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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
W. N. DOAK, Secretary
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
CHARLES E. BALDWIN, Acting Commissioner
KALAMAZOO PUBLIC LIBRARY
MONTHLY
:t
932
LABOR REVIEW
VOLUME 35
NUMBER 4
OCTOBER, 1932
UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON : 1932
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C.
Price 20 cents a copy
Subscription price per year: United States, Canada, Mexico, $2.00; Other Countries, $3.25
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
C E R T IF IC A T E
T h is p u b lica tio n is issu ed p u rsu a n t to th e
p rovision s o f th e su n d ry c iv il a c t (41 S ta ts.
1430) ap p roved M arch 4, 1921.
C o n te n ts
Special articles:
Technological changes and employment in the United States Postal
Service______________________________________________________
Relative cost of material and labor in building construction, 1931-32_
Employment of older persons in Springfield (Mass.) department
stores, by Amy Hewes________________________________________
Employment conditions and unemployment relief:
Employment in the construction of an apartment house___________
Spreading-work program of President’s conference of August 26, 1932_
California— Hearings before unemployment commission____________
Hawaii—Unemployment in summer of 1932______________________
Unemployment in foreign countries______________________________
Germany—
Unemployment relief through building loans in Stuttgart______
Voluntary labor service_____________________________________
Great Britain— An experiment with voluntary work of the unem
ployed----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Queensland— Unemployment insurance and unemployment relief in
1932------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Land settlement:
Puerto Rico—Homestead experiments___________________________
Estonia—Settlement of unemployed workers upon land____________
Productivity of labor:
Man-hour productivity in the lumber industry in the Pacific Coast
States in 1929_____ __________________________________________
Industrial and labor conditions:
Industrial relations in the electrical industry______________________
Employees’ suggestion systems__________________________________
Great Britain— Report of committee on road and rail transport____
Women in industry:
Brazil— Regulation of employment of women_____________________
Health and industrial hygiene:
Great Britain— Industrial diseases and poisoning in factories, 193U_
Industrial accidents:
Accident statistics of the National Safety Council for 1931_________
Metal-mine accidents in the United States in 1930________________
Accidents at metallurgical works in the United States in 1930_______
Quarry accidents in the United States in 1930____________________
Age factor in industrial accidents________________________________
Ohio— Principal causes of industrial injuries______________________
Labor laws and court decisions:
California prevailing-wage law declared constitutional_____________
Workmen’s compensation:
Victim of sunstroke awarded compensation_______________________
Preexisting condition held no bar to recovery of compensation_____
Recent compensation reports—Ohio---------------------------------------------------------------------------------Wisconsin_________________________________________________
Philippine Islands__________________________________________
Social insurance:
Effect of social charges upon costs of production in Belgium_______
Family allowance:
Canada— Report on family allowances by Quebec Commission_____
France— Annual congress on family allowances____________________
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
h i
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IV
CONTENTS
Worker’s education and training:
Page
Educational survey by International Federation of Trade-Unions---864
Cooperation:
Development of the cooperative movement throughout the world----872
Status of building and loan associations in 1931----------------------------882
Industrial disputes:
Strikes and lockouts in the United States in August, 1932--------------883
Conciliation work of the Department of Labor in August, 1932------885
Labor agreements, awards and decisions:
Levy on pressing machines to support unemployment fund in New
York cloak industry -------------------------------------------------------------889
Reduction in wages of milk-wagon drivers, St. Louis, Mo---------------889
Housing:
Building permits in principal cities of the United States in August, 1932_ 891
Wages and hours of labor:
Wages and hours of labor in the leather industry, 1932------------------902
Hours and earnings in sawmills in 1932---------------------------------------910
Entrance wage rates of common labor, July 1, 1932----------------------916
Summary of wage surveys of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1926 to
1932________________________________________________________
919
Wage-rate changes in American industries-----------------------------------922
Wage changes reported by trade-unions since June, 1932---------------925
Brazil— Eight-hour day regulations for workers----------------------------928
Canada— Wages and hours of work in British Columbia, 1931--------929
Germany—
Earnings and hours in electrotechnical industry in October, 1931.
930
Earnings and hours in the manufacture of iron and steel prod
ucts in October, 1931-------------------------------------------------------932
Great Britain— Weavers’ wages in woolen-textile industry--------------933
Trend of employment:
Summary for August, 1932--------------------------------------------------------935
Employment in selected manufacturing industries in August, 1932___
936
Employment in nonmanufacturing industries in August, 1932— ----946
Trend of employment in August, 1932, by States--------------------------949
Employment and earnings in August, 1932, in cities of over 500,000
population___________________________________________________
955
Employment in executive civil service of the United States, August,
1932________________________________________________________
956
Employment in building construction in August, 1932-------------------957
Employment on Class I steam railroads in the United States----------959
Retail prices:
Retail prices of food in August, 1932-------------------------------------------961
Retail prices of coal in August, 1932--------------------------------------------964
Wholesale prices:
Index numbers of wholesale prices, 1913 to August, 1932---------------967
Cost of living:
Cost of living of wage-earning women in Richmond, Va-----------------972
Immigration and emigration:
Statistics of immigration for July, 1932----------------------------------------987
Recent migration of Filipino labor to continental United States and
Hawaii______________________________________________________
988
Publications relating to labor:
Official—United States__________________________________________
989
Official—Foreign countries______________________________________
990
Unofficial______________________________________________________
992
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
T h is Issu e in B rie f
The 'productivity of labor in the United States postal system increased
634 V& cent between 1908 and 1931. In other words, on the basis of
the 1908 level of efficiency, 171,739 additional employees would have
been required in 1931 to do the work handled in that year. This
increase in the output per employee was due to many causes—develop
ment and improvement of mechanical equipment, better coordination
of administrative activities, adaptation of the physical plant to
changing conditions and needs, etc. Page 745.
Of the money spent in building construction, 63.6 per cent goes for
material and 364 per cent for labor, according to a recent survey by
the Bureau of Labor Statistics covering 15 representative cities. The
percentage received by labor was slightly more on residential buildings
than on nonresidential buildings. The percentage of labor and of
material costs differed considerably in the different cities. In Boston,
for example, labor accounted for 41 per cent of the total cost of build
ing operations, while in Dallas labor received only 27.2 per cent of
the total cost of the building. In the North, in general, labor received
a higher percentage of the total cost of building operations than in
the South. Page 763.
That age is not so serious a bar to employment in the better class of
large department stores as in some other lines of work is shown by a
study recently made in Springfield, Mass. In each of the three
stores surveyed, from one-fourth to one-fifth of the staff was over 45
years of age, and nearly one-fourth of the total group was 60 or more.
Over a third had been engaged after reaching 45. The personal
relations established between the older employees and the customers
they had served for years were looked upon as a valuable asset to
the employers. Page 773.
A study of the day-by-day employment in the construction of a large
apartment house, made by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, shows
the amount of work, in terms of man-hours, done by each occupation
or trade; the duration of work for each class of employees; and the
particular periods when the several classes of employees were actively
employed. In addition, man-hour output figures were obtained for
certain occupations. Page 782.
A levy of $8 a week for each pressing machine used fu ll time in the
cloak and suit industry of New York City has been decreed by the
impartial chairman of the industry. This levy is to be paid into an
unemployment fund to be administered by the union for the benefit
of pressers displaced by the use of pressing machines. Page 889.
A general program for spreading work was drawn up and set in
motion by a national conference of banking and industrial com
mittees of the 12 Federal Reserve districts meeting in Washington
the latter part of August. In accordance with the recommendation
of President Hoover and the organizing committee of the conference,
a subcommittee was appointed to promote increased employment
through the sharing of work. The campaign will be carried on
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
VI
THIS ISSUE IN BRIEF
through the banking and industrial committees of each reserve dis
trict, and the cooperation of manufacturers’ associations and various
national, State, and local organizations will be sought. Page 790.
Average hourly earnings in the leather industry in the spring of 1932
were J+9.3 cents for male workers and 30.3 cents for female workers,
according to a study made by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Actual
weekly earnings of males averaged $20.78 and of females $12.41;
full-time weekly earnings would have averaged $24.85 and $15.15,
respectively. The hours actually worked per week averaged 42.1 for
males and 40.9 for females, while full-time hours per week were 50.4
for males and 50 for females. The survey covered 114 representative
tanneries, having 21,399 wage earners, in 15 States. Page 902.
Earnings in the sawmill industry in 1932 averaged 25.6 cents per hour
and $1^-28 per full-time week, compared with 35.9 cents per hour
and $20.28 per full-time week in 1930, as shown by a survey by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics of 259 representative sawmills, with 32,130
wage earners, in 21 States. Actual earnings in one week averaged
$10.25 in 1932 as against $17.46 in 1930. Full-time working hours
per week averaged 55.8 in 1932 as compared with 56.5 in 1930, while
the hours actually worked in 1932 and 1930 averaged 40.1 and 48.6,
respectively. Page 910.
The average earnings of 71 woman clerical and factory workers in
Richmond, Va., for the year ended March 31, 1931, were $9^2, or 94-5
per cent of their average annual income. The average annual expendi
tures of this group amounted to $971, distributed as follows: Primary
expenses (board, room, fuel, light, and laundry), 42.2 per cent;
clothes, 28.4 per cent; health, 2.9 per cent; recreation and amuse
ment, 4.7 per cent; education and advancement, 4.0 per cent; mis
cellaneous, 17.8 per cent. More detailed figures show some interesting
contrasts in the amounts and percentages of expenditure for the same
items in the respective budgets of the factory and clerical groups.
Page 972.
The unemployment situation in Hawaii is less serious than it is on
the mainland of the United States, according to a report made in the
summer of 1932 by the chairman of the governor’s committee on
unemployment in that Territory. Hawaii has no winter, and vegeta
bles and other food crops can be raised there the year round. Some
subsistence, at least in the country districts, can also be secured %
fishing. The major causes of unemployment have been the curtail
ment of the activities of the pineapple companies and the cutting down
of construction work. Youths unable to find jobs upon graduating
from school constitute a difficult problem. Page 794.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY
LABOR R E VI E W
U. S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
WASHINGTON
Oc t o
ber
, 1932
T e ch n o lo g ic al C h a n g e s an d E m p lo y m e n t in th e
U n ited S t a t e s P o sta l Service
Summary
HE Federal postal system operates under the influence of forces
which are commonly supposed to be hostile to initiative and change.
In the first place, the fact that the post office is one of our oldest
institutions might be supposed to imbue it with the conservatism of
age. The antiquity of the postal system is indicated by the fact
that as early as 1775, even before the Declaration of Independence,
Benjamin Franklin assumed the office described as that of Postmaster
General.
Another factor which tends, according to popular conception, to
prevent adaptability and retard progress is the noncompetitive nature
of the business carried on by the post offices. To be sure, there is an
element of competition to be found in the fact that there are alterna
tive methods of communication, of handling goods transported by
parcel post, and of securing certain of the special services, such as
that rendered, by the postal savings division. There is also a competi
tive element in the spirit of rivalry oftentimes apparent between post
offices and between groups and individuals within a post office. But
in general, the competitive influence in private business resulting
from the existence of rival units of enterprise offering similar services
within the same community is not to be found in the Postal Service.
Such assumptions as have been briefly outlined above are undoubt
edly taken for granted extensively by patrons of post offices. But a
study of the recent history and the present status of the postal sys
tem, just completed by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics,
shows that that system has been undergoing a series of changes which,
although more continuous and therefore less noticeable, are probably
no less rapid and radical in character than the changes that have been
characteristic of American business in general. One needs to go
back no more than a quarter of a century to discover that the system
has been revolutionized in regard to the nature and variety of services
rendered; the use of mechanical methods; the introduction of admin
istrative changes; the adaptation of the physical plant to changing
conditions and needs; and the increased productivity of labor.
Since 1908 (the first year included in the present study) the vast
and complicated system of parcel post has been developed. Connected
with parcel post has been the introduction of the collect-on-delivery
system, the insuring of parcels, and special-handling arrangements.
Among the other additions to the services rendered are the Postal
Savings System, village delivery, and extensions of the delivery
system in both city and country.
745
T
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
746
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
For the handling of a wide variety of activities, mechanical methods
have been devised and extended in recent years to an extent that is
seldom realized by patrons of the system. Improved canceling and
postmarking machines are used in all offices large enough to justify
their adoption. In preparing letters for the canceling machine,
mechanical facing tables are used. Many varieties of automatic
conveyors have been devised and put into use. An important factor
in the development of motor vehicles and airplanes has been the
extensive patronage of these industries by the postal system. Large
firms and institutions have been encouraged to make use of such
devices as metered postage machines. In the handling of finances
and accounts, many kinds of the most efficient types of bookkeeping
and calculating machines are in extensive use.
There has been an even greater variety of administrative changes
for the purpose of promoting efficiency. Among these may be in
cluded a definite budgeting of funds for encouraging invention and
for buying or renting and maintaining labor-saving devices. A
division of cost ascertainment has been established for carrying on a
continuing study of the various phases of income and expenditure
as a basis for conducting the financial affairs of the postal system
according to sound economic principles. The handling of the accounts
of smaller offices has been decentralized in what is known as the
district post-office accounting system. Remarkable economies have
been effected in the money-order accounting system. Surveys have
been conducted for the purpose of discovering the most efficient
methods, formulating plans for standardized procedures and making
available to the entire system the best methods found anywhere in
the system. An administrative reorganization has coordinated the
mailing and finance divisions in the various larger offices. In order
to avoid slack time and to make possible a full utilization of the labor
facilities of the system, postal employees perform a variety of func
tions and thus the advantages of specialization are combined with
the economies of interchangeability of labor. An important illus
tration of recent coordination of labor for greater efficiency is the
unit system for facing,1canceling, and separating letters in the larger
offices. The development and general application of a system of
efficiency ratings has characterized recent postal history.
In the adaptation of the physical plant to changing conditions and
needs, the principal problems have been created by the development
of the Parcel Post System. During the first decade of the present
century an extensive program of construction was undertaken and
buildings then put up were remarkably efficient for the handling of
the classes of mail then authorized by law. With the development
of the Parcel Post System during the second decade of the century,
the existing plant proved to be extremely inadequate. Its inadequacy
was accentuated by the halting of construction programs as a result
of the World War. With the working out of experimental methods
for handling parcel post and the new special services and with the
further improvement of the technique of handling other kinds of
mail and the older special services, a new program of construction
was recently undertaken and is now well advanced.
The various changes thus briefly outlined have been accompanied
by a remarkable increase in the productivity of labor. On a con1 Arranging th e pieces of m ail so th a t th e stam ps all face th e same way.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES IN POSTAL SERVICE
747
servative basis of calculation (conservative in the sense that the
change in the volume of output is underestimated and the change
in the volume pf labor is overestimated) the index of productivity
of labor in the postal system increased from base of 100.0 in 1908 to
171.8 in 1930, declining, because of the falling off in business, to 163.4
in 1931.
In other words, on the basis of the 1908 level of efficiency, 171,739
additional employees would have been required in 1931 to do the
work handled in that year, or 63.4 per cent more than the number
actually employed.
Measuring Output
Handling of Mail
T h e years immediately preceding the introduction of the Parcel
Post System were marked by successful efforts on the part of the
Post Office Department to measure the volume of services rendered
in the entire system. This is particularly true of the years 1908,
1910, and 1912. The estimates for these years were based on extensive
special weighings and surveys undertaken particularly in connection
with the question of readjusting rates on second-class matter.
Then followed a long interval characterized by the extension of
the Parcel Post System, beginning in 1913, and by the war years
and the period of reconstruction, when the methods of measurement
worked out earlier were no longer applicable and when the urgency
of war-time demands presumably prevented the development of new
methods. As a result of the work of the Commission on Postal Serv
ice, authorized by Congress in 1920, there was organized in 1923 the
division of cost ascertainment. Since 1926 this branch of the Postal
Service has functioned regularly and comprehensively in a remarkably
successful measurement of the output of the entire system.
_Changes in the productivity of labor are obviously affected most
vitally by technological changes, either mechanical or administrative.
The most significant technological changes in the postal system have
occurred since the beginning, in 1908, of dependable measurement of
the output of the postal system. The Joint Commission of Congress
on Business Methods of the Post Office Department stated in its
preliminary report, published in 1908, that “ there is a lamentable
lack of labor-saving devices practically throughout the whole Postal
Service.” 2
This commission was appointed in the first place for the purpose of
studying the problem of improving administrative methods. Its
investigation revealed the fact that not only was the postal system
poorly equipped with respect to mechanical devices, but the manage
ment of labor, the measurement of efficiency, and the business methods
in general afforded opportunities for extensive improvement.
The period chosen by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in its present
survey, for studying the output of the postal system begins, therefore,
with the years immediately preceding the introduction of the Parcel
Post System, when relatively few technological improvements had
affected the productivity of labor and when the measurement of out
put was first put on a dependable basis. The years from 1913 to 1925
are omitted because of the complications of the rapidly extending
Parcel Post System and of the war and reconstruction when dependa2
U nited States. Congress. Jo in t Commission on Business M ethods of the Post Office D epartm ent.
P relim inary report, 1908, p. 77. (60th Cong., 1st Sess., S. R p t. N o. 201.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
748
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
bie measurement is impossible. The years 1926 to 1931 are included
because of the successful work of the division of cost ascertainment in
making measurement possible on a basis comparable to the years
immediately preceding the introduction of the Parcel Post System.
The principal output of the postal system consists, obviously, of
the various kinds of mail. The classification adopted for the fiscal
year 1907-8, and still used by the division of cost ascertainment,
includes first-class mail (chiefly letters), second-class mail (periodicals)
third-class mail (predominately circulars), fourth-class mail (now
parcel post), franked mail, and penalty mail (largely departmental
mail). One additional classification now used is that of mail “ free
for the blind.”
On the basis of the special surveys and studies of output made
from 1907 to 1912 and of the later work of the division of cost ascer
tainment, the Post Office Department has been able to make dependa
ble estimates of the amount of the various classes of mail handled
during the fiscal years ending June 30, 1908, 1910, 1912, and 1926 to
1931.3 The results are incorporated in Table 1.
T able
1 .—
E S T IM A T E D N U M B E R OF P IE C E S OF D O M E S T IC 4 M A IL H A 'N D L E D , BY
CLA SSES OF M A IL , IN S P E C IF IE D F IS C A L Y E A R S
Fiscal year
First-class
mail
Second-class
mail
Third-class
m ail
1908 2_________________ _____________
19104_____________________________
19123............. ...............................................
7,102, 704,806
8, 310,164,623
9,159,648,117
3, 805, 584,029
4, 336, 259.864
4,934, 002, 770
1, 720, 964,103
2, 013, 528, 001
2, 219, 355,307
145, 306,026
170, 008, 050
239, 982, 313
1926___________________________
1927________________________________
1928_______________________________
1929______________________________
1930_____________________________
1931_______________________________
15, 265,624,116
16, 283, 564, 220
16, 706,197, 518
17,169, 597,132
16, 901,204,170
15, 911, 567, 916
4, 658, 267, 730
4, 753, 291, 005
4, 678, 023, 212
4, 833, 738, 538
4, 968, 371, 363
4, 856, 857, 633
3, 962,462, 729
4,061, 604,835
3, 837, 689, 374
4, 341,142, 570
4, 324, 939,431
4,100, 020, 837
770, 360, 696
742. 589, 397
751, 980, 239
770, 397, 277
837, 308, 320
765, 661, 536
Fiscal year
P en alty
m atter
“ Free for
b lin d ” m ail
T otal
Franked
m atter
19082 ______________________________
19104 _____________________________
19126. _____________________________
231, 716, 587
281, 647, 268
310, 437,878
9, 007, 574
0
(5)
1926
________________________
1927
__________________
1928______________________________
1929 ____________________________
1930______________________________
1931______________________________
456,104, 444
438, 590, 586
471,911,383
448, 909,071
459, 606, 087
511, 993, 883
32, 733, 617
50, 487,129
46, 989,467
37,178, 342
41, 405,009
38, 843,177
0
(3)
0
195,007
111, 949
390, 758
391, 696
538, 220
1,192,143
Fourth-class
mail
13, 015, 283,125
15, 111,607, 806
16, 863, 426, 385
25, 145, 748, 339
26, 330, 239,121
26,493,181,951
27, 601, 354, 626
27, 533, 372, 600
26,186,137,125
1 Foreign m ail is o m itted because there is no adequate basis for comparing the earlier and later periods.
T h e am ount is relatively small, and th e ratio of change in th e q u a n tity of foreign m ail is probably not radi
cally different from th a t of domestic mail.
2 U nited States. Post Office D epartm ent. Cost of transporting and handling the several classes of m ail
m atter. W ashington, 1910, p. 5.
3 No separate estim ate made.
4 U nited States. Post Office D epartm ent. Second-class m atter, by J .J . B ritt. W ashington, 1911, pp. 3,4.
6 Included u n d er p en alty m atter.
e U nited States. Post Office D epartm ent. A nnual report, 1912, p. 307.
Most of the classes of mail increased in number of pieces up to
1929 and since that date the number has somewhat declined. Since
1908, the number of pieces of first-class mail have considerably more
than doubled, increasing from somewhat over 7,100,000,000 in that
year to about 17,200,000,000 in 1929 and declining to somewhat less
3 T hroughout th e tables shown in this article th e years are fiscal years ending June 30.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES IN POSTAL SERVICE
749
than 16,000,000,000 in 1931. The number of pieces of second-class
mail increased much less rapidly, from approximately 3,800,000,000
in 1908 to more than 4,800,000,000 in 1931. The outstanding fact
regarding second-class mail is the comparatively slight difference in
volume in 1912 and 1926 to 1931. This is due mainly to changes in
rates and regulations, notably in 1918 and 1919.4 The increase in the
amount of third-class mail was from about 1,721,000,000 in 1908 to
about 4,100,000,000 in 1931.
In the case of fourth-class mail, consisting mainly of merchandise,
the introduction of the Parcel Post System in 1913 led to a tremendous
expansion in number of parcels from about 145,000,000 in 1908 to
nearly 766,000,000 in 1931. But even more significant than the
increase in number of pieces was the increase in the size and in the
variety of articles. In the case of penalty matter (consisting largely
of departmental mail) and franked matter (made up in the main of
congressional mail), the combined increase corresponds quite closely
to the rate of increase of first-class and third-class mail, although the
quantity is of course much less—about 240,000,000 pieces in 1908
and about 550,000,000 pieces in 1931.
It is apparent that from the point of view of the amount of work
necessary for the handling of mail, there are great differences between
the various classes of mail. If these different classes are to be com
bined into a total volume of mail handled, it is necessary, in comparing
changes in volume of output with changes in volume of labor, to
weight the classes of output by means of labor-weighting factors.
Particularly is this true of fourth-class mail. If the classes of mail
increased in the same ratio and if the average size and weight per
piece (or other qualities affecting the amount of labor required for
handling) remained approximately the same throughout the years
included in the present study, the weighting would not be so essential
because the derived ratios would remain relatively constant. In the
case of second-class and third-class mail and of franked and penalty
mail the changes in the number of pieces and in the average weight
and bulk per piece have not been so great as in the case of fourthclass mail, although when these classes of mail are not weighted the
result, from the point of view of the amount of labor required, is an
underestimate of the combined volume of output.
For fourth-class mail, labor-weighting factors are available. On
the basis of extensive tests made by the Post Office Department it
was reported in 1909 that “ ordinary letters and circulars can be
handled in about one-third the time required for newspapers and
packages.” 6 On the basis of this authority the number of pieces of
fourth-class mail is multiplied by three as a labor-weighting factor
for the years 1908, 1910, and 1912.
After the introduction of the Parcel Post System in 1913, this
weighting factor was no longer applicable because of the great in
crease in the size and weight of parcels. For the more recent period
covered there is available the information secured by extensive sur
veys carried on by post-office inspectors. Careful records were
kept of the number of pieces handled, the number of man-hours,
and the average number of pieces handled per hour, in the letter
section and the parcel-post section of the mailing division of large
4 U nited States. Post Office D epartm ent. A nnual report, 1919, pp. 17-22.
6 U nited States. Post Office D epartm ent. Cost of transporting and handling the several classes of m ail
m atter and of conducting the registry, m oney order, and special delivery g^rviges, W ashington, 1910, p. 13.
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750
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
offices throughout the country. The records covered a variety of
conditions.
A comparison of the average time per piece results in a ratio of
1 for first-class mail to 8.2 for parcel-post mail—a ^conservative
estimate of the difference in the amount of labor required. There
fore, in Table 2, for each of the years 1926 to 1931 the number of
pieces of parcel-post mail is multiplied by 8.2 as a labor-weighting
factor.
It is virtually impossible to weight the other classes of mail.
T a ble 2 —C H A N G E S IN N U M B E R O F P IE C E S OF D O M E S T IC M A IL H A N D L E D , IN S P E C I
F IE D F IS C A L Y E A R S. W IT H FO U R T H -C L A S S M A IL W E IG H T E D ON BA SIS O F R E L A
T IV E A M O U N T OF LA B O R R E Q U IR E D
N um ber of pieces of fourthclass mail
Fiscal year
Unweighted
W eighted on
basis of relative
labor re q u ire d 1
N um ber of
pieces of all
other classes
Index
num
T otal num ber bers of
of pieces (in change
cluding fourth in vol
class weighted) um e
(1908=
100.0)
1908________________________
1910________________________
1912________________________
145, 306, 026
170, 008, 050
239, 982, 313
435, 918, 078
510, 024,150
719, 946, 939
12, 869, 977, 099
14, 941, 599, 756
16, 623,444,072
13, 305, 895,177
15, 451,623, 906
17, 343, 391, Oil
100.0
116.1
130.3
1926________________________
1927________________________
1928________________________
1929________________________
1930________________________
1931________________________
770, 360,696
742, 589, 397
751, 980, 239
770,397, 277
837, 308, 320
765, 661, 536
6, 316, 957, 707
6, 089, 233, 055
6,166, 237, 960
6, 317, 257, 671
6, 865, 928, 224
6, 278,424, 595
24, 375,387, 643
25, 587,649, 724
25, 741, 201, 712
26, 830, 957,349
26, 696, 064, 280
25, 420, 475, 589
30, 692, 345, 350
31, 676, 882, 779
31, 907, 439, 672
33,148, 215, 020
33, 561, 992, 504
31, 698, 900,184
230.7
238. 1
239.8
249. 1
252. 2
238. 2
1 W eights used were 3 for 1908, 1910, and 1912; and 8.2 for 1926-1931.
The total number of pieces of mail, including fourth-class mail
weighted, and other classes unweighted, increased from about 13,300,000,000 in 1908 to about 33,562,000,000 in 1930, and declined in
1931 to about 31,699,000,000. The index of change in volume ran
from a base of 100.0 in 1908 to 252.2 in 1930 and 238.2 in 1931. This
estimate of the change in the volume of mail matter, although de
cidedly conservative because of the inclusion of all classes except
fourth-class mail without weighting, is nevertheless as close an ap
proximation of the change as available weighting factors make
possible.
Special Services
Since 1912 the special services rendered by the Post Office Depart
ment have increased rapidly in variety and in the number of trans
actions. The special services were long confined to registrations,
money orders, and special deliveries. After 1912, all of these in
creased rapidly in number of transactions. The first year in which
statistics relating to postal-savings accounts appear was 1912. After
1912 the collect-on-delivery system and the insuring of parcels
rapidly swelled the volume of special transactions.
The growth of the special services during the years covered in Tables
1 and 2 is shown in Table 3. Table 3 also includes the results of the use
of labor-weighting factors in connection with special-service trans
actions.
It is apparent that the amount of labor per transaction varies
greatly with the different classes of special services and that the
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751
TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES IN POSTAL SERVICE
amount of labor required for the special-service transactions is not the
same as for the handling of mail. Tables 1 and 2 show the results of
an effort to reduce the different classes of mail to a common de
nominator in terms of the average amount of labor per piece for
handling first-class mail. In order to reduce the special-service trans
actions to the same common denominator it is necessary to compare
them with first-class mail in respect to the amount of labor required.
There has been no adequate record of the amount of time required
per transaction and it is therefore necessary to approach the problem
indirectly. This can be done on the basis of the studies made by the
division of cost ascertainment. The results of the studies made by
the division of cost ascertainment are expressed in terms of expense,
rather than in terms of amount of labor, but in regard to first-class
mail and the several special services the predominant element of cost
is labor. This is true particularly of the special services, for with
them the element of transportation plays virtually no part as com
pared with the handling of first-class mail. Because of the great im
portance of transportation as an element of cost in the handling of
classes of mail other than letter mail, the cost of handling can not be
used as a labor-weighting factor for the different classes of mail. But
in respect to first-class mail and the special services, the costs other
than labor are slight and tend to cancel out, with the exception of the
cost of transportation, which applies to the handling of letters but not
to the special-service transactions. The method used, therefore, is a
conservative one and in all probability gives an underestimate of the
total weighted volume of output. As is indicated by the weighting
factors given in Table 3, the average cost per item ranges, on an index
basis, from 1 in the case of pieces of first-class mail, to 156 in the case
of depositors in the Postal Savings System.
T a b l e 3 .— C H A N G E S IN
N U M B E R OF S P E C IA L -S E R V IC E T R A N S A C T IO N S , PO ST A L
S Y S T E M , IN S P E C IF IE D F ISC A L Y EA R S, U N W E IG H T E D , A N D W E IG H T E D ON BASIS
O F A P P R O X IM A T E D IF F E R E N C E S IN A M O U N T OF LA B O R IN V O L V E D
Fiscal
year
Registrations, paid and free
Unweighted
1908—
1910__
1912__
1926..
1927
1928
1929—
1930—
1931..
' 40,151,797
42, 053, 574
42,235,000
.
'82,011,
928
___________
82,162, 947
83,486, 646
___________
89,144, 845
92, 668, 468
.80, 740, 703
W eighted1
614, 322,494
643,419,682
646,195, 500
1, 254, 782,498
1, 257,093, 089
1, 277, 345, 684
1, 363,916,129
1,417,827, 560
1, 235, 332, 756
M oney orders
Unweighted
68,576, 210
81,417,639
88,995,153
195,687,918
196,962,507
198,945, 390
202,430,322
205, 263, 380
192, 584, 774
W eighted2
555,467, 301
659,482,876
720,860, 739
1, 585,072,136
1, 595, 396,307
1, 611,457, 659
1,639, 685,608
1, 662, 633, 378
1, 559, 936, 669
Special-delivery transactions
U nweighted
13, 734, 514
15,440,033
18, 366, 377
92, 243,473
93, 725,425
95, 416, 666
99,046, 407
101, 769, 753
94, 072,832
W eighted 3
92, 021, 244
103,448,221
123,054, 726
618,031, 269
627,960, 348
639, 291,662
663,610,927
681,857, 345
630, 287,974
Postal-savings ac
Index
counts (i. e., n u m
num
ber of depositors) Total num ber bers of
Fiscal
(weighted)
change
U n
(1908=
Unweighted W eighted 4 Unweighted W eighted 5 weighted
W eighted6
100)
C. O. D . transactions
1908._.
1910--.
1912--.
1926
1927
1928
192919301931.-
51, 083,653
638,545, 663
___________
49, 820,
___________
640 622, 758, 000
49, 297,
283 616, 216, 038
___________
49, 600,
- 219 620, 002, 738
577, 348,238
46,187,859
..
40,555,435 506,942,938
i W eight used was 15.3.
W eight used was 8.1.
>
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Insurance transactions
137,857, 693
133,378, 223
132, 034, 024
130, 939, 891
126,673, 256
112, 312, 231
716, 860, 004
693, 566, 760
686, 576, 925
680, 887, 433
658, 700, 931
584,023,601
243, 801 38,032,956
339, 305 52,931, 580
411, 394 64,177, 464
412, 250 64,311, 000
413, 990 64,582,440
463,827 72,357, 012
770,841 120, 251,196
3 W eight used was 6.7.
4Weight used was 12.5,
1,261,811,039
1,406, 350, 779
1,528,143,921
4,866, 223,150
4,860,951, 968
4,895,198, 968
5, 032, 685, 275
5, 070, 724, 464
4, 636, 775,134
3 W eight used was 5.2.
8 W eight used was 156.0,
100.0
111.5
121.1
385.7
385.2
388.0
398.9
401.9
367.5
752
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
Table 3 shows a doubling of the number of registrations between
the years 1908 and 1931, in spite of the considerable decline during
the latter year. The number of money orders issued increased even
more considerably from 1908 to 1930, though declining in 1931. A
still greater rate of increase was shown in the special-delivery trans
actions between 1908 and 1930, though this service also fell off in 1931.
Due to changes in postal regulations and to recent business condi
tions, the number of collect-on-delivery transactions (one of the
services introduced after 1912) declined from 1926 to 1931. The
number of insurance transactions also showed a decline. In regard
to the Postal Savings System it is impossible to include the number
of transactions (that is, the number of deposits and withdrawals),
but it is likely that for a period of years the average number of
deposits and withdrawals per depositor remains approximately con
stant. Due to confidence in the soundness of the Postal Savings
System a large increase in the number of depositors occurred during
1930 and 1931.
The total volume of services rendered, including the several classes
of mail and the several kinds of special services, weighted as already
indicated, is presented in Table 4.
T a b l e 4 . — C H A N G E S IN E S T IM A T E D N U M B E R OF U N IT S O F O U T P U T OF T H E PO ST A L
S Y S T E M , IN S P E C IF IE D F IS C A L Y E A R S, W E IG H T E D ON BA SIS O F E S T IM A T E D
D IF F E R E N C E S IN A M O U N T OF LA B O R R E Q U IR E D
T otal
N um ber of pieces
of m ail handled
(weighted >)
N um ber of spe
cial service
transactions
(weighted 2)
1908_________________________
1910_______________________
1912____________________________
13, 305,895,177
15, 451, 623,906
17,343,391, Oil
1, 261,811,039
1, 406, 350, 779
1,528,143,921
14, 567, 706, 216
16,857,974, 685
18,871, 534,932
100.0
115.7
129.5
1926____________________________
1927__________________________
1928_________________________
1929_________________________
1930___________________
1931_____________________
30, 692, 345, 350
31, 676,882, 779
31,907,439, 672
33,148, 215,020
33, 561, 992, 504
31, 698,900,184
4, 866, 223,150
4,860, 951,968
4,895,198, 968
5, 032, 685, 275
5, 070, 724, 464
4, 636, 775, 134
35, 558, 568, 500
36, 537,834, 747
36,802, 638, 640
38,180,900,295
38, 632, 716,968
36, 335, 675, 318
244.1
250.8
252. 6
262,1
265.2
249.4
Fiscal year
1 For weights used, see footnote to Table 2.
N um ber
Index
num
bers
of
change
2 For weights used, see footnotes to Table 3.
The volume of mail handled (weighted) increased from about
13.306.000. 000 in 1908 to about 33,562,000,000 in 1930, and declined
to about 31,699,000,000 in 1931. The volume of special-service
transactions (weighted) increased from 1,262,000,000 in 1908 to
5.071.000. 000 in 1930, and declined, to 4,637,000,000 in 1931. The
total volume of output (weighted) increased from 14,568,000,000 in
1908 to 38,633,000,000 in 1930, and declined to 36,366,000,000 in
1931. The index of change runs from a base of 100.0 in 1908 to 265.2 in
1930, and 249.4 in 1931.
It is apparent that the figures are approximations only. Fortu
nately, however, there is available a method of checking the validity
of the weighting factors used. On the basis of its extensive studies of
the entire postal system, the division of cost ascertainment has been
able to compute the approximate proportion of time of all postal
employees devoted to the handling of first-class mail. This appor
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TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES IN POSTAL SERVICE
753
tionment of time makes possible an alternative method of computing
output, for the fiscal years 1926 to 1931, equated on the basis of the
amount of time required for handling first-class mail. For purposes
of comparison the results are shown in Table 5, which confirms the
view that the labor-weighting factors used in the preceding tables are
conservative.
T a b l e 5.—C H A N G E S IN N U M B E R OF U N IT S OF O U T P U T O F T H E PO ST A L S Y S T E M ,
F IS C A L Y E A R S 1926-1931, E S T IM A T E D ON BASIS OF P E R C E N T O F T IM E O F PO ST A L
E M P L O Y E E S D E V O T E D TO FIR S T -C L A S S M A IL
First-class m ail
O ther classes of m ail and
special-service transactions
Per cent P er cent
of total
of to tal
N u m b er of pieces tim e of
tim e of
postal em postal em
ployees
ployees
Fiscal year
1920______________________
1927_ ____________________
1928__ _________________
1929________ ____________
1930______________________
1931______________________
15,265, 624,116
16, 283, 564,220
16, 706,197,518
17,169, 597,132
16,901,204,170
15,911,567,916
42.401
43. 772
43. 773
43. 555
43. 232
43.394
57. 599
56.228
56.227
56. 445
56. 768
56. 606
num ber of
N um ber of units Tuontal
its of o utput
of o u tp u t (calcu
lated on basis of
per cent of tim e
required)
20, 737,357,184
20,917, 304, 380
21,459,332,582
22, 250,899, 068
22,192,994, 930
20, 756,100,184
36,002,981, 300
37, 200,868, 600
38,165, 530,100
39, 420,496,200
39,094,199,100
36, 667, 668,100
The use of the amount of labor required per piece and per trans
action as weighting factors may be criticized on the ground that the
amount of labor varies with technological changes and that one of the
objects of the bureau’s study was the measurement of the effects of
technological changes on volume of labor. As to this it may be said
that the inclusion of fourth-class mail and of the special-service
transactions without weighting would give results so inaccurate as
to be misleading. Since it may safely be assumed that technological
changes have tended to reduce the amount of time required per unit
of output, there is additional basis for the statement that the esti
mates of output are conservative. While it is desirable to have as
accurate an estimate as possible of the effects of technological changes
on volume of employment, it seems desirable to underestimate
rather than to overestimate the effects.
One reason, then, for considering that the weighted estimates of
the increase in output are conservative is the nature of the labor
weighting factors already discussed. Another reason is the fact that
the estimates of output do not include various intangible elements
of output. These elements include, for example, extensions of the
direct delivery of mail in place of requiring patrons to come to the
post office to secure their mail; and various facilities for promoting
safety and increasing the speed of handling. The amount of labor
used for improving the quality of service can not be isolated from the
amount of labor required for increasing the quantity of output.
The result is an unavoidable underestimate of changes in total volume
of output as compared with changes in volume of labor.
Classes of Labor and Volume of Employment
I t h a s been seen that the problem of measuring the output of the
postal system entails many difficulties. Measuring the changes in
the volume of labor is a problem no less difficult. The vastness of
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
754
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
the system, with its ramifications throughout the country; the use
both of direct Government employees and of workers under various
contractual arrangements; the use of permanent and full-time
employees, and also of temporary and part-time labor; and the great
variety of types and classes of work—these are some of the conditions
which complicate the problem of the exact measurement of changes
in the volume of labor.
The main groups of postal employees are the following: Postmasters
and assistant postmasters; clerks and supervisory force in first-class
and second-class offices; city carriers; rural carriers; watchmen,
messengers, and laborers in first-class and second-class offices; railway
mail clerks; and departmental employees, mainly in Washington.
There are various lesser groups and groups of an irregular nature,
together with workers who are on a contractual basis. Among these
may be mentioned the star-route carriers, mail messengers, clerks in
third-class and fourth-class offices, motor-vehicle personnel, village
carriers, and clerks in contract stations.
T a b l e 6 .— C H A N G E S IN N U M B E R O F P O S T A L E M P L O Y E E S , IN S P E C IF IE D F IS C A L
Y E A R S, BY P R IN C IP A L G R O U P S A N D E Q U A T E D ON F U L L -T IM E , A N N U A L M A N
P O W E R BASIS
Clerks and supervisory
A ssistant
Postm asters postmasters
force, first and second
class offices
Fiscal
year
D epart
m ental
employees,
inspectors,
and clerks
a t head
quarters
R ailw ay M ail Service em
ployees
N um ber
N um ber
Index N u m Index
Index
u m Index
N u m Index
n u m Nber
num
n
u
m
num
num
ber
bers Regu T em Total bers ber bers Regu Tem
bers
po
po T otal bers
lar
lar
rary
rary
365 28, 578 100. 0 1,741 100.0 15, 295
444 32, 269 112. 9 1,729 99.3 16, 795
471 34,185 119.6 1. 733 99. 5 17, 075
1908___ 60,704 100.0 1,862 100.0 28, 211
1910____ 59, 580 98. 1 2, 095 112. 5 31, 825
1912____ 58, 729 96.7 2, 329 125. 1 33,714
1926____
1927____
1928____
1929____
1930____
1931____
50,601
50, 266
49, 944
49, 482
49, 063
48, 733
83.4
82.8
82. 3
81. 6
80.8
80.3
2,723
2,745
2,756
2, 776
2,781
2,782
146.2
147.4
148.0
149. 1
149.4
149.4
2, 067
2,088
2, 090
2, 111
2,112
2,143
1,994
2,045
2,046
2,156
2, 127
2,120
15, 295 100.0
16, 795 109.8
17,075 111.6
22,405
22, 595
22, 900
23, 385
23, 312
23, 065
146. 5
147.7
149.7
152.9
152.4
150.8
G rand total
N um ber
N um ber
um
Index Nber
Index
Index
Index
Tem
num
num
Tem
num
num
Tem
Regu po Total bers Regu po T otal bers Regu po Total bers (equat bers
ed)
lar
lar rary
lar
rary
rary
N um ber
1908____ 26, 352 1, 388 27, 740 100.0 39,143 1, 336 40, 479 100.0 1, 072
1910____ 28, 715 1, 440 30, 155 108. 7 41, 079 1, 497 42, 576 105. 2 1, 200
1912____ 29, 962 1, 379 31, 341 113.0 42,199 1, 559 43, 758 108.1 1, 330
1926____
1927____
1928____
1929____
1930____
1931____
118.7 20,411
119. 9 20, 550
120. 0 20,854
121. 3 21, 229
121. 3 21,185
123. 1 2 20,945
W atchm en, messengers,
a n d laborers, first and
second class offices
R ural carriers
C ity carriers
Fiscal
year
67,071 7,027 74,098 259.3
68, 708 7,754 76,462 267. 6
69,818 8,315 78,133 273.4
70, 987 10,012 80, 999 283. 5
72, 015 10, 429 82, 444 288. 5
71, 621 9, 762 81,383 284.8
0)
0)
(0
48, 238
50,117
51, 293
52, 719
53, 762
53,387
6, 724
7,163
7, 735
8,884
9, 357
9,131
54, 962
57, 280
59, 028
61, 603
63, 119
62, 518
198.1
206.5
212.8
222. 1
227. 5
225.4
45, 315
44, 730
44, 288
43, 840
43, 278
42, 412
2, 245
2, 218
2, 247
2,398
2, 268
2, 260
47, 560
46, 948
46, 535
46, 238
45, 546
44, 672
117.5
116.0
115. 0
114. 2
112. 5
110.4
4, 071
4,312
4, 536
4, 741
4, 890
4, 876
(')
(')
0)
473
613
637
705
747
743
1, 072 100.0 177, 469 100.0
1,200 111. 9 186, 399 105.0
1, 330 124.1 190, 480 107.3
4,544
4,925
5, 173
5, 446
5, 637
5, 619
423.9
459. 4
482.6
508.0
525.8
524. 2
258, 960
263, 309
266, 559
272, 040
274, 014
270, 915
145.9
148.4
150.2
153.3
154.4
152.7
1 No d ata available. W ork now done b y tem porary employees was then handled largely by regular
employees by means of longer hours, overtime, and Sunday work w ithout extra compensation.
2 N ot including 989 appointed as a result of th e 44-hour work week law effective Ju ly 1, 1931.
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TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES IN POSTAL SERVICE
755
Changes in the number of employees in the principal groups dur
ing the years included in the previous tables are indicated in Table 6.
As may be seen from Table 6, the number of postmasters decreased
considerably, from 60,704 in 1908 to 48,733 in 1931, the index running
form a base of 100.0 to 80.3. This decline in the number of postmasters
corresponds, of course, to the decline in the number of post offices, and
this in turn has been largely the result of the extension of Rural
Delivery Service, combined with the improvement of transportation
facilities and the readier maintenance of contacts by country people
with towns. The number of assistant postmasters increased approxi
mately 50 per cent, from 1,862 in 1908 to 2,782 in 1931.
As regards clerks and supervisory employees in first-class and
second-class offices, the number of temporary employees actually on
the pay rolls is considerably larger than the number shown in the
table. In order to put them on a basis comparable with that of
regular employees, it is necessary to ascertain the total amount of
time worked by temporary employees and to divide this total by the
normal number of man-hours worked by regular full-time employees.
This can be done because of the fact that temporary employees are
paid at regular statutory rates of pay and the total amounts paid to
temporary employees of the different classes and wage-rate groups
are matters of record. The number of regular clerks and supervisory
employees in first-class and second-class offices increased from 28,211
in 1908 to 71,621 in 1931. The number of temporary employees, on
an equivalent full-time, annual basis, increased from 365 in 1908 to
9,762 in 1931. The index of change for both groups combined runs
from a base of 100.0 in 1908 to 288.5 in 1930, with a slight decline in
1931. The increase was mainly due to the expansion of the special
services and of parcel-post mail. (See Tables 2 and 3.) . For all
groups in which there is an appreciable amount of temporary employ
ment, the number of temporary employees has been reduced to an
equivalent full-time annual basis. Clerks in the third and fourth
class post offices are not included in the table, as they are not
employees of the Government and are not ordinarily on a full-time
basis.
The group of departmental employees, inspectors, and clerks at
headquarters includes in general the employees at Washington and
certain field agents with headquarters at Washington. Among these
the number of temporary employees has been negligible. The total
number of employees in this group increased from 1,741 in 1908 to
2,143 in 1931, with an index of 100.0 in the former and 123.1 in the
latter year.
The Railway Mail Service, which in general has charge of the inter
office transfer, handling, and transportation of mail, employs prin
cipally the classes known as railway mail clerks and transfer clerks.
In this general group there are no records of the number of temporary
employees during the years 1908, 1910, and 1912. The total number
of employees increased from 15,295 in 1908 to 23,065 in 1931, with
the index changing from 100.0 to 150.8 in the same period.
City carriers increased, as indicated by Table 6, from 27,740 to
62,518. In this group, as in most others, there was a slight decline
in 1931 from the number in 1930. The index of change runs from
100.0 in 1908 to 225.4 in 1931. The number of rural carriers increased
from 40,479 to 44,672, the index rising from 100.0 to 110.4.
140152°—32-----2
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
756
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
In regard to watchmen, messengers, and laborers in first and
second class offices, official records fail to reveal the number of tem
porary employees during the years 1908 to 1912. The number was
probably negligible because of the fact that work now done by tem
porary employees was then done largely by regular employees by
means of longer hours, overtime, and Sunday work, without extra
compensation. The total number of watchmen, messengers, and
laborers in first and second class offices (including temporary employ
ees on an equivalent annual basis from 1926 to 1931) increased from
1,072 in 1908 to 5,619 in 1931, the index rising from 100.0 to
524.2. This exceptionally large increase is due in part to the fact
already mentioned, namely, the employment of temporary workers
of this class to handle the extra work formerly done by regular em
ployees, and in part to the relatively large amount of ordinary manual
labor entailed by the Parcel Post System.
The grand total of these various groups of employees, including the
temporary employees on an equivalent annual basis, increased from
177,469 in 1908 to 274,014 in 1930, from which high point it declined
to 270,915 in 1931. The index of change runs from 100.0 in 1908 to
152.7 in 1931.
The increase in the number of employees included in Table 6 is
unavoidably overestimated. During the years 1908, 1910, and 1912
most of the groups included in the table put in much overtime and
Sunday work, and since they received no extra compensation for such
work there is no means of computing the amount of extra time. On
the basis of laws in operation during 1926 to 1931, much temporary
labor was used and paid for at regular statutory rates, and, as stated
above, it is therefore possible to calculate the temporary hire during
these years on a full-time basis.
The effects of the laws mentioned above are indicated by a state
ment made in the annual report of the Post Office Department for
1908: “ City carriers are limited by law to 8 hours’ daily duty for the
six working-days of the week and such number of hours on Sunday,
not exceeding 8, as the exigencies of the service require. In the case
of clerks, however, there is no statutory provision as to their hours of
labor, and * * * it is not possible to fix an absolute 8-hour
schedule for them without increasing the allowance for clerk hire far
in excess of the needs of the office.”
The reduction in the amount of Sunday work was initiated in 1910
at Detroit and gradually other offices, even without statutory sanc
tion, followed the example of Detroit. In 1912 Congress passed a
law, effective March 4, 1913, providing for a reduction in the amount
of Sunday work and for compensatory time off duty for employees
who were required to work on Sunday. The same law provided for
8 hours in 10 and no overtime except in case of emergency or if the
needs of the service required it, and when overtime was exacted of
employees, they were to receive extra compensation. The Post
master General reported in 1913 that the readjustment of schedules
necessitated by this law led to the use of a considerable amount of
temporary labor. Later extensions and applications of the law ma
terially increased the amount of temporary labor. It is apparent,
therefore, that if the volume of employment in the form of overtime
and Sunday work of the years 1908, i9 10, and 1912 could be calcu
lated on the same basis as has been done for the volume of auxiliary,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES IN POSTAL SERVICE
757
substitute, and other forms of temporary labor of the years 1926 to
1931, the estimate of the number of labor units for the earlier years
would be considerably increased.
Incidentally, it may be said that during the years 1908, 1910, and
1912, when overtime and Sunday work were required without extra
pay, there was probably a tendency on the part of the employees to
speed up their work in order to reduce, as far as possible, the amount
of Sunday work and overtime. This factor, although intangible and
not subject to computation, probably accentuates the underestimate
of the number of labor units for the years 1908, 1910, and 1912.
The various other groups of workers, both direct employees and
those on a contractual basis, can not be reduced to an equivalent
annual basis in terms of man-hours, but in respect to most of these
groups the evidence indicates that there has been either a decline or a
relatively small increase in number since 1908. One of the largest of
these irregular groups^consists of clerks in third-class and fourth-class
offices. The decline in the number of smaller post offices has been
accompanied by a decline in the amount of clerical assistance required,
and the work formerly done by clerks in these offices is now done in
part by employees in the groups included in Table 6, especially by
rural carriers and by clerks in larger offices from which rural carriers
operate. Another group of employees not appearing in Table 6 is
composed of clerks in contract stations, i. e., branches of post offices,
located usually in department stores and other private establishments.
The clerical force of such stations are employed by the contractor.
In 1908, there were 3,814 contract stations; in 1931, 5,783.
The amount of labor required for the transporting of mails is not
included in Table 6 for the obvious reason that such labor is incidental
in most cases to the general transportation of goods and passengers.
The local transfer or carriage of mails is usually a distinct opera
tion handled by workers who confine their attention to this work
while they are actually in charge of the mails, but the amount of time
required per employee ranges from a few minutes per day to full-time
employment. In 1908 the work was done almost entirely by employ
ees of public carriers having mail contracts (especially the railroads)
or by special contractors—mail messengers, screen-wagon contractors,
regulation-wagon contractors, etc. In larger cities the transfer of
mails was in part by pneumatic tubes operated on a contractual basis.
In 1909 there were pneumatic tube routes in New York and Brooklyn,
Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, and St. Louis. The total mileage was
64.6086. Star route contractors formed a clearly distinct group to
be discussed later.
Recently, and especially since 1920, when a ruling by the InterState Commerce Commission reinterpreted the obligations of public
carriers, there has been a marked increase in the number of mail
messengers. There has also been a tendency toward the employment
of operators of Government-owned motor vehicles to take the place
of employees of public carriers for the local handling of mails, espe
cially between post offices and their branches and in connection with
the delivery of parcel-post mail.
As early as 1907 an experimental collection service by automobiles
was established in Milwaukee and it was reported that twice as many
collections were made as by horse-drawn vehicles. Experiments
were also made in other cities, the mo tor-vehicle operators being on
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
758
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
a contractual basis, as were operators of wagons. In 1911 it was
reported by the Postmaster General that mail was being collected by
automobiles in 15 cities, “ and in practically every instance one car
rier with an automobile will do the work of two carriers with horsedrawn vehicles.” Government owned and operated motor-vehicle
service was authorized in 1914 and was first established at Washing
ton in the same year. By January 1, 1918, the service had been
extended to New York and Brooklyn, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit,
Boston, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Buffalo, and Nashville.
The local carriage of mails is thus a function performed in part by
mail messengers and other special contractors; in part by employees
of public carriers having mail contracts; and in part by Government em
ployees operating motor vehicles. The relative numbers of the three
classes have changed from time to time; but the ratio which the amount
of labor required for performing this particular postal function bears
to the total amount of labor represented in Table 6 may be assumed
to have remained comparatively constant. The validity of Table 6,
for the purpose of the present study, is therefore not affected by the
omission of mail messengers, operators of Government motor vehicles,
and other workers connected with the local carriage and transfer of
mails.
An interesting group long connected with the postal system is the
group known as “ star-route carriers.” These are almost entirely on
a contractual basis. In 1908 there were 14,032 star routes, aggregat
ing 182,287 miles in length. In 1931 there were 12,089 routes, with
a total mileage of 226,370. It is apparent, therefore, that the star
route service has tended to decline as far as the number of carriers
is concerned. There is no means of knowing the average amount of
time spent by star route contractors, but the decline in the number
of routes, combined with improved roads and methods of transporta
tion, indicates clearly a decrease in the total amount of labor by star
route carriers. The decline has been accompanied by a transfer of
their work to rural delivery carriers, who are included in Table 6.
In 1931, for example, the work of 25 star routes was transferred to
rural delivery carriers.
There is one other group of employees not included in Table 6—
village delivery carriers. Village delivery service was not inaugurated
until 1913. The number of carriers increased from 101 in 1913 to
859 in 1926, and thereafter tended to decline. This group of employ
ees is not included in Table 6 because the work done by them repre
sents an added service not rendered by the Post Office Department
during the years 1908, 1910, and 1912. Since the service rendered by
these employees does not appear in the computation of output for
these years, obviously the labor units represented by village carriers
should not be included in the estimate of volume of employment.
So large an organization as the postal system requires a vast
amount of work by persons who are neither in the direct employ of
the Post Office Department nor in a direct contractual relationship
to the department. Such workers are generally, for obvious reasons,
beyond the scope of the present study. But in this general classifi
cation there is one group which must be mentioned, although not
included in the statistical analysis. This group consists of the em
ployees of the post-office division of the General Accounting Office.
This office is now an independent establishment. Its post-office
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
759
TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES IN POSTAL SERVICE
division now does substantially the same work as was formerly done
by the Treasury Department’s auditor for the Post Office Depart
ment.
In 1908 the office of the auditor for the Post Office Department
had 756 employees. There was a gradual decline in number until
in 1931 the post-office division of the General Accounting Office had
only 452 employees. This reduction was caused in part by the trans
fer of some of the work (especially the punching of cards in field
offices in connection with the electrical money-order accounting
system). Certain other work has similarly been transferred to the
employees of the Post Office Department. This means that the
estimated number of employees as shown in Table 6 includes for the
later years certain postal employees whose work was formerly done
outside the Post Office Department and who therefore do not appear
in the estimated number of employees for the earlier years. There
is added reason, therefore, for the statement previously made, to
the effect that the change in the volume of labor since 1908 has been
appreciably smaller than is indicated by the figures in Table 6.
A more significant cause of the decline in the number of employees
engaged in the final audit of the finances of the Post Office Depart
ment is to be found in the use of labor-saving devices such as the
electrical accounting machinery connected with the money-order
accounting system.
Changes in Number of Employment Opportunities
O n t h e basis of the statistical data embodied in the preceding
tables, it is possible to compute the changes in the productivity of
labor and in the number of employment opportunities for the entire
postal system for the years 1908, 1910, 1912, and 1926 to 1931.
Such a computation is given in Table 7.
T a b le 7 .—C H A N G E S IN N U M B E R O F E M P L O Y M E N T O P P O R T U N IT IE S IN T H E PO ST A L
SE R V IC E IN S P E C IF IE D F IS C A L Y E A R S
O utput
Fiscal year
E q u iv a
lent numher of
full-time
em
ployees i
T o t a l2
E m ploym ent
N um ber opportunities
lost
of em
Average per em- ployees
necessary
ployee
on basis
of out
Per
p u t in
Index
N um ber cent
1908
A m ount num
bers
1908_________________________
1910_________________________
1912_________________________
177, 469
186, 399
190,480
14, 567, 706,216
16,857,974,685
18,871, 534,932
82, 086
90, 440
99, 074
100.0
110.2
120.7
177,469
205, 370
229,900
18,971
39,420
9.2
17.1
1926 _______________________
1927_________________________
1928_________________________
1929_________________________
1930_________________________
1931____________ ____________
258, 960
263, 309
266, 559
272, 040
274,014
270,915
35, 558, 568,500
36, 537, 834, 747
36, 802, 638, 640
38,180,900, 295
38, 632, 716,968
36, 335, 675,318
137,313
138,764
138, 066
140, 350
140, 988
134,122
167.3
169. 1
168.2
171.0
171. 8
163.4
433,187
445,117
448, 342
465,133
470, 637
442, 654
174,227
181, 808
181, 783
193, 093
196, 623
171, 739
40.2
40.8
40.5
41. 5
41.8
38.8
1 See Table 6.
2 W eighted num ber of pieces of m ail handled (see Table 2), plus weighted num ber of special-service trans
actions (see Table 3.)
The average output per employee for the year 1908 was 82,086
units. This figure was derived by dividing 14,567,706,216, the total
number of units of output, by 177,469, the total number of employees
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760
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
(part-time employees being reduced to a full-time annual basis). If
this average output per employee for 1908 had continued to be the
average output per employee for the succeeding years included in
Table 7, the number of employees during these succeeding years
would have been much greater. By dividing the total number of
units of output for each succeeding year by the average output per
employee in 1908 we derive, for each succeeding year, the number
of employees which would have been necessary if the average output
per employee for each succeeding year had remained the same as in
1908. On the basis of this assumption the number of employees
would have increased from 177,469 in 1908 to 229,900 in 1912;
433,187 in 1926; and 470,637 in 1930, from which high point the
number would have declined to 442,654 in 1931.
In other words, these assumed numbers of employees, based on the
average productivity per employee in 1908, are estimates of the num
ber of employment opportunities which would have been available
on the basis of the average output per employee in the earliest year
studied.
By subtracting from these numbers based on the average output in
1908 the number of employees actually in the service of the postal
system during each succeeding year included in the table, we arrive
at the changes in the number of employment opportunities resulting
from the technological changes which have been the principal causes
of increased average output per employee. With the exception of
the single year 1931, there has been a decline in the number of em
ployment opportunities as compared with each preceding year
included in Table 7.
The decrease in the number of employment opportunities in 1910
as compared with 1908 was 18,971; and in 1912, 39,420. Fro in 1908
to 1926 the decrease amounted to 174,227, and the decline continued
until 1930, in which year the number was 196,623.
On the basis of the average output in 1908, the decrease in the
number of employment opportunities in 1931 was only 171,739.
This relatively slight decrease as compared with 1930 is due not so
much to a decline in average output per employee as to a decline in
the total business handled.
These figures of decrease in the number of employment opportuni
ties are presented in the form of per cents of decrease in the last
column of Table 7. The decrease, which is in reality the extent of
technological displacement, amounted to 9.2 per cent in 1910, as
compared with 1908; to 17.1 per cent in 1912; and 40.2 per cent in
1926. From this point the per cent of decrease rose to 41.8 per cent
in 1930 and declined to 38.8 per cent in 1931.
For reasons already indicated 6 and consisting essentially of the
fact that the change in the volume of output is unavoidably under
estimated and the change in the volume of labor overestimated, these
estimates of the increase in the average output per employee and of
decrease in the number of employment opportunities are conservative
and do not indicate the full extent of the changes in question.
The estimates of displacement in Table 7 are based on the assump
tion that the services rendered by the postal system from 1908 to 1931
would have expanded substantially as indicated, even if the average
output per employee had not materially increased. It is probable
6 See pp. 753 and 756.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES IN POSTAL SERVICE
761
that in the case of the parcel-post business, expansion would have
been somewhat smaller without an accompanying increase in the
average output per employee. Without such an increase other
agencies would probably have been able to absorb a portion of the
parcel-post business. The extent to which the increased output of
the postal system has depended on the increased productivity of
labor is a problem which unfortunately resists solution in exact
statistical form. It seems likely, however, that this factor, which
would tend to reduce the per cent of decrease in the number of em
ployment opportunities, is substantially counteracted by the de
cidedly conservative nature of the estimates in Table 7, due to the
underestimate of increase in output and the overestimate of increase
of labor units.
Trend of Employment
S e v e r a l conditions have recently retarded the upturn of the pro
ductivity curve. With the growth of the Parcel Post System and of
some of the special services, the lack of building facilities adapted to
the use of improved methods has become increasingly restrictive of
the efficiency of postal employees. The general decline of business
has been accompanied by a large reduction in the amount of business
handled by the post offices. This would have meant a decline in the
average output per employee, even with drastically reduced labor
forces. In many private enterprises there has been a curtailment of
employment approximating the decline of output, but the Post Office
Department has consistently avoided reducing its labor force to a
minimum. The amount of part-time employment has been reduced
and vacancies have rarely been filled, but the regular employees of
the Post Office Department and of the individual post offices have
enjoyed a relative security of tenure. This is based on generally
accepted public policies of conserving the human assets as well as the
physical plant and of maintaining a trained personnel regardless of
temporary fluctuations in output. The policy lias, however, adversely
affected the average output per employee.
Assuming a return to business activity approximating that of the
years immediately preceding 1929, there are several factors which
indicate a decided upward trend of the curve of productivity and a
corresponding downward trend of the curve of employment oppor
tunities as measured by productivity when output returns to normal.
One of these factors is the new building program which is in an
advanced stage and which will soon provide the principal cities of the
country with facilities of the best available type. Equipment that
has proved to be most efficient and most productive will be extended
throughout the larger post offices of the country and will be operated
in buildings especially designed for the use of such equipment.
Another factor operating in the same direction consists of the recent
intensive study of labor management and administrative organization
and methods. Surveys carried on between October, 1929, and April,
1931, in 55 of the largest offices of the country afford an outstanding
illustration of the trend. The annual report of the Post Office
Department for 1931 states that these surveys “indicate that an
estimated annual saving of $4,500,000 will be effected when the
ascertained surplus man-power can be absorbed through the policy of
absorbing vacancies occurring in the service due to normal casualties
such as deaths, retirements, resignations, or removals.”
