302. i 297. i 241.3 206.1
.838 264.1 265. 0 282. i 274. c 221.3 203.7
.908 (')
0)
(>)
0)
0)
0)

67
34

1.166
1.108

1.106 247. 5 252.0 261.6 263.5 219.4 208.1
1.047 (>)
0)
«
(')
(>)
(')

40. 3
40.5

27
11
19
54
31
5
75
68
109
34
70
19
73
51
22
40

1.184
1.109
1.153
1.245
1. 182
.730
1.409
1.004
1.511
1. 211
1. 437
1.276
1.385
1.432
.931
1.356

1.004
1.021
1.228
1. 228
1.207
.682
1.295
.936
1.321
1.222
1.320
1.002
1. 309
1.398
.938
1.238

65
18
46
62
66
50
20
82
40
53
85
47
54
23

1.228
1.051
1.393
1. 423
1.302
1. 234
1.401
1.283
.953
1.449
1.339
1.332
1. 350
.923

1. 243
1.070
1.338
1. 360
1.300
1.200
1.375
1.266
.926
1.369
1.323
1.346
1.340
.831

1, 772

1. 216

1.201

Chauffeurs__________________________
Teamsters and drivers_______________

484
82

.711
.785

.664 243.2 244.2 249. 4 253.9 244.9 228.7
.654 277. 1 279.8 292.0 287.8 299.2 249.3

52. 8
54. 1

Average, chauffeurs, etc________

566

.722

.663

53.0

40
52

1.199
1.380

1.170 245.3 249.8 262.3 262.5 234.1 228.5
1. 294 242.2 253. 6 256.0 262.6 237. 7 222.9

40. 7
41.1

92

1.293

1. 234

40.9

38
41
39

.487
1.091
.868

.435 0)
0)
0)
(i)
(>)
(')
1.034 0)
(i)
(>)
(0
(')
.837 248.6 250.1 253.5 251.5 251.5 242.5

48.0
43. 4
44.5

Average, building trades_______

(')

(')

(')

0)

0)

(')

236.1 241.9 259. 5 262.8 208.3 176.6

40.0
40. 1
41.2
41.
40.
40.
40.

4
4
2
1

233.5 232.5 259.0
(')
<‘>
<‘ >
257.2 268. 2 271.1
235.8 241.8 258.2
251.0 249.0 259.4
218.0 233.4 234.5
248.0 262.8 259. 1
0)
0)
(>)

275.1
257. 7
262. 6
235.5
254.1

0)

0)

0)

39. 5
40.8
40. 3
41. 8
40. 9
41. 6
40. 7
40. 6
41. 4
40.8
40.1
39. 9
40. 0
40. 4
40. 5
40.2

270.8
226. 7
247.5
241. 6
232. 1
247.4

292.4
267.3
248.3
253.0
244. 2
273. 2

242.3
192.9
219.9
210.6
210. 0
234.0
(')
214.2
304.7
237.4
215.4
214.3
206.1
257.3

245.3
196.4
211. 2
201. 3
209. 7
227.5
0)
211. 3
296.1
224.3
212.8
216. 5
204. 5
231.6

40 1
41. 2
40. 9
40.1
40. 6
40 3
40. 6
40. 0
40 1
40 1
40 6
40 4
40. 4
41.5

0)
0)

0)
0)

(>)
(>)

(>)
(')

0)
0)

(i)
(>)

(>)
(>)
0)
<‘>

(’)
(0
<*>
(L

(!)
0)
0)
0)

(>)
0)
<‘>
(')

(>)
(>)
(>)
0)

(i)
0)
(1)

234.6 234.6 256.4 253.3 213.8 210.9

0)

239.5
309. 2
259.3
235.7
230. 2
221.8
278.5

270.2
230.9
249. 9
238.6
233. 8
256.9
(')
241.0
305.0
266.5
236.0
240.0
224. 2
274.3

289.5
253.4
249. 6
250.3
240. 0
268. 5

0)

252.2
340.5
266.4
248. 1
257.2
234.9
300.8

0)
261.4 245.7 214.8

(>)

0)

254. 5
346.6
269.0
251.6
257. 1
237. 2
291. 8

0)

262. 5
246.3
232. 4
214.6
230. 6

(>)
241. 1
193.4
219. 6
209. 5
232.3

40.4

Chauffeurs and teamsters and drivers

Qranite and stone trades
Granite cutters________________________
Stone cutters_____________________
Average, granite and stone
trades__________________________
M iscellaneous trades
Laundry workers__________ ___________
Linemen_______________________________
Longshoremen_______________________
1 N o data for 1913.


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

1191

W AGES AND HOURS OF LABOR

T4BIE 5 —N U M B E R O F Q U O T A T IO N S I N 1933, A V E R A G E W A G E R A T E S P E R H O U R , 1932
A N D 1933 A V E R A G E F U L L -T IM E H O U R S P E R W E E K , 1933, A N D I N D E X N U M B E R S O F
H O U R L Y R A T E S F O R S P E C IF IE D Y E A R S — Continued

Num- Average rate
ber of of wages per
hour
quoTrade

lions,
M ay
1933

M ay
1932

M ay
1933

M ay
1931

M ay
1932

Average
hours
per
week,
M ay M ay
1933 1933

0)
252.7
260. 2
274.5
228.8
224.2
(*)
299.9
239.1
260. 2

0)
244.0
259.3
272.8
240.1
235.4
(>)
290.4
236. 2
250. 1

(')
239.1
237.2
253.9
218.3
219.2
0)
271.3
224.1
241.3

Index numbers of rates of wages per
hour (1913=100)

M ay
1929

M ay
1928

M ay
1930

Printing and publishing— book and job
45 $0. 515 $0. 509
.968
.988
88
68 1.162 1.063
52 1.307 1.216
1.137
69 1.251
32 1.279 1.191
1.321
48 1.371
.852
.796
137
141 1.147 1.088
.879
.911
108
Average, book and job----------------

(>)
247.5
251.5
263.2
228.0
219.9
(i)
289. 7
236.8
257.8

(')
244.8
250.1
257.1
224.6
216.8
0)
287.0
232. 7
253.9

(')
250.7
259.3
269.9
238.0
233.2
(')
294.8
240.1
259.9

44.6
44. 4
42.5
42.2
41.9
41.8
40.6
40.7
40.7
42.0

788

1.084

1.006

42.0

80
69

1. 164
1.283

1.114 206. 6 211.3 212.5 212.5 204.5 195.7
1.222 203.0 205.3 203.6 203.0 198.7 189.2

43.5
43.3

8
78

2. 149
1.206

2 . 129 138.5 124.1 130.4 132.2 134.0 116.0
1.110 213.8 217.4 216.7 220.0 214.2 197.1

42.5
43.6

7
68

2. 167
1.335

2.158 108. 1 103.2 109.5 117.2 117.2 110.9
1.210 205. £ 207.5 207.0 207.9 207.3 189. 3

42.3
43.3

61
63

1.233
1.380

1.094 198.4 201.7 205. 1 204. 7 209.7 186.0
1.211 190.8 196. 6 191.0 195.5 202. 5 177.7

43.5
43.4

40
38

1.347
1. 652

1.263
1. 478

44.0
41.9

124
115

1. 122
1.306

1. 028 224.9 228. 1 229.3 231.2 235.0 215.3
1. 24( 215.7 216. 1 218.7 222. 1 224.5 213.1

46.4
41.9

61
5

1.075
1. 227

201.8 201.6 203.9 190.4
1.004 191.1 200.
1. 16C 188.1 198.3 202. i 204.9 202.6 191.5

46.0
42.4

87

1. 231

1. 140

4,40f

I. Ill

1.065 260.1

Printing and publishing— new spaper
Compositors (hand):
Machine operators, daywork:
Machine operators, nightwork:
Machine tenders (machinists):
Photoengravers:
Nightwork-------------------------------------Pressmen, web presses:
Stereotypers:

Average, newspaper--------------------

i N o data for 1913.

(>)
«

0)
0)

0)
(')

0)
0)

0)
(')

0)
(0

___

43.8
262.

272.

273.1

241.

231.

43.1

2 Per 1,000 ems.

Table 6 shows the percent of change in weekly wage rates in 1933
as compared with specified years.
Comparing 1933 wage rates per full-time week with those of 1932,
the changes noted in individual trades are as follows: The bakers’
wage rate shows a decrease of 15.7 percent. Of the 39 individual
building trades, the average rates show 12 increases ranging from less
than one tenth of 1 percent to 6.4 percent, and 27 show decreases
ranging from seven tenths of 1 percent to 23.2 percent. The chauf­
feurs and teamsters’ rates decreased 6.7 percent and 16 percent,
respectively. The granite cutters decreased 6.7 percent and the
stone cutters 6.2 percent. The laundry workers decreased 10.7 per­
cent, the linemen decreased 5.4 percent and the longshoremen 3.8
percent. In the book and job printing trades all the occupations
show decreases ranging from 1.1 percent to 12.4 percent. In the
newspaper printing trades all occupations show decreases ranging
from 4.3 percent to 10.1 percent. It will be noted that the average
rates per full-time week in 1933 were generally lower than the rates
in 1925 and in a few occupations were lower than in 1921.

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

1192

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

T able 6 .— P E R C E N T O F C H A N G E I N R A T E S O F W A G E S P E R F U L L -T I M E W E E K I N
1933 A S C O M P A R E D W I T H S P E C IF IE D Y E A R S

Percent of increase ( + ) or decrease ( —) in rates of wages per
full-time week in 1933 as compared with—
Trade and occupation

1907

1913

1917

1921

1925

1928

1929

1930

1931

1932

B a k e r y tr a d e s

Bakers

___

__

_

_______ +153.9 +116.0 +89.2 -1 3 .1 -1 7 .4 -1 5 .1 -17.

-1 6 .0 -1 3 .9 -1 5 .7

B u ild in g tra d es

Asbestos workers.. ________________
+88.6 +7.1 - 4 .7 -1 5 .5 -1 8 .6 -1 9 .3 -1 8 .5
P)
P)
Bricklayers:
Building. _ __________ ______ +93. 1 +86. 5 +75. ‘ + 9.3 -11.4 -1 8 .8 —18. ‘ —18.4 -1 7 .3
Sewer, tunnel, and caisson..
+56. i +51.8 + 2.5 -1 6 .1 -2 6 .6 -2 0 .3 -1 6 .9 -2 3 .0
«
Building labor group:
Building laborers___________ . . . +107.9 +94.3 +74.] - 7 . 1 - 8 .7 -1 8 .0 -1 8 .4 -2 1 .7 -1 8 .3
Hod carriers _________ . . .
+92.8 +87. i +60.5 -2 0 .6 —24. i -3 2 .8 -3 1 .5 -3 3 .1 -3 2 .
Plasterers’ laborers____ ______ _ + 100. f +84.1 +65.7 -1 4 .7 -23.1 -2 6 .5 -2 6 .8 -2 8 .9 -2 7 .0
Plumbers’ laborers______ ______
- 3 .0 -1 4 .1 -1 4 .2 -2 0 .7 -1 3 .9 -1 3 .5
P)
P)
P)
Carpenter group:
General carpenters___ ______ . . . +105. 0 +88. i +64.0 -3 .4 -1 4 .6 -2 2 . 6 -2 4 .0 -2 4 .3 -2 3 .6
Millwrights*(carpenters). . _____
+44.5 -1 3 . 2 -1 7 .2 -2 3 .6 -1 9 .8 -2 3 .3 -26.1
0)
P)
Parquetry-floor layers (carpenters) . . . . __
______________
(1)
+49.8 +28.6 -2 7 .6 -2 5 .7 -3 2 .1 -3 4 .0 -3 3 .9 -34 .1
Ship carpenters___
_.
___
+53.6 +2.8 +6.2 +5. 1 -15. 1 -2 8 .5 -2 5 .6
p)
P)
Wharf and bridge carpenters.. .
+95 .4 +14.1 -4 .4 -1 3 .8 -1 3 .0 -1 3 .0 -1 3 .4
P)
P)
Cement finishers
+105. 8 +90.9 +79.6 +5.4 - 6 .4 -1 4 .3 -1 4 .4 -1 8 .3 -1 7 .0
Composition roofers_______ __ _____
P)
P) +106 .4 + 11.3 - 3 .8 -1 5 .8 -1 6 .9 -1 4 .9 -1 6 .5
Composition roofers’ helpers .
.
+55.6 -8 .3 -15. 6 -2 0 .2 -1 8 .5 -1 8 .5 -1 2 .5
0)
P)
Elevator constructors.
+77.3 + 6.3 - 8 .9 -1 7 .4 -1 7 .3 -1 8 .3 -17.1
P)
P)
Elevator constructors’ helpers _ .
+99.2
+ 6 .6 - 7 .4 -1 8 .1 -1 7 .0 -1 7 .6 -1 6 .7
P)
P)
Engineers, portable and hoisting____
+90.3 +79.4 +11.5 - 2 .9 -1 5 .0 -1 4 .9 -2 0 . 2 -2 0 .1
0)
Glaziers____ __ .
...
+14.6
- 7 .5 -1 5 .6 -1 6 . 1 -1 6 .2 -1 5 .9
0)
P>
P)
Inside wiremen . . . _ __ ______ _ _ +137. 5 +113.1 +90.5 +8 .9 - 5 .3 -1 4 .0 -1 5 .3 -1 4 .3 -1 4 .7
Inside wiremen, fixture hangers _ _ . . .
+69.2
+48.1
-1
2
.9
-2
0 .3 -2 4 .8 -2 6 .3 -2 6 .1 -2 6 .7
P>
Lathers___ .
..... ... ..
+95.9 +80. 1 + 4 .3 -1 4 .7 -1 9 .1 -1 8 .0 -1 6 .5 -1 7 .0
P>
Marble setters .
____ . . . .
+107. 9 +90.1 +86.1 +19.3 + .9 -1 2 .0 -1 7 .9 -1 3 .4 -1 2 .4
Marble setters’ helpers . _
P) +113.0 +99.4 - 1 . 0 - 4 .2 -1 4 .0 -1 8 .9 -1 3 .6 -1 0 .0
Mosaic and terrazzo workers. _____
+95.4 +14.9 -7 .1 -1 6 . 2 -2 0 .2 -1 8 .7 -1 8 .0
P)
P)
Painters:
Building.. ___________ _ ______ +151.8 +119.6 +89.5 + 8.4 - 5 .8 -1 1 .9 -1 1 .5 -1 6 .3 -1 6 .6
Fresco painters___ __________ _
+84.2 +58.9 - 3 .5 -1 0 .0 -1 3 .5 -1 5 .2 -2 1 .5 -2 5 .3
(!)
Sign painters.. _ _________ .
+92.5 +81.6 - . 5 -1 5 .9 -1 8 .0 -1 7 .4 -1 6 .9 -1 5 .6
P)
Plasterers . . . ________ . _____ _
+88.4 +81.2 +71.4 + 2.9 -1 5 .9 -1 9 .9 -1 8 .3 -2 0 .5 -2 0 .8
Plumbers and gas fitters_______
._ + 110.0 +90.1 +80.3 + 7 .0 - 6 .2 -1 6 .4 -1 6 .2 -1 4 .1 -1 4 .6
Sheet-metal workers____
. . . .
+132. 4 +102. 7 +83.3 + 2.8 - 9 .3 -1 5 .5 -1 8 .5 -1 8 . 7 -1 9 .0
Slate and tile roofers
+93.8 +10.0 -1 0 .8 -1 7 .7 -1 7 .7 -1 5 .7 -1 3 .1
0)
P)
Steam and sprinkler fitters..
+113.9 + 8 7 .0 + 7 1 .9 + 1 2 .2 - 9 . 5 - 1 9 .6 - 1 9 .7 - 1 9 .7 - 1 9 .8
Steam and sprinkler fitters’ helpers. _ +212. 5 +164. 7 +135. 6 + 2 2 .6 - 1 . 4 -1 2 . 5 -1 1 . 2 - 1 3 .4 - 1 4 .8

Stonemasons. . . .
...
+ 113.2 + 101.7
Structural-iron workers
+ 115.2 + 9 3 .7
Structural-iron workers, finishers____
+ 9 8 .9
P)
Tile layers______________________ _
+ 8 4 .2
(0
Tile layers’ helpers. . . _______ __
+114.6
p)

+ 8 4 .6
+ 7 7 .6
+ 8 3 .4
+ 7 3 .7
+98. 5

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

- 2 0 .7
- 1 6 .5
- 1 7 .0
- 1 5 .9
- 1 9 .5

- 1 8 .2
- 1 7 .8
- 1 8 .8
- 1 5 .2
- 2 2 .2

- 1 7 .4
- 1 7 .9
- 1 8 .1
- 1 4 .9
- 1 9 .8

- 2 .3
-.7
+ 6 .4
- 2 .2
-1 4 . 6
-9 . 2
+ 2 .8
- 5 .7
- 7 .2
-1 7 .3
- 9 .0
+ 5 .5
+. 1
+ 3 .7
- 5 .1
- 9 .4
- 8 .0
-1 2 .4
+ .9
-7 . 9
-2 3 .2
- 5 .8
- 2 .8
+. 6
- 7 .5
+ .9
+ 1.2
-4 . 7
- 2 .9
+. 5
- 2 .9
- 2 .0
-1 .8
-2 . 9
—5. 9
— 1. 5
+ .8

(2)

-6 .5

Chauffeurs and teamsters and drivers
Chauffeurs _ . ______ . . .
. . .
Teamsters and drivers
_______ _ „

p)
p)

+ 8 3 .7 + 6 8 .3 + 5 .3
+ 116.5 + 9 2 .7 + 8 .5

- 4 .6 - 8 .7 - 7 .8 - 8 .0 - 9 .9 - 6 . 7
- 2 . 9 - 1 2 .4 - 1 2 .5 - 1 6 .5 - 1 7 .6 - 1 6 .0

Cranite and stone trades
Granite cutters
Stone cutters..

. . . . . .
.. ...

+128. 3 +110.2 + 9 2 .9
...

_

+ 112.2 +104. 3 +85.4 +9.1

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

M iscellaneous
Laundry w orkers..
Linemen
....
Longshoremen
..

. . . .
. . .
____

.

P)
P)
P)

+73.8 + 4.7 - 2 .0 - 2 .7
P)
+ 3.4 + 2.9 - 2 .7
P)
P)
+83.2 +54.0 + 1 .2 - 1 .8 - 2 .9

- 5 .0 - 9 .2 - 9 .5 -1 0 .7
- 5 .0 -1 1 . 2 -1 0 .9 - 5 .4
- 3 .5 - 4 .7 - 4 .3 - 3 .8

P rinting and publishing— book and
job
Bindery women______________ ____
Bookbinders____
. . .
Compositors (hand). . . . . . .
Electro typers.
...
. . . . .
_
Machine operators.. _
________ _
Machine tenders (m ach in ists).___
Photoengravers . . . . .
______
Press assistants and feeders___________
1 N ot reported.


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

(O +109. 1
P)
+136. 4 +120. 6 +103. 8
+135. 7 + 109. 4 +95.1
+152. 7 +127. 4 +101. 0
+107.8

- 2 .0 - 3 .9
+ 6 .2 + . 1
+ 1 .5 - 3 .9
+ 5 .6 - 6 .0

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

- 7 .9 - 7 .2 - 2 .5
- 5 .6 - 6 . 1 - 2 . 5
-1 2 .2 -1 2 .3 -1 1 .7
-1 1 .9 -1 2 .9 -1 2 .4

+ 9 1 .0 + 8 3 .2 + 3 .1 - 2 . 3 - 7 . 7 - 9 . 1 - 1 2 .9 - 9 . 3 -1 3 . 6
+ 9 0 .4 + 8 3 .8 + 4 .1 - 1 . 6 - 4 . 4 - 5 . 8 - 1 1 .2 - 7 . 9 - 1 1 .9
+ 9 8 .1 + 1 8 .7 + 6 .1 - 7 . 3 - 8 . 6 - 8 . 7 - 8 . 3 —6.4
P)
+155.1 +128.5 +107. 4 - . 5 - 1 1 .0 -13.41 - 1 4 .2 - 1 5 .7 - 1 7 .1 - 1 . 1

P)
(0

! Less than one tenth of 1 percent increase.

1193

W AGES AND HOURS OF LABOR

T able 6 .— P E R C E N T OP C H A N G E I N R A T E S OF W A G E S P E R F U L L -T I M E W E E K IN
1933 A S C O M P A R E D W I T H S P E C IF IE D Y E A R S — Continued

Percent of increase ( + ) or decrease ( —) in rates of wages per
full-time week in 1933 as compared with—
Trade and occupation
1928

1929

1930

1931

1932

1921

1925

+113.8 + 8 8 .8 + 7 8 .4
+128.9 +109. 7 + 9 2 .0

-2 .2
- 3 .9

- 9 . 3 - 1 1 .8 - 1 3 .2 - 1 4 .5 - 1 4 .2 - 3 . 7
- 7 . 6 - 1 0 .5 — 12. 0 —12. 6 —12. 7 —6. 4

+105.4 + 8 4 .3
+ 9 3 .9 + 8 0 .7

+ 7 6 .2
+ 7 4 .6

+ 5 .7
+ 5 .4

- 4 . 6 - 9 . 7 - 1 1 .2 - 1 1 .9 - 1 2 .0 - 6 . 6
- 3 . 6 - 1 0 .3 - 1 1 .0 - 1 0 .8 —10. 5 —5. 2

+105. 0 + 8 7 .4
+ 9 4 .0 + 8 1 .8

+ 7 8 .6 + 7 .6
+ 7 4 .3 + 7 .0

- 4 . 4 - 1 0 .8 - 1 2 .2 - 1 1 .8 - 1 3 .5 - 8 . 6
- 3 . 8 - 1 1 .2 - 1 2 .0 - 1 1 .8 — 12. 2 —6. 6

- 1 .1
- 1 .2

- 5 . 2 - 1 1 .0 - 1 2 .1 - 1 3 .1 - 1 3 .2 - 8 . 9
- 5 . 6 - 1 1 .5 - 1 3 .6 —11. 2 — 12. 5 —6. 5

1907

1913

1917

Printin g and publishing—book and
job— C ontinued
Pressmen, cylinder _
Pressmen, platen
.

__
_____

P rinting and publishing— newspaper
Compositors (hand):
Nightwork----- ------- ---------------Machine operators:
Nightwork. _ ----------- -----------Machine tenders (machinists):
Nightw ork., __ __ --------------- - - Photoengravers:
Nightwork. _ _ _ ------- ---------------- Pressmen, web presses:

0)
(9
0)
(')

+ 76.1 + 7 1 .9
+ 6 8 .7 + 6 5 .5
(*)
(')

- 6 .3 - 6 .1
- 9 . 6 — 10.1

+ 9 6 .2 + 1 9 .4 + 7 .2
+101.7 + 2 0 .9 + 6 .9

-5 .6
-5 .7

- 6 .3
-6 .6

-5 .7
-8 .9

+ 1 .9
+ 5 .5

- 5 .5
-2 .4

-6 .6
-3 .0

- 7 .1 - 7 .8 - 7 .5
—4. 0 —5. 4 —4. 3

+137.1 + 111.2 +102. 4 + 1 4 .7
Nightwork------------------------------------- +129.1 +118.1 +111.4 +19.1
Stereotypers:
+110.3 + 8 4 .2 + 7 5 .7 + 8 .6
Nightwork _
___ ___
_ _ _ _ +105. 4 +87. 1 + 7 9 .3 + 9 .5

+ •4 - 2 . 9
- .9
+ 1 .9

- 6 .2 - 7 .1 - 7 .1 - 7 .5
—5. 2 —6. 3 —6. 7 —6. 3

i Not reported.

Employment and Wages in Retail Stores

HE United States Bureau of the Census has recently issued a
study dealing with various phases of employment and wage costs
in the retail industry, covering store operations for the calendar year
1929. The study is in five parts, of which the first deals with the
different kinds of retail employees and of stores in which they are
employed, the second discusses the wage costs in retail stores and the
wide variations in this respect between different kinds of stores, the
third treats of the seasonal variations of retail employment, the fourth
deals with average sales per employee, and the fifth compares the
wage costs of chains and independent establishments.

T

Number of Retail Workers and Where They are Employed
T h e census showed that in 1929 retail stores employed 3,833,581
full-time workers, which was 64 percent of the entire force; 676,559
part-time employees (11 percent), and 1,510,607 active, proprietors
engaged in the operation of their own stores. This total of 6,020,747
persons was more than 12 percent of the whole number of gainfully
employed persons, and nearly 5 percent of the total population of the
United States. The percentage distribution of these workers ac­
cording to the kind of retail selling in which they were engaged was
as follows:
Food--------------------------General merchandise _
Apparel______________
Lumber and building.
General stores------------


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

19.
14.
8.
4.
4.

79
54
37
74
31

Automotive--------------------------------- 15. 43
Restaurants------------------------------- r 10. 41
Furniture and household appli­
5. 37
ances__________________________
Miscellaneous-------------------- --------- 17. 04

1194

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

Geographically, nearly two thirds of all retail workers were found
in 11 States, each of which had a total of more than 150,000 such
employees. New York led with a total of 760,284, Pennsylvania
came next with 506,075, Illinois was third with 442,192, California
fourth with 374,619, and Ohio fifth with 349,879. Indiana, with
162,266, stood lowest in the list.
Listed as retail workers are a number of employees engaged not in
selling, but in distributing, servicing, preparing material, or some
other ancilliary process. Thus the automotive group includes a large
number of mechanics engaged in repairing and servicing autos, the
restaurants and bakery goods stores class cooks as retail employees,
dealers in household appliances have workers to install and service
all or a part of the merchandise sold, etc.
Salaries and Wages of Retail Employees
S a l a r i e s and wages, which amounted to $10.57 per $100 of total sales, were
the largest single item of expense in the operating costs of retail stores. The
reported pay roll included compensation paid to salaried executives, to buyers,
to office employees, to salespeople, and to delivery and service employees, but
did not include compensation for active proprietor-owners in the case of unin­
corporated proprietorships.

Since these proprietors form an active part of the working force,
their inclusion seemed essential to any accurate calculation of labor
costs. The true measure of their compensation is, of course, the net
earnings of the business, but since this item was not reported, it was
determined to calculate their salaries at the wage value, i.e., the av­
erage salary paid to full-time employees in the same kind of business.
Adding the amount thus calculated to the annual pay roll reported
gave a total wage cost for 1929 of $7,012,560,329, which is equivalent
to $14.28 per $100 of sales.
The average annual compensation for retail employment in the
United States was $1,312 for full-timers and $239 for part-timers.
The average full-time compensation varied with the kind of business
and with the geographical location, as shown in table 1.
T able 1.—A V E R A G E F U L L -T I M E S A L A R IE S OF E M P L O Y E E S C L A S S IF IE D B Y B U S I­
N E SS G R O U P A N D

Classification

Lines handled:
Food____ ________ __________
General stores
__,
_ __
General merchandise
Automotive- ___________ __________
Apparel______________________ _
Other retail stores______ _ ____ Furniture and household appliances
Restaurants and eating places
Lumber and building-, _ . _ . . .

G E O G R A P H IC

Aver­
age full­
time
salary

D IV IS IO N

Classification

Aver­
age full­
time
salary

Geographic division:
$1, 285
1,025
1,125
1,460
1,480
1,406
1,592
909
1,630

W est South Central- _
Mountain - ___
Pacific _______

$1,312
1,420
1,377
1,193
1,144
1,073
1,140
1,301
1,425

In the group distribution it will be noticed that the lumber and
building, and the furniture and household groups pay considerably
larger average annual salaries than any of the others, that the auto­
motive and apparel groups, with nearly the same average, stand next,
and that the restaurants and eating places have by far the lowest

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

1195

W AGES AND HOURS OP LABOR

average. From the geographical standpoint, the Pacific and the
Middle Atlantic groups lead, the East North Central comes next,
while the New England and the Mountain groups have nearly the
same average, and the other groups lag considerably behind. These
differences are due to a number of causes, among which are men­
tioned variations in the cost of living, and the presence in many cities
of dominant industries which set the general scale of wages, and with
which retail stores must compete for desirable employees. The busi­
ness group differences are a more complicated matter, and are treated
more fully under the subject of wage costs.
W age Costs in Different Kinds of Retail Business
V a r i a t i o n s in wage costs, from the national average of 14.28 percent, result
from a number of contributing factors, many of which are capable of analysis.
The necessity in many kinds of business for the conversion of certain commodities
into another form before sale, or the further processing of materials, is responsible
for increases in personnel with a resulting increase in wage costs. Another fac­
tor is the inauguration of customer services, such as delivery, credit, etc., from
which there is no direct return in income. A third reason for the high wage costs
is the necessity in certain kinds of stores for a highly trained selling organization,
such as millinery stores, jewelry stores, and others, requiring salespeople with
special qualifications, who necessarily receive higher than average salaries.

When the stores are grouped according to their wage ratios, it is
found that there are 16 kinds of business in which the total wage
cost, as reported, formed less than 10 percent of the total sales. This
group includes 265,085 stores, and accounts for nearly 28 percent
of the total retail business of the country. In 42 other kinds of busi­
ness, wage costs ranged from 10 to 15 percent of sales, with a total
sales volume of more than $20,000,000,000 in 557,393 stores. “ These
two groups of 58 kinds of stores, all with an average wage ratio under
15 percent of sales, contained 822,478 stores whose sales represented
nearly 70 percent of the total reported sales of all retail stores in
operation in 1929.” The remaining businesses are divided into five
groups, with wage ratios, respectively, of 15 to 20 percent, 20 to 25
percent, 25 to 30 percent, 30 to 35 percent, and in the final group,
of over 35 percent.
Table 2 shows the kinds of stores in the two lowest cost groups,
with data as to number of workers, ratio of wage costs to sales, and
amount of total sales:
T able 2.—N U M B E R OF E M P L O Y E E S A N D W A G E C O S T I N R E L A T I O N T O S A L E S IN
S T O R E S W I T H W A G E R A T IO OF U N D E R 10 A N D OF 10 T O 15 P E R C E N T , B Y K I N D OF
B U S IN E S S
7
^

Average wage ratios under 10 percent

K ind of business

Total retail Total
workers,
wage
including
cost
full-time
Number
(per­
and part- cent of
of stores
time em­
total
ployees and sales)
proprietors

Total sales

91,888

276,939

9. 78

$3,025, 304, 722

General stores—groceries with apparel-----------------------------General stores—groceries with dry goods-------------------------General stores—groceries with general merchandise---------

5,426
40,159
58,504

12,332
85, 676
161,312

9. 92
9.92
8. 74

111,074,663
/13, 226, 435
1,746,442,908

General merchandise stores (with food)----------------------------

31
2,182

35,877
11,876

8.64
9. 62

447,023, 641
139,404,484

Grocery stores with meats—.........— ......... ....... ........... ...........


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

1196

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

T able 2 .— N U M B E R O F E M P L O Y E E S A N D W A G E C O S T I N R E L A T I O N T O S A L E S I N
S T O R E S W I T H W A G E R A T IO OF U N D E R 10 A N D OF 10 T O 15 P E R C E N T , B Y K IN D OF
B U S IN E S S — Continued

Average wage ratios under 10 percent— Continued

Total retail
Total
workers,
wage
including
cost
Number
full-time
(per­
of stores
and partcent
of
time em­
ployees and total
sales)
proprietors

K ind of business

Total sales

Automobile sales rooms__ _______ ___ __
_________
Automobile dealers with farm implements. - _________

40, 797
1,407

380, 820
8,162

9.58
9. 25

$6,153, 216, 567
113,363i 249

Apparel (mail-order houses) __ __ . _______________ . .
Shoe stores—m en’s _________ _ _________________ . . . ___

9
1,402

121
4, 271

6. 52
9.65

2,120, 818
61, 507, 370

Farm implement dealers with hay, grain, and feed .. .
Feed stores...
. . . . .
___
Fertilizer stores.
____ . . .
Coal and feed stores. _ ____ . . ___________ _

673
9, 953
1,213
4,093

2, 784
29, 238
2, 325
18,474

6.51
6.58
7.99
7.62

46, 818, 230
480, 305, 303
21, 669,045
287, 706, 575

Grain elevators (at retail). .
Feed stores with groceries...

221
7,127

812
19,126

4.98
8. 21

17,494, 757
205, 235, 703

265, 085

1, 050,145

9. 32

13, 571,914,470

__________
____ __

Total____. . . ____________

_____. . .

Average wage ratios 10 to 15 percent
Dairy product stores___________________________________
Eggs and poultry dealers______________________________
Delicatessen stores_____________________________________
Grocery stores without meats_________________________
Meat markets with groceries__________________________
M eat markets_____________ _____________________________
Farm products stores__________________________________
General food stores_____________________________ _____

4, 488
3, 258
11,166
191,876
23,661
43, 788
974
686

14,806
7,098
23, 396
369,888
82,078
113,407
1,785
1, 509

11. 52
10. 64
11.58
10. 92
10.74
12.00
14. 49
14. 87

$165,965, 016
70,858,063
194,820, 089
3,449,129,144
878, 357,345
1, 253, 259,544
8, 942,183
8, 598,165

Department stores with food__________________________
Department stores without food_______________________
Dry-goods stores_______________________________________
Piece-goods stores_______________________________________
General merchandise stores without food______________
Arm y and N avy goods stores__________________________
Variety, 5-and-10, and to-a-dollar stores_______________

460
3,730
24, 676
774
9,849
724
12,110

118,188
391, 494
91,302
1,891
51, 094
2,032
170,960

14. 85
15.00
13. 08
11. 93
11.49
12.47
11.13

939, 411, 294
2,963,662, 603
641,385, 596
21, 822, 252
363,887, 420
19, 783,037
904,147,495

Used-car dealers________________________________________
Filling stations— gas and oil____________________________
Filling stations with tires and accessories______________
Boat dealers (retail only)_______________________________

3,097
52,727
26, 775
219

11,058
106, 922
70,143
807

11. 78
14. 72
14. 50
10.93

140,932,126
869, 081, 365
516,916, 621
10,741,113

M e n ’s and boys’ clothing stores________________ _______
M e n ’s and boys’ hat stores____________________________
M e n ’s furnishings stores_______________________________
M e n ’s clothing and furnishings stores_________________
Family clothing stores__________________________________
W om en’s ready-to-wear stores_________________________
Blouse shops____________________________________________
Corset and lingerie shops_______________________________
Knit goods shops______________ _________________________
Children’s specialty shops_____________________________
Infants’ wear shops___________ _________________________
Shoe stores— women’s___________________________________
Fam ily shoe stores______________ _______________________

3, 386
1,566
9,196
14,049
10,551
18, 253
11
2,390
464
1,019
290
1,666
21,191

14,138
5,042
22,624
69,819
62, 297
133,427
42
6,937
1,738
2,985
761
11,507
69, 241

12.94
14. 57
14. 43
14.16
14.20
14. 25
14.32
14. 67
13.17
12. 75
13. 53
12.74
14. 33

176,418, 581
43, 744, 215
212,032,317
760, 527,660
552, 353, 340
1,087, 600, 723
313,362
49, 555,828
11,347, 587
23,982,252
5,983,019
130, 680,659
614, 640,960

Furniture and undertaker______________________________
Furniture and hardware stores__________ _______________
Lumber and building material dealers_________________
Lumber and hardware dealers__________________________

3,590
3, 672
16,911
6,139

11,889
13,908
116, 803
35, 615

14.68
12.81
12.54
11.33

103,162,762
134, 258, 767
1,471, 744,992
457, 659, 775

Farm implements, machinery, and equipment dealers.
Hardware and farm implement stores__________________
Farmers’ supply stores_________________________________
Coal and wood yards___________________________________
Sporting goods stores with toys and stationery________
Athletic and playground equipment___________________

4,980
6,589
306
15, 444
675
17

15, 663
26,809
1,423
95,492
2,426
70

10. 25
11.34
10. 39
13. 11
14. 40
14. 35

174,975,432
296, 714,129
15, 377,055
929,829, 335
19,893, 517
682, 500

Total__________________________________ _____ ______

557, 393

2, 350, 514

12.92

20, 695,179,238


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

W AGES AND HOURS OF LABOR

1197

Ten of the sixteen kinds of business in the first group are stores which are
normally found only in small cities, in villages, and in rural areas. The unit of
sale is relatively large, especially in those stores selling feed, fertilizer, and other
farm supplies and equipment. Service is limited. The more favorable cost of
living and the general low level of wages contribute to the very low expense ratios
found generally in the sixteen kinds of stores included in this group.
Mail-order houses selling general merchandise and mail-order apparel houses
also show low wage costs. No selling personnel is necessary and there is little
delivery cost. This classification includes only catalog business. Retail stores
operated by some of the mail-order houses are classified as department stores.
Combination stores (grocery stores with meats) show a low average wage cost
which reflects the limited service characteristic of chain-store operation in this
field. Chains in the grocery field have developed the combination store either
entirely or in part, and it is claimed that chains are largely responsible for this
particular kind of food store. (This is not true, however, of the combination
meat market with groceries which will be discussed later.) Delivery service
usually is held to a minimum and little or no credit is extended. The number of
part-time employees reported by combination stores indicates that these organi­
zations long ago realized the advantage to be obtained from employing parttime salespeople to cover those hours of the day and particularly those days of
the week when the selling load is at its peak. All of these factors have contributed
to bringing about a low average for the grocery stores carrying fresh meats.
The general merchandise stores (with food), somewhat resembling the country
general stores except in the proportion of foods sold, are also low in wage costs.
Their operation is kept as simple as possible, and almost the entire personnel is
engaged directly in the sale of merchandise. The fact that a majority of these
stores are proprietorships with the proprietors actively engaged in the business
and are small enough to be closely supervised has a tendency to reduce wage
costs.

The businesses in these and in the succeeding groups are consid­
ered in detail with a view to finding the causes for differences in the
cost of selling. Usually, a low cost of selling means either that little
display and little service is necessary or that the unit of sale is so large
that it can absorb a considerable addition to the costs of selling, in the
way of specialized workers or additional services, without being expen­
sive to handle.
Seasonal Employment

V a r ia t io n s of employment are not so marked in retail selling as
in some of the industrial occupations. “ For the United States as
a whole the extreme variation between the year’s peak in December
and April, which is the lowest season, is only 7 percent.” In many
kinds of business the variation exceeds this, but since the maximum
of employment in one line may coincide with the minimum in another,
the employment curve tends to level off. The food and the restaurant
group show a variation of only 3 percent during the year, and the
automotive group of only 4 percent, while general merchandise has
a range of 25 percent.
Distribution of Employees by Sex
T h e retail census provided for the first time a basis for segregating
according to sex those engaged in retail selling. During 1929 the
average total number so engaged was 6,020,747, of whom 4,441,547
were men and 1,579,200 were women. These figures include active
proprietor-owners and both full-time and part-time employees. The
relative number of men and women varied widely among these groups,
as well as between different businesses. Table 3 shows the sex dis­
tribution by kinds of business, and also by the status of the workers
considered.


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

1198

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

T able 3 — P R O P O R T IO N O F M E N A N D W O M E N I N L A B O R F O R C E O F R E T A I L ST O R E S

Percent men and women form of—

Total em­
ployees
(full-time
and parttime)

Kind of lines

M en

Part-time
employees
(included
in total
column)

Proprietors
and firm
members
(not on pay
roll)

Total retail workers (proprie­
tors, full-time and part-time
employees)

M en

W om ­
W om ­
W om ­
M en
M en
Number
en
en
en

Food_____________________________
General stores___________________
General merchandise____________
Automotive______________________
Apparel__________________________
Furniture and household________
Restaurants and eating places___
Lumber and building____________
Other retail stores________________
Second hand stores_______________

79
70
31
93
49
80
55
91
80
90

21
30
69
7
51
20
45
9
20
10

75
62
20
92
52
77
46
95
81
90

25
38
80
8
48
23
54
5
19
10

92
92
85
97
79
92
82
96
92
95

8 1,004,829
8
208, 470
15
300, 758
3
874, 475
21
278, 718
8
266,007
18
386,414
4
263,126
8
827, 202
31, 548

Total_______________________

68

32

63

37

91

9 4,441,547

5

Women

Per­
cent

Number

Per­
cent

22
5
7
20
6
6
9
6
18
1

186, 879
50, 850
574, 839
54, 302
225,025
57, 457
240, 310
22, 535
164, 392
2, 611

12
3
37
3
14
4
15
2
10
(')

100 1,579,200

100

.

1 Less than 1 percent.

It will be noticed that women form nearly 70 percent of the total
number of employees in the general merchandise group, 51 percent
in the apparel group, and 45 percent in restaurants and eating places,
but that there is no other group in which they constitute as much
as one third, although in general stores they reach 30 percent. They
are relatively more numerous among the part-time employees, though
even here they form but 37 percent of the total number employed,
while in the group of proprietors and firm members, not on the
pay roll, they are only 9 percent against the men’s 91 percent.
Comparative W age Costs of Chains and Independent Stores

A b r i e f comparison is made between the wage costs of chains and
independent stores in five lines of business. Table 4 shows the figures
on this point:
T able 4 . — C O M P A R A T I V E W A G E C O S T S I N C H A IN S A N D I N D E P E N D E N T ST O R E S
Average wage costs,
percent of sales
K ind of business

M en ’s and boys’ clothing and furnishings stores
Grocery stores (without meats)__________________
Combination stores— groceries and meats_______
Filling stations___________________________________
Drug stores _ ._____ _____________________
1 Includes sectional and national chains only.
2 Includes single-store, 2-store, and 3-store independents.

This comparison bears out the impression widely held that the wage costs of
chains are lower in many cases than the wage costs of independents, but it does
not necessarily follow that the chains pay lower salaries or wages than the inde­
pendents. Because of the many additional factors which may have a bearing on
wage ratios it is unsafe to base such a conclusion on wage costs alone, and certainly
census material provides no basis for such an interpretation.


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

W AGES AND HOURS OF LABOR

1199

The more effective use of part-timers and the more systematic selection and
training of the selling force are factors which must come in for their proper share
of attention. Unquestionably each presents a practical method for reducing
wage costs through improved selling effectiveness.
Customer services are also a factor if by their addition or elimination the
expenses are affected proportionately. No census data are available on this
subject. However, it is well known that in many fields, in which the chains have
shown extensive development, these multiunit organizations have reduced
service to a minimum. Obviously, nonselling employees are also reduced to a
minimum if service operations are curtailed.

Wage-Rate Changes in American Industries
Manufacturing Industries

HE following table presents information concerning wage-rate
adjustments occurring between August 15 and September 15,
1933, as shown by reports received from manufacturing establish­
ments supplying employment data to this Bureau.
Increases in wage rates averaging 21 percent and affecting 358,224
employees were reported by 1,937 of the 18,330 manufacturing estab­
lishments surveyed in September. Ninety-five establishments in the
boot-and-shoe industry reported increases in wage rates affecting
55,538 workers, 205 establishments in the sawmill industry reported
increases affecting 37,829 employees, 84 men’s clothing establishments
reported increases affecting 16,165 workers, and 77 paper and pulp
mills reported increases affecting 20,860 workers. One hundred and
three foundry and machine shops reported wage-rate increases affect­
ing 17,864 workers, 41 automobile plants reported increases in wage
rates to 15,776 workers, and 24 firms in the electrical-machinery
group reported changes in wage rates affecting 13,496 employees.
Increases in rates each affecting slightly more than 9,000 workers
were reported in the iron and steel, glass, furniture, and cigar and
cigarette industries.
These changes in wage rates, as pointed out in connection with
the changes reported last month affecting over 1,100,000 workers, do
not necessarily represent an increase in average weekly earnings of
employees, but they do represent a change in the hourly rates of pay
whereby the worker receives as much pay for the shorter work week
as he had received previously for longer hours at a lower rate. In a
number of instances the increases in wage rates represent a restoration
of wage cuts previously reported.
Of the 18,330 manufacturing establishments included in the Sep­
tember survey, 16,388 establishments, or 89.4 percent of the total,
reported no change in wage rates over the month interval. The
3,004,326 employees not affected by changes in wage rates consti­
tuted 89.3 percent of the total number of employees covered by the
September trend-of-employment survey of manufacturing industries.
Only five manufacturing establishments reported wage-rate de­
creases.

T


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

1200

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

T able 1.— W A G E -R A T E C H A N G E S I N M A N U F A C T U R IN G I N D U S T R I E S D U R I N G M O N T H
E N D I N G S E P T E M B E R 15, 1933

Industry

All manufacturing industries.-.
Percent of total__________

Estab­
lish­
ments
report­
ing

18,330 3, 362, 727
100. 0
100.0

Food and kindred products:
B aking.._______ ____________
Beverages__________________
Butter______________________
Confectionery______________
Flour_______________________
Ice cream________ ________ _
Slaughtering
and meat
packing___________________
Sugar, beet_____
_ . ___
Sugar refining, cane. ______
Textiles and their products:
Fabrics:
Carpets and rugs........ ..
Cotton goods___________
Cotton small wares____
Dyeing and finishing
textiles........ ...................
Hats, fur-felt_________ .
K nit goo ds......................
Silk and rayon goo d s...
Woolen and worsted
goods_____ _____ ______
Wearing apparel:
Clothing, m en’s________
Clothing, women’s____
Corsets and allied garments_______ ________
M en ’s furn ish in gs.___
M illinery______________
Shirts and collars______
Iron and steel and their products, not including machinery:
Bolts, nuts, washers, and
rivets_____________________
Cast-iron pipe______________
Cutlery (not including silver and plated cutlery)
and edge tools____________
Forgings, iron and steel___
Hardware__________________
Iron and steel______________
Plumbers’ supplies_________
Steam and hot-water heating apparatus and steam
fittings___ ______ _________
Stoves_____________________
Structural and ornamental
metalwork_______________
Tin cans and other tinware_________ __
_______
Tools (not including edge
tools, machine tools, flies,
and s a w s ) ..._____________
Wire w o r k ______ _________
Machinery, not including transportation equipment:
Agricultural im plem ents.. .
Cash registers, adding machines, and calculating
machines_________________
Electrical machinery, apparatus, and supplies___ . .
Engines, turbines, tractors,
and waterwheels_________
1 Less than one tenth of 1 percent.


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

Number of establish­
ments reporting—
Total
number
of em­
ployees

Number of employees
having—

No
Wage- Wagewagerate
rate
in­
rate
de­
changes creases creases

No
wagerate
changes

Wagerate
in­
creases

Wagerate
de­
creases

89.3

358,224
10.7

0)

68,432
23,729
5,420
36,867
15,787
13, 667

2 660
2,681
517
4,276
1, 788
269

109,430
4,988
7,611

3, 595
3,095
909

6

16, 730
309’ 671
11,112

2,000
2, 416
622

18
5

34,760
6,862
114' 494
56i 198

5,893
1,450

16, 388
89.4

1 ,9 3 7

10. 6

5 3,004,326

0)

995
394
306
305
420
371

71,092
26,429
5,937
41,143
17,575
13,936

948
375
281
266
385
357

47
18
25
39
35
14

244
63
12

113, 025
8, 083
8i 520

229
29
11

34
1

28
683
114

18,730
312,087
l b 734

23
672
108

153
34
454
240

34,760
6,862
120,387
57,648

153
34
436
235

243

76,715

210

33

67,865

8,850

405
527

74,200
32,332

321
425

84
102

58,035
26, 743

16,165
5, 589

34
80
147
117

6,111
7,542
10,970
17; 566

26
74
138
110

8
6
9
7

5, 222
7,257
9' 029
16,775

889
285
1, 941
791

72
41

12,012
6,175

67
34

5
7

10, 709
5,566

1, 303
609

129
64
107
207
71

10,440
7, 716
30,857
261,961
9, 569

114
50
94
193
61

15
14
13
14
10

9,428
6,529
28,805
252,403
8,258

3,012
1,187
2, 052
9, 558
1, 311

98
157

18, 263
24,927

83
134

15
23

15, 505
20,915

2 758

192

16,676

164

28

14,610

2,066

61

11,135

57

4

10,601

534

127
70

8,709
7,755

120
67

7
3

7,684
7,600

1, 025
155

77

8,632

64

13

7,277

1,355

15

5
11

1

4 ,0 12

36

13,519

36

288

109,846

264

24

96,350

13,496

89

20,401

80

9

15, 786

4,615

13,519

177

19

1201

W AGES AND HOURS OF LABOR

T able 1 — W A G E -R A T E C H A N G E S I N M A N U F A C T U R IN G IN D U S T R I E S D U R I N G M O N T H
E N D IN G

Industry

SEPTEM BER

Estab­
lish­
ments
report­

ing

Machinery— Continued.
Foundry and machine-shop
products................................
Machine to o ls,.-....................
Radios and phonographs...
Textile machinery and parts
Typewriters and supplies..
Nonferrous metals and their
products:
Aluminum manufactures...
Brass, bronze, and copper
products-________________
Clocks and watches, and
time-recording devices___
Jewelry......... ....... .....................
Lighting equipment..............
Silverware and platedware..
Smelting and refining—cop­
per, lead, and z i n c ...........
Stamped and enameled
ware............................ ...........
Transportation equipment:
Aircraft-....................................
Automobiles............................
Cars, electric and steam
railroad..................................
Locom otives...........................
Sh ip building.........................
Railroad repair shops:
Electric railroad...... ...............
Steam railroad......................
Lumber and allied products:
Furniture..................................
Lumber:
Millwork_________ _____
Sawmills........................ ..
Turpentine and rosin...........
Stone, clay, and glass products:
Brick, tile, and terra cotta .
Cement................................ .
Glass................. ........... .............
Marble, granite, slate, and
other products.....................
Pottery.......................................
Leather and its manufactures:
Boots and shoes.....................
Leather......................................
Paper and printing:
Boxes, paper_______________
Paper and pulp.......................
Printing and publishing:
Book and job...................
Newspapers and pe­
riodicals..........................
Chemicals and allied products:
Chemicals........................... ..
Cottonseed oil, cake, and
m e a l .....................................
Druggists’ preparations____
Explosives................................
Fertilizers........ ............. ...........
Paints and varnishes_______
Petroleum refining................
Rayon and allied products.
S o a p ..._____________ _______
Rubber products:
Rubber boots and shoes___
Rubber goods, other than
boots, shoes, tires, and
inner tubes............................
Rubber tires and inner
tubes.......................................
Tobacco manufactures:
Chewing
and
smoking
tobacco and snuff...............
Cigars and cigarettes.............
16487°—33------13


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

1,076
146
41
49
16

15, 1933— Continued

Number of establish­
ments reporting—
Total
number
of em­
ployees

128,310
14,936
31,968
10,904
11, 237

No
Wage- Wagewagerate
rate
in­
rate
de­
changes creases creases

973
140
37
41
14

103

Number of employees
having—

No
wagerate
changes

110,446
14,112
30,114
10, 279

6
4

8
2

11,222

Wagerate

17,864
824
1,854
625
15

25

6,628

22

,016

612

214

38,972

188

,468

2,504

27
132
52
53

9,118
9,085
3, 535
8,315

117
47
47

45

14,413

42

133

87

17,021

67

3,903

28
239

7,654
239,907

24
198

41
95

5,929
2,359
29,548

39
9
91

378
545

18,843
79,484

364
545

465

60,073

390

75

49,658

10,415

463
617
25

21,770
82,883
1,660

395
412
22

68
205
3

18,153
45,054
911

3,617
37,829
749

657
129
184

22,878
15,545
46,235

574
126
151

83
3
33

17,997
15,451
37,137

4,881
94
9,098

221
121

5,698
18,432

209

12
8

5,398
17,432

300
890

344
156

122,175
31,659

249
128

95
28

66, 637
27,168

55, 538
4,491

322
416

27, 737
100,844

265
339

57
77

23,086
79,984

4,651
20,860
1,763

11

22

111

4,379
1,548
393
293

6

,

224,

1,300
15,776
1,407
119
243

2

771

47, 692

744

27

45,929

446

66,020

437

9

65, 274

746

104

26,374

93

11

22,519

3,855

103
45
29
167
352
127
24
98

5,721
8,362
4,309
7,347
17, 111
52,591
37,580
17,230

73
43
28
150
330
117
24

29

3,631
7,843
4,177
6,443
15,606
45,130
37,580
16,188

2,050
519
132
904
1,505
7,461

9

14,335

8

14,207

128

100

26,628

93

86

Wagerate
de­
creases

2
1
17

22

10

12

1

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

1,042

7

26,228
54,675

5,214

9,987
32,501

55
11,263

41

59,889

39

2

32
207

10,042
43, 764

30
167

40

2

400

110

1202

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W
Nonmanufacturing Industries

D a t a concerning wage-rate changes occurring between August 15
and September 15, 1933, in 15 groups of nonmanufacturing industries
are presented in the following table.
No changes in wage rates were reported in the anthracite-mining
industry. Increases were reported in each of the remaining 14 indus­
tries and decreases were reported in 3 industries over the month inter­
val. The average percents of increase reported were as follows:
Banks-brokerage-insurance-real estate, 29.5 percent; canning and pre­
serving, 25.9 percent; quarrying and nonmetallic mining, 20.4 per­
cent; laundries, 18.8 percent; retail trade, 18.2 percent; bituminouscoal mining, 17.9 percent; hotels, 16.7 percent; dyeing and cleaning,
13.1 percent; wholesale trade, 12.9 percent; metalliferous mining,
11.8 percent; crude-petroleum producing, 9.3 percent; power and
light, 7.3 percent; electric-railroad and motor-bus operation and
maintenance, 6 percent; and telephone and telegraph, 4.8 percent.
The average percents of decrease were: Banks-brokerage-insurancereal estate, 15.6 percent; and hotels and power and light, 8 percent
each.
T able 2 — W A G E -R A T E C H A N G E S I N N O N M A N U FA C TU R IN G IN D U S T R I E S D U R I N G
M O N T H E N D I N G S E P T E M B E R 15, 1933

Number of empi
having—

Number of establish­
ments reporting—

Estab­
lish­
ments
report­
ing

Total
number
of em­
ployees

l/)8
Anthracite m ining............ ...........
TOO 0
Percent of total____________
1,495
Bituminous-coal mining-----------100.0
Percent of total______ ______
271
Metalliferous mining----------------100.0
Percent of to ta l................ .
Quarrying and nonmetallic
mining_____________ —............. . 1,152
100.0
Percent of total______ ______
244
Crude-petroleum producing----100.0
Percent of total______ ______
Telephone and telegraph........... 8, 240
100.0
Percent of to ta l............ .........
3,098
Power and light________________
100.0
Percent of total______ ______
Electric-railroad and motorbus operation and mainte­
557
nance. .......................... .................
100.0
Percent of total------------------2,947
Wholesale trade___________ _____
100.0
Percent of total— ................
17, 549
Retail trad e................................
100.0
Percent of to ta l......................
2,638
Hotels_________________ ______ — 100. 0
Percent of total......... .............
1,021
Canning and preserving-----------100.0
Percent of to ta l.............. .......
935
Laundries............ ................... .........
100.0
Percent of total------------------344
Dyeing and cleaning--------- ------100.0
Percent of total------------------Banks, brokerage, insurance,
4,538
and real estate________________
100.0
Percent of total..................... ..

77, 598
100 0
218, 200
100.0
25, 678
100.0

158
100. 0
1,462
97.8
252
93.0

33
2.2
19
7.0

77, 598
100. 0
212, 513
97.4
21,992
85.6

5,687
2.6
3, 686
14.4

35,442
100.0
26,304
100.0
245, 724
100.0
201,108
100.0

1,059
91.9
235
96.3
7, 744
94.0
2, 950
95.2

93
8.1
9
3.7
496
6.0
147
4.7

32,390
91.4
24,680
93.8
243, 757
99.2
189,111
94.0

3, 052
8.6
1,624
6.2
1,967
.8
11,977
6.0

124,331
100.0
82, 505
100.0
405,422
100.0
140,362
100.0
152,969
100.0
56,815
100. 0
11,942
100.0

538
96.6
2,869
97.4
17, 396
99.1
2,614
99.1
906
88.7
789
84.4
314
91.3

19
3.4
78
2.6
153
.9
23
.9
115
11.3
146
15.6
30
8.7

1

119,997
96.5
80, 352
97.4
401, 219
99.0
140,054
99.8
137,486
89.9
49,985
88.0
11,026
92.3

4,334
3.5
2,153
2.6
4, 203
1.0
299
.2
15,483
10. 1
6,830
12.0
916
7.7

178,827
ICO. 0

4, 470
98.5

64
1.4

4
.1

176,023
98.4

2, 795
1.6

Industrial group

i

Less than one tenth of 1 percent.


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

Wage- WageNo
No wagerate
rate
wagerate
in­
de­
rate
changes
changes creases creases

tt

1

(0

Wagerate in­
creases

Wagerate
de­
creases

0

)

(')

1203

WAGES AND HOURS OF LABOR

Wage Changes Reported by Trade Unions and Municipalities
Since July 1933

N THE table following are shown wage and hour changes reported
by trade unions and municipalities covering the months of July to
October 1933. The tabulation covers 113,803 workers of whom 65,523
are reported to have gone on the 5-day week.

I

R E C E N T W A G E C H A N G E S B Y I N D U S T R Y , O C C U P A T IO N , A N D L O C A L I T Y , J U L Y TO
O C T O B E R 1933

Rate of wages
Industry or occupation and locality

Barbers, New York, N .Y ., Yorkville and Murray Hill
section---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sept. 30
Brewery workers:
Chicago, 111.:
Engineers_______________________________________ July 15
Firemen and oilers:
___do___

Before
change

After
change

P er week
i $22. 50

P er week
2 $25. 00

72

P er hour
P er hour
1.25
1.07V2

48

40

48
48
48
48
48
48

40
40
40
40
40
40

.87 Vi
•87M
.87 y 2
.8 7 ji
.75
.75

___do___
___do____
Los Angeles, Calif Sacramento, C a lif.. .

______. . .
_ _ _ _ ___ _______ .

Building trades:
Bricklayers and masons, Chicago, 111., and vicinity.
Carpenters, Sheridan, W y o _________________________
House wreckers, New York, N .Y .:
Barmen_________________________________________
Painters, Sheridan, W y o . _____. ----------- . . .

.

Chauffers and teamsters, Hoboken, N .J.:
M ilk wagon drivers. . . . . . . . . . ___________ .
Clothing trades:
Haverhill, Newburyport, Georgetown, Amesbury,
Mass., and Seabrook, N .H ., wood-heel m akers...
Hazleton, Pottstown, Meyerstown, and Newmanstown, Pa., shirtmakers_____________ ____________
Johnstown, N .Y ., glove'cutters... . ------- --------NewYork, N .Y .,and vicinity, boys’ and men’s clothing workers, operators, cutters, pressers_______ . .
Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, and Pittston, Pa., pants
makers___ _______
_________ ________ _______ .
Loggers and lumbermen, Oregon, Idaho,Washington,
and northern California, common laborers
---------Miners, metal:
East Tintic district, Utah:
Hoisting engineers.. . --------------------------------- .

P u m p m en ----- --------- ------------------1 And 50 percent of receipts over $37.50.
2 And 50 percent of receipts over $40.
3 N ot reported.


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

Hours per
week

Date of
change

1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
.87 Yi
.8734

Before After
change change

71

Sept. 5
Sept. —

P er week
42.00
38.00

P er week
42.00
38.00

44
44

40
40

Sept.
Oct.

P er hour
1.3714
.75

P er hour
1.50
1.00

40
48

40
40

.60
. 50
.75
1.37J4

.80
.70
1.00
1.50

44-48
44-48
(3)
40

P er week
4 27.82

P e r week
4 32. 62

48

(5)

(6)

1
1

Sept. 22
__ do____
Oct.
1

Sept.

2

Aug.

1

July 10
July 22

(3)
« 1.75

(7)
8 2.15

35
35
(3)
40
48

48
(3)
48

40
(3)

40

July 20

(3)

(9)

44

44

July 10

(3)

(6)

50

50

48

40

56
56
56
56
56
56
56
56
56
56
56
56
56
56
56
56
56
56

40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40

Aug.

1

Sept. 5
_ _ _ d o ___
__ do___
__ do___
__ do___
___do____
__ do____
__ do___
__ do___
__ do___
_ _do___
__ do___
_-do___
__ do____
___do
__ do____
___do____
------------ . . . _._do____

P er hour
P e r hour
. 20-. 32J4
.4234
P er day
4.25
4.00-4.25
3.50-3.75
3.25-3.50
4.25
3.00
3. 75
3.00
2. 75
4.25
4.00
3.50
3. 25
3. 50
3. 75
3.00
3. 25
3.50

4 Average.
5 Piecework.
6 20 percent increase.

P er day
5.50
5.25-5.50
4.75-5.00
4.50-4.75
5. 50
4.25
5.00
4.25
4.00
5. 50
5.25
4. 75
4. 50
4. 75
5.00
4.25
4. 50
4. 75

7 15 percent increase.
8 Per dozen.
9 10 to 20 percent increase.

1204

M ONTH LY

LABOR

R E V IE W

R E C E N T W A G E C H A N G E S B Y I N D U S T R Y , O C C U P A T IO N , A N D L O C A L IT Y , J U L Y TO
O C T O B E R 1933— Continued

Rate of wages
Industry or occupation and locality

Miners, metal— Continued.
Park City, Utah:
Hoisting engineers______________________________

Date of
change

Aug.

1

July

1

Machine miners___________ . . . . ____ . . . .
Timber m en ._ . . . ______
P u m p m en ___
____ ________ _______________ .
Printing and publishing trades:
Compositors and machine operators, Ithaca, N .Y .:
Newspaper, day ______________ _________ _____

Stereotypers, Indianapolis, Muncie, and Anderson, Ind ._ _ ____ _ __ _ . ____ ____________ _ July 15
Street-railway workers:
Boston, M ass.:
Motormen and conductors____ . _____________ Sept. 14
1-man car operators_____________________________
Cleveland, O h i o ______
___________________ _ .
Sept. 1
Municipal employees:
St. M arys, Ohio, teachers and janitors...
_______ ___do____
3 N ot reported.

Hours per
week

10 Hours per day.

Before
change

After
change

P er day
$3.75
3. 50
3 50
3. 00
3. 50
2. 75
2. 75
2. 50
3. 50
2. 75
3. 25
3. 00
3. 25
2. 75
2. 75

P er day
$4. 50
4. 25
4. 25
3 75
4. 25
3. 50
3. 50
3. 25
4. 25
3 50
4. 00
3 75
4 00
3 50
3 50

48
48
48
48
48
48
48
48
48
48
48
48
48
48
48

40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40

P er week
42.00
45. 00

P er week
43.00
46.00

48
48

48
48

P er day
7. 3Ò

P e r day
7. 3Ó

46

38

P er hour
P er
.68M
•78J/2
.54 "
(3)

howr
.71
.81
.57

(»)

Before After
change change

io 8
io 8
(3)

(s)

(3)

(3)

ics
io 8

i> 10 percent reduction.

Rates of Wages of Public-Road Work, August 1933

URING August 1933 there were 149,094 employees on the
public roads under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Public
Roads of the United States Department of Agriculture. Of these,
91,101 were paid from the emergency fund as provided by an act of
Congress (Public No. 202). The remaining 57,993 were employed
under the regular State aid plan of the Bureau.
On August 31 there were 1,200 employees on public roads hired
under the National Recovery Administration allotment of $400,000,000. These employees are not included in the following tables.

D

Wage Rates
T h e first section of the table shows the number of positions and the
average hourly wage rates by geographic divisions on emergency
highway construction projects, by occupations. The second section
of the table gives similar data on nonemergency Federal and State
highway construction projects..


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

1205

W AGES AND HOURS OF LABOR

N U M B E R O F P O S IT IO N S A N D A V E R A G E H O U R L Y W A G E R A T E S O N H I G H W A Y C O N ­
S T R U C T I O N P R O JE C T S , A U G U S T 1933, B Y G E O G R A P H IC D IV IS IO N S

Em ergency projects

New Eng­
land division

Middle A t­
lantic divi­
sion

East North
Central di­
vision

W est North
Central di­
vision

South A t­
lantic divi­
sion

Occupation
N um ­ Aver­ N um ­ Aver­ N um - Aver­ N u m ­ Aver­ N um ­ Aver­
ber of
age
ber ot
age
ber of
age
ber of
age
ber of
age
posi­ hour­ posi­ hour­ posi­ hour­ posi­ hour­ posi­ hour­
tions ly rate tions ly rate tions ly rate tions ly rate tions ly rate
Superintendents_____ _________
57
Foremen_______________________
261
Shovel, elevating grader, and
crane operators______________
105
Other operators.. . . _________
91
Truck and tractor drivers____
727
Teamsters___________________ .
1
Skilled la b o r ...____ __________
498
2, 358
Common labor........................ .

$0.89
.58

121
571

.84
.56
.44
.44
.53
.40

268
420
1,216
75
668
5,976

East South
Central divi­
sion

137
Superintendents_______________
Foremen . . ________________
628
Shovel, elevating grader, and
177
crane operators
219
Other operators_______________
1,102
Truck and tractor drivers.. .
511
Teamsters_____________________
Skilled labor. ________________
806
Common labor________________ 6,311

$0.96
.60

263
903

$0. 83
.55

156
454

$0. 79
.56

189
716

$0.69
. 41

.81
459
.53
656
.49 2,969
.42
751
.57 1,170
.39 12, 589

.66
.52
.44
.39
.52
.38

260
409
2, 522
943
505
4,317

.63
.52
.46
.37
.52
.37

215
375
1,947
303
675
7,006

.58
.37
.32
.23
.35
.22

W est South
Central divi­
sion

Mountain
division

Pacific divi­
sion

$0.67
.40

151
515

$0. 73
.46

178
743

$0. 97
.70

136
557

.56
.33
.28
.22
.32
.21

161
275
1,087
826
849
4, 940

.60
.44
.34
.28
.42
.27

298
486
2, 343
1,482
833
3, 922

1.01
.67
.61
.50
.66
.48

324
438
1,695
159
1,310
3. 337

$1.10
.75

United
States

1,388
5,348

$0.84
.55

1.10 2,267
.70 3,369
.64 15,608
.54 5,051
.68 7,314
. 50 50, 756

.75
.52
.46
.38
.52
.36

Nonem ergency Federal and State projects

New Eng­
land division

M iddle A t­
lantic divi­
sion

East North
Central di­
vision

W est North
Central di­
vision

South A t­
lantic divi­
sion

Occupation
N um ­ Aver­ N u m ­ Aver­ N u m ­ Aver­ N um ­ Aver­ N um - Aver­
ber of
age
ber of
age
ber of
age
ber of
age
ber of
age
posi­ hour­ posi­ hour­ posi­ hour­ posi­ hour­ posi­ hour­
tions ly rate tions ly rate tions ly rate tions ly rate tions ly rate
133
Superintendents_______________
Foremen_______________________
333
Shovel, elevating grader, and
crane operators______________
175
Other operators____ _________
149
Truck and tractor d riv e rs___
977
Teamsters_____________________
31
Skilled labor__________ ________
465
Common labor________________ 3, 796
Convicts__________ ____________

$0.86
.59

162
448

$1.14
.71

303
749

$0.92
.62

172
478

$0.74
.53

153
456.

$0. 62
.40

.73
.53
.44
.45
.54
.37

277
378
1,062
26
1,056
4,311

.87
.54
.45
.47
.60
.35

439
532
2,416
358
1,137
9,314

.76
.56
.50
.44
.60
.42

195
363
1,494
716
522
3,858
1

.59
.50
.47
.37
.50
.35

108
124
526
63
313
2,124
4,452

.47
.34
.27
.26
.33
.23
. 10

East South
Central divi­
sion

Superintendents...........................
91
Fo rem en _____________________
258
Shovel, elevating grader, and
121
crane operators___ - 152
Other operators_______________
558
Truck and tractor drivers-.- 761
Teamsters_____________________
Skilled labor___________________
530
Common la b o r ___________ ___ 2,807
145


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

W est South
Central divi­
sion

Mountain
division

Pacific divi­
sion

$0.59
.44

66
173

$0. 77
.52

32
72

$0. 83
.63

67
179

.54
.32
.28
.28
.34
.20

78
141
493
389
179
1,475
246

.55
.39
.34
.30
.38
.28

51
92
294
155
116
581
65

.72
.56
.50
.48
.60
.43

108
161
552
21
364
1, 049
226

$1.19
.80

United
States

1,179
3,146

$0. 85
.57

1.06 1,552
.70 2,092
.66 8,372
.57 2, 520
.73 4,682
.50 29, 315
.26 5,135

.71
.50
.44
.38
.52
.35
. 15

1206

MONTHLY LABOR REV IEW

Of the slightly more than 91,000 employees on emergency highway
construction, 50,756 were common laborers. The hourly commonlaborer rate on emergency construction averaged 36 cents per hour
for the United States as a whole. The labor rate differed materially
in the different geographic divisions, ranging from 21 cents per hour
in the East South Central States to 50 cents per hour in the Pacific
States. The skilled-labor rates also differed considerably. In the
East South Central States the rate for skilled laborers was 32 cents
per hour and in the Pacific division 68 cents per hour.
Truck and tractor drivers, next to common laborers, were the most
numerous class of employees on public roads. There were 15,608
of these drivers employed during August, their wages ranging from a
low of 28 cents in the East South Central States to a high of 64 cents
in the Pacific States. Lower wages were paid in the East South
Central States than in any other geographic division for each class of
work shown. The highest wages for each class of employees were paid
in the Pacific States.
Under the legislative mandate by which this emergency fund was
disbursed, the hours of labor were limited to 30 per week. Through­
out the United States the actual time spent on the job during August
averaged about 100 hours per man per month.
Over 29,000 employees on the regular State-aid public road work
were paid the common-laborer rate which averaged 35 cents per hour
in the United States as a whole. The highest rate paid common
laborers under regular State-aid funds was 50 cents in the Pacific
States and the lowest, 20 cents, in the East South Central States.
Higher wages were paid to all occupations, from common laborers to
superintendents, in the Pacific States than in any other geographic
divisions. Superintendents, foremen, shovel, elevating grader, and
crane operators, and “ other operators” were paid a lower rate in the
East South Central States than in any other geographic division.
The South Atlantic States paid lower wages to truck and tractor
drivers, teamsters, and skilled laborers than any other divisions.
The average full time of employment for employees shown in this
table was approximately 59 hours per week. Actual working time
averaged about 180 hours per month.
Occupational Terms
T h e following is a list of the classes of work included under the
different occupational headings shown in the table on page 1205.
The term “ superintendent” needs no description.


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

W AGES AND HOURS OF LABOR
Skilted labor— Continued.

Forem en:

Carpenter, journeyman
Head mechanic
Master finisher, concrete pavement
Painter, journeyman
Stonemason, journeyman
Shovel, elevating
operators:

grader,

and

crane

Asphalt plant engineer
Crane operator
Dragline operator
Elevating grader operator
Hoisting engineer (structural steel
work)
Pile-driver operator
Power-shovel operator
Other operators:

Air-compressor operator
Asphalt plant drierman or fireman
Blade-grader operator
Churn-drill operators
Clefplane operator
Compressor operator
Crusher (stone and gravel) operator
Distributor operator
Finishing-machine operator (con­
crete or asphalt)
Flexplane operator
Grader operator (except elevating
graders)
Hoist operators (ordinary)
Jack-hammer operator
Jetting-machine operator
Mixer operator (machines less
than 3-bag capacity)
Oiler (power, shovels, cranes, drag
lines, dredges)
Paver operator
Proportioning-plant operator
Pumpman
Roller operator
Screening and/or washing-plant
operator
Spreader-box man (asphalt or
gravel)
Trenching-machine operator
Unloading-machine operator
Truck and tractor drivers:

Distributor driver
Motor-patrol operator
Tractor operator (20 hp. rated
capacity)
Truck driver (over 1%-ton rated
capacity)
Teamsters:

Teamster (4 up or more)
Skilled labor:

Powderman (heavy rock)
Structural-steel worker
Blacksmith, rough
Blacksmith’s assistant
Carpenter’s assistant
Carpenters, rough (saw and ham­
mer men)


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

1207

False work builder (carpenters’
assistant)
Finisher, assistant (concrete pave­
ment
Form setter head
Hand-float
operator
(assistant
finisher)
Joint and lipcurb finisher (finisher’s
assistant)
Mechanic’s
assistant
(trouble
shooter)
Painter’s assistant (guard rail, and
similar work)
Pile-driver lead man
Pile-driver holders
Plow holders (4 up or more)
Powder man (miscellaneous work,
including light solid rock)
Raker (asphalt)
Stonemason’s assistant
Common labor:

Asphalt loader and shoveler
Asphalt plant miscellaneous labor
Axman
Blacksmith’s helper
Burlapman
Carpenter’s helper
Cement handler
Concrete shoveler
Driver, team (on Morman, slip
wheeler, wagon, etc.)
Driver, truck (1 J4-ton or less)
Dumper (wagons, trucks, etc.)
Finisher’ s helper (concrete pave­
ment)
Form-setter’s helper
Guard-fence builder
Jetting labor
Joint-filling labor
Labor, miscellaneous, unskilled
Mechanic’s helper
Painter’s helper
Pitman
Pile-driver workman
Pipe layer
Powder monkey (helper)
Reinforcing steel labor
Sack shaker
Sawman
Sledgman
Sprinkler labor (concrete pave­
ments)
Stonemason’s helper
Spader (concrete work)
Subgrade labor (hand tools)
Teamster, 2 line (Morman, Fresno,
wheeler, wagon, etc.)
Tractor operator, (under 20 hp.)
Truck driver (1% ton or less)
Water boy
Watchman
Wheelbarrowman

1208

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

Monthly Wages in Sao Paulo, Brazil, First Half of 1933
H E fo llo w in g ta b le sh ow s m o n th ly m o n e y w ages in the three
largest in terior cities in th e S ta te o f Sao P a u lo, B ra zil, in the first
h alf o f 1933.1 T h e three cities u n d er re v ie w h a d a p o p u la tio n in
1927 as fo llo w s: C a m p in a s, 134,805; R ib e ir a o P re to , 73,820; and
S ao C arlos, 59,427.2

T

M O N T H L Y W A G E S I N T H E 3 L A R G E S T I N T E R I O R C IT IE S I N SAO P A U L O , B R A Z IL ,
F IR S T H A L E O F 1933
[Conversion into United States currency on basis oi milreis at par=12 cents; exchange rate, July 1, 1933,
approximately 8 centsl

Campinas

Occupation

Blacksmiths________________________ _________
Carpenters---------------------- ---------- ---------. . . . . . ----M a son s.. __________________
Servants_________ _____ _________ __________
Painters . . . ___________________________________
Drivers.
. -------------- --------------------------------Joiners__________________ . . . ________________
Factory workers______________________________
Cooks__________________________________________
Typists------- -----------------------------------------------------Chambermaids___ - - - - - - - - - ______
Messengers________________ _____ __
_ _______
Gardeners.. _________ ________ _
_________
Chauffeurs_____________________________________

Ribeirao Preto

Bra­
United
zilian
States Brazilian
curren­ curren­ currency
cy
cy
M ilreis
180
240
240
120
240
150
260
260
180
210
120
90
60
150
150
240

$21. 60
28.80
28. 80
14. 40
28.80
18. 00
31.20
31. 20
21.60
25. 20
14.40
10.80
7.20
18.00
18. 00
28.80

United
States
currency

M ilreis
200-250
200-300
200-250
100-150
180-240
200-250
200-300

$24.00-$30. 00
24.00- 36. 00
24.00- 30. 00
12.00- 18.00
21. 60- 28. 80
24.00- 30. 00
24.00- 36.00

100-250
80-120
60- 70
70
170
100

12. 00- 30. 00
9. 60- 14. 40
7.20- 8.40
8.40
20. 40
12.00

200-250

24.00- 30.00

Sao Carlos

United
Bra­
zilian
States
curren­ curren­
cy
cy
M ilreis
180
180
180
120
180
220
200
300
120
60
60
50
40
150
120
150

$21. 60
21.60
21.60
14. 40
21.60
26. 40
24. 00
36. 00
14.40
7.20
7.20
6.00
4. 80
18.00
14 40
18.00

Wages in the Industries of Denmark, First Quarter of 1933

A V E R A G E hourly wages in the industries of Denmark in 1932
XJL and in the first quarter of 1933 are shown in the following table
by localities and groups of workers: 3
1 Sao Paulo (Brazil). Secretaria da Agricultura, Industria e Comércio. Boletim do Departamento
Estadual do Trabalho. Nos. 78 and 79. Sao Paulo, 1933, p. 17.
2 Sao Paulo (Brazil). Servido Sanitario do Estado de Sao Paulo. Annuario Demographico, Anno
1927. Vols. I and II. Sao Paulo, 1928, pp. 389, 500, and 618.
2 Denmark. Statistiske Departement. Statistiske Efterretninger, Sept. 22, 1933, p. 211.


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

1209

W AGES AND HOURS OF LABOR

A V E R A G E H O U R L Y W A G E S I N T H E IN D U S T R IE S OF D E N M A R K I N 1932 A N D I N T H E
F IR S T Q U A R T E R OF 1933
[Conversion into United States currency on basis of krone (100 0re) at par=26.8 cents; actual exchange
rate was as follows: 1932— March 20 cents, in June 19.9 cents, in September 18 cents; and 1933— March
15.3 cents]

CO
C

1932

Second
quarter

Third
quarter

Fourth
quarter

quarter

S
Ö
o

United States cur­
rency

Danish currency

United States cur­
rency

Danish currency

United States cur­
rency

Danish currency

United States cur­
rency

Danish currency

United States cur­
rency

CDCO
S CO
Ï 3
o
*
o
u
«
rO

Danish currency

j

First
quarter

</)re
173
139

Cents
46.4
37.3

(¡)re
170
139

Cents
45.6
37.3

0 re
170
139

Cents
45.6
37.3

(/.’ire
172
141

Cents
46.1
37.8

(¡)re
167
137

Cents
44.8
36. 7

17, 568
16, 207

156
89

41.8
23.9

155
89

41.5
23.9

155
89

41.5
23.9

157
89

42.1
23.9

152
88

40.7
23.6

33, 775
14,185

137

36.7

137

36.7

136

36.4

137

36.7

134

35.9

47,960

Unskilled workers. _____________

139
120

37.3
32.2

139
121

37.3
32.4

139
121

37.3
32.4

140
124

37.5
33.2

138
121

37.0
32.4

14,309
19,370

Total male workers. .
Female workers------------------

128
81

34.3
21.7

128
81

34.3
21. 7

128
82

34.3
22.0

130
82

34.8
22.0

128
83

34.3
22. 2

33,679
8, 579

119

31.9

120

32.2

119

31.9

121

32.4

119

31.9

42, 258

143
86

38.3
23.0

141
86

37.8
23.0

141
86

37.8
23.0

143
86

38.3
23.0

141
87

37.8
23.3

67, 454
22, 764

129

34.6

129

34.6

128

34.3

130

34.8

127

34.0

90, 218

Locality and group of workers

Copenhagen
Skilled workers- ____________
Unskilled workers.................

--

Total male workers___ - Female workers_________________
Total workers---------------------

s

3

fc

Provinces

Total workers____- - - - - - Grand total:
Female workers_____ .
All workers

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

--

Earnings in the Building Trades in Germany, August 1932

HE Federal Statistical Office of Germany has made a study of
the actual earnings of workers engaged in the building trades
in Germany in August 1933. The first part of the results of the
study was published in the Monthly Labor Review for August 1933
(pp. 390-392). The second part, which is reviewed here,1 covered
982 establishments with 20,770 workers in 50 cities with a population
over 100,000.
The following table shows average actual hourly and daily earnings,
hours of labor, and wage deductions in the building trades in the
larger cities of Germany.

T

i Germany.

Statistisches Reichsamt.


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

Wirtschaft und Statistik.

Heft N o. 17, Sept. 1,1933, pp. 544 546.

1210

MONTHLY LABOR REV IEW

A V E R A G E A C T U A L H O U R L Y A N D D A I L Y E A R N I N G S A N D H O U R S OF L A B O R IN
B U I L D I N G T R A D E S I N G E R M A N C IT IE S OF O V E R 100,000 P O P U L A T IO N , A U G U S T
1932, B Y O C C U P A T IO N
[Conversions into United States currency on basis of mark (100 pfennige) at par=23.8 cents]

Actual earnings
per hour
Occupation and age

Masons:
Over 20 y e a r s ______
D o_______________
From 19 to 20 years. __
Carpenters:
Over 20 years________
Do_______________
From 19 to 20 years...
Helpers:
Over 20 years________
D o_______________
From 19 to 20 years.. .
Underground workers:
Over 20 years________
D o_______________
From 19 to 20 years.. .

Rate

Num- Hours
ber of worked
work­
per
ers
day

Ger­
man
cur­
rency

Union rate
per hour

United Ger­
States
man
cur­
cur­
rency rency

Percent
actual

Actual earnings
per day 1

ings
United
Ger­
form of
States
man
union
cur­
cur­
rate
rency
rency

United
States
cur­
rency

T im e . 7,699
341
Piece.
T im e .
127

7. 95
7. 76
7. 93

P fe.
97.9
115.6
87.5

Cents
23.3
27.5
20.8

P fe.
97.4
101.6
90.1

Cents
23.2
24. 2
21.4

100.1
113.7
97.0

M arks
7.78
8.97
6. 94

$1.85
2.13
1.65

2,823
42
48

7.96
8.10
7.81

99.8
99.6
95.0

23.8
23. 7
22.6

99.3
95.6
96.4

23.6
22.8
22.9

100.1
104.2
98.4

7. 95
8. 07
7. 42

1.89
1.92
1.77

___do___ 5, 567
Piece _ 196
T im e .
46

8.04
7.96
7. 97

81.6
100.4
72.6

19.4
23.9
17.3

80.8
84.1
71.9

19.2
20.0
17.1

100.2
118.9
100.7

6. 56
7.99
5.79

1.56
1.90
1. 38

___do___ 3, 632
Piece.
187
T im e .
53

8.16
7. 99
8.01

70.9
77.1
63.7

16.9
18.3
15. 2

68.4
63.8
60.8

16.3
15. 2
14. 5

102.2
120.1
103.8

5. 79
6.16
5.10

1.38
1.47
1.21

Piece.
T im e .

1 Without deductions for taxes on contributions for social insurance.

Wage deductions for taxes and social insurance are made on an
hourly basis. For taxes such deductions range from 2.1 pfennige for
underground workers 19 to 20 years, to 6.5 pfennige for masons over
20 years, while for social insurance (including accident insurance) the
range is from 6.5 to 11.1 pfennige for the same occupations.

Hours of Labor in the Tobacco Industry in Germany, 1932

HE following data, from a report from W. A. Leonard, American
consul at Bremen, dated August 9, 1933, show the working
hours in the various branches of the tobacco industry in Germany,
May and June 1933:

T

W O R K I N G H O U R S I N T H E T O B A C C O I N D U S T R Y OF G E R M A N Y , M A Y A N D JU N E 1933

Hours worked last week in—

M a y 1933

June 1933

Branch of industry

Cigar______________
. . . _____„ __
Cigarette_____ _______________
. ______________
_
Chewing tobacco. . . _______ __________ ______
Smoking tobacco and snuff.. _ . _______________________


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

Total
man-hours
worked

Average
hours per
worker

Total
man-hours
worked

698, 387
241,114
84,868
45,894

40.10
36.87
40.88
42.61

839,395
243,473
92,151
48, Oil

Average
hours per
worker

41.79
35.36
43. 65
42.56

W AGES AND HOURS OF LABOR

1211

Forty-Four Hour Week in Queensland

HE new conciliation and arbitration law of Queensland, which,
in the main, became effective in February 1933 (see Monthly
Labor Review, July 1933, p. 108), contained a provision that except
in certain pursuits awards must forbid the working of employees on
more than 6 out of each 7 consecutive days, and that the weekly
hours of work must not exceed 44. This provision was to come info
force July 1, 1933.
According to the New South Wales Industrial Gazette for June
1933 (p. 1077), the unions applied to the Industrial Court in May for
a general ruling that the hourly rates fixed in awards affected by this
reduction in hours should be increased sufficiently to offset the reduc­
tion in time, and to leave the weekly earnings unaltered. The deci­
sion of the court was that such an increase would follow as a matter
of course.

T

The president said that he did not think that the present act was any different
from the 1925 act. He had already ruled that the 44-hour week operated
automatically, and the basic wage rate had been allowed to stand. Each time
the hours were reduced from 48 per week the hourly wages affected had been
increased by the court. The court could always act on its own motion, and its
jurisdiction to do so was undoubted. The law required that the basic rate of
£3 14s. a week should be paid for 44 hours a week unless in any particular case
the court decided otherwise.

Yearly Wages in the Soviet Union in 1932

CCORDING to the Soviet Union official source in English
L entitled “ Summary of the Fulfillment of the First Five-year
Plan” , published by the State Planning Commission in Moscow,
1933 (pp. 286, 287), the yearly money wages per worker in 1932
were as follows: In industries, 1,470.10 rubles ($757.10); in transport
and communication, 1,483.70rubles ($764.11); inconstruction, 1,544.90
rubles ($795.62); in social and cultural institutions, 1,492.90 rubles
($768.84) per worker; and in agriculture and forestry, 957.90 rubles
($493.32).
. 1
The total number of the workers employed m the industries, trades,
and services amounted to 22,804,300 and their aggregate pay roll
amounted to 32,667,300,000 rubles ($16,823,659,500) or 1,432.40
rubles ($737.69) per worker in 1932.
Conversion of the ruble into United States currency is made on the
basis of the gold value of ruble in international financial transactions,
which is 51.5 cents of gold dollar. There are no available data to
show the value of the ruble in domestic transactions, i.e., in relation
to prices of commodities in home markets, socialized and private.

A

Wages and Labor Cost on Tobacco Plantations in Sumatra

HE following data show wage rates and labor cost on the tobacco
plantations in Sumatra.1
Wage rates.— The number of coolies employed on the tobacco
plantations in North Sumatra in each of the years 1928 to 1930 was
as follows:

T

i Data are from report of Daniel M . Braddock, American vice consul at Medan, Sumatra, July 3, 1931,
repOTt of L H Qourley, American consul at Medan, Sumatra, M ay 13, 1933, and Netherlands, India
Centraal Sant/oor v o o rd e S t a t i s t , Indiscb Verslag, 1932, II, Statistisch Jaarovemcht over bet Jaar

1931.


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

1212

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W
Number

1928 ________________________________ ______ ___________ ______
1929 __________________________________________________________
1930 __________________________________________________________

9 8 ,442
107, 107
103, 701

The usual wage rates per day for such laborers in 1931 were as
follows:
Men:
New hands____________________________ 0.
Old hands_____________________________ 0.
Women:
New hands__________________________ 0.
Old hands_____________________________ 0.

Wages per day2

42 florins (16. 88 cents)
47 florins (18. 89 cents)
37 florins (14. 87 cents)
42 florins (16. 88 cents)

2 Conversion into United States currency on basis of florin at par=40.2 cents.

The wages were not fixed by the coolie ordinance and may vary,
though the above figures were considered to be standard. Wages are
paid for rest days as well as workdays.
Overtime work generally commands a rate of 0.07 or 0.08 florin
(2.81 or 3.22 cents) per hour, or part thereof, for new hands and 0.08
or 0.09 florin (3.22 or 3.62 cents) for old hands.
In 1933 the wage rate per day for men was decreased from 0.47 to
0.37 florin (18.89 to 14.87 cents) and for women from 0.42 to 0.32
florin (16.88 to 12.86 cents).
The overseers and head overseers chosen from among the coolies
received in 1930 the following monthly wages:
Wages per month

Overseers, female_____________________ 25 -4 0 florins ($10. 05-$16. 08)
Overseers, male_______________________ 30 -5 0 florins ($12. 06-$20. 10)

The monthly rates of Javanese and Chinese coolies from 1929 to
1931 are shown in table 1.
T able 1 —A V E R A G E M O N T H L Y W A G E S O F C O O L IE S O N T O B A C C O P L A N T A T I O N S ON
T H E E A S T C O A S T O F S U M A T R A A N D A C H E E N , 1929-31

Javanese coolies

1929

1930

1931

Locality and plantation no.
Dutch
cur­
rency

East coast of Sumatra:
N o. 1________________
N o. 2_____ ___________________
N o. 3____________________
No. 4...... ............ . . . . . . . . . .
No. 5________________ ________ __________
No. 7............................. ...............
N o. 8____ ______ ___________ ________ __
No. 9 . . . .................. ...............................
No. 10____________________________
No. 11____ . . . _______________
N o. 12__________________ _______
No. 13_________________ _____ ________
Acheen:
N o. 14...................................


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

United
States
cur­
rency

Dutch
cur­
rency

United
States
cur­
rency

Dutch
cur­
rency

United
States
cur­
rency

Florins
27.28
27.88
27.63

$10.97
11.21
11.11

Florins
23.80
25.48
26.71

$9. 57
10.24
10. 74

24.25
25. 78
23.91
24. 32
25. 81
28.46
30.65
30.28

9. 75
10.36
9.61
9. 78
10.38
11.44
12.32
12.17

23.66
25.82
27. 75
24. 07
28. 28
25.58
28.26

9. 51
10. 38
11.16
9.68
11.37
10.28
11.36

24.14

9. 70

25. 75
23.91
24. 72

10. 35
9. 61
9.94

26.03

10.46

33.46

13. 45

26.50

10.65

22.56

9.07

Florins
24.94
25.81

$10.03
10.38

1213

W AGES AND HOURS OF LABOR

T able 1.—A V E R A G E M O N T H L Y W A G E S OF C O O L IE S O N T O B A C C O P L A N T A T I O N S ON
T H E E A S T C O A S T OP S U M A T R A A N D A C H E E N , 1929-31— Continued

Chinese coolies

1931

1930

1929
Locality and plantation no.
United
States
cur­
rency

Dutch
cur­
rency

Florins
25. 39
25.24
25.15
26.84
24.75
26,09
23.82
25.37
25.49
26.82
31.45
26.78
29.94

East coast of Sumatra:
N o. 1______________
N o. 2______________
No. 3______________
No. 4______________
No. 5______________
N o. 6______________
N o. 7________ _____
N o. 8______________
No. 9______________
N o. 10_____________
No. 11_____________
No. 12_____________
No. 13.......................