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762
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
If a revival of business restores to the postal system a large and
growing volume of output, the curve of average output per employee
may be expected to rise rapidly. In other words, on the basis of
production facilities afforded by the reconstructed physical plant and
by the administrative reorganization of the system, the Post Office
Department will be able to handle not only its former maximum pro
duction but a much larger output, with a smaller volume of labor than
has previously been required.
If the smaller total output of 1931 should prove to be permanent
or long-continued, the curve of average output per employee will
naturally rise less rapidly and will depend on the relatively slow
working out of the department’s policy of allowing vacancies to
remain unfilled and of taking up the slack by interior readjustments.
In either case (whether or not total output returns to its earlier
high level) indications point to a resumption of the upward trend of
the curve of output per employee; to a further decline of opportunities
for employment in proportion to volume of output; and to a further
increase in the volume of surplus man power attending the completion
of the contemporary programs of construction and reorganization.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
R e la tiv e C o st of M a te ria l a n d L a b o r in B u ild in g C o n stru c tio n ,
1931-32
URING the year 1928 the Bureau of Labor Statistics made a
study of the relative cost of material and labor in building con
struction in the cities of Washington, D. C., Cincinnati, Ohio, and
Decatur, 111. The present study was made along the same lines, but
covered 15 cities. The data relate for the most part to the years
1931 and 1932. Information was compiled from records kept by
representative contractors in these 15 cities. The bureau’s agents
examined the records of the local building officials and from these
records selected typical buildings in the residential and nonresidential
groups. The requisite data relating to the labor and materials used
on these projects were obtained from both the primary contractors
and the subcontractors who did work on the buildings. Altogether
information was obtained for 204 buildings.
In every city except Duluth data were obtained for 6 ordinary
dwelling houses, 2 apartment houses, and 6 nonresidential buildings.
In most cities the nonresidential quota consisted of 2 stores, 2 office
buildings, and 2 factories or warehouses; when such were not obtain
able substitutions were made of buildings as nearly like these as
possible. Sufficient data for nonresidential buildings could not be
obtained in Duluth.
The cost figures given in the present article represent only the actual
cost of the building from the time excavation started. They do not
include overhead expenses, profits, cost of land, finance charges, or
architect’s fees. The cost of material is its actual cost as delivered
on the job, including freight and hauling. The labor costs are actual
wages paid to labor on the job and do not include any shop labor,
such as that involved in the making up of millwork, the cutting of
stone at the quarries, or fabrication in the mills.
The buildings selected for the study were chosen from the types
usually built in the cities selected. The bureau’s agents received for
the most part the fullest cooperation on the part of both contractors
and subcontractors.
D
Relative Cost of Material and Labor in New Buildings
T able 1 shows the per cent that the cost of labor and of material
each formed of the total cost of construction of residential and non
residential buildings, in each of the 15 cities from which data were
obtained, the weighted total of all buildings in each of these cities,
and for the 15 cities combined. In this weighting the residential and
nonresidential totals for a city were weighted by the proportional cost
of such classes as shown by building permits issued in the city during
1931 and the first seven months of 1932.
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763
764
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
T a b l e 1 — P E R C E N T OF T O T A L CO ST OF C O N S T R U C T IO N - OF B U IL D IN G S C H A R G E
A B L E TO LA B O R A N D M A T E R IA L IN 15 S P E C IF IE D C IT IE S
Per cent chargeable on—
Residential
buildings
C ity
A tlanta, G a. . . .
. -------------- ------------- ---------- Boston, M a s s . . ------ ------- ---------Chicago, 111.. _____ _ .
----------- . ------------- Dallas, T ex ____ _
___
.
------- . ---------- -Indianapolis, I n d ____ _ --------Little Rock, A rk.
.....
----------------New Orleans, L a ___
___
....
- ._
N ew Y ork, N . Y
....
---- ------ -------------------Roanoke, V a ______ ______ _
-- ------Saginaw, M ich. . . .
St. Louis, Mo . . ---------- -- --------------Salt Lake C ity, U tah .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . ------Seattle, W ash.
------ . . .
- ------------T renton, N . J . . . . .
..
....
All 15 cities com bined.
1
....
--------- .
...
M ate
rial
Labor
70.1
56.9
65.1
74.0
66. 3
59.7
67.7
69.4
59.6
64. 1
66.5
63.0
65.6
57. 5
59.0
29.9
43.1
34.9
26.0
33. 7
40.3
32.3
30.6
40.4
35.9
33. 5
37.0
34.4
42. 5
41. 0
62. 7
37.3
N onresidential
buildings
M ate
rial
B oth types
Labor
M ate
rial
71. 4
59.8
61.4
72.1
C)
63.9
73.5
68.9 .
63. 1
67.0
64.8
64. 1
65.6
63.7
62.8
28.6
40.2
38. 6
27.9
(i)
36.1
26. 5
31.1
36.9
33.0
35.2
35.9
34.4
36.3
37. 2
71.0
59.0
62. 3
72.8
29.0
41.0
37.7
27.2
62.5
71.5
69.0
61.3
65.9
65.3
63.7
65.6
61. 2
62. 2
37.5
28. 5
31.0
38.7
34.1
34.7
36.3
34.4
38.8
37.8
64.3
35.7
63.6
36.4
Labor
D ata for nonresidential building not obtained.
For the 15 cities taken as a whole, 63.6 per cent of the money spent
in the erection of buildings went for material and 36.4 per cent for
labor. The percentage received by labor was slightly higher on residential than on nonresidential buildings. Labor received a higher
percentage of the total amount spent in building construction in
Boston than in any other city. In Boston, 59 per cent of the cost of
all kinds of buildings was accounted for by material and 41 per cent
by labor. In contrast, in Dallas, labor received only 27.2 per cent of
the total cost of building, while the expense for material accounted
for 72.8 per cent of the total cost. In the North, in general, labor
received a higher percentage of the total cost than in the South.
Table 2 shows a comparison in the proportion of the cost of building
construction charged to labor and material in 3 cities in 1928, and in
15 cities in 1932.
T a b l e 2 .—P E R C E N T OF C O ST OF C O N S T R U C T IO N OF B U IL D IN G S C H A R G E A B L E TO
LA B O R A N D M A T E R IA L S IN 3 C IT IE S IN 1928 A N D IN 15 C IT IE S IN 1932
Per cent of total construction cost chargeable in—
T y p e of building
15 cities, 1932
3 cities, 1928
M aterial
L abor
M aterial
Labor
Residential buildings---------------------------------------------N onresidential buildings------------------------------------------
54.0
61.7
46.0
38.3
62.7
64.3
37.3
35.7
Total, w eig h ted ..------ ---------- ----------------- - .........
58.1
41.8
63.6
36.4
In the 3 cities (Cincinnati, Washington, and Decatur, 111.) for
which data were received in 1928, labor cost 41.8 per cent and material
58.1 per cent. In 1932, however, according to data collected in 15
cities, labor received only 36.4 per cent, while material cost 63.6 per
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MATERIAL AND LABOR COSTS— BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
765
cent. There was a very small decrease in the percentage of the total
cost of building construction received by labor in nonresidential
building, comparing the data for the two years. In the cost of resi
dential building, however, labor’s proportion was much lower in 1932
than in 1928, i. e., 37.3 per cent as against 46 per cent. Whether this
was caused by the difference in cities, lowering of wages, increased
efficiency of labor, or the use of more expensive materials, or a com
bination of all four, it is impossible to state.
Table 3 shows the highest and lowest percentage of labor ana ma
terial costs for individual residential and nonresidential buildings,
by cities.
T a b l e 3 .—H IG H E S T A N D L O W E S T P E R C E N T A G E OF LA B O R A N D M A T E R IA L COSTS
F O R IN D IV ID U A L B U IL D IN G S , 1932, BY C IT IE S
Residential buildings
M aterial cost
N onresidential buildings
Labor cost
M aterial cost
Labor cost
C ity
H igh Lowest High Lowest H igh Lowest H igh Lowest
est per per est per per est per per est per per
centage centage centage centage centage centage centage centage
A tlanta, G a___
___ __________
Boston, M a s s ... ________________
Chicago, 111___
Dallas, Tex _____________________
D uluth, M inn
Indianapolis, In d . _ ___________
L ittle Rock, A rk _ _ _ _ _ _ ___ __ .
N ew Orleans, L a____ _ _ _ _ __
N ew Y ork, N . Y __
__ _ _ _ _
Roanoke, V a ..................................... _
Saginaw, M ich _
St. Louis, Mo _
Salt Lake C ity, U tah
Seattle, W ash
T renton, N . J _
73.8
60.9
65.9
80.2
70.1
72.3
71.2
73. 1
67.8
69.3
67.8
70.4
67.9
68. 5
62.7
63.5
43.8
60.3
6 8 .8
62.3
56.3
62.3
60. 8
57.2
59. 6
54. 1
55. 7
61.8
55. 5
52.4
36.5
56.2
39.7
31.2
37. 7
43.7
37.7
39. 2
42.8
40.4
45.9
44. 3
38.2
44. 5
47.6
26.2
39.1
34.1
19.8
29. 9
27.7
28.8
26. 9
32.2
30.7
32.2
29. 6
32. 1
31. 5
37.3
78.8
62.1
67.5
74.8
67.7
78. 5
75.1
66.3
71.3
71.4
70.4
70.4
65.5
64. 7
62.8
55.1
54.2
6 6 .8
37.2
44.9
45.8
33.2
37.9
32.5
25.2
61.5
69.1
61.0
52.9
61. 4
55.6
57.4
63.2
58.9
54.2
38.5
30.9
39.0
47. 1
38.6
44.4
42.6
36.8
41. 1
45.8
32.3
21.5
24.9
33.7
28.7
28.6
29.6
29.6
34.5
35.3
2 1 .2
It was found that the proportion of labor and material costs
varied considerably on different buildings within each city. For
example, in New York City the highest proportionate labor cost on
any residential building was 42.8 per cent, and the lowest 32.2, while
the highest labor cost on any nonresidential building was 47.1 per
cent, and the lowest 33.7. In Indianapolis one residential building
had a labor cost of 43.7 per cent, while another had a labor cost of
only 27.7 per cent.
The highest proportion of the total expenditures going for material
on any one residential building occurred in Dallas, where on one
building 80.2 per cent of the total cost was accounted for by the
material used. The lowest percentage spent for material occurred
in Boston, where on one residential building the cost of material
was only 43.8 of the total cost; the highest labor cost in the same
class of building also was found in Boston where on one building
56.2 per cent of the total costs was accounted for by labor on the
j°b.
In nonresidential building, the highest percentage chargeable to
material on an individual building occurred in Atlanta, Ga., and the
lowest in New York City. The highest labor percentage on an
individual building in the nonresidential group occurred in New
York and the lowest in Atlanta.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
766
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
Relative Material and Labor Cost for Each Class of Work Done
T able 4 shows the percentage of material cost and labor cost of
the different classes of work entering into the erection of residential
and nonresidential buildings in each of the cities from which data
were received and in all 15 cities combined.
T a b l e 4 .—P E R C E N T OF S P E C IF IE D CLASS OF C O N S T R U C T IO N W O R K C H A R G E A B L E
TO L A B O R A N D M A T E R IA L , BY C IT IE S
R e s id e n tia l b u ild in g s
Per cent chargeable in—
Class of work
A tlanta, Ga. Boston, Mass. Chicago, 111.
M aterial
Excavating and grading.--------------------------Brickw ork_______________________________
C arpenter work (builders’ hardw are, lum ber,
and m illw ork)__________________________
Tile w o r k . .. . -----------------------------------------Concrete w o rk ___________________________
Electric wiring a n d fixtures-----------------------Plum bing_______________________________
H eating and ventilating---------------------------P a in tin g ----------------------------------- ------ ------Papering------------------------------------------------Plastering----------------------------------------------Roofing-------------------------------------------------M iscellaneous.................... —........................... -
Labor
1 0 0 .0
6 8 .8
6 8 .8
74.2
69.8
81.2
79.0
81.4
56.0
42.2
66 9
69.6
31.2
31.2
25.8
30.2
18.8
2 1 .0
18.6
44.0
57.8
33 1
30.4
Excavating and grading.............................. .—
Brickw ork_______________________________
Carpenter work (builders’ hardw are, lum ber,
and m illw ork)_________________________
Tile w ork_______________________________
Concrete w ork___________________________
Electric w iring and fixtures----------------------P lum bing-----------------------------------------------H eating and ventilating---------------------------P a in tin g ________________________________
Papering-----------------------------------------------Plastering..-___________________ ____ _____
Roofing_________________ ____________ —
M iscellaneous................. ......................................
7 8
63.0
92 2
37.0
73.8
59.7
60.3.
65.3
75.1
78.6
30.6
26.2
40.3
39.7
34.7
24.9
21.4
69.4
54.1
65.1
76.9
45.9
34.9
23.1
New York,
N . Y.
Excavating and grading......................................
B rickw ork_______________________________
C arpenter work (builders’ hardw are, lum ber,
and m illw ork)_________________________
Tile w o rk_______________ ____ ___________
Concrete w o rk ___________________________
Electric w iring and fixtures. ...................... . .
Plum bing-----------------------------------------------H eating and v entilating---------------------------P a in tin g ------------------------------------------------Papering------------------------------------------------Plastering------------------------------------- --------Roofing_________________________________
M iscellaneous........................................................
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
M aterial
Labor
M aterial
3.9
54.2
96.1
45.8
64.8
109.0
35.2
67.2
32.8
78.4
67.7
2 1 .6
62.4
49.0
54.0
58.2
78.5
71.7
30.7
40.5
29 5
62.6
37.6
51.0
46.0
41.8
21.5
28.3
69.3
59.5
70. 5
37.4
33.4
Indianapolis,
In d .
72.9
55.0
6 6 .8
66.5
76.1
81.8
26.9
33.1
32.1
62.2
75.6
27.1
45.0
33.2
33.5
23.9
18.2
73.1
66.9
67.9
37.8
24.4
L ittle Rock,
Ark.
1 0 0 .0
73.9
82.9
77.7
55.3
48.1
32.3
31.4
26.1
17.1
22.3
44.7
51.9
75.8
80.9
24.2
19.1
6 8 .6
N ew Orleans,
La.
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
Labor
1 0 0 .0
54.5
45.5
72.0
28.0
52.9
47.1
75.9
61.0
52.0
61.6
75.8
75.9
29.4
40.9
26.8
70.1
60.8
24.1
39.0
48.0
38.4
24.2
24.1
70.6
59.1
73.2
29.9
39.2
6 8 .1
64.0
69.2
71.0
76.9
76.6
44.3
31.9
36.0
30.8
29.0
23.1
23.4
55.7
74.8
58.2
74.3
48.7
80.5
85.8
44.1
25.2
41.8
25.7
51.3
19.5
14.2
55.9
59.4
77.2
40.6
48.7
77.8
85.6
2 2 .2
Roanoke,
Va.
2 2 .8
Saginaw,
M ich.
51.3
14.4
St. Louis,
Mo.
55.2
44.8
53.5
89.0
46.5
46.3
53.7
64.8
35.2
70.7
46.9
52. 9
54.2
75.0
74.2
28.6
29.3
53.1
47.1
45.8
25.0
25.8
71.4
61.9
61.0
61.7
72.6
75.4
83.4
31.0
38.1
39.0
38.3
27.4
24.6
16.6
69.0
72.9
67.4
56.2
72.4
74.7
82.7
36.0
27.1
32.6
43.8
27.6
25.3
17.3
64.0
62.0
59.3
58.6
38.0
40.7
41.4
34.0
24.7
56.5
64.2
75.2
43.5
35.8
24.8
60.7
78.0
39.3
54.2
67.5
83.2
45.8
32.5
16.8
46.4
75.9
87.4
1 0 0 .0
Salt Lake
C ity U tah
Excavating and grading...................................
Brickw ork---------------------------------------------- _
C arpenter work (builders’ hardw are, lum ber,
and m illw ork)-------------------------------------- .
Tile w ork---------------------- ------------- -------- - Concrete w ork----------------------------------------- Electric wiring and fixtures----------------------- _
Plum bing----------------- ------ ----------------------- _
H eating and ventilating------- -------- ------------ _
P a in tin g ________________________________ _
Papering________________________________
Plastering_______________________________ _
R oofing.________________________________ .
Miscellaneous___________________________
Labor
6 6 .6
D u lu th ,
M inn.
Dallas Tex.
M aterial
6 6 .1
60.8
61.9
80.0
79.8
78.9
49.5
58 2
47.2
81.4
2 2 .0
Seattle,
Wash.
.
38.3
4.3
58.3
95.7
41.7
33.9
39.2
38.1
43.5
58.6
67.5
55.1
69. 7
81.6
36.2
56.5
41.4
32.5
44.9
30.3
18.4
63.8
40.4
48.9
79.4
59.6
51.1
100 0
61.7
1 1 .0
2 0 .0
2 0 .2
2 1 .1
50.5
41. 8
52.8
18.6
2 0 .6
1 0 0 .0
Trenton,
N . J.
1 0 0 .0
6 6 .0
75.3
79.9
32.3
2 0 .1
67.7
53.6
24.1
1 2 .6
All 15 cities
combined
55.9
99.0
44.1
1.5
58.4
98.5
41.6
62.7
59.2
48.1
72.3
73. 7
76.8
27. 7
45. 5
42. 1
67.8
82.2
37.3
40.8
51.9
27. 7
26.3
23.2
72.3
54. 5
57.9
32.2
17.8
67.1
56.0
63.5
64.0
75.3
79. 7
33.4
38.5
44.6
67.7
75.2
32.9
44. 0
36.5
36.0
24.7
20.3
1 .0
6 6 .6
61.5
55.4
32.3
24.8
MATERIAL AND LABOR COSTS-— BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
767
T a b l e 4 — P E R C E N T OF S P E C IF IE D CLASS O F C O N S T R U C T IO N W O R K C H A R G E A B L E
TO LA B O R A N D M A T E R IA L , B Y C IT IE S —C ontinued
N o n r e s id e n tia l b u ild in g s
Per cent chargeable in—
Class of work
Excavating and grading.
________
Brickwork- ____
- ______________
Carpenter work (builders’ hardw are, lumber,
and m illw ork)______ - - . . ___________
Tile w ork- -- --- - ______
_____
Concrete work-.
. . . ____ _
_ _ _ . . . _____
Structural steel_______
Electric w iring an d fixtures _ __ _______
H eating and ventilating ______
Plum bing _______________ _____________
Plastering..
_ _________ ____
P ainting.
_ _____ . . .
.....
Roofing.. ______ _____________ ________
Glass and glazing__ __
_ _ .. ... _ ...
Elevators . . _ . ______ __
__________
Miscellaneous_______________________
A tlan ta, Ga.
M ate
rial
La
bor
M ate
rial
18.3
67.9
81. 7
32.1
69.4
63.2
67.3
80.3
65.0
82.1
76.0
45.4
39.4
67.3
30.6
36.8
32. 7
19. 7
35.0
17.9
24.0
54.6
60.6
32.7
32. 0
10.9
8.9
6 8 .0
89.1
91.1
Indianapolis,
Ind.
Excavating and grading............... ............ ... _ _
Brickw ork
..
______ _______ _ _
62.3
C arpenter work (builders’ hardw are, lum ber,
and m illw ork)________ ________
73.2
Tile work
.-. _
... .
56. 5
Concrete w o rk ..
...
56.0
Structural steel_____________ . . _______
72. 1
Electric w iring and fixtures
_ _____
63.3
H eating and v en tilatin g ..
_ ..
75.6
Plum bing _
______ .
67.8
Plastering......
............ _ . . . ______
31.3
P a inting...... ........... - - - - - - - 25.3
Roofing.
________ _
___ 70.0
Glass and glazing __ _____ ______________ 79.6
...
__ .
Elevators. _____ . . .
82. 3
Miscellaneous............... ..................
............... 82.1
.
37.7
26.8
43.5
44.0
27.9
36. 7
24.4
32.2
68. 7
74. 7
30.0
20.4
17. 7
17.9
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Chicago, 111.
Dallas, Tex.
La
bor
M ate
rial
La
bor
M ate
rial
56.8
99.4
43.2
16 3
60.1
83 7
39.9
72.4
27.6
35.9
45.1
61.4
75. 1
63.1
69.9
68. 7
23.4
21.5
66. 1
74. 5
84. 7
80.3
64.1
54.9
38.6
24.9
36.9
30.1
31.3
76.6
78.5
33.9
25.5
15.3
19.7
64.0
53. 5
63.0
79.6
58.2
69.2
65.8
33.3
35.0
68. 7
71.8
80.5
69.8
36. 0
46.5
37. 0
20.4
41.8
30.8
34.2
66. 7
65.0
31.3
28. 2
19. 5
30.2
78.8
58.4
61.8
82.6
76.2
71.8
74.7
33.1
49.1
70.8
78.8
41.6
38.2
17.4
23.8
28.2
25.3
66.9
50.9
29.2
0 .6
L ittle Rock, N ew Orleans,
Ark.
La.
8 6 .0
87.2
.
23.8
61 0
62.0
39 0
38.0
14
60.3
69.7
70. 7
75.6
88.3
65.4
74.4
73.4
62.7
47.2
81.7
71.9
30.3
29.3
24.4
11. 7
34.6
25.6
26.6
37.3
52.8
18.3
28.1
37.9
42.1
25.6
17.9
19. 7
12.3
21. 5
56.8
72.6
24.2
18.8
Iß fi
90.0
1 0 .0
62.1
57.9
74.4
82.1
80.3
87. 7
78.5
43.2
27.4
75.8
81.2
83 5
88.4
49.1
49.6
50.6
83.6
55.3
67.4
69.5
28.0
32.8
67.9
84.3
78 3
74.4
Saginaw,
Mich.
St. Louis,
Mo.
2 1 .2
2 1 .2
14.0
1 2 .8
New York,
N . Y.
100 0
1 1 .6
La
bor
100 0
76.2
100 0
Roanoke,
Va.
Excavating and grading___________________
B ric k w o rk ... _ _____ _ __ _ __ __________
C arpenter w ork (builders’ hardw are, lum ber,
and m illw ork)____ . _ . . . ______
Tile work - - ........ ..............
Concrete w o rk .. ___ - - - - - - - ....
Structural steel _
_ _ _ ■ _____ Electric wiring and fixtures _ _- - _____ _
H eating and ventilating___. . . . . . . . . . .
Plum bing. . - ___ . . . . . . . _____ . . . ._
Plastering______ . . .
_
P ainting__ _ . . . . . .
...
.....
Roofing----------- . ______________________
Glass and glazing
. ............................ .
E levators__________ - . . . . . . . ______
Miscellaneous__________ - _ _ _
___
Boston,
Mass.
39Ì 7
50.9
50.4
49. 4
16.4
44. 7
32.6
30.5
72.0
67.2
32.1
15.7
25.6
Salt Lake
C ity, U tah
23.1
60.2
76.9
39.8
7. 0
55.9
93. 0
44.1
7.1
67.8
92 9
32.2
59.3
40.7
52.1
74.5
59.2
80.2
82. 0
84.0
83. 7
48.0
38. 2
75. 9
79. 6
76. 0
85.5
47.9
25.5
40.8
19.8
18. 0
16. 0
16.3
52. 0
61.8
24. 1
20.4
24. 0
14.5
57.1
51.1
49.9
78. 7
66.4
81.8
74.4
51.8
26.9
75.4
84. 0
89.3
78.8
42.9
48.9
50.1
21.3
33.6
18.2
25.6
48.2
73. 1
24.6
16. 0
10. 7
21. 2
.5
49.6
60.0
80.8
63. 5
74.2
61.3
32. 7
30.9
73. 0
73.0
74.5
81.8
33. 5
50.4
40.0
19. 2
36. 5
25.8
38. 7
67.3
69.1
27.0
27.0
25. 5
18.2
56.1
64.5
63.6
91.3
75.2
84.3
80.9
54.1
38.4
79.9
84.4
87. 7
67.5
43.9
35.5
36.4
8. 7
24. 8
15. 7
19.1
45.9
61.6
66
100 0
2 0 .1
15.6
12.3
32.5
768
MONTHLY LABOK REVIEW
T a b l e 4 .— P E R C E N T OF S P E C IF IE D CLASS O F C O N S T R U C T IO N W O R K C H A R G E A B L E
TO L A B O R A N D M A T E R IA L , B Y C IT IE S —C ontinued
N o n r e s id e n ta l b u ild in g s — Continued
Per cent chargeable in—
Class of work
Excavating and grading______ ______________________
B rickw ork.-_ - .
. ___ _ ____________ _ _
Carpenter work (builders’ hardw are, lum ber, and millwork) _
Tile w ork-- - - - - - _________ __ _ _ _______ .
Concrete w o rk .. ________ _________
. .
______
Slructural steel____ _________ _
_ ___________ __
_________________
Electric wiring and fixtures
- . . . ____
H eating and ventilating. ____ ________ . .
Plum bing. .
_
• .
...
___ . . .
Plastering
_________
..
_____ . . . _____
P a in tin g ... _ __ _ __________ _ _ ____
_ _ _ __
R o o f in g - .._____ - _________ _ _ ___ _________ _____
Glass and glazing
__
........
_____
... _
Elevators__ . . .
_________
Miscellaneous_____ _ _____________ ________
Seattle,
Wash.
M ate
rial
L a
bor
25. 2
67.8
74.8
32. 2
33.2
49.3
41.3
15. 7
37.3
18.6
34.2
64. 5
69. 1
30.0
6 6 .8
50. 7
58. 7
84.3
62. 7
81. 4
65.8
35. 5
30.9
70. 0
89.8
85. 1
52.2
1 0 .2
14. 9
47.8
T renton,
N . J.
M ate
rial
34. 7
61. 4
72. 5
49. 2
43.3
81.3
60.2
66. 5
57. 7
32.8
2 2 .1
69.1
73.6
78. 5
84. 2
All 14 cities
combined
L a
bor
M ate
rial
65.3
38.6
27. 5
50.8
56. 7
18. 7
39.8
33. 5
42. 3
67.2
77.9
30.9
26.4
21. 5
15.8
14. 5
63.3
62.8
52.8
58.4
81.2
63.9
73. 5
67.8
33.7
32.8
70. 7
80.1
80. 6
76. 7
L a
bor
85.5
36. 7
37.2
47.2
41. 6
18.8
36. 1
26.5
32.2
66.3
67.2
29.3
19.9
19.4
23.3
Taking the 15 cities as a whole, material forms a larger percentage
of the total cost of residential building than labor in all classes of
work except excavation and grading, painting, papering, and plaster
ing. The largest labor cost on any individual item, was in excavating
and grading, where 98.5 per cent of the total cost went for labor.
Heating showed the lowest relative labor cost, 20.3 per cent. In
Atlanta, Ga., with the exception of excavating and grading and paper
ing, material accounted for a higher percentage of the total cost than
labor in all items. In Boston, there were five items in which the
labor cost was higher than the material cost. In Little Rock, the
cost of the material accounted for 72 per cent of the total cost of
brickwork, while in Saginaw, only 46.3 per cent of the total cost of
brickwork was accounted for by material. There was also a great
contrast in the proportion of material and labor cost comparing
several other items in the different cities. For example, in New Or
leans, 74.3 per cent of the total cost of the concrete work was for
material and only 25.7 per cent for labor. In Boston, however, only
54 per cent of the total cost of concrete work went for material and
46 per cent for labor.
In a number of items there was very little difference in the propor
tion of material and labor cost in the different cities. For example,
for plumbing in Dallas, Tex., where material accounted for a larger
proportion of the total cost than any other city, 82.9 per cent of the
total plumbing cost went for material, and 17.1 per cent, for labor;
while Seattle was the only city where the cost of material formed
less than 70 per cent of the total plumbing cost. In contrast, the
labor percentage of the total cost of plastering ranged from 33.1 in
Atlanta to 73.2 in Indianapolis.
As regards nonresidential buildings, in all cities combined, the only
items in which labor formed a higher cost than material in nonresi
dential buildings, were excavating and grading, plastering, and paint
ing. The highest labor percentage in any single item was 85.5 in the
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MATERIAL AND LABOR COSTS--- BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
769
case of excavating; and grading. _ In structural-steel work, in contrast,
the percentage of total cost going to labor was only 18.8 while the
material cost was 81.2. In glass and glazing and elevators, the mate
rial cost formed more than 80 per cent of the total cost of material
and labor combined.
How the Building Dollar Goes
T able 5 shows the percentage that the cost of each class of work in
building forms of the total cost of residential building in each of the
cities and for all 15 cities combined. These figures include both
labor and material.
T a b l e 5.—P E R C E N T A G E T H A T CO ST O F E A C H CLASS OF W O R K F O R M S O F T O T A L
CO ST O F R E S ID E N T IA L B U IL D IN G S , BY C IT IE S
[These figures include m aterial and labor]
Per cent of total cost chargeable to specified class of work
in —
Class of work
A tlan Bos
ta, G a. Mton,
ass.
Excavating and grading____ __________
Brickw ork ________ ______
C arpenter w ork____________
Tile w o rk ... . .
_____________
Concrete w o rk _______ _ ________
Electric w iring and fixtures_______
H eating an d v entilating_____
P lum bing_____________ .
Plastering an d lath in g _
P a inting ______________ .
P a p e rin g __________________
Roofing___ . . . . .
M iscellaneous_________
T o t a l . . . ......................................
1.3
10.3
44. 2
3.2
4.2
4.6
8 .8
9. 5
5. 6
4.4
0.3
3.5
1. 6
13.9
27.4
4.6
4.8
3.8
6.9
9. 6
9. 5
5.2
0. 4
2 .1
10 2
.
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
New RoaYork, noke,
N . Y. Va.
Excavating and grading............. ..............
B rickw ork. ____________
C arpenter w ork_____________________
Tile w ork ______. . . __________
Concrete w o rk .
. _ _______
Electric w iring an d fixtures____ ____
H eating an d ventilating____ ____
Plum bing_____ ________________ _
Plastering a n d la th in g _________ _ .
P a inting. ____ __ _ __________
Papering _ . . . . .
. . . _______ ._
Roofing _
___
M iscellaneous_______________________
T o tal____ _ _______
_ _____
2. 9
22. 7
23. 5
4. 1
5.5
4.0
4.8
9.7
12. 6
4.4
1.3
9.3
41.5
1.5
4. 3
6 .1
1 0 0 .0
1 .2
5.2
4.5
9.9
10. 2
6 .8
4.0
1 0 0 .0
Chi
cago,
111 .
0.3
15.4
17. 2
3.8
22. 1
5.0
5. 9
10. 3
7. 6
3. 1
1.4
0.4
7. 7
1 0 0 .0
D al D u Indian Little New
las,
luth,
apo Rock, Or
Tex. M inn. lis,Ind. Ark. leans,
La.
0.9
7.1
52.9
2.9
5.1
4.7
1. 0
11.4
9. 6
0. 3
3.4
0. 7
1 0 0 .0
2.3
9. 6
41. 0
1.7
8.3
2. 7
9.0
9.0
6 9
5.4
0. 9
17. 6
23. 6
3.4
13.3
2 .8
1 2
1 .1
8 6
1 0 0 .0
100 0
.
2 .8
6 .0
9.6
7
4.0
0. 3
8
.
1. 0
14.4
45.1
1. 9
4.8
3. 6
1 .2
11 1
.
7 9
4.8
4. 1
0.5
7.1
39. 7
4.3
6. 6
5. 1
8. 5
12. 0
6
1
5. 6
4.1
0 .6
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
Salt Seat- Tren- All 15
SagiSt.
naw, Louis, Lake
ton, cities
C ity, Wtie,
Mich. M o. U
ash. N . J. com
tah
bined
0 .6
11.5
40. 2
2.9
4.5
6. 7
7. 7
9.6
5. 6
5.5
.2
3. 0
2
1 0 0 .0
0.9
20.3
28. 1
3.8
1 0 .8
3. 7
6 .2
10 2
.
7.0
3.8
2 .2
1. 5
14. 0
32.9
4. 5
8. 1
4.8
9. 5
1 0 .0
6 2
.
3. 5
2.8
2 .1
3. 0
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
1.4
6. 9
26.4
3.2
15.6
4. 7
7. 1
10.9
7.8
4.3
1. 7
21.4
28.2
3.3
5.8
2.7
9.6
8.5
8.9
4.0
1. 5
10 1
4.4
1.4
5.5
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
0 .1
1.3
14.8
27.3
3.5
11.7
4. 5
6 .6
1 0 .1
8 .2
4.2
0 5
1 .8
In these 15 cities, carpentry work accounted for a larger percentage
of the building dollar than any other items in residential building—27.3 cents of each dollar spent—while papering accounted for the
smallest portion—five-tenths of 1 cent. In Dallas, Tex., and Little
Rock, Ark., low heating costs are accounted for by the fact that most
residences do not have a central heating plant; stoves burning
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770
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
natural gas are used generally. In addition to carpentry work, three
other items each accounted for more than 10 cents of each dollar spent;
they were brickwork, concrete work, and plumbing. In each of
the 15 cities, except Chicago, carpentry work formed the largest single
item of expense in residential building. In Chicago, concrete work
accounted for a larger portion of the building dollar than carpentry
work.
Table 6 shows the percentage that the cost of each class of work
forms of the total cost of nonresidential building.
T able
6
.—P E K C E N T A G E T H A T C O ST O F E A C H CLASS O F W O R K F O R M S
T O T A L C O ST O F N O N R E S ID E N T IA L B U IL D IN G S , B Y C IT IE S
OF
[These figures include m aterial and labor]
P er cent of to tal cost chargeable to specified class of w ork in —
Class of work
Bos
A t
lanta, ton,
Ga. Mass.
Excavating and grading ____ ________
1.4
B rickw ork _ ________ _ . . . . ____
17. 3
C arpenter w ork______ .
_
________
5.6
___
Tile w o rk . _____
2 .1
Concrete w ork . . . . .
_ _ 21. 9
11.9
S tru ctu ral steel
______
5.4
Electric w iring and fixtures.
H eating and v entilating. __
. ____
4.8
P lum bing. . . .
_ __________ . .
5.9
Plastering and la th in g ..............
......
4. 3
P ain tin g .
.
.
. . .
1. 7
Roofing
. . .
_
. . .
1. 9
Glass and glazing
__
0 .6
Elevators
8 .2
M iscellaneous__.
._
_________
6.9
Total
..
.
.
. -
Class of work
Excavating and grading________ . . . ____ _
B rickw ork. _
. . . . . . . . . ...
_____
C arpenter w ork _ _
.
___
Tile w o rk ..
Concrete w o rk ______________________ _____
S tru ctu ral ste e l.. _
. .
.........
Electric w iring and fixtures______________ . .
H eating a n d ventilating _________________
P lu m b in g ... ._ _ ______
._ ________
Plastering and la th in g ___
______
P ain tin g . _
. . .
_
_ ______
Roofing___ . . .
_____ _ ______ ______
Glass and glazing. .
. . . .
E l e v a to r s .._______ . . . . ________ _
.
M iscellaneous______ ____________ . . . _ . . .
T o tal____
_______________________
1 0 0 .0
Roa
noke,
Va.
4.4
17.5
5.9
1.5
22. 1
9.0
6.9
4.5
In L ittle N ew N ew
C hi
Or Y ork,
dian Rock,
cago, Dallas,
apolis,
Tex.
Ark. leans,
111 .
Ind.
La. N . Y.
3.6
13.2
8.9
4.0
22. 3
4.4
2 .6
18.9
6 .8
2.4
16.4
0.7
2 .0
18.7
10.4
2 1 .0
8 2
2 .1
8.3
7.7
4.1
4.4
6 .1
1 1 .0
2 .0
1 2
2 .2
.
3.0
1 .1
2 .8
1 .0
9.4
13.5
6. 8
4.1
4.7
4.5
3.9
0.4
1.4
2. 9
1 0 .8
1 1 .1
5. 2
4.0
.
3.4
19.3
1.4
4.8
7.6
7.5
6 .6
1 .2
1 .2
0 .2
1 .6
6.4
2.9
7.5
1.7
5.2
1 2 .2
17.4
2.5
13.6
6 .8
6.9
7,4
5.9
8.9
12.5
8.7
1 0 0 .0
10.4
8 .2
7.4
8.7
5.6
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
St.
Louis,
Mo.
Salt
Lake
C ity,
U tah
2 .1
1.9
13.4
4.4
2.7
11.3
25.3
16.1
1 0 .0
1 .6
0 .8
0 .8
15.4
5.9
7.8
4. 1
5.0
4.6
1 .0
1 .6
1.3
3.4
0 .6
1 .2
1 .8
6 .2
6.9
4.5
2.5
3.4
3.4
3.0
0.3
1 0 0 .0
14.0
8 .1
5.8
8 .6
3.4
14.4
1 1 .0
1.3
7.2
5.9
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
6 .8
ren
S eattle, Tton,
W ash. N . J.
2.5
14.7
1 0 .2
1 .2
25.4
2.5
5. 7
6.3
4.4
4.9
4.2
24.0
4. 1
1 .8
1 1 .2
13. 1
3. 7
9.4
4.9
4.5
1 .8
1 .1
2 .0
0 .6
9. 5
7.8
1 0 0 .0
6 .1
3.7
0 .8
1 0 0 .0
Sagi
naw ,
M ich.
2 .6
20.7
1.7
1.3
15.7
13.4
5.2
5.8
2 .1
4.4
1.3
1. 2
4.2
1 .1
1.7
6 .8
32.4
6.3
9.4
6.3
5. 2
3.5
1.3
2 .8
1.4
24.0
24. 6
0.3
16.1
6.5
1 .0
1 .0
All 14
cities
com
bined
2.5
17.2
6.4
1.7
20.7
8.7
6 .6
6 .6
5.2
4.3
1 .8
1 .6
1.4
1 2 .6
1.3
1.3
7.6
8.3
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
2.5
For nonresidential building, concrete work accounted for the largest
portion of the building dollar, 20.7 cents going for this class of work.
Brickwork was the only other item accounting for more than 10 cents
per dollar. Roofing and glass and glazing, each accounted for 1.3
cents of each dollar, thus tying for the low place in the list.
In 5 of the 14 cities from which data were collected, concerning
nonresidential building, concrete work accounted for a larger portion
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MATERIAL AND LABOR COSTS— BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
PER CEN T THRT COST O f EACH
OF T O J fl COST o r BUILDING
L hbok
R ZSIDEHTlRL
140152°—32---- 3
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
E23
in
CLNSS
771
OF W ORK FORMS
REPRESENTfiT/VF
M/mFURU
c it ie s .
Cd
N oN-RtSIDEH TlfU.
772
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
of the building dollar than any other item in construction work. In
6 cities brickwork accounted for the largest per cent of the nonresidential building dollar, while in 3 cities, carpentry work was the most
costly item.
There were a few differences in the processes involved in the erec
tion of residential and nonresidential buildings. _ In residential build
ing, papering is included. There is no papering in nonresidential
buildings. Glass and glazing is a separate item in nonresidential
building, while in residential building the millwork comes already
glazed and this item is, therefore, included under carpentry work in
this class of building. Structural steel and elevators are shown
separately in nonresidential building. In residential building, these
items were not of enough importance to show separately.
The chart on page 771 shows the distribution of the building dollar
among the several kinds of work. This chart must be read vertically
to show the distribution of the dollar among the classes of work, and
horizontally to show the distribution of labor and material. Thus,
starting at the bottom of the chart, in the section relating to residen
tial building, it is seen that of every dollar spent 1.3 cents went for
excavating. The chart indicates that nearly all of this amount was
spent for labor.
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E m p lo y m e n t of O lder P erso n s in Sp rin gfield ,
D e p a rtm e n t S to re s
By
M a ss.,
A my H e w e s, op M ou n t H olyoke C ollege
N TRADE and industry to-day the fear of losing one’s place to a
younger, more vigorous person harasses many a worker even before
youth is past. Employees know that the older workers will be the
ones to go when a reduction of the working force is necessary and they
often lose confidence and put more effort into concealing their actual
age than into increasing their efficiency. The management, on its
side, balances years of loyal service and the advantages of low turn
over against decreasing output, knowing that the time will come when
replacement must be made.
The^ Massachusetts Commission on the Stabilization of Employ
ment, in planning its research program for 1931-32, proposed a study
of workers in various lines of employment in which it hoped “ to
demonstrate kinds of work that may be performed satisfactorily by
older workers, and to throw light upon types of work experience that
enable some older workers to continue in employment longer than
their fellows.”1 The project here reported is a part of that larger
program. I t is a study of the employment of older employees in
Springfield department stores made in March and April, 1932, under
the directionof the Economics Department at Mount Holyoke College
by students in the course in social statistics.2
I
Scope of Study
# S p r in g f ie l d is the third city in size in Massachusetts, with a popula
tion of 149,900 in 1930. I t has been the leading trade center of western
Massachusetts since colonial days. The city has enjoyed a prosperity
largely due to its location, which is so far removed from other large
communities as to give it a monopoly in many lines of trade. A large
number of shoppers come regularly from a radius of over 20 miles, and
others come from towns in the northern part of the State as much as
50 miles away. Chicopee, a contiguous community with separate
political organization and a population of over 43,000, virtually
depends on Springfield for retail stores other than those dealing in food.
Springfield had 2,220 retail establishments in 1930, of which 1,711
were single independent stores. The total annual turnover in that
year amounted to $109,054,926. Full-time employment was given to
9,528 persons, and the yearly pay roll, including part-time employees,
was $13,558,565. The 69 stores in the general merchandising group
employed 2,393 persons; and the seven department stores, with a
volume of business of $15,748,793, had 1,970 full-time employees.3
1 M assachusetts. Special Commission on th e Stabilization of E m ploym ent.
Prelim inary report. 1932.
B oston, 1931, p. 14. (House bill No. 1 1 0 0 .)
2 T h e d a ta were secured through th e cooperation a n d interest of th e Springfield C ham ber of Commerce,
a n d in particular th a t of M r. T . M . Johnson, the secretary of its M erchants’ B ureau; and through the assist
ance given b y th e m anagem ent of th e Springfield stores. T h e s tu d y w ould not have been possible w ithout
th e untiring patience and good w ill of th e directors of th e personnel departm ents of th e stores.
3 U . S. B ureau of th e Census. Census of D istribution: Prelim inary report of retail trade in Springfield.
M ass. Released M ay 2,1931.
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774
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
The three stores chosen for this study are the largest in the depart
ment-store group. They have long been established in the city of
Springfield. One of them opened for business in 18/4, one in 1875,
and the third in 1906. All are independent units, general department
stores, and handle merchandise of about the same grade.
During the latter part of the depression period, when the reduced
volume of trade made it impossible to carry the whole force on full
time, part-time employment and u vacations’’ rather than dismissals
were resorted to by all of these stores. All three carried smaller
numbers on their pay rolls in 1931 than in 1930. The decrease in the
average number employed varied from 5 to 11 per cent in the three
stores. Although the numbers employed were consistently smaller
in 1931, the spread was greatest during the earlier part of the year
and continued through the Easter trade. This trade, together with
that of the Christmas holidays showed the peaks characteristic of
those periods almost everywhere.
The group studied included all of the employees over 45 years of
age on the pay rolls of the three stores, a total of 344. Detailed
information was secured through personal interviews with 241 of
these employees. The number seen individually amounted to more
than four-fifths of the age group in two of the stores, but in the case
of the third, to only slightly more than half. The interviews were
arranged by the personnel departments and took place in the stores
during the day.
Character of Group Studied
Proportion of Older Workers
T h e r e is n o “ old age at forty” among retail-store employees.
None of the managements would admit there was any dead line of
employability. The proportion of older workers was larger than
would be found in almost any manufacturing establishment, an
indication that a longer earning life characterizes mercantile
employment.
From one-fourth to one-fifth of the total staff m each of these
stores was composed of persons over 45. Although the total per
centage of older workers in each of the stores was approximately
the same, the composition of #these older groups differed as to sex.
Women were in the majority in the total force of all the stores, but
over one-half of the older employees in one establishment were men.
In the other stores men were respectively one-third and two-fifths
of the older group.
Age
Although the largest group of older employees who were inter
viewed was made up of persons between 45 and 50, this group formed
less than one-third (30.7 per cent) of the whole number. A fourth
of the total were between 50 and 55, and nearly one-fourth (23 per
cent) were over 60 years.
Probably among the employees over 70 there were many whose
former service rather than present efficiency constituted the claim on
the job. Many were still known to customers who did not wish to
break old connections and who really valued the knowledge of their
taste and requirements which rested on long association. Also, the
long connection with the establishment in some cases constituted a
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
775
EMPLOYMENT OF OLDER PERSONS
moral claim which the employer did not disregard. An instance of
such a claim was found in the case of a woman well over 75 who was
employed irregularly. In spite of her increasing eccentricity, she had
been allowed to come back to the store after periods of absence,
because of her long service and the affection with which she was
regarded. Another woman, over 70, whose efficiency had been some
what impaired as the result of an automobile accident, was retained
because, in the words of the manager, “ We like our old help, you
know.”
T a b l e 1 .— A G E D IS T R IB U T IO N O P E M P L O Y E E S O V ER 45 Y E A R S O P A G E
Em ployees in specified age group
P er cent
Age group
N um ber
Establish Establish Establish
m ent A m e n t B m ent C
T otal
45 to 49 years
50 to 54 years.
55 to 59 years.
60 to 64 years.
65 to 69 years.
70 t o 74 years.
75 to 79 years.
N o t reported.
74
G2
45
30
14
2
2
.9
T o tal. _
241
1 0 0 .0
12
30. 7
25. 7
18. 7
12.4
5.8
5.0
.8
29.2
23. 1
23. 1
1 2 .2
6. 1
5.1
25.2
19. 5
18.1
15.3
12. 5
36.4
32.9
14.8
10.3
8 .2
2.3
1 .2
1 0 0 .0
1 .1
1 .1
1 .2
1 .1
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
Educational Experience
Successful store service requires intelligence and an elementary
education. Nearly one-half (46.9 per cent) of the older employees
had attended grade schools only, about two-fifths (41.9 per cent) had
benefited by at least some high-school education and less than a
tenth had received either some college or vocational education.
Specialized training for retail selling is given by the personnel depart
ments of the stores, but it may safely be said that the majority of the
older employees learned “ on the job, ” by dint of observation and help
from fellow employees. No specific educational requirements were
fixed as a condition of employment.
T a b l e 2 — N U M B E R A N D P E R C E N T OP E M P L O Y E E S W IT H S P E C IF IE D E D U C A T IO N
Employees
w ith specified
education
T y p e of education
Grade school-- __ _
High school __ _____ _____
College___
N orm al school- ___ ,
Vocational school L . . .
None 2 ___ . . .
Total
1
2
__________
N um ber
Per
cent
113
46. 9
41 Q
9 Q
!8
4 6
9 Q
101
7
2
11
7
241
1 0 0 .0
employees w ith vocational training in addition to grade or high school education.
.No formal school education.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
776
M O N T H L Y L A B O R R E V IE W
Occupational Background
The first job .—Further indication of the character of the group of
older employees is indicated by their first jobs as paid workers.
More than two-fifths (43 per cent) began with store work, as shown in
Table 3. The others started their wage earning experience in widely
varied employment. Jobs as far removed from store work as those
of bartenders, cowboys, carpenters, brick masons, chauffeurs, and
farmers were reported as the first experience of the older men. Some
of the women began to earn when very young, as factory hands in
Lowell and Fall River or in domestic service. Others were assistants
to dressmakers or did sewing independently.
T a b l e 3 .—D IS T R IB U T IO N OF E M P L O Y E E S A C C O R D IN G TO F IR S T JO B H E L D
N um ber of employees w ith first job as specified
Occupation
E stablish
m ent A
E stablish
m ent B
E stablish
m ent C
Selling and b u y in g _________________________________
Factory w o rk ..
----------------------- ----------------- Tailoring and fitting ------------- . . . . . . ----- ------- Domestic w ork. .
.. ...
-------------- ---------- -Office w o rk . . . . . . ------- . . _ ------- ------ ---------C arpenters, porters, shippers .
. . ---------- -- - . . Professional em ploym ent— . .
- - - - - - - - - - - ------F arm in g ---------------------------------------------------------------Miscellaneous_________ - ______ ____________
39
7
7
4
30
7
5
3
5
34
17
5
6
5
8
19
T o ta l____________ -- -------------------------------- -
82
it
88
241
8
5
4
4
2
6
Total
103
31
17
17
17
14
10
4
3
4
3
6
12
11
As the statement following shows, some of the older employees
became wage earners very early. All except 37 were over 14 when
they started to work. In 40 cases the employees held no paid position
until after 25 years of age. In the case of women this late beginning
was caused more often by early marriage than by an extensive period
of training. For example, one high-school graduate married soon
after leaving school and lived on a farm until her husband’s death made
it necessary for her to work in order to support her children. Store
work appeared to have been an attractive opening for women with no
specialized training, for as an employee in the drapery department ex
pressed it: “A woman feels more at ease in a department store selling
things she has long used in her own home.”
N um ber of
Age at first employment:
employees
5 to 9 years_______________________________________
3
10 to 14 years_____________________________________
34
15 to 19 years_______________________________
HI
20 to 24 years_____________________________________
49
25 to 29 years_____________________________________
13
30 to 34 years_____________________________________
12
35 to 39 years_____________________________________
5
40 to 44 years_____________________________________
6
45 years and over__________________________________
4
Not reported______________________________________
4
Total___________________________________________
241
Other principal employment.—As an indication of the characteristics
of the group studied, previous employment over a considerable period
is more significant than either education or the first job, since the
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
777
EMPLOYMENT OF OLDER PERSONS
former was rarely vocational and the latter was seldom a matter of
deliberate choice. Consequently, inquiry was made concerning
earning experience other than merchandising. This was limited to
the employment of longest duration in the history of each employee.
The full job history of each individual was unobtainable since in many
cases the person was unable to remember every position held, but it
was assumed that the period of longest employment would always be
remembered.
It is significant that almost one-half (103, or 43 per cent) had had
their whole earning experience in stores or had held no other positions
except of very short duration. The second largest number, 48, had
worked in factories for their other principal employment and the third
largest group, 23, in domestic work (including in this group wait
resses, matrons, nurses, and housekeepers).
T a b l e 4 .—O T H E R P R IN C IP A L O C C U PA T IO N S O F ST O R E E M P L O Y E E S
N um ber of employees w ith specified occupation
Occupation
Establish
m ent A
Establish
m ent B
42
13
g
7
4
4
4
36
No o th e r,.
_______
F actory w o r k _______
D om estic w ork_____
Office w ork.
Tailors a n d dressmakers
Professional... _____ _
Janitors, shipping clerks, elevator m en.
M iscellaneous____________
Total
__________
Establish
m ent C
10
5
i
i
2
82
71
or
Zo
lo
a
D
K
O
4
Total
103
48
23
16
14
6
9
19
oo
241
Length oj merchandising experience.—A number of the older em
ployees had accumulated many years of merchandising experience.
Nearly two-fifths had been engaged in store work for over 20 years,
and 19 persons for more than 40 years. Only a quarter had worked
in stores less than 10 years. It is clear that the present tenure of job
of this group is associated with long experience in the same line of
work.
T a b l e 5 .—L E N G T H OF M E R C H A N D IS IN G E X P E R IE N C E
Years in merchandising
U nder 1 0 years. , , _ . . . _ . . .
10 to 19 years_____________________
20 to 29 years______________________
30 to 39 years___________________
40 to 49 y e a r s . . _______
50 to 59 years.. . _____ _____
N o t reported- _________________
T otal ____________________
N um
ber of
Per
em cent of
ploy
total
ees
60
84
42
33
15
4
3
241
24.9
34.9
17.4
13.7
6 .2
1.7
1 .2
1 0 0 .0
Present Employment
T he remainder of this study is concerned with the conditions of the
present employment of the group over 45 years of age, and particu
larly with those aspects which may afford an explanation of the
employee’s claim on the position held.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
778
Age When Employed
It was necessary, first to test the hypothesis that the present job
was held in a large proportion of cases by persons who had been
employed by the company when they were young. I t proved to be
true (as shown in Table 6) that considerably more than one-half the
number were hired on their present job before they were 45; it was
also clear that the group represented persons who were easily employ
able even after that age. More than a third (37 per cent) were taken
on after their forty-fifth birthday and 13 persons were employed after
reaching the age of 60. The largest group, 68 persons, were between
40 and 45 years old when they were hired. This group furnished
abundant evidence of lack of prejudice on the part of retail-store
managers against the hiring of older persons.
T a b le
6
.- A G E O F E M P L O Y E E S A T T IM E W H E N H IR E D ON P R E S E N T JOB
N um ber of employees
Age group
20 to 24 year«
2 5 to 2 0 years
30 to 34 years
35 to 39 years
40 to 44 years
45 to 49 years
50 to 54 years
55 to 59 years
60 to 64 years
3
7
5
5
- -
--------------- -------------------_ _ _ ----------- ---------____
__ ---------- -__- _____ - ___
_____
__ - - ___ - __
__ ___
___ —
_ _______ - -- -------------_ _
Total
-
- -
-
5
15
19
44
2
8
22
14
39
46
16
22
68
8
13
5
5
38
25
14
13
87
154
241
12
9
-------- - -
T otal
Female
M ale
Occupational Distribution
A grouping of these older employees by their present occupation
(Table 7) showed that just about half (49 per cent) were engaged in
actual selling. This is the same proportion that the selling force
formed of the total force for all ages in the three stores. The propor
tion would be only slightly higher if the buyers over 45 who also act
as salespeople were included. Older women who were selling out
numbered the older men, but women also outnumbered men in the
entire force and in the other occupational groups except among the
shipping-room employees, janitors, and the miscellaneous group
(including occupations usually filled by men, such as truck drivers,
stock clerks, and floor managers).
T a b le 7 .— O C C U P A T IO N A L D IS T R IB U T IO N O F E M P L O Y E E S , B Y SE X
N um ber of employees
O ccu p atio n
Pales persons
Buyers
__- ___ -- - -- —
__________
_____ - _ _____
- ------- _______ _________________
_ ______ _______ ________
______ ___ —
________________ - - —
Others ------------------------------------------------------------------ -
ja n ito r s anrl a tte n dant, s
W ork-room em ployees
P hippiog-room em ployees
L unoh-room em ployees
Offiee em ployees
Total
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
__________________
T o ta l
Females
Males
21
98
9
16
12
7
5
12
1
10
13
3
2
22
87
119
25
19
17
14
13
6
8
4
26
154
241
779
EMPLOYMENT OF OLDER PERSONS
An occupational distribution of the older employees by age shows
only a slight relation between age and the kind of work done. In the
office force (which furnished the single example of a preference for
younger persons) the employees were all under 60. The lunch-room
employees were all under 65. But in the selling force proper there
were employees of all ages up to and including the seventies.
T able
8
.—O C C U P A T IO N A L D IS T R IB U T IO N OF E M P L O Y E E S , B Y A G E G R O U PS
N um ber of employees in specified occupation, aged—
Occupation
Sales persons____ _______________
B uyers____ _ _________
____
Janitors a n d a tte n d an ts_____________
Work-room employees____ ______
Shipping-room employees_____
Lunch-room employees. _______
Office employees_________
O thers_____________
T o tal____________
45-49
years
50-54
years
55-59
years
42
5
5
33
7
4
8
2
2
4
24
4
5
3
3
1
1
1
2
8
7
5
2
4
74
62
45
60-64
years
65-69
years
70-74
years
5
3
4
1
1
2
3
7
3
2
30
14
12
9
6
2
2
3
75-79 N ot re
years p o rted T otal
2
1
2
1
119
25
19
17
14
13
8
26
2
2
241
Tenure of Present Job
T he older employees formed a staple part of the total force. As
shown in the statement below, half of them had held their present
positions more than 10 years at the time of the interviews and nearly
a fifth for more than 20 years. It is important to note again, however,
that a fifth of the group were able to secure employment less than
5 years ago, although they were then over 40 years of age.
Length of present j ob :
Under 5 years_________
Under 1 year_____
1 and under 2 years
2 and under 3 years
3 and under 4 years
4 and under 5 years
5 to 9 years________ _
10 to 14 years________
15 to 19 years_________
20 to 24 years_________
25 to 29 years_________
30 years and over_____
Total
N um ber of
employees
___
___
__
__
___
___
___
___
___
___
__
___
46
4
6
12
15
9
72
53
27
14
21
8
241
The long tenure of the present position which characterized so
many of the older employees was consistent with the fact that it
covered the greater part of their total merchandising experience.
More than one-half of the older employees had spent at least 80
per cent of their entire period of store employment with the same
company. This is shown in Table 9.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
780
M O N T H L Y L A B O R R E V IE W
T a b l e 9 . —T E N U R E O F P R E S E N T E M P L O Y M E N T AS P E R C E N T A G E OP T O T A L M E R
C H A N D IS IN G E X P E R IE N C E
N um ber of persons
Percentage of to tal experience
E stablish
m en t A
1 to 19 per cent
___ ___ ________ _______________
20 to 39 per cent
______________________________
40 to 59 per cent
_ _ ___________________________
fiO to 79 per cent
___ ______ _ _______ _
80 to 99 p er cent
______________________ _______
No other experience
___ _ _ _ _ _______ —
N ot rep o rted
_ ____
_ ______ _ _ _ _
Total
--
______
E stablish E stablish
m ent C
m ent B
6
15
19
11
6
3
8
10
9
11
Total
2
6
23
36
14
30
22
10
10
29
99
45
26
1
28
0
1
2
82
71
88
241
Transfers Within the Establishment
The older employees who had been in the same establishment for
a long time had not required many transfers to easier jobs. As is
seen by Table 10, three-quarters were still holding the same position
to which they were first appointed. Moreover, the percentages of
employees who had never been transferred were almost as large
among the older employees as among the younger. The necessary
adjustment apparently came in expending on the same job a little
less energy as the years passed, rather than by surrendering it for
another. There were, however, instances where the management
had been forced to insist upon a change of occupation. Such a case
was that of a successful salesman in the dry goods department who
was made a receiving clerk because loss of hearing made it impossible
to understand the wants of customers.
None of the stores in which these employees worked had a regular
pension system, but each store was taking care of a number of former
employees. The lack of a pension system may explain part of the
willingness to retain on the pay roll some of the oldest employees.
The stores were in agreement, however, that the group over 45
included many of their most valued employees.
T a b l e 1 0 . - T R A N S F E R S W IT H IN T H E E S T A B L IS H M E N T
Employees having—
N um ber
45 to
50 to
55 to
60 to
65 to
70 to
49 years.. ____________________________________
54 years_______ . . . . .
.
...
------ -59 years----------------- . . .
--------- ------------64 years___________ . . . -- ------- -- ------------69 years___________________________________ --74 years_____ . . . . - ------------------------- -T o tal___ ___________________ --
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Job unchanged
Job changed
Age group
------------------
Per cent
N um ber
Per cent
3
37
14
25
59
43
36
19
13
9
2
100
60
25
181
75
15
19
20
10
11
2
22
30
80
69
78
63
87
75
EM PLO YM ENT OF O LDER P ER SO N S
781
Conclusion
A p i c t u r e has been presented of the retention of substantial propor
tions of older men and women in retail selling long past the time
when their age would have been an insurmountable obstacle to the
earning of a livelihood in many other occupations. It must be re
membered that the stores covered in this report all belong to the
type of large establishment which has been characteristic of depart
ment-store history in this country—establishments in which the
founders and their successors (usually members of their families)
have been well-known residents of their communities and thoroughly
identified with the policies of the stores which bore their names.
Although the leading department stores in most of our cities still
belong to this group, the field is now being shared to an important
extent with chain-store organizations. The employment policies
which have been associated with the success of the older stores, and
in particular the policy of retaining the older emplo.yees, may not be
followed by stores whose relation to the community is only a link in a
wider organization. Their practice may not be determined to the
same extent by special recognition of years of loyal service which was
often made by the older department stores. The conspicuous fact
about the present study, however, was not that the older employees
had succeeded in building up claims to their jobs, but that their
service was regarded as efficient, in spite of (and often because of)
their age. This was emphasized many times by store superintendents
and personnel managers.
In so far as the employees studied are representative, their experi
ence indicates far better employment opportunities for older em
ployees in retail selling than exist in the manufacturing industries.
This is probably due in large part to the relatively smaller demands
made by their occupations on physical vigor but it is doubtless also
due to fewer changes in technique.
During the last 20 years many of the tasks performed by skilled
mechanics have changed so much that skill acquired in the beginning
of the period is no longer valuable to the persons who possess it. In
the meantime the clerks who sell in stores continue to do their work
in pretty much the same way. The changes in financial organiza
tions, advertising, and in methods of display, which have in many
ways transformed retailing, have required little alteration in the
way in which the clerk meets a customer and closes a sale. His
success still depends on the nature of the personal contact he can
establish. The training which the stores now give their employees
in the art of selling merely points out the psychology of what has
been done in the past by intelligence and happy intuition. Conse
quently, nothing in the nature of their occupation makes it inevitable
that store employees should suffer the ‘ ‘technological unemployment’1
to which employees in many manufacturing occupations have been
liable.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS AND
UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF
E m p lo y m e n t in th e C o n str u c tio n of a n A p a r tm e n t H ou se
HE United States Bureau of Labor Statistics recently completed
a study of the man-hour productivity in the construction of an
T
apartment house in Washington, D. C. The project selected for study
was of reinforced concrete faced with brick and tile, 5 stories in height,
and containing 117 apartments and a lobby. It was located in a
popular residential district. The dwelling units ranged in size from
one room, kitchenette, and bath, to five rooms and two baths.
The moving of dirt was started on September 9, 1931, and on April
1, 1932, the apartments were ready for occupancy; thus the job was
largely one of winter construction. The winter was mild and, as a
result, the work was carried on without complete loss of any whole
day. No labor disturbances occurred during the course of the work.
Constant contact with the work was maintained by the bureau’s
representative, in order to keep account of any unusual incidents that
might have a bearing on the work. Frequent trips were made to the
job, at which time the figures of the primary contractor, who directly
carried on several classes of work, were obtained. Figures of the
subcontractors were obtained from their respective offices.
The study was undertaken to determine the amount of work in
terms of man-hours done by each occupation or trade, in a building
of this size and type, the rotation of each class of work, the duration
of work for each occupation on the job, the number of men employed
each day, and the progress of each trade as shown by man-hours
worked per week in relation to the total man-hours worked by that
trade.
So far as known this is a pioneer study of this character.