ACheen:

10.25
10. 78
12. 64
10.77
12.04

Florins
22.16
25.39
24. 93
27.68
22. 55
22.70
25.12
25.07
24.60
27.61
25.30
26.90
29.66

14.39

31.42

$ 10.

21

10.15

10.11
10.79
9.95
10.49
9.58

10.20

35. 78

No. 14.

United
States
cur­
rency

Dutch
cur­
rency

United
States
cur­
rency

Dutch
cur­
rency

Florins
24. 65
25. 36
24.66
30.53

$9.91
10.19
9.91
12. 27

24.03

9.66

10.17
10.81
11.92

24.03
24.08
25.58
28. 79
24.26
28.46

9.66
9.68
10.28
11.57
9. 75
11. 44

12. 63

26.70

10.73

$8.91
10. 21

10.02
11.13
9.07
9.13

10.10
10.08
9.89

11.10

Yearly earnings.— The average yearly earnings (cash wages only) of
coolies on the plantations were respectively 286 florins ($114.97) in
1928, 275 florins ($110.55) in 1929, and 257 florins ($103.31) in 1930.
Nonwage costs of labor.— The labor costs, other than the wages,
borne by the employers include medical treatment, cost of recruiting
and hiring, pensions, and housing. In 1930 the provision of living
quarters cost the employers, on the average, 0.05 florin (2 cents) per
coolie per day. The employers’ expenditures for the other items
entering into the total cost of labor in 1928, 1929, and 1930 are shown
in table 2.
T able 2 .— Y E A R L Y L A B O R E X P E N D I T U R E S P E R C O O L IE O N T H E T O B A C C O P L A N T A ­
T IO N S I N N O R T H S U M A T R A

Expenditures
Dutch
cur­
rency

Medical treatment, rice, housing, etc--------Immigration (recruiting) cost--------------------Pensions.------------------------------------------- --------Yearly total per coolie---------------------

1930

1929

1928

United
States
cur­
rency

Dutch
cur­
rency

United
States
cur­
rency

Dutch
cur­
rency

United
States
cur­
rency

Florins
286
34
20
5

$114.97
13. 67
8. 04
2.01

Florins
275
34
22
4

$110. 55
13. 67
8.84
1.61

Florins
257
32
11
5

$103. 31
12.86
4.42
2.01

345

138.69

335

134. 67

305

122.60

Methods of wage ‘payment.— Wages are paid monthly, fortnightly,
weekly, or daily, at the choice of the manager of the plantation.
The employer has the right to pay part of the wages in rice of good
quality; the quantity is limited to one half month’s supply for the
coolie and his family, and must be furnished at a price allowing no
profit to the employer.
Advances of wages to the laborer may be deducted from his wages
but the total deductions may not exceed one fourth of the wages.

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

1214

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

The employer must prepare a statement of account with each
coolie once a month, to be posted on a clear list at the latter’s living
quarters.
In piecework the proportion between the quantity of work to be
executed by the coolie and the wages to be paid may not be lower
than the proportion (on the plantation where he is working) between
day’s work and day’s wage for similar work, while the wage granted
to him will be proportionate to the amount of work done.
In contract (job) work the wages to be paid the coolie must be at
least equal to the wages which he would have earned at day wages
during the time which is considered reasonable to finish the work.
In going beyond that time no increment will be added to the contracted
wages.

Wages in Switzerland, 19321

HE annual report of wages in certain industries in Switzerland
made by the Federal Bureau of Industry, Arts and Trades, and
Labor, is based on statistics of wages of workers injured in industrial
accidents. The statistics for 1932 relate to reports by 89,679 injured
workers who were insured under the federal workmen’s compensation
law, the average daily earnings being reported for 16,055 workers and
average hourly earnings for 73,624 workers.
The following tables show the average daily and hourly earnings of
different groups of workers in various industries in 1932.

T

A V E R A G E D A I L Y A N D H O U R L Y E A R N I N G S OF W O R K E R S I N S P E C IF IE D I N D U S T R I E S
I N S W I T Z E R L A N D I N 1932
[Conversions into United States currency on basis of franc=19.3 cents]

Average daily earnings

Industry

Foremen and
master work­
men

Swiss
cur­
rency

Metals and machines.
Building__________
W o o d ___
T e x t i l e s ...________
W atch ___________
Stone and earth___
Shoes_____________
Paper_______ __
Graphic arts . . .
Chemical.
___
Pood, drink, and tobacco..

$3. 45
3. 40
3.24
2. 90

17. 23

3. 33

18. 86
18. 09

3.64
3.49

Commercial establishments 16. 20
Electrical light and power.. 18. 65
Gas and water.
M ining and quarrying.........
Forestry........... ..

3.13
3.60

17.17

Unskilled
workers

Wom en 18
years of age
and over

Young persons
under 18 years
of age

United
Swiss United Swiss United Swiss United Swiss United
States
States
States
cur­
cur­
cur­ States cur­ States
cur­
cur­
cur­
cur­
cur­
rency
rency
rency rency rency rency rency rency rency

17.85
17. 64
16. 79
15.00

Average, all occupations___________ _

Skilled and
semiskilled
workers

3. 31

12.93
13.43
10. 26
11.32
12.62
12.91

$2.50
2. 59
1.98
2.18
2. 44
2. 49

13. 48
16. 47
13. 67
14.18
11.39
13. 38
15. 47
16. 94
11. 74
9. 63
12. 92

10. 84
11. 22
8. 35
9.97

$2. 09

9. 93

1.92

2. 60
3.18
2. 64
2.74
2. 20
2. 58
2. 99
3. 27
2. 27
1.86

9 70
11.18
12.19
10. 30
11. 50
13. 72
14. 39
8. 98
7. 95

2.16
2.35
1. 99
2. 22
2. 65
2. 78
1.73
1.53

2. 49

10. 35

2. 00

2 17
1. 61
1.92

1 K7

6.78

$1.31

6. 55

1.26

5. 70

1 .10

7. 12

1 37

5. 38

1.04

5. 94

$1.15

4. 20

.81

4. 71

.91

J Switzerland, Département Fédéral de l ’Économie publique, La Vie Économique, Berne, August 1933


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

1215

W AGES AND HOURS OF LABOR

A V E R A G E D A I L Y A N D H O U R L Y E A R N I N G S OF W O R K E R S I N S P E C I F I E D I N D U S T R I E S
I N S W I T Z E R L A N D I N 1932— Continued

Average hourly earnings

Industry

Foremen and
master work­
men

Swiss
cur­
rency

W ood

____________________

Mining and quarrying-------

1. 77
1. 68
1.58
1. 39

Skilled and
semiskilled
workers

Wom en 18
years of age
and over

Young persons
under 18 years
of age

United Swiss United Swiss United Swiss United
United
Swiss
States cur­ States cur­ States
States
States
cur­
cur­
cur­
cur­
cur­
cur­
cur­
rency rency rency rency rency rency
rency
rency
rency

$0. 34
.32
.30
.27

1.50

.29

1.65

.32

1.44
1. 53
1.36
1. 16
1.38
1.43
1.25
1.33
1.97
1.49
1.44
1.33
1.47
1. 51
1. 68
1.32
1.02

$0.28
.30
.26
.22
. 27
.28
.24
.26
.38
.29
.28
.26
. 28
.29
.32
.25
.20

1.16
1.12
1.01
1.03

$0. 22
.22
.19
.20

1.10
.96
1.07
1.19
1. 24
1.33
1.18
1. 19
1.19
1.40
1.01
.93

.21
. 19
.21
.23
.24
.26
.23
. 23
.23
.27
. 19
. 18

1.45

.28

1.11

.21

Average, all occupa-


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

Unskilled
workers

0. 76

$0.15

.71
.74
.83
.71
.75
.70
.79
.80
.71

. 14
. 14
. 16
.14
.14
.14
.15
. 15
. 14

.73

. 14

.74

.14

0. 54
.84
.57
.49

$0.10
. 16
. 11
.09

.67
.50
.50

. 13
. 10
.10

.57

.11

.70

. 14

.62

. 12
■

TREND OF EMPLOYMENT
Trend of Employment, September 1933

HE Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department
of Labor presents herewith data compiled from pay-roll reports
supplied by cooperating establishments in 17 important industrial
groups of the country and covering the pay period ending nearest
the 15th of the month.
Information for 89 of the principal manufacturing industries of
the country is shown, following which are presented tabulations
showing the changes in employment and pay rolls in the 16 nonmanu­
facturing industries included in the Bureau’s monthly survey, together
with information available concerning employment in the executive
civil service and on class I railroads.

T

Employment in Selected Manufacturing Industries in
September 1933
Comparison of Employment and Pay-Roll Totals in September 1933 with August
1933 and September 1932
M P L O Y M E N T in m a n u fa ctu rin g ind u stries in crea sed 3.2 p e r­
c e n t in S ep te m b e r 1933 as co m p a re d w ith A u g u st 1933 a n d p a y
rolls in crea sed 2.7 p e rc e n t o v e r the m o n th in terv a l, a cco r d in g to
rep orts re ce iv e d fr o m rep resen ta tiv e estab lish m en ts in 89 im p o r ta n t
m a n u fa ctu rin g ind u stries o f th e co u n tr y . C o m p a r in g th e ch an ges
m e m p lo y m e n t a n d p a y rolls o v e r th e y e a r in terv a l, it is seen th a t the
lev el o f e m p lo y m e n t in S e p te m b e r 1933 is 26.3 p e rce n t a b o v e the
lev el o f S e p tem b er 1932, a n d p a y rolls in S e p te m b e r 1933 sh ow ed a
ga m o f 39.9 p e rce n t o v e r th e y e a r in terva l.

E

The index of employment in September 1933 was 73.9, as compared
with 71.6 m August 1933, 67.3 in July 1933, and 58.5 in September
1932; the pay-roll index in September 1933 was 53.3, as compared
with 5L9 m August 1933, 46.5 in July 1933, and 38.1 in September
1932. The 12-month average for 1926 equals 100.
T h ese ch a n ges in e m p lo y m e n t a n d p a y rolls in S e p te m b e r 1933 are
based o n rep orts su p p lied b y 18,330 estab lish m en ts in 89 o f th e p rin c i­
p al m a n u fa ctu rm g in d u stries o f the U n ite d S tates. T h ese estab lish ­
m en ts re p o rte d 3,365,524 e m p lo y e e s o n th eir p a y rolls d u rin g the
p a y p e rio d en d in g nearest S e p te m b e r 15 w h ose c o m b in e d w e e k ly
earnings w ere $62,830,748. T h e e m p lo y m e n t re p o rts re ce iv e d fro m
these co o p e ra tin g estab lish m en ts c o v e r a p p ro x im a te ly 50 p e rc e n t o f
w a g e earners in all m a n u fa ctu rin g ind u stries o f th e co u n tr y .
T h ese co n tin u e d gains in S e p te m b e r m a rk the sixth su ccessive
m o n th m w h ich in crea sed e m p lo y m e n t a n d p a y rolls h a v e been
re p o rte d in m a n u fa ctu rin g indu stries. W h ile the p ercen ta g e gains
1216

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

TREND OP EMPLOYMENT

1217

in employment and pay rolls in September were not as pronounced
as the gains shown in the 4 months immediately preceding, the
increases continued on a broad scale, 73 of the 89 manufacturing
industries reporting gains in employment over the month interval
and 61 industries reporting increases in pay rolls.
The average percentages of increase between August and Septem­
ber over the preceding 10-year period were 1.2 percent in employment
and 0.5 percent in pay rolls. The increases, therefore, in September
of the current year are somewhat larger than the average increases
over the preceding 10-year period and may be attributed to a com­
bination of seasonal gains plus an increase in number of workers
added to the reporting companies’ pay rolls by the adoption of
N.R.A. codes.
This increase of 3.2 percent in employment in manufacturing indus­
tries in September 1933 represents an estimated gain of over 200,000
workers between August and September, and the increase of 2.7
percent in factory pay rolls indicates that the total weekly pay rolls
of factory employees in September were approximately $3,000,000
greater than the total weekly pay rolls disbursed in August in all
manufacturing industries combined.
The September factory employment index (73.9) shows a gain of
34.1 percent over the employment index of March 1933 (55.1), which
was the low point of employment recorded in manufacturing indus­
tries. The pay-roll index in September (53.3) stands 59.6 percent
above the level of the March pay-roll index of 33.4. These percent­
age changes indicate an increase in employment in manufacturing
industries of approximately 1,700,000 workers over this 6-month
interval and an increase of nearly $44,000,000 in weekly wages in
September over the total amount paid in 1 week in March 1933.
The most pronounced gain in employment over the month inter­
val was a seasonal increase in the cottonseed oil-cake-meal industry
of 45.6 percent. The fertilizer industry also reflected the usual
seasonal activity due to the fall shipping season with an increase oi
28.2 percent in number of employees. Sixteen of the remaining 71
industries which reported increased employment showed gains rang­
ing from 10.2 percent to 24.1 percent, among which were the con­
fectionery, agricultural implement, shipbuilding, furniture, stove,
machine tool, women’s clothing, and radio industries. Among the
16 industries in which decreased employment was reported in Septem­
ber, as compared with August, the cotton-goods industry reported a
decline of 2 percent; silk and rayon goods, 1.9 percent; woolen and
worsted goods, 5.4 percent; and the dyeing and finishing textiles
industry, 16.8 percent. In the last-named industry, labor disturb­
ances in certain localities accentuated the decline.
Ten of the 14 groups of manufacturing industries reported increased
employment, 1 group (stone-clay-glass) reported no change, and 3
groups (textiles, tobacco, and leather) reported fewer workers in
September than in the preceding month. _ The gains in the lumber,
machinery, nonferrous metals, and chemicals groups were slightly
more than 7 percent each. In the lumber group, furniture and saw­
mills reported pronounced gains in number of workers over the month
interval; each of the industries comprising the machinery group
reported increases in employment^ the largest percentage gains
appearing in the radio, engine, machine tool, agricultural implement,
16487°—33— —14


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

1218

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

and typewriter industries. Each of the 8 industries comprising the
nonferrous metal group reported increased employment, silverware,
smelting and refining, and jewelry reporting the largest gains. In
the chemical group, seasonal increases in the cottonseed oil-cake-meal
and fertilizer industries were outstanding, while the explosive, drug­
gists’ preparations, and petroleum-refining industries also reported
gains in employment ranging from 13.6 percent to 6 percent. The
food group reported a gain of 6.5 percent in employment between
August and September, each of the nine separate industries compos­
ing the group reporting increases in workers with the exception of
the beverage industry in which a seasonal decrease of 1 percent was
shown. The beet-sugar, flour, and confectionery industries reported
the most pronounced gains in this group. The paper and transporta­
tion groups reported gains in employment of 4.6 percent each, general
expansions appearing in the paper box, paper and pulp, book and job
printing, and newspaper ind.ustries<in the first-named group. In
the last-named group, the shipbuilding, locomotive, and automobile
industries reported increases ranging from 11.5 to 4.2 percent, while
the aircraft and the electric and steam-railroad car-building indus­
tries reported declines in employment over the month interval.
The iron and steel group reported a gain of 4.3 percent in employ­
ment between August and September. Of the 13 industries com­
prising the iron and steel group, only 1 industry (hardware) failed
to show a gain in number of workers between August and September.
The stove industry reported the most pronounced gain in employ­
ment in this group (13.2 percent) and the structural metalwork,
forgings, and cutlery industries reported gains of slightly more than
9 percent each. The rubber products group reported an increase of
2.2 percent in employment and the railroad car repair shop group
reported a gain of 1.6 percent. In the three groups in which decreases
in employment were shown, the losses in the textile and tobacco
groups were less than 1 percent, and the decrease in the leather group
amounted to 2.4 percent, due to declining employment shown in the
boot and shoe industry.
S p o ra d ic strikes co n tin u e d to reta rd the general a d v a n ces in em ­
p lo y m e n t in m a n u fa ctu rin g ind u stries, a n u m b e r o f firm s in va riou s
loca lities re p o rtin g p a rtia l o r co m p le te sh u t-d ow n s d u e to la b o r
d istu rb an ces. A n u m b e r o f these la b o r d istu rb a n ces w ere re p o rte d
in w o m e n ’s clo th in g a n d k n it-g o o d s fa cto rie s in N e w Y o r k , d y e in g
and fin ish ing p la n ts in N e w J ersey, b o o t a n d sh oe fa cto rie s in M a ssa ­
ch u setts, silk m ills in P e n n sy lv a n ia a n d N e w J ersey, a n d w o m e n ’s
clo th in g fa cto rie s in M issou ri.

A comparison of the indexes of employment and pay roll in manu­
facturing industries in September 1933 with September 1932 shows
that all but 5 of the 89 industries surveyed reported increased em­
ployment and all but 10 industries reported increased pay-roll totals
over the year interval. The five industries reporting decreased
employment were: dyeing and finishing textiles, millinery, electricrailroad repair shops, marble-granite-slate, and cigars and cigarettes.
The 10 industries reporting decreased pay-roll totals were: butter;
ice cream,' sugar refining, cane; dyeing and finishing textiles; millinery :
electric-railroad car shops; cement; marble-granite-slate; book and
job printing; and newspapers and periodicals.

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

1219

TREND OF EMPLOYMENT

In table 1, which follows, are shown the number of identical estab­
lishments reporting in both August and September 1933 in the 89
manufacturing industries, together with the total number of employees
on the pay rolls of these establishments during the pay period ending
nearest September 15, the amount of their earnings for 1 week in
September, the percents of change over the month and year inter­
vals, and the indexes of employment and pay roll in September 1933.
The monthly percents of change for each of the 89 separate indus­
tries are computed by direct comparison of the total number of em­
ployees and of the amount of weekly pay roll reported in identical
establishments for the 2 months considered. The percents of change
over the month interval in the several groups and in the total of the
89 manufacturing industries are computed from the index numbers of
these groups, which are obtained by weighing the index numbers of
the several industries in the groups by the number of employees or
wages paid in the industries. The percents of change over the year
interval in the separate industries, in the groups and in the totals, are
computed from the index numbers of employment and pay-roll totals.
T able 1.— C O M P A R IS O N O F E M P L O Y M E N T A N D P A Y R O L L S I N M A N U F A C T U R IN G
E S T A B L I S H M E N T S IN S E P T E M B E R 1933 W I T H A U G U S T 1933 A N D S E P T E M B E R 1932

Pay-roll totals

Employment

Industry

Food and kindred prod­
ucts............. ................. - .............

Estab­
lish­
ments
reporting in
both
August
and
Sep­
tem­
ber
1933

Percent of
change

Percent of
change
N um ­
ber on
pay­
roll
Sep­
tember
1933

August
to
Sep­
tember
1933

Sep­
tem­
ber
1932
to
Sep­
tem­
ber
1933

Amount
of pay
roll
(1 week, August
Septem­
to
ber
Sep­
tember
1933
1933

Pay­
roll
totals

+ 7.2 +16.6

100.1

80.1

+ 5 .2
+ 8 .7
- 4 . 9 +128.4
+ 2 .5
- 4 .7
+ 9 .6
+ 1 9 .7
+ 2 .8
+ 1 4 .0
-.6
-.7

87.9
161.4
107.3
94.8
94.0
83.9

72.3
141.6
79.5
75.7
70.8
61.1

+ 8 .6 + 2 7 .9 2,221,237
163, 202
+ 1 2 .6 + 4 6 .6
185,081
+ 2 .7 + 1 1 .9
- . 3 +24.5 12,020,085

+ 8 .4 + 2 3 .6
+ 1 3 .0 + 3 5 .4
- 4 .1
-5 .0

111.4
91.8
86.6

87.5
66.9
65.1

+30.1 9,395,089

+ 3.9 +39.2
- 2 .5 +45.1

88.5
94.3

68.9
74.6

+ 6 6 .1
353,825
+ 4 1 .0 4,092, 436
182, 795
+ 3 9 .5

+ 7 .1 +141.9
- 2 . 6 + 7 0 .2
- 4 . 6 + 4 7 .6

78.4
101.4
101.8

61.2
85.6
78.4

- 1 9 .9
+ 1 1 .2
+ 9 .8
- 6 .5

- 1 2 .2
+ 1 1 .8
+ 2 9 .3
+ 3 1 .7

77.4
84.8
95.1
72.5

52.7
63.7
75.4
54.4

-5 .2

+ 4 5 .6

305,740

995
394
306
305
420
371

71,092
26,429
5,937
41,143
17,575
13,936

244
63
12

113,025
8,083
8, 520

Textiles and their products.
Fabrics--------------------------

3,259
1,949

787,644
638,923

-2 .0

Carpets and rugs------Cotton goods_________
Cotton small wares.. .
Dyeing and finishing
textiles_____________
Hats, fur-felt-------------------Knit goods. . .
-----------Silk and rayon goods..
Woolen and worsted
goods------- ---------- ---

28
683
114

18,730
312,087
11,734

+ 5 .1
-2 .0
- 3 .4

153
34
454
240

34,760
6,862
120, 387
57, 648

- 1 6 .8
+ 2 .6
+ 6 .9
- 1 .9

-.5
601,361
154,106
+14. C
+ 1 7 .6 1,834,656
829,953
+ 1 8 .5

243

76,715

- 5 .4

Wearing apparel----------------

1,310

148,721

+4,6

Clothing, m en’s______
Clothing, women’s . . .
Corsets and allied
garments______ ______
M e n ’s furnishings. . .
Millinery........ .. .............
Shirts and collars......

405
527

74, 20C
32,332

+ 1 .2
+18.1

34
80
147
117

6,111
7,542
10,97C

+ 4 .4
-8 .2
- .4


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

Em­
ploy­
ment

1, 564,455
720,872
120,089
620,387
347, 667
339,281

+6.5 +19.7 $6,282,271

3,110

Baking-----------------------------Beverages________________
Butter---------- ------- --------------Confectionery------------------Flour---------------------------------------------Icecream -------------- ---------------------Slaughtering and meat
packing-------------------------Sugar, beet-----------------------Sugar refining, cane----------

17, 566

Sep­
tem­
ber
1932
to
Sep­
tem­
ber
1933

Index numbers September 1933
(average:
1926=100)

+ 6 .0
-

1 .0

+ 9 .3
+109.6

+ 5.4
+ 1 .3
+ 6 .6
+ 1 0 .7
+ 1 0 .2 +11.1
+ 1.7 + 9 .7

+ 3 5 .1

1,345,957

+9 .9 2,624,996
+15. 2 1, 269, 323
+ 5 .7
723,971
+ 9 .9
+ 4 .2
- 4 .6

94, 459
97, 740
224,096

+ .5 +21,3

215, 407

102.8

82.1

+24.2 +25.8

74.6

+ 3 1 .5
+ 2 9 .5

78.7
70.6

57.5
56. 4

+ 8 .8
+ 7 3 .0

105.7
+ 4 .9 + 2 4 .6
62.7
- 1 1 .7 + 1 1 .7
-3 .2
72. 2
+ 1 6 .0
+ .5 + 5 7 .3 1 69.6

58.9
88.1
42.1
57.5

54,6

1220

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

T able 1.— C O M P A R IS O N OF E M P L O Y M E N T A N D P A Y R O L L S I N M A N U FA C TU R IN G
E S T A B L I S H M E N T S I N S E P T E M B E R 1933 W I T H A U G U S T 1933 A N D S E P T E M B E R 1932—
Continued

Employment
Estab­
lish­
ments
report*
ing in
both
August
and
September
1933

•
Industry

Iron and steel and their
products, not including
m achinery_____ _________

Percent of
change
N um ber on
pay
roll
August
Septo
tember
Sep1933
tember
1933

Machinery, not including
transportation equip­
m e n t...... ..................
Agricultural implements..
Cash registers, adding
machines, and calcu­
lating machines________
Electrical machinery, apparatus, and supplies.. .
Engines, turbines, tractors, and water w heels..
Foundry and machineshop products__________
Machine tools________
Radios and phonographs.
Textile machinery and
parts_________ __
Typewriters and supplies.

Nonferrous metals
their products.. .

Amount
of pay
roll
(1 week) August
Septemto
ber
Sep1933
tember
1933

September
1932
to
September
1933

Em ployment

Payroll
totals

426,195

+ 4 .3

+ 4 4 .4 «7,922,878

+ 9 4 .6

74.8

47.1

72
41

12,012
6,175

+ 2 .1
+ 4 .1

+ 4 8 .7
+ 2 1 .4

218,161
79,120

+ 1 .9 + 9 9 .0
- 3 . 8 + 1 5 .2

90.7
34.1

58.7
18.2

129
64
107
207
71

10,440
7,716
30,857
261,961
9, 569

+ 9 .2
+ 9 .3
- 1 .4
+ 2 .9
+ 8 .3

+ 1 8 .6
189,591
+ 6 6 .7
130,963
+ 2 2 .4
512,621
+ 5 2 .2 5,027,862
+ 7 4 .5
161,429

+ 8 .6 + 3 0 .7
- 2 . 7 +122. 4
- 3 . 8 + 4 6 .3
- 1 0 .0 +141.7
+ 9 .6 + 9 3 .8

75.4
83.2
59.0
78.1
87.6

51.1
48.7
33. 2
49.3
53.3

98
157

18, 263
24,927

+ 3 .7
+ 1 3 .2

+ 36.1
+ 51.5

329,616
468,182

-.9
+ 1 4 .4

+ 4 8 .5
+ 5 8 .9

48.3
78.3

30.3
50.2

192

16,676

+ 9 .7

+ 1 8 .5

293,159

+ 1 3 .7

+ 30.1

50.6

31.1

61

11,135

+ 2 .9

+ 1 5 .0

208,030

+ 1 .4

+ 6 .5

93.4

55.8

127
70

8,709
7,755

+ 3 .4
+ 5 .6

+ 3 5 .9
+ 3 8 .9

157,678
146,466

+ 2 .9
-8 .9

+ 5 9 .0
+ 6 1 .7

80.2
128.8

51.5
102.2

1,818
77

352,550
8,632

+ 7 .3 +36.2 6,880,772
+ 1 1 .0 + 6 5 .2
146,192

61.7

+ 1 2 .2

40.8

34.7

27.2

36

16,316

288

109,846

89

20,401

1,076
146
41

128,310
14,936
31,968

49
16

10,904
11,237

635

107,087

25

6,628

214

38,972

27
132
52

+ 5 .0 + 3 3 .1
+ 6 .2

- 5 .2

+6.5 +55.7
+ 8 6 .3

405, 754

+ 5 .7

+ 4 1 .9

83.7

64.4

+ 2 0 .0 2, 263,947

+ 5 .5

+ 3 5 .9

60.7

44.7

+ 2 3 .5

+ 2 2 .2 + 4 0 .5

400,456

+ 5 0 .9

55.2

34.1

+ 3 .6 + 6 2 .6
+ 1 7 .7 +70. 1
+ 2 3 .5 + 6 2 .6

59. 2
44.5
133.6

36.1
30.1
91.2

229,561
211,904

+ 5 .2 + 109.4
+ 1 0 .9 + 8 9 .0

90. 8
76.1

69 1
55.0

+7 .3 +37.0 1,952,487
+ 5.1 + 3 /. 1
110,608

+ 7 .5 +45.8

71.8

+ .6

49.0

+ 6 1 .6

65.1

41.7

+ 2 .7

+ 2 .1

+ 7 3 .7

73.0

50.9

+ 1 6 7 + 4 3 .5
+ 11.8
+ 9 .6 + 2 9 .9

49.9
45. 2
82.1

38.6
31. 2
58.6

+ 5 .0 + 3 6 .4 2,367,371
+ 1 3 .8 + 4 7 .4
310,501
+ 2 3 .5 + 9 6 .2
545,086
+ 3 .4
+ 9 .4

+ 7 3 .6
+ 3 6 .4

and

Aluminum manufactures .
Brass, bronze, and copper
products_____ ______
Clocks and watches and
time-recording devices..
Jewelry............. .
Lighting equ ipm ent...
Silverware and plated
ware____________
Smelting and refining—
copper, lead, and zinc. .
Stamped and enameled
ware.............................

Transportation
m e n t_______

September
1932
to
September
1933

Percent of
change

Tndex numbers September 1933
(average:
1926=100)

1,396

Bolts, nuts,washers, and
Cast-iron p ip e .. _________
Cutlery (not including
silver and plated cut­
lery) and edge tools____
Forgings, iron and s t e e l Hardware . . _____________
Iron and steel_____________
Plumbers’ supplies_______
Steam
a n d ' hot-water
heating apparatus and
steam fittings...... ......... .
Stoves.______ : ____________
Structural
and
ornamental metalwork______
Tin cans and other tinware___ _______________
Tools (not including edge
tools, machine tools,
files, and saws)_________
Wire work___________ _____

Pay-roll totals

+ 45.1

749, 306

9,118
9,085
3,535

+ 8 .5 + 2 4 .4
+ 1 2 .8 + 11.1
+ 8 .3 + 2 9 .9

157, 203

53

8,315

+ 2 4 .1

45

14,413

+ 1 3 .5 + 5 3 .7

87

17,021

114

285,397

28
239

7,654
239,907

- 1 .3
+ 4 .2

+ 4 7 .8
+ 4 3 .3

41

5,929
2,359
29,548

- 3 .1
+ 6 .7
+ 1 1 .5

+ 1 3 .5
+ 1 5 .9
+ 1 1 .4

+ 3 .6

62,964

+ 1 6 .7

+ 3 3 .4

+ 2 8 .5

+ 2 1 .4

70.6

46.0

268,325

+ 5 .2

+ 5 0 .7

84.4

53.8

274,407

+ .7

+ 3 1 .8

82.3

52.7

- 3 .2 +94.9

61.8
238.7

46.0
207.5

64.9

48.7

e q u ip -

Aircraft_________ _____
Automobiles-..........
Cars, electric and steam
railroad............................
Locomotives............ ..
Shipbuilding________


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

u

95

+4 .6 +37.3 6,145,949
197,951
5,181, 559

+ 2 4 .1
+125.5

+ 8 .5

21.9
16.8

12.0
10.2

+ 8 .1

76.9

55.8

+ 8 .1
627,747

+ 1 0 .4
+ 1 4 .7

1221

TREND OF EMPLOYMENT

T able 1.— C O M P A R IS O N OF E M P L O Y M E N T A N D P A Y R O L L S I N M A N U FA C TU R IN G
E S T A B L I S H M E N T S I N S E P T E M B E R 1933 W I T H A U G U S T 1933 A N D S E P T E M B E R 1932—
Continued

Employment

Industry

Estab­
lish­
ments
reporting in
both
August
and
Sep­
tem­
ber
1933

Pay-roll totals

Percent of
change
N um ­
ber on
pay
roll
Sep­
tember
1933

August
to
Sep­
tember
1933

Sep­
tem­
ber
1932
to
Sep­
tem­
ber
1933

Percent of
change
Amount
of pay
roll
(1 week) August
Septem­
to
ber
Sep­
tember
1933
1933

Sep­
tem­
ber
1932
to
Sep­
tem­
ber
1933

Index num­
bers September 1933
(average:
1926=100)

Em­
ploy­
ment

Railroad repair shops ______

923

98,327

+ 1.6

+ 9.9 $2,317,477

- 1 .4

+23.6

51.1

Electric railroad__________
Steam railroad____________

378
545

18,843
79,484

+ .6
+ 1 .8

-6 .0
462,901
+ 1 1 .8 1,854, 576

-.7
-1 .4

- 9 .1
+ 2 7 .9

62.5
50.2

1,570

166,386

465

60,073

463
617
25

21,770
82,883
1,660

1,312

108,788

657
129
184

Lumber and allied prod­
ucts_______ ______ _____ _

+14.7 +57.2

51,1

32.7

+ 5 5 .6

63.0

40.0

+ 1 .3 + 2 6 .5
+ 1 4 .9 + 7 0 .7
+19.1 + 4 2 .2

41.5
48.2
60.6

25.3
30.9
49.9

- 1 .5 +25.0

52.9

32.5

+ 1 8 .2
- 2 .4
+ 6 0 .4

34.4
44.0
79.8

16.2
23.9
58.4

-.5
+ 1 .8

- 2 6 .4
+ 5 6 .4

44.6
72.0

26.2
46.6

+11.3 2,801,027

-.9

+26.0

85.7

66.4

+ 6 .0
+ 3 6 .7

2,183, 616
617,411

-.9
-.4

+ 2 1 .5
+ 4 2 .9

84.3
91.6

64.4
73.6

242,293

+ 4.6 +12.6 5,668,852

+5 .3

+ 6.5

88.7

69.3

27, 737
100,844

+ 5 .6
+ 5 .7

+ 3 0 .2
493,977
+ 2 6 .7 1,898,912

+ 6 .8
+ 1 .9

+ 2 9 .3
+34.4

90.9
93.9

76.3
66.4

771

47,692

+ 3 .1

+ 1 .0 1,200, 267

+ 6 .1

- 3 .4

72.4

56.6

446

66,020

+ 4 .5

+ 4 .7 2,075,696

+ 6 .8

-2 .6

100.8

82.5

951,570

+ 6 .1
+ 9 .2

+ 2 0 .3
+ 3 6 .9
+ 4 3 .9

323,192
1,230,314
22, 238

22,878
15, 545
46, 235

(>)
- 2 .3
- 9 .7
+ 3 .3

+ 1 6 .2
+ 5 .0
+ 4 7 .0

290, 291
256,836
857,944

-5 .0
- 1 9 .0
+ 4 .2

221
121

5,698
18,432

+ 2 .3
+ 3 .0

- 1 5 .7
+ 3 1 .9

106,842
319,482

Leather and its m anufac­
tures __________________ _____

500

153,834

- 2 .4

Boots and shoes....... ...........
Leather...................................

344
156

122,175
31,659

- 3 .1
+ .4

Paper and printing..............

1,955

Boxes, paper_______ ______
Paper and pulp___________
Printing and publishing:
Book and job................
Newspapers and peri­
odicals______________

322
416

Stone, clay, and glass prod­
ucts_______________________
Brick, tile, and terra cotta.
Cement......... .........................
Glass........................................
Marble, granite, slate, and
other products..................
P ottery........................ .........

Chemicals and allied prod­
ucts_______________ _____ _

1,049

176,625

Chemicals._______________
Cottonseed oil, cake, and
meal____________________
Druggists’ preparations...
E x p lo siv e s..........................
Fertilizers.......................... ..
Paints and varnishes.........
Petroleum refining..............
Rayon and allied prod­
ucts.......................................
Soap..................... ......... .........

104

26,374

+ 4 .4

103
45
29
167
352
127

5, 721
8,362
4, 309
7, 347
17, 111
52, 591

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

24
98

37,580
17,230

+ 4 .5
+ 4 .6

Rubber products__________

150

100,852

Rubber boots and shoes..
Rubber goods, other than
boots, shoes, tires, and
inner tubes________ _____
Rubber tires and inner
tubes.................. ............. ..

£

14,335

+ 2 .2
+ 18.1

100

26,628

41

59,889

Tobacco m anufactures___

239

53,806

-.7

Chewing and smoking to­
bacco and snuff_________
Cigars and cigarettes_____

32
207

10, 042
43,764

+ 1 .2
- 1 .1

Total, 89 industries...
1 N o change.


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

41.4
48.8
40.8

+ 2 0 .2

+ 7.4 +35.5 2,527,314
+ 1 2 .4 +39.1

Furniture......... ............. .......
Lumber:
Millwork................ .......
Sawmills_____________
Turpentine and rosin____

Pay­
roll
totals

18,330 3,365,524

+21.6 1,831,395

+7 .2 +30.7 3,757.755

+ 4.5 +24.7

95.9

74,2

601,179

- .5

+ 3 9 .8

118.6

81.8

+17. 5
58, 692
166, 991
+ 1 0 .3
+ 4 5 .0
87, 266
+ 5 3 .4
92,109
+ 2 0 .2
348, 599
+ 10.4 1,393, 358

+ 3 8 .5
+ 5 .5
+ 5 .8
+ 3 0 .5
- 1 .6
+ 4 .6

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

54.4
76.9
103.8
65.2
80.4
70.0

49,8
75,4
71.7
42.5
59.2
57.6

653,132
356,429

+ 7 .7
+ 6 .8

+ 5 1 .9
+ 1 0 .3

196.7
116.0

168. 3
91.9

- 1 .4

+63.8

89.4

+ 1 2 .2 + 5 9 .0

67.4

61.6
59.3
76.8

+ 4 4 .1

+ 5 0 .3
+ 2 2 .8

+43.5 1,978,336
+ 3 6 .2

258,091

+ 4 .1

+ 5 0 .5

457,024

+ 2 .1

+ 44.1

118.6

- 2 .1

+ 4 1 .7 1, 263,221

-5 .6

+ 7 6 .7

84.0

56.9

-4 .0

744,150

+ 8.4

+ 2.6

69.1

55.6

+ 2 .3
-5 .0

143,376
600, 774

+ 1 .3
+ 9 .8

+ 3 .8
+ 2 .3

89.5
66.5

77.0
53.0

+2.7 +39.9

73.9

53.3

+3 .2 +26.3 62,830,748

1222

MONTHLY LABOE EEVIEW
Per Capita Earnings in Manufacturing Industries

P e r capita weekly earnings in September 1933 for each of the 89
manufacturing industries surveyed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
and for all industries combined, together with the percents of change
in September 1933 as compared with August 1933 and September
1932, are shown in table 2.
These earnings must not be confused with full-time weekly rates of
wages. They are per capita weekly earnings, computed by dividing
the total amount of pay roll for the week by the total number of
employees (part-time as well as full-time workers).
C A P I T A W E E K L Y E A R N I N G S I N M A N U FA C TU R IN G IN D U S T R IE S IN
S E P T E M B E R 1933 A N D C O M P A R IS O N W I T H A U G U S T 1933 A N D S E P T E M B E R 1932

T able 2 . - P E R

Industry

Food and kindred products:
Baking.................................... ......................... ................... ............. ...............
Beverages________________________ ______ ________ k k l l l l l l l l
B u tter.. ........ ..................................I__IIIZZIIIZZZIIZZZ
Confectionery.................................................
Flour.................
''" " I "
Ice c re a m ........................................... ................... ...............
Slaughtering and meat packing........................ ................. .....................
Sugar, beet...................................... ...........................................................**
Sugar refining, cane........................................................................
Textiles and their products:
Fabrics:
Carpets and rugs....................................................................................
Cotton goods.............................................. ......... ............... ... 1 .1 . 1 . 1
Cotton small wares......................................................... ...............
Dyeing and finishing textiles______________________________
Hats, fur-felt................. ................... ................. .........................
Knit goods..............................................................................
Silk and rayon goods.................................
k ill
Woolen and worsted goods...................................................
Wearing apparel:
Clothing, men’s _____ _______ __________________________________
Clothing, women’s _______ ____________________________
Corsets and allied garments_________________________
M en’s furnishings_______________________ ______ _____ ______
Millinery...........................
k ill”
Shirts and collars................................
IIIIIIIII
Iron and steel and their products, not including machinery:
Bolts, nuts, washers, and rivets__ ___________ __________________
Cast-iron pipe...............................................................................
kk
Cutlery (not including silver and plated cutlery) and edge "tools..
Forgings, iron and steel........................................................................
Hardware_____ __________________________________________
Iron and steel........................... ......................................... IIIIIIIIIII
Plumbers’ supplies................................................. I l l k l l l l l l l l l k l l k
Steam and hot-water heating apparatus and steam fittings.III”
S t o v e s........................................... ................ ................................... .......
Structural and ornamental metal w ork ._____ _______ I k . I I
Tin cans and other tinware....................................................... I l l k i l l
Tools (not including edge tools, machine tools, files, and saws) "
Wirework__________ _______ ______________________________ _______
Machinery, not including transportation equipment:
Agricultural implements................ .................
Cash registers, adding machines, and calculating machines_____
Electrical machinery, apparatus, and supplies.................................
Engines, turbines, tractors, and water wheels............ ............... .......
Foundries and machine-shop products..............................
Machine tools....... ....................
k ill
Radios and phonographs_____________________________ k l l l l l k l l l
Textile machinery and parts..................................
Typewriters and supplies.........................................I k .I I I I I I I I I I I I k
Nonferrous metals and their products:
Aluminum manufactures............................................................................
Brass, bronze, and copper products............... ........................... I k . I .
Clocks and watches and time-recording devices........... ........... .........
Jewelry......................... ............... .................................................. .........
Lighting e q u i p m e n t . , , , „ „ „ . . I k . , . aek k k I k I k I k I k k I I I I
i N o change,


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

Per capita
weekly
earnings in
September
1933

Percent of change com­
pared with—
August
1933

September
1932

$22. 01
27.28
20.23
15.08
19. 78
24. 35
19.65
20. 19
21. 72

+ 2 .6
-3 .9
+ 1.2
+8. 1
+ 3 .5
-2 .3
- .2
4". 4
-6 .6

-3 .8
+ 9 .0
-9 .6
+ 2 .7
-7 . 3
-9 .0
-3 .4
-7 .6
- 1 4 .7

18.89
13. 11
15.58
17. 30
22. 46
15.24
14. 40
17.54

+ 1 .9
-. 7
-1 .3
-3 .7
+ 8 .3
+ 2 .7
-4 .7
+ .2

+ 4 5 .0
+20. 1
+ 5 .7
- 1 1 .5
-1 .9
+ 1 0 .0
+ 1 1 .4
+ 7 .5

17.11
22.39
15. 46
12.96
20.43
12.26

+ 7 .6
+46. 4
+• 5
-3 .9
+ 1 6 .5
-.1

+ 14.0
+22 3
+13. 5
+ 7 .5
+ 2 9 .7

18.16
12.81
18.16
16.97
16.61
19.19
16.87
18.05
18.78
17.58
18.68
18.11
18.89

- .3
-7 .6
—. 6
- 1 1 .0
-2 .4
- 1 2 .5
+ 1.3
- 4 .5
+ 1.1
+ 3 .7
-1 .5
- .4
-1 3 .7

+ 3 3 .6
- 5 .0
+ 9 .8
+ 3 3 .2
+ 19.6
+ 5 8 .7
+ 11.7
+ 9 .4
+ 5.0
+ 10.0
-7 .6
+ 16.9
+ 16.3

16.94
24.87
20.61
19.63
18. 45
20. 79
17.05
21.05
18. 86

+ 1 .1
+ .6
-.7
+ 1.1
-1 .3
+ 3 .4
(>)
+ 1 .7
+ 1 .4

+ 12.7
+ 6 .5
+ 13.6
+ 7.4
+ 19.2
+ 15.7
- 1 6 .9
+ 2 0 .4
+ 3 8 .7

16.69
19.23
17.24
18.96
17,81

-4 .3
-.5
+ 7.5
+ 6 .5
+ 1.8

+ 1 7 .8
+ 19.5
+ 15.2
+ .8
(')

1223

TREND OF EMPLOYMENT

2 . — P E R C A P I T A W E E K L Y E A R N I N G S I N M A N U FA C TU R IN G I N D U S T R I E S IN
S E P T E M B E R 1933 A N D C O M P A R I S O N W I T H A U G U S T 1933 A N D S E P T E M B E R 1932— C o n .

T able

In d u stry

Nonferrous metals and their products— Continued.
Silverware and plated ware................................ ....................................
Smelting and refining— copper, lead, and zinc...... ....................... .
Stamped and enameled ware------------------- -------------- -------------------Transportation equipment:
Aircraft___________________________________________________________
Automobiles___ ______ ___________________________________________
Cars, electric and steam railroad------------------------------------------------Locomotives___________ ________ _________________________________
Shipbuilding_____________________________________________________
Railroad repair shops:
Electric railroad______ ______ __________ _______ ________ __________
Steam railroad__________________________ _______ - ----------------- ------Lumber and allied products:
Furniture..................- ............. - ......................................... - -------------------Lumber:
M illw ork.------- ------ ---------------- ---------------- -------------------------------Sawmills------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------Turpentine and rosin------------ ----------- ------------------------------------------Stone, clay, and glass products:
Brick, tile, and terra cotta....................................................................Cement__________________________________________________________
G lass................................
—
Marble, granite, slate, and other products--------------------------------Pottery.............................................. ...........................................................
Leather and its manufactures:
Boots and shoes......................................................................................... Leather____________________________ ___________ __________________
Paper and printing:
Boxes, paper..................................... ............................... ............................
Paper and pulp------------------------------------ ------------------------ -------------Printing and publishing:
Book and job_________________________ ___________ __________
Newspapers and periodicals___________________________ ____
Chemicals and allied products:
Chemicals_______________________________________________________
Cottonseed oil, cake, and m eal.------- ---------------------------------- -------Druggists’ preparations.................. ....................... - -------------------------Explosives----- ------------------------------------ --------- ------------------------------Fertilizers____________ _____ - --------------------------------------------- --------Paints and varnishes......................... ............. - ............. - ........... ...........
Petroleum refining-------------------------- ----------- -------------------------------Rayon and allied products................... ............... ....................... .........
Soap----------------------- ----------- ----------------------------- ----------------------------Rubber products:
Rubber boots and s h o e s ............................................. ........................
Rubber goods, other than boots, shoes, tires, and inner tubes.
Rubber tires and inner tubes.......................... ....................................
Tobacco manufactures:
Chewing and smoking tobacco and snuff.........................................
Cigars and cigarettes....... ............. ....................... ................... ............. T o t a l , 89 i n d u s t r ie s .

P e r c a p ita
w e e k ly
e a rn in g s in
S e p te m b e r
1933

P ercen t of change c o m ­
p ared w ith —

A u gu st
1933

S e p te m b e r
1932

$ 1 8 .9 4
1 8 .6 2
1 6 .1 2

+ 3 .6
-7 .3
-2 .8

+ 4 .2
-1 .7
-1 .3

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

-7 .0
-8 .4
-1 .8
+ 3 .4
+ 2 .8

-1 6 .1
+ 5 7 .4
-4 .4
-6 .2
-3 .2

2 4 .5 7
2 3 .3 3

-1 .2
-3 .2

-3 .6
+ 1 4 .1

1 5 .8 4

+ 7 .0

+ 1 1 .7

1 4 .8 5
1 4 .8 4
1 3 .4 0

+ . 7
+ 8 .2
+ 9 .1

+ 4 .7
+ 2 3 .7
-1 .2

1 2 .6 9
1 6 .5 2
18. 56
18. 75
1 7 .3 3

-2 .7
-1 0 .4
+ .9
-2 .7
-1 .3

+ 1 .9
-7 .3
+ 8 .9
-1 2 .7
+ 1 8 .5

17. 87
19. 50

+ 2 .2
-.8

+ 1 4 .5
+ 4 .8

1 7 .8 1
1 8 .8 3

+ 1 .1
-3 .5

-.8
+ 5 .9

2 5 .1 7
3 1 .4 4

+ 2 .9
+ 2 .1

-4 .0
-7 .6

2 2 .7 9
10. 26
1 9 .9 7
20. 25
12. 54
2 0 .3 7
2 6 .4 9
1 7 .3 8
2 0 .6 9

-4 .6
-4 .8
-1 .6
-6 .9
+ 1 .9
-2 .3
-1 .5
+ 3 .0
+ 2 .2

-2 .8
+ 5 .4
+ 1 0 .1
-6 .0
-4 .6
-4 .6
+ .7
-1 0 .4

18. 00
1 7 .1 6
2 1 .0 9

-5 .1
-1 .9
-3 .6

+ 1 6 .5
-4 .2
+ 2 4 .6

1 4 .2 8
13. 73

+ . 1
+ 1 1 .0

1 8 .6 7

2-.6

+ 1 .4
+ 7 .8
2 + 1 0 .8

2 W e ig h te d .

General Index Numbers of Employment and Pay-Roll Totals in Manufacturing
Industries
G e n e r a l index numbers of employment and pay-roll totals in
manufacturing industries by months, from January 1926 to September
1933, together with average indexes for each of the years from 1926
to 1932, and for the 9-month period, January to September 1933,
inclusive, are shown in the following table. In computing these
general indexes the index numbers of each of the separate industries
are weighted according to their relative importance in the total.
Following this table are two charts prepared from these general indexes
showing the course of employment and pay rolls from January 1926
to September 1933, inclusive.


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

1224

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

T able 3 .— G E N E R A L I N D E X E S O F E M P L O Y M E N T A N D P A Y R O L L S I N M A N U FA C ­
T U R IN G IN D U S T R I E S , J A N U A R Y 1926 T O S E P T E M B E R 1933
[12-month average, 1926=100]
Employment

Pay rolls

Month

January_____
February____
M arch.............
April________
M a y _________
June_________
July--------------August______
Septem ber...
October.. . . .
N o v em b e r...
December___

1926

1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933

100.4
101.5
102.0
101.0
99.8
99.3
97.7
98.7
100. 3
100.7
99.5
98.9

97.3
99.0
99.5
98.6
97.6
97.0
95.0
95.1
95.8
95.3
93.5
92.6

91.6
93.0
93.7
93.3
93.0
93.1
92. 2
93.6
95.0
95.9
95.4
95.5

95.2
97.4
98.6
99.1
99.2
98.8
98.2
98.6
99.3
98.4
95.0
92.3

90.7
90.9
90.5
89.9
88.6
86.5
82.7
81. C
80.9
79.9
77.9
76.6

74.6
75.3
75.9
75.7
75.2
73.4
71.7
71.2
70. 9
68.9
67. 1
66. 7

64.8
65. 6
64. 5
62.2
59.7
57.5
55.2
56.0
58.5
59.9
59.4
58.3

1926

1927

56.6 98.0 94.9
57.5 102.2 100.6
55.1 103.4 102. 0
56.0 101.5 100.8
58.7 99.8 99.8
62.8 99.7 97.4
67.3 95.2 93.0
71.6 98.7 95.0
73.9 99.3 94.1
102.9 95.2
99.6 91.6
99.8 93.2

Average... 100.0 96.4 93.8 97.5 84.7 72.2 60.1 162.2 100.0

1928

1929

1930 1931 1932 1933

89.6
93.9
95.2
93.8
94. 1
94. 2
91.2
94.2
95.4
99.0
96.1
97.7

94.5
101.8
103.9
104.6
104.8
102.8
98.2
102.1
102.6
102.4
95.4
92.4

88.1
91.3
91.6
90.7
88.6
85.2
77.0
75.0
75.4
74.0
69.6
68.8

63.7
68.1
69.6
68. 5
67.7
63.8
60.3
59. 7
56.7
55.3
52. 5
52.2

48. 6
49. 6
48.2
44. 7
42. 5
39.3
36.2
36.3
38.1
39.9
38. 6
37.7

35. 8
36. 4
33.4
34.9
38.9
43. 1
46. 5
51.9
53.3

96.5 94.5 100.5 81.3 61.5 41.6 ‘ 41.6

1 Average for 9 months.

Time Worked in Manufacturing Industries in September 1933

R e p o r t s as to working time in September were received from
14,109 establishments in 89 manufacturing industries. Two percent
of these establishments were idle, 70 percent operated on a full-time
basis, and 28 percent worked on a part-time schedule.
An average of 90 percent of full-time operation in September was
shown by reports received from all the operating establishments
included in table 4. The establishments working part time in
September averaged 76 percent of full-time operation.
A number of establishments supplying data concerning plantoperating time have reported full-time operations but have qualified
the hours reported with the statement that, while the plant was
operating full time, the work in the establishment was being shared
and the employees were not working the full-time hours operated
by the plant.


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

TREND OF EMPLOYMENT

MANUFACTURING


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

MONTHLY INDEXES
M ONTHLY

AVERAGE

INDUSTRIES.
1926 - 1933I9E6000.

1226

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

MANUFACTURING
MONTHLY

INDEXES

M O NTHLY AVERAGE.

pa y - r o l l

INDUSTRIES.
1926- 1933.
192.6= IOO.

totals

I OS

100
I9Z 6
95

90
1930

65

80

75

70

65

60

55

50

45

40

35
JAW.

FEB


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

APR.

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUG.

SEPT

OCT

NOV

DEC

TREND OF EMPLOYMENT

1227

T able 4 .— P R O P O R T IO N O F F U L L T I M E W O R K E D I N M A N U FA C TU R IN G I N D U S T R IE S
B Y E S T A B L I S H M E N T S R E P O R T I N G I N S E P T E M B E R 1933

Establishments
reporting

Percent of es­
tablishments
Operating-

Industry
Total
num­
ber

Per­
cent
idle

Full
time

Estab­
All op­
lishments
erating
operating
establish­
part
ments
time

26

94

78

81
57
63
72
73
70
77
92
60

18
43
35
25
26
30
23
8
40

97
91
93
93
92
94
96
99
92

82
79
79
74
70
79
84
88
79

3

84

13

97

73

6
2
2

88
85
63
80
35
91
83
92

6
13
35
17
65
8
9
6

99
96
91
94
83
98
97
98

81
69
74
68
74
75
73
72

8
5
1

86
87
46
40
80
91

11
8
54
52
14
8

97
99
91
88
94
98

78
73
84
79
63
70

1,041

3

49

48

87

74

58
34

24

34
12

66
65

81
81

72
77

41
38
66
66
41

57
63
34
25
59

85
83
91
91
86

75
73
75
69
76

2,454

Textiles a n d their p r o d u c t s .....................................
Fabrics:
Carpets and rugs.................................................
Cotton goods................................................. .......
Cotton small wares.................................... .......
Dyeing and finishing textiles-----------------Hats, fur-felt.........................................................
Knit goods__________ ______ ________ — .........
Silk and rayon goods------------- ----------- --------Woolen and worsted goods------------------------Wearing apparel:
Clothing, men’s . ..................................................
Clothing, women’s . ............................................
Corsets and allied garments_______________
M en ’s furnishings-...........................................
M illinery....... .........................................................
Shirts and collars................................. ........... .

2,563
16
585
103
132
20
413
217
205
273
333
24
63
92
87

2

M ach in ery, n o t in clu d in g tran sp ortation
e q u i p m e n t ....................................................................
Agricultural implements......... ........... ........... .........
Cash registers, adding machines, and calculat­
ing m achines....................... ....... ...........................
Electrical machinery, apparatus, and supplies.
Engines, turbines, tractors, and water wheels.
Foundry and machine-shop products..................
Machine tools...... .......................................................
Radios and phonographs............................... .........
Textile machinery and parts______ ____________
Typewriters and supplies.........................................

by—

73

Food a n d kindred p r o d u c ts ....................................
Baking................................. ......... .................................
Beverages-...................... - .............................................
B u t t e r ....................... ................... ........... ............... .
Confectionery. ..........................................................Flour........................................................................... —
Ice cream.......................................................................
Slaughtering and meat packing......................... ..
Sugar, beet................................................. —............. Sugar refining, cane............................................. .......

Iron a n d steel a n d their p ro d u cts, n o t in clu d ­
in g m a c h in e r y ............... ......... ........................... .........
Bolts, nuts, washers, and rivets......... ..................
Cast-iron pipe................................................... - .........
Cutlery (not including silver and plated
cutlery) and edge tools.......................... ..............
Forgings, iron and steel------------Hardware................ - ....................................................Iron and steel............................ .............................. .
Plumbers’ supplies------- ------------------------------------Steam and hot-water heating apparatus and
steam fittings....... ................. ............................. ..
Stoves___________ _____ _________ _____ - .................
Structural and ornamental metal-work.............
Tin cans and other tinware...................................—
Tools (not including edge tools, machine
tools, files, and saws)---------------------------- --------Wirework.......... ......... ..................................................

Part
time

Average percent of
full time reported

843
283
240
233
357
267
173
48
10

1
(0
2
3
1

2
1
7

2
5

108
40
76
138
54

2

69
108
143
55

1
1
3
2

49
61
55
64

49
38
41
35

82
91
89
93

64
76
75
81

108
50

2

26
42

72
58

81
87

75
77

1,396

1
2

73

9

43
29
214
70
859
110
26
36
9

0)
1
1
1

61

38

90

86

12

97

72

45
65
36
62
60
69
50
44

55
35
63
37
39
31
50
56

89
93
80
89
88
91
90
94

79
79
74
71
70
70
79
90

N on ferrou s m e ta ls a n d their p ro d u cts...............
Aluminum manufactures_________________ _____
Brass, bronze, and copper products......................
Clocks and watches and time-recording de­
vices..............................................................- .............
Jewelry..... ................... - ................................................
Lighting equipment...................................................
Silverware and plated ware.....................................
Smelting and refining— copper, lead, and zinc..
Stamped and enameled ware..................................

501

1

45

54

87

76

19
166

1

21
52

79
48

84
88

79
76

11
28
35
26
83
73

89
71
65
72
14
27

81
86
82
77
96
93

79
81
72
68
73
74

T ran sp o rtatio n e q u ip m e n t ......................................
Aircraft........................ ....................... ........... ........... ..
Automobiles...........................- ....................... - ...........
Cars, electric and steam railroad----------------------Locomotives......... .....................................- ......... .......
Shipbuilding................... .............................................
> Less than one half of 1 percent.

317

75

23

95

77

58
92
12
43
75 1

42
8
79
57
24

92
100
76

82

81
77
72
68

96

82


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

19
109
43
46
36
63
24
165
33
7
88

1
2
3
2
1
9
1

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

1228

T able 4 — P R O P O R T IO N O F F U L L T I M E W O R K E D I N M A N U FA C TU R IN G IN D U S T R IE S
B Y E S T A B L I S H M E N T S R E P O R T I N G I N S E P T E M B E R 1933— Continued

Establishments
reporting

Percent of es­
tablishments
operating—

Average percent of
full time reported
by—

Full
time

Estab­
All op­
erating lishments
operating
establish­
part
ments
time

Industry
Total
num­
ber

Per­
cent
idle

Part
time

Railroad repair shops__________________________

723

Electric railroad___________________ ____________
Steam railroad...................................................... . . .

(>)

45

55

89

80

301
422

0)

69
28

31
72

94
86

80

Lumber and allied products.......................... .......

1,244

Furniture__________ ______ __________ ___________
Lumber:
M ill work....... ........................................................
Sawmills_________ ________ _________ ______ __
Turpentine and rosin ____________ ____________

2
2

77

21

95

78

384

88

10

98

85

348
493
19

1
2
5

69
77
16

30
21
79

93
94
87

79
73
84

Stone, clay, and glass products... ............... ........

729

13

60

Brick, tile, and terra co tta .. ................................
C em e n t..__________________ __________________
G la ss.. _________________ __________________
Marble, granite, slate, and other products___
Pottery_________________________________________

28

92

75

226
75
150
179
99

19
21
5
12
4

61
67
81
28
77

20
12
13
60
19

92
94
97
85
96

68
59
77
78
74

Leather and its m anufactures_______________
Boots and shoes______________________________
Leather_________________________________ .

Paper and printing_______________ _____
Boxes, paper_________________________
Paper and pulp_______________________ _____
Printing and publishing:
Book and job _______ __________ .
Newspapers and periodicals___________ __

Chemicals and allied products...... ..........
Chemicals____________ _ ____________
Cottonseed oil, cake, and meal________ __
Druggists’ preparations_______________
Explosives___________________ _________
Fertilizers_________________________ _____
Paints and varnishes________________
Petroleum refining__________________
Rayon and allied products______________
Soap________________________________

Rubber products.__________________
Rubber boots and shoes... ______
Rubber goods, other than boots, shoes, tires,
and inner tubes____________
Rubber tires and inner tubes_______

Tobacco m anufactures _____
Chewing and smoking tobacco and snuff
Cigars and cigarettes______________

Total, 89 industries_________

406

3

90

7

98

278
128

4
1

92
85

77

4
14

99
97

72
81

79

20

79

77
72

23
27

96

2

94

79
75
88

1,661
278
346
656
381

0)

82
84

18
16

96
98

772

1

68

31

55
53
30
14
149
304
69
14
84

2
4

94

84
68
57
29
96
52
84
100

81

15
28
43
71
2
47
14

98
90

88
67

100
91
99
100

84
81
91

115

0)
(')

2
1
1

1

5

45

54

80

20

88
98

90
78

77

78
32

1

27
84

72
16

84

187

59

72

57
59

33
40
32

90

30
157

8
3
9

93
89

83
70

14,109

2

70

28

90

76

1 Less than one half of 1 percent.

Employment in Nonmanufacturing Industries in September
1933

M PLOYM ENT increased in September as compared with
August 1933 in each of the 15 nonmanufacturing industries
appearing in the following table. Pay-roll totals increased in all but
three of these industries. Data for the building-construction industry
are not presented here but are shown in more detail under the section
“ Building construction.”
The increases in employment in these nonmanufacturing industries
represent gains ranging from more than 200,000 employees in retail
trade to only a slight gain in number of workers in the electric-railroad
operation industry. The increase in retail trade reflects a seasonal
gain in employment coupled with the effect of the the N.R.A. code.

E


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

TREND OP EMPLOYMENT

1229

While increases shown in several of these industries were seasonal,
the gains in practically all instances were more pronounced than usual,
reflecting increased business activity combined with accessions in
number of employees under the various codes.
The increases in employment in September ranged from a pro­
nounced seasonal increase of 55.8 percent in the canning and pre­
serving industry, which reaches its peak of employment in September,
to a gain of 0.2 percent in the electric-railroad and motor-bus opera­
tion industry. The anthracite-mining industry reported a gain of 19
percent in number of workers coupled with an increase of 30.2 percent
in pay rolls reflecting seasonal demands. Retail trade establishments
reported an increase of slightly more than 10 percent in employment
coupled with a corresponding increase in pay-roll totals. The in­
creases in employment in the remaining 12 industries in the order of
their percentage gains were as follows: crude-petroleum producing,
8.9 percent; dyeing and cleaning, 6.7 percent; metalliferous mining,
5.8 percent; bituminous-coal mining, 4.7 percent; wholesale trade, 3
percent; power and light, 2.8 percent; hotels, 2.1 percent; laundries,
1.8 percent; banks-brokerage-insurance-real estate, 0.7 percent; and
telephone and telegraph, 0.4 percent.
With the exception of the three industries comprising the publicutility group, each of the nonmanufacturing industries reported more
employees on their pay rolls in September 1933 than in September
1932.
In the following table are presented employment and pay-roll data
for the nonmanufacturing industries surveyed, exclusive of building
construction:
T able 1 — C O M P A R IS O N O F E M P L O Y M E N T A N D P A Y R O L L S IN N O N M AN U FAC TU R ­
IN G E S T A B L I S H M E N T S I N S E P T E M B E R 1933 W I T H A U G U S T 1933 A N D S E P T E M B E R
1932

Industrial group

Pay-roll totals
Employment
Estab­
lish­
Percent of
Percent of
ments
change
change
report­
ing in
N um ­
both
Sep­
Sep­ Amount of
ber on
tem­
A u­
A u­
tem­
pay roll
A u­
pay roll,
gust
ber
(1 week) gust to
ber
gust to
Sep­
and
Sep­ 1932 to
Sep­ 1932 to Septem­
tem­
Sep­
tem­
Sep­
tem­
ber 1933
Sep­
ber
tem­
tem­
ber
tem­
ber
1933
ber
ber
1933
ber
1933
1933
1933
1933

Coal mining:
158
1,495
271

77,598
218,200
25,678

+ 1 9 .0
+ 4 .7
+ 5 .8

1,152
244

35,442
26,304

+ 1 .9
+ 8 .9

8,240
3,098

245,724
201,108

557

124,331

Quarrying and nonmetallic
Crude-petroleum producing .
Public utilities:
Telephone and telegraph.

Hotels (cash payments only)1
Canning and preserving.........

2,947
17,549
2,638
1,021
935
344

82, 505
405, 422
140,362
152,969
56,815
11, 942

BanksT brokerage, insur­
ance, and real estate-----------

4,538

178, 827

Pay­
roll
totals

+ 3 0 .2 + 2 9 .1
+ 1.9 + 4 6 .0
+ 8 .8 + 4 0 .6

56.8
71.8
38.9

60.7
44.1
23.9

516,932
692,052

-2 .0
+ 4 .3

-3 .9
+ 6 .0

52.6
66.2

29.3
44.4

+• 4 - 1 1 .8
+ 2 .8
-.9

6, 290, 218
5,667, 250

-2 .3
+ 1 .3

- 1 4 .9
-3 .9

68.3
80.3

64.6
71.8

-5 .2

3, 293,441

- .8

+ 3 .0
+ 6 .5
+ 1 0 .1 + 10.5
+ 2 .2
+ 2 .1
+ 5 5 .8 + 40.1
+ .9
+ 1.8
+ 6 .4
+ 6 .7

2,119,915
7,931,714
1,743,194
1,835,076
859,513
211,131

2 + .6

5,800,487

+ .2

2 + .7

1 The additional value of board, room, and tips cannot be computed.
2 Weighted.


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

Em­
ploy­
ment

+ 1 7 .8

E lectric-railroad and
motor-bus operation
Trade:

+ 1 .8 $2,412,795
3,443,759
+ 15.1
517,134
+ 3 2 .8

Index num­
bers, September 1933
(average
1929=100)

-7 .5

69.7

57.8

-1 .3
+ 2 .4
+ 1 0 .4
+ 7 .1
-5 .9
+ 3 .1
+ 8 5 .9 + 6 9 .1
-3 .7
+ 5 .2
+14. 3 - 1 . 1

82.1
86.0
78. 7
175.6
79.3
88. 6

62.3
69.2
55. 6
127.0
60.6
60.3

2- 3 . 0

2 99.0

2 84.5

a+ . i

1230

M ON TH LY

LABOR

R E V IE W

Per capita weekly earnings in September 1933 for 15 nonmanu­
facturing industries included in the Bureau’s monthly trend-of-employment survey, together with the percents of change in September
1933 as compared with August 1933 and September 1932, are given
m the table following. These per capita weekly earnings must not
be confused with full-time weekly rates of wages; they are per capita
weekly earnings computed by dividing the total amount of pay roll
for the week by the total number of employees (part-time as well as
full-time workers).
T able 2 .— P E R C A P IT A W E E K L Y E A R N I N G S I N 15 N O N M A N T J F A C T T IR ilvn Txrrnrq
1932^E ^ ^

S E P T E M B E R 1933 A N D C O M P A R IS O N W I T H A U G U S T 1933 A N D S E P T E M B E R

Industrial group

Coal mining:
Anthracite_____
Bituminous^
Metalliferous mining .
Quarrying and nonmetallic mining
Crude-petroleum producing
Public utilities:
Telephone and telegraph
Power and light________
Electric-railroad and motor-bus operation and maintenance '
Trade:
Wholesale_________
R etail-- ______
Hotels (cash payments only) i
Canning and preservingL a u n d r ie s -..___
Dyeing and cleaning_______
Banks, brokerage, insurance, and real estate

Per capita Percent of change
September
1933
weekly
compared with—
earnings
in Sep­
tember
August
Septem­
1933
1933
ber 1932

+ 2 7 .0
+ 2 6 .9
+ 5 .9

14. 59
26.31
25. 60
26.49

12. 42

32.44

- 1 .0

- 2 .5

+• 3
- 8 .1
+ 2 0 .7
2 - 3 .5

------------------------- ----------------------- --- -----------------------------------‘
additional value of board, room, and tips cannot be computed
J weighted.

Indexes of Employment and Pay-Roll Totals for Nonmanufacturing Industries
I n d e x numbers of employment and pay-roll totals for 15 nonmanulacturmg industries are presented in the following table. These
index numbers show the variation in employment and pay rolls by
months, from January 1930 to September 1933, in all nonmanufactunng industries with the exception of the laundry, dyeing and
cleaning, and the banks, brokerage, insurance, and real-estate indus­
tries lor which information over the entire period is not available.
I he Bureau has secured data concerning employment and pay rolls
i^
base year 1929 from establishments in these industries
and has computed index numbers for those months for which data
are available from the Bureau’s files. These indexes are shown in
this tabulation.


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

TREND OF EMPLOYMENT

1231

T able 3 . —I N D E X E S OF E M P L O Y M E N T A N D P A Y R O L L S F O R N O N M AN U FAC TU R IN G
IN D U S T R IE S , J A N U A R Y
S E P T E M B E R 1933

TO

DECEM BER

1930, 1931, A N D

1932, A N D

JANUARY

TO

[12-month average, 1929=100
Bituminous-coal mining

Anthracite mining

M onth

Pay rolls

Employment

Pay rolls

Employment

1930 1931 1932 1933 1930 1931 1932 1933 1930 1931 1932 1933 1930 1931 1932 1933

July

__________

September_______
N ovem ber.. -----December...........
Average-----

102.1
106.9
82.6
84.1
93.8
90.8
91.6
80.2
93.8
99.0
97.2
99.1

90.6
89.5
82.0
85.2
80.3
76.1
65.1
67.3
80.0
86.8
83.5
79.8

76.2
71.2
73.7
70.1
66.9
53.0
44. 5
49.2
55.8
63.9
62.7
62.3

52.5
58.7
54.6
51.6
43.2
39.5
43.8
47.7
56.8

—

105.8 89.3
121.5 101.9
78.5 71.3
75.0 75.2
98.8 76.1
94.3 66.7
84 0 53.7
78.8 56.4
91.6 64.9
117.2 91.1
98.0 79.5
100.0 78.4

61.5
57.3
61.2
72.0
58.0
37.4
34.5
41.4
47.0
66.7
51.0
56.2

43.2
56.8
48.8
37.4
30.0
34.3
38.2
46.6
60.7

102.5
102.4
98.6
94.4
90.4
88.4
88.0
89.2
90.5
91.8
______
92.5
......... 92.5

__

95.7
92.3
90.9
89.3
87.5
84.6
July
_________ 80.5
79.0
78.1
77.2
72.8
December............. 70.1

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

December.......... .
Average-----

69.8 101.4
69.3 102.1
67.6 86.4
63.7 81.7
61. 2 77.5
61.3 75.6
63.2 68.9
68.6 71.1
71.8 74.9
79.4
______
79.1
______
77.7
—

73.3
68.3
65.2
58.6
54.4
52.4
50.4
50.6
53.6
56. 2
54. 6
52. 3

47.0 36.1
47.0 37. 2
46. 8 30.7
33.9 26.6
30. 7 26.9
27.3 29. 2
24. 4 33. 6
26. 4 43. 3
30. 2 44.1
37.8 —
38.0 —
37. 7 —

Quarrying and nonmetallie mining

68.3
65.3
63.5
63.9
62.4
60.0
56.2
55.8
55.5
53.8
52.8
51.2

49.3
46.9
45.0
43.3
38.3
32.2
29.5
28.6
29.3
30.5
31.9
33.3

83.2 59.1 36.5

32.4
31.5
30.0
29.4
30.0
31.5
33.0
36.8
38.9
—

92.7
92.5
90.8
88.3
85.6
81.6
71.9
71.0
69.9
68.6
63.4
59.9

55.0
54.6
52.8
51.4
49.3
46.1
41.3
40.2
40.0
37.4
35.1
34.3

29.7
27.8
26.5
25.0
23.8
20.1
16.9
16.5
17.0
18.0
18.7
18.7

18.1
17.8
17.4
16.4
17.0
18.3
19.0
21.9
23.9
—

79.6
79.8
83.0
87.4
90.8
90.3
89.9
89.3
87.7
84.7
78.3
70.2

92.7
90.8
89.3
86.8
89.8
90.2
89.9
87.7
85.0
85.2
83.6
77.4

74.8
73.2
72.2
69.8
67.8
65.0
65.3
62.4
61.2
60.4
57.6
58.2

54.9
54.4
51.4
54.9
54.5
54.2
55.4
57.4
56.2
56.8
56.5
57.2

64.4
66.6
70.0
76.1
75.0
72.3
71.0
68.9
66.6
64.5
59.3
53.9

48.9
47.4
46.0
48.6
50.6
49.5
49.5
51.1
52.4
52.4
49.4
42.3

71.9
73.5
80.0
85.4
90.2
90.9
85.5
85.8
82.5
79.3
66.8
59.9

35.1
34.8
35.1
39.3
43.4
47.3
49.5
51.6
52.6
______
______
—

50.4
54.4
58.2
62.6
62.3
60.1
57.3
55.1
51.2
48.7
43. 3
36.9

30.2 18.1
29. 6 17.4
28. 7 17.8
30. 0 20.2
32. 3 23.8
30. 0 27. 5
29. 1 28. 4
29.7 29.9
30.5 29.3
30.1 —
27.1 —
22.1 —

32.6 78.0 44.8 21.6 118.9 84.3 67.4 49.0 143.2 79.3 53.4 29.1 123.6
Telephone and telegraph

Crude-petroleum producing

July

80.8
77.4
75.2
65.5
62.6
60.5
58.6
59.4
62.4
67.0
69.4
70.0

93.4 80.5 62.5 149.8 95.3 75.4 53.7 144.0 93.4 83.2 67.4 166.3 81.3 57.5 35.6 134.2
Metalliferous mining

Average___

93.9
91.5
88.8
85.9
82.4
78.4
76.4
77.0
80.4
81.3
81.1
81.2

57.2
57.0
56.5
56.8
56.9
58.0
59.5
60.8
66.2

—

94.0
88.6
91.3
86.6
85.4
87.1
88.5
86.0
84.0
82.6
80.0
77.2

71.5
70.0
73.2
66.3
64.7
62.7
59.2
56.3
55.2
54.4
52.0
54.9

46.5
46.9
43.2
44.5
47.1
44.8
44.6
42.9
41.9
42.5
42.4
41.7

39.9
41.7
42.5
40.1
41.6
40.6
42.2
42.5
44.4

__
—

101.6
100.2
99.4
98.9
99.7
99.8
100.0
98.8
96.8
94.5
93.0
91.6

90.5
89.2
88.6
88.1
87.4
86.9
86.6
85.9
85.0
84.1
83.5
83.1

83.0
82.0
81.7
81.2
80.6
79.9
79.1
78.1
77.4
76.2
75.5
74.8

74.6
73.9
73.2
72.3
70.1
69.2
68.5
68.1
68.3
______
______
—

105.1
101.9
105.8
103.4
103.2
103.4
106.6
102.5
102.2
100.9
97.9
101.3

96.3
94.8
97.9
95.0
94.1
95.0
93.3
92. 3
92.1
91. (3
89. 7
92. 7

89.1 71.7
89. 6 11. 9
88. 2 71.6
83.4 67.8
82.8 68. 5
82. 1 66. 6
79. 6 66.7
79. 1 66.1
75.9 64. 6
75.7
74. 3 —
73. 5 .........

87.4 65.7 55.3 158.8 85.9 61.7 44.1 141.7 97.9 86.6 79.1 170.9 102.9 93.7 81.1 168.4
Electric-railroad and motor-bus operation
and maintenance 2

.rower ana ngnt

99.6
98.8
99.7
100.7
103.4
104.6
105.9
July
106.4
105.2
104.8
103.4
December_______ 103.2
Average___ 103.

77.7
77.4
76. £
76.9
76.9
77.3
77.5
78.1
s o .;

99.7 98.6
100.4 99.7
102. 1 102.4
102.6 97.6
104.5 98.7
107.8 98.3
106.7 97.4
106.6 96.2
106. 1 94.;
105.6 93.2
103.7 93.;
106.3 91.2

88.4
86.1
85.4
82.4
84.2
80.5
78.7
76.7
74.7
74.4
73.2
73.2

73.0
71.6
71. {
69.4
69. t
69.9
70.1
70.9
71.8

97.1
95.1
94.4
95.2
95.2
94.8
95.;
92.9
91.8
91.0
89.3
88.8

86.9
86.6
86.4
86.8
85.9
85.3
85.6
84.8
84.(1
82.7
81.5
79.9

79.5
78.9
77.6
78.0
76.9
76.5
75.6
74.1
73.5
72.3
71.8
71.4

70.6
70.4
69.8
69.5
69. 1
69.3
69.4
69.5
69.7

97.8
95.7
95.4
97. 1
96.0
97.0
95.6
92.1
90.5
88.9
87.7
88. 6

85.6
87.1
88.1
86.6
85. 1
84.8
83. 3
81.9
81. 2
79.0
79.7
77.8

75.4
74.8
73.6
71.8
72. 2
70. 2
66. 4
63. 8
62. 5
61. 5
61. 7
61. £

60.9
60.6
59.4
58.1
58. 2
58. 0
57. 4
58. 2
57. 8

99.2
97.8
96.7
97.1
97.6
97.2
96.7
95.9
94.7
92.7
91.3
90.3

89.3
87.2
85.5
84.8
84.0
83.2
82.3
81.5
81.0
79.9
79.1
78.4

95.

83.0 177.7 104.3 96.7 79.8 170.9 93.4 84.7 75.5 169.7 93.5 83.4 68. C >58.7

1 Average for 9 months.
...
.
,
,
.,
,
2 Not including electric-railroad car building and repairing; see transportation equipment and railroad
repair-shop groups, manufacturing industries, table 1.


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

1232

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

T able 3 .—I N D E X E S O F E M P L O Y M E N T A N D P A Y R O L L S F O R N O N M AN U FAC TU R IN G
I N D U S T R IE S , J A N U A R Y T O
S E P T E M B E R 1933— Continued

DECEM BER

1930, 1931, A N D

1932, A N D

Wholesale trade
Month

Employment

JANU ARY

TO

Retail trade

Pay rolls

Employment

Pay rolls

1930 1931 1932 1933 1930 1931 1932 1933 1930 1931 1932 1933 1930 1931 1932 1933
January___ ___
February __
M arch....................
April_____________
M a y _____________
June . . . _
_
J u ly .................. .
Au gust......... .........
September_______
October__________
Novem ber_______
December_______
Average___

100.0
98.5
97.7
97.3
96.8
96.5
96.0
95.0
94.8
94.2
92.6
92.0

89.5
88.2
87.4
87.4
87.1
87.1
86.8
86.5
86.1
85.2
84.1
83.7

81.8
80.9
79.8
78.9
77.9
77.0
76.6
76.4
77.1
77.8
77.6
77.0

75.3
74.1
73.1
73.3
74.0
75.7
76.9
79.7
82.1

—

100.0
98.3
99.7
97.9
97.4
98.6
96.0
93.6
93.6
92.9
91.0
91.3

87.5
88.4
89. 1
85.2
84.7
84. 1
83.3
82.1
81.4
79.9
79.7
77.8

74.1
72.5
71.2
68.9
69.7
66.2
64.7
63.2
63.1
63.9
63.3
62.6

61.7
58.6
57.1
56.0
57.4
57.3
59.1
60.8
62.3

—

98.9
94.4
93.9
97.3
96.7
93.9
89.0
85.6
92.0
95.5
98.4
115.1

90.0
87.1
87.8
90.1
89.9
89.1
83.9
81.8
86.6
89.8
90.9
106.2

Average___

76.9
73.4
71.4
78.6
77.0
78.3
74.6
78.1
86.0
—

99.7
96.0
95.5
97.5
97.3
96.8
91.7
87.6
92.4
95.1
96.8
107.7

89.4
86. 7
87.5
88.3
88.0
87.6
83.3
80.3
83.5
84. 6
85.4
94.1

78.0 62. 7
73.7 58.4
73.4 55.1
72.7 60.4
71.1 59. 5
68.2 60.5
63.3 58.1
60.7 62.7
64. 6 69. 2
67.1
66. 9
73.6 —

96.0 86.6 78.2 176.0 95.9 83.6 67.0 158.9 95.9 89.4 80.9 >77.1 96.2 86.6 69.4 ‘ 60.7
Hotels

January__________
February________
M arch__________
April______ ____
M a y _____________
J u n e ..____ ______
Ju ly . ----------------August___________
Septem ber.. . . .
October__________
N ovem ber_______
D ecem b er............

84.3
80.5
81.4
81.6
80.9
79.4
74.6
72.6
77.8
81.3
81.7
95.2

100.4
102.4
102.4
100.1
98.0
98.0
101.3
101.5
100.1
97.5
95.2
93.5

95.0
96.8
96.8
95.9
92.5
91.6
93.3
92.8
90.6
87.4
84.9
83.1

83.2
84.3
84.0
82.7
80.1
78.0
78.4
77.6
77.0
75.4
74.3
73.2

73.8
73.8
72.4
71.9
71.9
73.6
75.6
77.1
78.7
______
—

100.3
103.8
104.4
100.3
98.4
98.1
99.8
98.6
97.1
95.5
93.6
91.5

Canning and preserving
91.0
93.7
93.4
89.9
87.7
85.4
85.2
83.8
81.9
79.7
77.1
75.4

73.9 55.7
73.9 55.9
72.4 53.5
69.6 51.7
67.0 51.8
63.8 52.3
61.8 53.3
59.6 54.0
59. 1 55.6
58.6
57.5
56.6 —

46.1 48.9
45.7 48.3
49.7 53.0
74.8 59.6
65.7 56.0
83.0 70.6
126. 3 102.2
185.7 142.9
246.6 180.1
164.7 108.1
96.7 60.8
61.6 40.7

35.0
37.1
36.3
47.0
40.5
55.5
73.0
99.0
125.3
81.1
50.5
33.7

34.1
35.1
33.2
49.2
45.5
55.6
76.6
112.7
175.6

—

50.3
51.5
50.8
72.6
66.9
81.5
112.7
172.0
214.8
140.0
82.9
57.4

46.1
48.6
50.3
57.1
56.0
58.6
74.2
104.7
129.4
77.6
48.1
36.9

31.8 24. 8
32.7 25.9
31.9 24. 2
37.9 33. 5
36. 0 31.8
40.5 36.7
47.5 46.2
65.6 68.3
75.1 127.0
51.8
34.4
25.6 ............

99.2 91.7 79.0 174.3 98.5 85.4 64.5 153.8 103.9 80.9 59.5 168.6 96.1 65.6 42.6 146.5

Laundries

Employment

Banks, b r o k e r a g e ,
insurance, and real
estate3

Dyeing and cleaning

Pay rolls

Employment

Pay rolls

Em ploy­
ment

Pay rolls

1931 1932 1933 1931 1932 1933 1931 1932 1933 1931 1932 1933 1932 1933 1932
January__________
February _____
M arch___________
April____ ________
M a y ____________
June____________
Ju ly . ----------------August___________
September_______
O ctob er_________
November_______
December_______
Average___

90.5
90.0
89.5
90.5
90.3
91.0
91.8
90.2
89.3
88. 1
86.2
85.3

84.7
82.9
82.0
82.0
81.4
81.0
80.3
78.9
78.6
77.5
76.2
75.9

75.4
74.4
73.0
73.4
73.5
76.0
76.3
77.9
79.3

86.6
85.6
85.6
86.8
86.5
87.1
87.4
84.6
84.1
81.8
78.9
77.4

76.4
73.3
71.6
71.4
70.6
68.6
66.3
63.9
62.9
61. 2
59.1
58.7

57.9
55.5
52.9
54.0
54.5
56.7
56.1
57.6
60.6

88.9
87.4
88.0
95.7
96.7
99.0
98.6
93.5
95.3
94 2
90.1
84.9

82.1
80.5
80.6
83.3
84.5
85.1
82.4
79.5
83.3
82 3
78! Ó
75.2

73.0
70.9
71.2
81.1
82.0
85.6
82.9
83.1
88.6

77.7
75.1
75.6
86.3
86.6
89.1
86.2
80.0
82.6

65.8
62.2
61.7
65.9
67.3
65.8
60.0
56.3
61.0

46. 6
42.4
41.0
54.6
53.9
56.7
52.8
52.8
60.3

98.3
98.3
98.9
98.6
98.0
97.9
98.4
98.5
98.4

97.5
96.8
96. 5
96. 2
96. 2
97. 3
97.7
98. 3
99. 0

93 5
93 n
92. 9
92 1
92. 7
90. 0
89.8
88 2
87.1

—

74.7 52.3
67.9 48.4

98.0
98.0

1933
85 2
84 3
83, 7
82 9
83. 2
84^4
84
84 4
84 5
........

85.5

____

89.4 80.1 175.5 84.4 67.0 156.2 92.7 81.4 179.8 80.3 60.5 151.2 98.3 197.3
89.7 >84.2

1 Average for 9 months.
3 Revised.


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

1233

TREND OF EMPLOYMENT

Average Man-Hours Worked and Average Hourly Earnings

N THE following tables the Bureau presents a tabulation of man­
hours worked per week and average hourly earnings based on.
reports supplied by identical establishments in August and September
1933 in 15 industrial groups and 78 separate manufacturing industries..
Man-hour data for the building-construction group and for the insur­
ance, real estate, banking, and brokerage group are not available, and
data for several of the 89 manufacturing industries surveyed monthly
are omitted from these tables due to lack of adequate information.
The total number of establishments supplying man-hour data in
these 15 industrial groups represents approximately 50 percent of the
establishments supplying monthly employment data.
The tabulations are based on reports supplying actual man-hours
worked and do not include nominal man-hour totals, obtained bj
multiplying the total number of employees in the establishment by
the plant operating time.
Table 1 shows the average hours worked per employee per week and
average hourly earnings in 15 industrial groups and for all groups
combined. The average hours per week and average hourly earnings
for the combined total of the 15 industrial groups are weighted aver­
ages, wherein the average man-hours and average hourly earnings in
each industrial group are multiplied by the total number of employees
in the group in the current month and the sum of these products
divided by the total number of employees in the combined 15 indus­
trial groups.
In presenting information for the separate manufacturing industries
shown in table 2, data are published for only those industries in which
the available man-hour information covers 20 percent or more of the
total number of employees in the industry at the present time. The
average man-hours and hourly earnings for the combined 89 manu­
facturing industries have been weighted in the same manner as the
averages for all industrial groups combined, table 1.

I

T able

1

—A V E R A G E H O U R S W O R K E D P E R W E E K P E R E M P L O Y E E A N D A V E R A G E
H O U R L Y E A R N IN G S I N 15 I N D U S T R I A L G R O U P S , A U G U S T A N D S E P T E M B E R 1933
Average hours per
week

Average hourly
earnings

Industrial group
Septem­
ber 1933

August
1933

Septem­
ber 1933

August
1933

Hours
38.6

H ours
36.1

Cents
48.3

Cents
51.4

34.2
35.0
39.5
38.7
41.8

38.1
31.9
39.1
34.4
37.8

83.6
48.2
49.0
40.4
63.9

82.1
50.1
50.8
43.3
68.6

38.0
45.2
46.5

37.1
42.8
45.7

69.9
63.1
56.8

69.6
65.8
57.2

Dyeing and cleaning....................................................................................

44.1
40.4
50.5
33.1
40. 3
40.8

42.1
39.6
50.2
39.8
38.8
41.5

57.0
48.7
23.0
32.2
36.1
41.7

59.3
49.7
23.6
34.4
38. 5
43.8

Total..................................... ................................................................

39.7

38.0

49.3

51.5

Manufacturing.............. .....................................................- ........... - ...........
Coal mining:
Anthracite. . -------------------- ----------- ------------------- -----------------Bituminous ---------------------------------------------------------------------------Quarrying and nonmetallic mining---------- --------------------------------Crude-petroleum producing----------------------- -------------------------------Public utilities:
Telephone and telegraph------------------------------------------- --------Power and light---------------------------------------------------------------Electric-railroad and motor-bus operation and maintenance..
Trade:
Wholesale-------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------Canning and preserving.............................................................................

16487°—33------15


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

1234

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W

Per capita weekly earnings, computed by multiplying the average
man-hours worked per week by the average hourly earnings shown in
the following table, are not identical with the per capita weekly
earnings appearing elsewhere in this trend-of-employment compila­
tion, which are obtained by dividing the total weekly earnings in all
establishments reporting by the total number of employees in those
establishments. As already noted, the basic information upon which
the average weekly man-hours and average hourly earnings are com­
puted covers approximately 50 percent of the establishments reporting
monthly employment data.
T able 2 .— A V E R A G E H O U R S W O R K E D P E R W E E K P E R E M P L O Y E E A N D A V E R A G E
H O U R L Y E A R N I N G S I N S E L E C T E D M A N U F A C T U R I N G IN D U S T R IE S , A U G U S T A N D
S E P T E M B E R 1933

Average hours per
week

Average hourly
earnings

Industry
August
1933
Food and kindred products:
Baking________________ ___________ _____ __ _ ________________
Beverages____________ . ________________
____________ _
Confectionery.., . . . ............................ ...
. ______________
F l o u r ...____________ ________________ __________ ______ ______
Icecream ___________ . . . _ ____________________ ____________
Sugar, beet____________________________________________________
Sugar refining, cane__________________________________________
Textiles and their products:
Fabrics:
Carpet sand rugs __________ ______________________________
Cotton goods_____________________________________________
Cotton small wares______ . ________________________ .
Dyeing and finishing textiles________________ __________
Knit goods________________________________________________
Silk and rayon goods______________ _____________________
Woolen and worsted goods___ ______ ______ ___________
Iron and steel and their products, not including machinery:
Bolts, nuts, washers, and rivets____________ _____ _______ . . . .
Cast-iron pipe______________________________ ___________ _____
Cutlery (not including silver and plated cutlery) and edge
tools____________ ____________________________________________
Forgings, iron and steel_______________ _____ ______________ ._
Hardware---------------------------- ----------- --- . _______________ _____
Iron and steel__________ ____________________ _____________ .
Plumbers’ supplies.. .
.. ... . .
______________ _______
Steam and hot-water heating apparatus and steam fittings.
Stoves__________
_________ ________
. __________________
Structural and ornamental metalwork..
___ __ . ________
Tin cans and other tinw are__________ _____ ____________
Tools (not including edge tools, machine tools, files, and
saws)_______________________ . ________________
W irew ork.. _ _ _ _ _ _ _____
. . . _.
Machinery, not including transportation equipment:
Agricultural implements______________________ _______ _______
Cash registers, adding machines, and calculating machines.
Electrical machinery, apparatus, and supplies______________
Engines, turbines, tractors, and water wheels_________
...
Foundry and machine-shop products________ _____________
Machine tools_______ __ . . . _______________________________
Radios and phonographs.. . . . . __________________________
Textile machinery and parts__________ _____________________
Typewriters and supplies. .
. . . _________________________ _
Nonferrous metals and their products:
Aluminum manufactures____ ________________________ ______
Brass, bronze, and copper products___________________ ______
Clocks and watches and time-recording devices______ ______
Jewelry________ __ . . _________ . . . . _____________ . . .
Lighting equipment___________________ _________ ____________
Silverware and platedware___________________________________
Smelting and refining— copper, lead, and zinc_________ _____
Stamped and enameled ware................................... ............. .........