Day-by-Day Employment
T able 1 shows the number of men employed day by day in the
construction of the apartment house, from the beginning to the com
pletion of the job.
782
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
E M P L O Y M E N T C O N D IT IO N S ---- U N E M P L O Y M E N T R E L IE F
783
T a b l e 1 .—N U M B E R O P M E N E M P L O Y E D ON T H E B U IL D IN G E A C H D A Y , S E P T E M B E R
9 TO A P R IL 2
N um
ber of
men
D ate
Sept. 9 _____
Sept. KL- ____
Sept. 1 1 .
Sept. 12________
Sept. 1 3 1 _______
Sept. 14. . . ___
Sept. 15______
Sept. 16 .
...
Sept. 17 . _____
Sept. 18
_
Sept. 19__ . . . .
Sept. 2 0 1 ___ . . .
Sept. 2 1 .__
Sept. 2 2 ... . . .
Sept. 23._____
Sept. 2 4 ...
Sept. 2 5 ____
Sept. 26___. . .
Sept. 27 L .
Sept. 28____
Sept. 29._ . _ .
Sept. 3 0 . _ . . .
Oct. 1_____
Oct. 2 __________
Oct. 3_____
Oct. 4 1 ______
Oct. 5_____
Oct. 6 _____
Oct. 7__________
Oct. 8 ___
Oct. 9____ . .
Oct. 10______
Oct. 11 1_______
Oct. 12____
Oct. 13_________
Oct. 14
. __
Oct. 15_________
Oct. 16______
Oct. 17________
Oct. 181_______
Oct. 19________
Oct. 20_________
Oct. 21..
Oct. 22.______
Oct. 23 _
Oct. 24________
Oct. 25 1
Oct. 26______
Oct. 27_________
Oct. 28____
Oct. 29______
Oct. 30______
1
2
12
14
19
17
0
16
11
6
8
23
20
0
32
31
26
35
39
8
0
45
56
55
84
105
49
0
95
99
103
115
95
73
0
102
119
87
101
102
84
0
11 1
123
116
126
12 1
95
16
134
142
149
160
185
2
D ate
Oct. 31________
N ov. 1 1_______
N ov. 2 ... . . . .
N ov. 3 _____ _
N ov. 4
N ov. 5
N ov. 6.
N ov. 7____
N ov. 8 1
N ov. 9_. _ _
N ov. 10. . .
N ov. 1 1 N ov. 12. . . .
N ov. 13--.
N ov. 1 4 ...
N ov. 15 i ...
N ov. 16
N ov. 17_____ _
Nov. 18 . 1 . . .
N ov. 19___
N ov. 20. _.
N ov. 2 1 . . .
N ov. 22 1.
Nov. 23_____
Nov. 2 4 ...
Nov. 2 5 ... ____
N ov. 26____
N ov. 27___
N ov. 28 . . .
N ov. 29 1
N ov. 30. . . ___
Dec. 1 _____ .
Dec. 2
Dec. 3 _. . . .
Dec. 4
Dec. 5. . . . ___
Dec. 6 1______ _
Dec. 7______ _ _
Dec. 8 ._ . . . _
Dec. 9 _____ _
Dec. 1 0 .
Dec. 11_____
Dec. 12____
Dec. 13 1 ___
Dec. 14 . . .
Dec. 1 5 ______
Dec. 16. . . .
Dec. 17________
Dec. 18 . .
Dec. 19. ______
Dec. 20 1 ___
Dec. 2 1 . ._ .
Sunday.
All unskilled workers.
N um
ber of
men
139
2 26
220
218
230
229
213
157
2 15
198
185
195
217
206
167
23
187
178
186
187
187
147
0
161
161
158
136
154
109
29
67
164
160
164
152
97
2 18
180
197
146
204
214
148
15
210
220
211
214
210
122
0
161
D ate
Dec. 22
Dec. 23
Dec. 24
Dec. 25T) ee 20
Dec 271
T)ec. 28
Dec. 29
Dec. 30
Dec. 31
Jan. 1__ . .
Jan. 2
Jan. 3 1
Jan. 4
Jan. 5-_
Jan. 6 _
Jan. 7
Jan. 8
Jan. 9 J a n . 10 1
Jan. 11
Jan. 12..
J a n . 13
J a n . 14
J a n . 15
J a n . 16
Jan. 171
Jan. 18
J a n . 19
Jan. 20
Jan. 21
Jan. 22
Jan. 23
Jan. 24 1
Jan. 25___
Jan. 26 __
Jan. 27
_
J a n . 28____
Jan. 29-, ___
Jan.. 30
J a n .3 1 1 _
_
Feb. 1
Feb. 2
Feb. 3_______
Feb. 4
Feb. 5
Feb. 6
Feb. 7 L - Feb. 8
Feb. 9 ___
Feb. 10
Feb. 11
3
N um
ber of
men
145
153
127
0
20
0
114
137
141
138
35
61
0
160
159
145
153
146
77
2 2
145
139
137
133
132
64
24
121
128
122
126
125
78
2 6
120
106
104
105
86
50
0
79
80
83
75
64
33
214
73
70
75
76
D ate
Feb 12
Feb 1.1
Feb 14 1
Feb 15
Fph 10
Feb 17
Feb 18
F e b .19
Feb 20
Feb 21 1
Feb. 22- Feb 23
Feb 24
Feh 25
Feb 20
Feb 27
Feb 28 1
Feh 29
M ar. 1
M ar 2
A4a r 3
M ar 4
M ar 5
M ar 7
M ar 8
A4ar 9
A4ar 10
A4 a r 11
Alar 12
M ar 13 1
A4ar 14
M ar 10
M ar 16
M ar 17
M ar 18
M ar. 19
M ar 20 1
M ar. 21
M ar 2 2
M ar. 23
M ar 24
A4ar 25
M ar. 20
M ar 27 1
A4ar 28
M ar 29
M ar. 30
M ar 31
Apr. 1
A pr 2
N um
ber of
men
77
55
2 12
83
en
ou
q
Hq
O
89
93
49
89
98
111
109
108
74
26
99
93
90
85
90
68
2
g
84
«3
90
86
83
59
2 10
59
57
66
56
56
39
o
54
52
37
37
30
19
o
16
13
14
g
4
3
5 skilled-trades men, 10 laborers.
skilled-trades men, 5 laborers.
*4
The fluctuation in employment, all trades combined, during the
period of construction is depicted by Table 1. The greatest number
of men working on any one day was 230—on November 4. The
largest number of man-hours worked in a single day occurred on
November 5, when 229 men put in 2,067 hours' work. Generally,
any work done on Sunday was done by laborers, but on several Sun
days some men in the skilled trades also worked. On Monday,
November 30, there was rain, necessitating the stopping of work by
bricklayers and plasterers and their laborers; this accounts for the
decrease in number employed on that day as compared with the
previous Saturday.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
784
M O N T H L Y L A B O R R E V IE W
Time Spent on Each Class of Work
T able 2 shows the number of man-hours spent on each class of
work and the per cent each formed of the total man-hours worked on
the building.
T a b l e 3 .—N U M B E R OF M A N -H O U R S S P E N T ON E A C H CLASS O F W O R K , A N D P E R
C E N T O F T O T A L T IM E
M an-hours
w orked
M an-hours
worked
Class of work
Excavating______________
C arp en try form---------------C arp en try form, helpers—
Pile driving-------------------Concrete and cem ent work
Electrical w ork---------------Steam fittin g -----------------P lu m b in g ----------------------Reinforced-steel w ork------Elevator construction------R efrigeration-----------------B ricklaying-------------------Bricklaying, helpers--------Stone m asonry---------------C arpentry, rough-----------C arpentry, rough, helpers.
Sheet-metal w ork-----------W aterproofing----------------P lastering----------------------
Class of w ork
Per
N u m cent
of
ber
total
691
12,119
14, 548
2,456
11,440
3,427
5,900
8,788
3 ,1G0
1,015
1, 716
10, 466
11, 930
712
3, 395
4, 551
1,109
' 183
5, 959
0.4
7.9
9.4
1 .6
7.4
2 .2
3.8
5.7
2 .1
.7
1 .1
6 .8
7.7
.5
2 .2
3.0
.7
.1
N um
ber
P er
cent
of
total
5,071
5,060
7, 013
342
1,171
640
3,414
7, 693
2,427
5, 431
2, 064
3, 711
4, 313
1, 712
414
90
3.3
3. 3
4. 5
.2
.8
.4
2.2
T o tal______________________ 154,161
1 0 0 .0
Plastering, helpers----------- --B ricklaying, partitio n wall - . -----Bricklaying, p artition wall, helpers.
V e n tila tio n ------ -------L ath in g --- -- ---------- . . .
----- Roofing-------------------------------------C arp en try , trim . ---------------------G eneral la b o r.._ ---- . . .
— —
Tile laying---------- ----------------M osaic and terrazzo w ork-----W eather stripping------ ------C arpentry, parq u et floors----- - —
P a in tin g-------— - . ----------------P aper hanging— ---- -- -----Screens--------------------------------------Shades--------- ------------------------------
5. 0
.
.5
1.3
2. 4
2. 8
1 6
8
1 .1
.3
.i
3.9
Carpentry work (form, rough, trim, and the laying of parquet
floors) accounted for the largest percentage of man-hours worked by
any skilled trade group, being 14.7 per cent of the total.
Table 3 gives the limiting dates of each class of work, the average
number of men employed in each class of work (when working), and
the total man-hours, and shows, for some of the kinds of work, a
measurement of the work done and the output per man-hour.
An attempt was made to show wherever possible the quantity of
the work done (in terms of a standard unit of measurement) and the
productivity per man-hour. For some classes of work it was impos
sible to determine a proper unit measurement of work—as for instance,
for general labor. In certain other occupations, while a unit was used,
it does not typify all classes of work done by workers in those occupa
tions. For example, while the electrical outlet was used as the unit
of measurement for electrical work, it is^ impossible to measure by
this unit all the work done by the electricians.
The man-hours worked by the skilled men in the respective trades
were added to the man-hours worked by helpers and laborers to
complete such type of work and the quantity of work done was divided
by the sum of the man-hours. As an example, the hours worked by
plasterers, lathers, and plasterers’ laborers were added and the
number of square yards of work done was divided by the total number
of hours, to find the square yards of work per man per hour.
It is of interest to observe in Table 3 the sequence of the several
lines of work.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
785
EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS— UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF
T a b l e 3 .— T E R M IN A L D A T E S , A V E R A G E N U M B E R OF M E N A T W O R K , M A N -H O U R S
W O R K E D , A N D O U T P U T ON S P E C IF IE D CLA SSES O F W O R K
D at of—
Aver
age
n u m M an
hours
ber of worked
m en
on job
Class of work
S tart
Excavating_________________
Pile driving________________
Concrete an d cem ent w ork___
C arpentry form _____________
C arpentry form, helpers_____
Reinforced-steel w ork________
Electrical w ork_____________
Steam fitting................................
P lum bing__________________
E levator construction_______
Refrigeration_______________
Bricklaying_________________
Bricklaying, helpers_________
Stone m asonry_____________
C arpentry, rough___________
C arpentry, rough, helpers___
W aterproofing______________
Plastering__________________
L athing____________________
Plastering, helpers__________
Bricklaying, p artitio n w all___
B ricklaying, partitio n wall,
helpers_________ ____ _____
Sheet-m etal w ork___________
V entilation_____ ______ _____
Roofing____________________
C arpentry, trim _____________
G eneral lab o r_____ __________
M osaic an d terrazzo w ork____
Tile laying_________________
W eather strip p in g __________
C arpentry , p a rq u e t flo o rs... . .
P ain tin g ____________ ;_______
P aper hanging______________
Screens_____________________
Shades.......................... .............
Sept.
Sept.
Oct.
Sept.
Sept.
Oct.
Oct.
Oct.
Oct.
Oct.
Oct.
Oct.
Oct.
N ov.
N ov.
N ov.
N ov.
Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
N ov.
N ov.
N ov.
N ov.
Dec.
Dec.
Ja n .
Jan .
Jan .
Jan.
Jan.
Feb.
Feb.
M ar.
M ar.
Finish
9
18
1
10
11
2
1
1
1
12
12
27
27
6
6
11
17
18
30
18
20
20
20
23
7
14
4
4
4
4
18
15
15
15
15
Sept
Oct.
M ar.
N ov.
N ov.
Nov.
M ar.
M ar.
M ar.
M ar.
M ar.
Dec.
Dec.
Jan .
Jan.
Jan .
Jan .
M ar.
Feb.
M ar.
Jan.
Jan.
Feb.
Feb.
Dec.
M ar.
M ar.
Apr.
M ar.
Feb.
M ar.
M ar.
M ar.
M ar.
M ar.
17
10
8
18
18
31
24
26
23
23
23
23
29
30
24
24
6
21
21
22
26
11
4
6
9
2
4
26
24
5
7
5
3
5
18
17
18
28
8
11
28
10
6
5
3
5
18
31
31
2
11
26
22
26
10
3
8
5
15
7
8
6
9
14
12
6
31
4
3
22
691
2,456
11, 440
12,119
14, 548
3,190
3,427
5,900
8 , 788
1, 015
1, 716
10, 466
11, 930
712
3, 395
4,551
183
5,959
1,171
5,071
5,060
7,013
1,109
342
640
3,414
7,693
'5, 431
2,427
2,064
3, 711
4,313
1, 712
414
90
Q u antity of work
done
O utput per
man-hour
5,129 cu. yds_____ 7.5 cu. yds.
581 piles_____ ___ 0 . 2 pile.
]
>34,350 cu. yd s____ 0 . 8 cu. yd.
1
2,828 outlets____
0 .8
outlet.
}774,342 brick & tile. 35.0brick&tile.
1,350 cu. ft_______ 2 . 0 cu. ft.
42,538 sq. ft______
I
>52,000 sq. yds____
230 sq. ft.
4.3 sq. yds.
1
>11,320 sq. yds____
0.9 sq. yd.
25,500 sq. f t______
39.8 sq. ft.
1
4,200 s q .f t_______ 0 . 8 sq. ft.
7,325 sq. f t_______ 3.0 sq. ft.
1,285 openings.
0 . 6 opening.
70,000 s q .f t ______ 18.5 sq. ft.
21,791 sq. y d s____
1,252 screens... __
1,250 sh ad e s.. . _
12.7 sq. yds.
3.0 screens.
13.9 shades.
Weekly Fluctuations in Employment on Specified Classes of Work
T able 4 shows the time spent each week in each class of work.
T a b l e 4 .— M A N -H O U R S S P E N T E A C H W E E K ON S P E C IF IE D CLA SSES OF W O R K
M an-hours w orked in week ending—
Class of work
S e p t. S e p t. S e p t. Oct.
19
12
26
3
Excavating
_____________
C arpentry, form ___________
"Helpers__ _ ___________
Pile d r i v i n g , , . ______ _________
Concrete an d cem ent w ork_____
Electrical w ork________ _______
Steam fitting_____ _________
P lum bing _____ . . . . . .
Reinforced-steel w o rk __________
E levator construction_________ _
Refrigeration_____________ . .
B ricklaying. ______ . . . _ ____
H elpers. _________________
Stone m asonry. _ _______________
C arpentry, rough_______________
H elpers___ _____ ___________
T o ta l________________ .
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
442
34
42
249
52
161
193
142
614
346 1,145
850
814
366
27
54
68
62
518
655 1,338 3,150
Oct.
10
1,146
1,441
599
950
104
25
70
217
4,552
Oct.
17
Oct.
24
Oct.
31
N ov.
7
1,731
1, 575
2,123
1, 776
1,937
2,081
2,052
2,264
1, 715
2,173
1 ,1 0 2
1, 255
136
84
266
429
3
32
1, 774
160
128
552
747
3
32
484
457
1, 741
160
176
697
522
4
1,274
160
256
701
499
4
120
94
116
426
3
32
5,199
6,104
N ov,
14
112
120
1,693
1, 513
60
38
1,392
1, 330
156
76
37
8,355 11, 032
9,893
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
786
T able
4
.—M A N -H O U R S S P E N T E A C H W E E K ON S P E C IF I E D C L A SS E S O P W O R K —
C ontinued
M an-hours worked in week ending—
Class of work
N ov. N ov. Dec. Dec. Dec. Dec.
26
19
12
5
28
21
60
C arpentry, form------------------------ 513
220
H elpers------------------------------ 1,324
286
33 1,015
163
Concrete a n d cem ent w ork-------- 1,031
168
160
160
160
Electrical w ork------------------------- 160
552
656
456
211
Steam fittin g ---------------------- ----- 241
604
656
584
498
704
P lum bing-------------------------------30
Reinforced-steel w ork---------------- 258
112
87
84
3
Elevator c o n stru c tio n -------------144
72
120
1
20
120
R efrigeration--------- -----------------959 1 , 082 1, 551
B ricklaying-------------------------- --- 1, 573 1,129
H elpers___ .------------------------ 1,142 1, 336 1,293 1, 751 1,969
24
16
64
148
Stone m asonry-------------------- ----- 184
359
361
278
570
C arpentry, rough------- --------------- 399
551
519
503
122
198
H elpers-----------------------------132
132
136
3
120
Sheet-m etal w ork--------------------—
24
42
43
25
W aterproofing----------------------- - 658
192
231
416
161
Plastering-------------------- ,----------540
96
175
144
220
H elpers-------. . -------------------768
733
568
679
B ricklaying, p artitio n w all--------- 193
869
957
712
99
736
H elpers____________________
80
64
80
V entilation------------------------------104
120
100
320
320
64
35
128
419
413
69
24
603
724
24
244
164
105
Jan.
2
128
467
346
Jan.
9
Jan.
16
Jan.
23
128
502
391
160
205
299
152
160
240
160
160
240
48
54
204
420
174
552
300
88
100
68
880
880
206
402
475
400
290
676
65
415
16
395
484
108
Jan.
30
20
297
701
80
21
22
6
338
174
416
515
592
376
416
781
780
770
564
794
64
64
224
175
120
320
360
227
472
48
96
192
192
386
301
216
192
396
334
857
265
244
396
303
315
260
590
396
396
219
302
279
582
396
396
5,647
T o tal____________________ 8,417 7,119 6,498 9,014 9,854 4,672 4,867 6,748 6,015
4,679
M an-hours worked in week ending—
Class of work
Feb.
6
Feb.
13
Feb.
20
Feb.
27
M ar.
5
M ar. M ar. Alar. Apr.
2
26
19
12
212
160
Electrical w ork_________________
Steam fittin g -. -----P lum bing.
- . -------------------- -
240
Elevator construction --------------------- Refrigeration
80
19
100
Sheet-metal w o ik -----------------------
37
Plastering______________________
H e l p e r s ---------------------------
116
184
L ath in g ------------------------------------
70
56
C arpentry, trim ------------------------General la b o r---------------------------Tile laying____________ _________
M osaic an d terrazzo w o r k ------- -W eather strip p in g---------------------C arpentry, p a rq u e t floors......... .
Rain ting
______
Paper h a n g in g .-------------------------
T o tal- .
----
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
--
185
738
260
406
200
96
160
160
96
60
80
96
34
23
30
78
225
59
49
72
216
160
160
160
140
120
140
295
1,060
272
369
249
682
280
506
197
469
188
650
168
443
278
429
223
412
742
576
396
742
480
392
742
603
192
81
182
9
160
160
240
96
160
96
160
96
160
200
200
80
80
68
80
96
80
96
24
24
232
274
1,128
144
470
1 ,0 1 0
263
578
89
200
120
120
120
120
396
440
443
742
128
440
742
528
4,185
4, 779
— 3, 227
3,483
120
100
4,331 4,063 3,031 2,048
T otal
691
12,119
14, 548
2, 456
203 11, 440
3, 427
5, 900
8 , 788
3,190
1, 015
7
1,716
112
10,466
11, 930
712
3, 395
4,551
1,109
183
5,959
5, 071
5,060
7, 013
342
1.171
640
3,414
24
7, 693
110
2,427
5, 431
192
2,064
3,711
4,313
1, 712
414
40
90
688
154,161
Em p l o y m e n t
c o n d it io n s — u n e m p l o y m e n t r e l i e f
787
The maximum weekly number of hours worked by all trades was
in the week ending November 7, when 11,032 man-hours were worked.
During that week, while only two occupations reached their actual
peak in hours worked, five other classes of work were nearly at their
maximum. The total number of man-hours put in on these seven
classes of work in that week represents over nine-tenths of the total
hours for the week. Of the 13 kinds of work carried on during that
week, what is known as the “ concrete group” (concrete and cement
work, form carpentry, helpers on form carpentry, and reinforced-steel
work) was responsible for 6,579 of the 11,032 man-hours worked
during the week.
Table 5 is computed from Table 4. The first section of the table
shows the per cent the man-hours worked by each occupation group
each week formed of the total time worked that week.
The relative importance of some occupations in the continuity of
construction at various periods is clearly evident in this table. This
is especially true in the beginning and at the completion of the job.
In the first week it will be noticed that excavating formed 85 per cent
of the work. Then pile driving became the trade offering the greatest
amount of employment. During the following eight weeks the
concrete group became the most important. In the next six
weeks the bricldayers and their laborers worked the majority of the
hours. The plasterers, lathers, and their laborers were the leading
occupations in hours worked for the next four weeks. Then the
mosiac and terrazzo work became the leading trades for two weeks.
Following these, the painters put in more hours than any other trade
for six weeks. Thus the sequence and importance of each class of
work became apparent until, in the final week, the majority of the
work was performed by the cement workers on the walks and driveway.
The second section of the table shows for each kind of work the
percentage done each week.
In the majority of the occupation classes, work is started with a
small number of workers; this number increases as the work progresses,
reaches its peak, and declines sharply to completion. Excavating
was an exception, in that a full force was started on the first day.
While some occupations must complete or partially complete their
part of the work before other classes of work can start, it is apparent
that some operations go on throughout nearly the whole period of
construction. Among these are the various kinds of carpentry work,
electrical work, steam fitting, and plumbing. Other operations must
stop at a certain point, after the rough or preliminary work is done,
to allow certain other work to be completed. This is especially true
of refrigeration and ventilation.
140152°—32------4
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
788
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
T a ble 5 —P E R C E N T OP M A N -H O U R S W O R K E D
Per cent of to tal weekly tim e spent on each class of work
Class of work
Sept. Sept. Sept. Oct. Oct. Oct. Oct. Oct. Nov. Nov. Nov. Nov.
28
14
21
24
31
7
17
10
3
19
26
12
Ti1,yp q v at in &
C arpentry, form_________________
H e lp e rs ____________________
Pile driving
Concrete and cem ent work
Plectrical work
Steam fitting
_________
Plum bing
____________
P pi n fnrppd -stp.pl work
Pip va t.nr construction
"Rp.fri hpta t i on
B r iekl ay in n
PTpipers
Stone masonry
C arpentry, rough
Helpers
Sheet-metal work
W atpr proofing
Plastering
Helpers
Bricklaying partition wall
Helpers
Total
__ ______
85.3
6 .6
8 .1
.
100 0
T o t a l ____
---
i Less th a n one-tenth of 1 p er cent.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1 0 0 .0
1 0 . 6 19.5 25. 2 33.3 34. 8 23. 2
25.9 36.3 31. 7 30. 3 29. 1 24.9
63.5 25. 8 13. 2
20. 9 2 1 . 2 2 0 .6 2 1 . 2
1 1 .6
.9 2.3 2. 3 2 . 2 1. 9
.5 1 . 8 1. 4 1. 5
1.7
1. 5 2 . 2 4.4 6 . 6
2. 2
4. 8 8 . 2 7. 0 8.9
2. 0
. 1 (0
(>)
.4
.5
.6
5. 8
5.5
.
.
18. 6 17.3 6 . 1
20. 5 2 2 . 0 15. 7
15. 8
1. 5
1 .6
6. 3
4. 7
0 )
12. 9
1 .6
2 .6
7. 1
5.0
)
1 .0
.
15. 3 14. 1
13. 7 13.4
. 5 1 .6
.3
.8
,4
0
1 2
1 2 .2
1. 9
2. 9
8.4
3. 1
(i)
1. 4
18. 7
13.6
2. 2
4. 7
1.4
0 )
.5
1.9
1.7
2.3
1. 2
0 .8
3.1
2.3
.2
3.0
7.0
.4
2
1.7
15.9
18.8
2. 1
8 .0
2 8
.
1.7
.4
5. 8
3. 1
9. 5
10.3
1. 1
.
1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 .0 1 0 0 .0 1 0 0 .0 1 0 0 .0 1 0 0 .0 1 0 0 .0 1 0 0 .0
Per cent of specified class of w ork done during week
Class of w ork
P veavafing
C arpentry, f o r m ______________ __
H elpers.......................... ..............
Pile rlriving
Conereto and cem ent w o rk_____
Electrical work
Steam fitting
_______ ___ Plum bing
________ _
Rpinforeed-steel work
_______
B levator construction
ppfri gpr a t ion
Bricklaying
_ ________ ____
Helpers
Stone m asonry
C arpentry rough
TTelpprs
Sfeel-metal work
W aferproofing
38. 0
7.9
24.6
29.5
64. 0
.3
.3
.C
36. 0
.4
1 .1
7.9
.
1. 2
5. 0 9.5 14.3 17.5
2.4 7.9 9.9 1 0 . 8 1 2 . 2
34. 6 33. 1 24. 4
3.2 8.3 9.6 1 1 . 0
3.0 3. 5 4. (
.8
.4 1 . 6 1.4
.9
3. (
.8
.8
1 .S
1.9 6 . 8 13.4 13. 5
.E
1.9 1.9
.f
2
.
3.
3.4
4.
16. 0 16.9 14. 2
14.3 15.6 14.9
4. 2
9. 1
0.5
1. 5
15. 5 15. 2 1 1 . 1 9.0 1.4
4.7 4. 7 4. 7 4. 7 4.7
2 .2
3.0 4.3 4. 1 3.6
7.9 8 . 0 8 . 0 5.7
6. i
.9
23.4 16. 4 15.6 8 . 1
.4
.c
.4
.i
1.9 6 . 5 7.0 7.0 7.0
4.6 16. 2 13. 3 15.0 1 0 .8
3.8 12. 7 1 1 . 1 9. f 1 1 .2
8.4 2 1 .1 25. 8 2 0 . 8
2 . 2 1 1 . 8 16.8
1. 1
2.7 4.4
.8
10. 8
23. 5 13.7
2.
7. 0
2.
4. 3
3.8 13.4
1 . ‘ 10.5
23.4
5.4
7.5
6
.
5.
4.6
789
EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS'— UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF
O N E A C H C LA SS O F W O R K E A C H W E E K
P er cent of total weekly tim e spent on each class of w ork—C ontinued
Dec. Dec. Dec. Dec. Jan. Jan. Jan. Jan. Jan. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Mar. Mar. Mar. Mar. Apr.
i CLdl
12
19
26
2
23
5
9
16
30
6
13
20
27
5
12
19
26
2
0.5 11.3
2.5 1 . 8
7.0 7.3
9.0 7.3
2.9
1.7
5.6
6. 1
0 .8
2.7
9.0
8 .8
2 .6
9.6
7.1
1.9
7.4
5.8
2.7
3.4
5.0
2.7
5.0
5.«
7.4
4.6
4.6
6.9
2.3
3.8
4.8
2 .0
2 .2
4.3
3.4
3.4
5.1
3.4
4.2
3.7
4.6
.9
1 .2
2.5
2.3
1.9
1.4
1.9
1 .8
2 .8
2.4
3.9
3.9
3.2
2 .0
2 .6
10.4 29. 5
4.7
1.7
1 .1
0.4
7.9
9.4
1. 6
7.4
2 .2
3.8
5.7
2 .1
1.3
1 .8
14.8
19.9
1 .0
4.3
7.7
2 .1
.6
3.6
2.7
8.7
.9 1. 5
1.5
.5
1 2 . e 15.7 12.9
19.4 2 0 . 0 15.5
.2
.2
.5
4. 0 3.6 5.2
5.8 5.6 3.5
1.5 1.3 2 . 2
.4
.2
7.2
2 .1
6.7
1 .1
5.5 3.7
8. 1
7. 8 8.9
1 .2
1.3
.8
1 1 .0
1 0 .6
1.5
.7
1.3
3.6
8 .8
.8
1 .1
1 1 .0
.7
2 .0
5.5
1 .6
3.5 1 . 0
10.5 16.3
.7
1 .1
6 .8
8
.5
.3
.3
4.4
9.9 10.4
3.4
7.0
1.5
3.1
9.8
14.6
7.7 11.4 14.6
8.5
8.4
3.4
16.1 1 1 .8 6.7
8.4
7.1
5.1
1 2 .0
2 .1
8 .1
2 .2
.5
1 2 .2
1 .2
.1
1 .8
6.4
1.5
7.7
.5
2.2
3.0
.7
1 .1
.1
1 1 .6
2.9
6 .8
7.7
4.9
1 0 .1
1 .0
2 .1
3.6
5.7
2.3
2 .8
1.9
2.3
4. 2
2.9
3.7
3.7
3.9
3.5
4.0
4.0
3.9
3.3
3.3
4. 5
.2
2 .2
1.4
1.3
3.3
4.1
3.9
5. 7 5.6 5.4 4. 7 5. 7 6 . 7 6 . 5 6 . 2
4.5 14.2 5.6 6.5 22.9 29.0 27.0 2 2 . 2
3.2 4.4 4. 6 6 . 0 8 . 1 7.6 3. 4 5. 7
4. 1 10.4 12.4 1 2 .6 16.6 1 1 .2 7. 7
2 .8
5.9 6 . 6 7.0 8 . 5 3.7 3.4 2.9 2. 5
7.0 8.5 12.3 1 2 .6 1 0 . 6 9. 2
17. 7 15. 5
3.1 1 1 . 0
3.2
.6
.6
1.7
.7
.6
.8
5.8 4.9 5. 5 4.9 3.5
15.8 11.5 14.6 13.6 16.0
6.5
4.6
11.7 16.0 14.2 10.9 27.9
9. 5 9. 8 12.9
17.1 18.3 24. 5 29.4
13.3 1 1 . 8
6.3 8.9
2.7
.4
.4
2 .2
5.0
1 .6
3.5
1. 3
2.4
2 .8
1 .1
5.8
.3
.1
1 0 0 .0 1 0 0 .0 1 0 0 .0 1 0 0 .0 1 0 0 .0 1 0 0 .0 1 0 0 .0 1 0 0 .0 1 0 0 .0 1 0 0 .0 1 0 0 .0 1 0 0 .0 1 0 0 .0 1 0 0 .0 1 0 0 .0 1 0 0 .0 1 0 0 .0 1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
P er cent of specified class of w ork done during week— Continued
0. 3
4.7
7.7
6 .6
.3
7.0
9. 2
10. 8
9. 0
8.2
ii. i
12. 3
23 0
39
3. 5
11. 2
10. 2
8.9
4.7
1 1 .1
7.5
2. 5
4.9
9.4
6.9
0.3
3.7 3.7
7. 1 7.9
4.7 3.9
.
8.6
6.8
4.2 8.4 1.4
10. 3 14. 8 5.8
14. 7 16. 5 6 . 1
2.2
3. 4 3. 4
10. 7 1 0 . 6 7. 2
11. 4 1 2 .1 3.6
11. 9 11.9 9. 5
13.1 11. 5
3 2 1 1 . 0 5. 7
1.9 1 0 . 6 3.4
14. 5 15. 2 8 . 2
13. 6 12. 4 7.3
18. 7 23. 4
8.5 1 0 . 2 8.9 5.5
50. 0 50. 0
1.9 5.6
8
4.2
11 0
5.8
6.4
3.0
1.9
3.7
8.5
4.4
4.7
3.6
3.4
6.4
4.4
2.7
2.7
4.7
2.7
2.7
4.7
2.7
2.7
4.7
2.7
2.7
2 .8
2 .8
2 .8
2 .8
2.7
2.3
2.7
2.3
2.7
2.3
2.7
1 .8
.9
.3
4. 7
5.3
7.9
7.9
7.9
6 .8
3.0
4.5 13.1
5.8
7.1
2 .8
1 2 .6
5.2
1 .1
3. 5
2.2
11. 6
8.7 6 . 0
15.4 9. 2
7. 2 7.9
1 2 .0
3. 2
9. 9 13.1 14. 8
7.4 15. 2 17.4
4.1
8 . 2 1 1 .1
1 1 .1
11.3 5. 7
9. 7
5.5 19.1 14.9
.7
6.5
9.0
.
7.9
5.7
9.6
8 0
1 0 .2
4.4
3.9
3.7
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
100 0
100 0
100 0
100 0
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
100 0
.
.
.
.
5.1
1 2 .1
5.6 11.3 9.8 8.9
3.9 1 1 . 1 4. 1
8.9 10. 9 10. 7
3.5 4. 5 10.9
19. 2 19. 2 19. 2
10.7
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1 .8
2 .8
.6
2 .8
1 0 .6
3.2
2 .8
1 .0
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
6 .6
6 2
.
3.3
5. 4 1. 9
7.1 3.6
4.6
6.7
14. 0 20. 5
8 .2
4.8
1.3
1.9
1. 3
1.9
3.4
2 .8
2.7
3.2
2.7
2 .8
.
2 .0
2.4
.
.
2 .1
2 .1
6.4 5.4 6 . 8 8 . 0 8 . 6 7.3 5.8 4.9 2.9
3.9 9.6 13.1 14.7 13.8 8.9 6 . 1 5.8 3.6
11.5 10.7 1 0 .8 5.9 1 1 . 2 1 1 . 6 7.8
10.7 7. 5 1 0 .6 8.7 6 . 8 9.3 1 2 . 0 7.9 4.1
19.2 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8
10. 7 10.7 11.9 11.9 11.9 1 1 .1 10. 7 1 0 . 6
17.2 17. 2 17. 2 17. 2 17. 2 14. 0
7.5 30.8 33.6 28.0
46.4 44.0
90.0 1 0 0
3.0
2 .1
1 0 0 .0
100 0
100 0
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
2.3
2.7
3.1
2 .8
2 .6
2 .0
1.3
.8
1.4
3.5
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
9.6
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
.4
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
790
MONTHLY LABOE EEVIEW
S p r e a d in g -W o r k P r o g r a m o f P r e s id e n t’s C o n fe r e n c e o f
A u g u s t 26, 1932
NATIONAL conference of banking and industrial committees of
the 12 Federal Reserve districts, called by President Hoover on
A August
14, met in Washington August 26, 1932, to draw up a co
ordinated nation-wide program of action against the economic de
pression. The President announced that the conference would deal
“ with specific projects where definite accomplishments in business,
agriculture, and employment can be attained, and will coordinate
the mobilization of private and governmental instrumentalities to
that end.” The chairman of the 12 committees representing the
Federal Reserve districts and certain officials of the Government
meeting on August 25, for the purpose of preliminary preparation of
the program and organization of the conference, adopted a resolution
favoring the appointment of a central committee to* act as a central
point of contact in those matters requiring cooperation between var
ious public and semipublic agencies and the various banking and
industrial committees. It was also recommended that subcommittees
be formed to deal with the different subjects, among them one on
increased employment through the sharing-work movement. The
members of the conference included the Secretaries of the Treasury,
Agriculture, Commerce, and Labor, and various other officials of
these departments, representatives of the banking interests in the
different districts, industrial leaders, and others
In his opening address President Hoover said, in regard to the
question of unemployment, that—As a matter of national policy, the shortening of hours is necessary not alone
to meet the need of the moment but it may be necessary to_ take up the slack in
the future from the vast and sudden advance in labor-saving devices. As the
result of conferences similar to this nearly three years ago many industries re
aligned their operations by shorter hours to retain hundreds of thousands of work
ers who would otherwise have been dismissed.
Nevertheless, the still further spreading of available work in industrial, com
mercial, and service activities, especially with every recovery of employment,
would be a vital contribution. Your committee in the Twelfth District recently
inaugurated a drive for this spread of work. Already it is a great success. Many
methods have been proposed by labor and industrial leaders to systematically
shorten hours.
While I heartily favor the purpose of these plans, I agree with both the em
ployers and the leaders of labor whom I have consulted that its direction is not
properly the function of government, except as applied to the operation of govern
ment service. Moreover, with all the various phases of employment and opera
tion to be met in private business, no general rule can be applied. Results must
be achieved through cooperation on the part of employers and employees suited
to each locality and industry. I suggest you should consider the effective part
which you can play in further forwarding organization to this end.
In accordance with the recommendation of President Hoover and
the organizing committee, a subcommittee, with Walter C. Teagle,
President of the Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey as chairman, was
appointed to promote increased employment through the sharingwork movement. The movement was definitely started the follow
ing day by Mr. Teagle’s committee and was to be carried out under
a uniform plan in all sections of the country. It was proposed to
urge all employers to take on additional workers and to adjust the
hours so that at the end of a given period all workers would have been
employed the same amount of time. It was not intended, however,
that any fixed plan such as the 6-hour day or the 5-day week should
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EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS— UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF
791
be promoted, but that the individual employers should decide how
they could spread work most effectively. Air. Teagle will devote his
entire time to the work and it is his hope that the job campaign will
eventually put 2,000,000 men and women back to work. While the
campaign will be carried on through the banking and industrial com
mittees of each district, the endeavor will be made to secure the co
operation of employers’ organizations such as the National Manu
facturers’ Association, the United States Chamber of Commerce,
and other national, State, and local organizations. The cooperation
of the workers will also be sought, as this is essential to the success
of the program.
As an example of the possibilities of success, Mr. Teagle cited the
case of his own company employing 23,000 persons, which by spread
ing out employment through reduction of hours, has been able to give
employment to 3,000 more workers.
The slogan which has been adopted for the campaign is “ job security
by job sharing.”
Secretary William N. Doak in his Labor Day address at Syracuse,
N. Y., indorsed the plans of the conference and stated that the work of
the conference is already bearing fruit as is evidenced by the fact that
within less than a week after the adjournment of the conference there
were thousands of men being called back to work in the different
industries of the country. He also pointed out that a great number
of the trade-unions in all parts of the country have, of their own
accord, entered into a program of division of work to aid their fellow
workers who are unemployed.
Plan of the Subcommittee on Industrial Rehabilitation
T h e National Committee on Industrial Rehabilitation, under the
chairmanship of A. W. Robertson, of Pittsburgh, is an outgrowth of
the conference. This committee has plans under way for an intensive
equipment modernization movement throughout the coimtry, which
is designed to put back on the pay roll 1,620,000 workers in factories
manufacturing machinery and plant equipment. The committee
will concentrate on getting manufacturers in all the principal indus
trial centers to modernize their plants now, at a time when their
machinery is run down or obsolete and when financial and credit
conditions are improved and installation costs for machinery are
low. Air. Robertson states:
The committee believes that if industry will proceed now for reasons of sound
self-interest to put its house in order and to remedy through modernization the
run-down condition of its productive equipment, employment will be created for
hundreds of thousands of workers in the “ capital goods ” industries. In addition,
it will bring back on pay rolls hundreds of thousands of workers in other industries
which furnish the parts, raw materials, and services bought by the machinery
and equipment _manufacturers._ This will release millions of dollars in wages
spent for individuals and family purchases, affecting business in every com
munity.
The importance of this program is shown by the fact that expendi
tures for equipment, machinery, and plant facilities have fallen from
an average annual outlay of $5,000,000,000 in normal times to a yearly
total of $1,260,000,000, and Mu Robertson believes that this con
stitutes one of the major factors in the continuance of the depressed
condition of American industry. More than 50 per cent of the equip
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792
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
ment in American factories is said to be obsolete at the present time
and the fact that in the past three years there has been more rapid
improvement in equipment design than in any other period, while
replacement has not kept up with this engineering advance, makes the
condition so much the more urgent. The objective of the committee
is to set in motion a succession of orders which will extend, in their
effect on employment and spending, from the factory back to the
farms, the forests, and the mines.
The committee will work through sectional committees set up in
each of the Federal Reserve districts. Each of these committees
will appoint special subcommittees to serve in each of the industrial
areas within the districts, on which local business and industrial
leaders will be represented. The committees will be generally con
versant with the replacement needs of the manufacturers and will be
equipped with ample evidence to prove that modernization should be
undertaken without further delay. The need for immediate action is
recognized by the members of the committee and all those cooperating
with it and the attempt will be made to secure definite results before
another month has passed.
H e a r in g s B e fo r e C a lifo r n ia U n e m p lo y m e n t C o m m is s io n
1931 Legislature of California created a State unemployment
commission, authorizing it to study the problem of unemploy
THE
ment and to formulate plans and recommend legislation. Following
is a summary of the hearings before the commission, given in its
report to the governor’s council.1
“ Officials from the relief agencies in different sections of the State
explained the situation in their respective communities, the extent
of unemployment, existing needs, assistance given, current expenses,
and the estimates for the ensuing year. Among the problems dis
cussed were: Methods of relief, the functions of_ the State labor
camps, the care of transients, single men and _migratory families,
responsibility between the State and municipalities in these matters,
provision for the white-collar unemployed and for unattached women,
the matter of rents and evictions, adequacy of assistance given, and
the effectiveness of work relief in an emergency program.
“ Outstanding recommendations offered by those attending the
hearings for unemployment prevention and relief were: Reduction of
the hours of labor in order to distribute employment among a larger
number of persons and to give work to those displaced by labor-saving
machines, a planned program of public works to be released during
periods of depression, the establishment of some form of unemploy
ment reserves and compensation to provide an incentive to industry
to regularize employment and to furnish a substitute for present
methods of relief giving, and State aid to counties and municipalities
for unemployment relief.
“ Much interest was expressed in unemployment reserves, or in
surance. Of the 78 persons who testified regarding the subject, 70
favored some form of this protection, there were 3 doubtful, and 5
were opposed. Various systems were advocated by the speakers,
1 California.
A ugust, 1932.
D epartm ent of In d u stria l R elations.
(M imeographed.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
R eport to G overnor’s Council.
San Francisco,
EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS--- UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF
793
contributory and noncontributory ; both separate reserves for indi
vidual plants and pooled reserves for a group of plants or industries.
“ Reduction of the hours of labor was regarded by a number of the
speakers as essential in dealing with the existing situation. Of 62
persons who discussed the question of restricting the present working
time as a means of reducing unemployment, 53 favored such arrange
ment, 6 were noncommittal or doubtful, and only 3 expressed opposi
tion. Various plans were recommended: The 6-hour day and 5-day
week, by the majority. Some advocated the 7-hour day and 5-day
week. There was also variation in the proposed application of the
recommendation. Most of the speakers favored confining mandatory
reduction of hours to public works and public employment. Several
favored including private industry as well.
“ There was fairly general agreement with regard to the desirability
of advance planning of public works. This was discussed by 32 per
sons, of whom 28 indorsed the proposition as one means of relieving
unemployment and assisting in stabilization. There were 4 doubtful;
none were definitely opposed.
“ On the question of State aid to municipalities for emergency
relief, there was more divergence of opinion. Out of 35 who expressed
their views on the subject, 27 were in favor; 5 were opposed; 2 favored
State help in the case of nonresidents but opposed the assistance in
the case of resident unemployed; 3, including 2 who favored State
aid, recommended that effort should also be made to secure Federal
support.
“ There was substantial agreement as to the desirability of main
taining or expanding the public employment offices. Out of 28 dis
cussing the relation of placement agencies to unemployment preven
tion and relief, 25 expressed approval of the free State agencies; 14,
including several of those suggesting their expansion, recommended
abolition of private fee-charging agencies; while 2 favored further
regulation.
“ A number of proposals for legislative action were offered. In
addition to the subjects just mentioned, these included the following:
“ (a) Creation of a State building fund to permit citizens to borrow
for home building, under conditions similar to those now granted exservice men;
“ (b) Action by the State to give authority to municipalities to ac
quire by condemnation, land for slum-clearance programs, and to
authorize formation of limited-dividend companies in connection
with such programs ;
“ (c) Tax exemption for a period of 10 years on private building
construction started during the next 3 years, as a means of stimulating
industry ;
“ (d) Creation of a State economic council to assist in stabilization
of employment;
“ (e) Authorizing the department of industrial relations, or some
commission, to promote the regularization of employment;
“ (/) A study of California industries with a view to stabilizing
seasonal employment;
“ (g) Establishment of a State bureau of industrial training to
develop a program of vocational re-education;
“ (h ) Amendment to the public works law to provide for creation
of reserves to be released during periods of depression;
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
“ (i) Provision that highway funds need not be allocated definitely
to certain highways, in order to permit the department of public
works to meet emergencies;
“ (j) Prohibiting taking a fee from any person sent to a public
construction job or public works;
“ (k) Requiring registration of all unemployed;
“ (l) Provision for publicly owned and operated shelters, in the
centers of population, for homeless unemployed men;
“ (m) Amendment of the residence law to provide for the care of
migratory workers who are residents of the State, but without a
settled place of abode in any county;
“ (n) Extension of operation and service rendered by the State
labor camps;
“ (o) Further restriction of child labor and extension of educational
opportunities for children;
“ (jp) Extension of scope of old-age pension law to include groups
not now covered, or to lower the age limit and increase the amount
of pension;
“ (q) Automatic adjustment of minimum wage rates for women
and minors to meet changes in the cost of living.
“A significant feature of the hearings was the emphasis placed by
a majority of the speakers on corrective measures. The economists,
business men, and representatives of organized labor who testified
were mainly concerned with the elimination or reduction of unem
ployment. Although alleviation of the existing distress was naturally
urged as the primary consideration by those in direct contact with the
relief situation, many of the proposals presented by such groups have
to do with preventive action. Delegates from the welfare organiza
tions and unemployed workers in a number of instances advocated,
in addition to emergency assistance, the adoption by the State and
municipalities of some constructive program looking toward a solution
of the problem.
“ Some of the newspaper comment gives the impression that the
foregoing ideas or plans emanated from the State unemployment
commission. This is not the case. The opinions were presented by
the residents of California who attended the public hearings, either
representing themselves personally or speaking for groups in the
community. It was natural to have a variety of suggestions. The
baffling situation in which our social order finds itself, the despair of
men and women seeking work and unable to find anything to do, the
inability of business men to point ways out, and the earnestness of
all in facing the problem, had a lasting effect on those who attended
the hearings.”
U n e m p lo y m e n t in H a w a ii, S u m m e r o f 1932
BRIEF survey of unemployment conditions in Hawaii was
made by the chairman of the Governor’s Committee on Unem
ployment in that Territory in a talk to a conference of social workers.
That portion describing the situation, reproduced from the Honolulu
Star-Bulletin of July 29, 1932, is given below:
The unemployment situation in Hawaii is not nearly as serious as
it is on the mainland, either in regard to numbers or living conditions
A
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS— UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF
795
—food, shelter, and clothing. Having no winter, the shelter and
clothing problems are relatively simple, and also on this account
vegetables and other food crops can be raised the year round. In
addition, at least those in the country districts can obtain some sub
sistence by fishing. The city of San Diego, with a population similar
to that of Honolulu, and not a manufacturing town, has been feeding
approximately 15,000 a day.
Hawaii’s problem has been confined primarily to those heretofore
engaged in construction work and employed by the pineapple com
panies. To be sure there have been other causes for unemployment,
such as the curtailment of activities of firms like the Honolulu Iron
Works, the decrease in numbers employed by the various hotel
companies, the dismissal of one or more servants by those who could
no longer afford to maintain them, and so forth. But the numbers
so affected are of relatively minor importance.
Then too, Honolulu normally has about 2,000 unemployed or
unemployable, such as the habitués of pool rooms. These in ordinary
times could pick up odd jobs a few days a month and thereby subsist.
Finally, there is one other source of unemployment of an extremely
serious nature. This is the youth graduating from our schools and
who can not find a job. He lives at home with his parents, and
hence there is no real destitution or want, but it will not take many
months of loafing to result in his becoming a permanent liability to
the community.
Principal Cause Told
As s t a t e d above, the principal cause for our unemployment prob
lem is the curtailment of pineapple and construction activities. Dur
ing the past year the pineapple companies, together with their
planters, have laid off somewhere around 4,000 field laborers. Most
of these were Filipinos. Many of them drifted to Honolulu, but the
vast majority went to the smaller towns throughout the islands, or
stayed with relatives and friends on sugar plantations. This situa
tion has practically been rectified. The sugar plantations give addi
tional employment by working their forces on a part-time basis.
Through the efforts made by the H. S. P. A., Filipinos stopped com
ing to the Territory, while approximately 500 per month have con
tinued to return to the Philippines. Then, too, the harvesting of the
pineapple crop creates a demand for this type of labor. Only recently
one of the pineapple companies requiring 50 Filipinos was able to
secure only two here in Honolulu. To be sure, in a month or so the
packing season will be over, but the sugar plantation crops are also
completed in the early fall of the year, and on their completion there
is quite an exodus of Filipinos to their homeland.
The unemployment situation resulting from the reduction in all
building and construction activities is far more serious. A few months
ago a survey of the situation indicated that construction work was
being carried on at about two-thirds the normal basis. Since the
census showed approximately 3,600 engaged in construction work,
this meant that there were about 1,200 unemployed for this reason.
This figure checked very closely with the applications on file at
the various employment agencies. Indications are that new con
struction jobs are smaller both in number and magnitude than those
being completed, _and therefore it is expected that the number of
unemployed of this class will increase rather than decrease.
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
Social Relief Last Resort
As I have already said, the policy adopted by those who are endeav
oring to cope with the unemployment situation here in Hawaii is to
afford work relief and not social relief, except as a last resort. There
are four general lines of approach which have been followed more or
less successfully.
First might be mentioned the so-called Muncie plan, a clean-up,
fix-up, paint-up campaign, with the idea of creating odd jobs about
the homes as well as the downtown offices. The committee in charge
of this, assisted by the Junior League, the American Legion, and
Legion Auxiliary, have, with some success, conducted a house-tohouse canvass throughout some of the districts of the city.
Second, is the work carried on by the stabilization committee.
The activity of this committee is primarily that of urging employers
of labor not to lay off men, but to work them, if necessary, on a parttime basis. It is a pleasure to report that not only has the thorough
cooperation of the #various concerns of these islands been obtained,
but such a policy in most cases had already been adopted prior to
the formation of this committee.
A third form of activity is in connection with the promotion of
home gardens. This work has not only proven quite encouraging
here in Honolulu, but is also meeting with success on a number of
the plantations.
The fourth method is what might be termed the artificial creation
of jobs by means of public and private contributions.
During the recent session of the legislature $100,000 was appropri
ated for the creation of work for unemployment relief. The gov
ernor appointed a special committee for the purpose of handling this
appropriation. This committee decided that jobs should first be
allotted to those who were destitute and who had dependents. This
meant that a careful social investigation should be made of each
application.^ It was decided that work for only five hours a day
should be given in order that those working by means of this appro
priation would have an opportunity to seek employment elsewhere.
The compensation was fixed at 30 cents per hour.
The number of days work per week allotted is dependent upon the
size of the family budget as estimated by the committee. These
estimates are based upon affording bare subsistence. Most of the
work furnished from this fund has been in connection with the devel
opment of our parks, the counties supplying tools and supervision
and such material as may be needed.
U n e m p lo y m e n t in F o r e ig n C o u n tr ie s
HE following table gives detailed monthly statistics of unem
ployment in foreign countries, as shown in official reports, from
T
August, 1930, to the latest available date:
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
797
EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS— UNEMPLOYMENT BELIEF
S T A T E M E N T O F U N E M P L O Y M E N T IN F O R E IG N C O U N T R IE S
Austria
Trade-unionists
unemployed
Compul
sory in
surance,
num ber
unem
ployed
in receipt
of benefit
N um ber
Per cent
N um ber
156,145
163, 894
192, 778
237, 745
294,845
17, 747
23, 693
27, 322
38,973
63, 585
2.8
51,649
61, 623
54, 804
76, 043
117,167
331,239
334, 041
304, 084
246, 845
208,852
191,150
194, 364
196, 321
202,130
228,101
273, 658
329,627
77,181
81, 750
81, 305
70, 377
56, 250
62, 642
64, 644
70, 893
74,175
82, 811
93,487
128,884
11.1
358,114
361, 948
352, 444
303, 8 8 8
271, 481
265, 040
266, 365
269,179
153,920
168, 204
155, 653
152, 530
160, 700
153, 659
169, 411
20.0
D ate (end of m onth)
N um ber
0)
0)
0)
104,951
A ugust___
Septem ber.
O ctober___
N ovem ber.
D ecem ber..
90, 379
1931
0)
0)
J a n u a ry ..
F e b ru a ry ...
M arch____
A pril_____
M ay ______
June______
Ju ly --------A ugust___
Septem ber.
O ctober___
N ovem ber.
D ecem ber..
113,614
Per cent
20.5
23.4
25. i
( l)
(>)
0)
(')
120,694
(>)
0)
118, 732
118,424
27.6
28.3
~28~0
(>)
(>)
0)
J a n u a ry ..
F ebruary.
M arch___
A pril____
M ay ____
June____
J u ly _____
A u g u s t...
120,366
(0
124,068
Canada
D ate (end of m onth)
Belgium
Australia
N um ber
of unem
ployed
on live
register
9.3
9.4
i N ot reported.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1 0 .8
13.8
17.0
16.0
15.6
15.5
14.9
16.2
16.3
16.2
15.8
18.1
18.3
18.6
2 1 .1
2 2 .0
2 0 .6
20.4
23.0
22. 1
21.9
21. 8
W holly unem
ployed
3.8
4.3
6.1
9.3
11. 7
11.3
10.0
7.9
8.9
9.1
9.9
10.3
11.3
13.3
17.0
21.3
19.4
18.8
18.9
18.7
19.6
Danzig
(Free
C ity of)
Czechoslovakia
P er cent
of tradeunionists
unem
ployed
1930
A ugust. . . _________
Septem ber________ _ . . .
October
____
N ovember . . . . . . .
D ecem ber_______ . . . . .
1931
J a n u a ry .. . _______
F ebruary________________
M a rc h ... . ______ _ _ . . .
A pril___________________
M ay ______ . . _ _______
June___________ . ____ .
J u ly ____________________
A u g u st..
_ ______.
Septem ber
_____
October . _________
N ovem ber..
D ecem ber____
______
1932
Jan u ary . . . .
F ebruary. ______
. ..
M arch ..._
.
___
A pril___________________
M ay ____________________
June. ____ . . . - _
. ..
July
August
U nem ploym ent insurance societies
Trade-union insur
ance funds—un
employed in re
ceipt of benefit
N um ber
of unem
ployed
registered
Partially unem
ployed
23.2
15,687
16, 073
17,307
20, 272
24,429
26,232
27, 700
32,880
44,200
71,100
313, 511
343,972
339, 505
296, 756
249, 6 8 6
220, 038
209, 233
214, 520
228, 383
253, 518
336,874
480, 775
104, 580
117, 450
119, 350
107, 238
93, 941
82, 534
82, 759
8 6 , 261
84, 660
8 8 , 600
106, 015
146, 325
9.5
27, 081
28,192
27, 070
24, 186
20, 686
19, 855
20, 420
21, 509
22, 922
24, 932
28, 966
32, 956
70, 961
73,427
67, 725
45,698
37, 856
34, 030
36, 369
35, 060
35, 871
47,196
6 6 , 526
91, 216
583,138
631, 736
633, 907
555, 832
487, 228
466, 948
453, 294
459, 406
186, 308
197,612
195, 076
180, 456
171, 389
168, 452
34, 912
36, 258
36, 481
33,418
31, 847
31, 004
29,195
28, 989
106, 464
112, 346
113,378
90, 704
79, 931
80, 044
92, 732
94, 8 6 8
8 .2
14.0
14.8
14.6
13.3
1 2 .6
12.3
22.8
23.0
22.6
22.5
21.2
Trade-union unem
ploym ent funds—
unemployed
4.7
5.3
5.5
5.9
8.3
11.3
21.1
D enm ark
52, 694
57, 542
61, 213
65, 904
93,476
6.9
6.7
6.9
17.0
179, 560
180, 079
185, 267
183, 6 6 8
191, 084
173,819
88,005
104, 534
122, 379
155, 203
239, 564
6 .6
6 .6
9.9
8.5
12.0
16.2
19.4
17.7
15.6
13.8
14.4
16. 3
16.8
16.6
16.8
19.2
Per cent
8.9
7.6
8. 2
112, 734
121, 906
125, 972
110,139
97, 755
1 0 1 , 616
116, 747
120, 669
119, 433
122, 733
134, 799
159,941
N um ber
1 0 .0
1 0 .0
Per cent
Num ber
Per cent
797
9.0
9.0
11.4
15. 3
24.6
24.2
26.0
2 2 .1
■ 15.3
12.3
11.3
1 1 .8
1 1 .8
1 2 .1
16.0
22.3
30.4
35.1
37. 3
37.5
29.9
26. 1
25.6
29. 5
30.1
798
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
S T A T E M E N T O P U N E M P L O Y M E N T IN F O R E IG N C O U N T R IE S —C ontinued
Estonia
L a te (end of m onth)
1930
A ugust _ __
. - Septem ber
October
N ovem ber
December
_ _ ____
1931
Jan u ary _____
__
F e b ru a ry . _ _____
M arch.
_ __ __ _ __
A pril,
M a y ___
Ju n e ...............
Ju ly _ _ _
A ugust
__
_ _ __
Septem ber
_. _ _____ _
O ctober _
____
N ovem ber
December
______
1932
J anuary
_ _
F eb ru ary
_ __ _ _
M arch
_ .___ __
A pril
_
_ .
M ay
. . .
_ __
June
_
_
_ _
Ju ly . . . ____ _______
August
Finland
N um ber
unem
ber
ployed N um
unem
rem ain ofployed
ing on registered
live
register
G erm any
France
Trade-unionists
N um ber N um ber
of unem of
unem
ployed
ployed
in receipt registered
of benefit
5, 288
7,157
10, 279
10, 740
9,336
964
988
1,663
4,893
11, 952
2,883,000
3,004, 000
3, 252, 000
3, 683, 000
4,384,000
21. 7
22. 5
23.6
26.0
31.7
14.8
15.1
15.4
16. 1
16.9
1, 947,811
1, 965, 348
2,071, 730
2,353,980
2, 822, 598
5, 304
4, 070
2, 705
2,424
1,368
931
634
933
2,096
5,425
7,554
9, 055
11,706
11,557
11,491
12, 663
7,342
6,320
6 , 790
9,100
12,176
14,824
18,095
17, 223
28, 536
40, 766
50, 815
49, 958
41,339
36, 237
35,916
37, 673
38, 524
51, 654
92,157
147,009
4,887, 000
4, 972, 000
4, 756, 000
4, 358, 000
4,053, 000
3, 954, 000
3, 976, 000
4, 215, 000
4,355, 000
4, 623, 480
5, 059, 773
5, 668,187
34.2
34. 5
33. 6
31. 2
29. 9
29. 7
31.0
33.6
35. 0
36.6
38.9
42.2
19.2
19.5
18. 9
18. 0
17.4
17. 7
19. 1
21. 4
3,364, 770
3,496, 979
3,240, 523
2, 789, 627
2,507, 732
2,353, 657
2, 231, 513
2,376, 589
2,483, 364
2, 534, 952
2, 771, 985
3,147, 867
9,318
9, 096
,395
, 029
4, 853
5,384
3,137
20, 944
18,856
17, 699
16,885
13,189
12, 709
13,278
241,487
293,198
303, 218
282, 013
262,184
232,371
262, 642
264,253
6 ; 041, 910
6,128,429
6,034, ICO
5, 934, 202
5, 582, 620
5,475, 778
5, 392, 248
5, 224, 710
43.6
44. 1
44. 6
43.9
43.3
43. 1
43.9
8
6
Compulsory insurance
D ate (end of m onth)
W holly unem
ployed
N um ber
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
N um ber
unem
ployed in
receipt of
benefit
1,039
1,414
3, 282
5, 675
6 , 1C3
G reat B ritain and N orthern Ireland
1930
A u g u st_______________
September
_ __
O ctober.
__
-___
N ovem ber _ __ _
__
D ecem ber_______ _ _ _
1931
Jan u ary _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
F e b r u a r y ____ ■______
M arch..'. _________. . .
April
M ay _ _•_____
_ ___ __ _
June
__
Ju ly
______
A ugust _ _ ___ _
- Septem ber _ _
October
...
___
N ovem ber _ _ _
D ecem ber.
______ __
1932
J a n u a r y ___ _________
F e b ru a ry _____________ _
M arch__
________ __
April
_____ _ _
M ay
___ _
June
______
_ _
Tnlv
P er cent P e r cent
wholly partially
unem
unem
ployed
ployed
Tem porary stop
pages
Great
B ritain
2 2 .2
.
22 0
2 1 .8
22.3
22
22
22
22
.6
.6
.6
.1
22. 9
20.4
23.0
3,481,418
3, 525,486
3,323,109
2, 906, 890
2, 658, 042
2,484, 944
2,111,342
1, 995, 697
H ungary
Trade-unionists u n
employed
N um ber
of persons
registered
w ith em
ploym ent
exchanges
Christian
(B uda
pest)
SocialDemo
cratic
Per cent N um ber P er cent
1,500, 990
1, 579, 708
1, 725, 731
1,836, 280
1, 853, 575
12.4
13. 1
13. 9
14.8
14. 9
618, 658
608, 692
593, 223
532, 518
646, 205
5.1
5.0
4.8
4.3
5.3
2, 039, 702
1,114, 955
2, 200,413
2, 274, 338
2, 392, 738
847
874
999
975
935
21, 013
22, 252
22, 914
23, 333
24, 648
2,044, 209
2,073, 578
2, 052, 826
2, 027, 896
2,019, 533
2, 037, 480
2, 073, 892
2,142, 821
2, 217, 080
2,305, 388
2, 294, 902
2, 262, 700
16. 5
16. 7
16. 5
16.3
16.3
16. 4
16. 7
17.3
17. 9
18.1
18.0
17.7
618,633
623,844
612, 821
564, 884
558, 383
669, 315
732, 583
670, 342
663, 466
487, 591
4.39, 952
408,117
5.0
5.0
5.0
4.6
4. 5
5.4
5. 9
5.4
5.3
3.8
3.4
3.2
2, 613, 749
2, 627, 559
2, 581, 030
2, 531,*674
2, 596, 431
2, 629, 215
2, 662, 765
2, 732, 434
2, 879,466
2, 755, 559
2, 656, 088
2, 569, 949
953
965
996
1,042
843
751
876
941
932
1,169
1,240
26,191
27, 089
27, 092
27, 129
26, 131
23, 660
26, 329
28, 471
28, 716
28, 998
29, 907
31, 906
2,354, 044
2,317, 784
2, 233,425
2, 204, 740
2,183, 683
2,145,157
2 185 015
2, 215, 704
18.4
18. 2
17.5
17.3
17. 1
16.8
17.1
17. 4
500, 746
491, 319
426, 989
521, 705
638,157
697, 639
735, 929
731,104
4.0
3.8
3.3
4. 1
5. 0
5. 5
5. 8
5.7
2, 728,411
2,701,173
2, 567,332
2, 652,181
2, 741, 306
2, 747, 343
2,811, 782
2, 859, 828
1,182
1,083
1,024
961
922
960
32, 711
32, 640
31,347
30, 055
28, 835
28,372
1 ,0 2 0
799
EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS--- UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF
S T A T E M E N T O F U N E M P L O Y M E N T IN F O R E IG N C O U N T R IE S —C ontinued
Irish Free
State
D ate (end of m onth)
1930
August _____________
_ _
S eptem ber,. ______ __
October . . . _____
_______
N o v e m b e r.. ................. ...