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

Septem­
ber 1933

August
1933

Septem­
ber 1933

H ours
43 0
44.0
35.6
39 9
47.0
40 7
48.2
45.1

Hours
41.5
41.3
37.5
38 2
44.1
40 0
48.0
38.7

Cents
47.7
65.7
36.7
47 6
53.8
48 3
43.0
49.5

Cents
50 3
67.4
38.7
52.2
54.4
49. 8
43.9
52.3

36.3
36.5
37.5
38 8
37.4
36.8
41.0

37.1
35.8
37.0
35. 1
36.3
33.9
37.1

47.4
35.8
42.0
49 0
42.2
41.0
43.3

48.2
36.4
42.3
49. 5
44.8
42.7
48 7

36.3
33.4

35.0
28.4

46.7
41 8

48. 1
46.0

38.0
37.1
37.7
39 6
36.2
36.6
38.7
35.4
42.9

37.4
33.2
34.3
33.7
34.0
33.1
36.3
33.8
40.4

50.0
51 6
46.4
55.3
46.6
51.6
47.4
47.7
44.2

50.4
55.4
50.5
56.8
49. 5
54.2
51.2
51.7
46.4

37.2
45.0

35.4
36.8

48.6
49.6

50.9
52.3

35.1
38.3
35.2
34.7
33.6
34.3
35.6
37.1
3/. 8

34.4
38.6
33.4
34.6
33.5
35.1
33.8
36.6
37.1

47.8
66.6
56.8
56.4
55.4
57.9
46.1
58. 5
50.1

49.5
67.0
58.7
58.7
54.6
59.0
48.9
61.9
51.2

38.7
37.9
39.5
38.7
36.3
37.7
41.6
41.0

35.5
36.8
38.7
35.4
35.9
37.7
36.8
35.5

43.1
50. 7
40.7
42.4
49.4
48.4
48.8
40.9

46.1
52.0
44.8
49.1
50.6
49.9
50.1
45.5

1235

TREND OF EMPLOYMENT

T able 2 — A V E R A G E H O U R S W O R K E D P E R W E E K P E R E M P L O Y E E A N D A V E R A G E
H O U R L Y E A R N IN G S I N S E L E C T E D M A N U F A C T U R I N G IN D U S T R I E S , A U G U S T A N D
S E P T E M B E R 1933— Continued

Average hours per
week

Average hourly
earnings

Industry
August
1933

Transportation equipment:

Septem­
ber 1933

August
1933

Septem­
ber 1933

H ours
43.3
37.6
34.0
29.5
30. 5

H ours
39.0
33.3
32.3
29. 7
30.6

Cents
63.1
62. 7
53.3
58.7
61.3

Cents
66.5
65.3
57.4
60.4
64.2

44.5
39.5
38.7

43.5
37.9
37.7

55.6
62.5
38.2

56.2
63.1
42.1

39.7
43.0

34.7
37.1

37.6
33.6

43.0
41.6

35.6
36.0
37.0
33.5
40. 5
41.8

32.7
31.5
33.9
33.7
38.1
37.9

37.2
50.2
48.5
57.1
42.5
44.7

40.2
52.6
53. 6
57.0
44. 7
48.6

41.3
44.3

37.8
39.9

43.4
44.3

46.5
47.2

36.3
39.2

35.4
38.0

69.9
76.8

72.3
81.2

40.9
39.7
37.7
38.8
42.3
39.4
39.9
39.5
40.3

38.1
41.5
38.3
35.5
40.1
37.8
35.5
38.0
39.2

57.8
28.8
49.8
58.2
29.3
52.1
63.1
45.2
47.1

59.6
26.3
47.7
59.9
31.4
53.9
70.6
47.1
49.7

35.8
32.4

34.5
29.9

47.4
65.0

49.5
68.1

38.1
37.7

37.6
38.5

36.2
35.1

37.5
35.4

Railroad repair shops:

Lumber:
Stone, clay, and glass products:

Paper and printing:
Printing and publishing:
Chemicals and allied products:

Rubber products:
Rubber goods, other than boots, shoes, tires, and inner
Tobacco manufactures:

Employment in Building Construction in September 1933

M PLOYM ENT in the building-construction industry increased
4.5 percent in September as compared with August and pay
rolls increased 5.3 percent over the month interval.
The percents of change of employment and pay-roll totals in Septem­
ber as compared with August are based on returns made by 11,013
firms employing in September 90,730 workers in the various trades
in the building-construction industry and whose combined weekly
earnings during the pay period ending nearest September 15 were
$1,950,356. These reports cover building operations in various
localities in 34 States and the District of Columbia.

E


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

1236

MONTHLY LABOR R EV IEW

C O M P A R IS O N OF E M P L O Y M E N T A N D P A Y R O L L S I N T H E B U ILD IN G -C O N STR U C ­
T IO N I N D U S T R Y IN I D E N T I C A L F IR M S , A U G U S T A N D S E P T E M B E R 1933

Locality

Alabama: Birmingham_____________
California:
Los Angeles 1 ___ . . . ________
San Francisco-Oakland 1___ __
Other reporting localities 1______
Colorado: Denver__________ ______ Connecticut:
Bridgeport______________________
Hartford________ ______________
New Haven____________ ________
Delaware: Wilmington_____________
District of Columbia________________
Florida:
Jacksonville___________________ M iam i ____________ ___________
Georgia: Atlanta_____________
Illinois:
Chicago 1 _______________________
Other reporting localities L ----Indiana:
Evansville______________________
Fort W ayne_____________________
Indianapolis
_______________
South B end.................................... Iowa: Des Moines__________________
Kansas: W ichita____________________
Kentucky: Louisville ______ _____
Louisiana: New Orleans____ _____
Maine: P o rtla n d .._ . _____________
Maryland: Baltimore 1_____________
Massachusetts: All reporting localities 1______________________________
Michigan:
Detroit__________________________
Flint______________________ ______
Grand Rapids__________________
Minnesota:
Duluth
__________________ .
Minneapolis _______________ __
St. Paul. _______________________
Missouri:
Kansas C it y 3 . . . ____________
St. Louis________________________
Nebraska: Omaha.. _______________
New York:
New York City 1_______________
Other reporting localities 1______
North Carolina: Charlotte.................
Ohio:
Akron___________________________
Cincinnati *_____________________
Cleveland_______________________
D ayton__________________________
Youngstown______ ______________
Oklahoma:
Oklahoma C ity_________________
Tulsa____________________________
Oregon: Portland___________________
Pennsylvania: 3
Erie area 1_________________ _____
Philadelphia area 1....... ............. ..
Pittsburgh area 1________________
Reading-Lebanon area L ______
Scranton area 1____________ _____
Other reporting areas 1__________
Rhode Island: Providence__________
Tennessee:
Chattanooga__________________
Knoxville. ___________ _______
M em phis________________ _______
Nashville_______ ______ _________
Texas:
Dallas________________ __________
El Paso______ _____ ______________
Houston_________________________
San Antonio_______________ _____

N um ­ Number on pay roll
ber of
firms
report­
Sept. 15
Aug. 15
ing

Amount of pay roll

Aug. 15

Sept. 15

Percent
of
change

77

373

467

+ 2 5 .2

$5,539

$6,795

+ 2 2 .7

21
35
22
202

440
975
881
580

419
997
856
592

-4 .8
+ 2 .3
-2 .8
+ 2 .1

8,423
22, 721
16,160
11,473

8,066
23, 022
15,211
11,464

-4 .2
+ 1 .3
-5 .9
-.1

133
220
182
120
520

584
1,094
1,091
1,020
9,071

584
1,158
1,130
989
8, 659

0
+ 5 .9
+ 3 .6
-3 .0
-4 .5

11,882
22,871
24,632
18,871
258, 776

11,987
24,107
26, 799
19, 452
246,125

+ .9
+ 5 .4
+ 8 .8
+ 3 .1
- 4 .9

57
86
150

420
872
1,197

544
1,101
1,124

+ 2 9 .5
+ 2 6 .3
- 6 .1

6,897
13, 360
18, 248

9,155
17, 346
16,690

+ 3 2 .7
+ 2 9 .8
-8 .5

125
72

1,167
664

1,609
945

+ 3 7 .9
+ 4 2 .3

30,996
13, 846

50,600
15, 317

+ 6 3 .2
+ 1 0 .6

54
84
163
37
104
71
129
131
98
112

272
296
1,084
196
577
373
1,145
1,137
388
830

311
351
1,161
206
574
342
1,207
1,313
405
985

+ 1 4 .3
+ 1 8 .6
+ 7 .1
+ 5 .1
-.5
- 8 .3
+ 5 .4
+ 1 5 .5
+ 4 .4
+ 1 8 .7

4,033
4,697
21, 555
3,504
9,816
6,189
19,846
17, 773
8,003
14,082

4,367
5,947
22, 556
3,493
9,869
6,082
22, 658
20, 356
9,085
18,019

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

710

4,630

4, 643

+ .3

112,012

116,335

+ 3 .9

503
51
110

4,194
208
407

4,766
231
447

+ 1 3 .6
+ 11.1
+ 9 .8

83,495
3, 621
5, 579

93, 258
4,246
7,060

+ 11.7
+ 1 7 .3
+ 26.5

51
214
172

370
1,454
1,276

398
1,662
1,168

+ 7 .6
+ 1 4 .3
-8 .5

5,749
29, 271
26,331

5,840
34,436
25, 895

+ 1.6
+ 1 7 .6
- 1 .7

288
574
148

1,716
3, 279
883

1,691
3, 218
749

-1 .5
- 1 .9
- 1 5 .2

35,116
86, 770
17,013

35, 550
80,139
14, 560

+ 1.2
- 7 .6
- 1 4 .4

298
206
57

5,327
5,651
345

5, 251
5,799
372

-1 .4
+ 2 .6
+ 7 .8

161,870
132, 659
4,599

151, 986
133,948
5, 386

- 6 .1
+ 1.0
+ 1 7 .1

84
472
603
121
76

314
2,364
2,702
580
307

366
2,394
2,857
597
290

+ 1 6 .6
+ 1 .3
+ 5 .7
+ 2 .9
- 5 .5

5,130
53,081
66,117
10,455
5,082

6,206
55, 021
71,942
10, 776
4,708

+ 2 1 .0
+ 3 .7
+ 8 .8
+ 3 .1
-7 .4

89
53
181

462
179
1,005

515
210
1,121

+ 1 1 .5
+ 17.3
+ 1 1 .5

7,479
2,372
17, 782

7,821
3,056
22, 564

+ 4 .6
+ 2 8 .8
+ 2 6 .9

29
496
258
46
34
338
258

206
5,041
1, 931
238
231
2, 764
1, 561

355
5,692
1,954
252
231
3,022
1,682

+ 7 2 .3
+ 1 2 .9
+ 1.2
+ 5 .9
«
+ 9 .3
+ 7 .8

2,322
86, 833
42,585
3, 774
4,741
42, 793
33, 547

4,390
102,427
51, 896
4,136
5,120
51, 949
35, 579

+ 8 9 .1
+ 18.0
+ 2 1 .9
+ 9 .6
+ 8 .0
+ 2 1 .4
+ 6 .1

40
51
88
85

356
483
471
1,255

356
466
583
1,238

«
—3.5
+ 2 3 .8
-1 .4

5,029
6, 634
6, 578
16,505

5, 570
6, 725
9, 449
16,926

+ 1 0 .8
+ 1.4
+ 4 3 .6
+ 2 .6

186
29
169
122

1,164
156
1,057
755

983
194
1,147
729

- 1 5 .5
+ 2 4 .4
+ 8 .5
-3 .4

17, 035
1,529
15, 481
10,956

15, 378
2,129
18,069
9, 713

-9 .7
+ 3 9 .2
+ 16.7
- 1 1 .3

1 Data supplied by cooperating State bureau.
2 No change.
3 Includes both Kansas City, M o., and Kansas City, Kans.


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

Percent
of
change

* Includes Covington and Newport, K y .
s Each separate area includes Irom 2 to 8
counties.

TREND

OF

1237

EM PLOYM ENT

C O M P A R IS O N OF E M P L O Y M E N T A N D P A Y R O L L S I N T H E B U ILD IN G -C O N S T R U C ­
T IO N I N D U S T R Y I N I D E N T I C A L F IR M S , A U G U S T A N D S E P T E M B E R 1933— Contd.

Locality

Utah: Salt Lake C ity . .............. .......
Virginia:
N orfolk-Portsmouth____________
Richmond______________ - ____
Washington:
Seattle
----------------------------------Spokane. ----------------------- . . . . Tacoma.
------- ----------------------W est Virginia: Wheeling___________
Wisconsin: All reporting localities L
Total, all lo ca lities..___ _____

Amount of pay roll
N um ­ Number on pay roll
Percent
ber of
of
firms
change
report­
Sept. 15
Aug. 15
Aug. 15 Sept. 15
ing

Percent
of
change

85

385

408

+ 6 .0

6,894

8,317

+ 2 0 .6

92
146

1,041
991

1,082
1, 191

+ 3 .9
+ 2 0 .2

19, 608
18, 524

18, 877
23, 381

-3 .7
+ 2 6 .2

152
54
86
45
58

873
217
212
162
925

861
206
200
266
858

- 1 .4
- 5 .1
-5 .7
+ 6 4 .2
-7 .2

18,068
4, 009
3, 662
2,985
16, 331

17,081
4,314
3,403
5, 338
14, 888

+ 7 .6
- 7 .1
+ 7 8 .8
-8 .8

11,013

86,855

90,730

+ 4 .5

1, 852,199 1, 950, 356

+ 5 .3

- 5 .5

1 D ata supplied by cooperating State bureau.

Trend of Employment in September 1933, by States

N THE following table are shown the fluctuations in employment
and pay-roll totals in September 1933 as compared with August
1933, in certain industrial groups by States. These tabulations have
been prepared from data secured directly from reporting establish­
ments and from information supplied by cooperating State agencies.
The combined total of all groups does not include building-construc­
tion data, information concerning which is published elsewhere in a
separate tabulation by city and State totals. In addition to the com­
bined total of all groups, the trend of employment and pay rolls in
the manufacturing, public utility, hotel, wholesale trade, retail trade,
bituminous-coal mining, crude-petroleum producing, quarrying and
nonmetallic mining, metalliferous mining, laundry, and dyeing and
cleaning groups is presented. In this State compilation, the totals of
the telephone and telegraph, power and light, and electric-railroad
operation groups have been combined and are presented as one
group— public utilities. Due to the extreme seasonal fluctuations in
the canning and preserving industry, and the fact that during certain
months the activity in this industry in a number of States is negligible,
data for this industry are not presented separately. The number of
employees and the amount of weekly pay roll in August and September
1933 as reported by identical establishments in this industry are
included, however, in the combined total of “ all groups.”
The percents of change shown in the accompanying table, unless
otherwise noted, are unweighted percents of change; that is, the
industries included in the groups, and the groups comprising the
total of all groups, have not been weighted according to their relative
importance in the combined totals.
As the anthracite-mining industry is confined entirely to the State
of Pennsylvania, the changes reported in this industry in table 1,
nonmanufacturing industries, are the fluctuations in this industry by
State totals.
When the identity of any reporting company would be disclosed by
the publication of a State total for any industrial group, figures for
the group do not appear in the separate industrial-group tabulation,
but are included in the State totals for “ all groups.” Data are not
presented for any industrial group when the representation in the
State covers less than three establishments.

I


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

1238

M ONTHLY

LABOE

E E V IE W

C O M P A R IS O N O F E M P L O Y M E N T A N D P A Y R O L L S I N ID EN TIC AL
M E N T S I N A U G U S T A N D S E P T E M B E R 1933, B Y S T A T E S

E S T A B L IS H ­

[Figures in italics are not compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but are taken from reports issued
by cooperating State organizations]

Total, all groups

State

Manufacturing

N um ­
Num ­
N um ­ ber on
N um ­ ber on
Amount
Amount
ber of
Percent of pay roll Percent ber of
Percent of pay roll Percent
pay
pay
estab­
roll,
of
(1 week),
of
estab­
roll,
(1 week),
of
of
lish­
Sep­
change Septem­ change lish­
change Septem­ change
Sep­
ments tember
ber 1933
ments tember
ber 1933
1933
1933

505 64, 724
Alabama__________
A r iz o n a ..................
406
8,559
Arkansas_______ .
i 4SI
18,406
California_________ 2 1,915 295,404
Colorado__________
813 33, 545

- 0 .8
$846, 967
+ 7 .1
168, 247
+ 1 0 .0
269,666
+ 8 .0 6,572,335
+ 7 .8
672,271

- 6 .1
+ 6 .9
+ 1 4 .8
+ 8 .0
+ 9 .4

209 46,105
53
2,325
174 IS, 232
1,101 179,488
114 11,923

Connecticut______
Delaware_________
Dist. of Columbia.
Florida______ _____
Georgia___________

+ 1 2 .8
+ 5 .4
+ 9 .3
- 1 .3

3,356,964
236,122
707,608
386, 790
1,224,148

+ 5 .4
+ 5 .6
+ 3 .0
+ 1 8 .3
-2 .0

649 151,622
8,049
50
47
3,128
124 13, 200
301 77,042

+ 5 .0
+ 1 .2
+ 5 .2
+ 6 .6
-2 .2

221
Idaho........................
8, 722
Illinois...................... 3 1,752 347,538
Indiana.....................
1,278 146,059
Iowa..........................
1,179 49, 241
Kansas...... ............... * 1,333 66,545

+ 6 .1
166,802
+ 2 .8 7,081,200
+ 1 0 .6 2,674,536
+ 6 .6
901,922
+ 4 .1 1,538,636

+ 8 .6
+. 6
+ 6.1
+ 4.2
+ 1 2 .9

40
4,261
1,108 224,537
577 107,406
433 27, 584
445 28,320

+ 6 .4
+ 2 .7
+ 7 .1
+ 3 .7
+ 6 .9

Kentucky_________
818 69, 519
Louisiana.................
481 35,441
M aine. .....................
576 54,350
3 828 91,987
Maryland_____ __
Massachusetts____ « 8 ,045 386,678

+ 6 .0 1,150, 565
+ 6 .3
572, 312
+ 4 .9
933,081
+ 4 -1 1,864,205
+ 3 .2 8,058,900

+ 6 .0
+ 7.4
+ 4.0
+ 7 .8
+ 3 .7

Michigan_________
Minnesota..........
Mississippi_______
Missouri__________
Montana____ _____

1,603 311,449
1,023 71,140
362 11,002
1,207 120,465
354 10, 227

+ 3 .8
+ 5 .7
+ 6 .6
+ 1 .7
+ 1 .6

6, 693,563
1,413,152
147,586
2,425,317
246,738

Nebraska.................
Nevada___________
New Hampshire—
New Jersey_______
New Mexico______

699 24,236
137
1,665
503 42, 993
1,549 209,232
184
4,175

+ 7 .8
488, 273
+ 3 .6
39, 758
+ 1 .5
744, 524
+ 2 .7 4,461,138
- 1 8 .4
75, 764

New Y o rk _____ __
North Carolina___
North Dakota____
Ohio_________ _____
O k la h o m a ............

8,160 576, 676
899 140,406
334
4,134
5,053 456,169
725 29, 707

+ 5 .3 13,844,115
+ . 5 1,854,464
+ 3.4
85, 283
+ 3 . 3 8,965,065
+ 5.4
569, 243

Oregon____________
Pennsylvania.........
Rhode Island.........
South Carolina___
South Dakota____

701 40, 748
4,978 675, 689
911 62,981
316 59, 701
261
6,135

+ 2 6 .6
751,816
+ 6 .2 13, 613,738
- 4 . 7 1,207, 518
-.3
759,356
+ 3 .6
137,908

+ 2 1 .8
+ 6 .4
- 4 .5
+ .5
+ 1 .4

Tennessee_________
Texas_____________
Utah______________
Vermont____ _____
Virginia........ ...........

728
798
344
382
1,284

70,708
66,092
14,969
11,049
95,035

+ 1 .9 1, 069,803
+ 5 .3 1,447,801
+ 8 .2
281,995
208, 532
+. 5
+ 5 . 3 1,578,486

+ 3 .4
+ 5 .0
+ 10.1
+ 2 .1
+ 6 .4

Washington______
1,118 64, 760
W est Virginia____
867 113,868
Wisconsin________ 1 » 1,052 155,047
W yom ing_________
191
5,869

+ 1 4 .4 1,265,235
+ 6 .7 2,062,016
+ 3 .0 2,698,148
+ 4 .0
139, 274

+ 8 .7
-.1

1,105 172, 273
143 13,137
617 31,861
552 22, 983
650 91, 337

- 2 .5
$587, 664
+ 5 .1
42,999
+ 1 1 .6
174,656
3,
669,690
+ 1 2 .4
+ 2 .9
242,345

-8 .3
+ 3 .9
+ 1 3 .0
+ 1 4 -9
+ 7 .2

2,825, 046
156,445
94,727
191, 575
948, 309

+ 6 .0
+ 1 .3
+ 6 .3
+ 2 9 .7
-2 .6

81,183
2 ,0 i2,396
511,481
571,936

+ 5 .5
+ .9
+ 4 .0
+ 4 .4
+ 7 .7

196 28,796
209 21,493
184 44,129
449 6 6 , 1 4 6
1,134 203, 787

+ 6 .9
504, 574
+ 4 .4
316, 666
+ 1 .8
769,916
8 + 5 .5 1,295,289
+ 2 .6 3,863,123

+ 8 .9
+ 8 .8
+ 2 .7
8 + 9 .7
+ 3 .7

- 1 .8
+ 3 .2
+ 1 1 .9
+ 1 .6
-. 1

560 269,561
277 35,080
71
7,661
521 69,283
52
3,000

+ 3 .1 5,755,554
+12.1
669, 062
+ 8 .6
96, 562
1, 339, 699
+ (7)
+ 5 .7
63, 780

- 7 .1
+ 5 .8
+ 1 7 .7
+ .8
+ 1 .0

+ 4 .0
+ .1
-.7
+ 1 .1
- 4 .4

125 12,395
24
327
187 37, 573
8 673 186,905
21
232

+ 6 .1 8 1, 786 365,716
+ 1 .9
551 135,811
-4 .4
1,120
56
-1 .4
1,918 338,354
+ 3 .3
131 11,132

+ 6 .3

157 20, 332
1,735 394,732
262 50,651
176 56,398
2,132
48
260
384
84
118
407

53,163
38,510
4,708
6,294
68,059

254 32,259
177 45,154
778 124,199
29
1,346

+ 1 0 .3
+ 6 .9

4 , 2 4 5 , 164

249,143
7, 747
637,816
3,825,516
5,447

+ 1 .2

+ 5 .9 8,365,579
+ . 4 1,780,671
24,565
+ 2 .0 6, 596, 547
+ 4 .6
202, 635

+ 7 .8
+ 2 .0
+ .7
-2 .8
+ 4 .2

+ 8 .1
382, 599
+ 4 -6 6,915,881
- 6 .0
913, 598
-.8
706,971
+ 1 .2
39,102

+ 1 1 .8
+ .9
-6 .4
+ .2
+ 2 .4

+ 6 .1
+ 1 .3

+ 1 .5
+ 5 .0
+ 1 0 .0

+ 6 .1
-.3
- 1 .1

772, 656
788,963
91,848
117, 759
1,097, 777

+ 3 .2
+ 5 .8
+ 8 .3
+ .6
+ 9 .0

+ 8 .2
629, 685
+ 6 .9
853,978
<•+4-7 2,098, 629
+ 2 .0
35,460

+ 4 .9
+ 1 .0
<•+3.0
- 2 .0

+ 6 .2

1 Includes automobile dealers and garages, and sand, gravel, and building construction.
2 Includes banks, insurance, and office employment.
3 Includes building and contracting.
1 Includes transportation, financial institutions, restaurants, theaters, and building construction.
5 Weighted percent of change.
6 Includes construction, municipal, agricultural, and office employment, amusement and recreation,
professional, and transportation services.
! Less than one tenth of 1 percent.
8 Includes laundries.
8 Includes laundering and cleaning.
1» Includes construction but does not include hotels and restaurants.


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

TREND

OF

EM PLOYM ENT

1239

C O M P A R IS O N OE E M P L O Y M E N T A N D P A Y R O L L S IN ID EN TIC AL E S T A B L IS H M E N T S IN A U G U S T A N D S E P T E M B E R 1933, B Y S T A T E S — Continued
[Figures in italics are not compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but are taken from reports issued
by cooperating State organizations]

Wholesale trade

State

Retail trade

N um ­
N um ­
N um ­ ber on
N um ­ ber on
Amount
Amount
ber of
Percent of pay roll Percent ber of
pay
Percent of pay roll Percent
pay
estab­
roll,
(1 week),
of
of
of
estab­
roll,
(1 week),
of
lish­
Sep­
change Septem­ change lish­
change Septem­ change
Sep­
ments tember
ber 1933
ments tember
ber 1933
1933
1933

Alabama..................
Arizona___________
Arkansas--------------California_________
Colorado ------------

14
19
16
m
28

283
170
576
5,577
967

+ 7 .6
-.6
+2S.S
+ 2 .3
+ 1.4

$5, 718
4, 378
14,135
151,948
26, 351

+ 5 .4
- 1 .6
+ 2 5 .4
+ 2 .1
+ 1 .8

60
184
ISO

Connecticut-------Delaware------ --Dist. of Columbia.
Florida________ -Georgia.....................

57
8
28
49
31

1,402
117
387
788
457

+ 3 .1
+ 1.7
-.8
+ 5 .6
+ 6 .0

36,108
2, 331
11,159
17, 631
12, 768

+ 1 .8
- 2 .5
- 1 .7
+ 1 .8
+ 5 .3

Idaho ----------------Illinois------------------Indiana---------- --- Iowa- ------------------Kansas------------------

8
47
57
37
79

122
2,314
1, 163
1,183
2 ,0 1 4

+ 3 .4
+ 6 .8
+ 1.7
+ 2 .3
+ 2 .1

3, 216
64, 551
28, 244
28, 259
49,005

Kentucky------------Louisiana_________
M aine. -------------Maryland---------- Massachusetts------

19
29
19
32
706

416
737
471
739
15,228

+ 3 .2
+ .3
-.2
+ 1 .4
+ 3 .0

Michigan-------------Minnesota-----------Mississippi----- --Missouri--------------Montana_________

61
56
4
59
15

1,597
4, 366
65
4,811
257

Nebraska_________
Nevada
New Ham pshire..
New Jersey----------New Mexico_____

34
7
16
25
6

New York________
North Carolina----North Dakota____
Ohio. . --------------Oklahoma________

277

1,955
1,719
1,486
27,888
4, 597

+ 9 .3
+ 8 .1
+ 1 .3
+ 7 .1
+ 9 .3

$33, 493
29, 732
23,380
576,696
87, 679

+ 8 ,8
+ 6 .4
+ 2 .6
+ 5 .6
+ 6 .9

119
9
405
77
29

5,155
178
12,118
1,227
2, 200

+ 8 .2
+ 2 .3
+ 1 0 .7
+13.1
+ 8 .5

102, 280
2,803
239,173
21, 760
36,533

+ 6 .5
+ 4 .2
+ 9 .8
+ 1 1 .5
+ 7 .0

+ 1 .3
+ 8 .9
+ 1 .9
+ 1 .8
+ 6 .7

68
142
180
120
458

880
23, 795
6, 794
3,331
6,484

+ 8 .8
+ 2 .4
+ 1 2 .4
+ 3 .6
+ 7 .2

13,463
478,967
118, 783
57, 877
117, 727

+ 5 .7
+ ■4
+ 1 4 .4
+ 7 .9
+ 9 .2

8,834
16, 507
11,010
16, 714
394,548

+. 9
+ 3 .0
- 1 .8
+ 3 .2
+ 3 .2

28
23
67
39
4,188

1,490
3,394
1,005
6,638
64,843

+ 1 0 .5
25,122
+ 8 .5
52, 726
+ 5 .1
19,164
+ 1 1 .6
118, 635
+ 7 .3 1,275,704

+ 7 .8
+ 1 4 .4
+ 3 .1
+ 14-2
+ 7 .1

"h 6
+ 2 .5
(»)
+ 3 .5
+ 2 .0

42,883
112,808
1,309
121, 008
7,147

+ 1 .3
+ 2 .7
+ 2 .5
+ 4 .2
+ 1 .6

156
246
47
101
82

11,772
7, 574
466
9, 674
895

+ 17.1
+ 1 1 .7
+ 9 .6
+ 1 1 .7
+ 8 .7

215,888
136, 363
5, 050
184,817
18, 351

+ 1 3 .7
+ 14.7
+ 1 7 .3
+ 1 2 .8
+ 5 .1

962
106
184
636
84

+ 1 .7
+ 6 .0
+ 1 .1
+ 7 .3
+ 9 .1

24, 719
3,148
4,691
17,848
2,977

+ 2 .1
+ 4 .0
+ 1.1
+ 6 .8
+ 1 2 .6

157
39
72
408
49

1,824
256
945
7,908
267

+ 8 .4
+ 8 .2
+ 2 0 .0
-3 .6

32,904
5,975
14,178
172, 732
6,232

+ 1 0 .1
-.8
+ 1 3 .7
+ 1 9 .9
+ 2 .6

426
15
14
232
48

11,164
170
225
5,181
943

+ 2 .1
+ 3 .0
+ 5 .6
+2. 1
+ 10.8

332,291
3,450
6,005
126, 750
19,126

+ 2 .4
+ 3 .5
+. 5
+ 2 .1
+ 1 .1

4,101
158
10
1,573
88

74, 793
621
211
35,620
1,491

+ 1 6 .2
+ 8 .0
+ 1 8 .5
+ 8 .8
+ 1 0 .4

1, 577,199
13, 723
3,210
683,384
25,910

+ 1 7 .8
+ 7 .4
+ 2 4 .3
+ 9 .6
+ 1 1 .6

Oregon-----------------Pennsylvania____
Rhode Island____
South Carolina___
South Dakota____

53
124
43
13
10

1,304
3, 751
1,140
181
131

+ 2 .5
+ 2 .3
+ 1 .7
+ 5 .2
+ 4 .8

32, 750
98, 330
27, 050
4, 341
3,254

+ 1 .1
+ 5 .9
+ 4 .1
+ 1 .2

195
337
489
14
7

2,398
28, 028
4,865
497
84

+ 4 .5
+ 10.8
+ 3 .6
+ 6 .4
+ 5 .0

49,215
547,696
104,982
5,275
1,433

+ 1 1 .2
+ 11. 7
+ 4 .1
+25.4
- .5

Tennessee_________
Texas_____________
Utah______________
Vermont__________
Virginia__________

33
W
13
4
44

843
3,116
481
98
1,176

+ 8 .1
+ 4 -2
+ 4 .1
-6 .7
+ 1 4 .1

17,312
76, 824
11,362
2, 450
27, 038

+ 7 .3
+ 4 -9
+ 5 .3
- 3 .4
+ 6 .3

53
70
76
38
474

3,597
6,104
573
468
5,091

+ 8 .5
+ 6 .0
+ 2 .3
+ 5 .2
+ 5 .8

56, 701
107,418
12,918
7,202
96,070

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

Washington.. ___
W est Virginia____
Wisconsin________
W y o m i n g .______

90
28
46
8

2,301
638
2,017
64

+ 3 .8
+3 9
+ 4 .7
+ 3 .2

58.191
16, 705
43,536
1,763

+ 3 .6
+ 2 .3
-1 .1
+ 3 .5

368
52
51
38

6,909
906
10,289
230

+ 1 3 .2
+ 6 .1
+ 2 .2
+ 1 .3

129,687
15,516
149,613
5,230

+ 1 4 .6
+ 1 2 .1
+ 1 1 -4
+ 3 .6

ii No change.


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

124

1240

M ONTHLY

LABOR

R E V IE W

C O M P A R IS O N OF E M P L O Y M E N T A N D P A Y R O L L S I N ID EN TIC AL E S T A B L IS H ­
M E N T S I N A U G U S T A N D S E P T E M B E R 1933, B Y S T A T E S — Continued
[Figures in italics are not compiled b y the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but are taken from reports issued
b y cooperating State organizations]

Quarrying and nonmetallic mining

State

A labam a.............. .
Arizona...... ......... .
Arkansas. ______
California_________
Colorado.............. .
Connecticut______
Delaware_________
Dist. of Columbia
Florida___________
Georgia___________

Num ­
N um ­
N um ­ ber on
Amount
N um ­ ber on
Amount
ber of
Percent of pay roll Percent ber of
pay
Percent of pay roll Percent
pay
estab­
roll,
of
(1 week),
of
estab­
roll,
of
(1 weekl,
of
lish­
Sep­
change Septem­ change lish­
Sep­
change Septem­ change
ments tember
ber 1933
ments tember
ber 1933
1933
1933
17
3

596
64
375
1,147
35

-7 2
+ 1 8 .5
+3. £
+ 9 .3
- 1 0 .3

$5,547
805
4.794
20,860
585

—11 2
+ 12.4
+14. a
+ 5 .1
-.5

a

406
62

+ 2 4 .5
+ 4 0 .9

6,173
827

+ 5 .0
+ 7 3 .7

16
24

841
1,113

+ 17.5
-4 .6

9. 661
10,109

+ 3 .4
- 1 2 .8

26
63
29

938
1,604
553
1,370

-7 ,2
+ 5 .0
+ 2 2 .9
+ 1 2 .5

15,894
25, 688
7. 258
22,97 4

—3.7
+ 1 2 .2
+13. 4
- 4 .5
-5 . 5
+ 6 .5
+ 56.9
- 1 .1
- 4 .1

£

38
4
26

I d a h o .....................
Illinois......................
Indiana__________ _
I o w a ...____ ______
Kansas...................

H

Kentucky_________
Louisiana.................
M aine____________
M aryland_____ __
Massachusetts____

35
13
10
15
24

955
720
249
281
517

- 1 2 .5
+7. 6
+ 4 1 .5
- 8 .8
- 4 .8

9,896
9,536
5,220
3, 652
10, 853

Michigan_________
Minnesota________
Mississippi ______
M issouri.................
M ontana. _______

48

9

1,588
265
130
1,139
142

+ 4 .9
+ 6 .4
+ 41.3
- 7 .4
- 1 0 .1

26. 544
+ 5 .1
4,052
-1 1 .1
1,720 +119. 7
15,825
- 6 .6
2,185
- 1 1 .8

11

244

+22. 6

3,009

+ 2 0 .6

11
39

103
681

+ 18.4
+ 7 .4

2.153
11,658

+5. 5
+ 4 .4

78
12

2,158
211

-2 .2
-2 .7

38, 642
1,953

- 1 0 .9
-9 . 2

132
18

3,786
204

+ 1 .8
+ 7 .9

55,471
1,593

+ .8
+ 8 .9

Oregon____________
Pennsylvania_____
Rhode Island.........
South Carolina___
South Dakota____

3
158

31
6,114

+ 1 0 .7
-.2

453
81, 332

+3 0
- 1 3 .1

4
8

104
64

- 1 .0
+ 3 0 .6

1,165
876

+ 2 0 .6
+ 6 .1

Tennessee_________
Texas.......................
Utah______________
Vermont..................
Virginia____ _____ _

24
n
3
38
28

1,210
690
70
2,211
1,448

- 4 .8
+ 1 9 .6
- 1 2 .5
+ 4 .5
- 3 .5

14,131
12, 189
1,001
42, 051
14,539

- 1 0 .9
+ 8 .8
+16. 7
+9. 1
- 6 .4

Washington______
W est Virginia____
Wisconsin________
W yom ing_________

16
25
14

191
929
171

-9 .9
+ 1 0 .2
-1 6 .8

2,991
12, 722
2, + 8

-3 .5
—1.5
-1 4 -6

N e b r a s k a ..............
Nevada___________
New H am pshire..
New Jersey_______
New Mexico______
New Y o rk_______
North Carolina___
North Dakota____
O h io ........................
O k la h o m a .............

Metalliferous mining

IS

7
48

15 N ot available.


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

9
18

1. 623
1,943

+ 9 .8
+10. 6

$25.937
42.633

+8. 7
+ 1 8 .2

34
17

2,778
1,073

+ 5 .5
+ 1 2 .9

64, 851
24,950

+ 8 .5
+ 8 .2

7

2,013

+ 1 .6

46, 635

+21.1

A

17,370

+ 1 0 .5

992

u

(.5)

+14-

34
25

3.028
1.316

+
1
+ 3 6 .0

43. 516
26,620

+ 6 .1
+ 5 9 .8

15
17

Ï. 734
2,302

+2 2
+6. 1

21.558
64,884

+ 9 .9
+ 6 .1

H

342

+ 4 .3

8.080

3
5

9
941

-1 8 2
-2 3

225
17,292

32

1,687

+ 1 .5

21,895

- 1 0 .1

6

58

- 1 3 .4

1,005

- 9 .8

4

300

+ 1 3 .2

5,623

+ 1 4 .5

12

2,026

+ 1 .4

37,113

+ 7 .7

359

+ 6 .8

6.819

+ 2 0 .0

+ 4. 7

TREND

OP

EM PLOYM ENT

1241

C O M P A R IS O N OF E M P L O Y M E N T A N D P A Y R O L L S I N ID EN TIC AL E S T A B L IS H ­
M E N T S I N A U G U S T A N D S E P T E M B E R 1933, B Y S T A T E S — Continued
[Figures in italics are not compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but are taken from reports issued
by cooperating State organizations]

Bituminous-coal mining

State

Crude-petroleum producing

N um ­
N um ­
N um ­ ber on
N um ­ ber on
Amount
Amount
ber of
Percent
of
pay
roll
Percent
ber
of
Percent of pay roll Percent
pay
pay
estab­
roll,
of
(1 week),
of
(1 week),
roll,
of
estab­
of
lish­
Sep­
change Septem­ change lish­
Sep­
change Septem­ change
ments tember
ber 1933
ments tember
ber 1933
1933
1933

56

10, 229

+ 2 .7

$127,681

- 5 .2

3

86

-2 9 .5

2',752

-2 3 .5

50

4, 564

+ 2 5 .4

77, 266

+ 5 7 .0

Kansas____________

36
53
20
21

7,550
5,836
1,253
1,146

+ 1 7 .9
+ 2 .7
+ 11. 2
-3 .4

126,316
102, 548
15, 290
16,631

+ W .1
+• 7
- 2 9 .2
+ 6 .0

Kentucky_________

156

26,908

+ 5 .0

393,829

+ 5 .4

16

1,32 k

+ 3 .4

17,109

-1 1 .1

Montana__________

21
10

1,655
'713

+ 3 .0
+ 1 1 .9

21, 360
19,296

New Mexico...........

14

1,338

- 4 2 .6

22,109

Arkansas__________

9
39

444
7,059

+ 7 .2
+ 8 .8

$9,642
203,443

+ 1 0 .1
+ 6 .0

7
3

138
18

-.7
+ 1 2 .5

2,430
168

- 2 .9
+ 4 1 .2

26

1,233

+ 5 .3

26,933

+ .1

5
9

228
200

- 1 .3
+ 35.1

2,687
4,027

-6 .7
+ 1 8 .9

+ 1 5 .9
-2 .5

3

26

+ 4 .0

577

- 1 7 .5

- 1 4 .1

4

52

+ 2 0 .9

1,495

+ 1 6 .5

4

154

+ 1 9 .4

3,229

+ 1 9 .9

Connecticut______
Dist. of Columbia.
Florida____ _______

Illinois......................
Indiana___________

Ohio . . _________
Oklahoma________

9
85
19

468
13, 246
739

+ 7 .8
+ 4 .5
+ 2 .4

9, 485
198,096
13, 375

+ 3 4 .4
- 1 3 .8
+ 9 .3

5
61

66
5, 014

+ 2 2 .2
+ 9 .6

661
117,450

+ 1 6 .2
+ 7 .3

Pennsylvania_____

454

66,921

+ 3 .7

1,006, 652

+ 5 .5

17

378

+ 1 3 .5

8,120

+ 5 .7

Texas_____________

20
5
19

2,892
348
1,672

-.7
+ 1 .8
+ 1 8 .8

39,169
7,218
41,287

+5. 7
+ 1 6 .7
+ 3 9 .0

3

8,386

+ 8 .3

268,977

+ 4 -3

36

7, 976

- 4 .7

122,825

- 1 0 .6

W est Virginia-------

10
346

355
57, 108

-2 . 2
+ 6 .5

7, 259
966; 848

- 1 7 .7
- 1 .8

6

299

- 7 .4

6,901

-1 0 .0

W yom in g...............

33

3,241

+ 5 .0

75, 670

+ 1 0 .9

5

151

+ 3 8 .5

3,633

+ 51.1


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

1242

M ONTHLY

LABOR

R E V IE W

C O M P A R IS O N OF E M P L O Y M E N T A N D P A Y R O L L S I N ID EN TIC AL E S T A B L IS H ­
M E N T S I N A U G U S T A N D S E P T E M B E R 1933, B Y S T A T E S — Continued
[Figures in italics are not compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics but are taken from reports issued by
cooperating State organizations]

Hotels

Public utilities

State

N um ­
N um ­
N u m ­ ber on
Amount
Amount
N um ­ ber on
pay
Percent of pay roll Percent
ber of
Percent of pay roll Percent ber of
pay
of
(1
week),
of
of
estab­
roll,
(1 week),
of
estab­
roll,
change Septem­ change
Sep­
change Septem­ change lish­
lish­
Sep­
tember
ments
ber 1933
ber 1933
ments tember
1933
1933

Alabama____ _____
Arizona,..................
Arkansas____ _____
California................
Colorado__________

88
67
62
4S
196

1,644
1,304
1,706
4i, m
5,254

+ 1 .0
+ 6 .2
+ 8 .8
- .5
- .3

$31,894
30, 737
4 1 , 016
1,115,251
130,330

- 2 .0
+ .2
+ 5 .0
-3 .4
-.9

24
18
12
183
59

1,059
391
558
9,183
1,309

+ 2 .7
+ 8 .3
+ 1 0 .7
+ 2 .3
- 2 .5

138,992
16,927

+ 6 .8
+ 4 .9
+ 8 .1
+ 5 .8
-1 .3

Connecticut______
Delaware _______
D ist. of Columbia.
Florida____________
Georgia___________

135
28
22
185
186

9,343
1,058
8,337
4,705
6,342

+ .6
-1 .4
+ 1.2
+ 1 7 .9
+ 1 .5

284,634
29,030
220,087
112, 010
164,965

+. 5
- 2.6
- 4.5
+ 11.5
- 2 .1

31
5
49
55
27

1,174
243
3,867
953
1,088

+ 3 .5
-1 .6
+ 3 .6
-.3
- 1 .5

14, 715
3, 209
53,021
8,981
8,303

+ 1.6
+ .5
+ 4 .2
+ 2 .2
+ .6

Idaho_____________
Illin o is ...................
Indiana___________
Iowa........................
Kansas......................

56
80
132
421
1J,3

689
67,942
9,078
9, 210
7,277

+ .3
+ .9
+ 3 .4
+ 2 .2
+ 2 .3

13, 257
1,822, 630
212,367
198, 740
166,037

- 3.1
- 2 .2
+ 2.4
- 1.1
+ 8 .4

21
42 51
85
67
32

359
11,909
3,151
2,248
658

+ 9 .8
+ 0 .8
+ 4 .1
+ 5 .8
+ 1 .2

3, 945
175,669
31, 363
20,825
6,759

+ 7 .0
+ 3 .7
+ 5 .4
+ 7 .0
+ 4 -6

293
Kentucky_________
151
Louisiana_________
168
M aine......... .............
Maryland_________
H
Massachusetts____ 431S1

6, 274
5, 443
2,370
12, 4 01
45,521

+ 2 .7
138, 201
+ 1.5
131, 453
+ 3 .7
61, 720
+ 1 .0
345,841
+ 1 .5 1,277,277

-.9
+ .5

+• 8
+ 7 .0
+ 2 .6

36
22
35
24
92

1,780
1,812
1, 725
1,132
5,137

+ 4 .2
+ 2 .1
-.1
+ 5 .9
+ 1 .5

17,492
18, 740
20, 650
is, 4 0 4
69,001

+ 2 .8
+ 3 .9
+ 1.3
+ 5 .6
+ 4 -0

M ichigan................
Minnesota________
Mississippi_______
Missouri__________
Montana..................

412
226
190
204
101

20, 278
12, 523
1,644
19,132
1,793

+ .7
+ 3 .5
+ 3 .5
+ .5
-1 .3

572, 421
304,453
31,470
477,063
51,222

+ 2 .2
- .2
-1 .8
- 2 .1
- 2 .1

104
76
16
92
25

4,850
3,095
446
4, 360
405

+ 1 .5
+ 3 .5
- 1 0 .6
-.2
-3 .6

52,255
35, 614
3,186
49,702
5,450

+ 3 .8
+ 6 .2
-7 .7
+ 1.0
- 1 .4

Nebraska.................
Nevada___________
New H am pshire..
New Jersey_______
New Mexico______

299
37
140
265
49

5, 617
365
2,080
21,195
602

+ 1 .5
+ .3
+ .4
+ .5
+ 4 .5

133, 004
9, 932
55, 230
591,279
10, 787

-2 .3
- 1 .4
-2 .5
- 6
-.3

42
13
25
86
15

1, 343
194
1,353
5,484
358

+ 7 .2
+ 7 .2
+ 2 0 .3
-6 .0
+ 6 .5

12,906
3,227
14, 714
58, 945
3, 653

+ 7 .9
+ 2 .1
+ 1 3 .7
- 6 .9
+ 3 .5

N ew York________
North Carolina.
North Dakota____
Ohio______________
Oklahoma________

874
87
171
489
244

96,252
1,534
1,219
31,318
5,836

+ .2
+ 3 .4
+ 3 .7
+ 2 .9

2, 914, 929
31,228
28, 335
791, 381
124, 996

-.3
-1 .7
+ .9
-1 .4
- .4

271
35
25
150
50

30,983
1,121
404
8,546
1,153

+ 3 .7
+ 1 .2
+ 1.3
+ .9
+ 5 .6

451,454
9, 346
4, 015
98, 599
11, 283

+ 4 .5
+• 7
+ 2 .9
+ 3 .2
+ 5 .7

Oregon____________
Pennsylvania_____
Rhode Island.........
South Carolina___
South Dakota____

183
695
42
70
129

5,507
45, 550
3, 258
1,650
990

+ 2 .3
+ .9
-2 .4
+ 1 0 .0
+ 5 .5

134, 698
1,208,430
90, 540
31,881
23,699

- 5
-1 .4
- 2 .7
+ (7)
+ 3 .2

61
178
21
12
18

1,223
9,335
572
214
301

+ 5 .7
+ .4
+ 3 .4
+ 2 .9
+ .7

14, 735
111,041
6, 407
1,405
3, 572

+ 6 .8
+ 3 .0
-3 .0
+ 4 .8
+ 2 .7

Tennessee............ .
Texas....................
U t a h ____________
Vermont__________
Virginia___________

244
134
68
122
179

4, 251
6,175
1,870
1,051
5,713

+ 1 .8
+ 1 .1
+ 4.1
+ 6 .9
+ 1 .5

95, 334
158,028
37, 374
25,185
135,343

+ 1 .8
+• 4
- 2.8
+ 3.0

36
U
12
24
33

2,128
3,111
476
564
1,848

+ 1.0
+ 5 .7
+ 7 .2
- 1 5 .4
+ 4 .7

17, 776
36,402
5, 683
5, 472
19, 374

+ 1 .4
+ 6 .1
+ 2 .9
- 1 8 .1
+ 5 .7

Washington______
W est Virginia____

198
120
14 41
48

9,471
6,098
10,637
'449

+. 8
+ 9 .3
+ 2 .4
+ 3 .7

244, 979
146, 488
288, 752
9,943

- 3.9
+ 3.4

81
36
42 43
9

2,476
1,037
1,340
90

+ 2 .7
(“ )
-.7
+ 2 .3

27, 377
10, 775

+ 3 .6
+ .6

1,164

+ 2 .5

W y o m in g ..............

2 Less than one tenth of 1 percent.
41 No change.
12 Includes restaurants.
13 Includes steam railroads.
14 Includes railways and express.
15 Not available.


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

+ .4

+ .9

- 3 .7

$8,459
5,218
4 ,4 8 8

( 15)

TREND

OF

1243

EM PLOYM ENT

C O M P A R IS O N OP E M P L O Y M E N T A N D P A Y R O L L S I N ID EN T IC AL E S T A B L IS H ­
M E N T S I N A U G U S T A N D S E P T E M B E R 1933, B Y S T A T E S — Continued
[Figures in italics are not compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but are taken from reports issued
by cooperating State organizations]

Dyeing and cleaning

Laundries

State

N um N um Amount
N um - ber on
Num - ber on
Amount
Percent of pay roll Percent
pay
ber of
Percent of pay roll Percent ber of
pay
of
of
(1 week).
of
roll,
(1 week),
estabof
estabroll,
change Septem- change
Sepchange Septem- change lishlishSepber 1933
ments tember
ber 1933
ments tember
1933
1933

427
372
S88
5,424
'744

- 4 .0
+ 2 .2
—2.8
+ 1 .1
+ .8

$3,839
5,090
8,551
95,497
IO! 618

+ 9 .0
+ 8 .0
-4 .8
+ 2 .4
4-3.3

984
313

+ 2 .1
— 1.6
+ 2 .4
+ 6 .8
-1 .2

15,859
5,176
38, 676
4,825
6,343

+ 4 .5
+ 3 .7
4-5.8
+ 1 0 .8
+ 4 .4

-4 .2
-.8
-1 .3

+3.5

27,006
19; 271
3, 256
10,918

- 4 .5
+ 3 .7
+ 4 .1
+ 1 1 .4

+ 1 .8
-.9
—.2
+ 2 .2
— 1.2

9,974
952
6,251
29,224
69,828

+ 1 0 .3
+ 1 5 .0
+ 1 .2
+ 6 .2
+■1

329

+ 2 .1
+ 6 .3
+6. 6
+ 2.3
- 1.2

18,898
11,044
2, 740
32, 366
5,423

+ 1 0 .5
+ 9 .1
+ 1 2 .6
+ 7 .9
-C )

7
3
12
26
4

534
38
249
3, 228
20fl

- 4. 8
+ 2.7
—7.8
+ 1.7
+ 8 -3

7,620
667
3,884
61,885
3,078

7, 367
525
194
4,197
715

+ 3 .2
+ 1.4
+ 2 .1

Ohio______________
Oklahoma...............

70
9
10
77
9

Pennsylvania_____
Rhode Island_____

40
19

Tennessee________

12
23
7
3

Alabam a............. ..

4
10

lß

1Ô67

+ 5 .9

3,441

+ 7 .5

+ 4 .2

4, 324

+ 1 0 .1

5
7
3

135
52
91

4-4.7
-5 .5
+ 8 .3

2,358
859
1,053

+ 3 .6
+ 4 .1
+ 8 ,4

12
7

212
286

+ 5 .5
+ 2 .1

3, 551
4, 667

+14. 3
+ 7 .3

4
3

156
57

+ 3 .3
-6 .6

2,427
680

+ 8 .0
+ 1 4 .7

10
77

895
1,928

-2 .0
+ 1 2 .4

5,897
85,916

+ 4 -S
+ 2 2 .4

16
9

594
418

+ 3 .7
+ 8 .9

11,052
7,174

- 1 6 .8
+ 1 3 .3

14
3

498
22

+ 7 .1
+ 4 .8

8, 879
494

+ 1 5 .6
+ 9 .1

-.2
- 2 .3
-5 .5
+ 5 .1
+ 7 .2

3

100

+ 1 9 .0

1,668

+ 2 6 .7

7

222

+ 2 .8

5,553

+ 8 .9

+ 7 .6
+ 8 .6
+1. C
4-5. 5
+ 7 .3

13
3

451
66

-2 .2
+ 4 .8

8, 732
813

44
3

1,683
78

+ 1 .8

+ 6.1

124,155
5, 386
2, 79£
61, 599
9,145

29,920
970

+ 8 .8
-j-3.4

2,887
1,166
43?
128

+ 2.3
— 13 fi
(H) *

44,452
19,810
4 185
1, 743

+ 5 .0
+ 5 .3
+25. 4
+ 2 .8

13
5

845
367

+ 1 3 .4
+ .3

14, 694
6,395

+ 4 4 .3
+ 5.4

888
1,351
489
40
837

+ 3.1
+ 5.2
- 2.6
+5 £
+ 1 1 .6

8,006
15,681
6 ,86i
462
10,041

+ 1 5 .5
+11. £
- .5
+ 1 1 .6
4-22.1

3
14
7

50
420
126

+ 2 8 .2
+ 4 .2
+ 2 .4

651
6,922
2,149

+ 2 9 .4
+ 1 .8
+ 1 1 .2

17

262

+ 7 .2

3, 525

+ 2 .8

20

489
710

+ 3 .2
+ 6 .7
+10. i
+ 3 .5

105
219

+ 1 0 .5
+ 7 .9

1,836
2, 926

+ 1 4 .1
+ 7 .8

98

8,816
9,026
18 2h
1, 605

10
9

6

+ .6
+ 1 .4
+ / ?
- 1 .0

16 27
17
5
16 40

1,954
1,388
228
879

Kentucky_________
Louisiana_________

15
3
17

773

M a r y la n d ..______
Massachusetts____

n
ns

Michigan ________
Minnesota _______

22
13
5
30
14

New Jersey_______
New York _______
North Carolina. _

7

Utah..........................

+ 5 .6

196

2 ,5 5 4

N eb ra sk a ________

$1, 304

198

24
4
20
10
11

Missouri__________
Montana__________

+ 7 .3

7

10

Connecticut______

Indiana....................
I o w a ...................... .

133

11

Colorado__________

Dist. of Columbia.
Florida___________
Georgia....................

3

Virginia....................

h

Washington______
W est Virginia.........

h

489
654

115
428
1,884
3,719
1,371
708
260
2 ,3 7 4

i Less than one tenth of 1 percent,
u N o change.
io Includes dyeing and cleaning.


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

(»)

+rc

+ 2 6 .2

1244

M ONTHLY

LABOR

R E V IE W

C O M P A R IS O N OF E M P L O Y M E N T A N D P A Y R O L L S I N ID EN TIC AL E S T A B L IS H ­
M E N T S I N A U G U S T A N D S E P T E M B E R 1933, B Y S T A T E S — Continued
[Figures in italics are not compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but are taken from reports issued
by cooperating State organizations]
Banks, brokerage, insurance, and real estate

State

Number
of estab­
lish­
ments

Number
on pay
roll, Sep­
tember
1933

Percent
of change

Amount of
pay roll (1
week), Sep­
tember 1933

Percent
of change

18
31
18
1,146
28

474
214
236
23, 652
1,077

+ 0 .2
00
+ 1 .3
-.1
-.3

$13, 548
5,628
5,642
768,550
35,104

+ 0 .9
-.9
+ 3 .1
—. 5
+ 1.1

56
17
41
18
25

1,856
573
1,335
564
1,019

- .2
-.7
+ .6
- 1 .1
+ 1 .8

66,287
19,771
48,407
17,339
29,455

+. 1
+• 6
—2 . 8

Kansas...................- - ................. ............... ......... .........

16
94
38
17
SI

140
10, 790
1,201
989
749

-2 .8
+ .2
-1 .0
- .2
+ 5 .8

3,404
361,704
39, 069
31, 304
23,189

- 1.0
- 1.4
- 1.3
- .6
+ 4-h

Kentucky------------------------------ -------------- -------------Louisiana.._____ ____________________ _______ ____
M aine. ________________ _______ ________ ________
M aryland_______________________________________
Massachusetts-------------------- --------------------------------

21
9
15
24
223

837
370
245
856
7,969

-.7
00
- 2 .0
-.5
- .7

30,127
13, 586
6,380
31,634
246, 704

+ 1 .4
+ 1 .8
- 1 3 .5
+ .7
+ .7

Michigan----- ----------- -------------------------------------------Minnesota-------- ----------- ------------------------ -------------Mississippi.------------- ------------ -------------- -------------Missouri_________________________________________
M ontana..................... .................. ..............................

96
53
16
86
21

3,979
3,330
181
4, 737
244

+ 1 .7
+ 1 0 .3
00
-.5
+ .8

120, 763
88,334
3,928
143, 395
6,900

-2 .5
+ 4 .1
+ 5 .1
+ 1 .2
-6 .4

Arkansas______________ ___________ _____ - .............
Colorado................. - ..................... ............. ...................
Connecticut_______________________________ _____
Dist. of Columbia-------------- -------------- -----------------Georgia.............................................................................
Idaho____________________________________________
Indiana____ _________ _________ ______ ______ _____

-.3

+ .2

Nebraska................................................ - .......................

17

504

+ 2 .6

17,267

+ .3

New Hampshire__________________ _______ - .........
New Jersey-------- ---------------- --------- ------------ - .........
New Mexico...................................................... ...........

38
108
16

471
12,439
86

+ .4
- .2
00

11,313
352,847
2,546

- 2 .1
+ (7)
+ .2

New York...... ......... ......................................................
North Carolina.......................... ........... .................. .
North D akota...............................................................
Ohio_________ ______ __________ _______ __________
Oklahoma---------------------------- -------------------------------

720
28
36
275
20

53,514
322
262
8,026
597

- .6
+ 1 .3
+ .8
- 2 .7
+ 2 .1

1,852,914
7,644
6,391
260, 750
17,503

-.3
+ 3 .9
- 1 .4
-.4
-1 .7

Oregon......... ........................... ..................... ...................
Pennsylvania__________________________ _____ ____
Rhode Island___________________ _______ ________
South Carolina______________ ________ __________
South Dakota.............................................. .................

14
805
28
11
32

757
25,189
925
110
244

-.3
+ .9
+• 4
+ 2 .8
-2 .4

25,999
790,904
38,124
3, 201
5,834

+ 1 5 .9
—. 5
+ 3.0
+ 3.6
- 1.5

Tennessee................................................................ .......
Texas......................... ............. ............................... .........
U t a h . .. .................................................... - ............... V e r m o n t ......................................... ......... ...................
Virginia------------------------------ --------------------------------

31
22
14
30
32

1,125
1,297
463
233
1,353

+ .6
- .2
+ .2
- 9 .7
+ 1 .7

38,348
37,352
16,388
6,726
43,612

4*. 4
+ 2.5
- 1.4
+ 2.2

W ashington....................... .............. ....................... .
W est Virginia____________ _____ ______ ______ ____
Wisconsin____________________________ ______ ____
W yom ing..................... .......... ................... ...................

33
46
17
11

1,425
690
921
99

+ 4 .9
+ 2 .4
+ 1 .3
00

44,024
19,547
31,108
3,015

+ 2.1
-j-i. 4
+. 2
+ 3.0

7 Less than one tenth of 1 percent,
h N o change.


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

+ .5

TREND

OF

1245

EM PLOYM ENT

Employment and Pay Rolls in September 1933 in Cities of Over
500,000 Population

N THE following table are presented the fluctuations in employ­
ment and pay-roll totals in September 1933 as compared with
August 1933 in 13 cities of the United States having a population of
500,000 or over. These changes are computed from reports received
from identical establishments in each of the months considered.
In addition to including reports received from establishments in the
several industrial groups regularly covered in the Bureau’s survey,
excluding building construction, reports have also been secured from
other establishments in these cities for inclusion in these totals.
Information concerning employment in building construction is not
available for all cities at this time and therefore has not been included.

I

F L U C T U A T IO N S I N E M P L O Y M E N T A N D P A Y R O L L S I N S E P T E M B E R 1933 A S C O M ­
P A R E D W I T H A U G U S T 1933

Cities

Number of
establish­
ments reporting
in both
months

Buffalo, N Y . ____________

5,191
1,830
827
514
810
1,129
515
568
3,077
418
1,164
435
456

Number on pay roll

August
1933

318,344
234,978
131, 236
180,929
67,901
96, 567
73, 224
51,346
92, 705
55,442
52,972
44,478
45, 513

September
1933

338,437
240, 708
139,180
189, 250
72,499
100,606
73,569
54,268
98,401
57,987
54,997
46,072
46,911

Per­
cent of
change

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

Amount of pay roll
(1 week)

August
1933

September
1933

$8,397, 766
5,538,992
2,898, 703
4,350,336
1,606,169
2,060, 997
1, 559, 851
1,012, 566
2,193,802
1,180, 539
1, 232,920
974,993
925,791

$9,013,332
5, 594,171
3,047, 543
4, 330,963
1, 708,222
2,086, 643
1, 573, 526
1,095, 225
2,330, 519
1, 219, 266
1,279,929
1,001,516
922, 549

Per­
cent of
change

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

Employment in the Executive Civil Service of the United States,
September 1933

The United States Government pay rolls for September 1933
showed 8,934 fewer employees than Government pay rolls for
September 1932. This is a decrease of 1.6 percent.
Comparing September 1933 with August 1933, there was an in­
crease of 10,017 employees or 1.8 percent.........................
The data herein do not include the legislative, judicial, or Army
and Navy services. The information as shown in table 1 was com­
piled by the various departments and offices of the United States
Government and sent to the United States Civil Service Commission
where it was assembled. The figures were tabulated by the Bureau of
Labor Statistics and are published in compliance with the direction of
Congress.
Table 1 shows the number of Federal employees inside the District
of Columbia, the number of employees outside of the District of
Columbia, and the total number for the entire Federal service.
Approximately 12 percent of the total number of workers on the
pay rolls of the United States Government are employed inside the
District of Columbia.

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

1246
T able

M ONTHLY

LABOR

R E V IE W

1.—E M P L O Y E E S

I N T H E E X E C U T I V E C IV IL S E R V IC E O F T H E U N I T E D S T A T E S
S E P T E M B E R 1932, A U G U S T A N D S E P T E M B E R 1933

District of Columbia
Item

Per­
ma­
nent

Number of employees:
September 19 3 2 ................
August 1933..... ............... ..
September 1933__________
Gain or loss:
September 1932-September 1933____ _____ ______
August 1933-September
1933____________________
Percent of change:
September 1932-September 1933________________
August 1933-September
1933____________________
Labor turnover, September
1933:
Additions. ................ .......
Separations____ _________
Turnover rate per 100____

Tem ­
po­
rary 1

64, 616
62, 681
63,258
-1 ,3 5 8

2,454
5, 034
6,482

Total

Outside the District

Per­
ma­
nent

Tem ­
po­
rary 1

67,070 470, 502
67, 715 456. 417
69, 740 453, 750

Total

Entire service

Per­
ma­
nent

Tem ­
po­
rary *

37, 718 508,220 535,118
32, 207 488,624 519, 098
42,866 496, 616 517, 008

40,172 575, 290
37, 241 556, 339
49, 348 566,356

+ 4 , 028 + 2 , 670 -1 6 , 752 +5,148 -11,604 -1 8 ,1 1 0 +9,176

+577 +1,448 +2,025

- 2 , 667 +10, 659 +7,992

Total

- 8 , 934

- 2 , 090 +12,107 +10,017

- 2 .1

+164.1

+ 4 .0

- 3 .6

+ 1 3 .6

-2 .3

- 3 .4

+ 22.8

- 1 .6

+ 0 .9

+ 2 8 .8

+ 3 .0

- 0 .6

+ 33.1

+ 1 .6

- 0 .4

+ 3 2 .5

+ 1 .8

3 1, 201
972
1.54

2,905
3 1,109
19. 26

3 4,106
3 2, 081
3.03

3, 787
6,454
0.83

23,172
12, 513
33. 34

26,959
18,967
3.85

4,988
7, 426
0.96

26, 077
13, 622
31.46

31, 065
21, 048
3. 75

1 N ot including field service of Post Office Department.
3 N ot including 348 employees, transferred from a temporary status in the National Industrial Recovery
Administration to a permanent status in the same agency.

Comparing September 1933 with September 1932, there was a
decrease of 2.1 percent in the number of permanent Federal employees
in the District of Columbia. However, comparing these 2 months,
the number of temporary employees increased 164.1 percent. This
large increase in temporary employees caused a net increase of 4
percent in the total number of Federal employees in the city of
Washington.
Comparing September 1933 with August 1933, there was an increase
of nine tenths of 1 percent in the number of permanent employees.
This increase was largely caused by a number of employees in the
N.R.A. being transferred from a temporary to a permanent status.
Outside the District of Columbia the number of permanent em­
ployees decreased 3.6 percent and the number of temporarv em­
ployees increased 13.6 percent, comparing September 1933 pay rolls
with those for September 1932.
Comparing September 1933 with August 1933, there was a decrease
of 0.4 percent in the number of permanent employees, an increase of
32.5 percent in the number of temporary employees, and an increase
of 1.8 percent in the number of total Federal employment.
Table 2 shows employment and pay rolls in the Emergency Con­
servation Work.
T able 2 .— E M P L O Y M E N T A N D P A Y R O L L S I N T H E E M E R G E N C Y C O N S E R V A T IO N
W O R K , A U G U S T A N D S E P T E M B E R 1933
Number

Pay rolls

Group
August

September

August

September

Enrolled personnel.................
Reserve officers, lin e .. . . .
Reserve officers, medical.
Supervisory and technical . . .

276,172
1,286
869
14,444

208, 402
2,902
986
14, 744

$8, 624, 859
0)
0)
1, 714, 705

$6,508,392
0)
0)
1, 754,485

Total _______________
---------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- ------------

292,771

227,034

310,339, 564

3 8,262,877

i Data not available,


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

3 N ot including pay rolls of Reserve officers, line or medical.

TREND

OF

1247

EM PLOYM ENT

In fo rm a tio n co n ce rn in g e m p lo y m e n t a n d a m o u n t o f p a y rolls in
the E m e rg e n cy C o n se rv a tio n W o r k is co lle cte d b y th e B u rea u o f
L a b o r S tatistics fro m the W a r D e p a r tm e n t a n d the F o re st S ervice o f
the D e p a rtm e n t o f A gricu ltu re.

There were 227,034 persons in the Emergency Conservation Work
on September 30, 1933. This is a decrease of 65,000 as compared
with August.
The pay of the enlisted personnel is $30 per month, except that
5 percent of the personnel of each company are paid $45 a month
and an additional 8 percent are paid $36 per month. The pay roll
for this branch of the service are figured on this basis. The amounts
paid to Reserve officers, line and medical, are not available at the
present time. Data for this branch of the service will be shown
beginning with the October figures.

Employment on Class I Steam Railroads in the United States

EPORTS of the Interstate Commerce Commission for class I
railroads show that the number of employees (exclusive of
executives and officials) increased from 1,002,177 on August 15, 1933,
to 1,018,017 on September 15, 1933, or 1.8 percent. Data are not
yet available concerning total compensation of employees for Sep­
tember 1933. The latest pay-roll information available shows an
increase from $115,936,195 in July to $121,857,255 in August, or
5.1 percent.
The monthly trend of employment from January 1923 to Septem­
ber 1933 on class I railroads— that is, all roads having operating
revenues of $1,000,000 or over—is shown by index numbers pub­
lished in the following table. These index numbers are constructed
from monthly reports of the Interstate Commerce Commission,
using the 12-month average for 1926 as 100.

R

T able i —I N D E X E S O F E M P L O Y M E N T O N CLASS I ST E A M R AILR O AD S I N T H E
U N I T E D S T A T E S , J A N U A R Y 1923 T O S E P T E M B E R 1933
[12-month average, 1926=100]

1932

1933

M onth

1923

1924

1925

1926

1927

1928

1929

1930

1931

January_______ ________
F ebruary_____________
March______ _________
A p ril.. _______________
M a y __________________
June... . . ____________
July_______________ _
August------------------------Septem ber___ ______

96.6
97.0
97.4
98.9
99.2
98.0
98.1
99.0
99.7
100. 8
99.0
96.0

95.6
95.4
95.2
96.6
97.8
98.6
99.4
99.7
99.9
100.7
99. 1
97.1

95.8
96.0
96.7
98.9
100.2
101.6
102.9
102.7
102.8
103. 4
101. 2
98.2

95.5
95.3
95.8
97.4
99.4
100.9
101.0
99.5
99.1
98.9
95. 7
91.9

89.3
89.0
89.9
91.7
94.5
95.9
95.6
95.7
95.3
95.3
92.9
89.7

88.2
88.9
90.1
92. 2
94.9
96.1
96.6
97.4
96.8
96.9
93.0
88.8

86.3
85.4
85.5
87.0
88.6
86.5
84.7
83.7
82.2
80.4
77.0
74.9

73.3
72.7
72.9
73.5
73.9
72.8
72.4
71.2
69.3
67.7
64. 5
62.6

61.2
60.3
60.5
60.0
59.7
57.8
56.4
55.0
55.8
57.0
55.9
54.8

53.0
52.7
51.5
51.8
52.5
53.6
55.4
156.8
57.7

December_____________

98.3
98.6
100.5
102.0
105.0
107.1
108.2
109.4
107.8
107. 3
105. 2
99.4

Average_________

104.1

98.3

97.9

100.0

97.5

92.9

93.3

83.5

70.6

57.9

3 53.9

1 Revised.


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

3 Average for 9 months.

1248

M ONTHLY

LABOR

R E V IE W

Table 2 shows the total number of employees by occupations on the
15th day each of July and August 1933 and by group totals on the 15th
of September 1933; also pay-roll totals for the entire months of July
and August. Total compensation for the month of September is not
yet available. Beginning in January 1933 the Interstate Commerce
Commission excluded reports of switching and terminal companies
from their monthly tabulations. The actual figures for the months
shown in the following table, therefore, are not comparable with the
totals published for the months prior to January 1933. The index
numbers of employment for class I railroads shown in table 1 have
been adjusted to allow for this revision and furnish a monthly indi­
cator of the trend of employment over the period from January 1923 to
the latest month available. In these tabulations data for the occupa­
tional group reported as “ executives, officials, and staff assistants”
are omitted.
T able 2 .— E M P L O Y M E N T A N D E A R N I N G S OF R A I L R O A D E M P L O Y E E S , J U L Y A N D
A U G U S T 1933
[From monthly reports of Interstate Commerce Commission. As data for only the more important occu­
pations are shown separately, the group totals are not the sum of the items under the respective groups.
Employment figures for September 1933 are available by group totals only at this time]

Number of employees at mid­
dle of month

Total earnings

Occupation
July
1933

Professional, clerical and general____ - ____________
Clerks____ _____ ________________________________
Stenographers and typists_____________________
Maintenance of way and structures........ ...................
Laborers, extra gang and work train__________
Laborers, track and roadway section__________
Maintenance of equipment and stores____________
Car m en............................................ ............... ...........
Electrical workers...................................... ...............
Machinists_____________________________________
Skilled trades helpers__________________________
Laborers (shops, engine houses, power plants,
and stores)________ ________ __________________
Common laborers (shops, engine houses, power
plants, and stores)__________ ________ ________
Transportation, other than train, engine, and
yard.............. ................... ........................... .......................
Station agents__________________________________
Telegraphers, telephoners, and towermen____
Truckers (stations, warehouses, and platforms).
Crossing and bridge flagmen and gatemen___
Transportation (yardmasters, switch tenders, and
hostlers)__________________________________________
Transportation, train and engine__________________
Road conductors_______________________________
Road brakemen and flagmen__________________
Yard brakemen and yard helpers...... ........... .
Road engineers and motormen________________
Road firemen and helpers....... ...............................
All employees______________________ ______ . . .

August
1933

Septem­
ber 1933

July 1933

August
1933

162,145
84,881
15, 288
210, 748
21, 473
114,834
263,156
53,851
7,980
37, 406
58,124

163,550
85, 853
15, 366
219, 055
23,835
118, 615
274, 397
57,003
8, 092
38,595
61,092

164, 074 $21,373,020 $22,086, 339
10, 607,607 11,048, 777
1, 786, 959
1,850,071
224, 876 15, 840,377 17,335,030
1,083, 656
1,313, 580
6,326, 246
6,984, 277
278,898 28,081,634 30,911,586
6, 542, 531
7, 234,396
1,042,150
1,110,818
4, 603, 292
5,147,086
5,146, 639
5, 794,029

20,189

20, 636

1,543,174

1, 606, 556

17, 826

18, 644

1, 036,331

1,167,174

125,126
24, 239
14,855
17,889
16,878

125, 351
24, 266
14,930
17,930
16,854

126, 592

13,860, 586
3, 344, 594
2,073, 327
1, 356,491
1,137,362

14, 206,931
3,444, 699
2, 087,436
1,413, 000
1,140,930

11,984
203, 451
22, 539
46, 873
34,463
27,139
30,141

12, 238
207, 586
22, 828
47, 492
35,989
27, 501
30,193

12, 286
211, 291

2, 045,155
34, 735,423
4,924,187
6, 630, 511
4, 682,421
6, 583,487
4, 755, 444

2,095, 668
35, 221, 701
4,974,790
6, 696, 554
4, 784, 238
6, 657,199
4,804, 518

976, 610 1,002,177 1,018, 017 115,936,195 121,857,255

Unemployment in Foreign Countries

HE table following gives detailed monthly statistics of unem­
ployment in foreign countries, as shown in official reports for
the years 1927 to 1932, inclusive, and by months beginning with
July 1932 to the latest available date.

T


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

TREND OF EMPLOYMENT
STA TE M E N T

OF

U N E M P L O YM E N T

IN

F O R E IG N

C O U N T R IE S

B e lg i u m

A u s tr ia

A u s t r a lia

1249

U n e m p lo y m e n t -in s u r a n c e societies
C o m p u lY e a r a n d d a te (e n d of
m o n th )

N um ber

1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932

_______________________
________ _________________
___________________
________________
_________________________
_______ ___________________

an ce, n u m ­
b er o f u n ­ W h o l l y u n e m p l o y e d
e m p lo y e d
in re ce ip t
o f b e n e fit
N um ber
P ercen t

e m p lo y e d

3 1 ,0 3 2
45, 669
47, 359
84, 767
1 1 7 ,8 6 6
120, 454

P ercent

7 .0
1 0 .8
11.1
1 9 .3
2 7 .4
2 9 .4

P a r t i a lly u n e m ­
p lo y e d

N um ber

P ercent

1 7 2 ,4 5 0
1 5 6 ,1 8 5
164, 509
208, 389
253, 368
309, 969

1 1 ,1 1 2
5, 386
8 ,4 6 2
2 3 ,2 5 0
7 9 ,1 8 6
1 6 1 ,4 6 8

1 .8
.9
1 .3
3 .6
1 0 .9
1 9 .0

23, 763
22, 293
18,831
5 0 ,9 1 8
1 2 1 ,8 9 0
175, 259

3 .9
3 .5
3 .0
7 .9
1 6 .9
2 0 .7

2 6 6 ,3 6 5
2 6 9 ,1 8 8
275, 840
297, 791
329, 707
3 6 7 ,8 2 9

16 9,41 1
167, 212
1 6 3 ,0 4 8
1 5 7 ,0 2 3
154, 657
1 7 1 ,0 2 8

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

1 7 4 ,6 4 6
170, 081
1 6 6 ,1 6 0
148, 812
144, 583
155, 669

2 0 .3
1 9 .9
1 8 .9
1 6 .8
1 6 .3
1 6 .9

3 9 7 ,9 2 0
4 0 1 ,3 2 1
379, 693
350, 552
320, 955
3 0 7 ,8 7 3
300, 762
291, 224
2 7 9 ,0 5 3

2 0 7 ,1 3 6
201, 305
195, 715
1 8 0 ,1 4 3
162, 781
145, 881
1 4 2 ,1 1 9

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

196, 237
185, 052
186, 942
187, 222
1 7 6 ,1 7 4
1 5 8 ,0 0 5
1 6 8 ,6 5 3

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

1932
J u ly

_______

0)
(>)
122, 340

2 9 .6

0)
(>)
1 1 5 ,0 4 2

28. 1

1933

1 0 9 ,1 8 2

2 6 .5

106, 652

2 5 .7

____________

J u ly

Y e a r a n d d a te (e n d o f
m o n th )

P ercent of
tra d e u n io n is ts
p lo y e d

N um ber
of u n e m ­
p lo y e d
o n liv e
register

T r a d e -u n io n in s u r ­
a n ce
fu n d s — u n ­
e m p l o y e d in re­
c e ip t o f b e n e fit

N um ber

1927
1928
1929
_
_______________________
1930
________ _______________
1931
- ___________________
19 32___________________ ___________
1932
J u l y _____________________________

D e c e m b e r ,.

___________________

D a n z ig ,
F ree C ity
of

C z e c h o s lo v a k ia

C anada

N um ber
of u n e m ­
p lo y e d

D enm ark

T r a d e -u n io n u n e m p 1 o y m e n t
f u n d s— u n e m p lo y e d

N um ber

P ercent

P ercent

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

5 2 ,8 6 9
38, 636
41, 630
105, 442
291, 332
554, 059

17, 626
16, 342
23, 763
52, 047
1 0 2 ,1 7 9
184, 555

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

12, 905
18, 291
2 4 ,8 9 8
33, 244

61, 705
50, 226
42, 817
39, 631
5 3 ,0 1 9
99, 508

2 2 .5
1 8 .5
1 5 .5
1 3 .7
1 7 .9
3 1 .7

2 1 .8
2 1 .4
2 0 .4
2 2 .0
2 2 .8
2 5 .5

453,
460,
486,
533,
608,
746,

294
952
935
616
809
311

167, 529
1 7 2 ,1 1 8
170, 772
1 7 3 .7 0 6
190, 779
2 3 9 ,9 5 9

1 2 .2
1 2 .5
1 2 .3
1 2 .4
1 3 .5
1 6 .9

2 9 ,1 9 5
28, 989
30, 469
3 1 ,8 0 6
35, 507
39, 042

92, 732
95, 770
9 6 ,0 7 6
101, 518
113, 273
1 3 8 ,3 3 5

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

872, 775
9 2 0 ,1 8 2
877, 955
797, 516
726, 629
675, 933
640, 360
6 2 5 ,8 3 6
2 622, 344

300, 210
305, 036
295, 297
264, 530
247, 687
2 3 6 ,0 0 7
2 2 2 6 ,2 4 3

2 0 .5
2 0 .7
2 0 .2
1 7 .9
1 6 .6
1 5 .8
1 5 .1

40, 726
3 9 ,8 4 3
38, 313
36, 205
33, 372
29, 622
28, 714
2 6 ,4 0 0
2 5 ,2 1 9

141, 354
1 3 9 ,3 3 1
116, 762
95, 619
84, 201
73, 565
74, 756
72, 559
2 7 4 ,1 3 9

4 3 .5
4 2 .8
3 5 .4
2 8 .9
2 5 .4
21. 9
2 1 .7
2 1 .4
2 2 .0

1933
2 5 .5
2 4 .3
2 5 .1
2 4 .5
2 3 .8
.2 1 .8
2 1 .2
19. 9
1 9 .8

i N o t r e p o r te d .
1 6 4 8 7 °— 33--------16


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

2 P r o v is io n a l fig u re .

1250

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
S T A T E M E N T O F U N E M P L O Y M E N T I N F O R E I G N C O U N T R IE S -C o n tin u e d

E s t o n ia

F in la n d

F ran ce

G erm an y

T r a d e -u n io n is t s
Y e a r a n d d a te (e n d of
m o n th )

N um ber
N um ber
u nem ­
N um ber
of u n em ­
p lo y e d re ­ o f u n e m ­
p lo y e d in
m a in in g
p lo y e d
r e c e ip t
o n liv e
registere d
o f b e n e fit
r egister

19 27____________________ ___________
19 28___________________________
19 29______________________________
1930________________________________
1 9 3 1 ______________________________
19 3 2 __________________ ______ _______

3 ,0 3 7
2, 629
3 ,1 8 1
3 ,0 5 4
3, 632
7 ,1 2 1

1932
J u l y ________________________________
A u g u s t - _ __ _______ _______
S e p t e m b e r _________________
O c to b e r _________________________
N o v e m b e r ...
_ .
D e c e m b e r . . . _______ __
_
1933
J a n u a r y ____ ______________ .
F e b r u a r y ___________ . .
M a r c h _____________
A p r i l _____________ .
M a y . . ____________________ _
J u n e ...
_____________________
J u l y ________________________________
A u g u s t ___________ _______ __
S e p te m b e r . _
_ ________ __

N um ber
of u n em ­
p lo y e d
r e g iste re d

P ercent
w h o lly
u nem ­
p lo y e d

P ercen t
p a r tia l ly
unem ­
p lo y e d

N u 'm b e r
unem ­
p lo y e d in
r e c e ip t o f
b e n e fit

1 ,8 6 8
1 ,7 3 5
3, 906
7 ,9 9 3
11, 522
17, 581

33, 549
4 ,9 9 3
905
2, 432
54, 587
264, 845

1, 353,
1, 353,
1, 678,
3 ,1 4 4 ,
4, 573,
5, 579,

000
000
824
910
218
858

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

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

1, 029, 694
1, 4 5 1 ,1 3 7
2 ,1 5 8 , 049
2, 757, 999
2, 535, 601

2 ,0 2 2
3, 256
5, 957
8, 901
1 0 ,7 1 5
13, 727

13,
16,
18,
19,
21,
20,

278
966
563
908
690
289

262, 642
264, 253
259, 237
247, 090
255, 411
2 7 7 ,1 0 9

5, 392, 248
5, 223, 810
5 ,1 0 2 , 750
5, 10 9 ,1 7 3
5, 355, 428
5, 7 7 2 ,8 5 2

4 3 .9
4 4 .0
4 3 .6
4 2 .9
43. 2
45. 1

2 3 .0
2 3 .2
22. 7
22. 6
22. 1
2 2 .7

2,
1,
1,
1,
1,
2,

16 ,5 1 1
15, 437
14, 512
1 1 ,6 8 0
4, 857
2, 822
1 ,5 6 8
2 ,0 4 6

2 3 ,1 7 8
20, 731
19, 083
17, 732
13, 082
11, 479
13, 437
15, 269

315, 364
330, 874
313, 518
309, 101
282, 545
256, 197
239, 449
235, 590
2 2 6 ,3 7 5

6, 013, 612
6, 000, 958
5, 598, 855
5, 331, 252
5, 038, 640
4, 856, 942
4 ,4 6 3 ,8 4 1
4, 1 2 4 ,2 8 8
3, 849, 222

46. 2
4 7 .4
52. 7
4 6 .3
4 4 .7
C1)
0)
2 6 .3

2 3 .7
2 4 .1
2 2 .2
22. 6
21. 6
(0
(>)
1 7 .1

Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Great
B r ita in

1 1 1 ,3 4 2
991, 985
849^ 768
720, 577
768', 602
073, 101

2, 372, 066
2, 455', 428
2 ,1 6 5 ! 891
1, 938, 910
1, 801, 930
1, 726, 676
1, 647, 155
1 ,5 3 0 ,4 5 2

Ir ish F r e e
S ta t e

H u n gary

C o m p u l s o r y in su r a n ce
Y ea r a n d d a te (e n d of
m o n th )

W h o lly u n em ­
p lo y e d

Number

19 27 19 28 .
19 29 .
19 3 0 .
19 31 .
19 32 .

899,
980,
994,
1 ,4 6 7 ,
2 ,1 2 9 ,
2, 272,

093
326
091
347
359
590

July_______
August____
September.
October___
November.
December. .
J a n u a r y ____
F e b r u a r y ._
M a r c h ______
A p r i l ________
M a y ________
J u n e ________
J u l y _________
A u g u s t _____
S e p te m b e r .

7 .4

N um ber

P er­
c en t

N um ber
o f p e rso n s
registere d
w it h e m ­
p lo y m e n t
e x ch a n g e s

1 6 .7
1 7 .6

4 .3
4 .6
4 .5

2 , 668 , 000

2 ,1 8 5 , 015
2, 215, 704
2, 279, 779
2, 295, 500
2, 3 2 8 ,9 2 0
2, 314, 528

1 7 .1
1 7 .4
1 7 .9
1 7 .9
18. 2
18. 1

735, 929
7 3 1 .1 0 4
645, 286
515, 405
5 2 0 .1 0 5
461, 274

2,
2,
2,
2,
2,
2,
2,
1,

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

532,
520,
611,
536,
497,
468,
506,
488,

4 2 2 ,8 0 8
3 9 4 ,1 0 6
310, 062
200, 397
128, 614
0 2 9 ,1 8 5
000, 923
970, 379

8.2
8.2
11.8

640
808
309
882
705
868
850
365

2 .3

2.6
2.2

Trade-unionists un­
Compul­
employed
sory in­
surance—
number
unem­
ployed
C h r is t ia n
Social
(B u d a ­
Demo­
p e st)

263, 077
3 0 9 ,9 0 3
268, 400
526, 604
5 8 7 ,4 9 4
573, 805

1 N o t r e p o r te d .


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

P er­
c en t

T e m p o ra ry sto p ­
pages

1 ,1 0 7 ,
1, 355,
1, 281,
2, 297,

000
000
000
000

c ratic

21,100

2, 757, 000

852
951
977
1 ,0 2 6

15,
21,
27,
29,

322
339
635
772

22, 721
20, 860
2 2 ,1 7 6
25, 230
3 62, 817

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

2, 811, 782
2, 8 5 9 ,8 2 8
2 ,8 5 8 , O il
2, 747, 006
2, 799, 806
2, 723, 287

940
947
1, 022
1,091
1 ,0 7 2
1 ,1 0 6

28,
28,
27,
28,
29,
30,

297
186
860
654
336
967

3 7 7 ,6 4 8
3 57, 081
3 80, 923
3 70, 067
3 102, 747
3 102, 619

4 .2
4 .1
4 .0
4 .2
3 .9
3. 7
4 .0
3 .8

2, 903, 065
2, 856, 638
2, 7 7 6 ,1 8 4
2, 697, 634
2, 582, 879
2, 4 3 8 ,1 0 8
2, 4 4 2 ,1 7 5
2 ,4 1 1 ,1 3 7
2, 336, 726

1 ,1 7 8
1, 210
1,1 3 1
1 ,0 8 0
1 ,1 0 4
1, 061
938

31,
30,
29,
28,
26,
26,
24,

431
955
771
521
778
209
881

3 95, 577
3 88, 747
3 82, 503
3 70, 039
3 65, 296
3 60, 578
3 56. 230
3 55, 590
3 5 8 ,9 3 7

R e g is t r a tio n area e x te n d e d .