D ecem ber____ ____ _ _ . . . . . .
1931
January ______________________
F e b ru a ry . .
............... .....
M arch ____________ . . . _ . . .
A p ril... _____ _____________ _
M ay . ________ . . . . . _____
J u n e .. _ _ ._ _ _ _ ____ __
J u ly _________________________
A ugust _______ ____ _ ___
S e p te m b e r... ___ ______
.
O ctober.. . . .
N ovem ber . . . . . .
Decem ber. . .
. .
. . .
1932
January
_____ .
F ebruary __________ . . . . . . .
M arch___ _____ _ . . . . .
A pril___________________ ____
M ay ____ _ . ____ . . ______
____ _
...
June . _
J u ly _______________
A ugust___ _________________
---------- -------- -------'■
Compul N um ber of unem ployed N um ber
sory insur
registered
unem
anceployed
num ber
rem
aining
P artially
W holly
unem
on live
unem
unem
ployed
register
ployed
ployed
1930
A ugust______________________
Septem ber___________ ______ _
October_____ . . ______ _ . . .
N ovem ber____________ _______
D ecem ber______________ . . . . .
1931
Jan u a ry . . ______ ________
F ebruary
...
_____ _
M arch____ _____ __________ . . .
A pril______ . . . .
M ay. .
June
J u ly . _______________________
August
...
Septem ber .
O ctober____
N ovem ber. . _
_ _ __ _
D ecem ber... ______
_ _ ...
1932
J a n u a r y __________ . . . ----------F e b ru a ry .. . ________________
M arch ________ . . . . .
-----A pril----- --------- -----------------M a y _____ . . . --------------------June
July
A u g u s t_____________________
N etherlands
U nem ploym ent in
surance societies—
unem ployed
N um ber
20, 775
22, 990
25, 622
26,167
375, 548
394, 630
446, 496
534, 356
642,169
24,056
22, 734
19, 081
22,125
21, 788
573
1.470
, 058
8,608
10, 022
32, 755
35, 532
41, 088
46, 807
81, 204
28, 681
26, 825
25,413
23, 970
23, 016
21,427
21, 647
21, 897
23, 427
26, 353
30, 865
30, 918
722, 612
765, 325
707, 486
670, 353
635,183
573, 593
637, 531
693, 273
747, 764
799, 744
878, 267
982, 321
27, 924
27, i 10
27, 545
28, 780
26, 059
24, 206
25, 821
30, 636
29, 822
32, 828
30, 967
32, 949
9,207
8,303
8,450
6 , 390
1, 871
1,584
2,169
4, 827
7,470
13, 605
18, 377
21, 935
100, 340
109, 235
102, 743
6 8 , 860
60,189
59, 573
69, 026
70,479
72, 738
84, 548
107, 372
147,107
31,958
31,162
30, 8 6 6
32, 252
35,874
2 6 6 , 912
2 77; 648
1, 051, 321
1,147, 945
1,053, 016
1, 000,025
968, 456
905, 097
93L 291
33, 277
26, 321
31. 636
32, 720
35, 528
31, 710
33, 218
26, 335
22, 222
22, 912
14, 607
7,599
145,124
139, 956
119,423
121, 378
112, 325
113, 978
123, 947
0
6
Per cent
7.6
8 .2
9.6
1 1 .8
18.2
23.2
23.5
2 1 .8
14.3
1 2 .2
11.7
13.3
15.3
15.7
18.0
18.5
27.8
27.0
25.4
2 1 .6
21. 7
22.5
22 8
24.6
'
New
Zealand
D ate (end of m onth)
L atvia
Ita ly
Tradeunionists,
num ber
unem
ployed
7,197
0
0
)
8,119
0
0 )
(!)
38,028
3 36, 981
3 40, 507
3 45, 264
3 4L 772
3 50, 033
3 51, 375
3 50, 266
3 47, 535
« 45,140
2
a 45, 677
3 44,107
3 45, 383
3 48, 601
3 53, 5< 3
3 54,342
3 55, 203
N orway
Poland
R um ania
N um ber
unem
ployed
rem aining
on live
register
N um ber
unem
ployed
registered
w ith em
ploym ent
offices
N um ber
unem
ployed
rem aining
on live
register
13.4
15. 7
18.0
21.4
25. 5
12. 923
17, 053
20, 363
24, 544
27. 157
173, 627
170, 467
165,154
209, 912
299, 797
24, 209
39,110
36,147
42, 689
36, 212
26.3
28, 596
29,107
29, 095
28, 477
25^ 206
22, 736
20,869
22, 431
27, 012
29, 340
32, 078
34, 789
340, 718
358, 925
372, 536
351, 679
313,104
274, 942
255,179
246, 380
246, 426
255, 622
266. 027
312, 487
38, 804
43 270
48, 226
41 610
33 484
2X 003
29 260
22 70S
22’000
28^ 800
43, 917
49, 393
35, 034
38,135
38, 952
37, 703
32,127
28, 429
26, 390
27, 543
338, 434
350,145
360, 031
339, 773
306, 801
264,147
219, 900
187, 537
51,012
57, 606
55, 306
47, 206
39, 654
33, 679
Trade-unio nists ( 1 0
unions) u n e in ployed
N um ber
Per cent
5,897
7,010
, 031
9. 396
11, 265
8
11,092
(0
11, 213
24.9
0
9, 048
10, 577
12, 633
4
14,160
14, 354
15, 342
14, 629
13, 465
4
19.6
2 2 .8
27.2
30.4
30.6
32.5
30.8
28.3
Ì
N ot reported.
R egistration area extended.
3 N ew series of statistics showing unem ployed registered b y th e em ploym ent exchanges.
only workers wholly unem ployed b u t also those in te rm itten tly employed.
4 Strike ended.
1
2
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Includes not
800
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
S T A T E M E N T OF U N E M P L O Y M E N T IN F O R E IG N C O U N T R IE S —C ontinued
Saar T er
ritory
Yugo
slavia
Sw itzerland
Sweden
U nem ploym ent funds
D ate (end of m onth)
N um ber
unem
ployed
registered
Trade-unionists
unem ployed
N um ber
1930
A ugust - _ ____________
Septem ber ___ ____ October
_ ___- -N ovem ber, ________
D ecem ber______________
Per
cent
W holly unem
ployed
N um ber
6 , 111
5, 973
6 , 609
7, 219
9, 989
12.5
12. 2
12. 4
6 .6
10 1
.
30, 977
30, 879
41, 880
27, 726
26, 058
34, 266
39, 000
33, 346
42, 998
47, 200
51,900
61, 256
11, 903
14, 424
12, 029
11, 391
6 , 929
4, 431
6 , 672
7, 466
7, /53
10, 070
10, 349
14, 502
.
11. 3
9.0
7.7
7.6
7. 1
67, 600
70,100
62, 659
58, 900
54, 500
53, 420
14.8
15. 0
14. 0
12. 6
11. 5
13. 3
1 1 ,6 6 6
2.3
2.5
3.0
4.7
15, 245
21, 400
6 .6
Jan u ary
_________
Feb ru ary ______ ___
________ __
M arch
April
__ _____
M ay
_____ _ _ __ _ _
June
_ _ _
Ju ly
______
A ugust
_ ________
Septem ber________ _
October. ____ _ _ . . .
N ovem ber _ _
,. .
D ecem ber___ ___ --
18,921
20,139
18, 292
18,102
14, 8 8 6
15, 413
17, 685
20, 205
21, 741
24, 685
28, 659
35, 045
69, 437
, 923
72, 944
64, 534
49, 807
45, 839
46, 180
48, 590
54, 405
65, 469
79, 484
110,149
19.8
18.4
19.3
17. 5
13. 2
12. 1
12. 4
12. 7
13.7
16. 4
19.9
27.2
20, 551
2 0 , 081
18, 991
10, 389
9,174
12, 577
12, 200
9, 754
15,188
18, 0 0 0
25, 200
41,611
8.3
7.9
5.4
4.0
3. 5
3.6
3.3
3.6
4.0
4.8
1932
Jan u ary ______ ____
F e b r u a r y __ _____ -___ __
M arch
April
M ay
J u n e .. - ___ _____ July
38, 790
42, 394
44, 883
42,993
42, 881
40,188
39, 063
93, 272
93, 900
98, 772
82, 500
75, 650
79, 338
77, 468
24.5
23.0
24. 4
44, 600
48, 600
40, 423
35, 400
35, 200
33, 742
1931
1 2 ,1 1 0
66
8 .1
2 1 .0
18.9
19. 5
19. 4
Per
cent
7.9
.3
9. 4
10. 5
10.4
9.8
.
15. 3
22.9
12 2
N um ber
N um ber
of unem
ployed
registered
19, 441
26, 1 1 1
23, 309
25, 793
33,483
28, 539
34,963
43, 927
57,070
8 6 , 042
7,099
7, 527
9,013
5,703
7, 792
7, 399
Per
cent
P artially unem
ployed
10 6
8
1 0 .6
9.9
9.7
11. 3
12. 4
11. 2
13. 2
14. 4
14.9
19, 665
21, 435
23, 251
18, 532
13, 568
11, 418
9, 940
U n e m p lo y m e n t R e lie f T h r o u g h B u ild in g L o a n s in
S tu ttg a r t, G erm an y
A
CCORDING to a report from Sliiras Morris, American vice
L consul at Stuttgart, July 28, 1932, the Stuttgart city council
has recently approved a plan for relieving unemployment in the local
building trades by providing for loans at low rates of interest to build
ing contractors who will agree to employ workmen now receiving
relief payments from the city welfare office. The loans from the
welfare office will make possible additional construction on which
employment will be given to laborers now receiving city relief pay
ments. The loans will be equal in amount to the welfare benefits
which the laborers employed in this way would receive from the city
were they without employment and receiving relief payments from
public funds. These loans will bear 1 per cent interest and will be
repayable, into a sinking fund managed by the city, at the rate of 3
per cent per year. In amount they may vary from 500 to 3,000
marks ($119 to $714) for 1-family houses with an additional 1,500
marks ($357) for each dwelling in excess of one in multifamily houses.
The Stuttgart Welfare Office is authorized to grant loans in the above
amounts immediately, but for enterprises mvolving greater amounts
of capital the approval of the finance division of the city council
must be obtained.
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While construction projects of all kinds are eligible for these loans,
it is expected that they will be availed of principally by contractors
wishing to erect new houses of modest proportions and to renovate
and modernize buildings erected before the war.
The loans will be granted only under the following:
1. Work thus financed must entail the employment of additional
laborers and must cause a net reduction in the number of building
workmen enrolled for relief payments in the city welfare office. Any
contractor receiving a loan must be able to show that the gain in
employment effected by his taking on additional workers will not be
nullified by an equal loss caused by the forced discharge of other
laborers either of his own or of other contractors.
2. Beneficiaries of the loans must pay to the laborers employed
through them, the regular agreement rate.
3. Contractors must guarantee that the laborers will be employed
at least one month.
4. The contractors who receive loans must employ only laborers
resident within the city limits of Stuttgart.
It is believed that it will be relatively easy to enforce the adminis
trative provisions outlined above, as the welfare office itself will be
able to keep a constant check on the observance of them through its
register of unemployed and as the laborers themselves will see that it
is in their own interest to report any violation of the prescribed con
ditions.
In order to compute the savings to builders which are made possible
through this loan program it must be kept in mind that the amount
lent_ is the total benefits which the laborers thus employed would
receive from the city welfare office were they unemployed and not the
total wages which they receive from their employers in accordance
with the regular agreed wage. The unemployment benefits are, of
course, by no means equal to the current wages in the building trades.
The former, while they vary a good deal depending upon the number
of children and dependents and upon whether any other members in
the family have employment, average about 80 marks ($19) per
month. Wages in the building trades, however, fluctuate around 175
and 140 marks ($42 and $33) per month for skilled and unskilled
labor, respectively. It can, therefore, be seen that the advantage
which the Stuttgart contractors can obtain from this loan program
will depend upon the proportion of unskilled to skilled laborers em
ployed. The greater the proportion of unskilled laborers the greater
the advantage. However, even should a case arise in which skilled
labor was employed exclusively, almost one-half of the labor cost of
the undertaking could be financed through the city welfare office at
the favorable interest rate of 1 per cent.
Local contractors estimate that labor costs constitute on an average
30 per cent of building costs and, if this figure is applied to the above
premise, it will be seen that Stuttgart entrepreneurs can obtain from
the city welfare office at least 15 per cent of their building capital at
1 per cent interest.
Costs of materials.—To supplement the finance program described
above and further to encourage local building, an additional loan of
2,500 marks ($595) at 2% per cent interest, with 1 per cent sinkingfund arrangements, will be granted by the city of Stuttgart itself to
any builder who employs local laborers exclusively in any construction
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work. There are no other restrictions in connection with these loans,
and they have been designed primarily to finance the purchase of
building materials rather than to pay labor charges.
The above programs have been planned to operate independent of
and in addition to any other indebtedness which local builders may
have incurred in order to finance new construction and they may be
obtained in all cases in which the mortgaged indebtedness on any unit
does not exceed 90 per cent of its value. I t is hoped by the Stuttgart
Building Office that the low interest rate at which the loans are offered
will encourage local building to such an extent that the number of
laborers in the building trades now registered as public charges, viz
3,000, will be cut in half. ____ ___ ____
V o lu n ta r y L ab or S erv ice in G e r m a n y 1
JULY 16, 1932, the German Government issued an emergency
decree setting forth the general provisions governing the volun
ONtary
labor service.
The voluntary labor service was introduced in Germany in June,
1931, and the Federal Bureau for Employment and Unemployment
Insurance was authorized to grant loans or subsidies to public bodies,
such as counties, villages, etc., or other public or semipublic organi
zations wishing to institute public works under the system. Such
loans were not to exceed that amount which was expected to be saved
as a result of the decrease in the number of recipients of unemploy
ment benefits. Projects were to be restricted to works of public
value, especially the upkeep, improvement, and construction of roads,
the reclaiming and improvement of land, and the laying out of lots
for agricultural settlements as well as unemployed settlements and
small gardens for the unemployed in the environs of industrial
centers.
Recipients of unemployment benefits who volunteered for the serv
ice were kept on the books of the Federal Bureau and their time ran
on just the same as if they had not been working at all. When their
right to one kind of relief was exhausted they were automatically
carried over into the next class of relief. For example, a worker who
entered the service when he was on the register of the regular relief
might, upon the termination of his service, be reentered on the
extended benefit register, and a person on. the latter register when he
entered the service, might find himself a welfare relief recipient upon
his discharge from the voluntary labor service.
The lack of specific Federal regulations governing the service has
resulted in considerable variation in its application in the different
sections of Germany and even in the same districts. Until now the
Federal authorities have confined themselves to such matters as the
financial promotion of the service, the designation of the organiza
tions to institute the work, and the type of work to be performed.
All other details, such as the actual selection of the projects to be
undertaken, the selection of the workers, the assignment of jobs to
workers, and the utilization of the workers’ free time, were left to the
organizations instituting the work or to the associations from whose
rosters the workers were taken. The associations which up to the
present have supplied most of the workers have been political organiza1
R eport of C. W . G ray, American vice consul at Berlin, Ju ly 22, 1932,
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EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS— UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF
803
tions, such, as the Stahlhelm, Reichsbanner, Jungdeutscher Orden,
religious societies, especially Catholic ones, and sport clubs, such as
the Deutsche Turnerschaft, the Sport Club Berlin, and similar clubs
in other large cities.
The new regulations will make uniform the conditions surrounding
the service.
Entry into the service gives the worker no special legal status but
he enjoys the protection of the labor laws and of the social insurance
system. From a national standpoint, funds are to come from two
sources, the Federal budget and money advanced by the Federal
Bureau for Employment and Unemployment Insurance. The latter
organization is to contribute at least as much as is saved by the
reduction in unemployment benefits paid to workers entering the
service. Funds from both of these sources are to be uniformly
administered.
In the selection of workers preference is to be given to persons at
present receiving either the regular, the extended, or the welfare
unemployment benefits. Persons under 25 are to be given preference.
I t is possible for workers to be credited on the Government books
CReichsschuldbuch) with a portion of their wages which later can be
used to buy a small house and lot.
The service is to be placed in charge of a commissioner under the
Ministry of Labor. The administrative machinery of the Federal
Bureau for Employment and Unemployment Insurance will be
utilized.
Results of Voluntary Labor System
D u r in g the first six months of the service, that is, until the end of
February, 1932, the number of persons registered at the regional
employment bureaus who had found employment under the system
was 33,445. On April 30, 1932, the Federal Statistical Bureau
reported that the number of persons registered on that date as mem
bers of the service was 37,967. Of this number 11,844 (31.2 per cent)
came from the registers of the regular relief, 12,580 (33.1 per cent)
from the unemployment relief, and the remaining 13,543 (35.7 per
cent) were youthful unemployed entitled to no relief. In addition
to the 37,967 persons mentioned above, there were 2,348 persons
working in the service on the same date who had come from the
registers of the welfare relief, supported financially by the local
governments.
Of the 37,967 persons, 54 per cent were below the age of 21 and of
the remaining 17,457 only a very small portion was above the age
of 25.
By the middle of June, 1932, about 60,000 persons were enrolled
in the service. No estimates are available as to the number at work
now, but the opinion has been expressed that some 50,000 workers
will find employment under the system during July and August.
The latter figure amounts to approximately 5 per cent of the total
number of youthful unemployed persons in Germany at the present
time, the total of this category being about 1,000,000.
During the time that the voluntary labor service has been in
operation the total number of unemployed in Germany has varied
between 5,000,000 and 6,000,000 people. At best it seems that some
140152°—32---- 5
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50,000 workers were enrolled in the service, which represents only
1 per cent of the total unemployed. They were not given steady
jobs but worked on the average for only about 10 weeks each. I t is,
therefore, quite apparent that the voluntary labor service has not
even scratched the surface of Germany’s unemployment problem.
Period of employment and hours of labor.—Heretofore about onehalf of the projects undertaken have given the workers employment
for a period not exceeding 10 weeks. The official figures show that
only 25.7 per cent of the persons employed up to the end of April,
1932, had been given work for a period longer than 10 weeks. The
six or seven hour day has predominated up until the present through
out the service.
Kind and amount of work carried out.—During the half year ending
February 29, 1932, there were 1,127 projects undertaken under the
voluntary labor service system. About one-half of them had to do
with work of a direct economic value, such as the improvement of
farm land (198 projects), the laying out of lots for agricultural and
suburban settlements and vegetable gardens for unemployed persons
(75 projects), the construction, upkeep, and improvement of roads
(144 projects), and the clearing of forests and similar work (approxi
mately 300 projects). The remaining projects (43 per cent of the
total) had to do with work of an indirect economic value, such as
the construction of athletic fields, swimming pools, sanatoriums,
aviation fields, etc.
Cost of work.— Approximately 800,000 marks ($190,400)2 w^ere spent
out of Federal funds during the first six months of the service. Each
member of the service cost the Government during that time 1.70
marks (40 cents) per day. It must be kept in mind that a part of
this cost represents no additional expenditure on the part of the
Government since in it are included unemployment benefits which
otherwise would have been paid out to the individual members of the
service whether they worked or not. Costs of raw materials, im
plements, supervision, and other operating expenses, are not included
in the above sum since such costs are borne by the organization
undertaking the work.
Book credits for workers.—It has already been mentioned that
workers can be credited with certain sums by the Government with
which to purchase houses and lots. Such entries would only be
made when the wage of the voluntary worker exceeds that of the
worker performing the same kind of labor outside the service. The
amount of the book credit would be the difference between the wages
of the outside and the service worker. Since it rarely happens that
the wage of the service worker is more than that of the outside worker,
practically no entries of this character have been made on the Govern
ment’s books.
Changes Planned in System
T he former 6 or 7 hour day and the 10-week working period have
been objected to by the Ministry of Labor and by private organiza
tions sponsoring the service. In the first place, it is generally believed
that a period of 10 weeks is by far too short to effect any considerable
improvement in the material or moral well-being of the worker. It
2Conversions into U nited States currency on basis of m ark=23.8 cents.
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EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS— UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF
805
is also desired to shorten the working-day to five hours, with the idea
of prolonging the working period by another two or three weeks and
permitting a better use of the workers’ spare time.
Under the present system only such projects can be considered as
require a very short time for completion. It is claimed that public
works of this kind are very scarce in Germany, all smaller projects
of any importance having already been carried out.
The most essential change desired is the reorganization of the service
in such a way as to extend the service to as many spheres of work and
as many categories of unemployed persons as possible. This will be
accomplished by the provisions of the new decree permitting funds for
the voluntary labor service, under certain conditions, to be given to
private companies and permitting the admission of unorganized
unemployed persons to the service.
It is planned to divide the service in the future into two sections,
the preparatory and the regular service.
The preparatory service is to last not less than 10 weeks and not
longer than 20 weeks and is to be run along the lines of the old service
with certain changes, such as the abolition of restrictions governing
persons eligible to enter, the introduction of a compulsory minimum
period of service before a member is allowed to withdraw, and the
inauguration of the 5-hour day. The local organizations furnishing
the personnel are to be responsible for drawing up a scheme offering
the members the best mental and physical training in their spare time.
This preparatory service is to offer unorganized youthful unemployed
the necessary training to enable them to join the regular labor service.
The regular service, lasting 40 weeks, is the continuation of the
preparatory service. Graduates, so to speak, of the preparatory
service enter the regular service, but members of independent youth
organizations, such as clubs, political and religious societies, can enter
the regular service directly without going through the preparatory
service. The kind of work done will not differ to any great extent
from that done in the past, although it is planned to lay greater stress
on projects having to do with the laying out of lots for agricultural
and suburban settlements, and with the construction of roads and
houses connected with such settlements.
Present plans call for the employment during the fiscal year ending
March 31, 1933, of 100,000 persons in the preparatory service for a
period of 20 weeks, and 50,000 persons in the regular service for a
period of 40 weeks. Stated in another way, this means that 200,000
persons will be employed for 20 weeks, or 100,000 persons for 40 weeks.
This will result in a total of 24,000,000 working-days, which at a
cost of 2 marks (48 cents) per day, to the Government, an expendi
ture of 48,000,000 marks ($11,424,600). The Federal Government
has earmarked 55,000,000 marks ($13,090,000) for the voluntary labor
service during the present fiscal year.
The authorities estimate that each worker in the voluntary labor
service will cost 3.50 marks (83 cents) per day, of which 1.50 marks
(35 cents) will be borne by the organizations instituting the work, such
as the villages, counties, etc., and will be expended for materials, tools,
equipment, and supervision of the work. The remaining 2 marks
(48 cents) will be provided by the Federal Government and will be spent
for board, lodging, clothing, etc.; any amount saved out of this amount
will be given to the workers as pocket money. Up to now there has
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been considerable difference in the amount of pocket money given
throughout Germany, but as a rule it has been 20, 30, or 40 pfennigs
(4.8, 7.1, or 9.5 cents) per day.
Conclusion
I t is quite apparent that the Federal Government attaches con
siderable importance to the voluntary labor service, not so much from
the standpoint of the value of the work performed or the relief to
the unemployment situation, but more from the standpoint of the
phvsical and moral benefits accruing to young Germans, oyer whose
spare time the Government can exercise a semicontrol during 20 to
40 weeks in the year. In this way the demoralizing influence of
unemployment can be checked. The present plans, therefore, may
be regarded as the first step toward the enlargement and expansion
of the service. This is really the meaning of a rider which was
attached to the emergency decree of July 16. This rider stated that
the Federal commissioner of the voluntary labor service was, after
sufficient experience had been acquired, to report to the Ministry of
Labor concerning the development of the service and to give his views
regarding the requisites for and the practical form of a compulsory
service. The views of the Federal commissioner, according to the
rider, will be published so that the public may have an opportunity
to pass judgment upon them. It would, therefore, not be surprising
if the present voluntary labor service develops into a compulsory
service.
A n E x p e r im e n t w it h V o lu n ta r y W ork o f t h e U n e m p lo y e d
in E n g la n d
HE Manchester Guardian, in its issue for August 18, 1932, gives
an account of the use of unpaid work of unemployed men at
Littleborough to preserve an old Roman bridge which had fallen into
serious disrepair and was in danger of being entirely destroyed. The
bridge, part of a Roman road from Chester to York, is looked upon as
a particularly interesting relic, and a grant for its restoration was
made by the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Monuments.
A Rochdale society also contributed, and local firms made gifts of
materials, tools, and cartage, while the unemployed gave their labor
free. “As far as these men are concerned the only expense to the
organizers has been the payment of their bus fares to and from work.”
Those entitled to unemployment insurance benefits continued to
draw them while thus employed, and arrangements were made to
provide insurance against the risks normally covered by employers’
liability. The town is now considering further schemes for making
use of such voluntary labor. “ There is talk of laying out a park,
digging a sw im m ing Tbath, as well as of further archaeological work.
Unfortunately, there is labor enough for all three, for Littleborough
is a town with about 26 per cent of unemployment.”
T
Thé men are quick to see the advantage to themselves of an opportunity of
keeping their hand in, so that, although they could not be paid anything for
their work on the bridge, there were many more volunteers than there were
places to be filled. After long unemployment it takes a man one or two days to
regain his full working powers, and employers therefore prefer to engage men who
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EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS— UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF
807
are not handicapped in this way at the start. Schemes like the present, there
for, help a man to keep or to regain his power of securing vacant jobs. Thus on
the bridge scheme one young man of 26 has had his first spell of work since 1927.
He has to-day a much better chance of finding another job than he had before.
Apart from physical fitness, it is pointed out that the fact that a man has worked
three weeks for nothing shows that he is a good and keen workman.
U n e m p lo y m e n t I n s u r a n c e a n d U n e m p lo y m e n t R e lie f
in Q u e e n s la n d in 1932
N Great Britain, when the unemployment-insurance plan as
originally designed proved inadequate to the severe and prolonged
unemployment of the last decade, the framework of the plan was used
for the administration of emergency relief independent of the original
relation between contributions paid and benefits received. Queens
land, faced with the same problem, maintained the basic conditions
of its insurance plan, devised an entirely separate relief scheme for
its destitute unemployed, and is now operating the two systems
simultaneously. As the insurance scheme was not established until
1923, it had not time to build up a reserve adequate to the intensity
and duration of unemployment in Queensland, but it was not till
1930-31 that its funds proved insufficient. The unemployment relief
scheme is frankly a measure of public aid, supported by taxation.
I
Unemployment-Insurance Plan
T h e unemployed workers’ insurance plan, to give it its legal title,
was enacted by the legislature in 1922, and became operative in
March, 1923. It is compulsory, and covers all workers aged 18 and
over, except for rural workers engaged in other than the sugar and
pastoral industries, the employees of the Commonwealth (Australian)
Government, and small groups of workers employed under Common
wealth awards. The act has been amended several times in matters
of detail but its main features have not been changed.
Annual reports of its work are published, and from these the figures
in the following pages have been taken.1
The insurance fund is made up of contributions, equal in amount,
from the employer, the employee, and the Government. The contri
bution was originally 3d. (6 cents) per week for each employed
worker from each party, but as the situation grew worse it was
increased, and since July, 1928, it has been 6d. (12 cents)2 per week
from each. According to the district, weekly benefits range from
15s. to 17s. ($3.65 to $4.14) for the individual worker, male or female,
unmarried or widowed, and from 24s. to 29s. 6d. ($5.84 to $7.18) for
a married male worker supporting a wife. From 4s. to 5s. (97 cents
to $1.22) a week is allowed for each child, up to four, under 16 years
of age who is wholly supported by the recipient of the benefit.
A worker must have been insured for six months before being
eligible for benefit^ The maximum benefit period is 13 weeks in any
one year, and this is payable only to those who have been employed
for at least 26 weeks during the preceding 12 months. If the applii
Queensland. U nem ploym ent Council. A nnual reports on operations under th e unem ployed workers’
insurance acts, 1922 to 1930. Brisbane, 1924-1931.
Conversions into U nited States currency on basis of pound=$4.8665, sh illing= 24.33 cents, and p e n n y =
2.03 cents.
2
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
cant has been employed for less than 26 weeks, he is allowed bene
fits computed on the basis of one week’s benefit for each two weeks
of employment. There is a waiting period of two weeks after unem
ployment commences. In 1930 the act was amended to provide
that a worker who had earned or otherwise received more than
£220 ($1,071) during the preceding 12 months was not entitled to
benefit under the unemployment insurance plan.
Finances of the Scheme
The contributions and benefits had been calculated on the basis of
what had, up to that time, been a normal experience of unemploy
ment, and it was expected that the plan would meet ordinary needs
and build up a good reserve against any emergency which might arise
in the future. Unfortunately the emergency came too soon. In an
effort to meet it, the weekly contribution from each party was raised
to 4d. (8 cents) in July, 1927, and to 6d. (12 cents) in July, 1928,
while in 1930 the benefit period was cut from 15 to 13 weeks. The
balance in the fund on June 30 of each year, 1924 to 1931, was as
follows :
C redit balance
C redit balance
1928____ ____ £10,666 ($51,906)
1924_____ __ £124,395 ($605,368)
1925_____ __ 168,963 ($822,258) 1929_____ ____ 62,998 ($306,580)
1926_____ __ 177,638 ($864,475) 1930____ ____ 35,785 ($174,148)
80,204 ($390,313) 1931____ ____ 328,070 ($136,603)
1927_____ __
It will be noticed that up to the close of the fiscal year 1925-26 the
fund was adding to its reserves each year, but that since that date
there has been "but one year, 1928-29, in which income exceeded
expenses. In 1930-31 it became necessary to borrow from the Gov
ernment to meet the sustenance payments for which the fund was
liable. The variations are shown more clearly by comparison of the
annual receipts and expenditures.
T4.BI E 1 . — A N N U A L R E C E IP T S , E X P E N D IT U R E S , A N D B A L A N C E S, O F Q U E E N S L A N D
U N E M P L O Y E D W O R K E R S ’ IN S U R A N C E F U N D , 1926 TO 1931
[Conversions into U nited States currency on basis of pound=$4.8665]
Receipts
Y ear ending Ju n e 30
English
currency
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
________________
_______________
________________
___________________
________________
__________________
-
£256,977
263, 524
342,682
491, 503
490, 568
453,439
U nited
States
currency
$1, 250, 579
1, 282,440
1,667,662
2,391,899
2, 387,349
2,206,661
Expenditures
English
currency
£248, 301
360,959
412, 220
439,171
517, 780
517,293
U nited
States
currency
$1, 208,357
1, 756,607
2, 006,069
2,137, 226
2, 519, 776
2, 517, 406
Credit (+ ) or debit (—)
balance on year’s work
English
currency
+ £ 8 , 676
-97,435
-6 9 , 538
+52, 332
-27,212
-63,854
U nited
States
currency
+$42, 222
-474,167
-338, 407
+254,674
-132,427
-310, 745
The effect of the increase in the contribution rates made in 1927
and 1928 is reflected in the sudden rise in receipts, but the increase in
unemployment has prevented this rise from being as great as was
expected, while at the same time it has meant a heavy drain in the
way of benefit payments. Figures published in the Queensland
Industrial Gazette for June, 1932 (p. 237), show that from July 1,
aD ebit balance.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS— UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF
809
1931, to May 31, 1932, the receipts of the funds were £367,900
($1,790,385) and the expenditures £360,455 ($1,754,154), giving a
credit balance on the 11 months’ work of £7,445 ($36,231), and reduc
ing by that amount the debt outstanding against the fund on June 30,
1931.
The increasing severity of the depression not only increased the
number of applicants for benefit, but rendered it necessary to pay
out larger amounts to the individual applicant. The following figures
show for the five years, 1927-1931, the number of applicants and the
average amount of benefit drawn by each:
T a b l e 2 .—N U M B E R O F A P P L IC A N T S A N D A V E R A G E A M O U N T O F U N E M P L O Y M E N T
B E N E F IT IN Q U E E N S L A N D , 1927 TO 1931
[Conversions into U nited States currency on basis of pound=$4.8665]
Average am ount paid
per applicant
Y ear ending M ar. 31—
1927____________ ____________
1928__________________________
1929. _______________________
1930__________________________
1931__________________________
N um ber of
applicants
48,980
52, 226
56,160
55,903
65, 547
English
currency
U nited
States
currency
£ 6 . 36
7.22
7.48
8 . 05
$30. 95
35.14
36. 40
39.18
39.42
8 .1 0
Incidence of Insurance Liability, by Industries
In Queensland, as in Great Britain, the great burden of unem
ployment is confined to relatively few industries, though the inci
dence differs in the two countries. In Great Britain, for instance,
coal and textiles make excessively heavy demands on the insurance
scheme, while in Queensland the amount paid to textile workers is
almost negligible, and coal miners in 1930-31 received less than 4 per
cent of the total benefit expenditure. The annual report of the work
for 1926-27 calls attention to the fact that applicants for benefit
during the year ending March 31, 1927, were distributed throughout
45 industry groups and that “ 73.8 per cent of the total sustenance
paid was drawn by nine of these groups.” These groups, and the
proportion of the total benefit paid which was drawn by each during
five consecutive years, are shown in Table 3.
T a b l e 3 - P E R C E N T O F T O T A L U N E M P L O Y M E N T B E N E F IT D R A W N B Y S P E C IF IE D
IN D U S T R IE S IN Q U E E N S L A N D , 1927 TO 1931
Y ear ending M ar. 31—
In d u stry group
1927
B uilding___ _____
_
_
Local authorities and m ain roads com m ission.. .
_____ __
M eat e x p o rt... ___________ _______
. ________
M etalliferous m in in g ... . . . . . . _ ______
. . . ___
Pastoral (cattle and sheep) . . . . . . _ . . . . _________ . . .
Railw ays (construction and m aintenance).
______ . . .
Shearing______ _ ___
____________ _______
Sugar (field and mill w orkers)___ _ __________________ . . _
W aterside workers_______________ ____ _________________ _
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
4 8
5.7
7.6
3.1
7.7
9. 1
3 8
23.3
8.7
1928
1929
1930
7 7
7.4
8 2
6 .8
6 .0
1 .6
6 .2
8.4
3 2
17.0
7.6
7.4
3 5
19.0
10.3
5.8
1.4
6. 1
8. 5
3 7
8
1
6 .6
4.7
3.4
8 .1
2 0 .8
8.7
1931
7.6
2.9
1 .8
6 .6
4.9
3 3
19.2
7.1
810
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
It will be noticed that throughout this period the sugar industry has
made the heaviest demands upon the scheme, its share of the total
benefit paid varying from about one-sixth to nearly one-fourth.
General Conclusions
Reviewing conditions at the end of the fiscal year^ 1930-31, the
unemployment council concluded that the scheme had justified itself,
though unable to meet the full needs of the situation. In times even
approaching normal, it had proved that the rates of contribution were
sufficient to pay reasonable benefits and to build up a fund for abnor
mal times, and though in the present emergency it had become nec
essary to establish special relief funds for those who had exhausted
their benefit rights, nevertheless these benefit rights served a valuable
purpose.
It is difficult to provide by means of relief works employment of a nature other
than laboring work, hence persons employed in callings demanding manual skill
or professional experience when unemployed would be drafted into the ranks of
the unskilled. Unemployment insurance has provided a breathing space in
which these workers and female employees could seek reabsorption in callings in
which they have their greatest value. In normal times unemployment insurance
has served to uphold the morale of the worker by relieving him of the necessity
of relying on either private or public charity.
Queensland’s Unemployment Relief Scheme
T ow ard the end of the last decade unemployment increased very
rapidly in Queensland. In January, 1927, the registered unemployed
numbered 11,132, and the largest number recorded during the year
was 11,761 in February. For the next three years the figures of the
January registration were, respectively, 12,737, 15,884, and 20,138.
At this point it was felt that measures must be taken for relief, and a
special tax for unemployment relief was deemed the best way of meet
ing the situation. A tax of 1%per cent was imposed on practically all
income, including wages, with such minor exemptions as savings-bank
interest, invalidity and old-age pensions, workmen’s compensation
payments, war pensions and gratuities, State children’s allowances,
unemployment insurance payments, and Government rations.3
The administration of this act, passed in July, 1930, was placed in
the hands of the Minister of Labor and Industry. He was given
authority to use whatever amount he thought fit for the relief of unem
ployment and of distress among female workers, but apart from this,
the fund could be used only to aid local authorities in providing relief
works “ wherever their necessity might be indicated by the number of
unemployed in the various centers of the State.” The work was begun
in May, 1930, with money advanced by the treasury to prevent the
necessity of waiting for legislative action. The first annual report of
the work, recently issued, covers the year ended June 30, 1931, and
gives some details of the various methods used.4
General Features of the Scheme
Relief works were first instituted in Brisbane, with a working week
of 44 hours and a wage of £3 ($14.60) weekly to married men and of
3 For details, see Labor Review, November, 1930, p. 45.
4 Queensland. D epartm ent of Labor and In d u stry . First annual report upon the operations and pro
ceedings u n d er “ T h e income (unem ploym ent relief) tax acts of 1930,” for th e year ended June 30, 1931,
Brisbane, 1931,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS— UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF
811
£2 10s. ($12.17) to single men. At the beginning 1,000 men were
employed, taken only from among those who had been forced to apply
for the Government rations—in other words, for outdoor poor relief.
It was found, however, that withholding relief from other needy unem
ployed persons simply resulted in their becoming destitute and having
to suffer the embarrassment of making for the first time in their lives
application for Government ration relief.
It was therefore decided to waive the stringent application of the original
condition, and to employ on relief work any genuinely unemployed person, giving
first preference to the most needy cases and men with the largest families, and
reserving the right of single men to be employed in the proportion of one to four
married men. Within the course of a few weeks the number of unemployed
persons on relief work rapidly rose throughout the State until at Christmas time
a maximum of approximately 8,000 men were engaged on various works, and
earning at the rate of £3 married, and £2 10s. single men.
This constituted too heavy a drain on the resources of the fund,
and what was called a rotation plan was adopted, under which a man
who had worked 12 weeks was laid off and replaced by a new applicant.
This made it necessary for the “ rotated” men to apply again for the
outdoor poor relief, for which no work in return was demanded. To
avoid this, in March, 1931, a plan was adopted known as the inter
mittent relief work scheme and was paid for out of the fund raised by
the unemployment tax. Under this plan work is provided for men
with dependents, the amount of work, and therefore of relief, varying
in proportion to the number of dependents. The range of relief
given was from 17s. ($4.14) a week for a man with no dependent but
a wife, and 21s. 6d. ($5.23) for a man with wife and one child under
14 (this age was afterward raised to 18) to 44s. ($10.71) a week for a
man with a wife and 8 dependent children.
By the inauguration of the intermittent relief scheme the cycle of relief work
has so far been completed. After having finished their rotation on the ordinary
relief work, eligible men are now simply drafted to the intermittent relief work,
and their places either taken by men on intermittent relief work or by other
necessitous unemployed. In this way the most needy men are given a permanent
interest by providing them with at least some work during every week of the
year, and the general opinion is that this continuity of work has resulted in a
distinct improvement in the outlook of all the men concerned.
Some minor measures were taken in respect of unemployed women
and girls._ An unemployed female, regardless of age, may be included
in the relief family of an intermittent worker, and the latter’s weekly
amount of _work increased proportionately. Some work has been
given girls in making up garments of all kinds for the unemployed,
and women living alone have been helped by various devices. In
general, however, work for unemployed women does not seem to have
been conducted on any large scale.
Finances of the Scheme
It had been calculated that the tax imposed would raise about
£800,000 ($3,893,200) during the first year, but as it did not become
operative until the beginning of August, the amount received fell
short of this. From August 1, 1930, to June 30, 1931, receipts totaled
£702,640 ($3,419,398) and expenditures, including repayment of the
initial loan from the treasury, reached £700,112 ($3,407,095), leaving
a cash balance on hand of £2,528 ($12,303). In general, the director
reports, the tax has been paid willingly, and all concerned have
cooperated to make the plan effective.
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812
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
Kinds of Employment Furnished
A great part of the work provided is along the customary lines of
made jobs, but several plans of a constructive character are being
tried out. Experimentation is hampered by the fact that the fund
may not be used for a program of public improvements, but only
for the direct relief of unemployment. Land settlement, it was felt,
offered the most promising field for really effective work, and though
this could not be undertaken directly, it might be approached under
the terms of the act, and at the same time, another puzzling problem
might be solved.
Intermittent Relief Work Camps
The question of rent had been difficult from the first. The Govern
ment did not, for obvious reasons, wish to pay it from relief funds,
but it could not be ignored permanently. The matter was most
acute in the case of intermittent relief workers, whose pay was
smaller than that of men on regular relief work, so the Govern
ment finally offered to send intermittent workers to any local author
ity who could use them provided the authority would furnish suitable
housing and keep it in sanitary condition.
The general principle underlying the scheme is that men on intermittent relief
work whose wages are aready paid out of the trust fund should be transferred to
huts provided by any local authority who so desires, and in return the_ local
authority should have the benefit of the work given such men under the inter
mittent relief scheme and paid for by the Government. In this particular arrange
ment each contracting party benefits—the Government by partly solving a vexed
problem without extra cost other than the cost of transport, the local authority
by procuring the services of men for an indefinite period in return for huts pro
vided at a cost of some £10 [$48.67] to £12 [$58.40] and the unemployed by pro
curing house room free of cost in congenial surroundings until such time as the
procuring of normal work puts an end to their rent difficulties.
The arrangement, of course, is entirely voluntary on both sides.
By the end of June, 1931, six camps of this kind had been set up and
others were in process of formation. Some 60 families, with approxi
mately 180 children, had been transferred and the number seemed
likely to increase as the plan became known. It was hoped, also,
that the families could be encouraged to grow their own vegetables,
perhaps to raise a few chickens, and eventually to aid considerably
in their own support.
Other Projects
Another scheme consisted of clearing, by means of otherwise un
employed workers, 130 acres of land and putting it in condition for an
experiment in tobacco growing on a commercial basis. Reafforesta
tion gave employment to a number.
During the year * * * 828 acres were planted with 562,000 softwood
seedlings; 1,194 acres of forest plantation were tended and cleaned; 20,495 acres
of natural forests were improved; 147 miles of fire lines were constructed and main
tained; 5 miles of fence were erected; 6 miles of roads were constructed into the
forest areas; 513 acres of scrub were felled for plantation purposes; 130 acres of
maize were planted as cover crops for young seedlings; and to provide for future
plantings, 1,101,000 seedlings were raised and tended in nurseries. The whole of
this work was accomplished by unemployed men under the relief scheme at a
total expenditure of £17,186 [$83,636].
As in New Zealand, a number of men were subsidized to carry on
prospecting throughout the State, other minerals being sought as
well as gold. Road making was carried on extensively; airplane
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EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS— UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF
813
landing grounds were cleared and prepared ; drainage schemes were
carried through; and work was accomplished on irrigation and
water conservation plans.
Plans for
1931-32
At the close of the fiscal year covered by this report the unemploy
ment situation was so serious that the unemployment relief tax was
increased, for the coming year, to 6d. (12 cents) in the pound ($4.87)
on all incomes of £104 ($506) and over, and attention was given to the
matter of preparing the youth for greater employability in the future.
In October, 1931, a farm training scheme for boys was begun, under
which successive groups of 25 boys would be trained for work on the
land. In the same month a vocational training scheme for 1,000 boys
was inaugurated^ giving a six months’ training in leather working,
sheet-metal working, woodworking, cement work, and house painting.
A scheme was also under way for training 500 girls, aged from 15 to
20, in domestic science.
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LAND SETTLEMENT
H o m e s te a d E x p e r im e n ts in P u e r to R ico
STUDY, dealing with child health and welfare in Puerto Rico,
was undertaken by the American Child Health Association in
1930, at the request of the President of the United States. In the
published results of this investigation considerable space is devoted
to the efforts of the Puerto Rican Government to establish small
settlements or homesteads.1
The report notes that at one time Puerto Rico was the home of
small landowners. With the advent of the great moneyed interests
to the island, the small land holdings were absorbed by degrees into
the large tobacco and sugar plantations, and most of the owners of
the many small farms, which have gradually disappeared, have become
seasonal laborers on the big agricultural undertakings.
A
Homestead Commission
O r i g i n a l l y Puerto Rico had its crown lands, inherited from the
Crown of Spain, but a great portion of them had been leased to big
owners for a considerable period. With the view of developing these
crown lands into small farms for the Puerto Ricans, the 1921 legisla
ture created a homestead commission,2 under the patronage but not
under the control of the Department of the Interior, the ex officio
chairman being the commissioner of that department. The member
ship of the commission includes the commissioners of health, agricul
ture, and labor, and four others appointed by the governor. The
commission was authorized to develop other areas to be used, both as
urban settlements for providing adequate and reasonably priced hous
ing for artisans and workers (in some cases houses and lots; in other
instances, lots only) and also for the establishment and development
of farm homesteads. The general scheme is to charge anyone taking
over homestead property a monthly or tri-monthly payment for 10
years. With some legal restrictions at the close of such period, -the
homesteader becomes the owner of the property he has lived on and
developed. Such land can be neither transferred nor sold except to
another homesteader, unless the whole commission approves. This
restriction is to prevent the absorption of homesteads into large land
holdings.
Since the first homestead act became operative approximately
$950,000 has been available from budget appropriations and Govern
ment funds as a revolving fund for purchasing homesteads. The
commission has also drawn overhead expenses from this fund for the
building of schools, roads, and water supplies on homestead acreages,
as well as expenses for general administration, as prior to July, 1930,
no regular appropriations were available for these purposes.
1 A merican Child H ealth Association.
A n in q u iry into th e health, nutritional, and social conditions in
P uerto Rico as th e y m ay affect children. N ew Y ork, [1931?].
2 P o r previous article on activities of th is body, see Labor Review, M ay, 1926 (pp. 101-103).
814
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
LAND SETTLEMENT
815
Land appraised at $1,242,081 has also been turned over to the com
mission to use as homesteads.
On July 1, 1930, the rural homesteads consisted of: Acreage, 12,643; appraisal
value, $147,687; number of farms, 1,052; number of persons living on homesteads,
3,858. Urban homesteads consisted of: Houses and lots supplied by commis
sion— San Juan, 492—Arecibo, 125—total, 617. Lots for lease only (homesteaders
to build their own houses)— Arecibo, 100; San Juan, 500; Guaynabo, 300; Salinas
97—total, 977 [sic].
First Rural Experiment
At t h e time the report under review was prepared the rural home
steading experiment dated back 9 years. It was undertaken on a
tract near Vega Baja, 2G1 acres of which the commission divided into
plots of little less than 2 acres each. During the 9-year period some
homesteaders were not able to pay the required amounts for the land
and had to relinquish it. If the man who had the adjoining home
stead applied for such relinquished land he was permitted to add it
to his acreage. The remainder of the land devoted to this pioneer
experiment was used as follows: 1 acre for a school; 1 acre for the
insular police; one-half acre for the water reservoir; 16 acres for a
demonstration farm for the department of agriculture; and the rest
for roads.
The homesteaders on the project near Vega Baja have had to resort
to various activities to add to their income because, although their
land provides their food supply, it does not furnish an adequate
living. Among these men are storekeepers, barbers, carpenters,
masons, and public chauffeurs.
There are 800 people living in 93 families covered by this experiment.
Agriculture is being taught on the small demonstration farm and
the municipality has built a 2-room school house which is used by
both the homestead children and other children in the neighborhood.
The municipal health department has inoculated the homesteaders
against typhoid and given them hookworm treatment.
Other Rural Homesteads
A ll the other rural homesteads are more isolated than the one at
Vega Baja and present three outstanding problems.
Marketing.—The entrance to the homestead near Morovis, for
example, is approximately a mile from the main road.
Many of the homesteaders, however, live 3 or 4 miles within the homestead
proper. Their crops are conditioned, therefore, by what they need for their own
food supply and by what they can easily sell. Each homesteader takes his own
small crop out to the roadside and sells it for whatever the store or some itinerant
purchaser will give. The commission is developing plans to mitigate against this
"hand to m outh” selling.
Last spring an American canning factory supplied pepper and gandula seeds to
the field director, who distributed them among the homesteads. In the fall each
homestead area will deliver its crop to some point on the main road to be picked
up by the canning factory truck at a price already agreed upon. The homestead
commission and the newly created department of commerce have recently
developed a plan of cooperative marketing for homestead crops.
Education.—On many rural homesteads school facilities are not
available. In the Morovis section there are possibly 100 children of
school age, and the nearest primary school is perhaps 2 miles from the
entrance to the homestead and is overcrowded. Ten homesteads are
reported as having 1 school each and 1 homestead as having 2 schools.
There are 650 children in a group of homesteads which have no schools,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
816
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
Health.—Isolated homesteads have not the advantages of health
facilities. Approximately 60 per cent of the rural homesteaders have
latrines. Most of the families have been given hookworm treatment.
Urban Homesteads
H o m e st e a d in g was not begun, however, in rural regions of the
island, but in the city of San Juan. For years economic hardships
have been driving the people into the cities to look for jobs. They
have “ squatted” on any rent-free land that was available in city
slums where moral conditions and sanitation were extremely bad.
In the mangrove swamps they have also constructed 1-room shacks
out of tin cans and refuse from city dumps. The health department
policed these unsuitable localities to prevent the putting up of such
shelters, but this merely resulted in these people doing their building
at night. Finally, recourse was had to night guards. As an outcome
of these conditions in 1921 the homestead commission started its
urban homestead project. It borrowed $750,000 from the insular
government and bought from private individuals the land in the
suburbs of San Juan, which the government had used for a training
camp during the war. This was the beginning of the workmen’s
barrio (Barrio Obrero), which is divided into a concrete zone and a
lumber zone. In the former only concrete houses valued at $1,500 or
over are built; in the latter, houses of not less than a finished value of
$200 may be erected.
The rest of the 500 houses have been built by families purchasing the land
under the same conditions that the rural homesteaders are owning theirs. The
average lot is 200 square meters and is sold for $300 to $500, without interest or
taxes until paid for. As in the rural zone, a person who owns other property can
not become a homesteader. At the present time more than 500 applicants wait
to purchase these lots and no lots are available. Before the hurricane the net
return to the commission from this project was $5,500 monthly. Lack of employ
ment has slowed payment down to $3,000 or $4,000 a month. Four hundred and
ninety-two families live in this barrio, and only nine cases of arrears in payment
are pending in court.
Beyond the barrio, acres of mangrove swamps are being filled in
with a view to future sales. The government is also disposing of
waste swamp lands in small lots for $10 cash each to any one who will
fill them in above the level of the tide and build upon such reclaimed
land.
Rude shelters built by squatters along the ocean front at Arecibo
have been condemned by the commission, which has subdivided a
tract on the high land 2 miles from the city. Land is also being re
claimed and housing improvements made at Cantano, a small work
men’s community across the bay from San Juan.
Summary of Results
A t t h e time of the preparation of the report here summarized, 1,052
rural Puerto Rican families were living on homesteads. Important
among the accomplishments in this connection are: The utilization of
waste land; the proving that men can make a living on this land with
the aid of expert supervision in crop control; the showing that men
desire to earn their living and support their families if the opportunity
is offered; and the teaching of the value of saving money to home
steaders, in order that they may meet their installment payments on
their land holdings.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
LAND SETTLEMENT
817
In April, 1931, the homestead commission was authorized by an
act of the legislature to issue bonds of the People of Puerto Rico up
to the amount of $500,000 to be expended by that commission in
acquiring and purchasing lands for the creation of agricultural farms
under the homestead act, thus reducing the cost of living and helping
to solve the problem of unemployment. Furthermore, a bill has
passed the legislature appropriating the sum of $100,000 a year from
the insular treasury funds from 1930 to 1940 “ for the purpose of
acquiring lands by purchase from corporations, partnerships, and
private persons; of dividing said lands into agricultural farms for lease
with the right to ownership; of providing them with seeds, agricul
tural implements, homes, and a system of markets for the fruits they
produce; of employing technical personnel to teach the best methods
of cultivation, attention, and maintenance of said farms, under the
system and provisions of the act creating the homestead commission.”
Such appropriation is, however, only available to the commission
when other budget appropriations have been met by the insular
treasury.
To many persons interested in the future progress of Puerto Rico
the return of the small farmer to the soil as landowner is one of the
most constructive measures undertaken for the well-being of that
island.
S e t t le m e n t o f U n e m p lo y e d W ork ers U p o n L an d in E s to n ia
ACCORDING to the August, 1932, issue of Meie Tee, a monthly
published by the Estonian Educational Society (New York),
the Estonian Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, is
making the first experiment in that country in settling families of
urban unemployed workers upon the land as small farmers. The
first group to be settled consists of 80 selected families; these will
occupy a tract of good farming land of over 1,000 acres.
The clearing of land and the necessary improvements, such as
roads, ditches, fences, buildings, etc., are to be made by the unem
ployed workers themselves under the direction of the Government
experts. The necessary expenses for the improvements and the
wages to the unemployed workers engaged on improvements are
advanced out of the public unemployment relief funds.
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PRODUCTIVITY OF LABOR
M a n -H o u r P r o d u c tiv ity in t h e L u m b e r I n d u s tr y in t h e P a cific
C o a st S t a t e s in 1929
ATA regarding man-hour rates of production for certain indus
tries were collected by the Bureau of the Census in its biennial
census of manufactures for 1929. With the permission of_ that
bureau, a summary of the blast-furnace industry was published in the
Labor Review.1 The present article, the second of this series, covers
the lumber and timber products industry for 1929 in California,
Oregon, and Washington. The same method of tabulation used
heretofore has been followed in this study.
The number of man-hours worked by the wage earners 2 in an
establishment in the lumber and timber products industry was ob
tained by the census through a supplemental schedule sent only to
establishments which reported products valued at $100,000 or more.
Only large mills, therefore, are covered herein.
The tabulations show that efficiency, as measured by man-hour
productivity, depends more upon the extent of mechanization, and
possibly wages paid, than upon such factors as size of plant. In fact,
it decreases with size of plant as measured by number of wage earners
employed, especially for those mills which produced their own logs.
Productivity does not seem to increase with size of mill as measured
by either number of wage earners employed, aggregate output, or
even aggregate horsepower, although for those mills which bought
their logs, there is some increase in productivity with increase in size
of mill as measured by aggregate output.
On the other hand, it is influenced by certain factors. The highwage mills, those which paid the highest hourly wage, sawed, on the
average, about 40 per cent more lumber per man-hour than did the
low-wage mills, but only about 30 per cent more per wage earner.
The average wage cost per thousand feet of lumber sawed was much
lower in the case of the high-productivity mills than of the lowproductivity mills.
Classification of the mills on the basis of horsepower shows that
efficiency depends little upon quantity of available horsepower but
considerably upon the horsepower available per wage earner employed;
in fact, the factor most reliable as an indicator of efficiency in this
industry is horsepower per wage earner, the increase in productivity
with increase in horsepower per wage earner being appreciable.
Moreover, the wage cost per thousand feet sawed is perhaps a trifle
smaller in the case of those mills with much horsepower per wage
earner than in the case of those with little horsepower per wage earner.
D
1 A ugust, 1932, pp. 260-267.
2 T h e term “ wage earners, ” as used b y th e B ureau of th e Census, includes piece workers as well as tim e
workers b u t does no t include salaried officers and salaried employees.
818
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
PRODUCTIVITY OF LABOR
819
Scope of Study
T h e only convenient measure of the physical output of the lumber
industry is the board foot, and for the number of board feet sawed to
be a measure of the labor performed, the mills must work on logs that
are comparable as to size and hardness and the output comparable as
to size. The logs sawed by the large mills in the three Pacific Coast
States are fairly uniform as to size and hardness, the kind of wood
used being largely Douglas fir, Western pine, and redwood.3 It is
assumed also that the mills were comparable as to size of product.
Although each mill may produce some large timbers and some small
sizes, it is probable that the relative output of any specific size is
about the same in each of the mills, i. e., the percentage of the total
production represented by any one size of product is approximately
the same for all.
In order to make the data fully comparable, the plants were also
selected on the basis of (1) the amount of millwork performed upon
the rough product, and (2) whether they bought or produced the logs
they sawed. Mills selling an appreciable portion of their products in
the forms of lath, shingles, veneers, doors, sash, window and door
frames, moldings, and boxes were omitted from the tabulations.
Those mills which were included sold at least 90 per cent of their
products, on the basis of board feet, either as rough or dressed lumber
(the latter including flooring, ceiling, partition or siding). The
quantity of lumber sold in the rough state was 63 per cent of "the total
production in the case of those mills which purchased their logs, and
47 per cent in the case of those which produced the logs they sawed.
A considerable quantity of lumber, therefore, was dressed in the mills,
but this was more or less true of all the mills in each of the two groups
tabulated.
As to the source of the logs sawed, one group of mills, 47 in number,
purchased all their logs or produced less than 25 per cent of the logs
sawed; in fact, only a very few mills included in this group produced
any logs at all during the year, and the average production of logs
per mill was negligible. The other group of mills, 46 in number,
produced 75 per cent or more of the logs sawed. The report for any
mill producing logs included data as to the wage earners and the man
hours worked in the logging camp as well as the wage earners and
the man-hours worked in the mill proper. Many of the mills which
produced their logs sold small quantities in log form. The output of
each mill, as used in the tabulations, was based upon the output of
lumber rather than of logs. The labor used in the production of the
logs sold, therefore, was in excess of that necessary for an establish
ment to produce its output of rough lumber, including the logging
operations necessary for this output. For this reason, for these
establishments the number of wage earners and number of man-hours
worked were somewhat too large in relation to the output, but no
correction was attempted because the quantities of logs sold as such
equaled only a few per cent of the total production.
In view of the fact that the reports of the 46 mills which produced
their logs included also the wage earners and man-hours of the logging
3
A few mills were om itted from th e tabulations because m ost of their products were hardwoods, and
generally of special sm all sizes such as is used in th e m anufacture of furniture.
140152°—32
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-6
820
M O N T H L Y L A B O R R E V IE W
camps, the productivity of these mills, in board feet per man-hour
or per wage earner, was much less than that for the 47 mills which
bought their logs. The relative productivity per man-hour for the
first group was only 39 per cent of that for the second, the actual
figures being 51 board feet for the first against 129 for the second;
and the corresponding figure for productivity per wage earner during
the year was 42 per cent, being 123,000 board feet against 294,000.
Although the 93 establishments covered by the present study
represent only a small percentage of the 1,528 establishments in the
industry in these three States, the output covered is quite repre
sentative of the total production of the industry in the area, being
4,088,629,000 board feet, or 29 per cent of the total of 14,149,301,000.
The corresponding percentages covered for the individual States are :
California, 20; Oregon, 42; and Washington, 23.
Trends of Productivity
Productivity, by States
T a b l e 1 shows averages of output, wages, and horsepower in each
of the three States for the two groups of mills—the 47 which bought
their logs, and the 46 which produced the major part of their logs.
The “ wages” item is based on the aggregate amount of compensation
paid during the year to all wage earners of an establishment. This,
divided by the year’s output, gives the wages per thousand feet of
lumber sawed; and the “ wages per man-hour” are obtained by
dividing the aggregate wages by the total number of man-hours
worked. The “ horsepower” is the sum of the rated capacity of the
prime movers plus that of the electric motors driven by purchased
energy. The power of electric motors run by energy generated in
the establishment, if any, is omitted since to include such motors would
result in a duplication of some of the power originating with the
prime movers proper.
T a ble 1 .— A V E R A G E O U T P U T , W A G E S, A N D H O R S E P O W E R IN S E L E C T E D L U M B E R
M IL L S , B Y ST A T E S , 1929
Class of m ills and State
M ills buying th eir logs:
C alifornia____________
Oregon ______________
W ashington__________
T o tal,
___________
M ills producing 75 per cent
or more of th eir logs:
California______ , , . . .
Oregon, _
W ashington___ ____ _
T o tal______________
N um
ber of
estab
lish
m ents
Average o u tp u t of
Average horsepower i
lum ber (in th o u
W ages
Aver
sand board-feet)
age
number of
Per Per
Per es- Per
Per
wage Per es Per Per
1 ,0 0 0
1 ,0 0 0 wage
tabearn tablish m an wage 1 , 0 0 0 mPer
an lishm
an earn
feet
earn
feet
ers
m ent hour
er sawed hour m ent sawed hours er
C e n ts
63. 1
438
56.7 2, 355
59.8 1, 778
0.027
.033
.041
2. 27
4, 26
5.31
1 2 .2
58.6
1,880
.037
4.83
1 1 .0
15. 36
9. 46
12. 04
53.3
58.3
62.2
2 , 068
2, 179
1 , 122
.060
.050
.045
2.08
3. 05
2.34
5.5
7.1
5.2
11.13
57.2
1,922
.051
2. 63
6.3
13
32
76
244
146
16,166 0. 084
71, 210 . 129
43,822 .131
213
292
300
$7. 53
4.41
4. 57
47
171
50, 220
.129
294
4. 55
11
10
378
307
217
34, 599
43, 991
24, 791
.035
.062
.052
92
143
114
46
305
37, 571
.051
123
2
25
i R ated capacity of prim e movers plus th a t of electric motors driven b y purchased energy.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
5.8
9.7
PRODUCTIVITY OF LABOR
821
In the first group of plants the data for California cover only two
mills, and the averages for each of the other two States, although
representing a satisfactory number of establishments, are, in general,
about equal in value; the figures, therefore, can not be depended
upon to reveal accurate trends induced by the factors affecting pro
ductivity. For the group of mills which produced their logs, 10 or
more mills were tabulated for each State, and for this reason accurate
trends are probably indicated. The most outstanding point shown
for this group is in connection with wages and output. California,
represented by 11 mills, ranks lowest in wages per man-hour, highest
in wages per thousand feet of lumber sawed, and lowest in output per
man-hour. Oregon, on the other band, is lowest in wages per thou
sand feet of lumber sawed, highest in output per man-hour, but second
(somewhat less than Washington) in wages per man-hour.