TREND OF EMPLOYMENT
STA TE M E N T

OF

U N EM PL O YM E N T

Y e a r a n d d a te (e n d o f m o n t h )

IN

F O R E IG N

1251

C O U N T R I E S — C o n t in u e d

N e t h e r la n d s

It a ly

Japan

L a tv ia

N u m b er of u n em ­
p lo y e d re g iste re d

O ffic ia l e s t im a t e s ,
u n e m p lo y e d

P ercen t

N um ber
unem ­
p lo y e d
r e m a in ­
in g on
liv e reg ­
ister

2 6 ,8 6 8
2 2 ,0 0 9
2 7 ,7 7 5
4 1 ,2 8 1
87, 659
162, 638

9 .0
6 .9
7 .5
9 .7
18. 2
30. 1

W h o lly
unem ­
p lo y e d

P a r t ia lly
unem ­
p lo y e d

N um ber

U n e m p l o y m e n t in ­
su ra n c e so c ie tie s—
u n e m p lo y e d

N um ber

P ercen t

1927
1928
1929
_____________
1930___________________________________
1931___________________________________
1932__________________________ ______

278, 484
324, 422
3 0 0 ,7 8 7
425, 437
734, 454
1 ,0 0 6 ,4 4 2

97, 054
38; 457
1 6 ,1 5 4
23, 408
28, 721
33, 468

368, 465
413, 248
4 8 9 ,1 6 8

5 .2
5 .9
6 .9

3 ,1 3 1
4, 700
5 ,6 1 7
4 ,8 5 1
8, 709
14, 582

1932
J u l y ________ ______ ______ _____________
A u g u s t - ------------------------------S e p t e m b e r __________________________
O c to b e r ______________ ----------N ovem ber- .
-----D e c e m b e r ._
---------------------------

9 3 1 ,2 9 1
9 4 5 ,9 7 2
949, 408
956, 357
1 ,0 3 8 , 757
1 ,1 2 9 , 654

33, 218
33, 666
3 7 ,0 4 3
32, 556
3 6 ,3 4 9
37, 644

51 0,901
5 0 9 ,5 8 0
5 0 5 ,9 6 9
5 0 3 ,9 5 8
484, 213
463, 403

7 .2
7 .1
7 .0
7 .0
6 .7
6 .4

7 ,1 8 1
9, 650
8, 762
13, 806
17, 621
17, 247

123, 947
116, 524
1 2 6 ,5 1 0
12 8 ,9 6 1
142, 554
188, 252

2 4 .6
2 2 .9
2 4 .9
2 5 .2
2 7 .6
3 1 .5

1, 225, 470
1, 229, 387
1 ,0 8 1 ,5 3 6
1, 025, 754
1 ,0 0 0 ,1 2 8
883, 621
8 2 4 ,1 9 5
888, 560
907, 463

3 3 ,0 0 3
34, 506
2 9 ,1 2 9
5 1 ,8 7 1
4 5 ,1 8 3
38, 815
4 229, 217
4 259, 640

4 4 4 ,0 3 2
438, 250
424, 287
414, 392
429, 295

6 .1
6. 1
5 .8
5 .7
5 .9

14, 777
1 3 ,8 8 6
1 3 ,0 8 7
10, 377
5 ,9 9 3
3, 769
3 ,6 9 0
3 ,9 3 0

226, 709
187, 652
165, 367
147, 531
123, 447
117, 805
118, 346
1 1 3 ,9 8 8
1 1 6 ,2 3 7

3 7 .6
3 1 .1
2 7 .3
24. 3
2 5 .3
2 2 .5
2 2 .6
2 1 .9
2 2 .4

1933
J a n u a r y . . --------- --------- - ----------F e b r u a r y ____________________________
M a r c h _______________________________
A p r i l - . . --------- ------------------------------M ay
----------------- _ ------------------J u ly

N e w Zea­
la n d

Y e a r , a n d d a te (e n d o f m o n t h )

N um ber
unem ­
p lo y e d reg ­
iste r e d b y
e m p lo y ­
m en t ex­
chan ges 5

P o la n d

R u m a n ia

P ercent

N um ber
u nem ­
p lo y e d r e ­
m a in in g on
liv e r e g ­
ister

N um ber
u nem ­
p lo y e d r e g ­
iste r e d
w ith e m ­
p lo y m e n t
offices

N um ber
u nem ­
p lo y e d re ­
m a in in g on
li v e r e g is­
ter

2 3 ,8 8 9
21, 759
1 9 ,0 8 9
1 9 ,3 5 3
27, 479
3 3 ,8 3 1

1 6 5 ,3 4 0
125, 552
129, 450
226, 659
299, 502
255, 582

10, 373
7, 288
2 5 ,3 3 8
35, 851
3 8 ,8 9 0

N orw ay

T r a d e -u n io n is t s (10
u n io n s )
u n em ­
p lo y e d

N um ber

________________________
1927
1928
_____________________ _
19 29_____________________________________
1930_____________________________________
1931
________________________
1932_____________________________________

2 ,8 9 5
5 ,0 3 7
4 1 ,4 3 0
51, 549

14, 790

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

1932
J u l y _____________________________________
A u g u s t - - - . - ------- - --------- --------S e p t e m b e r .,_______
. --.
O c t o b e r ____________________________ __
N o v e m b e r ___
.
. ...
--------------------------------------D e c e m b e r .- . _

55, 203
56, 332
55, 855
5 4 ,5 4 9
5 2 ,4 7 7
52, 533

12, 563
1 3 ,0 8 4
14, 358
1 5 ,5 1 2
16, 717
20, 735

2 5 .9
2 6 .9
2 9 .3
3 1 .6
34. 2
4 2 .4

2 6 ,3 9 0
27, 543
3 1 ,4 3 1
35, 082
3 8 ,8 0 7
41, 571

218, 059
187, 537
1 4 7 ,1 6 6
1 4 6 ,9 8 2
177, 459
220, 245

32, 809
2 9 ,6 5 4
21, 862
2 8 ,1 7 2
30, 651
38, 471

19,
19,
18,
17,
15,
13,
12,
14,

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

40, 642
4 2 ,4 6 0
42, 437
39, 846
35, 803
3 0 ,3 9 4
2 5 ,9 1 8
27, 459
3 2 ,8 4 8

264, 258
287, 219
279, 779
2 5 8 ,9 5 4
235, 356
224, 566
2 1 3 ,8 0 6
204, 364
2 0 0 ,0 3 0

44, 797
45, 371
44, 294
3 7 ,5 3 2
3 0 ,3 3 6
24, 685
2 1 ,0 8 4

1933
J a n u a r y ---------- ----------------------- F e b r u a r y ------------------------------------------- M a r c h ---------- ----------- -------------------------A p r i l ____
__________ __________ - M a y ----------- --------------------------- ----------J u n e ________________ - ----------------------J u l y ___________________________ ______

5 1 ,6 9 8
4 9 ,9 7 1
5 1 ,0 3 5
5 3 ,1 7 1
55, 477
56, 563
5 7 ,1 6 9
2 5 6 ,9 1 4

8, 561
6 ,5 0 2
5 ,9 0 2
7 ,1 7 5

249
673
992
678
335
532
995
204

2 P r o v is io n a l fig u re .
4 N e w serie s, c o v e r a g e e x te n d e d in m i d d l e o f y e a r 1932.
s I n c lu d e s n o t o n l y w o r k e r s w h o l l y u n e m p l o y e d b u t also th o s e i n t e r m i t t e n t l y e m p l o y e d .


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

1252

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
S T A T E M E N T O F U N E M P L O Y M E N T I N F O R E IG N C O U N T R IE S -C o n tin u e d

Saar T e r ­
r ito r y

Y e a r a n d d a te
m o n th )

(e n d o f

Sw eden

S w itz e r la n d

T r a d e -u n io n is t s
u n e m p lo y e d

U n e m p l o y m e n t fu n d s

N um ber
of u n em ­
p lo y e d
r eg istere d
N um ber

P er­
cen t

W h o lly u n em ­
p lo y e d

N um ber

P ercen t

19 27___________________________
19 28_____________________
1929___________________________
1930________________________
1931_____________________
1932___________________________

6 ,5 9 1
9, 286
2 0 ,9 6 3
4l| 373

31, 076
29, 716
3 2 ,6 2 1
4 2 ,0 1 6
64, 815
89j 922

1 2 .0
10. 6
10. 7
12. 2
17. 2
22. 8

1932
J u l y _____________________________
A u g u s t _ _______
____ ___
S e p te m b e r . _ _
______
O c t o b e r . _ ________________
N o v e m b e r __
.
____
D e c e m b e r ____ _______ _

3 9 ,0 6 3
38, 858
40, 320
40, 728
4 1 ,9 6 2
4 4 ,3 1 1

7 7 ,4 6 8
8 0 ,9 7 5
86, 709
9 2 ,8 6 8
97, 666
129, 002

1 9 .4
2 0 .0
20. 7
22. 2
2 3 .8
3 1 .4

3 5 ,7 0 0
36, 600
3 8 ,0 7 0
4 2 ,3 0 0
50, 500
6 6 ,0 5 3

7 .5
7 .6
7 .8
• 8 .7
1 0 .3
1 3 .3

1933
J a n u a r y ____ ____________ . . .
F ebru ary . . .
_______
M a r c h ___________________
A p r i l . . _ . . _ _______
M a y . ____ _________ _ . . .
J u n e ...
.. ...
J u l y --------------------------------------------A u g u s t _____________________ _ .

4 5 ,7 0 0
4 5 ,1 0 1
42, 258
4 0 ,0 8 2
3 7 ,3 4 1
3 6 ,4 9 2
3 5 ,0 5 3
3 4 ,8 4 0

1 2 0 ,1 5 6
118, 251
1 2 1 ,4 5 6
1 1 0 ,0 5 5
93, 360
89, 485
83, 771
76, 686

2 8 .8
2 7 .4
2 8 .4
26. 1
2 2 .2
21. 1
2 0 .0
1 9 .7

83, 400
8 1 ,8 0 0
60, 698
4 9 ,1 0 0
43, 600
40, 958
39, 200
3 9 ,2 0 0

1 7 .0
1 6 .5
1 2 :0
9 .8
8 .7
8 .0
7 .8
7 .8


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

2
2
1
3

Yugo­
sla v ia

P a r t ia lly u n e m ­
p lo y e d

N um ber

N um ber
of u n em ­
p lo y e d
regis­
te r e d

P ercen t

7
1
8
4

9 .1

1 2 .2

14, 761

54, 000
53, 400
5 2 ,9 6 7
52, 100
55, 700
5 9 ,0 8 9

1 1 .4
1 1 .1
1 0 .8
10. 6
1 1 .3
1 1 .9

9 ,9 4 0
l l ' 940
10’ 985
]0 , 474
11, 670
14, 248

5 6 ,0 0 0
5 7 ,4 0 0
52, 575
47, 400
4 4 ,1 0 0
4 0 ,4 3 1
3 7 ,5 0 0
38, 400

1 1 .4
11. 6
1 0 .4
9. 6
8 .9
7 .9
7 .5
7 .6

23, 574
2 5 ’ 346
2 2, 609
19, 671
1 5 ,1 1 5
U , 492
11, 710
9 ,8 4 1

RETAIL PRICES
HE Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department
of Labor has since 1913 collected, compiled, and issued, as of the
15th of each month, retail prices of food. From time to time the
work has been expanded by including additional cities and articles.
The Bureau now covers 51 localities well scattered throughout the
continental United States and also the Territory of Hawaii. Retail
prices are secured for 45 of the principal articles of food.
In order that current information may be available oftener, the
Bureau is now collecting these prices every 2 weeks. The plan was
inaugurated during August 1933 and prices are being collected every
other Tuesday.
Retail prices of coal were collected on January 15 and July 15 lor tne
years 1913 through 1919 from the cities covered in the retail-food
study. Beginning with June 1920, prices have been collected on the
15th of each month. No change has been made in the dates for the
collection of retail prices of coal. A summary of prices and index
numbers for earlier years and for current months is shown in a section
of this publication.

T

Retail Prices of Food September 1933

ETAIL prices of food were collected by the Bureau for two periods
during the month, namely, September 12 and 26. Prices were re­
ceived from the same dealers and the same cities were covered as have
been included in the Bureau’s reports for former periods. For Au­
gust 29, however, a representative number of reports was not received
from some of the cities, and average prices for the United States as a
whole for this date are not strictly comparable with average prices
shown for other dates. The index numbers, however, have been ad­
justed by using the percent of change in identical cities and are,
therefore, comparable with indexes of other periods.
Three commodities have been added to the Bureau’s list of lood
items beginning with August 29. These items are rye bread, canned
peaches, and canned pears. Only average prices can be shown for
these articles as corresponding prices for the year 1913 are not avail­
able for the purpose of index numbers.
Data for the tabular statements shown in this report are compiled
from simple averages of the actual selling prices as reported to the
Bureau by retail dealers in the 51 cities. Comparable information
for months and years, 1913 to 1928, inclusive, is shown m Bulletins
Nos. 396 and 495; and by months and years, 1929 to 1932, inclusive,
in the January, February, and April 1933 issues of this publication.
Indexes of "all articles, combined, or groups of articles combined,
both for cities and for the United States, are weighted according to
1253

R


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

1254

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

the average family consumption. Consumption figures used since
January 1921 are given in Bulletin 495 (p. 13). Those used for prior
dates are given in Bulletin 300 (p. 61). The list of articles included
in the groups, cereals, meats, and dairy products, will be found in
the May 1932 issue of this publication.
T a b le 1 sh ow s in d e x n u m b e rs o f th e to ta l w e ig h te d retail c o s t o f
im p o rta n t fo o d articles a n d o f th ree g ro u p s o f these a rticles; viz,
cereals, m ea ts, a n d d a iry p ro d u cts , in th e U n ite d S tates, 51 cities
co m b in e d , b y yea rs, 1913 to 1932, in clu siv e, a n d o n specified d a y s o f
th e m o n th s o f 1932 a n d 1933. T h e se in d e x n u m b ers are b a sed o n the
y e a r 1913 as 100.
T ^ E. ^ r I N D E X N U M B E R S o f t h e t o t a l r e t a i l c o s t o f f o o d a n d o f c e r e a l s ,
M E A T S , A N D D A I R Y P R O D U C T S I N T H E U N I T E D S T A T E S B Y Y E A R S , 1913 T O 1932
I N C L U S I V E , A N D O N S P E C IF IE D D A T E S O F E A C H M O N T H , J A N . 15, 1932, T O S E P T . 26^
19oo, I N C L U S IV E
[1913=100]

Year

A l l food C e r e a l s

M e a ts

D a ir y
prod­
u c ts

1 9 1 3 .............. ..............
19 14_________________
19 15_________________
19 16_________________
1 9 1 7 ................... ........
1 9 1 8 - _____________
19 19_________________
19 2 0 _________________
1 9 2 1 . . _____________
1922 ______ _________
1 9 2 3 ......... ..............—
19 24________________
1 9 2 5 ..............................
1 9 2 6 _________________
19 27_________________
1 9 2 8 _________________
1 9 2 9 ________________
1 9 3 0 _________________
1 9 3 1 _________________

1 0 0 .0
1 0 2 .4
1 0 1 .3
1 1 3 .7
1 4 6 .4
1 6 8 .3
1 8 5 .9
2 0 3 .4
1 5 3 .3
1 4 1 .6
1 4 6 .2
1 4 5 .9
1 5 7 .4
1 6 0 .6
1 5 5 .4
1 5 4 .3
1 5 6 .7
147. 1
1 2 1 .3

1 0 0 .0
1 0 6 .7
1 2 1 .6
1 2 6 .8
1 8 6 .5
1 9 4 .3
1 9 8 .0
2 3 2 .1
1 7 9 .8
1 5 9 .3
156. 9
1 6 0 .4
1 7 6 .2
1 7 5 .5
1 7 0 .7
1 6 7 .2
164. 1
1 5 8 .0
1 3 5 .9

1932_____ ________

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

102.1

121.1

116.0

114.6
96.6

109.3
105.3

126.4
125.0

123.4
117.3

106.5
102.9

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

1932
J a n .15_________
Feb. 15__________

M onth

M ar. 15.............. .
Apr. 15..............
M a y 15-................
June 15__________
July 15............. .
Aug. 15..................
Sept. 15.................
Oct. 1 5 -................
N ov. 15..................
Dec. 15__________

All food Cereals Meats

105.0
103.7
101.3
.1

124.3
122.9

118.9
118.6

100.3
100.4
99.4
98.7

119.2
119.0
118.0
114.8

119.2
114.6
109.1
103.2

112.3

99.9

122.6 115.3
100 122.5 113.4
101.0 121.2 122.6
100.8 120.4 120. 1

Dairyprod­
uct?

101.9
97.4
94.3
92.6
91.4
93.1
93.5
93.8
93.9
95.9

1933
J a n .15___________
F e b .15...................
M ar. 15__________
Apr. 15...................
M a y 15__________
June 15__________
July 15....... ...........
Aug. 15..................
Aug. 29—...........
Sept. 12-................
Sept. 26-................

94.8
90.9
90.5
90.4
93.7
96.7
104.8
106.7
107.1
107.0
107.4

112.0 99.0
100.1
112.8 98.8
115.8
100.1
112.3

117.2
128.0
137.8
138.8
140.2
142.7

103.7
103.5
105. 7
106.9
104.4
107.8

93.3
90.3
88.3
88.7
92.2
93.5
97.7
96.5
97.5
97.8
97.9

T h e fo llo w in g ch a rt sh ow s th e tren d in th e retail c o s t o f all fo o d
and o f the classified g ro u p s, cereals, m ea ts, a n d d a iry p ro d u cts in the
U n ited S tates (51 cities) fr o m J a n u a ry 15, 1929, to S e p te m b e r 26,
1933, in clu siv e.
. T a b le 2 sh ow s in d e x n u m b ers o f th e to ta l w e ig h te d retail co sts o f
im p o rta n t fo o d articles a n d o f cereals, m ea ts, a n d d a iry p ro d u cts in
the U n ite d S tates based o n th e y e a r 1913 as 100, a n d ch an ges on
S ep tem b er 26, 1933, co m p a re d w ith S ep tem b er 15, 1932, and
A u g u st 29 and S e p te m b e r 12, 1933.


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

RETAIL PRICES
1255


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

F igure 1.

1256

M ONTHLY

LABOR

R E V IE W

T able 2 —I N D E X N U M B E R S F O R T H E U N I T E D S T A T E S OF T H E T O T A L W E I G H T E D
R E T A I L C O S T OF F O O D A N D O F C E R E A L S , M E A T S , A N D D A I R Y P R O D U C T S ; A N D
P E R C E N T OF C H A N G E S E P T . 26, 1933, C O M P A R E D W I T H S E P T . 15, 1932; A N D A U G . 29
A N D S E P T . 12, 1933

Percent of change, Sept. 26,
1933, compared with—

Index, 1913=100
Article

All food______ _____ _____ ________
Cereals_________________ ______
M eats................................................
Dairy products________________

Sept. 15,
1932

Aug. 29,
1933

Sept. 12,
1933

Sept. 26,
1933

Sept. 15,
1932

Aug. 29,
1933

Sept. 12,
1933

100.3
119.2
119.2
93.5

107. 1
138.8
106.9
97.5

107.0
140.2
104.4
97.8

107.4
142.7
107.8
97.9

+7. 1
+ 1 9 .7
-9 6
+ 4 .7

+ 0 .3
+ 2 .8
+ .8
+ .4

+ 0 .4
+ 1 .8
+ 3 .3
+ .1

Table 3 shows the average retail prices of principal food articles
for the United States, and index numbers for 23 of these articles
based on the year 1913, for September 15, 1932, and August 29,
September 12, and September 26, 1933.
T able 3 .— A V E R A G E

R E T A I L P R IC E S A N D I N D E X N U M B E R S
OF P R IN C IP A L
A R T IC L E S O F F O O D I N T H E U N I T E D S T A T E S F O R T H E Y E A R 1913 A N D S E P T 15
1932, A N D O N A U G . 29, S E P T . 12, A N D S E P T . 26, 1933

Average price

Article

1932
Year
1913

Sirloin steak____________
Round steak___________ ------------ do____
Rib roast_________ _____ _______do____
Chuck roast____________
Plate beef _____________
Pork chops...... ......... .......
Bacon, sliced___________
Ham , sliced____________
Lamb, leg of___________
Hens___________________
Salmon, red canned . . .
M ilk, fresh,.. . .
M ilk, evaporated______
B u tter.. ____________
Margarine______________
Cheese_______________
Lard................
Vegetable lard substitute______ do
Eggs, strictly fresh____ ------ .dozen ..
Breads, wheat__________ .......... pound..
Bread, rye_____________
Flour___________
Cornmeal___ _______
Rolled oats___________
Cornflakes...... ...........
W heat cereal_________
Macaroni............. ....... ...
Rice___________
Beans, navy...................
Potatoes__________ __ .
Onions..........
Cabbage____________
Pork and beans_________
Corn, canned___________
Peas, canned___________
Tomatoes, canned... .
Sugar_______________
Tea______________
Coffee........... .......
Prunes____________
Raisins____________
Bananas_______________
Oranges_______________
Peaches, canned..
Pears, canned__________


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

Cents
25.4
22.3
19.8
16.0

12.1
21.0
27.0
26.9
18.9
21.3
8.9
38.3

22.1
15.8
34.5
5.6
3.3
3.0

8.7
1.7

5.5
54.4
29.8

Index number (1913=100)

1933

1932

Sept.
15

Aug.
29

Sept.
12

Sept.
26

Cents
34.4
30.2
24.3
17.8
11.2
23.8
23.5
35.2
23.4
23.5
20.6
10.6
6.1
26.9
14.5
22.7
9.1
19.0
29.5
6.7

Cents
29.8
26.5
21.2
15.4
10.0
21.2
23.5
33.1
23.1
20.3
20.3
10.9
6.8
27.9
13.6
23.2
9.8
19.0
25.6
7.6
8.4
4.9
3.8
6.4
8.6
23.8
15.6
6.5
6. 1
3.3
4.1
4.0
6.8
10.3
13. 1
9.4
5.7
65.8
27.2
10. 1
9.4
24.5
28.6
16.9
20.5

Cents
30.1
26.2
20.9
15.3
9.9
21.7
23.1
32.4
22.3
20.4
20.4
11.0
6.9
27.9
13.6
23.5
9.6
19.0
28.3
7 7
8.5
4.9
4.0
6.4
8.7
23.7
15.6
6.6
6.3
3. 1
3.9
3.6
6.8
10.5
13.3
9.6
5.7
66.0
26.7
10. 1
9.4
25. 1
28.7
17.0
20.5

Cents
30.1
26.1
21.0
15.4
9.9
23.8
23.2
32.5
22.2
20.9
20.5
11.0
6.8
28.1
13.5
23.5
9.6
19.0
30.3
7.9
8.6
4.9
4.0
6.5
8.7
23.7
15.7
6.7
6.3
2.8
3.7
3.5
6.9
10.6
13.3
9.8
5.7
66.4
26. 6
10.3
9.4
25.4
29.9
17.1
20.4

3. 1
3.8
7.4
8.4
22.5
15.1
6.5
5.0
1.5
3.0
2.6
7.0
10.4
12.7
9. 1
5. 1
69.9
30. 1
9. 1
11.4
22.2
30.4

1933

Sept.
15

Aug.
29

Sept.
12

135.4
135.4
122.7
111.3
92.6
113.3
87.0
130.9
123.8
110.3

119.3
119.7
107. 1
96.9
81.8
100.9
86.3
122.7
121.7
96.2

118.5
117.5
105.6
95.6
81.8
103.3
85.6
120.4
118.0
95.8

118.5
117.0
106.1
96.3
81.8
113.3
85.9
120.8
117.5
98.1

119.1

123.6

123.6

123.6

70.2

72.6

72.8

73.4

102.7
57.6

105.9
62.0

106.3
60.8

106.3
60.8

85.5
119.6

76.0
135.7

82.0
137.5

87.8
141.1

93.9
126.7

151.6
130.1

148.5
133.3

148.5
133.3

Sept.
26

74.7

73.6

75.9

77 0

88.2

Ì94. 1

182. 4

164.7

92.7
128.5
101.0

101.8
119. 1
90.9

103.6
121.3
89.6

103. 6
122.1
89.3

1

R E T A IL

1257

P R IC E S

Table 4 shows index numbers of the weighted retail cost of food for
the United States and 39 cities, based on the year 1913 as 100. The
percents of change on September 26, 1933, compared with September
15, 1932, and August 29 and September 12, 1933, are also given for
these cities and the United States and for 12 additional cities from
which prices were not secured in 1913.
T able 4 . - I N D E X N U M B E R S O F T H E T O T A L W E I G H T E D R E T A I L C O S T O F F O O D B Y
C IT IE S A N D F O R T H E U N I T E D S T A T E S , A N D P E R C E N T O F C H A N G E S E P T . 26,
1933, C O M P A R E D W I T H S E P T . 15, 1932, A N D A U G . 29 A N D S E P T . 12, 1933

Percent of change Sept. 26
1933, compared with—

Index, 1913=100
City

United States------ ----------------------

Sept. 15,
1932

Aug. 29,
1933

Sept. 12,
1933

Sept. 26,
1933

Sept. 15,
1932

Aue. 29,
1933

Sept. 12,
1933

100.3

107 1

107.0

107.4

+ 7 .1

+ 0 .3

+ 0 .4

98.6
105.7
98.3
102.2

106.6
110.1
103.7
110.1

105.4
110.5
103.0
108.6

104.6
110.8
102.9
108.5

104.3

112.1

112.6

113.0

104.0
109.9
97.8
95.4

107.3
113.4
108.8
106.7

108.0
111.0
106. 1
105.6

108.5
111.0
106.9
106.0

94.4
95.0
94. 1
99. 7

102.8
98.8
109. 1
106.2

103.8
101.2
108.8
105.5

103.7
100.1
109.4
106.9

94.9
93.8
98.7
91.5
92.3
92.6
102.6
93.4
102.2
98.1

105. 6
98.6
106.6
96.7
99.9
105.7
(*)
98.6
110.3
104.4

104.4
99.8
105.7
96.8
101.9
105.8
108.5
98.9
109.8
104.4

101.9
101.5
105.0
97.7
102.1
104.2
108.5
100.2
108.8
106.8

105.1
106.9
100.8
109.2

107.5
113.9
105.7
112.3

106.5
112.3
107 4
112.4

109.1
113.1
107.0
115.2

Washington-------------- ------------Hawaii:

93.5

99.8

98.6

101.9

104.5
98.6

109.1
104.3

110.1
103.9

111.0
105.2

94.9
102.2
103.0

96.1
110.0
109.2

96.7
109.0
110.9

95.9
110.4
111.1

100. 1

112.3

110.3

109.1

85.4
105.5

91.5
109.7

90.1
110.2

91.0
109.1

105.8
98.7

113.6
105.1

113.4
105.3

114.5
104.0

107.9

112.6

113.3

114.3

+ 6 .1
+ 4 .8
+ 4 .6
+ 6 .2
+ 6 .6
+ 8 .3
+ .3
+ 4 .3
+ 1 .1
+ 9 .4
+ 11.0
+ 12.0
+ 9 .9
+ 5 .3
+ 1 6 .2
+ 7 .2
+6. 7
+ 7 .3
+8. 2
+ 6 .4
+ 6 .8
+ 1 0 .6
+ 12.6
+ 5 .7
+ 7 .2
+ 6 .5
+ 8 .8
+ 7 .5
+ 3 .8
+ 5 .9
+ 6 .1
+5 5
+ 9 .0
+ 7 .3
+ 6 .2
+ 6 .6
+ 3 .5
+ 1.1
+ 8 .0
+ 7 .8
+ 1 0 .0
+ 8 .9
+ 9 .4
+ 6 .6
+ 3 .4
+ 7 .4
+ 8 .2
+ 5 .4
+ 8 .3
+ 6 .0
+ 1 .4
+ 2 .5

i

N o change.


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

! Data not available.

-1 .9
+ .7
-.9
-1 .4
+ .7
+ .8
+ .6
+ 1 .1
- 2 .1
- 1 .7
-.7
(0
+. 9
+ 1 .3
+ .3
+ .6
- 1 .1
-3 . 5
+ 2 .9
- 1 .5
+ 1 .1
+ 2 .2
- 1 .4
(2)
+ 1 .6
- 1 .3
+ 2 .3
+ .7
+ 1 .5
-.7
+ 1.2
+ 2 .6
+ 2 .9
+ 2 .1
-2 . 1
+ 1 .7
+ .8
-.9
- .2
+ .3
+ 1 .8
0)
-2 .9
+ 1 .3
-.5
—;6
+ 1 .0
+ .8
-1 .0
-1 . 9
+ 1 .5

- .8
+ .3
-. 1
-. 1
+ .9
+ .3
4 .2
+ .5
(')

+ .8
■+ •3
+ .2

(')
-1 .2
+ .6
+J. 3
- .7
- 2 .4
+ 1 .7
-.7
+ 1.0
+ .2
-1 .4
(I)+ 1 .3o
- 9
+ 2 .3
(>)
+ 2 .5
+. 7
—. 4
+ 2. 5
+ 1 .9
+ 3 .3
(>)
+• 9
+ 1 .2
-.9
-.8
+ 1 .2
+ .2
+ 1 .0
- 1 .1
+1. 5
+ 1.0
- 1 .1
+• 1
+ 1.0
-1 . 2
+4
+ .9
+ .4
+ 2 .9

1258

M ONTHLY

LABOR

R E V IE W

Retail Prices of Coal on September 15, 1933

ETAIL prices of coal as of the 15th of each month are secured
from each of the 51 cities from which retail food prices are
obtained. The prices quoted are for coal delivered to consumers but
do not include charges for storing the coal in cellar or bins where an
extra handling is necessary.
Average prices for the United States for bituminous coal and for
stove and chestnut sizes of Pennsylvania anthracite are computed
from the quotations received from retail dealers in all cities where
these coals are sold for household use. The prices shown for bitumi­
nous coal are averages of prices of the several lands. In addition to
the prices for Pennsylvania anthracite, prices are shown for Colorado,
Arkansas, and New Mexico anthracite in those cities where these
coals form any considerable portion of the sales for household use.
Table 1 shows for the United States both average prices and
index numbers of Pennsylvania white-ash anthracite, stove and
chestnut sizes, and of bituminous coal on January 15 and July 15,
1913 to 1931, and for each month from January 15, 1932, to Septem­
ber 15, 1933. An average price for the year 1913 has been made from
the averages for January and July of that year. The average price
for each month has been divided by this average price for the year
1913 to obtain the index number.

R

T able

1

.—A V E R A G E R E T A I L P R IC E S A N D I N D E X N U M B E R S OF C O A L FOR THF
0 N T H E Y E A R 1913 AS 100, O N T H E F I F T E E N T H O F S P E C L
F IE D M O N T H S F R O M J A N U A R Y 1913 T O S E P T E M B E R 1933
Pennsylvania anthracite,
white
ash—

Stove

Year and month

Pennsylvania an­
thracite,
white
ash—

Bitumi­
nous

Chestnut

Y ear and month

In­
Av­
dex
In­
Av­
A v ­ In­ erage 1913
dex
dex price
erage
erage
= 100
price 1913 price 1913
= 100
= 100
Dois.
Dois.
Dois.
1913: A v . for yr__ 7. 73 100.0 7.91 100.0 5. 43 100.0
January____ 7. 99 103.4 8.15 103.0 5. 48 100.8
July________ 7. 46 96. 6 7. 68 97.0 5. 39 99.2
1914: January____ 7.80 100.9 8. OC 101.0 5. 97 109.9
July------------- 7. 60 98.3 7. 78 98.3 5. 46 100.6
1915: January____ 7. 83 101.3 7.99 101.0 5. 71 105.2
July........... .. 7.54 97.6 7. 73 97.7 5. 44 100. 1
1916: January____ 7.93 102.7 8. 13 102. 7 5. 69 104.8
J u ly .......... . 8. 12 105.2 8. 28 104. 6 5. 52 101.6
1917: January____ 9. 29 120. 2 9. 40 118.8 6.96 128.1
July------------- 9.08 117.5 9.16 115.7 7. 21 132.7
1918: January........ 9.88 127.9 10.03 126.7 7.68 141.3
July________ 9. 96 128.9 10.07 127.3 7.92 145.8
1919: January____ 11.51 149.0 11.61 146.7 7.90 145.3
July------------- 12. 14 157. 2 12. 17 153.8 8.10 149.1
1920: January____ 12. 59 162.9 12. 77 161. 3 8. 81 162.1
July........... .. 14.28 184. 9 14. 33 181.1 10. 55 194.1
1921: January____ 15. 99 207.0 16.13 203.8 11.82 217.6
July------------- 14.90 192.8 14.95 188.9 10. 47 192.7
1922: January____ 14.98 193.9 15. 02 189.8 9.89 182.0
July------------- 14. 87 192.4 14.92 188.5 9. 49 174.6
1923: January____ 15. 43 199.7 15. 46 195.3 11.18 205.7
July............... 15. 10 195. 5 15. 05 190.1 10.04 184.7
1924: January____ 15.77 204. 1 15. 76 199.1 9. 75 179.5
J u l y ............. 15.24 197.2 15. 10 190.7 8.94 164.5
1925: January____ 15. 45 200.0 15. 37 194.2 9.24 170.0
July........... .. 15.14 196.0 14.93 188.6 8. 61 158.5
1926: January____
)
0)
(>)
9.74 179.3
0)
July________ 15. 43 199.7 15.19 191.9 8.70 160. 1
1927: January........ 15. 66 202.7 15. 42 194.8 9.96 183.3
July............... 15.15 196.1 14.81 187.1 8.91 163.9

0

1 Insufficient data.


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

Stove

Chestnut

Index
erage
erage
1913
price
= 100 price

January........
July........... .
January____
July________
January____
July________
January____
July________
January____
F e b ru a ry...
March______
April_______
M a y .............
June..............
July________
August_____
September..
October____
Novem ber. .
Decem ber...
January____
February___
M arch______
April_______
M a y ________
June________
July................
August_____
September..

Bitumi­
nous

A v- dex
In- erage 1913
dex price
1913
100
= 100

Dois
Dois
15.44 199.8 15.08 190.6
14.91 192.9 14. 6i 184.9
15. 38 199. 1 15.06 190.3
14. 94 193.4 14. 6Ï 184.8
15. 33 198.4 15. Ot 189.5
14.84 192. 1 14.53 183.6
15.12 195.8 14. 88 188.1
14.61 189. 1 14. 59 184.3
15.00 194. 2 14. 97 189.1
14.98 193.9 14.95 188.9
14.54 188. 2 14.45 182.6
13.62 176. 3 13.46 170.0
13.30 172. 2 13.11 165.6
13. 36 173. 0 13. 16 166.3
13. 37 173.0 13.16 166.2
13. 50 174.8 13.28 167.9
13. 74 177.9 13. 52 170.8
13. 79 178. 5 13. 58 171.5
13. 83 178.9 13.60 171.9
13.87 179. 5 13. 65 172.5
13. 82 178.9 13. 61 171.9
13.75 178.0 13. 53 171.0
13. 70 177.3 13.48 170.4
13. 22 171. 1 13.00 164.3
12.44 161.0 12. 25 154.8
12.18 157.6 12.00 151.6
12. 47 161.3 12.26 155.0
12.85 166.3 12. 65 159.8
13. 33 172.5 13. 12 165.8

Dois.
9.30 171.1
8.69 159.9
9.09 167.2
8. 62 158.6
9.11 167.6
8. 65 159.1
8. 87 163.2
8. 09 148.9
8.17 150.3
8.14 149.7
8.01 147.4
7.85 144.5
7. 60 139.9
7. 53 138.6
7. 50 138.0
7. 52 138.4
7.54 138.7
7.60 139.9
7.59 139.7
7. 51 138.3
7.46 137.3
7.45 137.0
7.43 136.7
7. 37 135.6
7. 17 132.0
7.18 132. 1
7.64 140.7
7.77 143.0
7.93 146.0

R E T A IL
P R IC E S

1259


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

1260

M ONTHLY

LABOR

R E V IE W

The accompanying chart shows the trend in retail prices of stove
and chestnut sizes of Pennsylvania anthracite and of bituminous coal
in the United States. The trend is shown semiannually for the
years 1913 to 1928, inclusive, and by months from January 15, 1929,
to September 15, 1933, inclusive.
Table 2 shows average retail prices per ton of 2,000 pounds and
index numbers (1913 = 100) for the United States on September 15,
1932, and August 15 and September 15, 1933, and percentage change
in the year and in the month.
T able 2 .— A V E R A G E

R E T A I L P R IC E S A N D I N D E X N U M B E R S O F C O A L F O R T H E
U N I T E D S T A T E S A N D P E R C E N T O F C H A N G E O N S E P T . 15, 1933, C O M P A R E D W I T H
S E P T . 15, 1932, A N D A U G . 15, 1933

Average retail price on—
Article

Pennsylvania anthracite:
Stove:
Average price per 2,000 pounds_______________
Index (1913=100)_____________________________
Chestnut:
Average price per 2,000 pounds_________ _____
Index (1913=100)____________________________
Bituminous:
Average price per 2,000 pounds___________ _______
Index (1913=100)__________________________________

Percent of increase
( + ) or decrease
( —)
Sept.
15,
1933,
compared
with—

Sept. 15,
1932

Aug. 15,
1933

Sept. 15,
1933

$13.74
177.9

$12. 85
166.3

$13. 33
172.5

-3 .0

+ 3 .7

$13. 52
170.8

$12. 65
159.8

$13.12
165.8

-3 .0

+ 3 .7

$7. 54
138.7

$7. 77
143.0

$7. 93
146.0

+ 5 .2

+ 2 .1

Sept. 15,
1932

Aug. 15,
1933

Table 3 shows average retail prices of coal for household use by
cities on September 15, 1932, and August 15 and September 15, 1933,
as reported by local dealers in each city.
T able 3 — A V E R A G E R E T A I L P R IC E S OF C O A L P E R T O N O F 2,000 P O U N D S , F O R H O U S E ­
H O L D U S E , S E P T . 15, 1932, A N D A U G . 15 A N D S E P T . 15, 1933, B Y C IT IE S

1932

1933

1932

City, and kind of coal

Atlanta, Ga.:
Bituminous, prepared sizes.
Baltimore, M d .:
Pennsylvania anthracite:
Stove__________________ Chestnut— ......................
Bituminous:
Prepared sizes:
Low volatile........... .........
Run of mine:
High volatile___________
Birmingham, Ala.:
Bituminous, prepared sizes.
Boston, M ass.:
Pennsylvania anthracite:
Stove_____________________
Chestnut________________
Bridgeport, Conn.:
Pennsylvania anthracite:
Stove_____ _____ _______

Sept.
15

Aug.
15

Sept.
15

Sept.
15

Aue.
15'

Sept.
15

$5. 74

$6. 25

$6. 52

Charleston, S.C .:
Bituminous, prepared sizes. $9.50

$8. 62

$S. 59

15. 64
15.39

13 53
13.31

13. 91
13.70

7 32
9. 69

7 74

7. 99
10.44

6. 92

7. 45

7.70

5. 00
7. 00

5 35
7.23

5. 54
7.38

13 50
13. 25

12.19
11.94

12. 44
12.19

5. 97
8.18

5 67
8. 57

5. 82
8. 82

13. 00
12. 50

12.58
12. 25

13.00
12.75

8.75

9.06

9. 06

6.93

7. 21

7. 39

Chieago, HI.:
Pennsylvania anthracite:
Stove_____________ _____
Chestnut-..........................
Bituminous:
Prepared sizes:
High volatile_________
R un of mine:

4.98

5.11

5. 38

13. 75
13. 45

13. 25
13.00

13. 75
13. 50

13 00
13.00

13. 50
13. 50

13. 75
13. 75

12. 28
12.03

12. 85
12.60

9.70

9. 70

Buffalo, N .Y .:
Pennsylvania anthracite:
S tov e.________ ________
12. 25
Chestnut_________________ 12.00
Butte, M ont.:
Bituminous, prepared sizes. 9. 74


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

1933

City, and kind of coal

Cincinnati, Ohio:
Bituminous:
Prepared sizes:
High volatile___________
Low volatile__________
Cleveland, Ohio:
Pennsylvania anthracite:
Stove....... ............... .........
Chestnut________________
Bituminous:
Prepared sizes:
High volatile__________
Low volatile___________

R E T A IL

1261

P R IC E S

T able 3.— A V E R A G E R E T A I L P R IC E S OF C O A L P E R T O N OF 2,000 P O U N D S , F O R H O U S E ­
H O L D U S E , S E P T . 15, 1932, A N D A U G . 15 A N D S E P T . 15, 1933, B Y C IT IE S — Continued

1932

1932

1933
City, and kind of coal

City, and kind of coal
Sept.
15

Columbus, Ohio:
Bituminous:
Prepared sizes:
High volatile----------------- $5.04
6.42
Dallas, Tex.:
Arkansas anthracite, e g g .-- 13.50
Bituminous, prepared sizes. 10.00
Denver, Colo.:
Colorado anthracite:
Furnace, 1 and 2 mixed . . 14.69
14.69
Stove, 3 and 5 mixed-----Bituminous, prepared sizes. 7. 59
Detroit, M ich.:
Pennsylvania anthracite:
13. 00
Chestnut............................... 12.88
Bituminous:
Prepared sizes:
5.93
6.83
Low volatile___________
Run of mine:
6. 25
Fall River. M ass.:
Pennsylvania anthracite:
14. 50
Chestnut_________________ 14. 25
Houston, Tex.:
Bituminous, prepared sizes. 9.70
Indianapolis, Ind.:
Bituminous:
Prepared sizes:
4 93
7. 46
Run of mine:
6. 05
Low volatile............... - .
Jacksonville, Fla.:
9.00
Bituminous, prepared sizes.
Kansas City, M o.:
Arkansas anthracite:
10. 88
12.08
Bituminous, prepared sizes. 5. 80
Little Rock, Ark.:
11.25
Arkansas anthracite, egg.
8. 17
Bituminous, prepared sizes
Los Angeles. Calif.:
Bituminous, prepared sizes 15. 75
Louisville, K y .:
Bituminous:
Prepared sizes:
4 69
7.25
Low volatile....... ......... .
Manchester, N .H .:
Pennsylvania anthracite:
Stove. ______________ . . . 14. 67
14. 67
C h estn u t....................... .
Memphis, Tenn.:
Bituminous, prepared sizes. 5.67
Milwaukee. W is.:
Pennsylvania anthracite:
14 R5
Chestnut___ _____________ 14.60
Prepared sizes:
Low volatile___________
Minneapolis, M inn.:
Pennsylvania anthracite:
Bituminous:
Prepared sizes:
Low volatile______ _____

Aug.
15

$5 35
6. 75

$5.50
6. 88

13. 50
10.00

13.50
10.00

14.50
14. 50
7. 30

14. 75
14. 75
7. 39

11.55
11.55

12.02
12.02

6. 27
7. 24

6. 30
7. 36

6. 38

6. 70

13. 67
13. 42

14. 50
14.25

9.60

10. 60

5 38
7. 40

5 64
7. 70

6. 50

6. 50

9.94

10. 75

10. 44
12. 33
5. 57

10. 38
12. 33
5. 61

10. 25
7.94

10.50
8.17

16.46

17. 30

5.08
7.06

5 20
7. 44

11. 00
14.00

15. 00
15.00

6. 68

6.69

12 86
12. 61

13.25
13.00

9.15

7 21
9.31

7 27
9. 37

17.15
16 90

15. 00
14. 75

15.50
15.25

9 4S
11.87

9 76
12.36

10. 09
12.24

6 QQ

Sept.
15

Sept.
15

Aug.
15

Sept.
15

Mobile, Ala.:
Bituminous, prepared sizes. $7.23 $7.13 $7. 77
Newark, N .J.:
Pennsylvania anthracite:
12.08 12.10 12.60
Chestnut— .......................... 11.83 11.80 12.20
New Haven, Conn.:
Pennsylvania anthracite:
■ Stove.................... ................. 13. 65 13. 40 13. 50
Chestnut_________________ 13. 65 13. 40 13. 50
New Orleans, La.:
9. 07
Bituminous, prepared sizes. 8.07
8.07
New York, N .Y .:
Pennsylvania anthracite:
S t o v e ...------------ -------------- 12.50 12.12 12. 65
Chestnut............................... 12.25 11.87 12.40
Norfolk, Va.:
Pennsylvania anthracite:
Stov e.......... ............... ........... 13.00 13. 00 13. 50
Chestnut............................. - 13.00 13.00 13. 50
Bituminous:
Prepared sizes:
7.00
7.00
6.50
High volatile...... ........... 8.50
8.00
8.00
Low volatile___________
Run of mine:
7.00
7.00
Low volatile___________
6.50
Omaha, Nebr.:
8. 52
8.70
Bituminous, prepared sizes. 8.70
Peoria, 111.:
6.39
Bituminous, prepared sizes. 6.09
6. 22
Philadelphia, Pa.:
Pennsylvania anthracite:
12. 25
11.50 11.71
11.25 11.46 12. 00
Pittsburgh, Pa.:
Pennsylvania anthracite:
Chestnut_________________ 12. 75 12. 38 12.38
4.64
4. 64
Bituminous, prepared sizes. 4.00
Portland, Maine:
Pennsylvania anthracite:
S t o v e ... ________________ 15.84 14. 13 14. 50
Chestnut____ ____________ 15. 60 13.88 14. 25
Portland, Oreg.:
Bituminous, prepared sizes. 11.96 13.07 12.99
Providence, R .I.:
Pennsylvania anthracite:
Stove_____________________ 114. 50 113. 70 114. 50
Chestnut_________________ 114. 25 113.44 114. 25
Richmond, Va.:
Pennsylvania anthracite:
Stove ___________________ 13.00 13. 25 13.75
Chestnut_________________ 13.00 13. 25 13. 75
Bituminous:
Prepared sizes:
7.33
7.33
6.67
High volatile___________
8. 40
8.40
7. 65
Low volatile__
...
Run of mine:
6. 75
6.75
6.50
Low volatile__________
Rochester, N .Y .:
Pennsylvania anthracite:
Stove_____________________ 13.13 12.35 13.23
Chestnut_____________ . . . 12.88 12.10 12. 98
St. Louis, M o.:
Pennsylvania anthracite:
Stove________________ - - - 15. 23 13. 97 13.91
15.23 13. 72 13. 72
5. 61
5.19
Bituminous, prepared sizes. 5. 45
St. Paul, M inn.:
Pennsylvania anthracite:
Stove------------ ---------------- - 17 15 15. 00 15. 50
Chestnut_________________ 16.90 14. 75 15. 25
Bituminous:
Prepared sizes:
9. 98
9. 79
High volatile-------- -------- 9. 49
Low volatile......... ........... 11.87 12.39 12. 33

i The average price of coal delivered in bins is 50 eents higher than here shown.
delivered in bins.


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

1933

Practically all coal is

1262

M ONTHLY

LABOR

R E V IE W

T able 3 . - A V E R A G E R E T A I L P R IC E S OF C O A L P E R T O N OF 2,000 P O U N D S , F O R H O U S E ­
H O L D U S E , S E P T . 15, 1932, A N D A U G . 15 A N D S E P T . 15, 1933, B Y C IT IE S — Continued

1932

1933

City, and kind of coal

Salt Lake City, Utah:
Bituminous, prepared sizesSan Francisco, Calif.:
New Mexico anthracite:
Cerillos egg_______________
Colorado anthracite:
Egg_______________________
Bituminous, prepared sizes.
Savannah, Ga :
Bituminous, prepared sizes.
Scranton, Pa.:
Pennsylvania anthracite:
Stove____________________
Chestnut_________________

1932

1933

City, and kind of coal
Sept.
15

Aug.
15

Sept.
15

$7.39

$7. 77

$7. 79

25.00

25 63

25. 63

15.00

25.11
16.06

25.11
15.98

2 8. 37

2 8.90

2 9. 94

9. 03
8. 75

8 38
8.13

8.81
8. 56

Sept.
15

Aug.
15

Seattle, W ash.:
Bituminous, prepared sizes. $10.11 $9.63 $9.73
Springfield, 111.:
Bituminous, prepared sizes. 4. 34
3. 75
3. 73
Washington, D .C .:
Pennsylvania anthracite:
3 14.15 313. 68 314. 45
C hestnut.................. ........... 313. 85 313. 42 314. 15
Bituminous:
Prepared sizes:
3 8. 29 3 8 25 3 8. 33
Low volatile___________ 3 9.86 3 9. 84 3 9. 97
Run of mine:
3 7.50 3 7. 62 3 7.70

2 All coal sold in Savannah is weighed by the city. A charge of 10 cents per ton or half ton is made.
additional charge has been included in the above price.
8 Per ton of 2,240 pounds.


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

Sept.
15

This

WHOLESALE PRICES
Index Numbers of Wholesale Prices, 1913 to September 1933

T

HE following table presents the index numbers of wholesale
prices by groups of commodities, by years, from 1913 to 1932,
inclusive, and by months from January 1932 to date:
I N D E X N U M B E R S O F W H O L E S A L E P R IC E S
[1 9 2 6 = 1 0 0 ]

Year and month

1913
___________
1914
___________
1915____________________
1916____________________
1917_____ _______________
1918____________________
1919____________________
1920____________________
1921____________________
1922____________________
1923____________________
1924____________________
1925______ ______________
1926____________________
1927____________________
1928____________________
1929____________________
1930____________ _______
1931........... ................ ..
1932____________________
1932:
January________ _
February__________
M arch_____________
April______________
M a y _______________
June_______________
July_______________
August____________
September______ _
October___________
November____ ___
December_________
1933:
January_________
February__________
M arch______ ____
April----- ------------- M a y .......................
June ___________
July_______________
August. ________
September______

Farm
prod­
ucts

Hides
Tex­
and
tile
Foods leather
prod­
prod­
ucts
ucts

Fuel
and
light­
ing

IlouseMetals
M isBuild­ Chem­ furand
icals
celing
nishmetal mate­
laneand
ing
prod­
ous
rials drugs goods
ucts

98.9
101.8
100.0
96.8
95.6
94.2
89.1
79.3
73.5

56.3
56.8
56.0
61.4
74. 2
93.3
105. 9
141.8
113.0
103. 5
108.9
104.9
103. 1
100.0
97.5
95. 1
94.3
92.7
84.9
75.1

93.1
89.9
86.9
100.6
122.1
134.4
139. 1
167.5
109.2
92.8
99.7
93.6
109.0
100.0
91.0
85.4
82.6
77.7
69.8
64.4

69.8
68.1
69.5
85.5
117.5
131.3
138.6
154.4
97.6
96.7
100.6
98.1
103.5
100.0
95.4
96.7
95.3
86.4
73.0
64.8

74.8
73.4
73.2
72.5
71. 5
70.8
69.7
69.6
70.5
70.7
70.7
70.8

75.7
75.5
75.3
74.4
73.6
73.1
73.0
73.3
72.9
72.7
72.4
72.3

77.7
77.5
77.1
76.3
74.8
74.7
74.0
73.6
73.7
73. 7
73. 7
73.6

65.6
64.7
64.7
64.7
64.4
64.2
64.3
64.6
64.7
64.1
63.7
63.4

67.3
66.3
66.0
65.5
64.4
63.9
64.5
65.2
65.3
64. 4
63.9
62.6

70. 1
69.8
70.3
70. 2
71.4
74.7
79.5
81.3
82.7

71.6
71.3
71.2
71.4
73.2
73.7
73.2
73. 1
72.7

72.9
72.3
72. 2
71.5
71.7
73.4
74.8
77.6
79.3

61.2
59. 2
58. 9
57.8
58.9
60.8
64.0
65.4
65. 1

61.0
59.8
60. 2
60.4
62.7
65.0
68.9
69.5
70.8

71.5
71.2
71.5
84.4
129.0
148.0
157.6
150. 7
88.4
93.8
98.6
100.0
109.8
100.0
99.4
105.9
104.9
88.3
64.8
48.2

64.2
64.7
65.4
75.7
104.5
119. 1
129.5
137.4
90.6
87.6
92.7
91.0
100.2
100.0
96.7
101.0
99.9
90.5
74.6
61.0

68.1
70.9
75.5
93.4
123.8
125.7
174. 1
171. 3
109. 2
104. 6
104. 2
101. 5
105.3
100.0
107.7
121.4
109. 1
100.0
86. 1
72.9

57.3
54.6
54.1
70.4
98.7
137.2
135.3
164.8
94. 5
100.2
111. 3
106.7
108. 3
100.0
95.6
95.5
90.4
80.3
66.3
54.9

61.3
56.6
51.8
74.3
105.4
109.2
104. 3
163.7
96.8
107.3
97.3
92.0
96.5
100.0
88.3
84.3
83.0
78.5
67. 5
70.3

90.8
80.2
86.3
116.5
150.6
136.5
130. 9
149.4
117.5
102.9
109.3
106.3
103.2
100.0
96.3
97.0
100.5
92. 1
84.5
80.2

56.7
52.7
53. 5
67.6
88.2
98.6
115.6
150. 1
97.4
97.3
108.7
102.3
101.7
100.0
94.7
94. 1
95.4
89.9
79.2
71.4

80.2
81.4
112.0
160.7
165.0
182.3
157. 0
164.7
115. 0
100.3

52.8
50.6
50.2
49.2
46.6
45.7
47.9
49. 1
49. 1
46.9
46. 7
44. 1

64.7
62. 5
62. 3
61.0
59.3
58.8
60.9
61.8
61. 8
60.5
60.6
58.3

79.3
78.3
77.3
75.0
72.5
70.8
68.6
69. 7
72. 2
72. 8
69. 6

59.6
59.5
58.0
56. 1
54.3
52.7
51.5
52. 7
55.6
55.0
53.9
53.0

67.9
68.3
67.9
70.2
70.7
71.6
72.3
72. 1
70.8
71. 1
71.4
69.3

81.8
80.9
80.8
80.3
80. 1
79.9
79.2
80. 1
80. 1
80.3
79.6
79.4

42. 6
40.9
42.8
44. 5
50.2
53.2
60. 1
57.6
57.0

55.8
53.7
54.6
56. 1
59.4
61.2
65.5
84. 8
64.9

68.9
68.0
68. 1
69.4
76.9
82.4
86.3
91. 7
92.3

51.9
51.2
51.3
51.8
55.9
61. 5
68.0
74. 6
76.9

66.0
63.6
62.9
61.5
60.4
61.5
65.3
65. 5
70.4

78.2
77.4
77.2
76.9


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

71. 4

7 7 .7

79.3
80.6
81.2
82. 1

All
com­
modi­
ties

101. 1

1263

1264

M ONTHLY

LABOR

R E V IE W

I N D E X N U M B E R S O F S P E C IF IE D G R O U P S O F C O M M O D I T IE S
[1926=100]

Year

1913__________
1914__________
1915__________
1916__________
1917__________
1918__________
1919................ ..
1920__________
1921__________
1922__________
1923__________
1924__________
1925__________
1926__________
1927__________
1928__________
1929__________
1930__________
1931__________
1932__________

SemiFin­
Raw m anuished
facmate­
tured prod­
rials
arti­
ucts
cles

Nonagricultural
com­
modi­
ties

All
com­
modi­
ties
other
than
farm
prod­
ucts
and
foods

68.8
67.6
67.2
82. 6
122. 6
135.8
145.9
151. 8
88.3
96.0
98.5
97.6
106.7
100.0
96.5
99.1
97. 5
84.3
65.6
55.1

69.0
66.8
68.5
85. 3
113.1
125.1
131. 6
154. 8
100.1
97.3
100.9
97. 1
101.4
100.0
94.6
94.8
93. 3
85.9
74. 6
68.3

70.0
66.4
68.0
88. 3
114 2
124. 6
128. 8
161. 3
104 9
102.4
104.3
99.7
102.6
100.0
94.0
92.9
91 6
85. 2
75.0
70.2

74.9
70.0
81. 2
118. 3
150.4
153. 8
157.9
198. 2
96. 1
98.9
118.6
108.7
105. 3
100.0
94.3
94.5
93. 9
81.8
69. 0
59.3

69.4
67.8
68.9
82. 3
109. 2
124. 7
130. 6
149. 8
103. 3
96.5
99.2
96.3
100. 6
100.0
95.0
95.9
94. 5
88.0
77. 0
70. 3

SemiRaw inanu- Fin­
facished
mate­
tured prod­
rials
arti­
ucts
cles

M onth

1932:
January___
February

July

All
com­
Non- modi­
agrities
culother
tural than
com­ farm
modi­ prod­
ucts
ties
and
foods

.

September _
October___
November
December..
1933:
January. __
February._

July_______
August____
September.

58.3
56.9
56.1
55 5
53. 9
53 2
54. 7
55. 7
56.2
54.6
54.2
52. 1

63.1
61.9
60 8
59 6
58 1
57 6
55 5
57 9
60.7
60.7
58.9
57.7

72.1
71.4
71 5
71 1
70 3
70 0
70 ^

70.3
69.6
69 3

71.7
71.3

70.4
69.6
69.3
68.4

68.7
68.1
67.5
66.5

70.4
70.2
69.8
69.0

50.2
48.4
49 4
50 0
53 7
56 2
61.8
60. 6
61.7

56.9
56.3
56 9
57 3
61 3
65 3
69! 1
71.7
72.9

66.7
65. 7

64.9
63.7

67. 3
66.0

72.2
73.4
74.8

70.7
72.0
73.7

72.2
74.1
76.1

Weekly Index Numbers of Wholesale Prices

A s u m m a r i z a t i o n of the weekly index numbers for the 1 0 major
groups of commodities and for all commodities combined as issued
during the month of September 1933 will be found in the following
statement:
IN D E X

NUM BERS

O F W H O L E S A L E P R IC E S F O R W E E K S
A N D 30, 1933

OF S E P T

2 9 16 23
'
’

[1926 = 100]

Week ending—
Group
Sept. 2
A ll commodities_____

69.7

Farm products............... .........
Foods_______________________
Hides and leather products.
Textile products____________
Fuel and lighting materials.
Metals and metal products.
Building materials_________
Chemicals and drugs.......... .
House-furnishing goods____
Miscellaneous______________

57.1
65.3
92.9
74.2
67.2
81.4
81.0
72.2
77.0
65.2


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

Sept. 9

56.6
65.0
92.8
73.9
67.6
81.7
81.4
72.3
78.6
64.9

Sept. 16

Sept. 23

Sept. 30

70.5

71.5

71.1

55.9
65.1
92.0
75.5
72.5
81.7
82.0
72.1
78.7
64.8

59.3
65.9
92.0
76.4
72.8
81.8
82.3
72.1
78.8
65.1

58.0
64.9
91.9
76.3
72.6
82.0
83.2
72.1
79.4
65.1

WHOLESALE PRICES

1265

Purchasing Power of the Dollar, 1913 to September 1933
C h a n g e s in tlie buying power of the dollar expressed in terms of
wholesale prices from 1913 to September 1933 are shown in the
following table. The figures in this table are reciprocals of the index
numbers. To illustrate, the index number representing the level
of all commodities at wholesale in September 1933 with average
prices for the year 1926 as the base, is shown to be 70.8. The recipro­
cal of this index number is 0.01412 which, translated into dollars, and
cents becomes $1.412. The table shows that the dollar expanded so
much in its buying value that $1 of 1926 had increased in value to
$1.412 in September 1933 in the purchase of all commodities at
wholesale.
P U R C H A S IN G P O W E R

OF T H E

D OLLAR EXPR ESSED
P R IC E S

IN T E R M S

OF W H O L E S A L E

[1926 = $!]

Year and month

1913___________ : _______
1914 _ . . . __
_ .
1915____________________
1916____________________
1917. _________________
1918__________________ _
1919____________________
1920____________________
1921____________________
1922. _________________
1923. _________________
1924____________________
1925____________________
1926____________________
1927. _________________
1928. _________________
1929____________________
1930____________________
1931____________________
1932____________________
1932: January___ __
February..
March . . . . . . __
April____________
M a y _____________
June_________ . . .
July--------------------August. . . .
_ .
September_______
October_________
November
December_______
1933: January_________
February________
M arch. . ____
April ___________
M a y ... ________
J u n e ... ________
July--------------------August. _ . ._
September_______

Farm
prod­
ucts

Hides
and
leath­
Foods
er
prod­
ucts

Tex­
tile
prod­
ucts

Fuel Metals Build­ Chem ­ House
and
furn­
and
ing
icals
metal
ish­
light­
mate­ and
prod­
ing
ing
rials
drugs
ucts
goods

M iscellaneous

$1. 399 $1. 558 $1.468 $1. 745 $1.631 $1.101 $1. 764 $1.247 $1. 776 $1. 074
1.404 1.546 1.410 1.832 1.767 1.247 1.898 1.229 1.761 1.112
1.399 1.529 1.325 1.848 1.931 1.159 1.869
.893
1.786 1.151
1. 185 1.321 1.071 1.420 1.346
.858 1. 479
.622 1.629
.994
.775
.957
.808
1.013
.949
.664 1.134
.606 1.348
.819
.676
.840
.796
.729
.916
.733
1.014
.549 1.072
.744
.635
.772
.574
.739
.959
.764
.865
.637
.944
.719
.064
.728
.584
.607
.611
.669
.666
.607
.705
.597
1. 131 1.104
.916 1.058 1.033
.851
1.027
.870
.885
.916
1.066 1.142
.956
.998
.932
.972 1.028
.997
.966 1.078
1. 014 1.079
.960
.898 1.028
.915
.920
.989
.918 1.003
1.000 1.099
.985
.937
1.087
.941
.978 1.011
.953 1. 068
.911
.998
.950
.923
1.036
.969
.983
.982
970
.917
1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000
1.006 1.034
.929 1.046 1.133 1.038 1.056 1.033 1.026 1.099
.944
.990
.824 1.047 1.186 1.031 1.063 1. 046 1.052 1.171
.953 1.001
.917
1.106 1.205
.995 1.048 1.062 1.060 1.211
1. 133 1.105 1.000 1.245 1.274 1.086 1.112 1.122 1.079 1.287
1.543 1.340 1.161 1.508 1.481 1. 183 1.263 1.261
1.178 1.433
2. 075 1.639 1.372 1.821 1.422 1.247 1.401 1.361 1.332 1.553
1.894 1.546 1.261 1.678 1.473 1. 222 1.337 1.321 1.287 1.524
1.976 1.600 1.277 1.681
1. 464 1.236 1. 362 1.325 1. 290 1. 546
1.992 1.605 1.294 1.724 1.473 1.238 1.366 1.328 1.297
1. 546
2. 033 1.639 1.333 1.783 1.425 1.245 1.379 1.344 1.311 1. 546
2.146 1.686 1.379 1.842 1.414 1.248 1.399 1.359 1.337 1. 553
2.188 1.701 1.412 1.898 1.397 1. 252 1.412 1.368 1.339 1.558
2. 088 1.642 1.458 1.942 1.383 1.263 1.435 1.370 1.351
1.555
2.037 1.618 1.435 1.898 1.387 1.248 1.437 1.364 1.359 1.548
2.037 1.618 1.385 1. 799 1.412 1.248 1.418 1.372 1. 357 1. 546
2. 132 1.653 1.374 1.818 1.406 1.245 1.414 1.376 1.357 1.560
2. 141 1.650 1.401 1.855 1. 401 1.256 1.414 1.381 1.357 1.570
2.268 1.715 1.437 1.887 1.443 1.259 1.412 1.383 1. 359 1.577
2. 347 1.792 1. 451 1.927 1.515 1. 279 1. 427 1.397 1.372 1. 634
2.445 1.862 1.471 1.953 1.572 1.292 1.433 1.403 1.383 1. 689
2. 336 1.832 1.468 1.949 1.590 1.295 1.422 1.404 1.385 1.698
2.247 1.783 1.441 1.931 1.626 1.300 1.425 1.401 1.399 1.730
1.992 1.684 1.300 1.789 1.656 1.287 1.401 1.366 1.395 1.698
1.880 1. 634 1.214 1.626 1.626 1.261 1.339 1.357 1.362 1. 645
1.664 1.527 1.159 1. 471 1.531 1.241 1.258 1.366 1.337 1.563
1.736 1.543 1.091 1.340 1.527 1.232 1.230 1. 368 1. 289 1.529
1.754 1.541 1.083 1.300 1.420 1.218 1.209 1.376 1.261 1.536

16487°— 33------ 17


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

All
com­
modi­
ties

$1.433
1.468
1.439
1.170
.851
. 762
.722
.648
1.025
1.034
.994
1.019
.966
1.000
1.048
1.034
1.049
1.157
1.370
1.543
1.486
1. 508
1.515
1.527
1. 553
1.565
1.550
1.534
1. 531
1. 553
1.565
1.597
1.639
1. 672
1. 661
1. 656
1.595
1.538
1.451
1. 439
1. 412

1266

MONTHLY LABOR R E V IEW
Wholesale Price Trends During September 1933

T h e rise in the general level of wholesale commodity prices which
began in March of this year continued unbroken during the month of
September according to an announcement made by the Bureau of
Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor. The
index number for the month showed an advance of nearly 2 percent.
This index which includes 784 commodities or price series weighted
according to their relative importance in the markets and based on
the average prices for the year 1926 as 100, rose from 69.5 for August
to 70.8 for September.
The index for September averaged above 70 for the first time since
November 1931, and is higher than for any month since October 1931
when the index was 70.3. As compared with September 1932, with
an index number of 65.3, the present index shows an increase of nearly
8% percent over that of 1 year ago. As compared with the low point
reached in February of the present year, when the index was 59.8,
September prices were more than 18 percent higher. The corre­
sponding index for March was 60.2.
For the fourth consecutive time in the past 3 years prices for the
current month have averaged higher than in the corresponding month
of the year before. The all-commodities index, which indicates the
trend in the general level of wholesale prices, shows that, prices in
September were 25% percent below the level of June 1929 when the
index stood at 95.2.
Between August and September increases were reported in 294
instances, decreases in 152 instances, while in 338 instances no change
in price was shown.
The largest price advance was shown by the fuel and lighting group,
which increased by almost 7% percent over the previous month.
Increases took place in the average prices of coal, coke, and petroleum
products. Wholesale prices of electricity and gas, however, decreased
slightly.
The second largest advance occurred in the textile products group,
which showed a rise of 3 percent from August to September. This
increase was due largely to advances in the prices of clothing, knit
goods, and woolen and worsted goods. Cotton goods, silk and rayon,
and other textile products registered slight declines in prices during
the month of September.
Wholesale prices of farm products, which advanced steeply for 6
months, showed a reaction in September and dropped by 1 percent
as compared with August, although still 39 percent above February,
the low point reached during the present year, and 16 percent over
the corresponding month of last year. Corn, wheat, cows, steers,
lambs, cotton, oranges, hops, and potatoes were mainly responsible
for the decline. Barley, oats, rye, calves, hogs, eggs, lemons, hay,
tobacco, and wool showed increases in prices between the 2 months.
Among manufactured food products which showed price increases
during the month were butter, macaroni, rice, canned fruits and
vegetables, fresh pork, veal, dressed poultry, fish, lard, salt, and raw
sugar. On the other hand, cheese, flour, cured beef, lamb, mutton,
cured pork, granulated sugar, and most vegetable oils averaged lower
than in the month before. The group as a whole showed a fractional


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

WHOLESALE PRICES

1267

in crease in S ep tem b e r as co m p a re d w ith A u g u st, and rem ain ed n ea rly
21 p ercen t a b o v e tlie lo w o f F e b ru a ry o f this y e a r and 5 p e rce n t h ig h er
th an S ep tem b er a y e a r ago.
B o o ts and sh oes, leath er, and o th e r lea th er p ro d u cts sh ow ed
a d v a n ces in average prices, ca u sin g th e g ro u p o f h id es a n d lea th er
p ro d u cts to increase b y seven ten th s o f 1 p e rce n t o v e r th e p re v io u s
m on th . H id es and skins d eclin ed fr o m A u g u st to S ep tem b er.

COMPARISON OF WHOLESALE PRICES.
784-

P R IC E .
(l

I 00

9 Z t

S E R IE S .

=.

lOO )

100

I9JL9

(930

90

90

\
80

80
1931

70

60

SO

DEC.

50

JA N .

FE B .

m ar

.

APR.

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUG.

SEPT.

OCT.

MOV.

DEC

M e ta ls an d m eta l p ro d u cts as a w h ole co n tin u e d u p w a rd d u rin g
S ep tem b er due to a d v a n cin g p rices o f a gricu ltu ra l im p le m e n ts, iron
an d steel, n on ferrou s m eta ls, a n d p lu m b in g a n d h e a tin g fixtures.
M o t o r veh icles sh ow ed n o ch a n g e b etw een A u g u st a n d S ep tem b er.
T h e in d ex fo r this g ro u p w as o v e r 1 p e rce n t h ig h er th a n fo r th e m o n th
b efore.


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

1268

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

In the group of building materials the average prices of brick and
tile, cement, lumber, structural steel, and other building materials
moved upward during the month, while paint and paint materials
decreased slightly. The group as a whole recorded an increase of
1% percent.
Chemicals and drugs registered a decrease of one half of 1 percent
during September. Declining prices for chemicals, drugs and pharma­
ceuticals, and fertilizer materials outweighed advancing prices of
mixed fertilizers. The housefurnishing goods group as a whole
increased over 2 percent from the previous month. Both furniture
and furnishings showed a strengthening of prices.
The miscellaneous group of commodities declined one half of 1 per­
cent between August and September due to sharp declines in cattle
feed. Paper and pulp and other miscellaneous commodities increased
slightly, while automobile tires and tubes and crude rubber showed
little or no change in average prices between the 2 months.
Among the remaining groups raw-material prices increased by l%0
percent. Semimanufactured articles advanced by 1K0 percent to a
level of 20 percent above a year ago. Finished products moved
upward by nearly 2 percent and were 6% percent over September of
last year.
The nonagricultural-commodities group, which includes all com­
modities except farm products, advanced by about 2% percent during
the month. When manufactured foods and farm products are
excluded, the combined index number for all remaining groups
showed an increase of 27
/ 0percent during the month and a rise of more
than 7 percent over September a year ago.
From the low point reached in February, raw materials were higher
in September by more than 27 percent and semimanufactured articles
by more than 29 percent. In the same period finished products have
advanced by nearly 14 percent, nonagricultural commodities by nearly
16 percent, and all commodities eliminating farm products and foods
by more than 15 percent.
I N D E X N U M B E R S O F W H O L E S A L E P R IC E S B Y G R O U P S A N D S U B G R O U P S O F C O M ­
M O D IT IE S
[1926=100]

September
1932

Groups and subgroups

All commodities

__

_ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ ___

Farm products _ ______________________________________
Grains________________________________________________
Livestock and poultry
______
Other farm products________________ ______________
Foods. _ _ ____ _____________________________ __. _ __
Butter, cheese, and milk _ _ _____ _ _ . _ _ _ _
Cereal products, _
_ ___ ........................ ...................
Fruits and vegetables _ _ _ _ ________ __
_ _ _
M eats________________________________ _ _________ .
Other foods _
_ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ ....................
Hides and leather products. _ _________________________
Boots and shoes
_ ___ _ __________ ___________ _
Hides and skins
_______________________________
Leather______________________________________________
Other leather products_______________ ________ . . .


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

August
1933

September
1933

Purchasing
power of
the dollar,
September
1933

65.3

69.5

70.8

$1,412

49.1
37.4
51. 2
52.1
61.8
60.6
65.8
52.5
60.9
64.6
72.2
84.4
48.2
63.2
81.5

57.6
64.6
45.9
62.5
64.8
65. 7
84.8
71.1
51.0
62.6
91.7
96. 1
91.5
82.5
81.2

57.0
63.9
46.7
61.2
64.9
65.8
84.7
66.8
51.5
64.5
92.3
98.9
84.1
85.4
84.6

1. 754
1.565
2.141
1.634
1. 541
1. 520
1. 181
1.497
1.942
1. 550
1.083
1. Oil
1.189
1.171
1.182

WHOLESALE PEICES

1269

I N D E X N U M B E R S OF W H O L E S A L E P R IC E S B Y G R O U P S A N D
M O D I T I E S — Continued

September
1932

Groups and subgroups

Knit goods.

______

_

Agricultural implements_______
Nonferrous metals

_ . . ____

_

. _

_ ____________
_____________________

All commodities other than farm products and foods._ _
1 Data not yet available.


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

55.6
61.8
57.9
50.4
32.6
56. 7
68.6
70.8
87.7
81. 1
76.7
103.4
107.6
46.7
80. 1
84.9
79. 7
92.7
51.6
66.8
70.5
75.4
79.0
56.3
68.2
66.8
81.7
79.9
72.9
79.8
56.6
63. 6
66.9
73. 7
74.7
72. 7
64.7
42.7
45.9
75.5
8. 2
83. 2
56.2
60.7
70. 4
68.7
70.4

S U B G R O U P S OF C O M ­

August
1933

74.6
74.4
93.5
69.4
34.6
78.9
77.8
65.5
79.2
83.6
77.4
88.8
99.5
40.9
81. 2
83.2
78.6
90.4
68.2
70.3
81.3
81.5
90.3
79.4
77.5
70.3
81.7
85.0
73. 1
79.6
57.6
69. 0
64. 4
77.6
78.6
76.8
65.4
43. 2
78.0
81.0
14.9
77.8
60.6
71.7
73.4
72.0
74.1

September
1933

(')
0)

Purchasing
power of
the dollar,
September
1933

76.9
81. 1
91.3
74.8
34. 5
82.7
76.5
70.4
82.0
84.7
79.7

$1. 300
1.233
1.095
1. 337
2.899
1.209
1.307
1.420
1. 220
1. 181
1. 255

49.6
82. 1
83.2
80.3
90.4
68.5
74.7
82.7
82.6
90.8
82.0
77.3
74.7
82.4
85.9
72.7
78.8
56.8
66.6
67.8
79.3
80.5
78.4
65. 1
43.2
64.2
82.2
14. 9
78.1
61.7
72.9
74.8
73.7
76.1

2. 016
1. 218
1. 202
1. 245
1. 106
1.460
1.339
1. 209
1.211
1.101
1.220
1.294
1.339
1. 214
1. 164
1.376
1.269
1.761
1.502
1.475
1.261
1. 242
1. 276
1.536
2.315
1.558
1.217
6. 711
1.280
1.621
1.372
1.337
1.357
1.314

PUBLICATIONS RELATING TO LABOR
Official— United States
C a l if o r n ia .

Highway Patrol.

Study o f salaries paid in police departments
States.
Sacramento, January 1 0 , 1933.
16 pp.

throughout the United
( Mim eographed.)

Emergency Relief Commission. First annual report, for the year ending
February 5, 1933, issued join tly with a report o f the Illinois Em ergency Relief
Com m ission ( Federal) covering the period J u ly 2 7 , 1932, through February 5,
1933.
Chicago, 10 South L a Salle Street, 1933.
11+1 pp.

I l l in o is .

M assach usetts.

Department of Industrial Accidents.

year ending June 30, 1932.
105.)

Boston, 1933.

89 pp.

Annual report for the
{Public Document N o.

Reviewed in this issue.
Department of Public Welfare.
3 0 ,1 9 3 2 .
Boston, [19331].
Document N o. 17.)

A n n u al report, for the year ending November
Parts I and I I , 1 39 p p ; Part I I I , 29 pp.
{Public

Parts I and II contain data on welfare work, including mothers’ aid, old-age
assistance, child care, homes for the aged, etc. Part III is devoted to city and
towm infirmaries and statistics of poor relief.
N ew

Y o r k .—

1933.

Commission on Pensions.

81+ p p ., chart.

Sixth report, M arch 15, 1933.
Legislative Document {1933) N o. 111.

Albany,

This report gives a brief history of the policies o f the State in regard to the
retirement of public employees, with an outline of the steps still to be taken in
order to complete the program of putting all public employees in New York under
sound pension systems. It contains also a digest of the pension systems operated
by the State and by the city of New York, and of the retirement provisions of
other cities, counties, towns, and villages throughout the State.
Department of Labor. Industrial Code Bulletin N o. 2 1 : Rules as amended
relating to window cleaning.
N ew York, 80 Centre Street, [1932?].
13 pp.,
diagrams.
Reviewed in this issue.
U ta h .— Industrial Commission.

Biennial report, J u ly 1, 1930, to June 30, 1932.
[Salt Lake City, 1933?] Bulletin N o. 1 : S ynopsis of decisions rendered by the
Industrial Commission in workmen’s compensation cases, and digest o f su­
preme court rulings. 2 3 2 pp.
Bulletin N o. 2 : Financial statements o f the
State Insurance Fund, the Industrial Com m ission o f Utah, F irem en’s Pension
Fund, and the E m ployees’ Combined In ju r y Benefit Fund.
18 pp.
Bulletin
N o. 1+: Coal and metal mines reports, including report o f factory and labor in ­
spections, building inspections, and wage collections.
167 pp.
Bulletin N o.
5 : Utah agricult ural statistics, compiled by the U .S . Department of Agriculture,
Bureau o f Agricultural Economics. 21+ pp.
•

Bulletin No. 3 of this series, the industrial accident statistics report, has not
been printed.
U n it e d

S t a t e s .—

Congress.

Senate.

Committee on Agriculture and Forestry.

The United Communities.
Hearing before a subcommittee {73d Cong., 1st
sess.) on S . 111+2, a bill for the purpose o f providing industrial and agricultural
communities for the absorption o f unemployed citizens o f the United States
and fo r issuance o f self-liquidating bonds for the establishment thereof, M a y 10
1933.
Washington, 1933.
1+7 pp.

1270


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

PUBLICATIONS RELATING TO LABOR
U n it e d

States—

1271

Department of Agriculture.

Yearbook o f agriculture, 1933.
789 pp., maps, charts, Ulus.

Washington, 1933.

An article on the effect of depression conditions on farm-labor productivity,
in this issue of the Monthly Labor Review, is based on information contained in
the above yearbook.
------- Department of Commerce.

Bureau of Mines. Inform ation Circular 6 7 4 3 :
Safety practices and achievements at the Columbia M in e o f the Columbia Steel
Co. (subsidiary of the United States Steel Corporation), by D . J . Parker.
Washington, 1933.
10 pp.
( M im eographed.)

------- ---------Bureau of the Census.

Distribution N o. R -8 1 : Em ploym ent and wages
in the retail industry.
Washington, 1933. 4 5 p p ., map, charts.
(Fifteenth
Census o f the United States, Census of Distribution, 1930— Retail Distribution,
Special Series.)

Reviewed in this issue.
------- Department of Labor.

Letter from the Secretary o f Labor transmitting in
response to Senate Resolution N o. 351 {72d Cong.) a report o f all functions of
the Department o f Labor and the annual cost thereof.
Washington, 1933. 10
pp.
(Senate Doc. N o. 4 7 , 73d Cong., 1st sess.)

---------------- Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Bulletin N o. 5 9 6 : Law s relating to prison
labor in the United States as o f J u ly 1, 1933.
Washington, 1933.
146 pp.

------------------------- .

Bulletin N o. 5 3 9 : What are labor statistics fo r ? A series o f pic­
torial charts prepared by the Bureau o f Labor Statistics fo r the United States
Department o f Labor exhibit at the Century o f Progress Exposition, Chicago,
1933. Washington, 1933. 12 pp.

------- ——

Children’s Bureau.

medical social service.

A handbook o f statistical reporting in the field of
Washington, 1933.
39 pp.

The handbook was compiled by a joint committee of the American Association
of Hospital Social Workers and the Children’s Bureau. The material presented
includes a definition of the field of medical social service, the determination of
units of count, and the construction of statistical-record forms in the field of med­
ical social service.

Official— Foreign Countries
C h i n a .—

Ministry of Industries.

Voi. 1, N o. 1.

Bureau of Statistics.

Nanking, February 1933.

The Industrial Statistics,
[Various paging .]

Data on labor unions from this report are given in this issue of the Monthly
Labor Review. Part of the volume is printed in English as well as Chinese.
C z e c h o s l o v a k i a .—

Assemblée Nationale.

latifs, session d’automne 1 9 3 2 -3 3 .

Exposé sommaire des travaux légis­
Prague, 1933. 3 6 pp.

Includes labor laws enacted by the Czechoslovakian Parliament during the fall
session of 1932-33, including laws relating to civil service pensions, protection of
inventions, creation of a committee on economic control, etc.
D e n m a r k .—

[Socialministeriet.] Beretning om arbejds- og fabriktilsynets virksomhed
i aaret 1932. Copenhagen, 1933. 114 pp., folders, diagrams, illus. (Særtryk
af Sociali Tidsskrift, J u ly -A u g u st 1933.)

Annual report on factory inspection in Denmark in 1932.
are in French as well as Danish.
F r a n k f u r t - a m - M a in

sichten 1 9 3 1 -3 2 .

(Germany).— Statistisches Am t.
Frankfurt-am -M ain, 1933.

Some table heads

Statistische Jahresuber-

64 pp.

Contains statistical information in regard to welfare work, social insurance,
unemployment and unemployment relief, housing, etc., in the city of Frankfurtam-M ain during the fiscal year 1931-32.
G r e a t B r i t a i n .—

Home Office. Committee on Compensation for Industrial Dis­
eases. Report, London, 1932, 16 p p .; second report, London, 1933, 21 pp.
These reports deal with proposed extensions of the schedule of industrial dis­
eases to which the Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1925, applies.


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

M ON TH LY

1272

Great B ritain .— Mines

LABOR

Department.

Eleventh annual report, 1932.

R E V IE W

Safety

London, 1933.

in

Mines

Research Board.

112 pp., diagrams, Ulus.

The report covers various safety research projects carried out during the year
and includes an account of the studies of the health advisory committee of the
Mines Department.

I ndia .— Department of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics.

Statistical
abstract for British India, with statistics, where available, relating to certain
Indian States, from 1 9 2 1 -2 2 to 1 9 3 0 -3 1 . Delhi, 1933. 854 VV-

Contains data on cooperative societies, wholesale and retail prices, employ­
ment, and production in cotton mills, etc.

I taly .— Istituto Centrale di Statistica.
Rome, 1933.

Annuario

statistico

Italiano,

1933-

5 0 7 p p ., maps, charts.

This statistical yearbook includes data on employment, wages, prices and cost
of living, social insurance, etc.

N etherlands.— Rijksverzekeringsbank. Ongevallenstatistiek betreffende het kalenderjaar 1929.

Deel I I .

Am sterdam , 1933.

2 24 p p ., charts.

Contains statistics of industrial accidents in the Netherlands in 1929, classified
by industrv, occupation, and establishment; insurance against accidents by the
State Insurance Bank, by trade associations, and by employers; wages of the
insured, etc.

N orway .— Chefinspektpratet for Fabrikktilsynet.
[1933?].

Ârsberetninger, 1932.

Oslo,

81 p p ., diagrams.

Annual report on factory inspection in Norway in 1932, including information
on personnel of the inspection administration, industrial accidents and diseases,
welfare work, working hours, woman and child labor regulations, law violations,
and steamship inspection. The table of contents and some table heads are in
both Norwegian and French and there is a résumé in French.

Oslo (N orway ). — Trygdekasse.

Arsberetning, 1932.

Oslo, 1933.

5 3 pp.

Report of the Oslo Sickness Insurance Fund in 1932, including financial state­
ments and information on legislation, healing and preventive measures, and
personnel and organization.

Soviet U nion (U .S .S .R .).— Council of People’s Commissars.

State Planning

Commission.

Sum m ary of the fulfillment of the first five-year plan for the
development of the national economy of the U .S .S .R .
M oscow , 1933.
296 pp.

D ata on yearly wages and on number of workers employed in the Soviet Union
in 1932, taken from the above publication, are given in this issue of the Monthly
Labor Review.

Sweden .— [Socialdepartementet.]
detaljhandeln.

Socialstyrelsen.

Stockholm, 1933.

Arbetstidsfôrhâllandena inom

160 pp.

Deals with hours of labor in the retail stores in Sweden, including conditions
influencing hours of labor, inherent peculiarities of certain establishments,
nature of occupations, legislation regarding hours of labor, etc. Includes French
table of contents and résumé.

Unofficial
A merican C ountry L ife A ssociation.

Adult education and rural life.
Pro­
ceedings of the Fifteenth Am erican Country L ife Conference, Wheeling, W .V a .,
October 1 4 -1 6 , 1932.
N ew York, 105 E . 22d Street, 1933.
153 pp.

Among the subjects discussed at this conference were: Statesmanship in rural
adult education, rural social trends, the crisis in American education, economic
education needed today, training rural recreation leaders, and extension of the
cultural arts.


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

P U B L IC A T IO N S

R E L A T IN G

TO

1273

LABOR

A merican F oundrymen’ s A ssociation.

Good housekeeping conference.
Pre­
sented at the A .F .A . annual convention, Chicago, June 21, 1933.
Chicago,
2 2 2 W . A dam s Street, 1933. 3 0 pp.

The subjects covered in the conference included the dust problem in foundries,
employers’ liability in connection with occupational diseases; and keeping a
clean and orderly foundry, particularly from the standpoint of the elimination of
dust.

B rayshaw , Shipley N. Unemployment and plenty.
Unwin, Ltd., 1933.

London, George Allen and

146 pp.

This review of economic conditions which result in unemployment at the same
time that there is great overproduction was delivered as the annual Swarthmore lecture before the Society of Friends. The principles of the Quakers as
regards luxury and peace, therefore, enter largely into the discussion.

B urnham , G race M.

Dangerous jobs.
N ew
(N o. 3 4 ), 799 Broadway, 1933.
2 3 pp.

York,

International Pamphlets

C hina Y ear B ook , 1933.

Edited by H . G. W . Woodhead. Shanghai, NorthChina D aily N ew s & Herald, Ltd., 1933.
787 pp.
( University of Chicago
Press, Chicago, III., agents fo r United States.)

Chapter X I V deals with labor in agriculture, in handicrafts, in mining, and in
modern industry; labor disputes; wages, hours, and cost of living; woman and
child labor; factory legislation; and the International Labor Organization.

C oppin , G uido.

L ’Istituto Nazionale per VAssistenza ai Grandi Invalidi del
Lavoro nel decennale della rivoluzione Fascista.
M ila n , Arte Grafica Arnbrosiana, 1933. 356 pp., maps, diagrams, illus.

This report on the Italian National Institute of Insurance Against Invalidity
of Labor contains a short history of the organization of the institute and describes
its healing and preventive measures, its rehabilitation work, etc.
De

P orte, J oseph V .

Guides to vital statistics in the United States.
M ich ., Edwards Brothers, In c., 1933. 38 pp.

A n n Arbor,

This is one of the reports made to the President’s [Hoover] Research Com­
mittee on Social Trends. The volume attempts to present in comprehensive and
at the same time condensed form the statistics of births, deaths, marriages, and
divorces as published by the United States Census Bureau.

F lügge, L udwig .

W ie ist von den Errungenschaften der Technik ein weiser
Gebrauch zu machen ? Berlin, 1932.
108 pp.
(Selbstverlag des Verfassers.)

Deals with the question of how to make wiser use of technical achievements,
especially of labor-saving machines.

G ivens , M eredith B., and W ilke , E rnestine.
relating to wages in the United States.
In c., 1933. 5 5 pp.

A guide to statistical series
A n n Arbor, M ich ., Edwards Bros.,

H arvard U niversity .

Graduate School of Business Administration. Bureau
of Business Research. Business Research Studies, N o. 3 : The behavior of
consumption in business depression, by Arthur R . Tebbutt.

Boston, 1933.

21 pp.

Reviewed in this issue.

H odgson, V iolet H.
Co., 1933.

Public health nursing in industry.
xxii, 2 4 9 pp., charts.

N ew York, M acm illan

The purpose of this book is to show the need for public health nursing in
industry, that is, the need for effective preventive services including the preven­
tion of physical, mental, and social maladjustments among the workers, instead
of the provision of strictly curative services which is now so general.


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

1274

M ON TH LY

LABOR

R E V IE W

H offman, F rederick L.

Lead-poisoning legislation and statistics.
Prudential Press, 1933. 4 0 pp.

Newark, N .J .,

A reduction in the number of deaths from lead poisoning in the United States
is shown for 1930 and 1931 as compared with the average for the years 1925-29,
but the returns for 1931 were not complete so that the figures for that year are
subject to correction. The report includes statistics of cases of lead poisoning in
a number of foreign countries.

I nternational U nion of W oodworkers.

Report on activities for the years
1 9 2 9 -1 9 3 2 , submitted to the Eighth Ordinary International Woodworkers’
Congress, Brussels, August 1933 [with financial report, January 1, 1929, to
J u ly 15, 1933],
Brussels, 1933.
4% PP( M im eographed .)

L eague

of V irginia M unicipalities . Bureau of Public Administration.
Report N o. 1 2 0 : Salaries and living costs in the municipal service in Virginia.
Richmond, Travelers’ Building, 1933.
21 pp.
( Mim eographed.)

M innesota, LTniversity of.
M urchie.
-------

Land settlement as a relief measure, by R.
M inneapolis, 1933.
3 2 pp.

W-

Employment Stabilization Research Institute.
on business activity
5 9 pp., charts.

and real income

in

Impact of the depression
M innesota.
M inneapolis, 1933.

Reviewed in this issue.

N ational E ducation A ssociation of the United States.

Proceedings of the
seventieth annual meeting, held at Atlantic City, N .J ., June 2 5 - J u ly 1, 1932.
Washington, D .C ., 1201 Sixteenth Street N W . [1933?] 9 92 pp.

Includes various contributions on vocational and adult education, a report of
the committee on social-economic objectives, and a section on social studies.

P rospect U nion E ducational E xchange.

Educational opportunities of Greater
Boston: A selective list of day and evening classes and home-study courses for
adults, 1 9 3 3 -1 9 3 4 .
Cambridge, M a ss., 6 78 Massachusetts A ve., 1933.
157 pp.

R ussell Sage F oundation.

Library. Bulletin N o. 1 2 0 : Fam ily budgets and
costs and standards of living— a selected list of recent material.
N ew York
130 East 22d Street, August 1933.
4 PP-

Secrétariat des P aysans suisses.

Publication N o. 1 06 : Trente-cinquième
rapport annuel du comité directeur de l’union suisse des paysans et du secré­
tariat des paysans suisses, 1932.
Brugg, 1933.
185 pp.

------- Recherches relatives à la rentabilité de Vagriculture^pendant l’exercice 1 9 3 1 -3 2 ,
l re partie.
Rapport au Département fédéral de l’Économ ie publique.
Berne,
1933.
( Tirage à part de l’ Annuaire agricole de la Suisse, 1933, pp. 3 4 3 -3 9 1 ,
map, charts.)

Regular yearly report on the cost of production (including the labor cost) of
farm products.

T aylor, M orris P.

Common sense about machines and unemployment.
delphia, John C. W inston Co., 1933.
173 pp.

Phila­

V alenstein , L awrence, and W eiss, E. B.

Business under the Recovery Act
N ew York and London, M cG ra w -H ill Book Co., In c., 1933.
3 14 pp.

The authors discuss the various phases of the recovery legislation and the
effects that the realignment of hours of labor, hours of machine operation, wage
rates, production and price control, and the establishing of fair-trade practices
must have on merchandising, selling, and advertising programs.


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

o