The cause of this range in productivity seems to be a matter of
mechanization. California, with the lowest productivity, is highest
in average number of wage earners employed and is only slightly in
excess of the smallest in respect to horsepower per wage earner. On
the other hand, Oregon, ranking highest in productivity, ranks also
the highest in respect to horsepower per wage earner. "These obser
vations are confirmed by Table 2, in which the several establishments
are classified in respect to each of six factors of productivity without
regard to their geographical location.
Productivity, by Size of Plant
T able 2 classifies the two groups of establishments according to
number of wage earners employed, output in thousand feet of lumber
produced, output per man-hour, average hourly rate of wages, horse
power, and horsepower per wage earner. In each case the figures are
averages per establishment.
Number of wage earners employed.—As shown in the first section
of the table, the output per establishment for the 47 mills which
purchased their logs ranged from 16,793,000 feet in the 13 mills
with fewer than 100 wage earners (actually averaging 50 wage earners
each) to 105,785,000 feet in the 8 mills with 300 wage earners or
more (averaging 364 wage earners each). A tendency to decrease
with increase in size of plant is shown by the figures in the last two
columns on output, two on wages, and the last three on horsepower.
Moreover, in the case of the three columns giving horsepower rates,
the decreasing tendency is rather pronounced. The cause of the
lower efficiency of the larger mills in relation to that of the smaller
mills is not definitely shown by these figures, but it is to be noticed
in this connection that the output of the largest group of mills is
6.3 times that of the smallest group, whereas the corresponding
ratio for the horsepower is only 3.8. Apparently, a larger percentage
of the work was done by manual labor in the large mills than in the
small ones.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
822
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
T a b l e 3 .—A V E R A G E O U T P U T , W A G E S, A N D H O R S E P O W E R IN S E L E C T E D
LUM BER
M IL L S , C L A S S IF IE D A C C O R D IN G TO SIZ E , 1929
M i l l s b u y in g th e ir logs
Size classification
N u m b er of wage earners:
U nder 1 0 0 ... . .
100 to 199_____________
200 to 299_____________
300 and over _______
O u tp u t (in thousand board
feet) :
U nder 2 0 ,0 0 0 ____
20.000 to 49,999________
50.000 and over_____ _
O u tp u t per m an-hour:
U nder 100 fe e t... . ._ .
100 to 149 feet. . . . . .
150 feet a n d over_____
Wages per man-hour:
U nder 50 cents. ___
50 to 59.9 cents___ _ . .
60 cents and over___ _
Horsepower in each estab
lishm ent i:
U nder 1.000___________
1.000 to 2,999__________
3.000 and over ______
H o rsep o w er 1 p e r w a g e
earner:
U nder 10_____ _ _____
10 to 19.99 __________
2 0 and over_______
N um
ber of
estab
lish
m ents
Average o u tp u t of
lum ber (in th o u
Wages
Average horsepower 1
Aver
sand board feet)
age
numher of
wage
Per
Per
Per
Per
Per Per
Per
earn estab Per Per 1 ,0 0 0
1 ,0 0 0
1 ,0 0 0
an wage feet m an estab
ers
lish m
lish
feet
m
an wage
m ent hour earner sawed hour m ent sawed hours earner
C e n ts
13
20
6
8
50 16,793 0.145
145 40,930 .124
258 79, 529 .134
364 105,785 .128
41
336
282
308
291
$4.15
4. 80
4.60
4. 37
60.1
59.3
61.6
56.0
827
1, 613
3, 341
3,165
0.049
.039
.042
.030
7.14
4.87
5. 62
3.83
16.5
1 1 .1
12.9
8.7
8
21
120
1 0 , 226
34, 769
18
288
8 6 ,0 2 2
.113
.126
.131
249
290
299
5.00
4. 6 6
4.47
56.7
58.8
58.7
439
1,434
3, 042
.043
.041
.035
4. 87
5.20
4. 65
9
24
14
155
193
142
30, 395
56, 512
52,179
.085
. 125
.172
196
293
367
6.38
4. 52
3.91
54.5
56.5
67.2
1, 490
2 , 081
1, 787
.049
.037
.034
4.18
4.61
5.89
1 2 .6
8
172
179
161
43, 253
51, 334
51,949
. 104
. 124
. 146
251
287
323
4. 40
4. 58
4. 56
45.7
56.9
66.7
1, 545
1,881
2,014
.036
.037
.039
3.71
4. 54
5. 67
9.0
10.5
12.5
67
189
310
20, 698
53, 094
96,953
.132
. 125
. 135
309
281
313
4. 8 6
4. 61
4. 30
64.1
57.7
58.1
577
1,797
4, 573
.028
.034
.047
3.67
4.23
6.37
9.5
14.8
184
160
132
52, 696
47, 776
43,981
. 124
. 137
. 146
286
299
333
4. 76
4. 17
4.24
58.8
57.0
61.9
2 211
1,401
,
3, 403
.027 3.29
.046 6 . 32
.077 11.28
7.6
13.8
25.8
19
20
15
24
8
28
13
6
10.7
1 2 .0
1 0 .6
9.6
1 0 .8
8 .6
M i ll s p r o d u c in g 7 5 p e r cent or m ore o f th e ir logs
N um ber of wage earners:
U nder 100____________
100 to 199_____________
200 to 399_____________
400 and over__________
O u tp u t (in thousand board
feet):
U nder 20,000__________
20,000 to 49,999________
50,000 and over
O u tp u t per man-hour:
Under 50 feet _
50 to 79 feet. . . . _ .
80 feet and over_______
Wages per m an-hour:
U nder 50 cents____ . . .
50 to 59.9 cents_______
60 cents and over___ _
Horsepower in each estab
lishm ent U
U nder 1,000______ _
1,000 to 2,999__________
3,000 and over___ _ . . .
H orsepow er 1 p e r w a g e
earner:
U nder 5_____________
5 to 9.99 ____________
1 0 and over____ _______
1
12
12
9
13
21
12
13
19
20
7
11
12
23
22
17
7
20
23
3
149
264
695
1 0 , 082 0. 067
19, 437 .060
30, 590 .049
84, 518 .049
$9. 00
9. 79
11.83
11.47
60.0
59.1
57.8
56.5
431
724
1,306
4,832
0.043
.037
.043
.057
2.85
2. 25
2.09
2 . 82
6.3
4.9
4.9
7.0
122
108
240
682
12,163
30, 461
85,178
.052
.051
.051
113
127
125
10.85
11.06
1 1 .2 2
56.7
56. 5
57.6
495
1, 297
4,805
.041
.043
.056
2.13
2.18
2.90
4.6
5.4
7.0
360
327
90
33, 519
48, 857
16, 327
.037
.065
.097
93
149
181
14. 48
9.38
7.36
53. 4
60.5
71.5
1,947
2,437
385
.058
.050
.024
2.14
3. 22
2.29
5.4
7.5
4.3
267
377
285
29, 370
37, 802
41, 373
.046
.039
.063
110
100
145
9.95
13. 54
10. 38
45.3
53.4
65.8
1, 557
2,417
1, 839
.053
.064
.044
2. 42
2. 52
2.82
5.8
6.4
6.5
122
14, 882
313 38,817
861 105, 852
.055
.051
.050
122
10.81
124
123
1 1 .1 1
11.29
59.5
57.0
56.5
453
1, 745
6,972
.030
.045
.066
1.67
2.31
3. 30
8 .1
255
338
382
.042
.054
.076
103
127
189
13. 40
. 60
.
56.0
57.5
60.7
917
2, 308
5,670
.035
.054
.078
1.45
2.93
5.94
14.8
68
26, 359
42, 790
72, 305
148
130
116
10
8 01
R ated capacity of prim e movers plus th a t of electric motors driven b y purchased energy.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
3.7
5.6
3.6
6 .8
PRODUCTIVITY OF LABOR
823
The corresponding figures for the mills which produced their
logs show that the output per establishment ranged from 10,082,000
feet for the 12 mills employing fewer than 100 wage earners each
(actually averaging 68 wage earners each) to 84,518,000 feet for the
13 mills with 400 wage earners or more each (averaging 695 wage
earners). Here, the output per man-hour and per wage earner both
decreases with increase in size of mill, even though the rates on
horsepower increase slightly; and the wages per thousand feet of
lumber sawed increases with increase in size of mill, although the
average wage per man-hour decreases slightly. The explanation of
the relatively lower efficiency or productivity of the large mills in
this group probably lies in the logging operations. The larger the
mill, the farther back into the mountains and inaccessible places
have the logging operations been carried, so that more labor (i. e.,
more wage earners and more man-hours) is required to produce a
given quantity of logs than is necessary for a small mill. The horse
power figures apply only to the equipment in the mills and not to
that used in logging. Hence, although the large mills themselves
may be adequately powered, the advantage gained thereby was ap
parently offset by the relatively large added number of wage earners
necessary to carry on their logging operations.
Quantity of product.—The second sections of the table classify
the two groups of establishments according to quantity of lumber
sawed, the smallest class in each case covering the mills which sawed
less than 20,000,000 feet each during the year and the largest class
those which sawed 50,000,000 feet or more. The results portrayed
by these two sets of tabulations are about the same as those shown
in the sections on number of wage earners employed. The most
outstanding differences are shown for the mills which bought their
logs. The rates on horsepower show little or no tendency to decrease
with increase in size of plant on the basis of output, and this is ac
companied with a slight increase in productivity; in the classification
based on number of wage earners, both the horsepower rates and the
productivity rates decreased appreciably with increase in size of
mill. Additional consideration to the relationship of productivity
to horsepower and horsepower per wage earner will be given later.
The tremendous amount of labor consumed in logging operations
is well revealed by a comparison of these sections in which the mills
are classified according to output. For the mills which bought
their logs, the largest group, producing 50,000,000 feet or more,
turned out an average output of 86,022,000 feet with 288 wage
earners, while for the mills which produced their logs 682 wage
earners were employed to produce an average of only 85,178,000
feet. The productivity per wage earner of the former, 299,000
feet, was 2.4 times that of the latter, 125,000 feet. In other words,
relatively 58 per cent of the effort of the second group, on the basis
of number of wage earners, and 61 per cent on the basis of man
hours, was spent in logging operations.
Output per man-hour.—The third sections of the table, in which the
establishments are classified according to the output per man-hour,
show that the wage cost per thousand feet sawed decreased greatly
with increase in output per man-hour. Furthermore, this occurred
even though the average wage cost per hour increased appreciably
with increase in productivity. For the 47 mills which bought their
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
824
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
logs, the wage cost per thousand feet ranged from $6.38 for the 9
mills producing less than 100 feet per man-hour to only $3.91 for
those 14 mills producing 150 feet and over per man-hour; and the
accompanying wage cost per man-hour ranged from 54.5 cents to
67.2 cents.
This is especially significant when considered in connection with
the average number of wage earners per plant. It becomes evident
that efficiency, as measured by output per man-hour, is not entirely
a matter of size of mill; the nine least efficient mills averaged 155
wage earners each, and the 14 most efficient ones averaged only 142
wage earners each; and yet, with 8 per cent fewer wage earners in
the latter group, its productivity (172 feet per man-hour) was twice
that of the former (85 feet per man-hour).
This is confirmed by the figures for the mills which produced their
logs. Those figures, however, are characterized by still larger varia
tion than was exhibited by the mills which purchased their logs.
Wages per man-hour.—The figures obtained when the establish
ments are classified according to the average wage cost per man-hour
show that although there is considerable range in the average hourly
wage rate and in the productivity, the relative increases in the two
are almost identical; that for wages is slightly in excess of that
for productivity. Among the mills which purchased their logs, the pro
ductivity for those paying 60 cents and over per man-hour (146 feet
per man-hour) was 40 per cent in excess of that for those paying less
than 50 cents per man-hour (104 feet per man-bour); and the corre
sponding increase in average wage cost was 46 per cent, i. e., from
45.7 to 66.7 cents. In other words, the increase in productivity
apparently was 6 per cent less than that in wage cost. The horse
power per thousand feet of lumber sawed was about constant.
Substantially the same situation is found among the mills which
produced their logs. The increase in productivity in this case, how
ever, is 8 per cent less than the increase in hourly wage cost.
Horsepower.—The fifth and sixth sections of the table classify the
establishments according to aggregate horsepower rating and horse
power per wage earner employed, respectively. The data for the
classification based on average horsepower per establishment are very
similar to those for the classification based on output. The mills
with the smallest horsepower had the smallest average output, and
the mills with the largest horsepower the largest average output.
The productivity, however, measured either per man-hour •or per
wage earner, remained about constant, being about the same for the
mills with several thousand horsepower as for the mills with less than
one thousand horsepower. This was the case whether the mills
bought their logs or produced them.
The situation is quite different, however, when the mills are classi
fied on the basis of horsepower per wage earner. The mills with the
largest horsepower per wage earner showed considerably more pro
productivity than those with least horsepower per wage earner, especi
ally in the case of those mills which produced their logs. For those
which purchased their logs, the output per man-hour was 124 feet for
those with less than 10 horsepower per wage earner, whereas it was
146 feet for those with 20 or more horsepower per wage earner.
This is accompanied, however, with a very large range in the figures
for horsepower per thousand feet sawed, running from 0.027 to 0.077
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
PRODUCTIVITY OF LABOR
825
horsepower. The power per wage earner ranged from 7.6 to 25.8
horsepower.
The range in productivity in relation to horsepower per wage
earner, in the mills which produced their logs, was even greater. In
this group, the mills with less than 5 horsepower per wage earner
showed an output of 42 feet per man-hour whereas those with 10 or
more horsepower per wage earner produced 76 feet per man-hour,
i. e., 80 per cent more. The accompanying range in horsepower per
wage earner was from 3.6 to 14.8.
For both groups of mills the average wage cost per man-hour shows
little relation to the available horsepower per wage earner, but does
increase slightly (about 7 per cent) with increase in horsepower per
wage earner; on the other hand, the wage cost per thousand feet of
lumber sawed is considerably less for those mills with much horse
power per wage earner than for those with little horsepower per wage
earner. This is especially the case for those mills which produced
their logs. For these, the wage cost per thousand feet was $13.40 for
those mills with less than 5 horsepower per wage earner, and only
$8.01 for those with 10 or more horsepower per wage earner, a reduc
tion of 40 per cent.
The mills with the greatest horsepower per wage earner are not the
largest as measured by the number of wage earners employed.
Indeed, for the mills which bought their logs, those with the largest
number of wage earners seem to predominate in the groups with least
horsepower per wage earner.
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INDUSTRIAL AND LABOR CONDITIONS
In d u str ia l R e la tio n s in th e E le c tric a l In d u stry
A N ACCOUNT of a cooperative plan for adjusting industrial
XA. relations, set up in 1920 by representatives of the National Asso
ciation of Electrical Contractors and Dealers and the International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers is given in a recent study by the
director of research of the latter organization.1
The plan centers in the National Council on Industrial Relations
for the Electrical Construction Industry, which is the formal designa
tion of the machinery set up. Two years of preparation preceded the
establishment of this council. The immediate point of attack was the
lessening of strikes.
In 1919, when conversations between employers and union leaders were going
forward about a plan for the industry, there were 3,630 strikes in the United States,
involving 4,160,348 men. The next year, in 1920, there were 3,411 strikes, involv
ing 1,463,054 men; in 1921, 2,385 strikes, involving 1,099,248 men.
The leaders in the electrical construction industry knew the strike habit first
hand. Yearly about the first of May agreements expired. Negotiation, begun
three months before, usually resulted in an impasse, and regularly as May Day
rolled around, the men dropped their tools and walked out or the employers locked
their office doors. It was no unusual thing for the union to be operating 200 local
strikes at one time.
Now one of the fallacies of popular thought is that labor unionists enjoy strikes.
This is far from the truth. Strikes bring much inconvenience, much suffering,—
and often real misery to women and children. Strikes are paradoxical weapons
that usually leave the disputants exactly where they began, except for exhaustion,
worn nerves, and festering bitterness. Negotiations follow. Some kind of under
standing is reached. Disputes settled by strike or lockout make future peaceful
settlements more difficult. Belligerent emotions whipped up must have some
destination, just as habits of cooperation tend to strengthen with use. The strike
is an expensive device, more costly to unionists than to employers and more costly
to an industry than to either of the disputants.
There is no formal record of the meetings between representatives
of the employers and the union during the first two years of negotia
tion, and no evidence that there was any effort to build a rigid, hardand-fast plan to erect a highly mechanized structure. The eventual
plan was grounded in good will between the leaders on both sides.
There were self-searchings and investigations. There is every reason to believe
that all former arbitration boards—their methodology, their decisions, their fail
ures—were closely scanned. It was concluded that arbitration as between labor
and capital had failed in the past because any and every tribunal set up failed to
inspire complete confidence. It was concluded that this confidence was lacking
primarily because labor had come to feel that justice was stacked against it, in
the beginning, even though so-called representatives of a third party, the public,
were allowed to participate. The break with tradition, therefore, was complete
and sharp. It was concluded that (1) labor should sit on the board; (2) labor
should have equal representation with contractors; (3) the so-called disinterested
party (who can never really be disinterested) should be excluded; (4) that all
decisions should be unanimous.
1
Hedges, M . H .: A strikeless in d u stry —a cooperative plan for adjusting industrial relations. New
Y ork, T h e John D ay Co. (P am phlet No. 9), 1932.
826
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
INDUSTRIAL AND LABOR CONDITIONS
827
When it was decided that labor was to be equally represented, and
that decisions to be binding were to be unanimous, there was little
difficulty in getting the necessary resolutions adopted by the conven
tions of the respective organizations in 1919. A committee of five
from each convention was appointed. This joint committee met first
on January 26, 1920, for the organization of the plan.
The joint committee proceeded upon the assumption that strikes were caused
by a condition. No orderly course had been set up for the settling of disputes.
These “ idealists” believed that a proper course thus charted would lessen strikes.
They even dreamed of a strikeless industry.
The code of policies formulated by the National Council for Indus
trial Relations shortly after its establishment is as follows :
1. The council views with disfavor sudden changes in wages, as unfair to em
ployers on account of contract commitments. The council likewise, and for the
same reason, discourages retroactive wage advances, unless requested by both
disputants. The council reserves the right, however, to render decisions making
sudden changes, or retroactive changes, or both, if in special cases the facts appear
to warrant such action.
2. Industrial enterprise as a source of livelihood for both employer and employee
should be so conducted that due consideration is given to thè situation of all
persons dependent upon it.
3. The public interest, the welfare and prosperity of the employer and
employee, require adjustment of industrial relations by peaceful methods.
4. Regularity and continuity of employment should be sought to the fullest
extent possible and should constitute a responsibility resting alike upon employers,
wage earners, and the public.
5. The right of workers to organize is as clearly recognized as that of any other
element or part of the community.
6. Industrial harmony and prosperity will be most effectually promoted by
adequate representation of the parties in interest. Existing forms of represen
tation should be carefully studied and availed of in so far as they may be found
to have merit and are adaptable to the peculiar conditions of the electrical
industry.
7. Whenever agreements are made with respect to industrial relations they
should be faithfully observed.
8. Such agreements should contain provisions for prompt and final interpre
tation in the event of controversy regarding meaning or application.
9. Wages should be adjusted with due regard to purchasing power of the
wage and to the right of every man to an opportunity to earn a living, and
accumulate a competence; to reasonable hours of work and working conditions;
to a decent home, and to the enjoyment of proper social conditions, in order to
improve the general standard of citizenship.
10. Efficient production in conjunction with adequate wages is essential to
successful industry. Arbitrary restriction of output below reasonable standards
is harmful to the interest of wage earners, employers, and the public and should
not be permitted. Industry, efficiency, and initiative whenever found should
be encouraged and adequately rewarded, while indolence and indifference should
be condemned.
11. Continuing agreements are recommended, providing they contain pro
vision for settling disputes and for composing differences arising from contro
versial subjects, by reference to disinterested and competent judges.
Only 33 major decisions were rendered by the council in the first
10 years of its existence. A review of these 33 decisions reveals the
council’s struggles to set up new standards of procedure.
The first case to be submitted to the council was in 1921. A dispute
arose in Detroit, between a large local of the union and the employers,
over the demand of the employers for a wage cut of 25 cents an hour.
The council refused to cut the wages of the Detroit workers. It said;
A fair wage, in the opinion of the council, is one which upon assumption based
on statistics as to the duration of employment will satisfy as nearly as possible
all the workers’ needs. The adequacy of the wage to satisfy all of the workers’
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
828
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
needs is regulated by the cost of living and will vary with the fluctuating pur
chasing power of the dollar. Embodied in that statement is the principle upon
which the council has reached its decision on the Detroit dispute.
In one early decision the council summarized the major causes of
disputes as between the workers and the employers:
Intermittent and shifting employment, which brings discontent on the part
of the wage earner.
The system of price competition, which drives both employers and employees
to exploit the j ob to their mutual detriment, and
The lack of any general and moving understanding of the indissoluble partner
ship which exists in industry between management and labor.
The idea of partnership between management and men is de
veloped in a later decision of the council.
The council is impressed with the fact that much education is still necessary
for those in the building industry, if they are to appreciate the essential truth
that every one of the crafts of which the industry is composed consists of workers,
directive and manual. Directive workers may not insist on rules and regulations
to the detriment of the manual workers without detriment to the craft; nor
may the manual workers insist on conditions and wages to the detriment of the
directive workers without detriment to the craft. These facts are as funda
mental as the law of gravitation and if they are passed by without due recogni
tion their force is not thereby diminished. Cooperation is the law of the industry
and when that law is violated the industry, the craft, pays the penalty.
The council, at another time, “ is of the opinion that it would be
an economic fallacy to fix wages at the lowest notch in any par
ticular locality, because the lowest-paid trade in the building industry
has uniformly tended toward stagnation in growth, due to the un
attractiveness of the monetary return as compared with other
callings.”
In these decisions the council was conservative about instituting
wage cuts and about hampering production in the matter of work
ing rules.
It was inevitable that cooperative methods of settling disputes would overflow
into other channels. The rapid adoption of the 5-day week in the electrical
construction industry in principal industrial centers during the years 1928-1929,
in many instances at no cut in wages, can be traced to the habit of conference.
Hitherto curtailment of hours has been won at the price of recurring strikes or
at the cost of prolonged economic pressure. During the depression, rotation of
work—to relieve unemployment—has been instituted in many cities without
friction. Wage cuts have been greatly retarded.
The most notable instance of the widening influence of cooperative
relations appears in the setting up of group insurance benefits, on an
industrial basis, in several cities. The group life plan provides $3,000
life insurance, $40 a month pension on reaching the age of 65, and
disability benefits. The policy is adapted to the needs of the pre
carious building industry. It does not lapse because of unemploy
ment; it does not collect from retired members; it does not lapse in
case of labor disputes; and it does not lapse because workers change
employers, or places of operation. It is maintained by allocating a
portion of each hourly wage of every man who works, to an insurance
reserve.
The Electrical Guild of North America, founded by a competent
group of electrical contractors, May 2, 1930, represents a further
advancement of cooperative relations in the electrical construction
industry. In one of his recent addresses, L. K. Comstock, president
of the Electrical Guild, said:
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
INDUSTRIAL AND LABOR CONDITIONS
829
We have amalgamated the ideas of the radical and the conservative, a process
which accords with the law of growth. * * *
The cooperative plan has been set up in an industry, the problems of which are
usually complex; which feels strongly the veering winds of an unstable economic
world; which has hitherto been only slightly permeated by the rational spirit.
The cooperative plan insures democracy by dealing with the voluntary society
of the workers; it guards management by making it the central source of power
in the industry; it establishes industrial government without the aid of the
State; it secures stability without fixity; it elevates craftsmanship and technology
to places of prominence. It has features not dissimilar to those of the onceprojected guild socialism, with the added virtue of being a going concern.
E m p lo y e e s’ S u g g e stio n S y ste m s 1
REPORT containing an analysis of employees’ suggestion sys
tems, based on the plans of more than one hundred companies,
has recently been issued by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.
These plans, the report states, in^ utilizing the practical experience
and specialized knowledge of individual employees serve primarily as
a direct source of ideas which will be of benefit to the firm but they
also have the less obvious effect of stimulating the interest of employees in the work of the company and of improving the general morale.
Also, through encouraging employees to think, an excellent ground
work is laid for training and some firms which follow the policy of
filling higher positions from the general force use suggestion systems as
a guide to eligibility for advancement.
There are three types of suggestion systems—continuous, contest,
and a combination of the two. In the first type, suggestions may
be made at any time, while in the contest type the submission of
suggestions is limited to a specified period. Continuous plans are
found more frequently but some companies believe that restricting
the period during which ideas may be presented results in an improve
ment in the quality and quantity of suggestions. Under the contest
type of plan the attention of the employees is concentrated upon the
contest, while it is thought that after a continuous plan has been in
operation some time the interest of the employees in the plan gradually
declines.
One of the earliest formal suggestion plans was that of the Yale &
Towne Manufacturing Co., Stamford, Conn., which provided for a
system of payments for valuable inventions which the company
reserved the right to purchase; this plan is no longer in existence.
The oldest system now in operation is believed to be that of the
National Cash Register Co., which was established in 1894, while
that of the Eastman Kodak Co., which was started about the same
time, has also been in operation throughout the entire period. The
present study, covering the plans of 108 companies, shows that prior
to 1912 the idea gained little headway and that the greatest growth
in the number of plans has been since 1919. Before 1912 only 7 of
these concerns had suggestion systems, 34 were established between
that year and 1919, and 67 from 1920 to 1928.
In order to avoid the submission of a large number of impractical
ideas, employers frequently find it desirable both to define what is
considered a suggestion and to specify the subjects regarding which
A
1
M etropolitan Life Insurance Co.
N ew Y ork, 1932.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Policyholders Service Bureau.
Em ployees’ suggestion systems.
830
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
ideas are desired. One company states that, “ the basis of a sugges
tion should be a new idea or a new application of an old idea.”
Similar statements appear in a number of suggestion handbooks and
many companies print lists of topics on which ideas are desired and
for which awards will be made. The list suggested by the General
Electric Co. includes suggestions for reducing^ production costs;
increasing production; improving manufacturing methods, the
quality or design of the product, and equipment and tools ^prevent
ing accidents or injury to health; improving working conditions; and
preventing waste of material, labor, power, and floor space. Some
companies also list the subjects, such as, for example, ordinary main
tenance repairs, for which no award will be made. The B. F. Good
rich Co., Akron, Ohio, in addition to the regular suggestion program
encourages employees who desire to cooperate, but lack confidence
and initiative, through a plan of “ assigned problems.” “ Under the
plan, when a foreman is confronted with a problem to which he has
no immediate answer, he first discusses it with the process engineer
to make sure that some one is not working on a similar problem. If
no effort is being made to solve the problem, he may select a worker
to aid him in his study of the situation. If a satisfactory answer is
found, both the foreman and the workman receive awards.”
It is necessary, in the establishment of a suggestion plan, to deter
mine what employees shall be eligible to participate. In general the
plans are restricted to employees below the rank of foreman or de
partment head. However, one company is cited which encourages
suggestions from foremen, assistant foremen, subforemen, and all
supervisors and department heads but does not pay money awards
to members of the time study, production engineering, and research
and engineering departments since new ideas and better methods of
production are expected of them in line with the proper discharge of
their duties. Another company not only permits every employee
to make suggestions and receive awards but also awards a prize to
the foreman whose department makes the most valuable suggestion
during a campaign.
Suggestions which are found worthwhile are generally paid for in
cash, but some companies make other awards such as certificates,
photographs, jewelry, and banners, and sometimes both cash and
prizes are given. The amounts of the cash awards usually vary
according to the value of the suggestion, frequently being fixed at a
percentage of the estimated savings for the first year, with a fixed
maximum, and where the saving is intangible the rewards may be
made according to the grade of the suggestion. If the system is con
ducted on a contest basis there is often a scale of awards graduated
according to the value of the suggestion. In some cases supplemen
tary awards are given to employees who have had a number of sugges
tions accepted.
The suggestion plans are nearly always administered by committees
appointed by the management but occasionally the plan is placed in
the hands of the employee representation organization and in some
instances the suggestion system is organized as a function of one of
the major operating departments.
Since delay in distributing awards has a tendency to create a feel
ing among the workers that the management is not interested in the
workers’ ideas, most plans endeavor to reduce the length of time
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
INDUSTRIAL AND LABOR CONDITIONS
831
between the submission of an idea and the payment of the reward to
a minimum, although in some instances the granting of the awards
is made a special feature of some formal function during the year.
It has been found that the percentage of acceptable suggestions
ranges from 20 to 50 per cent. The General Electric Co. in 1931 is
reported to have awarded $55,739 to employees for suggestions for
improving their jobs. A total of 19,595 suggestions was received and
6,383 were adopted.
The motive behind the suggestion systems of most companies is
said to be the hope of obtaining profitable ideas, and unless such
plans can be expected to result in definite savings few executives will
favor them. However, it has been found that the intangible bene
fits are often of major importance and suggestions relative to public
relations policies, for example, may be of very definite value to the
company.
R ep o r t o f E n g lis h C o m m it t e e o n R oad a n d R a il T r a n s p o r t 1
HE relations between the railroad services and the agencies con
veying goods by motor in England have caused considerable
difficulty, and last April a committee of four representatives of each
interest, under the chairmanship of Sir Arthur Salter, was appointed
to consider the whole situation.
T
The terms of reference were to consider what would be a fair basis of competi
tion and division of function between rail and road transport of goods; to con
sider the facts relating to the incidence of highway costs in relation to the con
tributions of the different classes of mechanically propelled vehicles; to consider
the nature and extent of the regulation which, in view of modern economic devel
opments, should be applied to goods transport by road and rail, and to make such
recommendations as they are able to frame designed to assist the two sides of the
industry to carry out their functions under equitable conditions.
The committee has recently presented a unanimous report in which
three points are stressed: (1) That the users of mechanically pro
pelled vehicles may fairly be called upon to meet the cost of keeping
up the higuways; (2) that this cost should be more fairly apportioned
than at present between different classes of vehicles; and (3) that
public control should be exercised over the hours and working condi
tions of those employed in road transport.
Distribution of Cost of Keeping up the Roads
_ T he committee point out that the advent of the internal-combus
tion engine has completely changed the character and extent of the
use of the roads, and that the annual cost of constructing and main
taining them has risen from about £12,000,000 at the beginning of
the century to about £60,000,000 at the present time.
The committee point out that commercial road transport, by itself, is far from
paying the total cost, and that it would be unjust for them to be treated as if the
roads had been built specifically for such purpose and for its specific use. On the
other hand it is felt that private car owners may be paying more than their fair
proportion of the £60,000,000, and that any such proportion should not be uti
lized to subsidize commercial transport. The railways are paying £64,000,000
per annum by way of interest on capital, maintenance and renewal, signalmen’s
wages, and local rates [taxes] for what to them is the equivalent of the roads to
commercial transport, and this constitutes the prime difference between road and
rail industries.
1 D ata are from R ailw ay Review (London), Aug. 19, 1932; and M anchester (England) G uardian, Aug*
17. 1932.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
832
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
At present, road users are subject to a tax on gasoline of 3d. per
gallon and must pay fees for licenses. Both these methods of raising
funds, as at present practiced, result in unfair distribution of the cost
of the roads.
More than half the contributions made by the owners of motor vehicles is now
in the form of a 3d. per gallon petrol duty. Steam, electric, and fuel-oil vehicles
entirely escape this duty. The report also points out that under the present
scale of duties a 10-ton vehicle pays no more in license duty than a 5-ton vehicle.
This gives a preferential advantage to just that type of vehicle which the evidence
showed to involve disproportionately high road expenditure.
After considering the question from various angles, the committee
concluded that it would be fair to require the commercial vehicles to
pay £23,500,000 of the £60,000,000 to be raised, while the balance,
amounting to £36,500,000, should be paid by other mechanically
propelled vehicles. This would mean an increase of £2,500,000 in
receipts from commercial vehicles, and the committee recommends
that this should be secured by increasing the license fees for such
vehicles, especially for those which do not use gasoline and therefore
escape contributions through the gasoline tax. For vehicles weighing,
unloaded, not over 3 tons, no change is proposed, but the committee
recommends that for those above that weight there should be drastic
increases, varying with weight, use of solid or pneumatic tires, and
source of motive power.
Hours and Working Conditions
H o u r s and working conditions for railway employees are sharply
defined, and are defended by custom, by law, and b}^ strong organiza
tions among the workers. In road transport these defenses have not
yet been built up, and the large number of competing units, together
with the lack of any strong organization among the workers, has per
mitted the development of abuses on the part of some employers.
The committee holds that it is to the interest of the public that the
employees in road transport should have reasonable hours, wages, and
working conditions, just as it is that the vehicles used should be main
tained in good condition, and feels that the license system may well be
utilized to secure these ends.
We agree without hesitation that all such vehicles should be required to have
licenses which are conditional, not only upon the payment of the appropriate
contribution toward the annual road costs, but also upon the observance of proper
conditions as to fair wages and conditions of service, and the maintenance of the
vehicles in a state of fitness.
It is also suggested that a continuing committee might be appointed
to deal with these matters, developing them as conditions may
require.
Cooperation Between Roads and Railways
O n t h is point the committee is rather vague, not going beyond an
indorsement of cooperation: “ We believe that the best division of
function will be obtained mainly through the deliberate effort of those
engaged in road and rail transport to coordinate their services and
give the public the full advantage of complementary service.”
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
WOMEN IN INDUSTRY
R e g u la tio n o f E m p lo y m e n t o f W o m e n in B r a z il1
BRAZILIAN decree (No. 21417) of May 17, 1932, lays down
specific regulations regarding the work of women in industrial
and commercial establishments.
As regards the wages of workers, the decree states that no distinc
tion shall be made as to sex.
The employment of women in public or privately owned industrial
and commercial establishments between 10 p. m. and 5 a. m. is pro
hibited. Exceptions are made, however, in the following cases : Women
employed in establishments where only members of the same family
work; those whose work is necessary to prevent interruption of the
normal operation of the establishment in case of emergencies, or to
prevent the loss of raw_materials or perishable substances; those
employed in hospitals, clinics, sanatoriums, and insane asylums and
directly responsible for the care of patients; those over 18 years of
age employed by telephone and radio companies; and those holding
responsible administrative positions.
Women shall not be required to handle articles above a given weight
nor be employed in work carried on underground, in subterranean
mining operations, quarries, private or public construction work, or
in dangerous or unhealthful tasks.
Pregnancy alone shall not constitute a justifiable cause for the dis
missal of a woman from her position. Expectant mothers shall not
be required to work during the four weeks preceding and following
childbirth. In unusual circumstances these periods may each be
increased to six weeks, upon the recommendation of a physician.
Women shall be entitled to receive half pay during the four to six
weeks preceding and following childbirth, computed on the basis of
their average wages during the previous six months. The compensa
tion paid the woman workers during the period in which they are
unable to work is to be taken from the funds established by the
Institute of Social Insurance, unless money is not available from this
source, in which case the employer must pay it.
When 30 or more women over 16 years of age are employed in an
establishment it shall provide a day nursery for the employees’ chil
dren. Woman employees shall be allowed two rest periods a day, of
a half hour each, to nurse their children during the first six months
following childbirth.
A
1
D ata are from Brazil, Diario Oficial, Rio de Janeiro, M ay 19, 1932.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
833
HEALTH AND INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE
In d u s tr ia l D is e a s e s a n d P o is o n in g in B r itis h F a c to r ie s, 1931
report of the chief inspector of factories and workshops in
Great Britain for the year 1931 contains the report of Dr. John
T HE
C. Bridge, senior medical inspector of factories, showing the causes
and extent of industrial diseases and poisoning among workers in
British factories.
Special investigations of health hazards made during the year
included a study of the conditions of work and extent of exposure to
asbestos dust of packers in the asbestos industry, an inquiry into the
health of workers in contact with cellulose solutions and the effect on
health of the constituents of such paints and lacquers, and an investi
gation of the effects of the work in coke ovens and by-products plants
upon the general health of the workers.
Table 1 shows the number of cases of disease resulting from the use
of some of the more important industrial poisons for certain years
from 1900 to 1931.
T a ble 1 . — N U M B E R O P CA SES O F P O IS O N IN G A N D O F IN D U S T R IA L D ISE A SE S A M O N G
F A C T O R Y W O R K E R S IN G R E A T B R IT A IN F O R S P E C IF IE D Y E A R S , 1900 TO 1931
Disease
1900
Lead poisoning:
Cases___
__ _____________________________ 1,058
38
D eaths
_
_______________
M ercury poisoning:
9
Cases
___
_ ______ ____
_______________________________
D eaths
Arsenic poisoning:
22
Cases
____
_____
_ ______ _
3
D eaths
__ _ ___________________ __
Carbon bisulphide poisoning, cases
_ _ _ _ ___
_________
Aniline poisoning, cases .
_ __
C hronic benzene poisoning:
Cases
__
_ _ ______
D eaths
___________
_ _ _ ___________
Toxic jaundice:
Cases
- ________________
D eaths
______
______ ____
E pitheliom atous ulceration:
Cases
-- ______ - D eaths
_
_____
Chrom e ulceration, cases __ __ - - ______ - A nthrax:
37
Cases __ _ _____- - -- ______________ ___
7
D eaths ______ _ __________________ _
1910
1920
1928
1929
1930
244
31
265
32
168
3
6
505
38
289
44
326
43
10
1
5
4
7
3
2
1931
21
1
1
1
6
41
26
24
5
30
1
1
6
2
1
7
175
59
70
165
50
109
194
36
95
156
45
40
5
43
21
4
1
6
3
45
1
126
51
*
9
48
11
8
2
6
46
65
Lead poisoning.—There was a very decided decrease in the number
of cases of lead poisoning and in the number of deaths, 168 cases with
21 deaths having been reported in 1931 as compared with 265 cases
and 32 deaths the previous year. The decreased number of cases is
in part explained by the smaller number exposed to risk, but it is
also considered that there is better protection from the risk attendant
upon the use of lead. The report points out the possibility of con
fusion between lead poisoning and certain types of acute appendicitis,
as three cases of lead poisoning which had been operated on were
834
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
HEALTH AND INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE
835
reported during the year. The possibility of such confusion is likely
to arise m a first attack when there is no inquiry as to a man’s occupa
tion and especially when the lead risk is, as it were, a concealed” in
that the occupation is not a common source of lead poisoning or when
the man is not aware that he is exposed to lead at all. The lamest
number of cases of lead poisoning, 64 with 6 deaths, occurred in^the
painting of buildings, followed by 21 cases and 1 death in electric
accumulator works; 15 cases and 1 death in smelting of metals; and
10 cases and 1 death in paint and color manufacture, the remainder
occurring in a variety of industries. The proportion of deaths in
the pottery industry is high, as 7 of the 9 cases reported resulted
m death However, part of these cases at least were not first
reported during the year. Vitreous enameling was responsible for 7
copses and 1 death; in the fatal case the man having been employed as
an enameler for 33 years.
Chronic benzene poisoning. The one case of chronic benzene
poisoning reported occurred in a man who had worked with benzol
or 38 years 30 years at a benzol distillation plant and 8 years in
supenntending the packing of benzol with only very slight exposure
Ihe case is considered of special interest as the onset of ill health
was sudden. Following the extraction of several teeth the patient
grew rapidly worse, dying in a few months from the beginning of the
illness. If there had been no history of exposure to benzol the case
would probably have been diagnosed as agranulocytic angina—a rare
disease m which there is acute inflammation in the mouth, together
vvith a progressive anemia. In the case reported there was aseptic
ulcerative condition in the mouth and the red blood cells were re
duced to about one-quarter the normal number while the number of
white cells was even more reduced.
. Toxic jaundice. The seven cases of toxic jaundice with two fatal
ities were due to arseniuretted hydrogen. Six cases, including the
two fatalities, _arose in the damping down of residue containing a
metallic arsenide to eliminate the dust during moving. Although
toxic doses were inhaled on specific occasions, it was shown that slight
amounts of arsenic had been inhaled from time to time as in one of
the fatal cases there were traces of arsenic in the bones.
Anthrax. The number of cases of anthrax was much smaller than
m the preceding year, numbering 21 with 4 deaths as compared with
43 cases and 6 deaths in 1930. Nine cases occurred in the wool
industry, 7 in hides and skins, 4 in the horsehair industry, and 1 in
a slaughterhouse worker.
Epitheliomatous ulceration.— There were 76 cases of epithelioma
with 15 deaths due to work in pitch and tar, including patent fuel
works, tar distilling, gas works, and other industries. Two cases
w.ere due to paraffin in shale oil works, and 78 with 31 deaths were
caused by mineral oil, chiefly in cotton mule spinning. The addition
of 60 new cases among cotton mule spinners brings the total number
of recorded cases among these workers to 1,062, of which 867 were in
spinners who_ were still employed when the disease was recognized,
52 occurred in spinners who had retired before recognition of the
disease, for periods varying from 1 to 16 years, and 143 were in
ex-spinners who had taken up other employment which might in
some cases have contributed to the causation of the disease. Eight
140152°—32----- 7
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
836
cases of carcinoma of the bladder were reported, five of which occurred
in chemical workers employed for periods varying from 14 to 23 years
in the manufacture of synthetic dyes.
Dermatitis.—Reporting of cases of skin disease is not compulsory,
but up to 1930 the number of cases reported had steadily increased.
The decrease reported first in that year was maintained in 1931, the
number of cases voluntarily reported falling from 789 to 666. While
the decrease in the volume of trade accounts for part of this decrease
it is evident from the reports that the incidence of some of the more
readily controlled causes of dermatitis has been reduced.
Silicosis and asbestosis.—There were 785 deaths reported from fibro
sis of the lungs, of which 319 were due to silicosis. In all cases, even
those in which the employment on the certificate showed no known
exposure to silica dust, it was found by following up the history of
employment that there had been previous exposure to dust containing
silica.
There were 9 deaths reported during the year from asbestosis or
asbestosis with tuberculosis. _ In the comparatively short period since
the disease has been recognized there have been 35 deaths reported
from this cause for which full particulars are available. The average
age at death in the cases of asbestosis with tuberculosis was 45.7 years
and the average length of employment in asbestos 13.5 years, while in
the cases without tuberculosis the average age at death was 40.6 years
and the average length of employment in asbestos 15.1 years.
Poisoning ¡from gases and fum es .—The number of cases of poisoning
from carbon monoxide was 63 with 8 deaths, which was much smaller
than the preceding year. Of these cases, 8 with 2 deaths were caused
by blast-furnace gas; 28 with 2 deaths by power-furnace gas; 18 with
3 deaths by coal gas; and 9 cases with 1 death were due to various
causes.
Table 2 shows the number of cases of poisoning from gases and fumes
for the years 1927 to 1931:
T a ble 2.—N U M B E R OF C A SES OF IN D U S T R IA L P O IS O N IN G F R O M G A SES A N D F U M E S ,
1927 TO 1931, B Y Y E A R S
Gas or fume
Carbon monoxide:
CP-SP-S
D paths
Carbon dioxide:
Depths
S ulphuretted hydrogen:
Cases - _____
T) paths
Sulphur dioxide:
Cases________ D paths
Chi oritip paSP^
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1927 1928 1929 1930 1931
88
4
81
9
113
10
94
14
63
2
1
5
5
3
8
3
8
1
9
9
3
2
10
6
4
6
17
14
5
13
5
7
1
14
Gas or fume
N itrous fumes:
Cases____________
D eaths___________
Ammonia:
Cases____ _____ D e ath s.. . . .
Benzol, benzine, and
petrol, naphtha:
Cases_____ ____ _
D eaths ______ Miscellaneous:
Cases________
D eath s______ .
1927 1928 1929 1930 1931
7
6
1
11
2
5
9
5
12
1
18
2
4
7
7
5
3
7
7
2
2
23
17
36
9
2
2
1
1
1
.14
INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS
A c c id e n t S t a t is t ic s o f t h e N a tio n a l S a fe ty C o u n c il fo r 1931
^ ^DEN TS in the United States during 1931 were responsible for
J T k approximately 97,000 deaths and 9,403,000 nonfatal injuries
according to the 1932 edition of Accident Facts, the annual statistical
publication of the National Safety Council. It is estimated that the
wage loss, medical expense, and overhead insurance cost involved
m these deaths and injuries amounted to $2,308,000,000.
The number of deaths is based on a 2.2 per cent reduction from the
figures of the United States Bureau of the Census for 1930 (99,300)
as such a reduction was indicated in a compilation of reports from 39
States and the District of Columbia. An estimated division of the
deaths attributes 17,000 to industrial accidents, 33,500 to motorvehicle accidents, 20,000 to other public accidents, and 29,000 to home
accidents. It was further estimated that the figures for motor vehicles
included 2,500 deaths to persons gainfully employed, which conse
quently are also classed as industrial, so that they appear in both
groups of the division, but the duplication is eliminated in the total.
• UomP^nson jvrith the 1930 figures shows reductions of 2,000 in
industrial fatalities and 1,000 in home fatalities, but an increase of
about 600 m motor-vehicle fatalities, while the deaths resulting from
other public accidents remained stationary. The estimated duplica
tion in motor-vehicle and industrial fatalities was reduced 500.
It is stated that the absence of adequate data prevents any accurate
statement regarding the distribution of all accidental injuries during
r ° m.a r• -E Gx^en^ disability. A rough approximation of such a
distribution however, is made, based on data from the United States
Bureau of the Census, State industrial commissions, insurance com
panies, and individual industrial establishments. This distribution
further divided for the four principal classes of accidents, is presented
as Table 1.
T able
A C T U Q X IM A T E D IS T R IB U T IO N OF A C C ID E N T A L IN J U R IE S IN T H F U N T T F n
ST A T E S IN 1931, B Y T Y P E O F A C C ID E N T A N D E X T E N T OF D IS A B IL IT Y
E x ten t of disability
T ype of accident
T otal
D eath
Perm anent
Tem porary
Industrial
M otor vehicle___
O ther p u b lic -..
Home_____
17, 0 0 0
33, 500
20, 000
29, 000
60, 0 0 0
95, 000
70, 000
130, 000
1, 490, 000
1, 100, 000
2, 330, 000
4, 220, 000
1, 567, 000
1, 228, 500
2, 420, 000
4,379, 000
T o t a l 1____
97, 000
348, 000
9, 055, 000
9, 500, 000
iiurteTS are ad^usted
t0
ellm inate duplications in figures for in d u strial and motor-vehicle deaths and
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
837
838
M O N T H L Y L A B O R R E V IE W
The temporary injuries shown in the table include only those
causing disability extending beyond the day of injury. According
to these figures, there was an average of about 4 permanent disabili
ties and 93 temporary disabilities, or a total of 97 nonfatal injuries for
each death, but this proportion varies somewhat for the different
types of accidents. The ratio for industrial accidents was about 90
nonfatal injuries to 1 death, for motor-vehicle accidents 35 to 1, for
other public accidents 120 to 1, and for home accidents 150 to 1.
The estimate of the number of deaths resulting from industrial
accidents in 1931 is based on a survey covering industrial fatalities in
1928 and 1929/ taking into account the experience of the States of
New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Illinois, which shows a reduction
slightly below 10 per cent from 1928 to 1931, together with the
experience of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.’s industrial policy
holders, which shows a reduction of a little more than 10 per cent for
the same period.
Rough approximations are given of the wage loss, medical expense,
and overhead cost of insurance involved in the four principal types of
accidents, as shown in Table 2.
T a b l e 2 .— A P P R O X IM A T E
D IS T R IB U T IO N OF S P E C IF IE D COSTS OF A C C ID E N T A L
IN J U R IE S IN T H E U N IT E D S T A T E S IN 1931, B Y T Y P E OF A C C ID E N T
T ype of accident
Industrial__
______
M otor vehicle. _ _ ____
_______
O ther public
_
_
_____ . . . . .
H om e____ ___
T otal L
.
_______________
Wage loss
M edical ex
pense
Overhead cost
of insurance
Total
$500, 000, 000
569, 000, 000
405, 000, 000
408, 000, 000
$39, 000, 000
72, 000, 000
94, 000, 000
128,000, 0 0 0
$104, 000, 000
62, 0 0 0 , 0 0 0
13, 000, 000
9, 000, 000
$643, 000, 000
703, 000,000
512,000, 000
545, 000, 000
1,808,000, 0 0 0
327, 000,000
173,000,000
2,308, 0 0 0 , 0 0 0
i Item s are adjusted to elim inate duplications in figures for industrial and motor-vehicle deaths an d
injuries.
It is emphasized that the figures in Table 2 do not include estimates
for accidents not resulting in personal injury, nor any costs incidental
to personal-injury accidents other than the three items specified. The
figures for wage loss include arbitrary charges for deaths and perma
nent disabilities, and the estimated wage loss of $500,000,000 for
industrial accidents should not be confused with compensation costs,
as the deaths and permanent injuries are figured at their full economic
values, which exceed compensation payments.
Comparison with the latest official figures on accidental death rates
in foreign countries discloses that the United States has the highest
rate in the civilized world, with 80.6 accidental deaths per 100,000
population in 1930. This is more than three times the rate of Den
mark (24.5 in 1929), nearly twice that of England and Wales (42.6 in
1930) or Germany (43.3 in 1929), and 50 per cent higher than France
(54.0 in 1929). The rate for Canada, which is the highest for the
foreign countries listed, is given as 63.0 in 1930. The provisional
death rate for 1931 for the United States, based on the estimated
number of deaths, is shown as 78.2.
The publication includes a summary of the experience among estab
lishments reporting industrial injury rates directly to the National
Safety Council. The summary shows that an average reduction of
1
See Labor Review for M arch, 1931, p. 93.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
839
IN D U S T R IA L A C C ID E N T S
38.4 per cent in frequency rates and 19.3 in severity rates has been
accomplished during the past two years in the 2,307 industrial units
reporting to the council in each of the three years, 1929, 1930, and
1931.
Table 3 presents the injury frequency and severity rates for these
2,307 identical industrial units for 1928, 1929, and 1930, by industry.
The combined man-hour exposure during the three years was
3,996,565,000 in 1929; 3,413,131,000 in 1930; and 2,668,098,000 in
1931.
T a b le 3 — IN JU R Y F R E Q U E N C Y A N D S E V E R IT Y R A T E S OF 2,307 IN D U S T R IA L U N IT S
R E P O R T IN G IN E A C H OF T H R E E Y E A R S, 1929, 1930, A N D 1931, BY IN D U S T R Y
N um
ber of
In d u stry
Autom obile_________ _ __ _ .
C e ra m ic ____ _
____ ___ .
Chem ical___________________________
Construction ______________ .
Electric railw ay . . . .
. . . . . . ____
Food_______ __ _ . . . ______ .
F o u n d ry ________. . . . .
Glass p ro d u c ts ___ . . . .
_. . . . . . .
L au n d ry ....... . . . .
M achinery . _____
. . . ____
. . .
M arine
_
_ __________ _
M eat packing_____ ________ ___ _
_____
_____
M etal p r o d u c t s .. . _________
M in in g ___
N onferrous m etallurgical
P aper and p u lp .
.... ...
P e tro le u m .___
P rinting and p u b lish in g .. ____ . . .
Public u tility . . .
_____
Q u a rry ...
_ __ _ .
. . .
R ailw ay car an d equipm ent
Refrigeration __________ _ . . . . .
.
. . . . ____ .
R ubber____
Steel_________ _________ ________ .
T anning and leather . . . . . . . . .
_ ______
T e x tile .. _
_____ ______ ____ . .
W oodworking and lum bering. . . . ______
T o ta l 1 ___ _ ______
_____ _________
...
Frequency rates (per
1 , 0 0 0 ,0 0 0
hours’ ex
posure)
Severity rates (per
1 ,0 0 0 hours’ ex
posure)
1929
1930
1931
15. 98
.
14. 73
52. 47
23. 94
15. 07
32. 53
1 2 . 82
9. 01
14. 01
16. 2 0
41.25
15. 77
65.46
17.41
21.28
17. 33
11.29
16. 55
18. 16
19. 65
32. 63
15. 75
11. 48
24. 62
9. 44
37. 82
15. 14
22. 75
10. 65
56. 71
23. 89
14. 42
23. 62
11.49
5. 90
10. 04
15. 33
35.22
13. 72
61. 32
11.67
18. 2 2
13. 03
11.93
11.30
16. 64
17. 89
28. 56
16. 59
31
115
129
27. 41
26. 63
16. 76
55.16
28.78
18. 97
48.20
12. 03
13. 65
18. 36
16.09
56. 98
24. 20
6 6 . 62
25. 53
25. 33
25.85
12. 92
21. 72
23.98
29.15
40. 95
23. 75
16. 46
30. 8 6
11. 64
44. 63
22.14
8 . 72
31.09
2. 40
.60
3. 25
5. 8 8
1.90
2.91
1. 37
2. 77
1.62
.56
3. 73
2, 307
24. 51
18. 42
15.10
2.18
37
31
145
203
36
121
91
13
29
187
7
14
294
90
28
140
42
19
233
92
22
29
25
100
2 2 20
1 0 .1 1
1929
1930
1.30
1.59
1 .1 0
1 .6 8
1.63
5.68
1.95
5.81
1. 70
2 .2 2
1.43
1.95
.52
1.65
1.18
2 .1 1
1.4S
1.30
9.01
2. 65
1 .6 8
1 .1 1
2
. 28
1.19
.67
1.05
2. 46
.92
1 .1 2
9. 6 8
1.33
1.55
2. 27
.49
2.81
2.13
2.78
2 . 21
1.19
2. 52
1931
1.17
4. 6 8
2 . 01
4. 52
1.71
1.18
1.84
.43
1.81
.93
4. 33
. 89
1.07
8 . 90
.96
1.49
1. 98
.2 1
.74
3. 6 8
2.09
. 06
1. 40
1.04
1.59
2.19
.94
.60
2. 27
2.07
1.76
1 .6 8
6
1 Totals include miscellaneous industries and elim inate duplication betw een m arine and petroleum
industries. D ata are not available, for cem ent industry.
Most of the units whose reports are used in the compilations are
members of the National Safety Council, but in some cases data
from nonmembers are included, particularly where the reports are
received through industrial organizations. The 1931 figures are
based on reports from 4,383 industrial units, with 2,010,350 employees
working 4,454,554,000 man-hours, as against 4,198 units, with
2,236,629 employees working 5,206,395,000 man-hours in 1930.2
A total of 15.12 disabling injuries was reported for each 1,000,000
man-hours worked in 1931, involving a time loss of 1.72 days per
1,000 man-hours worked, based on actual time lost for temporary
disabilities and time-loss for permanent disabilities and death com
puted in accordance with the schedule charges of the International
Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions.
2
F or 1930 data, see L abor R eview for October, 1931, p. 92.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
840
M O N T H L Y L A B O R R E V IE W
As in 1930, the cement industry had the lowest frequency rate (4.86
in 1931), but construction, which had the highest frequency rate in
1930, was passed by mining (57.24 in 1931), previously the second
highest. Printing and publishing held its place with the lowest
severity rate (0.25 in 1931), while mining likewise continued with the
highest severity rate (9.44 in 1931).
Table 4 shows, by industry, the total number of units reporting for
1931, the number of man-hours worked, and injury frequency and
severity rates.
T a b l e 4 —IN JU R Y F R E Q U E N C Y A N D S E V E R IT Y R A T E S F O R A L L E S T A B L IS H M E N T S
R E P O R T IN G F O R 1931, BY IN D U S T R Y
N um ber
of units
In d u stry
Antnm nbile
_ ________ ________ D ement
________________
Ceram ic
_ _ ______________________ —
___ ____ _____ _______ Chemical
Don stru ct ion
__ ______ _ _ __ __
Electric railw ay
_
_______
_ ___ _________ Food
_______ - - __________ Foundry
______ -- -__ - ____
Glass products
_ ______ -- - _____
L au n d ry
- _____ _______________ M achinery
______ - _____ - M arine
_ _____ _ _ _ _ _ _
M eat packing
_ _____________ _______ _____
____ - - ______ - ________
M etal products
M ining
_ ______
Nonferrnns metallurgical
_
___
Paper and pulp
_ -- - -- ______
Petroleum
_ _
______
Printing and publishing
_
____ _______
Public u tility
_ -- - -- - - _______ - _____
Q uarry
_ ______ _ - - __- ____ - -R ailw ay car and equipm ent
______ __ - ___
Refrigeration
R u b b er
_ __ _
Steel
____
_____
T anning and leather
Textile
- -- ___________ ____
W oodworking and lum bering
____ _
___ _______ T o ta l 1
______________________
M an-hours
worked
(thousands)
Fre
quency Severity
(per
rates (per rates
1 ,0 0 0
1 ,0 0 0 ,0 0 0
hours’
hours’ exposure)
exposure)
9. 48
4. 8 6
22. 89
12. 65
48.15
19. 73
15. 8 6
24.19
11.31
6.24
9. 57
24.28
29.13
14. 70
57. 24
9. 8 8
2 0 . 62
14.14
9.12
12. 76
22. 98
15. 48
32.18
11.78
10. 87
13. 73
9.11
33. 54
0.94
2 . 80
3. 21
1.84
5.14
1.46
211
277, 383
48,122
16,167
181, 678
70, 820
110,861
149, 610
62, 665
64,901
8 , 973
392, 230
135, 964
141,814
267,159
61,860
70, 473
162, 740
568, 401
28, 949
665,112
13, 534
30, 042
28, 560
112,016
317, 983
61, 244
214, 259
67, 058
4,383
4,454, 554
15.12
1. 72
75
111
51
238
370
68
213
140
56
39
300
55
69
431
189
53
239
89
51
584
151
33
68
55
121
74
205
1 .0 1
2 10
.
.54
2. 75
.90
2. 87
.99
1. 17
9. 44
1.18
1. 52
2 . 06
. 25
2.08
6 . 88
2.08
2 .0 0
1.03
2 .2 2
2
.56
.58
. 60
■Totals include miscellaneous industries, not shown separately, and elim inate duplications between
m arine and petroleum industries.
Detailed data on motor-vehicle accidents, other public accidents,
home accidents, steam-railway accidents, aviation accidents, and
student accidents are included in the publication, as well as notes
regarding 1932 accidents. The latter state that industrial fatalities
reported to the industrial commissions in New York, Ohio, Pennsyl
vania, and Illinois for the first five months of 1932 showed a decline
of nearly 21 per cent, as compared with the corresponding period of
1931. The decrease is attributed principally to the unemployment,
with the statement: “A man out of work can not be killed in an
industrial accident.”
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
841
TNDTJSTKIAL A C C ID E N T S
M e ta l-M in e A c c id e n ts in t h e U n ite d S ta te s in 1930
T
HE report of the United States Bureau of Mines on metal-mine
accidents in the United States during the year 1930, published
as its Bulletin 362, shows that the safety record established for the
year was the best ever known in the industry.
The death rate from accidents in metal and nonmetallic-mineral
mines (except coal mines) was 2.92 per thousand 300-day workers for
1930, a decrease of nearly 4 per cent from the 3.03 rate for 1929 and
lower than for any previous year except 1928. The nonfatal lost
time injury rate for 1930 was 167.86 per thousand 300-day workers, a
reduction of 16 per cent as compared with the rate of 200.11 for 1929
and lower than ever before.
The average number of workers employed was 103,233 and the
average number of days worked per man was 270, making a total
number of 92,900 full-year or 300-day workers, or 22,494 less than in
1929. The actual number of workers killed in 1930 was 271, or 79
less than in 1929, while the actual number of nonfatal injuries was
15,594, or 7,498 less than in 1929.
Accidents during the year resulted in 271 deaths, 22 permanent
total disability cases, 481 permanent partial disability cases, and
15,091 temporary disability cases. The bureau estimates that
aggregate loss of time represented by these 15,865 injuries was
2,338,983 days, an average of 147 days per injury.
Underground mining operations, which provided 62 per cent of the
employment for the year, were responsible for 237 deaths, of which
37 occurred in shaft accidents, and 12,621 nonfatal injuries, of which
423 occurred in shaft accidents. The principal cause of both fatal
and nonfatal injuries was falls of rock or ore from the roof or wall.
Other prominent causes of deaths, in tne order of their importance,
were explosives, falls of persons, and haulage, while the other out
standing causes of nonfatal injuries were loading ore at the face,
haulage, hand tools, and drilling. Open-cut mining, with 12 per cent
of the employment, was responsible for 10 deaths and 842 nonfatal
injuries, while surface work, with 26 per cent of the employment,
was charged with 24 deaths and 2,131 nonfatal injuries.
The following table shows the number of workers employed, the
number killed and injured, and fatal and nonfatal injury rates in the
different groups of metal and nonmetallic-mineral mines (except coal
mines) in 1930.1
E M P L O Y M E N T A N D A C C ID E N T S IN M E T A L M IN E S A N D N O N M E T A L L IC -M IN E R A L
M IN E S (E X C E P T CO AL), 1930
M en employed
M en killed
Aver
age
days
ac
tive
A ctual
num ber
Copper
_ __________ Gold, silver, and miscellaneous m etal-- -_________
Iron
.. .
Lead and zinc (M ississippi V alley)________
N onm etallic m ineral____________________
298
269
263
215
264
27,692
27,045
29,410
8 , 524
10, 562
27, 501
24,252
25,744
6,123
9, 280
76
109
69
T otal________ _____________ ____ ___
270
103,233
92,900
T y p e of mine
1
For 1928 and 1929 figures, see Labor Review for M arch, 1932.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
M en injured
Per
E q u iv a
lent
1 ,0 0 0
num ber N u m 300- N u m
ber
of 300day
ber
work
day
workers
ers
Pei
1 ,0 0 0
300day
work
ers
7
2. 76
4.49
2 . 68
1. 63
.75
5, 321
5,813
2,096
1,081
1,283
193. 48
239. 69
81.42
176. 55
138. 25
271
2. 92
15, 594
167. 8 6
10
842
M O N T H L Y L A B O R R E V IE W
A ccid en ts a t M e ta llu rg ic a l W orks in th e U n ited S t a t e s in 1930
REPORT of accidents in the metallurgical industry in the
States during 1930, published by the United States Bureau
A ofUnited
Mines,1 shows a great reduction in accident frequency rates from
the rates for 1929, except in the auxiliary works, where^ the death
rate per thousand 300-day workers increased from 0.41 in 1929 to
0.91 in 1930.
Combined figures for ore-dressing plants, smelting plants exclusive
of iron blast furnaces, and auxiliary works show that deaths decreased
from 43 in 1929 to 25 in 1930, a reduction of 41.9 per cent, and nonfatal
accidents decreased from 4,575 in 1929 to 2,726 in 1930, a reduction of
40.4 per cent. The total accidents decreased from 4,618 in 1929 to
2,751 in 1930, a reduction of 40.4 per cent. Employment, however,
declined from 53,587 300-day workers in 1929 to 44,403 in 1930, a
decrease of 17.1 per cent, so that the decreases from 1929 to 1930 in
accident frequency rates for the total industry was 30 per cent for
fatal injuries and 28.1 per cent for nonfatal injuries.
It is estimated that the 2,751 fatal and nonfatal injuries reported
for 1930, represent a loss of time or period of disability equal to 318,610
man-days, or an average of 116 man-days per injury. _ Falls of persons
and machinery were the principal causes of fatal injuries, while the
nonfatal injuries were caused mainly by handling materials, falls of
persons, flying or falling objects, hand tools, and machinery.
The following table shows the number of workers employed, the
number killed and injured, and fatal and nonfatal accident rates in
each of the three groups of plants for 1929 and 1930.
E M P L O Y M E N T A N D A C C ID E N T S A T M E T A L L U R G IC A L P L A N T S IN T H E U N IT E D
ST A T E S , 1929 A N D 1930 1
M en employed .
G roup and year
Ore-dressing plants:
1929_____________________
1930_____________________
Sm elting plants:
1929_____________________
1930_____________________
Auxiliary works:
1929_____________________
1930_____________________
Average
days ac
tive
M en injured
M en killed
E q u iv a
Per 1,000
Per 1,000
num
A ctual lent
N um ber 300-day N um ber 300-day
ber of
num ber 300-day
workers
workers
workers
312
287
13, 721
11, 648
14, 266
11,131
17
358
350
18,603
17, 168
22 222
,
20,035
19
7
340
332
15, 075
11,971
17, 099
13, 237
12
6
7
1.19
.54
1, 460
881
102. 34
79.15
.8 6
.35
1,679
1,061
75.56
52.96
.41
.91
1,436
784
83. 98
59. 23
i For comparison of 1928 and 1929 data, see Labor Review for M arch, 1932.
Q u arry A ccid en ts in th e U n ited S t a t e s in 1930
.CCIDENT reports received by the United States Bureau of
Mines from operators of quarries, covering practically the entire
industry, disclosed a better safety record in 1930 than in any previous
1 U nited States.
D ep artm en t of Commerce. B ureau of M ines. Technical paper 530: A ccidents
a t metallurgical works in the U nited States during th e calendar year 1930, by W illiam W . Adams.
W ashington, 1932.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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IN D U S T R IA L A C C ID E N T S
year since complete records became available, according to the report
of the Bureau of Mines, published as its Bulletin 366.1
During 1930 the number of accidental deaths per thousand workers
was 7 per cent lower than in 1929 and lower than that of any other
year except 1928, while the number of accidental nonfatal injuries was
16 per cent lower than in 1929 and lower than in any other year.
The total number of workers reported for 1930 was^80,633, or 6 per
cent less than in 1929, but as the average number of working-days per
man was 255, compared with 268 in 1929, the aggregate number of
man-days was only 20,559,372 in 1930 as against 22,967,579 in 1929,
a reduction of 10 per cent.
Accidents during the year resulted in 105 deaths, 12 cases of perma
nent total disability, 253 cases of permanent partial disability, and
7,152 cases of temporary disability. It is estimated that these 7,522
injuries represented a total loss of time equal to 975,920 man-days,
making an average of 130 days per injury. Seventy-four of the
deaths and 4,652 of the nonfatal injuries occurred to workers in or
about the quarries.
Table 1 shows the number of men employed and the number killed
and injured in the quarrying industry, 1911 to 1930 by 5-year periods,
and 1926 to 1930 by years.
T able 1 . — N U M B E R OF M E N E M P L O Y E D , N U M B E R K IL L E D A N D IN J U R E D , A N D
F A T A L A N D N O N F A T A L IN JU R Y R A T E S IN Q U A R R IE S , 1911 TO 1930
M en employed
Period or year
Aver
age
days
active
M en killed
M en injured
E q u iv a
Per
lent
Per 1,000
Actual
u m 1 ,0 0 0
ber Nber
300-day N um ber 300-day
num ber ofnum
300-day
work
workers
workers
ers
1911-1915 (average)____
__ . _
1916-1920 (average)____ _ _____
1921-1925 (average) ________ . . .
1926
_____________ . . .
1927____________________
1928____________________
1929. ____________
1930_________________________
240
259
263
271
271
273
268
255
103,803
80, 682
8 6 , 967
91, 146
91, 517
89, 667
85, 561
80, 633
83, 206
69, 630
76, 377
82, 361
82, 609
81, 325
76, 559
6 8 , 531
182
146
136
154
135
119
126
105
2.19
1. 78
1.87
1. 63
1.46
1.65
1.53
7, 437
11,161
13, 247
13, 201
13, 459
10, 568
9,810
7,417
89. 39
160. 29
173. 44
160. 28
162. 92
129. 95
128. 14
108. 23
1926-1930 (average) _______________
268
87, 705
78, 277
128
1.64
10,891
139.13
2 .1 0
The apparently low rate for nonfatal injuries in the period 1911
to 1915_is attributed to incomplete data for the years 1911 to 1913
concerning minor injuries.
Falls or slides of rock or overburden were the leading cause of fatal
injuries, but ranked seventh as a cause of nonfatal injuries. Other
principal causes of _death were explosives, machinery, and falling
objects. Nonfatal injuries were chiefly due to handling material,
flying objects, machinery, falls of persons, and haulage.
Table 2 shows the percentage of fatalities and nonfatal injuries
for 1930, by causes, segregated according to place of occurrence.
i U nited States. D ep artm en t of Commerce. B ureau of M ines. B ulletin 366: Q uarry accidents in the
U nited States during the calendar year 1930, by W illiam W. Adams. W ashington, 1932.
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844
M O N T H L Y L A B O R R E V IE W
T a ble 2 .—P E R C E N T A G E D IS T R IB U T IO N
O F CA U SES OF F A T A L A N D N O N F A T A L
IN J U R IE S IN T H E Q U A R R Y IN D U S T R Y , 1930, W IT H F R E Q U E N C Y R A T E S
N um ber killed
Place of occurrence, and cause of in ju ry
Per cent
of total
In and about quarries:
Falls or slides of rock or overburden________
H andling m a te r ia ls ._________ _______
T im ber or ban d tools___ ________________
Explosives_______ _ . . .
H aulage_______ _
______
Falls of persons __ ______
Falling objects (other th a n first 2 item s)_____
Flying objects__________________________
E lectricity ______ _____
___
D rilling and channeling (by machine or h a n d ). . .
M ach in ery _________
N ails, splinters, e tc ..
B u rn s_________
O ther causes___ _____
In outside works:
H aulage______ _________
M achinery________ ____
H an d t o o l s . . . ___ _____
N ails, splinters, etc________
E lectricity .
. . . ___
Falls of persons . ___
F alling objects (rocks, tim bers, etc.).
Flying objects______________
H andling m aterials__________ _
B u rn s_________
_.
O ther causes. _______________
Total ___
... _ ... .
.
4.76
2 2 86
13.33
5. 72
3.81
6 . 67
2 . 86
.95
.95
7. 62
N um ber injured
P er thou
sand 300day
workers
0. 35
.07
.2 0
.09
.05
. 10
.04
.0 2
.0 2
.1 2
P er cent
of total
5. 65
17.63
1 77
1. 77
5. 46
4. 06
2.91
7.47
. 28
3. 29
4. 39
1 28
fiQ
.95
. 02
a.
3. 81
9.53
.05
. 14
2
.
4. 76
4.76
.95
.95
.95
.95
.04
.07
.07
07
. 60
4.85
Per thou
sand 300day
w orkers
6 .1 1
19. 09
1 01
l! 91
5. 91
4. 39
3.15
8 . 08
. 31
3. 56
4 76
1. 39
6.
57
82
5. 25
2
1 11
2 86
.
100 00
.0
.0
.0
.0
2
2
2
2
1. 53
.42
4. 23
3. 22
6 . 22
5. 87
1. 98
4. 77
.
100 00
. 45
4. 58
3 49
6 . 73
6 . 35
2.14
5.17
108. 23
A g e F a c to r in I n d u s tr ia l A c c id e n ts
HE July, 1932, issue of the Industrial Labor Bulletin, published
by the Department of Labor and Industry of Maine, calls
attention to a review of a paper on the age factor in the occurrence
of industrial accidents, prepared by Dr. C. S. Slocombe, safety
manager of the Boston Elevated Railway, which had been published
in the American Mutual Magazine.1
The author states that while young workers have the most accidents,
this is probably because the majority of workers are young, as well
as because they are more inexperienced than the older workers and
consequently _more liable to accidents. He states, however, that
injuries sustained by older workers are relatively more costly, as older
persons lack the recuperative power of younger ones.
The article includes a series of charts, covering a wide exposure
in several industries in various parts of the country. The experience
of the Boston Elevated Railroad shows definitely that its workers
between the ages of 36 and 40 have the largest number of injuries,
but also that this age group contains a larger number of workers
than any of the other groups. From the standpoint of accident
frequency per 1,000 employees the largest number of injuries occurs
in the age groups of 25 years and under, containing the new and
inexperienced employees. Except for a slight rise for the age group
45-50 years, a steady decrease is experienced with the increase of
age, up to 56 years, after which a small increase occurs.
T
1
A merican M u tu al L iability Insurance Co., Am erican M u tu al M agazine, A ugust, 1930.
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IN D U S T R IA L A C C ID E N T S
Experience compiled from data published by the Industrial Com
mission of Wisconsin shows a lessening trend for injuries causing
temporary disability with increase in age, while injuries causing
permanent disability remain on practically the same level throughout
all age groups from 18 years to 65 years and over.
The experience of a steel plant, shown by figures published by the
United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, shows that in this case the
age group 20-29 years dominates all other groups for total number
of injuries; the age group 30-39 years is also prominent, but it is also
shown that the new and inexperienced employees have the heaviest
record proportionately. Workers with six months’ experience and
less are charged with about 37 injuries per 1,000,000 hours of exposure.
The rate is reduced but remains fairly high until after three years of
service, when it drops sharply and continues downward so that
workers with 10 to 15 years’ experience are charged with only 2
injuries per 1,000,000 hours of exposure.
Data from both Wisconsin and New York show that it takes longer
for older persons to recover from their injuries than the younger ones.
This is supplemented by data showing a considerable increase in
cost of compensation to older workers employed by the Boston
Elevated Railway, but based upon the number of employees in each
age group.
The author asserts that age and experience are important factors in
industrial accidents, and that executives and safety men can do
three things to control them: Concentrate more attention on new
employees; reduce the labor turnover, to avoid constantly having un
safe, inexperienced workers; and installation of pension plans for
workers over 65.
P rin cip al C a u se s of In d u stria l In ju r ie s in O hio
N THE June, 1932, issue of the Ohio Industrial Commission
Monitor, the division of safety and hygiene of the industrial
commission advocates concentration of accident-prevention efforts
on a few causes which are responsible for the greatest proportion of
industrial injuries.
It is pointed out that in 1931 six causes were accountable for a
total of 125,058 claims, or 72.9 per cent of all injuries in the industries
of Ohio. These six causes, listed according to respective frequency
of injuries, were:
I
Handling of objects___________________________________
Machinery-----------------------------------------------------------------Stepping upon or striking against objects_______________
Hand tools___________________________________________
Falls of persons_______________________________________
Motor vehicles________________________________________
30,
28,
19,
18,
17,
10,
742
695
399
312
156
754
Safety committees, it is said, often deal in the abstract with the
accident problem and neglect specific attention to well-recognized
hazards, as seen through the fact that these six sources of injury
remain the principal ones from year to year, with perhaps a slight
variation in the relative importance.
While it is admitted that many of the injuries may be chargeable
to inadequate mechanical safeguarding, it is declared that a large
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846
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
majority involved the human element, especially in the handling of
objects, stepping upon and striking against objects, and hand tools.
Asserting that these three causes, which were responsible for 39.8
per cent of all industrial injuries in the State during 1931, should be
controlled by ordinary safety methods and safe practices, it is stated
that first of all poor housekeeping, faulty supervision, and careless
ness must be eliminated.
Specialization on the eradication of these same sources is advised,
with the comment that there is really nothing intricate or difficult
about accident prevention, and that whenever the contributing causes
are known accident-prevention work should be as simple as any of
the routine processes of plant operation.
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LABOR LAWS AND COURT DECISIONS
C a lifo r n ia P r e v a ilin g -W a g e L aw D e c la r e d C o n s titu tio n a l
HE California prevailing-wage law was declared constitutional
and valid by the Supreme Court of California, in deciding the
case of Metropolitan Water District v. Whitsett (10 Pac. (2d) 751).
The court said “ the great weight of authority and distinct trend of
recent judicial decision is in favor of the constitutionality of prevailingwage laws as applied to public work. ”
The case came before the court in an action to compel the chairman
of the board of directors of the Metropolitan Water District to sign
a contract for the construction of a road to be used in connection with
the Colorado River aqueduct. The facts in the case showed that
bids for the construction of the road were invited and the contract
was duly awarded to Martin Bros. Trucking Co. Later the chairman
of the board refused to sign the contract because the board did not
“ ascertain and specify in its notice inviting proposals, and insert in
the contract, the general prevailing rate of per diem wages in the
locality in which the work is to be performed” as required by the
California prevailing-wage law (Acts of 1931, ch. 397.Y The law
provides in part as follows:
T
Not less than the general prevailing rate of per diem wages for work of a
similar character in the locality in which the work is performed * * * shall
be paid to all laborers, workmen, and mechanics employed by or on behalf of
the State of California, * * *.
The public body awarding any contract for public work * * * shall
ascertain the general prevailing rate of per diem wages in the locality in which
the work is to be performed, for each craft or type of workman or mechanic
needed to execute the contract, and shall specify in the call for bids for said
contract, and in the contract itself, what the general prevailing rate of per diem
wages in the said locality is for each craft or type of workman needed to execute
the contract, * * *.
Continuing, the law provides a penalty of $10 for each laborer
employed in violation of this law, and directs the public officials
awarding the contract to withhold the amounts forfeited by such
contractor. Section 3 of the law requires that accurate records be
kept by the contractor showing the actual wages paid each worker.
Section 4 defines the terms used in the statute. After defining what
shall be considered “ public works” the section provides:
The term “ locality in which the work is performed” shall be held to mean the
city and county, county or counties in which the building, highway, road, excava
tion, or other structure, project, development or improvement is situated in all
cases in which the contract is awarded by the State, or any public body thereof,
and shall be held to mean the limits of the county, city and county, city, town,
township, district, or other political subdivisions on whose behalf the contract
is awarded in all other cases. The term “ general prevailing rate of per diem
wages” shall be the rate determined upon as such rate by the public body award
ing the contract, or authorizing the work, whose decision * * * shall be
final. * * *.
1For a complete copy of th e California prevailing-wage law see L abor Review, F ebruary, 1932 (p. 310).
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
Anyone, either a public official or a contractor or subcontractor,
violating bis duty as prescribed in the act “ shall be guilty of a mis
demeanor” and punished therefor.
The statute was challenged upon three grounds: “ (1) That said
act is void for uncertainty; (2) that the burden thus attempted to be
imposed * * * is in violation of section 12 of article 11 of the
State constitution; and (3) that the act makes an invalid delegation
of legislative power. ” The allegation of uncertainty was on the
following grounds:
(a) In that the phrase “ general prevailing rate of per diem wages” is not
and can not be stated as a definite amount, (b) in that the phrase “ work of a
similar character” is too vague to permit definition and (c) in that the phrase
“ in the locality in which the work is performed” is in itself uncertain and is
rendered less certain by the attempt made in the act to define it.
In answering these contentions the court pointed out, as being of
prime importance, that the penal offense consists in the nonperform
ance of those things required by the act. The officers of the
district are required, according to the terms of the act, to ascertain
the “ general prevailing rate of per diem wages in the locality in which
the work is to be performed” ; that rate is defined by the act to be
the rate determined by the officers of the district awarding the con
tract and the decision of such body is made final and conclusive.
Continuing, the court said:
When this final decision is made, no uncertainty would arise in the requirement
that the schedule of rates of wagqs be inserted in the call for bids and in the
contract itself. Nor would any uncertainty be encountered in entertaining
complaints as to violations by the contractor of the terms of the contract, nor in
determining upon investigation what, if any, deductions should be made from
the final payment to the contractor by reason of such violation. When these
duties are performed, the statute has been complied with by the public officers;
and, when performed in good faith, no criminal or other liability may be invoked
against them.
Next the court turned its attention to the duty imposed upon the
contractors, subcontractors, or their representatives, and here again
the court found no uncertainty. The duty imposed was the keeping
of accurate records so that the amount paid each worker could be
ascertained. The terms of the act outlining the duty, the court said,
were not “ so vague that men of common intelligence must necessarily
guess at their meaning, and differ as to their application.”
The following three cases were relied upon by the petitioner in
attempting to have the law declared void: Connally v. General Con
struction Co.,2 269 U. S. 385, involving an Oklahoma statute; State
v. Garfield Building Co.3 (Arizona), 3 Pac. (2d) 983; and Mayhew v.
Nelson 4 (Illinois), 178 N. E. 921. The court, distinguishing between
these cases and the case at bar, said:
In the Connally case and in the case of State v. Garfield Building Co., it is
observed that the statutes therein involved imposed the duty on the contractor
to determine at his peril the current rate of wages, and the locality in which the
work was to be performed was not defined. In the California statute the pre
vailing rate of wages, which must be deemed the same as the current rate of wages,
is determined by the public body awarding the contract, and the locality to be
considered in fixing the rate of wages is also defined. The statute in the Mayhew
2U. S. B ureau of Labor Statistics Bui. No. 417, p. 139.
3Labor Review, January, 1932, p. 49.
4Labor Review, M arch, 1932, p. 581.
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LABOR LAWS AND COURT DECISIONS
849
case provided, as here, that the public body awarding the contract should deter
mine the rate and the “ locality” was designated. The Illinois court based its
decision on its own reasoning and cited as authority for its conclusion two cases in
its own jurisdiction and the case of People ex rel. Rodgers v. Coler, 166 N. Y. 1,
59 N. E. 716, without regard to the fact that the Coler Case was distinguished and
not followed in the later case of Ryan v. City of New York, 177 N. Y. 271, 69
N. E. 599, where the New York statute, providing for the payment of “ not less
than the prevailing rate” of wages in the locality, was sustained.
In upholding the statute great reliance was placed upon the case of
Atkin v. Kansas (191 U. S. 207), in which the court held the State had
the right to place certain requirements and restrictions upon the
construction of public works. Most of the opinion in that case deals
with the 8-hour provision of the Kansas statute, but the provision
on the prevailing rate of wage was also discussed and it was not held
invalid. Cases in other States were cited and relied upon by the court
in upholding the California statute. In New York the prevailingwage statute was approved (Long Island It. Co. v. Department of
Labor (1931), 177 N. E. 17); and the doctrine of the New York case
was followed in Washington (Malette v. City of Spokane,5 137 Pac.
496), Wisconsin (Wagner v. City of Milwaukee,6 192 N. W. 994),
and Maryland (Ruark v. International Union,7 146 Atl. 797). In
basing its decision upon the Atkin case, the court said it had never
been overruled and was not referred to in the Connally case, which
“is not applicable to the case at bar for the reason that here we are
not confronted with any uncertainty as to the nature or character of
the particular offense that is declared a crime.”
In response to the question of what is a prevailing wage, the court
said no court could fix any definite amount as a prevailing-wage rate,
for its determination depends upon the relation of the work “ to time
and place, both of which are within the purview and cognizance of
the administrative board in each case.”
The court found the phrases “ work of a similar character” and
“ locality in which the work is performed” were not too vague, as
the work and the locality could be determined with a reasonable
certainty.
The second objection to the statute was that it violated the Califor
nia constitution. This argument was based upon the theory that the
payment of a prevailing-wage rate was in the nature of a tax and there
fore such legislation must conform to the taxing powers of the State.
The court held such payment was not a tax as contemplated by the
State constitution. The court also denied the third objection, that
it was an unlawful delegation of legislative power, and held that
such action by the legislature was warranted and amounted only to a
delegation to the board of power to exercise a discretion under and in
pursuance of the law.
5 IT. S. B ureau of Labor Statistics Bui. N o. 112, p. 132; also Bui. No. 169, p. 191.
U. S. B ureau of Labor Statistics Bui. No. 344, p. 262; also Bui. No. 391, p. 323.
7 U. S. B ureau of Labor Statistics Bui. No. 548, p. 178.
6
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
In concluding the opinion, Mr. Justice Shenk quoted the language of
Mr. Justice Harlan, speaking for the United States Supreme Court
in the Atkin case, as follows:
So, also, if it be said that a statute like the one before us is mischievous in its
tendencies, the answer is that the responsibility therefor rests upon legislators,
not upon the courts. No evils arising from such legislation could be more farreaching than those that might come to our system of government if the judiciary,
abandoning the sphere assigned to it by the fundamental law, should enter the
domain of legislation, and, upon grounds merely of justice or reason or wisdom,
annul statutes that had received the sanction of the people’s representatives.
We are reminded by counsel that it is the solemn duty of the courts in cases
before them to guard the constitutional rights of the citizen against merely
arbitrary power. That is unquestionably true. But it is equally true—indeed,
the public interests imperatively demand—that legislative enactments should be
recognized and enforced by the courts as embodying the will of the people, unless
they are plainly and palpably, beyond all question, in violation of the funda
mental law of the Constitution.
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WORKMEN’S COMPENSATION
V ic tim o f S u n s tr o k e A w ard ed C o m p e n s a tio n
HE Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia recently held
that an employee who suffered a sunstroke while at work in the
open thereby sustained an injury within the meaning of the District
of Columbia workmen’s compensation law. (Burris v. Hoage, 60
Washington Law Reporter, 574.)
From the facts in the case it appeared that the employee in question
was at work with other laborers, removing certain material from a
street in the city of Washington. The day was very hot and the
place where the employee was at work had no protection by shade
trees. About 11 o’clock in the forenoon the employee left his place
of employment and started toward a water barrel for the purpose of
quenching his thirst. While he was so doing he collapsed and died
several hours later from heat prostration or sunstroke.
The deputy commissioner of workmen’s compensation in the
District of Columbia denied an award of compensation to the wido w.
An appeal was taken to the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia
and on a petition for an injunction the court considered the deputy
commissioner’s conclusion in error and entered an order setting aside
his finding. Upon appeal to the district court of appeals, this court
had to consider the question of whether an employee who suffers a
heat stroke while at work in the open sustains an injury arising out
the employment within the meaning of the District of Columbia
compensation law.
The insurance carrier contended that the injury was due to the
abnormal heat to which the general public was subjected and not to
any special hazard resulting from the occupation in which the em
ployee was engaged at the time of the injury.
In reviewing the case, the district court of appeals was of the
opinion that there was no evidence to sustain the deputy commis
sioner’s findings. While it was conceded by all parties concerned
that the deceased employee was engaged in manual labor on an
unshaded street and on an intensely hot day, the high court was of the
opinion that the employee’s work required him to remain exposed to
the sun’s rays, which was not true of the community in general, and
that his employment therefore exposed him to a risk essentially
arising out of the work. The decision of the case, the court thought,
depended upon the answer to two questions: (1) Is death from
sunstroke an accidental injury; (2) did the sunstroke arise “ out of
and in the course of his employment.” The court said that both
questions should be answered in the affirmative. According to the
definition of accidental injury within the meaning of the compensation
act, the court pointed out that it included “ any unexpected mis
fortune or mischance resulting in some form of bodily injury—an
injury due to accident or caused by some sudden or unexpected
occurrence.”
140152°—32----- 8
851
T
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
In reviewing the circumstances under which the deceased employee
was laboring on the day of his death, the court thought it was proper
to say that, except for the conditions existing, the injury would not
have occurred and death would not have necessarily ensued. The
very statement of the facts of the case, the court continued, showed
that the deceased was exposed to a hazard in the course of his employ
ment that did not apply generally to the community and whenever
this condition occurred^ and injury necessarily resulted, such injury
may be said to arise out of and in the course of the employment.
This in fact would be the proximate cause of the injury and therefore
within the terms of the District of Columbia workmen’s compensa
tion act. The court in conclusion pointed out that the underlying
purpose of all compensation laws is to provide money indemnity in
the case of injury where there is no assignable fault. Mr. Justice
Groner concluded his opinion by saying that—
Accidents in industry are inevitable, and the enactment _of compensation
laws grew out of a general recognition of a duty owing by society to an injured
employee to secure him protection, and this the act seeks to accomplish through
the means of insurance built up by premiums paid by employers. Where there
is doubt, it should be resolved in favor of the injured employee or his dependent
family. In the circumstances shown in the record here, we think petitioner
established a case of accidental death arising out of the employment and com
pensable under the statute. To reach a different conclusion would be to indulge
subtlety at the expense of the plain purpose and intent of the law.
P r e e x is tin g C o n d itio n H eld N o B ar t o R ecovery of
C o m p e n s a tio n
HE Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia, in an opinion
written by Mr. Chief Justice Martin, held that an injury arose out
of and in the course of an employment in a case in which an employee,
while using a hot-water hose, fell in an epileptic fit and because of
the contraction of his muscles continued to hold the hose so that the
hot water ran over his body, inflicting serious burns causing his
death. (Georgetown College v. Hoage et al., 60 Washington Law
Reporter, 555.)
This case was an appeal from a decree of the Supreme Court of
the District of Columbia which set aside an order of the deputy
commissioner of workmen’s compensation in the District of Columbia
rejecting a claim for compensation for death of an employee. From the
facts in the case as stated in the finding of the deputy commissioner,
it appeared that the deceased employee was engaged as a laborer on
construction work at a hospital being erected by the university.
While using a hot-water hose for defrosting cans in an ice plant of the
employer, the employee was seized with an epileptic fit. The contraction
of his muscles caused him to grasp the hose, which was emitting hot
water and to hold it against his body; the burns thus inflicted sub
sequently caused his death.
The deputy commissioner held that the proximate cause of the
injury was the epileptic seizure, which had no relation whatever to the
employment. The deputy commissioner also found that the em
ployment did not aggravate the preexisting epileptic condition.
Upon appeal to the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia by
the widow, the court held that the order of the deputy commissioner,
T
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WORKMEN’S COMPENSATION
853
based upon facts, was not in accordance with the law. The contention
of the employer was that the decree of the lower court had the effect
of setting aside the order of the compensation commissioner upon a
pure question of fact, which was beyond the court’s authority since
the statute authorized the court to set aside the compensation order
only when not in accordance with the law. The only question, there
fore, raised and to be decided by the court of appeals was whether the
facts as found by the deputy commissioner showed as a conclusion of
law that the death of the employee “ arose out of and in the course
of the employment.” From the facts in the case the court of appeals
held that the employee’s death was caused by the burns and not by
the epileptic condition, and that such burns were inflicted by means
of an instrumentality in the hand of the employee which he was using
in the course of his employment. The court called attention to the
fact that a liberal interpretation in favor of an injured employee
should be given, since workmen’s compensation statutes in general
are remedial. The court in concluding the opinion cited several
cases and based its opinion principally upon a Massachusetts, case.
(Cusick’s Case, 260 Mass. 421.) In that case an employee subject to
epileptic fits had an attack while going down some cellar stairs.
The Massachusetts court held that compensation could be recovered
under the State workmen’s compensation act, and in the course of
its opinion referred to the fact that an employee not subject to
epilepsy who fell upon the stairs while in the course of his employ
ment would be entitled to compensation. The fact of suffering the
epileptic attack did not, therefore, bar a recovery. It was shown that
the protection of the statute was not limited merely to employees
who are in good health but included all employees enumerated in the
statute who are in the service of an employer under a contract of
hire. The court of appeals of the District of Columbia also referred
to the case of Rockford Hotel Co. v. Industrial Commission (300 111.
87), in which it was held that the employer was not liable in a case
in which an employee was seized with a fit and fell to his death; in
that case the injury was not considered one arising out of the employ
ment. However, the District of Columbia court said that the major
ity of the courts, both American and English, have held that if the
injury was due to a fall the employer is liable “ even though the fall
was caused by a preexisting idiopathic condition.”
The court therefore affirmed the decree of the lower court and
awarded compensation to the widow of the deceased employee.
R e c e n t C o m p e n s a tio n R e p o r ts
Ohio
STATEMENT of the experience of the Ohio State insurance fund
during 1931 and the announcement of the annual revision of
rules and rates, effective July 1, 1932, is given in the August, 1932,
issue of the Ohio Industrial Commission Monitor.
The financial statement of the fund shows total assets on Decem
ber 31, 1931, of $47,505,140.05, and a surplus of $750,568.58. Re
ceipts of premiums and interest earnings for the year totaled $11,544,899.14, while disbursements totaled $16,077,209.54, making an excess
of disbursements over receipts of $4,532,310.40.
A
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854
M O N T H L Y L A B O R R E V IE W
It is explained that during the year the total assets have been re
duced $5,335,784.97, while the reserves for pending and incomplete
claims show a reduction of only $3,109,656.69, affecting the surplus
of the fund greatly. The statutory catastrophe reserve has been re
duced from $2,346,899.06 to $1,883,563.35, partly due to claims of
injured employees of employers who failed to insure and were finan
cially irresponsible.
The general surplus has been reduced from $2,117,962.22 to $750,568.58, a reduction of $1,367,393.64, attributed to the result of factors
accompanying the industrial depression of the year. Receipts declined
17.6 per cent, reflecting the reduction in employment as well as the
reduction in pay rolls, while disbursements declined only one-half of
1 per cent, as these are but slightly affected by industrial depressions
of the corresponding period. In 1931 the pay rolls of insured employers
were 19.2 per centlower than in 1930, and premiums collected were
19.5 per cent less.
The number of claims filed decreased from 193,005 in 1930 to 154,232
in 1931, a reduction of 20.1 per cent, but it is claimed that the fund
is experiencing an abnormally increasing cost per claim in both com
pensation payments and medical cost. The average compensation
cost per case in 1931 wTas 6.7 per cent over the 1930 cost, and 9.4 per
cent over the 1929 cost. The average medical cost per case in 1931 was
12 per cent over the 1930 cost, and 20 per cent over the 1929 cost.
It is pointed out that costs are further increased through the tend
ency of courts and juries to allow cases, on appeal or review, which
had previously been disallowed or terminated by the commission,
and that the reduction of wage rates becomes an additional factor in
lowering the premium income per man exposed while benefits are not
reduced correspondingly. Medical, hospital, nursing, and funeral
expenses are not based upon wage rates, and are not affected. Com
pensation benefits are based upon wage rates, bufi as the weekly
benefits are two-thirds of the weekly wages with a maximum of $18.75,
the amounts are not affected when the wages remain above $28.13 per
week. Wage-level fluctuations above $23.44 per week likewise do not
affect the amount of death benefits paid to dependents of killed workers.
It has been found necessary, in view of these various factors, to
increase the average basic premium rate level approximately 17 per
cent. The revision carries increases in 345 classifications, decreases
in 37, and no change in 200. The occupational disease rate remains, as
previously, 1 cent per $100 of pay roll.
Employers are reminded that the rates were reduced from year to
year during the period of high industrial activity and increase in wage
levels, or not increased to the extent of the increases made in benefits,
so that the rates, as now adjusted, are proportionately lower than in
the earlier years of workmen’s compensation, when compared with
the benefits, and that the Ohio rates are at a much lower level than
those of other States with comparable benefits.
The attention of the employers is also directed to the fact that each
employer with an accident experience more favorable than the stand
ard of their industry receives a credit reducing the individual rate,
while an unfavorable experience results in a penalty increasing the
rate. The extent of credit or penalty varies with the degree of devia
tion from the standard of the industry.
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855
W O R K M E N ’S C O M P E N S A T IO N
W is c o n s in
An analysis by industry of compensable cases settled in Wisconsin
during 1931 is shown in Bulletin No. 41 of Wisconsin Labor Statistics,
published by the Industrial Commission of Wisconsin. Figures for
previous years are included.
It is pointed out that the construction industries, with less than 7
per cent of all employees coming under the workmen’s compensation
law, were responsible for 20 per cent of the total number of cases and
23 per cent of the total cost. A total of 469 cases, including 9 death
cases, occurred in agricultural pursuits, which do not come under the
compensation act unless the employer files affirmative election or
takes out a compensation insurance policy covering farm labor;
these cases cost approximately $80,000 in compensation benefits and
medical aid.
The following table shows a distribution by industrial groups of
the compensable cases settled in 1929, 1930, and 1931, with compen
sation cost and medical cost in fee cases for 1931.1
T a ble
1
.— C O M P E N S A B L E CA SES S E T T L E D IN W ISC O N SIN , 1929, 1930, A N D 1931
BY
IN D U S T R IA L G R O U P S, A N D B E N E F IT S P A ID IN 1931
N um ber of compensation
cases settled
A m ount paid in 1931
In d u strial group
1929
1930
1931
A g ricultu re..___________________
M in in g ._______________________
Q uarrying______________________
Chem icals______________________
Clay, glass, and stone p roducts___
Food, beverages, a n d tobacco____
L eather and leath er products_____
L um ber and lum ber p roducts____
M etal and m etal products_______
P aper and p ap er products_______
R ubber and composition goods___
Textiles________________________
Vehicles, autom obiles____________
Cleaning, dyeing________________
P rin tin g a n d publishing_________
C onstruction___________________
T rad e __________________________
Personal and professional service...
Public utilities and transportation.
Industries not specified__________
426
72
244
117
241
1,276
281
2,974
5,171
859
181
226
1,174
80
159
4, 019
1,951
1, 175
517
38
270
76
223
1,319
243
2, 665
3, 777
730
96
173
582
98
163
3, 823
2,032
1, 209
2,030
469
33
179
94
209
1, 349
All industries______________
22, 630
2 ,0 0 1
3
Compen M edical aid
sation
in fee cases
6
156
413
99
123
3, 393
2,049
1,273
2,031
4
$53,152
24, 725
74, 973
13, 512
64, 307
210, 153
11, 677
285,137
544, 706
121,437
37, 965
20, 642
141, 307
14, 618
27, 069
808, 512
262, 216
317,229
443, 719
9,139
$25, 598
1, 22 0
12, 619
6,533
13, 099
71, 020
7,188
109, 8 8 6
130, 982
35, 872
7,393
8 , 929
24. 386
6,107
9,068
229, 541
109, 292
90, 319
126, 238
851
20, 070
16, 943
3, 486,195
1, 026,141
212
1.780
2,376
613
88
Bulletin No. 42 of Wisconsin Labor Statistics is devoted to an
analysis of the wage basis in compensation cases. It is explained that
on March 14, 1931, the compensation benefits, which previously had
been based on 65 per cent of the average weekly wages of the injured
worker, were changed through legislative action to a basis of 70 per
cent, but remained subject to the same fixed minimum and maximum
weekly wage limits, $10.50 and $30.00.
The percentage of wage loss compensated varies with earnings and
time loss, and the effect of the maximum wage limit is an important
factor. An injured worker whose average weekly earnings had been
1
Similar d ata for earlier years were published in Labor Review for June, 1930, and a sum m ary of total
cases, 1920 to 1931, by extent of disability, w ith tim e losses and benefit costs, was published in L abor Review
for July, 1932.
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856
M O N T H L Y L A B O E R E V IE W
$35 would, if disabled temporarily for more than 10 days, receive only
60 per cent of his actual earnings instead of 70 per cent, on account
of the maximum limit. If the actual earnings had been $40 per week,
the compensation would equal only 52.5 per cent, and at $50 actual
earnings it would equal only 42 per cent. If the disability terminated
in less than 10 days, the percentage received is still smaller.
It is shown that, for many years previous to the present depression,
from 35 to 45 per cent of all compensation cases were settled on the
maximum wage basis. In 1931, however, the extensive reduction
in wage rates resulted in reducing the proportion of cases compen
sated on the maximum wage basis to 24.9 per cent.
Wage rates in various types of disability cases are analyzed by age
and by sex, cases are classified by wage rates, and a detailed analysis
by industry is given of wage rates in compensation cases settled in
1931.
P h ilip p in e Islands
A c c o r d i n g to the report of the Secretary of Commerce and Com
munications of the Philippine Islands for the calendar year 1930,2 a
total of 3,092 industrial injuries was reported to the bureau of labor
during the year, as compared with 2,055 injuries reported in 1929, an
increase of 50 per cent.
Compensation awarded in 1,521 cases closed during the year
amounted to 56,969.85 pesos ($28,484.93)3, an average of 37.45 pesos
($18.73) per case, while in 770 cases the disability did not extend
beyond the 7-day waiting period and 140 cases either did not come
under the provisions of the compensation act or were withdrawn. At
the close of the year 661 cases were pending, including 92 fatalities.
Medical, hospital, and funeral expenses reported paid aggregated
46,201.19 pesos ($23,100.60), but as the majority of the larger planta
tions and other industrial establishments maintain individual medical
and hospital services and do not report the cost of treating each minor
injury, the actual medical and hospital cost was considerably greater.
The nationality of the injured workers is shown as follows: Fili
pinos, 3,057; Chinese, 17; Japanese, 16; and Americans, 2. Nine of
them were females, while 3,083 were males; 1,207 were married and
1,885 were single; 45 per cent of the injured were 20 and under 30
years of age.
The injuries consisted of 209 deaths, 139 permanent partial disabil
ities, and 2,744 temporary disabilities, of which 770 terminated in the
first week and 775 in the second week. The time loss, based on the
standard schedule of the International Association of Industrial
Accident Boards and Commissions for deaths and permanent disabili
ties, is given as: Deaths, 1,254,000 days; permanent partial disabili
ties, 410,450 days; and temporary disabilities, 28,994 days.
The principal causes of the injuries were: Vehicles, 49 fatal and 528
nonfatal; handling of objects, 26 fatal and 509 nonfatal; falling objects,
31 fatal and 458 nonfatal; machinery, 38 fatal and 397 nonfatal; and
falls of persons, 38 fatal and 350 nonfatal.
The following table shows the number of injuries reported in 1930,
by industry.
2 Philippine Islands.
Governor General. A nnual report, 1930. W ashington, 1932,
160, 72d U. S. Cong., 1st sess.)
3 Conversions into U nited States currency on basis of peso=50 cents.
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(House D oc. No.
857
W O R K M E N ’S C O M P E N S A T IO N
T able
2
.—N U M B E R
OF IN D U S T R IA L IN J U R IE S R E P O R T E D
IS L A N D S IN 1930, B Y IN D U S T R Y
In d u stry
L and and w ater transportation, wharves, etc___
____
Oils, fats, etc_______________ _____ . . . __
M etal works, etc______
_____ _ _ __ _________
M ining, quarrying, and other stone works ______ _ _ _ _ _ _____
_ _
Food, drinks, tobacco, etc., m anufacturing and d istrib u tio n____
Textiles, clothing, hats, shoes, and leather g o o d s_____ __ __ _ __________
Building and engineering c o n stru c tio n ________
_ _ _____ __
Books, printing, publishing, etc___________ _ ______________ _
Wood, furniture, sawmills, and lum ber yards _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
G overnm ent activities, . 1
___
_'
_ _______________ _ _ _
Miscellaneous and general la b o r _______________ _
T o t a l - __
__
__ _ ______
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_
IN T H E
P H IL IP P IN E
N um ber of P er cent of
injuries
total
1,049
102
186
530
494
6
93
12
318
91
211
3,092
33. 93
3 30
6 . 02
17.14
15.98
. 19
3.01
.39
10.28
2.94
6,82
1 0 0 .0 0
SOCIAL INSURANCE
E ffect o f S o c ia l C h a r g e s U p o n C o s ts o f P r o d u c tio n in B e lg iu m
HERE has been much discussion as regards the effects of social
charges—for unemployment insurance, old-age pensions, etc.—
T
upon the cost of production, but information on this subject has been
rather limited. Considerable interest, therefore, attaches to a recent
lecture of Professor Cardyn of the University of Louvain, in which
he attempted to estimate the effect of the social charges in effect in
Belgium upon the costs of production of commodities produced in
that country. His conclusions were that social charges amounted
to approximately 5.5 per cent of direct wages and to approximately
0.9 per cent of the total costs of production. The following summary
of Professor Cardyn’s views is reproduced from the August 29, 1932,
issue of Industrial and Labor Information of the International Labor
Office:
The question was how far the charges imposed by social legislation entered
into costs of production. Social charges were borne in part by the manufac
turers, in part by the workers, and in part by the State. Charges on industry
were thus twofold. In the first place, the cost of production rose with the amount
of employers’ contributions based on the wages paid; in the second place, it was
increased by that part of the taxes on industry which the authorities utilized to
meet the State’s share of social charges.
Employers’ contributions.— The speaker then examined the amounts paid by
the employers. In the first place, family allowances imposed on the employer an
annual charge of about 219 francs for every male worker and 147 francs for every
female worker, or 1.7 per cent of the normal wage of male workers and 2 per cent
of the normal wage of female workers. For pensions, manufacturers had to
pay about 1.33 per cent of the wages covered by the act, these being wages of
not more than 40 francs a day, or 11,400 francs a year. But three-fifths of the
male workers were earning higher wages, and no contribution had to be paid
for the part of the wage exceeding 11,400 francs. The whole wage of women
workers, on the other hand, came within the scope of the act. The speaker
estimated that manufacturers paid about 1.23 per cent of wages as their con
tribution to pensions.
In regard to social insurance, if the bill came into force the manufacturers
would have to pay about 153 francs a year for each insured person. Only
wages up to 12,000 francs a year, plus 1,000 francs for each child, were covered
by the bill. Taking an average wage of 13,000 francs for men and 7,000 francs
for women workers, the rate would be 1.17 per cent for the former and 2.18 per
cent for the latter, but as no contribution was payable for the part of the wage
in excess of the maximum, this average percentage should also be reduced by 0.1.
The percentage of charges for women workers remained the same.
In regard to compensation for industrial accidents, the act imposed on manu
facturers a charge which might be estimated at 1.67 per cent of wages. It
must, however, be observed that this was an obligation to cover occupational
risks, and consequently this insurance premium could not be considered solely
as a social charge.
In proportion to the amount of wages, the manufacturers had thus to pay the
following percentages for social charges:
858
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SO C IA L IN S U R A N C E
PER C E N T O F W A G E S, C O N T R IB U T E D B Y E M P L O Y E R , F O R SO C IA L IN S U R A N C E IN
B E L G IU M
Charge
M en
W omen
P e r cent P e r cent
Insurance- _______________________
Pensions.________ _
F am ily allowances_______________ _
T o tal_____________________
. _
1.07
1. 23
2.18
1.23
1 .6 8
2 .0 0
3.98
5. 41
There were about two million workers in Belgium, of whom 80 per cent were
men and 20 per cent women. If the charges were reduced to a single percentage
in proportion to the total labor force of the country, the average rate would be
found to be 4.266 per cent of wages.
These figures obviously represented averages and must be treated with reserve.
Indirect charges.— Besides these figures, which he described as direct charges,
Professor Cardyn considered the extent of indirect social charges, or those paid
by manufacturers in the form of taxes.
The social expenditure of the Ministry of Industry and Labor amounted to 10
per cent of the total expenditure of the State, which was 9,505,757,389 francs.
Thus if an undertaking paid a given sum in taxes, 10 per cent of this sum would
be used to meet the social charges of the State.
One of the largest undertakings in the country had supplied figures showing
that it paid 232 million francs in wages and 24 million francs in taxes. Taxes
thus represented 10 per cent of the wages paid. One-tenth of the taxes was ap
plied by the State to social services. Thus, it could be estimated that the social
charges borne by the State represented 1 per cent of wages. Industry thus paid
towards social charges 4.26 per cent of wages directly and 1 per cent indirectly,
or a total of 5.26 per cent.
To be exact, it would be necessary to allow for the costs of administration of
social legislation. This was impracticable, but taking everything into account
it seemed that social charges would not be underestimated if they were calculated
at an average of 5.5 per cent of wages.
Effect on costs.— It must not, however, be concluded that costs of production
were increased by 5.5 per cent by the application of social legislation. In prac
tice, these costs would only increase to the extent to which social charges were
based on the remuneration of the active part of the population, and to the extent
to which wages entered into the determination of costs. The provisional result
of the estimate should therefore be corrected in accordance with these two ele
ments.
With regard to the first element, the proportion of the total population en
gaged in production was generally estimated at 50 per cent. It would thus be
4,000,000. But not all these persons were wage earners. According to the esti
mates of the Ministry of Industry and Labor, the social insurance act would
only apply to about 2,000,000 workers, or half the active population. The
other half was composed of various elements: Peasant proprietors, working their
farms with the help of members of their families, so that their production was not
subject to social charges; directors and high officials of undertakings, whose
salaries were not subject to the regulations laid down by social legislation, except
to a slight extent through the application of the act relating to pensions for sal
aried employees; and merchants and small employers whose profits or whose
share in costs of production did not come within the scope of social insurance.
All these persons held privileged positions and generally received high salaries.
As their number amounted to about half the active population, it would certainly
be no exaggeration to say that their earnings were 50 per cent higher than those of
ordinary workers. Assuming then that the total of wages, salaries and fees of all
kinds entering into costs of production represented 100, the share of the ordinary
workers would be 40 and that of the rest of the active population 60.
Then 40 per cent of that part of the costs of production which represented the
remuneration of labor was subject to social charges representing 5.5 per cent of
such remuneration. Thus it followed that social charges represented an in
crease of 2.2 per cent in this part of the costs of production.
Costs other than wages.—This second provisional result, however, must be still
further corrected.
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860
M O N T H L Y L A B O R R E V IE W
It had been shown that social charges represented 2.2 per cent of that part of
the costs of production which consisted of the remuneration of labor, but what
did this part represent in proportion to the remainder of such costs ?
This remainder included the price of raw materials, machinery, power, in
terest on capital, etc. Raw materials in Belgium were mostly imported, and
social charges could not affect their prices. As to power, the price of coa* was
certainly increased by social charges, but that of electric power, which was pro
duced almost without the use of labor, did not involve social charges, hmally,
it was unnecessary to refer to social charges m connection with interest on capital;
It was impossible to arrive at an exact estimate of the proportion ot_costs ol
production represented by all the elements other than wages and salaries. A n
approximate estimate might be reached on the basis of the figures for the total
national income, of which it had been estimated that wages represented 41 per
cent. Applying this proportion to costs of production, it might be said tiiat it
such costs were represented by 100 the proportion devoted to the remuneration
of labor would be 41, and the charges for raw materials, power, etc., 59. iiius,
41 per cent of the costs of production bore social charges representing 2.2 per cent
of this fraction. The conclusion was that social charges represented 0.9 per cent
of the costs of production.
.
, ,
Summarizing these conclusions, wages, salaries and fees of all kinds represented.
41 per cent of the costs of production. Of the total of wages and salaries, only
40 per cent was subject to social charges. These social charges, which altogether
amounted to 5.5 per cent of wages, thus represented only 0.9 per cent of the costs
of production.
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FAMILY ALLOWANCES
R e p o r t o n F a m ily A llo w a n c e s b y Q u e b e c C o m m is s io n
HE Quebec Provincial Social Insurance Commission, appointed
in 1930, has recently issued in one volume its third and fourth
reports, which deal, respectively, with the subjects of family allow
ances and industrial hygiene.
In its third report 1 the commission passes from the consideration
of general child welfare problems to the particular problems of the
workingman’s family responsibilities and to the suggestion that work
ingmen should receive a supplement to their wages in the form of a
State grant for each dependent child. The problem which family
allowances are designed to solve is set forth in the report as follows :
T
We may ask ourselves then what there is of equity and social justice in the
salary offered to workingmen among us who have to support from 4 to 10 children.
Families of that size— and are they not the most worthy of admiration?—must,
in order to balance their budget, agree to painful restrictions, even in the case of
necessities. The result will be that the large family, needing a larger house,
better ventilated, with more sun, will have to remain satisfied with lodgings
which are more cramped and less hygienic, because of the necessity of cutting
down those expenses which can be curtailed. The same result will follow when
it is a question of food and clothing. It will be necessary to reduce to their
lowest sum all expenses in this department of the family economy.
It is suggested by those who advocate family allowances that the
only way of restoring equilibrium in the budget of a large family is
to grant a progressive allowance for each child in excess of the number
of children in the average family (the average for Quebec is said to be
3). The actual proposal is to constitute a collective fund for the
benefit of large families, which would be somewhat similar to the
accident fund in the case of workmen’s compensation.
In order to investigate social-insurance systems in different Euro
pean countries, members of the commission went abroad. They
also made a study of the family allowance systems in France and
Belgium and embodied their conclusions in their report, which also
contains an account of the present status of such benefits in Austria,
Czechoslovakia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Netherlands, Poland,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Australia, and New Zealand.
The conclusions of the commissioners are given below:
1. Although recognizing that in Belgium and France, if not in
Germany and Australia, family allowances have furnished a solution
to the highly important problem of large families, the commission is
of the unanimous opinion that at the present time there is no oppor
tunity for the legal institution of such allowances in the Province of
Quebec. The system is “ adapted to low wages and it is very difficult
to predict what would be the results of its application here.” Al
though advocates of family allowances take cognizance of the Cana
dian wage rates by proposing to grant such allowances from the third
child only, it must be remembered that in various industries, even
1
Canada.
M in istry of Labor.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
L abor Gazette, O ttaw a, A ugust, 1932, p. 861.
861
862
M O N T H L Y L A B O R R E V IE W
in the Dominion, wages are not so high and that “ there is occasion
to suggest their increase rather than to run the risk, by_ creating a
system of family allowances, of keeping them for a long period at their
present level.”
2. The manufacturers of the Province of Quebec would perhaps be
affected disadvantageously in relation to the industrialists of other
Provinces, if its collective insurance fund, organized last year, were
suddenly supplemented by a family-allowance system.
3. Existing economic conditions make it very difficult to take a
step of this kind.
4. There is basis for serious apprehension that the drift of popu
lation from the rural districts of the Province would be given an
increased momentum if the family-allowance system were limited to
the industries.
5. “ It would be impossible and dangerous to extend family allow
ances to the whole population and make them a State institution.”
6. The tremendous agricultural problem of the Province of Que
bec—the placement of farmers’ sons or, in general, the problem of
surplus population in the rural sections—would still be unsolved.
Governmental resources should preferably be used to promote place
ment on provincial lands through an intensive colonization policy.
For the reasons set forth above, the commission has given up the
idea of proposing the establishment of family allowances in the
Province.
Social insurance has not yet been reported upon by the commission,
but all the systems include special provisions for the protection of the
family, and the family question will, therefore, be studied at a later
date. No objection is offered by the commission to factory owners
who may wish to organize of their own accord family-allowance
funds, as has been done in France. Such procedure was seriously
recommended to the commission by the director general of the French
central committee on family allowances, and the commission con
cludes “ that is the method of social initiative, the result of special
education, which people in this Province will doubtless desire to
follow.”
A n n u a l C o n g r e ss o n F a m ily A llo w a n c e s in F r a n c e
HE Twelfth Annual French Congress on Family Allowances and
Social Insurance held its opening session at Bordeaux on June
6, 1932, under the chairmanship of the president of the central com
mittee on family allowances. Over 400 delegates were in attendance.
They came from all parts of France and some from Belgium. A large
number of family allowance funds, social insurance groups, and federa
tions and unions of primary funds were represented.1
It was reported that despite the economic crisis there had been only
a slight reduction in the number of heads of families receiving allow
ances and the number of children benefiting therefrom and an even
smaller decrease in the amount of the allowances disbursed, while the
appropriations for social service exceeded somewhat the 10,000,000
francs ($392,000) of last year.2
T
1
2
L a Journée industrielle, Paris, June 5-7, and 11, 1932.
Conversions into U nited States currency on basis of franc a t par=3.92 cents.
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F A M IL Y A L L O W A N C E S
863
Among the principal subjects discussed at the Congress was the
act of March 11, 1932, providing for a general compulsory system of
family allowances.3 A special report was presented on the activities
and achievements of the family allowance fund of Bordeaux and the
Southwest. Other reports dealt respectively with the demographic
effects of family allowances; the reasons for direct coordination of the
efforts for maternal and infant protection; and the results obtained
after two years’ application of the social insurance law.
Among the resolutions adopted by the congress was one proposing
that the funds continue their cooperation in the social campaign of the
country and that they initiate or favor collaboration with various
other agencies in the struggle against sickness and misery.
At the agricultural session a resolution was passed urging that the
family allowance act of March 11, 1932, be applied as soon as possible
to rural wage earners and that the chambers of agriculture and other
interested associations should study carefully the means by which a
family-allowance system could be extended to small farmers.
8
For digest of act, see L abor Review, W ashington, April, 1932, p. 796.
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WORKERS’ EDUCATION AND TRAINING
E d u c a tio n a l S u r v e y b y I n te r n a t io n a l F e d e r a tio n o f
T r a d e -U n io n s
N ACCORDANCE with a resolution adopted by the International
Trade-Union Committee for Youth and Educational Questions
and approved by the executive committee of the International Feder
ation of Trade Unions, a report is compiled yearly from replies re
ceived from a questionnaire concerning the educational activities of
the national centers affiliated with that federation. The third and
latest survey on the subject included the educational work of these
organizations in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain,
Holland, Latvia, Palestine, Poland, Spain, and Sweden. The report
on the investigation is published in the April, 1932, issue of The
International Trade-Union Movement, the official organ of the
federation. The findings are given below.
I
Austria
I n Austria the Social Democratic Party and the trade-unions
have formed a joint educational association—the National Workers’
Educational Center. The actual work of the joint body, however,
is classified under two heads—political and distinctly trade-union.
Trade-union lecturers are left free to arrange their programs.
For the education of ordinary trade-union members numerous
lectures and courses of lectures are provided for the evening or at
week ends. Conducted tours, lantern slides, cinemas, etc., are also
made use of for this purpose.
Union officials are trained in different trade-union schools estab
lished by the trade-unions themselves, some of these schools being for
women, others for juveniles, for works councillors, for salaried em
ployees, or for other special classes of workers. Among the subjects
included in the curriculums of these institutions are specific trade
problems, trade-unionism, labor law, civics, national economics, and
social policy.
There are also special trade-union schools for training officials,
and such schools provide not only theoretical teaching but also ex
cursions, conduct visits of various kinds, and other types of educa
tional work. The National Trade-Union School at Vienna is a
notable institution, providing three courses and catering “ last year”
for 100 students. Mention is also made of the Social Democratic
School and the Labor College.
Increasing use is being made of modern educational appliances
such as gramaphone records, cinema, and wireless.
Belgium
I n B elgium the workers’ educational activities for the 1930-31
session were as follows:
864
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WORKERS’ EDUCATION AND TRAINING
865
Courses.—There were 149 courses in French-speaking Belgium and
56 in Flanders. This was an increase of 9 and 10, respectively, as
compared with the preceding session. The subjects and methods in
these courses are adapted to the class membership. Among the
special courses are those for trade-unionists, Socialists, municipal
officials, cooperative societies, the women’s movement, and youth
work. Furthermore, there were three study “ weeks” with 29
Walloon and 18 Flemish students in attendance.
Lectures.—In 1930-31 the number of lectures was 1,713 as com
pared to 1,665 in the preceding annual session. In Flanders in the
later period the number increased to 736 as against 553 for the pre
vious year. The recently inaugurated cinema lectures give promise
of success.
Workers’ travel movement.—Efforts are being made to amalgamate
the French and Flemish branches of this work into a joint national
organization of the International Friends of Nature.
Wireless.—The association of the French-speaking socialist wireless
group—the “ Resef”—is affiliated as an independent body with the
national educational center. The “ Sarov,” the Flemish organiza
tion of socialist wireless owners, is not affiliated with that center.
Both the Resef and the Sarov have, however, combined in a national
association.
Courses fo r young trade-unionists.—Some 2,000 youthful unionists
participated in classes conducted by the Workers’ Educational Center
in 10 different places. At the close of the year reviewed, 40 of the
best students were sent, at the expense of the National Trade-Union
Center, to the Labor College for a 1-week special course.
Denmark
E a r ly in 1930, the Workers’ Educational Movement in Denmark
acquired the college at Roskilde, which can accommodate 93 students.
It is reported as always full, both for the numerous summer courses
and for the 6 months’ college course. The financial provision for
this institution was adequate enough to allow for the establishment of
a library.
In 1929 the Esbjerg Labor College was enlarged so that it could
accommodate 90 students. At the time the report was made a three
months’ summer course for young girls had been planned. In this
connection a modern school kitchen and all the necessary appliances
for domestic teaching have been provided.
Labor schools.— In the winter of the year reported upon there were
five labor schools held with a total attendance of 510. The purpose
of these schools is to train particularly promising individuals within
the workers’ educational movement. The institutions are used
jointly by trade-unions and party sections, etc. The instructions are
economic and political, and the organization which sends the students
bears the expense. As the next step after the ordinary labor school
the establishment of a trade-union school to cover several months
is in contemplation but as yet nothing has been done.
Evening schools.—The conditions in the evening schools have
greatly improved as a result of the passage of the evening school act
of March 19, 1930. Such schools may now be established without
limitation as to numbers. Persons other than regular teachers may
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866
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
be instructors in these schools. Local or provincial authorities may
make grants to such schools if the average attendance is at least 10.
The year before the report was compiled there were 46 evening schools
and the attendance reached 4,354, the corresponding figures for the
preceding year being 32 schools and 2,108 in attendance.
L e c tu r e s .— Forty-one courses of lectures were provided during the winter, some
of these being lantern lectures. The attendance was 29,000.
E d u c a tio n f o r u n e m p lo y e d .—Various provincial towns were provided by the
Workers’ Educational Center with day courses for the unemployed, usually in
connection with the local trade schools. Of the costs, one-third was borne by
the local authority and two-thirds by the unemployment fund. To obtain a
grant, the school curriculum must have the approval of the town council and
the board managing the unemployment fund. These day courses were attended
by a total of 1,422 students.
S t u d y circles .— Study circles were formed in Copenhagen, and in the towns and
Provinces, to the number of 476.
S p e c ia l c o u rse s .-—In the summer half-year there were series of special courses
in both labor colleges, specially intended for trade-union officials, Social Demo
cratic town councilors, youth leaders, and cooperative society officials, and treat
ing of socialist cultural work and domestic science. Many unions also arranged
special courses for their own members, such as the metal-workers’ union (a course
for works’ councilors). Especially worthy of note was the work of the railwaymen’s union, whose study circles were attended by 549 persons.
Scholarships jo r joreign colleges.—h i 1930 a Scandinavian People’s
College was organized by the Scandinavian employees in the League
of Nations and the International Labor Office. The Workers’
Educational Center representatives participated in the preparatory
work. “ The executive decided not to go further for the present as
the school work of the center takes up all its time.” A scholarship,
however, has been granted to this college and also to the German
Labor College at Tinz.
Film center.-—Since the last questionnaire investigation was made,
a film center has been set up and has been operating with much
success.
Holiday and research tours.-—Arrangements have been made for
several research and holiday tours to other countries, for example,
Germany and France.
Financial report.—The total amount of money figuring in the bal
ance sheet was 85,019.93 kroner ($22,785). This included a State
grant of 18,000 kroner ($4,824) and also a share in the surplus profits
of the agricultural lottery, amounting to 4,000 kroner ($1,072)4
Germany
General Federation of German Trade-Unions
I n M a y , 1930, work began in the General Federation of German
Trade-Unions’ new school at Bernau, near Berlin. The latest statis
tics submitted to the International Federation of Trade-Unions for
this educational undertaking are given below:
i
Conversions m ade on basis of krone=26.8 cents.
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867
WORKERS’ EDUCATION AND TRAINING
C O U R SE S IN G E N E R A L F E D E R A T IO N OF G E R M A N T R A D E -U N IO N S ’ SC H O O L A T
BERNAU
N um ber of students
T ype and num ber of courses
Length
of course
M en
Introductory courses:
23 (18 u nions)___ ______
6 ( 1 u n io n )____
______
1 (advanced)_________
8 (trade) 1_____________
38
Total
W eeks
4
2
4
2
T o tal. ______
Special courses: 2
4_____________________
4_____________________
2
___________________
1 (week-end) _________
Women
743
238
36
303
11
2
2
3
754
240
38
306
1,320
18
1, 338
146
131
79
34
6
15
152
146
79
40
D ays
14
8
3
6
11
T o tal__________
390
27
417
49
G rand to ta l____
1,710
45
1,755
1 T he trad e courses were for th e following occupational groups: Fire-brigade m en, civil servants, State
postal and telegraph workers, tram w ay men, members of supervisory boards (similar to boards of directors),
persons w orking on behalf of m unicipal enterprises, motor-lorry drivers, workers of gas, w ater, and elec
tricity works.
2 T he special courses were for th e following groups of officials: Y outh leaders, treasurers and managers
of small trade-union branches, leaders of local committees, works’ council members, w orkers’ council m em
bers w ith seats on supervisory boards.
The faculty includes a director and two full-time teachers. In
addition there are visiting teachers who deal regularly with special
subjects. Members of the executives of the unions of the Center and
other persons are also asked to give instructions or lectures on par
ticular topics.
The district secretariats of the General Federation of German
Trade-Unions in their week-end courses concentrate mainly on social
and labor legislation, such courses being followed largely by officials
in the employment of public bodies.
For years there has been special training for labor judges, persons authorized
to conduct lawsuits, members of labor offices (labor exchanges) and members of
works councils, and more recently courses have been added for members of trade
courts of arbitration, members of executives and councils of sickness insurance
centers, officials of trade councils and in a few cases, for officials cooperating in the
public trade schools. The A. D. G. B. trade councils organized 1,677 evening
courses (attendance 77,532) and 180 day courses (677 days and 9,007 students).
A considerable number of courses were held for youth leaders, sometimes week
end courses and sometimes courses lasting from 1 to 2 weeks: These were attended
by some 900 persons and dealt with the subjects needed for such work. In
these courses practical experiments have been made in the arrangement of social
evenings, discussions, games, hikes, etc. Many unemployed have taken part in
these courses; now and then special courses were arranged for the unemployed.
Good results have been obtained in the special arrangements made to employ
leisure time, especially for young unemployed. Young unemployed were brought
together in special “ homes, ” where they could forget their unhappy surroundings
and their daily cares for a short time and draw new strength from another en
vironment.
One hundred and fifteen trade-unionists attended the 1930-31 sessions of the
State industrial schools (for economics and administration) in Berlin and Düssel
dorf, and the Academy of Labor in Frankfort on Main, of whom 61 received main
tenance grants from the A. D. G. B. Twenty-one students were also sent at the
cost of the A. D. G. B. to attend the men’s or women’s courses held at the resi
dential labor college at Tinz in Gera.
140152°—32-----9
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868
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
In the period under review there was an increase in the expenditure
for the trade-union press which has an important rôle in educational
work. The information in certain of these trade-union publications
is utilized in various courses.
Cooperation between the trade-unions and the public schools is
reported as intensified, as such cooperation promotes workers’ educa
tion. As a result of trade-union influence, college education is less of
a monopoly than formerly. The regulations concerning the qualifica
tions for trade teachers in Prussia have been so revised that persons
who have been through a trade-education course and practical men
and women who pass a test for capacity, in which experience in life,
and in the particular trade outweighs mere memorized information,
may now become trade teachers and are allowed to_ enter college.
Preparatory courses for those wishing to take the capacity tests which
are given in addition to those for practical work are eliminating the
barriers to the progress of the wuge-earning class.
In connection with the debates on extending the compulsoryeducation period, the question of the best use of the ninth year of
compulsory school has been studied by the General Federation of
German Trade-Unions, which has also set forth its views on this matter
in a public statement.
Federation of Unions of German Salaried Employees
The educational activities of the German salaried employees’ move
ment are carried on by the individual unions constituting the nonmanual workers’ center. Many arrangements have been made for
widespread educational work and education in specific trade-union
problems through courses and sessions on trade, economic, and social
subjects.
In the year covered by the report four courses of a week each were
held, the total attendance being 101 students. Among those availing
themselves of these educational opportunities were union officials,
workers, councilors on supervisory boards, and public-service em
ployees. There were also 11 week-end courses with an aggregate
attendance of 579 students.
Great Britain
T h e education committee of the British Trades-Union Congress, in
addition to its own direct activities, sends representatives to a number
of outside educational bodies, for example, Ruskin College, the Work
ers’ Educational Association, the National Council of Labor Colleges,
and the boards of the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, which
deal with extramural studies. The report for the year under review
shows a gradual increase in activity in the various branches of educa
tion. In addition to the progress in all the existing methods of
education there have been new beginnings of much promise.
There were 88 applications from members of affiliated unions for
six scholarships granted at Ruskin College. Scholarships were made
available for three trade-unionists at the universities of Oxford or
Cambridge. A joint consultative committee has been created for the
purpose of dealing with the after careers of extramural students of the
universities.
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WORKERS’ EDUCATION AND TRAINING
869
Ten scholarships (from 53 applications) were granted to the I. F.
T. U. Summer School. The Third Trades-Union Congress Summer
School was held at Ruskin College from July 11 to 25, 1931, and was
attended by 76 students, representing 17 organizations. There were
three foreign students (one from the German Building Workers’
School). _ The special subjects were: (1) Trade-union accountancy
and administration, (2) workmen’s compensation, and (3) survey of
industrial relations and industrial negotiations. Lectures were also
given on health and safety in factories, the Royal Commission on
Unemployment Insurance, and the trade-unions (amendment) bill
of 1930.
Educational experiments were made with wireless. The general
council purchased five wireless sets, which it loaned to trade councils.
Listening groups were organized, and group leaders assigned to take
charge of the discussions following each talk. The Trades-Union
Congress was encouraged enough by the results to decide to continue
these experiments the next year.
Holland
I n H o l l a n d , trade-union educational activities are intrusted to the
Institute of Workers’ Education, which is under the joint management
of the national trade-union center and the Socialist Party. In the
year covered by the report the membership increased from 2,831 to
24,169, and the number of individual subscribers from 1,498 to 6,320.
Educational work was carried on in 111 sections and 21 smaller
groups; 2,512 students attended 18 week-end courses for officials; and
the combined audiences of the 603 moving-picture exhibitions num
bered 180,000. The labor actors’ group, established in September,
1930, gave 83 theater and 19 wireless performances. There were also
three labor holiday weeks at Troelstra-Oord, the holiday home of the
workers’ educational movement.
The activity of the Workers’ Educational Institute has been
extended by its combination with the Friends of Nature, a workers’
travel association. The national trade-union center and the Socialist
Party have jointly founded a labor college which, however, is inde
pendent of the Workers’ Educational Institute. With a view to
preventing the isolation and overlapping of numerous small educa
tional and cultural undertakings, a committee of all the cultural
organizations of the labor movement has been created, which tries to
bring about uniformity where it is desirable. Greater uniformity is
also the objective of a magazine which has been issued since January 1,
1931, in the interest of workers’ education and cultural progress.
Latvia
E ach year in the larger towns the national center of Latvia arranges
courses for training trade-union officials. Most of the unions have
lecture evenings and other similar educational schemes. The national
center has a labor museum at Riga with branches in certain other
towns, which organizes courses, lectures, and exhibits, and carries
on scientific research in hygiene and labor technique. In Riga there
are also a number of smaller libraries and reading rooms which various
unions maintain. Furthermore, the unions have certain educational
activities of their own within their particular fields of influence. In
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MONTHLY LABOK REVIEW
870
addition the labor organizations cooperate with the following national
bodies: Committee for Education Outside Schools, Union of People’s
Colleges, the Cultural Union of Music and Song, and the Labor
Theater.
Palestine
I n P a l e s t in e the trade-unions not only do the educational work
for adults, but the educational work for youth, and even education
in the elementary schools is in the hands of these organizations as
there is no compulsory educational system in this country.
The national center maintains, therefore, 21 schools with 1,216 children, 41
kindergarten schools with 840 children, and 4 transition classes with 17 children,
95 teachers being employed in this work. All these schools are constructed on
the principles of the labor school.
For young workers there are 5 evening schools with 400 students, in order to
compensate for the state education which is lacking. There are also 9 clubs,
and a workshop for trade instruction in metal working.
Evening courses for adults have been instituted by the unions and
have had an attendance of 700 students, also language courses for
immigrants and lectures all over the country on topics of current
interest. A traveling library with 90 branches has 75,000 volumes.
Foreign and native magazines are available at the numerous reading
rooms in various parts of Palestine.
Poland
T h e educational work of the labor movement is headed up in the
Association of Labor Universities (T. U. R.). The activities of the
trade-unions are restricted to vocational work in their locals, the
lecturers being provided by the T. U. R. Recently the Cracow,
Lemberg, and Warsaw trades councils arranged special courses running
from 4 to 6 weeks.
Spain
F rom October 1 to April 30 courses are held at the evening school
of the National Trade-Union Center of Spain in Madrid. Arrange
ments are also made for visits to museums, works and offices, etc.
“ The last course held during the session 1929-30 was attended by
50 students. The subjects dealt with are general knowledge (80
lessons), socialism (80 lessons), economics and the cooperative system
(26 lessons), social legislation (26 lessons), foreign languages (126
lessons).” Among the subjects of special lectures were rationalism
and labor organization from the standpoint of different trades and
occupations. Three representatives of the school were sent to the
Labor College at Brussels.
Among the additional courses scheduled for the school year 1931-32
are those on trade-unionism, labor law, and international law. Tradeunions make grants to defray the expenses of operating the schools.
These grants in 1930 totaled over 10,000 pesetas ($1,170) of which
8,800 pesetas ($1,030) was expended during that period.2
2
Conversions into U nited States currency on basis of average exchange rate of peseta for 1930= 11.7 cents.
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WORKERS’ EDUCATION AND TRAINING
871
Sweden
T h e Swedish trade-unions’ educational activities are mainly car
ried on under the auspices of the Swedish Workers’ Educational
Center which is affiliated with the national trade-union center.
The workers’ educational center arranges study courses and lectures
on a variety of subjects, among them socialism, trade-unionism, the
cooperative system, history, economics, psychology, civics, and
municipal management. During the year July 1, 1930, to June 30,
1931, there were 22,958 persons who availed themselves of these
opportunities, compared with an attendance of 19,609 at similar
educational evenings in the preceding year. This educational center
also organizes each year several 2-week courses for training educational
workers, to which the unions and trade councils send their represen
tatives. Scholarships for so-called correspondence courses are also
given by the unions.
The national educational center, however, does not participate in
many of the arrangements made for the training of trade-union
members. For some years the national trade-union center has had
a residential college at Brunnsvik, which is under the management
of Comrade Sigfrid Hansson and organizes 3-month courses each
cummer. In winter individual unions may avail themselves of the
college for their own special courses. Certain unions have holiday
courses of their own during the summer.
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COOPERATION
D evelop m en t of th e C oo p erativ e M ov em en t T h r o u g h o u t th e
W orld
ATA compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics covering the
various phases of the cooperative movement throughout the
world show more than 400,000 societies of all types in 37 countries.
Of these 37 per cent are credit societies, 35 per cent are agricultural
associations, and 10 per cent are consumers’ (distributive) societies.
In 21 countries for which membership figures are available, the coop
erators numbered more than 70,000,000, about 70 per cent of whom
belonged to the consumers’ organizations.
Soviet Russia and India lead as regards number of societies.
As regards consumers’ societies, Soviet Russia outstrips by a long
way all the other countries, in point of membership. In that country,
however, membership in a cooperative association can not be said to
be entirely voluntary as in the case in other countries; it may be said
rather, to be compulsory, in the sense that the cooperative store is
generally the main avenue through which food supplies can be
obtained. Considering the development of the movement on the
basis of population, Czechoslovakia leads (with more than 60 per
cent of the population members of consumers’ societies), with Russia,
Great Britain, and Finland following in the order named.
In 24 countries for which data were obtained, the consumers’ socie
ties do an annual business of nearly 11 billion dollars—-four-fifths of
which is in Russia. Excluding that country, Great Britain is far in
the lead, with more than $952,000,000 worth of business done in the
depression year of 1931. The depressed economic conditions and
lowered prices have had their effect on the amount of business done,
but reports available indicate that, notwithstanding, the cooperative
societies are expanding their membership and are handling a volume
of goods even larger than before the depression began.
The sales of the cooperative wholesale societies of 23 countries in
1931 aggregated nearly $900,000,000.
Many and varied lines of manufacture have been undertaken by the
consumers’ cooperative movement in the various countries, though in
no case do the goods manufactured form any considerable proportion
of the total goods handled by the movement. The value of the
products cooperatively made in 1931, in 7 countries (Finland, Ger
many, England, Norway, Poland, Scotland, and Sweden) amounted
to $187,000,000.
D
Distribution of Cooperative Societies According to Type
T able 1 shows the number of societies of the different types in the
latest year for which data are available, in 37 countries. This table
shows a total of more than 400,000 societies, of which 37 per cent are
credit societies, 35 per cent are agricultural societies, and less than 10
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COOPERATION
per cent are consumers’ societies. It should be pointed out in this
connection that, in the consumers’ movement, a decreasing number
of societies does not mean necessarily a slackening off in the develop
ment of the movement ; it has for some years been the policy, in the
countries most advanced in consumers’ cooperation, to unite the
smaller societies in a region into one large powerful society. In
France this policy has been carried so far that even as early as 1928
the regional societies (“ development” societies, as they are called),
while forming less than 15 per cent of the whole number of consumers’
societies, had nearly 30 per cent of the total membership and Were
doing 31 per cent of the entire business done by the consumers’
movement.
T a ble
1
.—N U M B E R O F C O O P E R A T IV E S O C IE T IE S O F V A R IO U S T Y P E S IN S P E C IF IE D
C O U N T R IE S
C ountry
Year
A rgentina____ __ ____
A ustralia___ _____
A ustria. . .
....
Belgium _
__
B ritish M alay a. . . . . . .
B ulgaria. _____________ . . .
C anada________ . . . ._
C hina_____ ________
Czechoslovakia ___ ___
D en m ark _____
_ _
E s t o n i a . . _____________
F in lan d __________ . . . .
F rance. . . . . . . _
_____
G erm any _____ ___ _ _
G reat B rita in .
Greece________ _____
Iceland
India
.
. .. .. .
Irish Free State _ . . . .
Ita ly ____________ ______ __
Ja p a n ______ _________ _
E atvia . . .
....
_
L ith u an ia ..
. . . ..
N etherlands
. . ___
N orw ay___
P alestine.._ _
_ _
Poland. _ _____ ___ _ _
P o rtu g a l.. . . . _ _ _ _ _
R um ania _. ______ ___
Siam . . .
South Africa ______ . . . _
Soviet R ussia . . . . .
Straits S ettlem ents_______
Sw eden_______
Sw itzerland___
U nited S tates. _______
Yugoslavia_____ ____ ____
1928-29
1929
1930
1927-28
1929
1929
1930
1929
1930
1929
1929
1929
1930
* 1931
1930
1928
1929
1929-30
1930
1930
1930
1930
1930
1929
1929
1930
3 1930
1929
1930
1929-30
1930
1930
1929
1930
1930
1929
1930
W ork
Con
Agricul ers’ pro
C
redit
ductive
sum ers’
tu ral
societies societies societies and la
bor so
cieties
36
166
302
378
815
325
1,840
1,936
250
1 803
3 3, 325
1,703
1, 248
115
39
16
2 308
1, 042
105
2,246
183
818
2 6 , 057
13Q
1 249
1 072
1, 658
532
498
1,556
4, 348
445
790
818
21, 653
18, 362
3,801
1 418
Ï , 187
Housing
and con Other
struction types
societies
29
33
384
114
1, 625
235
1,670
' 260
826
1, 590
564
788
78
608
5
3 1 950
2 ,825
4, 539
4,987
341
799
54
15, 577
88
6
210
87, 6 6 8
114
3, 329
425 8 12,104
295
352
320
460
460
897
410
52
6,128
6,169
' 150
2 ,1 2 2
4, 757
' 128
13
9, 779
29
1,609
361
1,164
3,526
1,529
974
4, 418
(10)
3 662
2 299
3, 742
450
632
1,280
8 2,821
2Q
2,516
1,146-
1 90
553
1 49,4
1
8
2
28
146
27
34
864
2, 447
429
8 78,064
3, 857
2, 920
11,950
11 2 , 026
29'
304
1 194
191
950
18, 363
175
203
20
92
5, 295
260
45
81
3, 357
3, 803
3
460
Total
222
415
5, 372
4,905
138
5, 882
1 , 266
818
15, 269
8,386
3 2, 500
6, 002
3,889
52, 032
3,155
6 , 243
93
106, 907
413
8 , 337
14, 082
1,521
1,451
3,115
3,231
7 173
16,801
271
10, 276
128
442
106, 206
29
14, 654
11,876
14, 521
7,077
Includes a few societies of other types.
Y ear 1929.
Approximate.
i Jan. 1, 1932.
8 Including 9,655 societies w hich have other activities as well.
6 Including fishery societies.
7 A ctually in operation; there were 249 societies registered.
8 Jan. 1,1931.
8 Y ear 1928. •
18 Included w ith agricultural societies.
11 Includes th e consumers’ societies also.
1
2
3
Membership figures for all types of societies are more difficult to
get, and recent figures were available for only 21 countries, shown in
Table 2. These, however, have a combined membership, allowing for
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874
duplications because of membership in more than one type of organi
zation/ of more than 70,000,000 persons. The consumers’ movement
is accountable for by far the largest group of members—some 70 per
cent of the total.
Credit cooperation predominates in Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia,
India, and Rumania.
T a b l e 2 .— M E M B E R S H IP O F V A R IO U S T Y P E S O F C O O P E R A T IV E S O C IE T IE S IN S P E C I
F IE D C O U N T R IE S
C ountry
A ustralia__________
B ritish M ala y a____
B ulgaria__________
C an ad a___ .________
C hina_____________
Czechoslovakia____
D en m ark _________
F in lan d ___________
F rance____________
G reat B rita in ______
In d ia _____________
Ita ly ______________
L a tv ia ____________
L ith u an ia_________
N orw ay___________
P o rtu g al__________
R u m an ia__________
Siam ______________
South Africa, U nion
of_______________
Soviet R u ssia______
U n ited S tates______
Y ear
Consum
ers’ socie
ties
C redit
societies
1929
1929
16, 658
1929
190, 572
31, 894
1930
45, 767
26,156
1929
21,934
1929
3 461, 541 1, 464, 968
1929
331, 500
1929
138, 762
2 456, 386
1930 '2, 288,838
1930
6 , 353, 000
1929-30
24,176,675
1930
8 900, 000
1930
50, 320
4 15, 000
35, 617
98,300
1930
» 104,157
1929
8 34, 000
1929
289, 961 1, 003,082
1930
1929-30
2,157
1930
1930
1929
13, 251
48, 904, 200
206, 387
H ous
and
W orkers 1 ing
A gricul productive
con
tu ral
struc
labor
societies and
tion
societies
socie
ties
O ther
types
2121, 015
34, 643
598, 490
I 300, 000
570,129
70, 675
2 290, 617
760, 248
54, 030
12, 136
7,104
2,146
( 5)
17,108
31, 563
4,420
( 5)
( 5)
482, 342
(5)
27, 097
! 107, 000
( 5)
« 50, 000
93, 237
ft
7 110. 221
42, 214
io 84, 6 8 6
201, 360
49, 326
4 8 , 508,100
264,908 »3,000,000
196, 488
23, 577
2, 002, 000
1,405
2,435
78, 819
T o ta l1
266, 501
23, 762
460,163
693, 989
21, 934
2, 226, 509
1, 383,971
665, 823
2, 305, 946
6 , 702, 277
4,176, 675
1, 817, 248
212, 587
146, 053
214, 378
76,214
1, 579, 089
2,157
62, 577
59,414, 300
3, 553, 954
1 Figures in th is colum n include some duplication, due to m em bership of some persons in several societies
of different types.
2 Includes m em bership of a few societies of other types.
s M em bership of societies affiliated to central union in 1930.
4 A pproxim ate m em bership of societies affiliated to central union in 1928.
5 N o data.
6 D a ta are for year 1929.
7 Including m em bership of fishery societies.
8 Approxim ate.
8 M em bership of societies affiliated to central union.
10 N o t including m em bership of 60 school societies.
Position of Consumers’ Cooperation
T he consumers’ cooperative movement is especially strong, as re
gards membership, in Czechoslovakia, Finland, France, Great Britain,
Italy, and Soviet Russia. In such countries as Bulgaria, Denmark,
Latvia, and Norway, consumers’ cooperation and agricultural coopera
tion are about evenly balanced.
The development of consumers’ cooperation in relation to popula
tion is shown in Table 3. This table understates the situation in
many cases, as the membership given relates only to the central
organizations which, while usually including the greater part of the
consumers’ cooperative societies do not include them all. Notwith
standing, the table shows that more than 60 per cent of the people
in Czechoslovakia and nearly 43 per cent in Soviet Russia are cooperators. From this the percentages range down to 13 per cent in
1 T h u s th e same person m ight be a m em ber of a consumers’ society, a credit society, an agricultural m ar
keting society, etc.
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COOPERATION
875
Finland and nearly 15 per cent in Great Britain. The smallest degree
of development is found in Canada, Portugal, South Africa, the United
States, and Yugoslavia, all with less than 1 per cent of the population
in membership in consumers’ cooperative societies.
If the proportion of population served through cooperative stores
is considered, the percentages would be much larger than are shown,
for the figures given cover only members and do not allow for their
families. Thus, it was estimated in 1928 that in France about 22
per cent of the population received their food supplies through the
cooperative stores. In Estonia it is estimated that some 250,000
persons, or nearly 25 per cent of the population, are served by the
consumers’ societies. In England nearly two-iifths of the people
obtain their supplies through the movement.
T a ble 3 —D E V E L O P M E N T
O F C O N S U M E R S ’ C O O P E R A T IO N IN P R O P O R T IO N TO
P O P U L A T IO N IN V A R IO U S C O U N T R IE S
M em bership if consum ers’ soci eties
C ountry
Year
Population
M em bers
A ustralia________________ ________ . . . ________ __
A u stria .. ...................
_
. . .
...
_ ...
B elg iu m .. ______ _________________ ___________ . _
Bulgaria _________________ _______ ______ _____ _ . . .
C anada
_
...
Czechoslovakia _ _ _
___________ . ________ _
D enm ark . .
._
. . . .. _
E stonia_____. . . .
_________________ ______ . . .
F in lan d .. ______ _ _
_________________ _ ______
F ran c e .. . ._ ._ . . . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . . .
G erm any __________________________________________
G reat B rita in _____________ . . . ___ ____ __ __ . . . __
H ungary _ _ . . . ___________________________ ____ _
Iceland _ _
_ _ ________ ____ . . . _
Ita ly _
_
____
____
_________ _ .
L atvia
_ . _
L ithuania. .....................................................................
N etherlan d s.. . . . ................................................
N orw ay............................... ........................................ ._.
Poland
...
. . . . . . . . .
_ ..
____
P ortugal. _ _ _____ _ _
.._ _________ _
R um ania........................
.............................. ................ _ _
South Africa, U nion of.
_ _ _ _
.......................
Soviet R u ss ia .__ ............................................... ............... _ _
A zerbaidjan..
_ ...
_ .
_____ _ __
G eorgia___________________
. ._ . . . . _______ _
U kran ia_______ . ________ ._ . . . _________ _ .
Sweden _.
_
.............................................. ...
Switzerland
_.
. _ ...
U nited States of America______
___ . . . .
... _ _
Yugoslavia ---------- ------------- _ . . .
.......................
1929
1930
1930
1930
1930
1930
1930
1930
1931
1929
1931
1931
1929
1929
1930
1930
1929
1930
1930
1930
1929
1930
1930
1931
1929
1930
1929
1931
1930
1929
1930
6,488, 707
, 675,283
8,060,189
5, 596,800
9,934, 500
726, 158
3, 550, 651
1,110, 538
3, 582, 406
40, 745, 874
62, 348, 782
44, 790, 485
8,683, 740
103, 317
42,118,835
1,900, 045
2, 340, 038
7, 902, 388
2,890, 000
30,212,962
5, 628, 610
17,393,149
6,928, 580
161,006, 2 0 0
2,162, 955
2, 637, 961
28,887,007
6,141,671
4,018, 500
122, 775,046
13, 290, 000
6
145,486
1 263,137
2 428, 260
i 56, 706
26,155
i 461, 541
331, 500
i 34, 561
2 470,414
2,288,838
2 3, 771, 761
1 6 , 626, 429
2 722, 476
7, 676
2 900, 000
50, 320
35, 617
i 189, 970
i 110, 076
i 395,106
3 34, 000
289, 961
13, 251
3 69,000, 000
i 512, 500
846, 600
6,863, 000
i 481, 319
1 395, 616
206, 387
113,241
Percent
of popu
lation
2. 24
3. 94
5.31
1 .0 1
.26
63. 56
9. 34
3.11
13.13
5.62
6 . 05
14. 79
8 . 32
7.43
2.14
2.65
1.52
2.40
3.81
1.31
.60
1.67
.19
42.86
23.69
32, 09
23. 76
7.84
9. 84
. 17
.85
M em bership of societies affiliated to central union.
M em bership of societies affiliated to tw o central unions.
» Approximate.
1
2
The business done by the local consumers’ societies for the latest
available year—mainly 1930 and 1931—is shown in Table 4. Here
again the table understates the real situation in those countries in
which data were available only for societies affiliated to the central
union. The societies covered by the table do an annual business of
nearly eleven billion dollars, about four-fifths of which is accounted for
by the Russian societies. Eliminating Russia, Great Britain is the
outstanding country, followed at a considerable distance by Denmark
and Germany.
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T a ble 4 .—M E M B E R S H IP A N D B U SIN E S S O P LO C A L C O N S U M E R S ’ S O C IE T IE S IN S P E C
IF IE D C O U N T R IE S
[Conversions into U nited States currency, in m ost cases, on basis of average exchange rate for year]
N u m N um ber of
ber of
societies members
Sales
C ountry
Y ear
A ustralia ______. .
. _ ______ _ _
______________
A ustria 1 _______ ________ __ _ -- _______________________
Belgium:
__
. __________ -Office Coopératif Beige
Société Coopérative Fédérale de B elgique__ _ ____ __
_____
__
_
__ ______ -B u lg a ria 1
C an ad a1
__________ - _____ ________ Czechoslovakia:
U stredni svaz ëeskoslo venskÿch druzstev
________
Allgemeiner V erband
__
__ __ ________ _____
D enm ark
__________ _
_______ _ _ _ ___ ____ __
E s to n ia 1________________________ - - _______ ___ ______
Finland:
K . K . 4 _________ _____________________________________
Y . 0 . L . 4 ____________________________________________
F ran ce________________ __ _ ___ _ _ ___ __
G erm any:
Z entralverband
_ _ _______ _ _ __ ______ ___
R eich sv e rb a n d ________________ - ______ - ______
G reat B ritain 1 _____- ______ _
___ H ungary:
H angya - - _____ ___ . . _ _ . . . _ ___ _________ -.
Société coopérative des fonctionnaires de la Hongrie
Ic e la n d 1 ____________ __________ ______
_________
_________________ - ____- ______ ____ -- - Ita ly
L a tv ia ____________________ _____ -- ___ _______ - L ith u an ia ______ _
_____ __
_ _
____
- - N e th e rla n d s 1
N o rw a y 1- _______ _
_ __
_ _
_ __
__
-___
Portugal
__
__
Soviet R ussia __________ __ ___ _
_ __ __ _____ ___ _
A zerbaidjan 1_ _ _ _ _ _ _
G e o r g ia ..___________ ________
- . _____U k ra n ia 1 ________
__ ___ _ __ _ __ _
__ _ _
Sw eden1
_______________________________ ________ S w itz e rla n d 1 _
__
_
__
_____
_____
Yugoslavia __________________ _ ______ __ __ _ ____
- ----------------U nited S tates_____________ .
1929
1930
166
115
145, 486
263,137
$37,413,276
20,833,401
1930
1930
1930
1931
54
49
57
31
282,425
145, 835
56, 706
113, 784, 693
48, 700, 592
2,870,136
2,874, 746
1930
1930
1931
1930
1,035
2 179
8 1, 791
238
461,541
236, 727
8 331, 500
34, 561
39,572,283
17, 751, 742
419,948,100
4, 700, 184
1931
1931
1929
112
420
3,296
241, 633
228,781
2,288,838
25, 608, 000
36,168,000
149,409,000
1931
1931
1931
966
277
1,336
2,979,210
8 792, 551
6 , 626,429
273, 795,480
«
952, 718, 740
1930
1929
1929
1930
1930
1929
1930
1930
1929
1931
1929
1930
1929
1931
1930
1930
1929
1, 647
no
8 39
3,329
295
214
131
445
150
45,455
254
(5)
9, 007
802
523
190
656
672,295
50,181
7, 676
(4)
50,320
35, 617
189, 970
110,076
34, 000
69,000, 000
512, 500
846, 600
6,863, 000
481,319
395,616
113, 241
204,368
19,924, 307
5, 733, 679
4,873, 284
78,000,000
6,079, 500
121,155
(«)
29, 583, 314
1, 575, 000
8,446,000, 000
90, 301, 645
95,275, 000
1,954,926
88,044,000
57,595,072
5, 564,939
64,665,369
1
8 ,1 2 2
8
D a ta are for th e societies affiliated to central union.
1D a ta are for year 1929.
8D a ta are for year 1930.
4In itials of nam e of central union; la tte r is commonly know n b y these.
6No d ata.
8Of these, 36 are both consumers’ and m arketing societies.
Cooperative Wholesale Societies
After the local distributive cooperative business becomes suf
ficiently large in volume, the next step in consumers’ cooperation
is usually the undertaking of wholesaling. All of the countries of
the world in which the movement has made any strides now have
one or more cooperative wholesale societies. There has also been
some progress in wnolesaling along international lines. Thus, the
wholesales of the three Scandinavian countries in 1918 formed the
Scandinavian Cooperative Wholesale Society for this purpose; in
1928 the two cooperative wholesale societies of Finland also affiliated
with it. Its business in 1931 amounted to $7,526,961.
The formation of an International Cooperative Wholesale Society
has been the subject of discussion and of study by international
committees of cooperators for a great many years. In 1919 a skeleton
organization was finally set up, with the idea of gradually developing
the international exchange of cooperative goods. At the end of
1931 the wholesale societies or central cooperative unions of 26
countries had affiliated with it. Thus far the society has done no
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COOPERATION
877
actual trading itself. Its activities have been directed toward the
development of trade directly between the central cooperative
organizations of the different countries and the collection and distri
bution of information to that end.
Table 5 shows the business done by the wholesales of the various
countries in 1931. This shows a combined wholesale business in
that year of nearly nine-tenths of a billion dollars. Great Britain
is far in the lead, with Germany in second place, but Belgium, Den
mark, Finland, France, Sweden, and Switzerland also had large
wholesale sales.
T a b l e 5 .—B U SIN ESS D O N E BY C O O P E R A T IV E W H O L E S A L E S O C IE T IE S IN 1931
[Conversions into U nited States currency on basis of average exchange rate for year]
C ountry
N um
ber
of
affili
ated
soci
eties
A ustralia: N ew South W ales..
(ri
A ustria____________________ 2 143
Belgium:
Fédération des Sociétés
coopératives belges____ ' 0 )
Société coopérative féd
érale de Belgique _____
249
Bulgaria: “ N ap red ” ______ _
(>)
C anada:
M anitoba
Cooperative
W h olesale...
52
Saskatchewan Coopera
tive W h o lesale...
...
35
Czechoslovakia:
V. D . P . 3.... .............. .........
* 347
O . E. C . 3_____________
2 175
U strednô D ruzstvo .
(i)
D enm ark: F . D . B . 3______
2 1, 791
Ringkobing___
____
0 )
Estonia: E . T . K . 3_________
2 238
Finland:
O. T . K . 3........................
2 112
S. O. K . 3 ______________
2 423
F rance. _____ ______________ 31,423
G erm any:
G . E . G . 3____________
920
“ G epag” ___________ __
277
A m ount of
business
$2, 788,924
12,541, 555
26,434, 400
, 260, 598
3,070, 340
8
274, 321
488,174
14,128, 604
9, 427, 588
2,186, 780
32, 881, 000
816.125
4, 034, 543
13.560, 000
20, 724,000
29, 250,000
101,107,097
16, 745, 792
C ountry
N um
ber
of
affili A m ount of
business
ated
soci
eties
G reat B ritain :
English wholes a Ip
1,084
Scottish w holesale_______ 2 251
H ungary: H an g y a__________ 21,647
Ic e la n d ____
3 39
I ta ly ______________________
(>)
Latvia: ‘ ‘ K onsum s ”
2 212
L ithuania:
L. K . B. S. 3 ____________ 4 236
L. Z. U . K. S . 3 _________
2 41
N etherlands
(L
N orway . . . . _____
454
Poland : ‘ ‘ Spolem ’’
2 925
S w eden... _______ _______
802
Switzerland:
V. S. K . 3
527
V . o. 1. G . 3
0 )
C oncordia______________
2 54
U nited States:
C entral C o o p e r a t i v e
Wholesale_____ _ .
99
E astern C o o p e r a t i v e
Wholesale
10
Farm ers’ U nion State
Exchange (N ebraska). 2 165
Scandinavian
Cooperative
Wholesale
$369,594,491
75,064, 898
10,178,164
6 4, 278,620
5,002,058
232, 732
1.198, 000
2, 311,000
7,088,120
7, 530.117
9,212,345
37,453, 216
32,376, 338
7,424, 983
779, 316
1, 509, 752
268, 044
1, 571,028
7,526,961
N o data.
D ata are for 1930.
Initials of nam e of wholesale; la tte r is commonly know n by these initials.
* D ata are for 1929.
3
D a ta are for 1928.
6 D ata are for 1929-30.
1
2
3
Of 18 countries for which data on sales for 1930 and 1931 are
available, those of Switzerland, France, and Italy showed increases,
of varying amount. Those of the remainder (Austria, Belgium,
Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland,
Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Norway, Poland (Spolem), Scot
land and Sweden) showed decreases. To a considerable extent,
however, the decreases were due to lower prices.
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
Data as to net gain on the 1931 business are available for only a few
countries:
Canada:
Manitoba wholesale---------------------------------------$2, 306
Saskatchewan wholesale_______________________
5, 495
Finland:
0 t K
_ ___ - - - __________________
225,600
S. O. K__T___________________________________
338,400
137, 046
France__________________________________________
Germany: Zentralverband_________________________ 13, 263, 200
Poland__________________________________________
16, 846
Switzerland: V. S. K --------------------------------------------179, 515
United States:
Central____________________
12, 035
Eastern_____________________________________
n 2, 490
Farmers’ Union Exchange_____________________
2 39, 236
Production by Consumers’ Societies
In varying degrees the cooperative movements of the various coun
tries have undertaken the manufacture of commodities needed hy
their membership. Usually the productive enterprises are carried
out by departments or subsidiaries of the cooperative wholesale
society. In Belgium, however, a central productive organization, the
General Cooperative Society, has been formed which has taken over
practically all of the manufacturing enterprises. Many of the larger
local societies or groups of societies also carry on some production—
usually of such things as bakery products, coffee roasting, and grind
ing of feed or meal.
Table 6 shows the commodities manufactured, or the productive
enterprises carried on, by the central cooperative organizations of 20
countries. It is seen that while only a beginning has been made in
such countries as Bulgaria, and the Netherlands, some of the other
countries, such as Germany, England, Finland, and Czechoslovakia,
have made considerable progress in supplying their members with
cooperatively made goods. England still leads as regards both the
variety of goods produced and the total value of output.
It is seen that the manufacture of soap, shoes, flour, and candy, and
the roasting of coffee are the lines most commonly undertaken.
Clothing and hosiery are also frequently manufactured.
National tastes and the demands of the movement also have played
a considerable part in determining the lines of business undertaken,
as have also general conditions within the country. Thus the pre
dilection of the natives for smoked, cured, and piclded fish and meat
in such countries as Ukrania, the Scandinavian countries, Russia,
Czechoslovakia, Finland, and Germany was undoubtedly the cause
of the production of such commodities by the wholesale societies.
Inability to obtain supplies, except at prices regarded as unduly high,
led to the manufacture in Sweden of such goods as overshoes, electriclight bulbs, matches, etc.
As far as known, England is the only country whose cooperative
movement mines coal or builds motor cars. The wholesale societies
of England and Scotland operate, through the English and Scottish
Joint Cooperative Society, extensive tea plantations in Ceylon and
India. The wholesale societies of these two countries also have for a
number of years been farming a considerable acreage; in 1930 these
farms totaled some 17,000 acres.
2 A m ount returned in dividends on purchases.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
879
COOPERATION
T a b l e 6 . — C O M M O D IT IE S
P R O D U C E D B Y C E N T R A L C O N S U M E R S ’ C O O P E R A T IV E
O R G A N IZ A T IO N S O F S P E C IF IE D C O U N T R IE S
Austria
Clothing.
Confectionery.
Edible paste . 1
Shoes.
Textiles.
Underwear.
France
Candy.
Clothing.
Coffee roasting.
E au de Cologne.
F ru it, canned.
Sardines, canned.
Shoes.
Vegetables, canned.
Belgium
Boxes, metal.
Candy.
Chicory.
Cigars.
Coffee roasting.
Corn meal.
H ats.
Hosiery.
M argarine.
M ustard.
Overshoes.
Shoes.
Soap.
Sirup.
Bulgaria
Flour.
Rock-salt mining.
Poland
Bags, paper.
C andy.
Flour.
Polish, shoe.
Sacks, gunny.
Soap.
Varnish.
N orw ay
B akery goods.
Cheese.
Clothing.
Coffee roasting.
Flour.
Leather.
M argarine.
M eat products.
Polish, shoe.
Shoes.
Soap.
Tobacco.
1 M acaroni, spaghetti, noodles, etc.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Estonia
Alcohol.
Coffee roasting.
Fish, cured.
Nails.
Wine, fruit.
H ungary
Brushes.
Candles.
Chemicals.
C utlery.
Liqueurs.
M atches.
M ustard.
Rope and twine.
Soap.
D enm ark
Bicycles.
Candy.
Chemicals.
Cigars.
Clothing.
Coffee roasting.
Flour.
Harness.
Hosiery.
Leather.
M argarine.
M ustard.
Paper.
Rope.
Shoes.
Shoes, wooden.
Soap.
Spices.
Tobacco.
Wine.
N etherlands
Cheese.
Jam .
Soap.
Scotland
Blankets.
Brushes.
Clothing.
Corn meal.
Flour.
Furniture.
Paper.
Preserves.
Rope and twine.
Shoes.
Soap.
Tobacco.
Soviet Russia
C andy.
Coffee roasting.
Corn meal.
Feather down.
F ru it, canned.
Leather.
M eat products.
Molasses
Nails.
Shoes.
Soap.
Spices.
Starch.
T ea blending.
Tobacco.
Vegetable oils.
Wire.
U krania
B akery goods.
B utter.
Fish, canned.
Flour.
Soap.
Vegetables, canned.
Switzerland
Coffee roasting.
Corn meal.
F urniture.
Lard.
Printing.
Pudding powders.
Shoes.
Spices.
Yeast.
Sweden
Chemicals.
Corn meal.
Electric-light bulbs.
Flour.
M argarine.
M atches.
M eat products.
Overshoes.
Phosphates.
R ubber tires.
Shoes.
Soap.
880
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
T a b l e 6 —C O M M O D IT IE S
P R O D U C E D BY C E N T R A L C O N S U M E R S ’ C O O P E R A T IV E
O R G A N IZ A T IO N S OF S P E C IF IE D C O U N T R IE S —C ontinued
Germany
Czechoslovakia
B akery goods.
Baking powder.
Brooms.
B utter.
Cheese.
Chemicals.
Chicory.
Chocolate.
Coffee roasting.
Confectionery.
Cosmetics.
Edible paste . 1
Fish products.
Flour.
F ru it, preserved.
Hosiery.
Jam.
M eat products.
M ustard.
Pickles.
Polish, metal.
Polish, shoe.
Ribbon.
Sauerkraut.
Shoes.
Spices.
Suspenders.
Trousers.
U nderwear.
Vanilla.
Vinegar.
W ine, fruit.
G. E . G.
Finland
S .O .K
2
Boxes, wooden.
Brushes.
C andy.
Cheese.
Chocolate.
Chemicals.
Cigars.
Clothing.
Coffee, m alt.
Edible paste . 1
Fish, cured.
Flour.
Fruit, canned.
Furniture.
Lumber.
M atches.
M eat products.
M ustard.
Polish, shoe.
Soap.
Textiles.
Tobacco.
Vegetables, canned.
G epag
3
Cigars.
Coffee roasting.
Edible paste . 1
Printing.
Sausage.
Soap.
England
4
Bags, paper.
Bricks.
Brushes.
Candy.
Chemicals.
Chicory.
Coffee roasting.
Crackers.
Edible paste . 1
F ru it, canned.
Hosiery.
Lum ber.
M argarine.
M atches.
Paper.
V egetables, canned.
Woodworking.
0.
T . K fi
Boxes.
Chemicals.
Clothing.
Coffee roasting.
Fertilizers.
Flour, rye.
Herring, pickled.
M argarine.
M atches.
Underwear.
Bacon.
Bedding.
Bicycles.
Biscuits.
Brushes.
B utter.
C anned goods.
Cheese.
Chemicals.
Cigars.
Chocolate.
Clothing.
Coal mining.
Cocoa.
Coffee roasting.
Confectionery.
Corsets.
C utlery.
Drugs.
Farming.
Flour.
Furniture.
Glass bottles.
Hardw are.
Harness.
Hosiery.
Jewelry.
Lard.
Leather.
Lum ber.
M argarine.
M otor cars.
M otor cycles.
Paints.
Picture framing.
Pottery.
Preserves.
Rope and tw ine.
Scales.
Shoes.
Soap.
Tea blending.
Textiles.
T in plate.
Tobacco.
Trunks, bags, etc.
Umbiellas.
Underw ear.
Vinegar.
Yeast.
M acaroni, Spaghetti, noodles, etc.
Wholesale society Grosseinkaufs-Gesellschaft D eutscher Konsum vereine.
s Wholesale society Grosseinkaufs- und Produktions-Aktiengesellschaft D eutscher Komsumvereine.
4 Wholesale society, Suomen O suuskauppojen K eskuskunta r. 1.
5 Wholesale society, O suustukkukauppa r. 1.
1
2
Value of goods 'produced.—-The value of the goods manufactured
by the national wholesales or other central organizations in 1931 is
available for only a few countries, shown below.
Finland:
O. T. K_
S. O. K_
Germany:
G. E. G.
Gepag__.
Great Britain
England.
Scotland.
Norway_____
Poland_____
Sweden_____
-
$1, 588, 800
2, 733, 487
.
-
34, 297, 099
2, 360, 000
. 103, 665,
. 23, 117,
3, 463,
802,
. 15, 205,
769
555
311
816
806
Cooperative Employment
The cooperative organizations of the various countries afford
employment to a considerable number of persons, in the distributive
and productive departments. The statement below shows the num
ber of persons in cooperative employment in 13 countries; unless
otherwise noted, the data are for 1930:
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
881
COOPERATION
Great Britain:
Em ployee
Retail societies_______________________________________________ 182, 598
Wholesale societies___________________________________________ 141, 979
Tea society__________________________________________________
1, 864
Insurance society_____________________________________________
5, 150
Distributive federations_______________________________________
165
Consumers’ productive societies_______________________________
15, 517
Special societies______________________________________________
101
Total_____________________________________________________
347, 374
Austria (central union)___________________________________________
895
Belgium:
Central union________________________________________________
6, 582
Productive societies_____________
1, 150
Canada (central union)___________________________________________
3 250
Czechoslovakia (central union)___________________________________
789
Finland (S. O. K .)________________________________________________
1, 796
France (central union)____________________________________________
982
Germany:
Zentralverband______________________________________________ 3 55, 592
Gepag_______________________________________________________
9, 718
785
Hungary (central union)__________________________________________
Netherlands (central union)_______________________________________
324
Poland__________________________
731
Sweden (central union)____________________________________________
2, 998
643
Switzerland (central union)________________
United States____________________________________________________ 4 4, 195
Grand total_______________________________________________
3 1931.
434, 804
4 1929.
S ources .—This article is based on d ata from Peoples Yearbook, 1932; Schweizerischer Konsum vereine
(Basel), Ju ly 2,1932; In tern atio n al Labor D irectory, P a rt V I (Geneva), 1929; and current issues of Coopera
tive Inform ation (International L abor Office, Geneva) and Review of In tern ational Cooperation (London).
In addition other d a ta for specific countries were obtained from th e following sources: A r g e n t i n a . —Report
of A merican consul a t Buenos Aires, Ju n e 10, 1931. A u s t r a l i a . —Commonwealth B ureau of Census and
Statistics, Official Y ear Book of A ustralia, No. 2L—1931 (C anberra), A u s t r i a . —B undesam t für Statistik,
Statistisches H an d b u ch (Vienna, 1931). B e l g i u m . —M inistère de l ’Industrie, d u Travail e t de la Pré
voyance sociale, R evue de Travail, Jan.-F eb., 1932; M inistère de l ’In térieur e t de l ’H ygiène, A nnuaire
statistique de la Belgique, 1929-1930; and L a Coopération belge (Brussels), Peb. 10, 1932. B u l g a r i a .—
Direction générale de la S tatistique, Statistique des coopératives dans le royaum e de Bulgarie en 1929
(Sofia, 1931). C a n a d a . —D ep artm en t of Labor, R eport for fiscal year ending M arch 31, 1931; Quebec,
D epartm en t of M unicipal Affairs, Statistical Yearbook, 1931; and C anadian Cooperator (B rantford, O nt.),
July, 1932. C h i n a . —Q uarterly Jo u rn al of Economics (Cam bridge, M ass.), M ay, 1931. C z e c h o s lo v a k ia .—
Office de S tatistique, R apports (1931) No. 16, No. 17, and No. 76 (Prague). D e n m a r k . —Statistiske D eparte
m ent, S tatistisk Aarbog, 1931 (Copenhagen). F i n l a n d . —Statistiska centralbyrân, A nnuaire statistique
de Finlande, 1931 (Helsingfors); and B an k of Finland, M o n th ly Bulletin, M arch, 1932., F r a n c e .—
M inistère d u T ravail et de la Prévoyance sociale, B ulletin, Oct.-Nov.-Dec., 1931; R evue des E tu d es Co
opératives (Paris), July-Sept., 1929, a n d July-Sept., 1931. G e r m a n y .—R eport from American consul
general a t Berlin, June 24,1932; and Z entralverband D eutscher Konsum vereine, Jahrbuch, 1932 (H am burg).
G r e a t B r i t a i n . —M in istry of L abor Gazette, October a n d December, 1931, a n d January, 1932; T h e Producer
(M anchester), A pril and M ay , 1932; L a Coopération belge (Brussels), M ar. 1, 1932; and C anadian Cooperator (B rantford, O nt.), June, 1932. G reece. —S tatistique générale de la Grèce, A nnuaire statistique de
la Grèce, 1930 (A thens). I c e l a n d . —B ureau de Statistique, A nnuaire statistique de l ’Islande, 1930 (R eyk
javik). I n d i a . —E ast In d ia Commercial Intelligence D epartm ent, Statistical A bstract for B ritish In d ia
(London, 1931), (C m d. 3686); Cooperative m ovem ent in In d ia, b y Eleanor H ough (London, P . S. K ing &
Son, 1932). I r e l a n d . —R eport from American consul a t D ublin, M ar. 16, 1932. J a p a n . —M in istry of Agri
culture and Forestry, Statistical A bstract, 1930 (Tokyo). L i t h u a n i a . —B ureau central de Statistique,
A nnuaire statistiq u e d e là L ithuanie, 1929-1930 (K aunas). N o r w a y . —Statistiske C entralbyrà, Statistisk
Âarbok for K ongeriket Norge, 1930 (C hristiania). P a l e s t i n e . — G reat B ritain, Colonial Office, P a le s tin e R eport on im m igration, la n d settlem ent a n d developm ent, 1930, b y Sir John H ope Sim pson (London),
(Cm d. 3686). P o r t u g a l . —K ooperatoren (Stockholm), H afte 3, 1932. S o v ie t R u s s i a . —Inform ation B ureau
of Centrosoyus (Moscow), N o. 23, 1931. S w e d e n . — Socialstyrelsen, K ooperativ V erksam het i Sverige âr
1930 (Stockholm, 1932); K ooperativs Förbundet, Berättelser, 1931; Kooperatoren (Stockholm), H ätte 9-10,
1932; and report from A merican consul a t Stockholm, June 14,1932. S w i t z e r l a n d . —V erband Schweizerischer
K onsum vereine (V. S. K .), R apports e t comptes sur l ’activité des organes de l ’union en 1931 (Basel);
and S.chweiz-Konsumvereine (Basel), N ov. 7 , 193L
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
S t a t u s o f B u ild in g a n d L o a n A s s o c ia tio n s in 1931
HAT the depression has affected the building and loan associa
tions, like all other lines of business, is shown by data supplied to
the Bureau of Labor Statistics by the United States Building and Loan
League (Cincinnati). Up to the end of 1930, while there had been a
gradual decrease in the number of these associations since 1920, their
aggregate membership and their total assets had increased steadily.
Between 1930 and 1931, however, the number of associations decreased
from 11,767 to 11,442, their combined membership decreased from
12,336,754 to 11,338,701, and their total resources fell from $8,824,119,159 to $8,417,375,605.
The table following shows, by States, the number of building and
loan associations, their aggregate membership, and their total assets
at the end of 1931. As it shows, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and
Ohio are (in order) the leading States as regards total resources.
They are also the leaders, in different order, however (Ohio, Pennsyl
vania, and New Jersey), in point of number of members.
T
M E M B E R S H IP A N D R E S O U R C E S O F B U IL D IN G A N D LO A N A SSO C IA T IO N S IN 1931
State
A labam a_______
A rizona________
Arkansas____ __
California______
Colorado_______
C onnecticut- . . .
Delaw are ___ . .
D ist. C olum bia.Florida______
Georgia_____
Id a h o _____
Illinois______
In d ia n a .. _ _
Iowa - _____
K ansas_____
K entucky ____
Louisiana___
M aine______ ___
M ary la n d !- _ .
M assachusetts__
M ichigan_____ _
M innesota______
M ississippi- ___
M issouri......... .
M ontana_______
N ebraska_______
1
N um
ber of N um ber
asso of m em
bers
cia
tions
40
9
67
200
67
42
44
24
67
40
14
913
386
76
152
159
101
36
1 ,1 0 0
227
66
77
47
240
27
83
39,440
7,050
61,571
550,000
85,870
36,133
20,500
83,307
12,400
18,419
7,850
905,500
400,800
66,405
193, 771
187,000
190,496
28,444
320,000
499,523
219,174
118,155
27, 380
268,082
37, 903
205,250
T otal assets
$28,080,387
4, 960,208
44,810, 774
453,007,351
59,136,661
26,436,580
16,118,223
81,861,000
15,975,572
7,015,133
5,168,892
466,600, 631
288,584, 111
48,104,496
126,319, 718
121,821,568
170,871,291
25,515,436
2 1 0 , 0 0 0 ,0 0 0
560,103,042
165, 269, 540
43,334,358
18,680,105
206,364,643
20,920,378
137,017,569
State
N um
ber of N um ber
asso of m em
bers
cia
tions
66,570
220,256
56,350
278, 795
18, 500
14,003
$1,026,888
14,217,425
1,201, 973,615
5,015, 799
443,252,364
85,348,383
14,154,371
1,158,281,871
126,343,461
27,009, 782
1,250,692,072
34,639, 798
25,550,000
6,329, 555
18,496, 924
127,285, 978
53,245,524
5,297,011
60,365, 508
72,895, 967
37, 741,341
281,233,267
9,893, 947
5,007,087
T o tal- ___ 11,442 11,338, 701
8,417,375,605
N ev ad a______ _
3
N ew H am pshire.
29
N ew J e r s e y . ___ 1,559
N ew M exico____
18
N ew Y ork______
302
229
N o rth C arolina..
22
N o rth D ak o ta__
Ohio___________
768
80
O klahoma______
Oregon_________
27
P ennsylvania___ 3,268
8
R hode Islan d ___
152
S outh C arolina L
22
S outh D akota___
40
Tennessee______
145
Texas__________
24
U ta h ... _______
14
V erm ont_______
94
Virginia________
66
W ashington____
61
W est Virginia___
W isconsin______
186
W yom ing______
11
10
H aw aii_________
1,440
17,625
1,107, 731
5, 250
585,471
95, 208
Total assets
2 1 ,1 0 0
2,378,811
214,678
46,000
1,236,297
49,041
32,000
10, 768
24, 970
174, 550
86,654
6 ,2 1 0
Figures estim ated.
Comparison with the data for 1930 shows that increases in both
membership and assets occurred in Delaware, the District of Columbia,
Georgia, Kentucky, Minnesota, North Dakota, Rhode Island, and
Wyoming. Increases in membership only were shown in Iowa,
Michigan, and South Dakota, and increases in assets only in Arizona,
Arkansas, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Tennes
see, Vermont, and West Virginia. All of the rest of the States showed
decreases in both membership and assets.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES
S tr ik e s a n d L o c k o u ts in t h e U n ite d S t a t e s in A u g u s t, 1932
regarding industrial disputes in the United States for
August, 1932, with comparable data for preceding months are
D ATA
presented below. Disputes involving fewer than six workers and last
ing less than one day have been omitted.
Table 1 shows the number of disputes beginning in 1927, 1928,
1929, 1930, and 1931, the number of workers involved and man-days
lost for these years and for each of the months, January, 1930, to
August, 1932, 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, 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.
T a b l e 1 .— IN D U S T R IA L D IS P U T E S B E G IN N IN G IN A N D IN E F F E C T A T E N D OF E A C H
M O N T H , JA N U A R Y , 1930, TO A U G U ST, 1932, A N D T O T A L N U M B E R O F D IS P U T E S ,
W O R K E R S , A N D M A N -D A Y S LO ST IN T H E Y E A R S 1927 TO 1931
N um ber of workers in N um ber of
volved in disputes
m an-days
lost in
disputes
Beginning In effect at Beginning In effect at
existing
in m onth
end of
in m onth
in m onth
end of
or year
m onth
or year
m onth
or year
N um ber of disputes
M o n th and year
1927, total ____________________________
1928, to ta l__________ . ____ ______ _
1929, to ta l__________________________
1930', total _____ __
1931, to ta l____________
734
029
903
653
894
1931
J a n u a ry ________
...
. . . . _____
F ebruary _____. . . _ ___ .
.
. ___
M arch_____ _
A pril______________ _ __ ______________
M ay _____________ ____ _ ____________
J u n e -..
. .
Ju ly ___________________________________
A u g u st..
.
.
....
.
. ..
.......
Septem ber__ _
O ctober. . . . _____
.
.
.
N ovem ber.. .
D e c e m b e r... . . . . .
. . . .
- ...
57
52
49
73
115
90
73
79
117
77
62
50
19
29
26
39
46
47
51
36
65
45
39
1932
J a n u a ry _____ .
....
................
F e b r u a r y .._____ . . . . . . .
. . . ___
M arch_________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ________
A pril___________ _________________
M ay _______ _____
. . __________ ..
June____
___
_ ____ _
July i_________________________________
A u g u st 1_____ . . . ____________ . . .
79
50
51
73
79
64
53
52
1
349,434
357,145
230,463
158,114
279' 299
37,799,394
3L 5561947
9' 975' 213
2 ,7 3 0 ,368
6 ; 386^ 183
21
10,150
20,473
26,453
27,135
28,000
18,795
49,434
11,019
36,092
34, 384
13, 219
4,145
2,905
10,677
28,012
22,687
15,603
15, 223
56,683
14, 759
37,427
29, 380
13,690
1,318
181,169
223,660
476,904
770, 512
400,509
511. 926
612,864
1,157,013
493,649
1,052,095
355,818
150,064
37
30
28
34
43
38
36
37
11,105
31,140
31,966
17, 707
43,403
16,010
18,360
28,570
4,648
28,691
11,660
20,066
49,232
23,540
31,413
27,639
117,298
417,966
685,949
572,121
Prelim inary figures subject to change.
140152°—32------10
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
,
1 2 2 0 ,2 0 2
883
927,996
689,436
704,944
884
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
Occurrence of Disputes
T a b l e 2 gives, by industrial groups, the number of strikes begin
ning in June, July, and August, 1932, and the number of workers
directly involved.
T a b l e 2 .— IN D U S T R IA L D IS P U T E S B E G IN N IN G IN JU N E , JU L Y , A N D A U G U S T , 1932
N um ber of disputes begin
ning in—
N um ber of workers involved
in disputes beginning in—
In d u strial group
June
A uto, carriage, and wagon workers
Bakers _
Barbers
______
__________
Broom and brush workers
Building tr a d e s ... ._ ____ . _____
Chauffeurs and te a m ste rs.. . . . .
Clerks, salesmen .
. . .
C lo th in g .. . . . . . .
_ _______
Food workers . _
...............
F u rn itu re .
.....
...
H otel and restaurant workers___________
Iron and steel
.
___________ _
L au n d ry workers . ________ __________
Longshoremen and freight handlers_____
M etal trades _
M iners____ . . ___________________ _
M otion-picture operators, actors, and theatrical workers . . . _____ ___________
Paper and paper-goods w orkers_________
P rin tin g and publishing.
. . . _____
M unicipal w orkers_____________________
Textiles . . .
_____________________
O ther occupations______________________
Ju ly
A ugust
June
45
1
4
4
1
1
14
4
12
3,285
7
3
1
1
10
1
13
17
2
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1,014
404
30
332
60
25
48
600
17
8,283
195
398
19
910
18,822
300
70
150
1,050
367
21
800
700
15
1
1
200
3
3
2
5,300
700
1
2
1
30
10
1
1
2
6
7
3
14
3
42
35
6,870
130
8
7
783
19
3,000
813
678
110
2,939
3,314
64
53
52
16,010
18,360
28,570
3
1
2
T o ta l___ ________________________
A ugust
July
Size and Duration of Disputes
T a b l e 3 gives the number of industrial disputes beginning in August,
1932, classified by number of workers and by industrial groups.
T a b l e 3 — N U M B E R OP IN D U S T R IA L D IS P U T E S B E G IN N IN G IN A U G U ST , 1932, C LA SSI
F IE D BY N U M B E R O F W O R K E R S A N D B Y IN D U S T R IA L G R O U P S
N um ber of d isputes beginning in A ugust, 1932, involving—
In d u strial group
Building tra d e s .. . . __________________
Chauffeurs and team sters______________
________ . . . . . . _____
C lothing _.
Food w orkers______________________
F u rn itu re ________ ____ _____
. .
Iron an d stee l_______________ _____ _ .
L au n d ry w orkers. ________ ______
M iners . . _____
. ______________ .
M otion-picture operators, actors, and
th eatrical w orkers___
. . _ . ______
P rin tin g an d publishing_____________ .
Textiles ._ ________ _ . . __ __________
O ther occupations______________________
T o tal
_ ____________________
and
under
6 and
under
20
100
workers
workers
4
and
under
500
workers
100
20
1
2
3
8
500 and
under
1 ,0 0 0
workers
and
1 0 ,0 0 0
under
workers
5,000
workers and over
1 ,0 0 0
1
2
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
11
1
4
8
1
1
i
9
22
5
4
1
In Table 4 are shown the number of industrial disputes ending in
August, 1932, by industrial groups and classified duration.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
885
INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES
T a ble 4 .—N U M B E R O F IN D U S T R IA L D IS P U T E S E N D IN G IN A U G U ST , 1932, B Y IN D U S
T R IA L G R O U P S A N D C L A S S IF IE D D U R A T IO N
Classified duration of strikes ending in A ugust, 1932
Indu strial groups
B akers______________________
Building trades_____________
Chauffeurs a n d team sters_____
Clothing......... ................................
Food workers________________
F u rn itu re ____________ _______
L aundry w orkers_________
_
M iners-. - ________________
M otion-picture operators, ac
tors, and theatrical workers.P rinting and publishing___ _ .
Textiles. . ______________ ..
O ther o c c u p a tio n s -.....................
T o tal_________
one- 1 m onth
One-half Over
2 and
3 and
4 and
5 and
m onth half and and less less th an less than less than less th a n
or less less th an th a n 2 3 m onths 4 m onths 5 m onths 6 m onths
1 m onth
m onths
1
3
1
1
2
1
1
3
1
12
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
l
1
1
1
1
2
9
2
1
30
1
8
4
6
C o n c ilia tio n W ork of th e D e p a rtm e n t of L a b o r in A u g u st, 1932
B y H u g h L. K e r w in , D ir e c t o r
of
C o n c il ia t io n
HE Secretary of Labor, through the Conciliation Service, exer
cised his good offices in connection with 65 labor disputes during
August, 1932. These disputes affected a known total of 36,705 em
ployees. 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 34 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.
On September 1,1932, there were 18 strikes before the department
for settlement and, in addition, 43 controversies which had not reached
the strike stage. The total number of cases pending was 61.
T
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
oo
oo
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 IL IA T IO N S E R V IC E D U R IN G T H E M O N T H O P A U G U ST , 1932
W orkers
involved
D uration
C om pany or in d u stry and
location
N ature of
controversy
C raftsm en concerned
Cause of dispute
Present status and term s of
settlem ent
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
S trike_____
G arm ent w orkers__
Ending
1932
Aug. 2
D i In d i
rectly rectly
1
, 600
800
Sept.
12
Ju ly 15 ___do___
Aug. 5
..- d o -----
Aug.
8
Aug. 14
Aug. 10
Aug. 15
Aug. 22
Aug. 15
Aug. 27
Aug. 28
Aug. 31
4,500
3,500
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
Protest against sending w ork to P ending_______________________
outside shops.
L ockout___ Iron and steel w ork C om pany refused to continue ___ d o . . ____ ___________________
negotiations relative wage scales,
ers.
etc.
Wages and conditions----------------- A djusted. Settled b y parties at
Coal miners, In d ian a___________ C ontroversy Coal m iners_____
interest. Accepted 25 per cent
wage cut, to $4.57; 3-year con
tract.
Doll workers, Greater New York. S tr ik e _____ Doll m akers___ . . Asked 35 per cent increase and 8 - A djusted. Allowed union recog
nition; little change in wages or
hour day.
conditions.
U nion recognition______________ P ending_______________________
_do __ Shoe w o rk ers...
M ad e Well Shoe Co., L ynn, M ass.
C utters and lasters.. U nion recognition and wage in ___ d o --------------------------- ---------M arily n Shoe Co., L ynn, M a s s ... ___ _docrease.
_do
R ainproof garm ent Violation of agreem ent b y sending ----- .do— ____________ ____ _____
Cooper R ain W ear M anufacturing
workers.
work to outside shops.
Co., New York C ity __________
Clothing w orkers__ Protest wage cuts and w orking A djusted. Signed agreem ent-----M en’s clothing makers, G reater ___ _do
conditions.
New York.
Protest against low w ages_______ A djusted. Allowed wage increase.
K leber T ru n k Co., Pittsburgh, ____d o _____ T ru n k makers
Pa.
Suffolk Coal Co., South Scranton, ___ _ d o ____ M iners____ _______ Protest em ploym ent of new w ork A djusted. Agreed to hire former
w orkm en.
ers while former w orkers were
Pa.
out of w ork. •
Sunshine Farm s (Inc.), New ------ d o -------- M ilk-truck d riv ers.. Asked wage adjustm ent and rec Pending_______________________
ognition of food workers’ union.
York C ity.
Wages and w orking conditions---- A djusted. Agreement concluded.
M . K asarsky & Co., New York ------ d o -------- F u r w orkers.
C ity.
Palace Sportw ear Co. (Inc.), New ____d o -------- K nitters and finish R estoration of wage cuts; recog A djusted. Allowed as requested...
ers.
nition.
Y ork C ity.
Fenster Bros., New York C ity ----- ____ do_____ F u r w orkers. . . . Wage adjustm ent and recognition. A djusted. Recognition of union
allowed.
W orking conditions_____________ Pending_______________ ____ ___
Shoe cutters, L ynn, M ass_______ T h reaten ed Shoe cu tters______
strike.
Needle trades, 15 shops, South Strike_____ W om en’s clo th in g ... Wages, hours, and conditions------ ___ do--------------- --------- ------------R iver, N . J.
Wage reductions_______________ U nable to a d ju st________________
W est Virginia N ew spaper P u b L ockout___ P rin te rs..
lishing Co., M organtow n, W . Va.
A djusted. Agreed to p a y stan d
Ironw orkers..
. . . W ages_______________ ______ —
W itt H u m phrey Steel Co., Ossi Strike.
ard wage scales in locality.
ning, N . Y .
Ampex (Inc.), New York C ity ---- ------ do ----- Em ployees______ _ Change in piecework rates............. A djusted. C om pany agreed to
change rates from tim e to time.
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G arm ent workers, N ew ark and
Passaic, N . J.
Pollansbee Bros. M ill, Columbus,
Ohio.
Begin
ning
05
G o v e r n m e n t c o n s tr u c ti o n w o r k
Post-office building, Bend, Oreg...
V eterans’ hospital, A spinwall, P a.
Post-office building, W heaton, 111..
Post-office building, Lapeer, M ich.
Controversy.
Strike_____
Controversy.
___ do_____
M iller Electric Co., contractor, T h reaten ed
strike.
Post-office building, D etroit,
M ich.
Post-office building, Chattanooga, Contro versy.
Tenn.
Post-office building, Knoxville, ___ do_____
T e n n ________________________
Indian-school building, Santa Fe, ___ do...........
N . Mex.
V eterans’ hospital, Seattle, W ash.. Strike______
Building w orkers.
___ do___________________
___ do_________ _
Jurisdiction of certain building
work.
Prevailing-wage discussion______
-do.
Aug.
4
Electricians.
1
30
Aug.
1
Aug.
5
50
100
July
8
Aug.
6
50
100
Aug.
8
Aug. 31
Aug.
10
Aug.
5
T ru ck drivers___
1
N o t reported.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
A djusted. Prevailing wage fixed
b y Secretary of Labor.
A djusted. Satisfactorily settled...
P ending_______________________
Investigation relative soldier labor. A djusted. Soldier labor w ill be
used.
Prevailing-wage investigation____ A djusted. R ates fixed b y Secre
ta ry of Labor.
A djusted. C ontract signed...____
Signing of contract________
A djusted. W ill p a y prevailing
N o t paying prevailing wage.
wage, fixed a t 90 cents per hour.
Hours, local labor, and wages____ Pending_______________________
Laborers doing ironworkers’w ork.. A djusted. Laborers w ill n o t be
assigned to ironw orkers’ w ork.
Prevailing wage and 20 per cent A djusted. R ates fixed b y parties
a t interest.
cut.
B ricklayers________ Prevailing-wage discussion______ ___ do_________________________
___ do-------------------
-do.
B uilding w orkers__
-do.
M asons___________
Federal building, W ichita Falls,
Tex.
Post-office building, A ltoona, P a .. Strike_____ B ricklayers..
V eterans’ hospital, Fayetteville, Controversy. Ironworkers.
Ark.
Federal building, Y oungstown, ___ do_____ B rick lay ers..
Ohio.
G overnm ent
P rin tin g
Office, ....... d o -------- Bricklayers, carpen
ters, ironworkers,
W ashington, D . C.
and laborers.
Bricklayers-----------Bricklayers, Phoenix, A riz______
.d o .
Post-office building, South Bend,
Ind.
40
50
Aug.
-do_.
-do.
14
15
)
Ju ly 30
Post-office b u ild in g , G lendale, Controversy. ___ do___________
Calif.
Ironworkers, F o rt N iagara, N . Y_. ___ do_____ Carpenters and iron
workers.
Post-office building, M onte Vista, ____do_____ Building workers__
Colo.
C arp en ters.......... .
B uilding, F o rt Snelling, M in n ---- ___ do.
Painters....................
Post-office building, Louisville, ___ do.
K y.
Building w orkers__
V eterans’ hospital, W ichita, Kans. ___ do____
L aborers a n d ironA rm y and N a v y hospital, H ot ___ do........
workeis.
Springs, A rk.
Building w orkers__
.d o .
B uilding, Jefferson C ity, M o------Federal-office building, Portland,
Oreg.
Post-office building, San Angelo,
Tex.
N urses’ hom e, Hines, 111________
Aug.
Ju ly 28
Ju ly 27
Painters .
.d o .
Alleged violation of prevailing
wage law.
Violation of agreement relative
em ploym ent of local labor.
Wages not p aid ________________
Prevailing-wage discussion______
.d o .
-do_
_do_
-do.
1
A us. 20
0
8
600
50
Sept.
6
Aug.
8
8
9
Sept.
6
10
June 17
Aug. 1
Ju ly
Aug.
11
20
9
30
30
240
Aug.
July
Aug.
60
5
15
20
Aug.
11
___do. —
July
9
200
(0
20
10
10
A ug. 24
50
75
A ug. 13
Aug.
22
25
125
A djusted. Agreed on $1 per hour
for bricklayers.
Pending_______________________
Aug. 15
Aug. 19
15
Aug.
8
A djusted. Agreed to employ 75
per cent local w orkm en.
A djusted. Satisfactorily settled.
Pending_______________________
M ar.
i
Aug. 15
10
90
Aug. 1 0
Aug. 17
Aug. 17
6
15
25
100
-do.
Aug.
25
(0
12
A djusted. B ricklayers $1.75, car Aug. 15
penters $1.37J^, ironworkers
$1.65, laborers 40 cents per hour.
Unclassified. C ontract completed . .. d o . —
before commissioner’s arrival.
A djusted. Allowed 75 cents per Ju ly 1
hour.
INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES
___ do....................
Pendm g_______________________
A djusted. M en paid off________
Pending_______________________
A djusted. Agreed to p ay $1.25
per hour, prevailing wage.
Alleged violation of rate agree A djusted. Agreed to negotiate
w hile w ork continued. Elec
m ent.
tricians allowed $1.55 per hour.
A djusted. Increased from 25 to
Prevailing-wage discussion.
273^ cents per hour.
___ do_________________________
___ do........... ......................
Building workers__ Local labor not em ployed...
B ricklayers________ D elay in paym ent of wages.
Building w orkers__ Prevailing-wage discussion..
B ricklayers________ ___ do.......................................
Aug. 18
40
Aug. 31
20
Aug. 13
20
100
oo
oo
W orkers
involved
D uration
C om pany or in d u stry and
location
N ature of
controversy C raftsm en concerned
Present statu s and term s of
settlem ent
Cause of dispute
Begin
ning
888
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 IL IA T IO N S E R V IC E D U R IN G T H E M O N T H O F A U G U ST , 1932-C ontinued
E nding
D i In d i
rectly rectly
G o v e r n m e n t c o n s tr u c tio n w o r k —
C ontinued
Post-office building, W hiting, In d . T h reaten ed
strike.
V eterans’ hospital, R u tlan d , M ass, S trike. .
V eterans’ hospital, Genesco, N . Y .
Post-office building, Findlay,
Ohio.
Post-office building, Cheraw, S. C
Post-office building, Terre H aute,
Post-office building, Greensboro,
N . C.
M arine hospital, Louisville, Ky__
Post-office building, R u tlan d , V t,
_ ___do_____
Aug. 13
27
Aug. 19
20
Aug. 13
Sept. 12
25
Aug 3
Aug. 23
Sept. 7
Aug. 24
Sept.
12
Aug. 20
Sept.
8
June
Aug. 24
------do-------
B uilding workers
Prevailing rate for per-diem em- __ -do_
ployees on repair w ork.
_ _do.__.......... ........... Prevailing w age to a p ply on new
do
building construction.
_do ___ ______ Prevailing wage for building w ork. - _ -do_
- - _do __ _ ------do ___________
- --_do_ ___ S t r u c t u r a l - i r o n
w orkers.
Prison hospital, Springfield, M o
Strike
Plum bers and steam
fitters.
Post-office building, Jackson, Controversy. B uilding w orkers__
M ich.
Total . . .
. . . .
:
!
FRASER
1 N ot reported.
Digitized for
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Aug. 11
Aug. 15
A djusted. U nion m en employed.
W orkers’ com m ittee appointed.
A djusted. Plasterers increased to
$ 1 0 per day, prevailing wage.
Adjusted (Parpenters* rate fixed
a t $1 per hour. R ates for other
crafts discussed.
------do ____ --- _do ___ _______ . . . .d o . . ______. . . .
Pending
_ _ _do
_ _ _ _do__ __ _ _ _ Receiving 50 cents per hour; al- A djusted. R ate fixed at 70 cents
leged prevailing rate 80 cents.
per hour.
____do.
B ricklayers .
Alleged prevailing rate not being A djusted. (R eport not yet repaid.
ceived.).
------do ------- - Common laborers__ Prevailing wage not being p a id __ A djusted.
Satisfactory settleni ell t .
------do_ __ _ E lectricians___ _
___do_ _______ _
Adjusted
Allowed 7/> cents per
hour; one helper to each 'mechanic.
. _ _do_
H od carriers _
Pending
Prevailing-wage discussion_____
_ -_-do_ __ _ B r ic k la y e r s a n d __ __do ____ _________ __
_ do
plasterers.
____do_ ___ Building workers
____do __
_________ ___ __ _ _ _ do
______
____do __ _ B ricklayers
. . . _ _.do_ ____________ _
do_
Federal prison, M ilan, M ich
Post-office building, Spencer,
Iowa.
U. S. In d ian School, Phoenix, Ariz, ____do _____
Sacaton In d ian R eservation, Phoenix, Ariz.
Indian Reservation, Fo rt Apache,
Ariz.
W hite R iver project, A riz, . . . .
Post-office building, N yack, N . Y_
U nion or nonunion w orkm en___
Alleged prevailing wage not being
paid.
Prevailing-wage discussion
- __do
_ _ do
_____
_____
_
__________________
_
______________
___ _____ _ __ do
A djusted
Prevailing-wage discussion
...
A djusted.
Satisfactory settlem ent.
Proposal to cut prevailing w ages. _ Pending _____________________
1
1
25
40
6
30
12
(0
10
60
10
40
Aug 15
Aug. 28
0
)
Aug 18
Aug. 25
0
35
)
0
)
Aug. 15
10
do
0 )
(!)
Aug. 30
Sept. 9
Aug. 25
Aug. 29
Aug. 24
50
22
0
15
)
(>)
------------- j*,*, ~~~
5,587
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
Barracks, Barksdale Field, La
B uilding w orkers__
B ric k la y e rs an d
plasterers.
. . Controversy. C arpenters _ . . .
LABOR AGREEMENTS, AWARDS AND
DECISIONS
Levy on P re ssin g M ach in e s to S u p p o r t U n e m p lo y m e n t F u n d in
New Y o rk C lo ak In d u stry
HE agreement, dated August 2, 1932, between the American
Cloak and Suit Manufacturers’ Association and the International
Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union and the joint board of the Cloak,
Skirt, Dress, and Reefer Makers’ Union of the international union,
provided for submission to the impartial chairman in the industry of
the whole question of the use of pressing machines. It was agreed
that his decision should be retroactive to the date of the signing of the
agreement.
The installation of the pressing machines, their operation, and the
wage rate to be paid to the workers operating them were some of the
matters which he was to consider.
A hearing was held in which the interested parties were heard, and
after consideration of the whole question, the impartial chairman gave
his decision as follows:
T
With respect to pressing machines, I decide as follows:
1. The minimum weekly wage of machine pressers shall be $57.
2.
In addition thereto every employer using pressing machines shall pay into
the pressers’ unemployment fund a sum equal to $8 per week for every pressing
machine used during such week at full time.
3.
If a pressing machine does not work a full week the employer shall pay in
lieu of $8 a sum equal to 14 per cent of the wages earned by each machine presser
in his employ during such week. The proceeds of all such payments shall be used
for equitable distribution among unemployed pressers, members of the union.
4.
The pressers’ unemployment fund shall be administered by a board consist
ing of representatives of locals 35, 48, the joint board, and the International
Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union, which board shall make its own rules and shall
have the power to devise a form of statement or accounting to be filled out by
every employer and to accompany his remittance to the board.
5.
The above provisions shall enter into effect in the work week beginning on
August 22, 1932.
The foregoing decision is to be construed as relating only to a special emergency
with reference to this particular machine, that it is not a precedent for unemploy
ment insurance in any form.
The following additional information lias been furnished the Bureau
of Labor Statistics by F. N. Wolf, chief accountant in the office of the
impartial chairman:
The agreement of August 2, 1932, covers 500 firms employing 500 machine
pressers. Each machine performs the work of 2^6 hand pressers, thereby displac
ing 750 pressers. Machine pressers are paid $12 a week above the minimum
weekly rate of hand pressers.
The firms using pressing machines will pay $8 a week for each machine used
into an unemployment fund for union pressers displaced by the use of the ma
chines. It is estimated that the amount raised from this levy on the use of the
pressing machines will reach $50,000. This fund will be administered by the
union.
R e d u c tio n in W ages of M ilk -W agon D rivers, S t . L o u is, M o.
1932, tbe dairy companies of St. Louis, Mo., and
Wagon Drivers’ Union No. 603 agreed to arbitrate a dispute
INasMilkFEBRUARY,
to a proposed reduction in the minimum weekly wage scale of the
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
889
890
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
milk-wagon drivers employed by the dairy companies. The arbi
trators selected were Ralph F. Fuchs, Frederick H. Kreismann, and
Charles A. Houts.
At the time of the arbitration 1,196 men were employed by the 31
companies having agreements with Local No. 603 of the Milk Wagon
Drivers’ Union. These contracts expired November 1, 1931, at which
time the companies proposed a 10 per cent reduction in the minimum
wage scale fixed by these contracts. Thé union declined to accept
this reduction.
The companies gave notice in February that beginning March 1,
1932, an 8 per cent reduction in the minimum wage scale would be
put into effect.
Negotiations between the parties resulted in an agreement to arbi
trate the dispute; pending the decision of the arbitrators, the dairy
companies were to withhold 8 per cent of the minimum wages of their
employees, as fixed by the expiring contracts, after March 1, 1932, the
amount so withheld to be allowed to the companies or to the men in
accordance with the findings of the arbitrators.
The dairy companies based their claim for the 8 per cent reduction
on a number of considerations, among which were the following: That
the retail price of milk had been reduced from 16 cents per quart in
1920 to 10 cents per quart in 1932; that the price paid the farmer for
milk had been reduced from $3.25 per hundredweight in 1920 to 99
cents per hundredweight in 1932; that the weekly labor cost to the
dairy companies per route had increased from $33.33 in 1920 to $48.18
in 1931 ; that the report of the United States Bureau of Labor Sta
tistics shows a decline in the cost of living from 1920 to 1932, in St.
Louis of 25.1 per cent; that wages and salaries had declined in almost
all industries, and that a 10 per cent reduction had been made by
agreement between the dairy companies and the Milk Wagon Drivers’
Union of Chicago, effective in April, 1932.
The union opposed the reduction, stating that if the 8 per cent
reduction were put into effect 975 of their members would earn less
than the minimum amount required for the support of a family; that
in Chicago, even after the 10 per cent reduction in wages, the retail
drivers received $6 more per week than the wages under the expired
contract in St. Louis.
The majority of the arbitration board concluded from the evidence
submitted that the dairy companies were justified in making an 8 per
cent reduction in the weekly wage scale of their drivers, as fixed by the
contract expiring November 1, 1931. The commission to be paid the
drivers, as provided for in the contract referred to, remains the same.
All three arbitrators agreed that the new rate should be in effect from
March 1, 1932, to March 1, 1933.
The dissenting opinion of Ralph F. Fuchs, representing the union,
was in part as follows :
I believe it is unwise for arbitrators to reduce the wages of nearly 1,200 employ
ees, thereby lowering their level of well-being and further diminishing the pur
chasing power of consumers in the community. The present depression can not
be ended until the decline in the earnings of farmers and workers is halted. Fur
ther decreases should be granted in arbitration proceedings only on the basis of
revealed facts showing them to be necessary. No such facts have been advanced
here, and general opinions regarding the probable decline in business are not an
adequate substitute.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
HOUSING
B u ild in g P e r m its in P r in c ip a l C itie s o f t h e U n ite d S t a t e s ,
A u g u s t, 1932
UGUST building shows an increase of 4.5 per cent in indicated
expenditures for total building operations as compared with
July, according to reports received from 352 identical cities by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics. Indicated expenditures for total build
ing operations in August, 1932, were $37,137,073.
Estimated expenditures for new residential buildings increased
20.6 per cent. The estimated cost of new nonresidential buildings
decreased 3.7 per cent, and additions, alterations, and repairs in
creased 10.1 per cent in estimated cost, comparing August with July.
The cost figures in the following tables apply to the cost of the
buildings 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.
The States of Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and
Pennsylvania, through their departments of labor, are cooperating
with the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics in the collection of
these data.
A
Comparisons, July and August
Table 1 shows the estimated cost of new residential buildings, of
new nonresidential buildings, of additions, alterations, and repairs,
and of total building operations in 352 identical cities of the United
States, by geographic divisions.
T able 1 .— E S T IM A T E D
CO ST OF N E W B U IL D IN G S , O F A D D IT IO N S , A L T E R A T IO N S ,
A N D R E P A IR S , A N D OF T O T A L B U IL D IN G C O N S T R U C T IO N IN 352 ID E N T IC A L
C IT IE S , AS SH O W N B Y P E R M IT S IS SU E D IN JU L Y A N D A U G U ST, 1932, B Y G E O
G R A P H IC D IV IS IO N S
New residential buildings
(estim ated cost)
New nonresidential buildings
(estimated cost)
Geographic division
July, 1932
N ew E n g la n d ---- -- ----------- . . $856, 507
1, 748, 823
M iddle A tlantic__ ________
1,001, 374
E ast N orth C en tral____________
W est N o rth C entral . . .
570, 880
861,842
South A tlantic.
......
..
578,128
South C entral__________ . . ---M ountain and Pacific____ _ __ _. 1, 209, 540
T otal. _ _________
___ 6,827,094
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
August,
1932
$861, 403
2, 395, 568
1,191,126
872,064
1,035, 010
443,407
1,437, 745
8
, 236, 323
Per cent
of change
July, 1932
August,
1932
+ 0 .6
+37.0
+18.9
+52.8
+ 20. 1
-2 3 .3
+18.9
$3, 701,087
5, 328,034
2,540,093
2,844, 736
2,923, 452
1, 325, 387
1,126, 439
$855,498
9, 443, 312
2,178, 031
802, 398
2,908, 057
1, 547,979
1, 327, 835
-7 6 .9
+77.2
-1 4 .3
-7 1 .8
- .5
+16.8
+ 17.9
+
19, 789, 228
19, 063,110
- 3 .7
2 0 .6
Per cent
of change
891
892
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
T a ble 1 .— E S T IM A T E D C O ST O F N E W B U IL D IN G S , O F A D D IT IO N S , A L T E R A T IO N S
A N D R E P A IR S , A N D O F T O T A L B U IL D IN G C O N S T R U C T IO N IN 352 ID E N T IC A L
C IT IE S , AS SH O W N B Y P E R M IT S IS S U E D IN JU L Y A N D A U G U ST , 1932, B Y G EO G R A P H IC D IV IS IO N S —C ontinued
Additions, alterations, and
repairs (estim ated cost)
Total construction (estimated
cost)
Geographic division
Ju ly , 1932
New E ngland___________ $1,110, 254
M iddle A tlan tic________
2, 595,969
E ast N o rth C entral_____
1,499,123
W est N o rth C e n t r a l - . ___
683, 518
South A tlan tic________ _
1 , 1 0 0 , 806
South C e n tra l.................... • 817,877
M ountain and Pacific____
1,124,810
T o tal-. ___________
8,932, 357
August,
1932
Numher of
cities
Per cent
of
change
July, 1932
August,
1932
- 5 .8
+39.4
- 5 .0
-3 4 .0
+16.3
+ 4 .7
+ 3 .1
$5, 667, 848
9, 672,826
5,040, 590
4, 099,134
4, 8 8 6 ,100
2, 721, 392
3,460, 789
$2, 763,186
15,458, 567
4, 792, 757
2,125, 760
5,222,960
2, 848,103
3,925, 740
-5 1 .3
+59.8
- 4 .9
-4 8 .1
+ 6.9
+ 4.7
+13.4
53
72
93
25
39
33
37
+
35, 548,679
37,137, 073
+ 4 .5
352
$1,046, 285
3, 619, 687
1,423, 600
451, 298
1, 279,893
856, 717
1,160,160
9, 837,640
1 0 .1
Per cent
of
change
Increases in indicated expenditures for new residential buildings
were shown in all geographic divisions except the South Central.
The increases ranged from six-tenths of 1 per cent in the New England
States to 52.8 per cent in the West North Central States.
Three of the seven geographic divisions showed increases in new
nonresidential buildings.
Increases in indicated expenditures for additions, alterations, and
repairs were shown in four of the geographic divisions.
The estimated cost of total construction increased in four of the
seven geographic divisions.
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 352 identical cities of the United States, by
geographic divisions.
T a b l e 2 .— N U M B E R OF N E W B U IL D IN G S , OF A D D IT IO N S , A L T E R A T IO N S , A N D R E
P A IR S , A N D OF T O T A L B U IL D IN G C O N S T R U C T IO N IN 352 ID E N T IC A L C IT IE S , AS
SH O W N B Y P E R M IT S IS S U E D IN JU L Y A N D A U G U ST, 1932, BY G E O G R A P H IC D IV I
SIONS
N ew residential
buildings
N ew nonresi Additions, alter
dential build ations, and re T otal construc
tion
ings
pairs
Geographic division
July,
1932
N ew England ______
... _
M iddle A tlantic____ _ ______
E ast N o rth C en tral___ _______
W est N o rth C entral _ ________
South A tlantic
_______
South C entral
_ _______ _
M ountain and Pacific_____________
Total
...
______
Per cent of c h a n g e ___________
164
334
220
186
215
214
374
1, 707
August,
1932
July,
1932
August,
1932
July,
1932
August,
1932
July,
1932
2,152
4, 637
2, 791
1, 12 1
2,605
1, 711
3, 438
2, 594
5, 557
3, 708
1,699
2,956
1, 944
4,072
2,910
6 , 347
4, 546
2 , 174
3, 433
2,359
4, 985
18,455
+ 16.8
22, 530
26, 754
+18.7
186
440
282
246
263
224
450
477
1,185
1, 177
568
436
348
830
572
1,270
1,473
807
565
424
1,097
1,953
4,038
2,311
945
2,305
1, 382
2,091
+22.5
5,021
6,208
+23.6
15,802
2 ,8 6 8
August,
1932
Increases were shown in the number of new residential buildings,
of new nonresidential buildings, of additions, alterations, and repairs,
and of total construction comparing August with July.
<Table 3 shows the number of families provided for in the different
kinds of housekeeping dwellings, together with the estimated cost
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
893
HOUSING
of such dwellings, for which permits were issued in 352 identical cities
during July and August, 1932, by geographic divisions.
T a ble 3 .—E S T IM A T E D CO ST A N D N U M B E R O F F A M IL IE S P R O V ID E D F O R IN T H E
D IF F E R E N T K IN D S O F H O U S E K E E P IN G D W E L L IN G S F O R W H IC H P E R M IT S W E R E
IS SU E D IN 352 ID E N T IC A L C IT IE S IN JU L Y A N D A U G U ST , 1932, BY G E O G R A P H IC
D IV IS IO N S
1
Geographic division
-family dwellings
E stim ated cost
Ju ly , 1932
A ugust,
1932
2
Fam ilies pro
vided for
July,
1932
E stim ated cost
A ugust, Ju ly , 1932
1932
N ew E ngland- . .
-- - $752, 507
1, 295, 664
M iddle A tla n tic ___ . . .
837,884
E ast N o rth C en tral-552,080
W est N o rth C entral . . .
812, 392
South A tla n tic .-. . . .
473, 986
South C entral___ ______
M ountain a n d Pacific___
945,690
$775, 903
1, 617, 216
1,081,926
820, 564
980,410
404, 282
1, 202,115
150
285
207
183
195
186
338
174
369
268
238
254
T o ta l____ _ _____ 5, 670, 203
Per cent of change
6,882,416
+21.4
1, 544
1,918
+24.2
211
404
E stim ated cost
Ju ly , 1932
A ugust,
1932
N ew E nglan d_________
M iddle A tlantic- ------E ast N orth C en tral_____
W est N orth C entral____
South A tlanticSouth C entral_____ . . .
M ountain an d Pacific___
$14,000
190, 000
$8 , 0 0 0
T o ta l____________
P er cent of change __
1 0 1 ,0 0 0
0
2 0 ,0 0 0
0
Fam ilies pro
vided for
July,
1932
4
57
42
July,
1932
August,
1932
$90,000
263,159
62,490
18,800
19,000
82, 992
144, 650
$77, 500
433, 352
109, 200
44,000
1 0 ,1 0 0
6
11
30,125
171, 930
40
55
23
73
681,091
876, 207
+28.6
225
294
+30.7
E stim ated cost
August, July, 1932
1932
4
8
0
4
30, 450
21,150
59, 200
7,500
44, 500
9,000
63, 700
13
25
31
20
8
415, 800
152, 700
-6 3 .3
172
78
-5 4 .7
0
A ugust,
1932
Fam ilies pro
vided for
25
73
15
22
132
25
13
6
T otal, all kinds of housekeeping
dwellings
M ultifam ily dwellings
Geographic division
-family dwellings
34
August,
1932
Fam ilies pro
vided for
July,
1932
A ugust,
1932
$856, 507
1, 748,823
1, 001,374
570,880
861,842
578,128
1,149, 540
$861,403
2,070, 568
1,191,126
872,064
1,035,010
443,407
1,437, 745
179
415
264
189
219
251
424
200
, 767,094
7, 911,323
+16.9
1,941
2, 290
+18.0
6
509
293
255
280
242
511
August permits issued showed increases in the number of families
provided for and in the estimated cost of both 1-family and 2-family
dwellings. There was a decrease in the number of families provided
for and in the estimated cost of apartment houses. The total number
of families provided for during August increased 18 per cent as com
pared with July, while indicated expenditures for all classes of dwell
ing houses increased 16.9 per cent.
Table 4 shows the index number of families provided for, the index
numbers of indicated expenditures for new residential buildings, for
new nonresidential buildings, for additions, alterations, and repairs,
and for total building operations.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
894
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
T a b l e 4 a—IN D E X N U M B E R S OF F A M IL IE S P R O V ID E D FO R A N D OF T H E E S T IM A T E D
C O ST OF B U IL D IN G O PE R A T IO N S AS SH O W N BY P E R M IT S IS S U E D IN P R IN C IP A L
C IT IE S OF T H E U N IT E D ST A T E S
[M onthly average, 1929=100]
E stim ated cost of—
Families
provided
for
M onth
1930
A ugust________ ______ ____
New resi
dential
buildings
New non
residential
buildings
Additions,
alterations,
and repairs
T otal
building
operations
_ _ -
48.7
43.4
67.2
58.6
54.4
1931
A ugust - ____________ - - - - ______
36.6
33.5
63.9
48.3
47.3
14.4
13.0
15.4
13.4
11.3
1 0 .2
25.0
16.5
18.1
25.0
39.3
24.6
16. 1
15.7
25.8
26. 7
27.0
32.0
27.3
28.2
18. 2
14.3
15. 7
18.8
23.3
17.3
2 2 .6
1 2 .0
1 2 .6
1932
J a n u a ry ......................... ...........................
F eb ru ary __________________ _______
M arch ..
A pril
_______ ._
M ay __________________________ _____
J u n e __________________ . . . . . .
J u ly ________________________________
A ugust. ________ _ . . . . ___________
1 0 .6
8 2
.
9.7
9.1
10.7
9.7
7.9
7.9
5.6
6 .8
24.9
There was an increase in the index number of families provided
for, in the index numbers of new residential buildings, of additions,
alterations, and repairs, and of total building operations comparing
August with July. There was, however, a slight decrease in the
index number of new nonresidential buildings.
Comparisons of Indicated Expenditures for Public Buildings
T able 5 shows the value of contracts awarded for public buildings
by the different agencies of the United States Government and by
the various State governments during the months of August, 1931,
and July and August, 1932.
T a b l e 5 .— C O N T R A C T S
F O R P U B L IC B U IL D IN G S L E T B Y T H E U N IT E D ST 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 D U R IN G A U G U ST , 1931, A N D JU L Y
A N D A U G U ST, 1932, BY G E O G R A P H IC D IV IS IO N S
Federal
State
Geographic division
A ugust,
1931
July, 1932
$198,805
, 560, 324
17,417,861
472.100
1, 804, 819
1,742, 725
265, 627
$769,440
1,160,179
6 6 8 , 273
2, 671,151
2, 506, 840
1,048, 442
1,195,181
_ __________ 28,462,261
10,019, 506
N ew E n g lan d .
_
_____
M iddle A tlan tic.
________ E a st N o rth C en tral________
W est N o rth C en tral. ___________
South A tla n tic __________ _ . . .
South C en tra l................. ...................
M ountain and Pacific_____________
T o ta l. _____
6
A ugust , 1
1932
A ugust,
1931
$590,128
, 214,288
1,177,466
785, 456
1, 454, 722
953, 943
773. 006
$554, 883
4, 596,483
865, 583
467, 229
534, 527
65, 660
176, 160
$797, 071
1,071, 507
276, 981
331, 764
278, 811
8 6 6 , 655
73, 510
$164,421
2,249, 526
126, 613
2,136,267
405,825
2,656, 255
598, 900
11,949,009
7, 260, 525
3, 696, 299
8
6
,1
July, 1932 A ugust
1932
,337, 807
i Figures subject to revision.
Contracts awarded for Federal buildings during August, 1932,
totaled $11,949,009. This is higher than the value of contracts
awarded during July, 1932, but much less than the value of contracts
awarded during August, 1931.
The value of contracts awarded for State buildings during August,
1932, was $8,337,807; more than twice the value of July awards and
slightly more than the value of awards during August, Î931.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
895
HOUSING
Whenever a Federal or State contract is let for a building in a city
haying a, population of 25,000 or over, the number or cost of such
building is included in the tables shown herein.
Comparisons, August, 1932, with August, 1931
T a b l e 6 shows the estimated cost of new residential buildings, o f
new nonresidential buildings, of additions, alterations, and repairs,
and of total building operations in 343 identical cities of the United
States having a population of 25,000 or over, for the months of
August, 1931, and August 1932, by geographic divisions.
T a ble 6 .— E S T IM A T E D CO ST O F N E W B U IL D IN G S , OF A D D IT IO N S , A L T E R A T IO N S ,
A N D R E P A IR S , A N D OF T O T A L B U IL D IN G C O N S T R U C T IO N IN 343 ID E N T IC A L C IT IE S
AS SH O W N B Y P E R M IT S IS SU E D IN A U G U ST, 1931, A N D A U G U ST , 1932, BY G E O G R A P H IC
D IV IS IO N S
N ew residential buildings (esti
m ated cost)
N ew nonresidential buildings
(estimated cost)
Geographic division
A ugust,
1931
N ew E ngland _____ ____________ $4,861, 025
M iddle A tlan tic__ ________ ___ 20, 810, 920
E ast N o rth C en tral________ _ _
4, 878,889
W est N o rth C entral______________
2, 575, 212
South A tla n tic _______________
2, 462, 580
South C entral________
. 2, 421, 838
M ountain and Pacific___________
4, 761, 648
T o ta l______________________
42,772,112
August,
1932
Per cent
of
change
August,
1931
August,
1932
$797,903
2, 360, 748
1,191,126
872, 064
1,028, 819
443,407
1,411, 700
-8 3 .6
-8 8 .7
-7 5 .6
- 6 6 .1
-5 8 .2
-8 1 .7
-7 0 .4
$3, 684, 658
22, 616, 536
27, 219, 923
2, 705, 522
4,179, 653
3,714,377
4, 242, 917
$842,103
9,416, 312
2,177, 447
802, 398
2, 895,107
1,547,979
1, 321, 395
-7 7 .1
-5 8 .4
-9 2 .0
-7 0 .3
-3 0 .7
-5 8 .3
-6 8 .9
8,105, 767
-8 1 .0
68
, 363, 586
19, 002, 741
-7 2 .2
Additions, alterations, and re
pairs (estim ated cost)
Total construction (estimated
cost)
Geographic division
N ew E ngland _______
M iddle Atlantic.-«.
E ast N o rth Central--.W est N o rth C en tral-South A tla n tic ______
South C e n tra l--_____
M ountain and Pacific.
T o tal_________
Per
cent of
change
August,
1931
A ugust,
1932
$1,005,316
5, 852, 409
3, 091,109
1,074, 307
2, 037, 969
974, 277
1, 620, 933
$1, 018, 698
3,606, 319
1,422, 420
451, 298
1, 272, 893
856, 717
1,141, 525
15, 656, 320
9, 769,870
P er cent
of
change
N urnher
of
Per
cities
cent of
change
August,
1931
August,
1932
$9, 550, 999
49,279, 865
35,189, 921
6 ,355, 041
8,680, 2 0 2
7,110,492
10,625, 498
$2,658, 704
15, 383, 379
4, 790,993
2,125, 760
5,196, 819
2, 848,103
3, 874, 620
-7 2 .2
-4 0 .1
-5 9 .9
-6 3 .5
50
70
92
25
38
33
35
-3 7 .6 126, 792, 018
36, 878, 378
-7 0 .9
343
+ 1 .3
-3 8 .4
-5 4 .0
-5 8 .0
-3 7 .5
-
12.1
-2 9 .6
-
68.8
-8 6 .4
-
66.6
There was a decrease in indicated expenditures for new residential
buildings, for new nonresidential buildings, for additions, alterations,
and repairs, and for total buildings operations, comparing August,
1932, with August, 1931.
Table 7 shows the number of new residential buildings, of new non
residential buildings, of additions, alterations, and repairs, and of
total building operations in 343 identical cities having a population
of 25,000 or over, for August, 1932, and August, 1931, by geographic
divisions.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
896
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
T a ble 7 —N U M B E R OF N E W B U IL D IN G S , O F A D D IT IO N S , A L T E R A T IO N S , A N D R E
P A IR S , A N D OF T O T A L B U IL D IN G C O N S T R U C T IO N IN 343 ID E N T IC A L C IT IE S , AS
SH O W N BY P E R M IT S IS SU E D IN A U G U ST , 1931, A N D A U G U ST, 1932, B Y G E O G R A P H IC
D IV IS IO N S
N ew residen
tial buildings
N ew nonresi
dential build
ings
A dditions, al
terations, and
repairs
Total construc
tion
Geographic division
August, August, August, August, August, August, August, August,
1932
1932
1931
1932
1931
1931
1931
1932
N ew England- _ _ _______________
M iddle A tlantic__________________
E a st N o rth C en tral__________ .
W est N o rth C entral__________ . . . .
South A tlantic. ________________
South C entral . ______ . . . .
M ountain and P acific........................
416
1,217
797
569
412
560
1,119
174
434
282
246
261
224
442
T o ta l___
Per cent of change.
5,090
2,063
-5 9 . 5
_ _ ________
. . . . . . __
840
557
1,262
1,467
807
561
424
1,080
2, 284
4, 507
3, 621
1,426
2, 759
1,995
4,349
6,158
-3 4 .4
20,941
2 ,1 2 1
2,474
1,074
771
623
1,484
9, 387
, 111
4,606
2, 783
2
1 ,1 2 1
2, 589
1,711
3,402
18,323
-1 2 . 5
3, 540
7, 845
6,892
3, 069
3,942
3,178
6,952
2,842
6,302
4,532
2,174
3.411
2, 359
4,924
35,418
26, 544
-2 5 .1
The number of new residential buildings, new nonresidential build
ings, additions, alterations, and repairs, and of total building opera
tions decreased in August, 1932, as compared with the same month of
the previous year.
Table 8 shows the number of families provided for in the different
kinds of housekeeping dwellings, together with the cost of such dwell
ings, for which permits were issued in 343 identical cities during August,
1931, and August, 1932, by geographic divisions.
8 .—E S T IM A T E D C O ST A N D N U M B E R O F F A M IL IE S P R O V ID E D F O R IN T H E
D IF F E R E N T K IN D S O F H O U S E K E E P IN G D W E L L IN G S F O R W H IC H P E R M IT S W E R E
IS S U E D IN 343 ID E N T IC A L C IT IE S IN A U G U ST, 1931, A N D A U G U ST , 1932, B Y G E O
G R A P H IC D IV IS IO N S
T a ble
1
Geographic division
N ew E n g lan d _____ . . .
M iddle A tlantic ______
E a st N o rth C e n t r a l .
W est N o rth C entral____
South A tlantic___ . . . . . .
South C e n tra l___ __
M ountain and Pacific___
E stim ated cost
2
Fam ilies pro
vided for
August,
1931
August,
1932
$1,836,825
6 , 063, 598
3, 589,639
2,039,762
1, 887,180
1, 772,061
3, 799, 614
$712,403
1, 582,396
1, 081, 926
820, 564
974, 219
404, 282
1,176.070
340
992
711
531
389
489
1,004
162
363
268
238
252
, 751, 860
-6 7 .8
4,456
1,890
—57. 6
T o tal____________ 20, 988, 679
P er cent of c h a n g e ____
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
-family dwellings
6
A ugust, August,
1931
1932
211
396
-family dwellings
E stim ated cost
A ugust,
1931
A ugust,
1932
$519, 200
1, 205,822
504, 400
150,950
24, 700
322,282
407,534
$77, 500
433, 352
109, 200
44, 000
3,134, 8 8 8
876,207
—72 0
1 0 ,1 0 0
30,125
171,930
Fam ilies pro
vided for
August, A ugust,
1931
1932
132
297
127
51
13
115
140
875
22
132
25
13
6
23
73
294
-6 6 .4
897
HOUSING
T able 8 .— E S T IM A T E D C O ST A N D N U M B E R O F F A M IL IE S P R O V ID E D F O R IN T H E
D IF F E R E N T K IN D S OF H O U S E K E E P IN G D W E L L IN G S F O R W H IC H P E R M IT S W E R E
IS S U E D IN 343 ID E N T IC A L C IT IE S IN A U G U S T , 1931, A N D A U G U ST , 1932, BY G E O
G R A P H IC D IV IS IO N S —Continued
Total, all kinds of housekeeping dwell
ings
M ultifam ily dwellings
Geographic division
Families pro
vided for
E stim ated cost
A ugust,
1931
A ugust,
1932
N ew E n g lan d .. _______
$123,000
M iddle A tlantic _ _ _
12, 411, 500
E ast N orth C e n tra l... _ 316.850
W est N orth C entral .
234, 500
South A tla n tic .. ______
550,700
South C entral___ _ _
95,900
M ountain and Pacific___
554, 500
7, 500
44, 500
9, 000
63, 700
T o ta l______ ____ 14, 286,950
P er cent of change .. _
152, 700
-9 8 .9
$
8 ,0 0 0
20 000
,
0
August, August,
1931
1932
E stim ated cost
A ugust,
1931
August,
1932
Families pro
vided for
August, August,
1931
1932
41
2,629
106
96
193
48
282
4 $2,479,025
19, 680, 920
4, 410,889
4 2,425, 212
20
2,462, 580
8
2,190, 243
34 4, 761,648
$797,903
2.035, 748
1,191,126
872,064
1,028,819
443, 407
1,411, 700
513
3,918
944
678
595
652
1,426
188
503
293
255
278
242
503
3, 395
78 38, 410, 517
-9 7 . 7
7, 780, 767
-7 9 .7
8
, 726
2,262
-7 4 .1
8
0
Decreases were shown in both the number of families provided for
and the estimated cost of all classes of dwelling houses comparing
permits issued in August, 1932, with those issued in August, 1931.
Details by Cities
T a b l e 9 shows the number and estimated cost of new residential
building, of new nonresidential building, and of total building oper
ation for each of the 352 cities from which reports were received for
August, 1932.
No reports were received from New London, Conn.; Bangor, Me.;
Worcester, Mass.; Anderson, Xnd.; Port Huron, Mich.; University
City, Mo.; Pensacola, Fla.; Lynchburg, Va.; Fort Smith, Ark.;
Ashland and Newport, K y.; Meridian, Miss.; Muskogee and Okmulgee
Okla.; Brownsville and Galveston, Tex.; and Tacoma, Wash.
Permits were issued for the following important building projects
during the month of August, 1932: In Trenton, N. J., for factory
building to cost $200,000; in the Borough of Manhattan for a public
building to cost $500,000 and for a store building to cost $500,000;
Wilmington, Del., for a public school building to cost nearly $400,000;
in Washington, D. C., for two institutional buildings to cost nearly
$700,000 and for a public school building to cost over $300,000 and
in San Francisco for a school building for the University of California
to cost over $400,000.
Contracts were awarded by the Supervising Architect of the
United States Treasury Department for a post-office building in
Lynn, Mass., to cost over $300,000; for a post office in Rochester,
N. Y., to cost over $800,000; in Allentown, Pa., for a post office to
cost over $300,000, in Philadelphia, Pa., for a post office to cost
nearly $4,500,000; in Chicago, 111., for an appraisers’ store building
to cost nearly $700,000; in Durham, N. C., for a post office to cost
nearly $300,000; and in Lexington, Ky., for a post office to cost
nearly $450,000.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
898
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
T4.BLE 9 .— E S T IM A T E D CO ST OF B U IL D IN G S F O R W H IC H P E R M IT S W E R E IS S U E D IN
P R IN C IP A L C IT IE S , A U G U S T , 1932
N e w E n g la n d S ta te s
C ity and State
New nonNew
residen residential
tial
buildings buildings
C onnecticut:
$39, 680
BridgeportBristol
11, 700
Groonwioh
12, 00 0
"Hartford
11, 648
19,100
M eriden.
N ew B ritain . _
8 , 300
N ew H a v en ..
25, 0 0 0
N orw alk
39, 000
Stamford
4, 000
Torrington
0
W ate rb a ry ___
1 0 , 500
19,
000
W est H a rtfo rd _
M aine:
Lewiston
3, 650
P o rtla n d _____
6 , 500
M assachusetts:
A rlington
32, 500
B e v e r ly ______
5, 000
B oston i _ _
134, 000
B rockton___
9. 000
B rookline_____
35, 800
C am bridge.. .
22, 500
0
Chelsea
Chicopee___ .
2, 300
E v e re tt_______
4, 500
F a ll R iver . . .
0
F itch b u rg ____
1 0 , 600
H averhill
3,200
3,500
H olyoke____
0
Low ell_______
0
Total
(includ
ing
repairs)
$16, 746
1, 552
1, 050
36,159
4, 578
675
10, 945
7, 200
3,670
2, 520
6 , 300
1, 645
$69, 826
16, 6 6 8
23, 950
134,013
29, 788
15, 599
54, 920
67, 335
27, 745
6 , 950
22, 350
43, 529
2 200
,
1, 687
6 , 850
42, 554
10, 950
3, 305
51, 270
2. 644
12, 875
8 6 , 670
3, 800
2,150
4,420
1, 995
2, 990
2, 155
1, 375
81, 900
1, 825
45, 503
11, 657
448, 523
24, 033
75, 723
180, 275
12, 290
7,150
18, 520
4, 325
17, 740
26, 055
8 , 025
87, 053
15, 272
C ity and State
M assachusetts—
Continued.
Lynn ■
M alden
_ .
M edford
N ew B ed fo rd ..
N ew ton______
P ittsfie ld ... . . .
Q u in c y _____
R evere _____
Salem
Somerville. .
Springfield . . .
T a u n to n ______
W altham
W atertow n _ .
N ew H am pshire:
Concord
M anchester___
R hode Island:
C entral F a lls ...
C ran ston.. . . .
E ast P r o v i dence __
N ew port ____
Paw tucket
P rovidence..
W oonsocket___
V erm ont, Burlingto n .. ________
T otal
____
New
N ew non- Total
residen residen- (includ
ing
tial
tial
buildings buildings repairs)
0
$3, 900
14, 500
0
115,150
40, 500
24, 900
3, 000
15, 500
0
29, 750
600
4, 300
7,000
,
3, 825
6 000
$316, 000
1, 380
5,275
8 , 500
19, 000
1,750
10,165
1,525
23, 650
1,800
33, 885
986
9,160
2 ,0 0 0
$362, 922
14, 750
22, 555
1 0 , 880
148, 635
49, 575
48, 315
17, 540
56, 310
9, 075
89, 035
10, 275
14, 310
16,180
900
1, 986
11, 400
30,428
0
1 ,1 0 0
31, 500
8,555
7,230
43, 030
18, 300
17, 500
6 , 300
34, 000
2, 575
2,380
1, 930
28, 845
4,100
30, 782
27, 080
13, 450
164,183
5,675
0
12 0 0 0
,
800
15, 450
861, 403
855, 498
2, 763,186
$10, 750
$13, 075
29, 585
450
3, 600
350
12, 375
$29, 720
36, 995
3, 572
55, 427
25. 200
48, 650
59, 700
131, 440
1, 014, 900
230,172
8 , 930
3, 560
1, 700
817, 404
3, 235
6 , 470
7, 250
14, 000
3,367
5, 250
155, 350
627, 985
1, 110, 157
1, 795, 935
771, 236
136, 600
44, 897
33, 625
920, 255
45, 939
146,170
30, 985
42, 600
31, 664
38, 800
346, 900
572, 882
2. 389
4,000
250
325
68,185
9, 245
12, 210
5, 692
1,315
3,800
609, 702
6 , 499
106, 700
915
3, 295
85, 623
72, 728
50, 360
32, 950
8 , 895
15, 250
M id d le A tl a n t ic S ta te s
N ew Jersey:
A tlan tic C ity ..
$4. 000 $103, 375
B ayonne ___
15, 000
0
Celleville . __
2, 050
1, 575
Bloomfield
17. 000
43, 300
E a m d e n .. . . .
3, 000
2, 200
C lifton.
. _
28, 500
6 , 265
C ast O range__
1 2 ,1 0 0
1,950
Elizabeth . . _
0
6, 000
G arfield___
13, 000
1 ,0 0 0
H ack en sack ...
10. 520
25, 200
H o b o k e n ..___
0
600
Irv in g to n . __ __
0
3, 525
Jersey C ity ___
52, 500
16, 725
K earny . _ _
0
1 0 , 600
M ontclair
0
2, 300
N ew ark
33, 500
127, 260
N ew B r u n s
wick
0
0
0
Orange. . . . . .
950
2, 000
Passaic_______
1.450
Paterson___ .
8,300
27, 780
0
430
P erth A m b o y ..
35, 800
21, 275
Plainfield_____
T ren to n ___ .
21, 200
207, 255
U nion C ity ..
0
15, 200
W est
N ew
Y ork. ._ _
0
5, 000
24, 300
W est Orange
1,800
N ew York:
A lbany _____ 337, 500
70, 500
A m sterd am ..
9. 300
1, 742
A uburn
__ _
1 2 , 800
1,400
B ingham ton__
14, 300
4,412
76, 300
59, 930
Buffalo. ___
E l m ir a ______
91, 598
5,000
1 A pplications filed.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
$134,195
15, 000
7, 600
62,100
9, 679
38, 354
59, 000
2 2 , 600
17. 750
42, 948
11, 978
8 , 940
142,475
15, 600
13, 379
193, 420
8 , 316
25, 968
35,463
75, 085
3, 475
65,137
244, 440
29, 627
, 600
32, 240
10
455,138
14, 042
16, 845
41, 358
207, 212
101, 059
N ew Y ork—Con.
Jam estow n . .
K ingston .
L o ck p ort... _
M o u n t V ernon
N ew burgh
New R ochelle..
N ew
York
C ity—■
T h e Bronx 1
Brooklyn L
M a n h a tta n 1
Queens 1 __.
R ichm ond 1
N iagara F a lls ..
Poughkeepsie..
Rochester
Schenectady__
Syracuse.
T ro y -------------Utica
... . .
W atertow n .
W hite Plains _
Y onkers ____
Pennsylvania:
Allentow n
A lto o n a..
. .
B ethlehem ___
B utler . . .
( T e ste r. _. _
E aston. _____
E rie_______ .
H arrisburg____
Hazleton
Johnstow n .
L a n c a ste r.. . . .
0
1,500
40, 500
17, 000
26, 0 0 0
253, 350
249, 350
0
299, 250
52, 580
16, 600
31, 300
39, 100
14. 500
39, 000
2 0 , 600
26, 500
25, 000
15, 950
99, 800
2 , 800
1, 100
60, 0 0 0
0
0
8 200
,
34, 300
18. 500
17, 738
1 , 800
4, 000
899
HOUSING
T a b l e 9 . — E S T IM A T E D CO ST OF B U IL D IN G S F O R W H IC H P E R M IT S W E R E IS S U E D IN
P R IN C IP A L C IT IE S , A U G U ST, 1932—Continued
Middle Atlantic States— Continued
C ity and State
P e n n s y lv a n ia —
C ontinued.
M cK eesport__
N anticoke____
N ew C astle___
N orristow n___
P h ilad elp h ia.. .
P ittsb u rg h ____
R eading__ _
New
N ew nonT otal
residen residen(includ
tial
ing
tial
buildings buildings repairs)
0
$35, 900
11, 500
$15, 205
0
27, 295
, 979
90, 280 5, 203, 280
27, 480
51,450
17, 445
0
8
0
$20, 639
36, 900
39, 375
18,469
5, 542, 450
136, 442
34, 485
C ity and State
P e n n s y lv a n ia —
C ontinued.
S cran to n .. ___
W ilkes-B arre...
W ilk in sb u rg ...
W illiam sport...
York . . . . .
T otal
New
N ew non- Total
residen residen- (includ
tial
tial
ing
buildings buildings repairs)
$23, 800
13,100
4 500
0
0
$7,113
2, 530
800
31,157
, 965
6
$53, 036
41, 383
, 525
38, 536
13, 085
6
. . . . . 2, 395, 568 9, 443, 312 15, 458, 567
East North Central States
Illinois:
A lto n .. ____ _
A u r o r a ._____
Belleville.. .
B erw yn. _____
B loom ington...
Chicago.
Cicero__ ._ .
D anville______
D ecatur .
E ast St. Louis...
Elgin_________
E v ansto n . . _
G ranite C ity ...
Joliet_________
M aywood . . . .
M oline. . .
Oak Park
Peoria.. . . . . .
Q u in c v ______
R ockford... ._
Rock Islan d __
Springfield. .
W aukegan____
Indiana:
East C hicago...
E lkhart
Evansville .
Fort W ayne__
G ary-------------H am m ond____
Indianapolis__
Kokomo.
Lafayette_____
M arion
M ichigan C ity .
M ishaw aka___
M uncie.
R ichm ond__
Terre H a u te __
M ichigan:
A nn A rbor.
B attle C re e k ...
B ay C ity . . .
D earborn__ _
D etro it__ _
F l i n t . . ___ . .
G rand R apids.
H am tram ck __
H ighland P ark .
Jackson______
$8, 000
, 100
2, 500
7. 200
3, 000
78,400
8
0
5, 430
0
4, 500
13, 500
25, 000
0
0
0
8, 500
0
20, 300
1,300
3,000
14, 500
3, 300
4, 000
1,000
0
16, 400
16, 300
3, 500
8,000
89, 250
0
8,000
1,700
0
1,100
0
3, 000
500
34, 000
2, 500
7, 500
14, 700
84, 685
1,296
, 300
6
0
0
800
0
$2, 000
900
1, 360
0
963, 605
14,320
650
8,015
20, 575
785
8,000
0
0
15,175
200
7,000
4, 925
1, 315
850
625
1,955
2, 472
6, 755
$12, 335
16, 995
3,400
9, 885
, 000
1,227, 782
14, 660
10
8,002
9, 014
28, 621
20,217
44, 500
200
26, 500
3, 025
29, 137
25, 590
42, 250
15, 349
, 600
25,130
35, 635
, 372
8
8
741
650
1,114
11,265
4, 363
19, 360
59,156
, 600
14,119
192,938
2, 779
, 030
7,229
4. 750
2,180
4, 508
5, 850
12, 999
12,715
, 250
1,405
4,310
158, 949
, 029
28, 420
250
1, 250
5,231
70, 865
33, 800
17, 685
26, 595
366, 105
19,215
43, 080
4,415
2,175
, 871
765
2, 500
28, 814
1,350
3,130
50,515
1,900
0
1,525
2, 175
100
8
8
6
8
6
M ichigan—Contd.
Kalamazoo .
$7, 000
Lansing.
M uskegon .
P o n tiac. . ___
Royal Oak . . .
Saginaw______
700
W y an d o tte___
7, 000
Ohio:
A k ro n .._ _ __
39, 650
A s h ta b u la ___
Canton . .
C in c in n ati.._ _ 168, 700
Cleveland _ . 130, 500
Cleveland
H eights____
16,000
, 600
C olum bus____
D ayton
21, 550
E ast Cleveland.
5, 700
E ly ria____ . . .
1,700
H am ilton
_ .
4,900
Lakewood____ * 12, 000
L i m a . . . _____
Lorain
M ansfield.
600
M arion
M assillo n .. .
M iddletow n .
N ew ark ____
N o rw o o d ... . . .
P o rtsm o u th___
Springfield.. . .
1,075
Steubenville.
4, 000
Toledo.
_ .
24, 200
W arren. . __
Y oungstow n__
10, 700
W isconsin:
A ppleton
39, 200
E au C laire.. . .
17, 900
Fond du L a c ...
15, 000
Green B a y ... _
8,165
Kenosha .
M adison_____
26, 500
M ilw aukee. .
81,100
Oshkosh . . .
5, 725
Racine . . . .
, 800
Sheboygan____
Superior ____
9,100
W est Allis
0
0
2,000
0
$2,662
3,265
3, 190
4,860
584
5,900
2,115
$16,251
24, 725
6,219
9, 260
1,764
13, 690
9, 840
0
0
7, 405
195
16, 463
133, 650
308, 325
53, 661
1,340
18,108
370,105
667, 650
625
19, 350
27, 795
470
370
1,185
. 305
1,505
260
225
165
543
14, 950
112, 000
55, 841
8, 880
12
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
6
0
1,210
18, 820
2, 925
7, 095
21,705
10, 376
770
2,783
465
1,488
22,240
0
1,775
2, 025
1,125
, 233
2, 400
11,440
1,933
2, 907
5, 370
5, 825
49,248
4,065
32, 380
3,530
, 600
1, 540
2. 390
450
4,610
183, 656
770
650
800
595
1,300
49, 690
25, 575
17, 040
37, 699
4,155
59, 965
412, 990
10, 007
11,960
16,924
12, 670
, 222
T o t a l . _____ 1,191,126 2,178, 031
4, 792, 757
0
0
6
0
0
8
1
2
West North Central States
Iowa:
B urlington____
Cedar R a p id s._
Council B luffs.
D a v e n p o rt...
Des M oines___
D ubuque. .
O ttu m w a .. . .
0
0
$9,850
17, 950
30, 400
0
11,500
140152°—32----- 11
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
$2, 550
9, 000
14, 527
• 3,765
, 315
341, 396
5, 800
8
$4, 075
48, 309
24,498
33, 398
46, 495
351,418
20,950
Iow a—Continued.
Sioux C ity ___
W aterloo___ .
Kansas:
H u tch in so n___
K ansas C ity
Topeka
W ichita______
$39, 750
, 000
8
0
5,100
500
7,250
$3, 905
30, 800
$45, 255
45, 000
4,495
, 780
18, 660
23, 980
7, 575
15, 215
23, 015
46, 067
6
900
M O N T H L Y L A B O R R E V IE W
T a b l e 9 .— E S T IM A T E D C O ST OF B U IL D IN G S F O R W H IC H P E R M IT S W E R E IS S U E D IN
P R IN C IP A L C IT IE S , A U G U ST, 1932—C ontinued
West North Central States—Continued
C ity and State
M innesota:
D u lu th . _ -----M inneapolis__
St. P a u l— ----M issouri:
Jo p lin ..
K ansas C i t y . . .
Springfield . . . .
St. J o s e p h ___
St. Louis_____
N ew nonN ew
residen residential
tial
buildings buildings
Total
(includ
ing
repairs)
$6 , 575
97, 205
82, 942
$51, 564
370, 016
225, 392
, 000
0
40, 500
7, 900
, 600
8 , 673
1, 700
58,495
4,700
, 700
26,801
4, 338
395, 377
$27,4S0
199,435
95, 844
1
1 ,0 0 0
2 2 1 ,1 0 0
86
6
C ity and State
Nebraska:
Lincoln____ _
O m aha_______
N o rth D akota:
F a r g o . . ______
South D akota:
Sioux Falls____
T otal ______
New
New non- Total
residen residen- (includ
ing
tial
tial
buildings buildings repairs)
$19,600
60, 350
$1,970
59,950
$28, 757
138, 320
23,150
19,900
1,750
47, 685
2,565
59, 375
872,064
802, 398
2,125, 760
0
$1, 720
400
3, 480
South Atlantic States
Delaware:
W ilm ington. . . .
D istrict of Colum
bia:
W ashington___
Florida:
Jacksonville---M ia m i.._
O rlando_____
St. Petersburg.
T am p a____. . .
W e s t P a lm
Beach____
Georgia:
A tla n ta .. . . .
A ugusta____ .
C olum bus ___
M acon
.. ...
Savannah------M aryland:
B altim ore_____
C um berland__
H agerstow n___
N o rth Carolina:
A sh ev ille____
C harlotte__
D u rh a m ---------
$55, 650
$464,954
$399, 837
494,100 1, 576, 285
2,405, 541
2 ,0 0 0
, 835
64, 840
5, 340
3, 800
29, 770
99, 250
121,923
27, 770
27, 000
42,907
6,191
12,950
26,141
26, 650
1,950
9, 300
2, 050
6,500
6 , 351
10, 731
25
245
89, 553
16, 514
19, 465
35,182
14, 703
120 000
,
3, 500
5,500
332, 000
1,150
2,525
940,100
6 , 438
9,125
0
595
49,887
286, 780
6,870
104,412
297,105
15, 950
19, 350
0
5,400
39, 000
8 ,0 0 0
6
0
N o rth Carolina—
C ontinued.
G reensboro__
High Point —
Raleigh .
. .
W ilm ington---W inston-Salem
South Carolina:
Charleston____
C olum bia._ . . .
Greenville____
Spartanburg . . .
Virginia:
N ew port News.
N o rfo lk ... _ __
Petersburg . . .
Portsm outh . . .
R ichm ond . . .
R o a n o k e _____
W est Virginia:
C h a rle sto n ___
C larksburg..
H u n tin g to n ---Parkersburg__
W heeling------
785
$11, 702
4,825
4,512
4, 050
20, 525
700
172
80
50
17, 395
4, 825
4,040
3,465
3, 600
23, 600
22,819
2,720
13, 549
4, 640
235
59, 270
1,475
16,763
104, 349
8 , 226
11, 765
108, 586
25, 724
13, 700
17,800
1,950
500
22, 700
9, 790
215
1,615
1,665
14, 550
35,963
2 2 , 860
4,880
4, 055
49,497
T o ta l_______ 1,035, 010 2,908,057
5, 222,960
$3, 850
0
500
8,450
4, 800
500
0
0
7,200
81,950
0
1 ,0 0 0
South Central States
Alabama:
B irm in g h a m ...
M obile____
M o n tg o m ery ...
A rkansas:
L ittle R ock___
K entucky:
C ovington----Lexington------Louisville ---P ad u cah ______
Louisiana:
B aton R o u g e...
M onroe___ .
N ew O rleans.. .
Shreveport____
M ississippi:
J a c k s o n ... _ _.
Oklahoma:
E n id _______ .
Oklahoma C ity
T u lsa -------------
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
$4, 600
7, 400
3, 810
$5,125
7, 800
7,085
$39, 713
23, 895
54, 808
2, 500
775
16, 071
0
92, 580
480, 340
22, 555
1 0 , 800
96,150
511, 115
84, 324
11, 20 0
3, 500
241, 737
119, 360
25,170
2 1 , 822
247, 897
365, 136
65, 577
1 ,0 0 0
500
13, 026
1 ,0 0 0
0
3, 480
128, 190
34, 527
2 , 600
18, 800
0
0
4, 500
56, 340
17,147
36, 000
2 , 800
76, 725
23, 200
Tennessee:
C h attanooga.-.
Johnson C ity ..
K noxville_____
M em phis___
N ashville_____
Texas:
A m arillo______
A ustin _ _ -----B eaum ont__ _
D allas____
E l Paso______
F o rt W orth ___
H ouston----- .
P o rt A rth u r . . .
San Angelo___
San A n to n io .. .
W ac o .. . .
W ichita F a lls ..
Total ______
$2, 500
500
9, 600
11, 050
9, 900
$500
150
864
22, 750
16, 857
$19, 677
750
18, 824
650
33, 685
2, 900
54, 090
4, 050
21, 500
92, 075
33, 375
17, 139
3, 625
107, 502
2,553
22, 375
59, 315
1, 455
4,684
59, 614
2,555
75, 414
34, 690
84, 341
15, 801
243, 920
8 8 , 136
77, 960
157, 265
7, 829
7, 034
121, 568
19, 894
84, 842
443, 407 1, 547, 979
2,848, 103
0
1, 100
34, 960
6,350
0
6 8 ,1 2 0
80, 521
901
HOUSING
T at?tf <)—E S T IM A T E D C O ST OF B U IL D IN G S F O R W H IC H P E R M IT S W E R E IS S U E D IN
P R IN C IP A L C IT IE S , A U G U ST, 1932—Continued
Mountain and Pacific States
C ity and State
N ew nonNew
residen residential
tial
buildings buildings
Arizona:
$16, 500
Phoenix..
11, 550
Tucson_______
California:
4, 800
Alameda______
0
A lham bra---5,100
Bakersfield.—
25, 600
Berkeley--------9, 700
F resn o .---------37, 000
Glendale______
H u n tin g to n
10, 745
Park ------ -62,450
Long B each---Los Angeles . . . 434, 777
59, 530
O akland--------14, 050
Pasadena ---18, 400
R iverside-------42, 620
Sacram ento----San B e rn a r
700
dino. ______
56, 300
San Diego------San Francisco— 204,110
33,980
San Jose . . . 5. 700
Santa A n a ----15, 300
Santa B arb ara.
19, 700
Santa M onica..
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Total
(includ
ing
repairs)
$435
8,035
$22,156
29,171
1,025
275
950
20,950
10, 375
12,013
21, 510
4, 250
10,162
6 8 , 530
36, 672
53,113
450
17, 745
122, 578
4, 246
139,130
1,295
19, 510
17, 050
112,615
859,118
98, 945
193, 650
29, 714
94, 625
7,035
25, 859
598, 644
4, 390
18, 275
5, 990
8 , 325
13, 436
126, 568
1, 014, 285
61, 445
30, 556
34, 070
34, 377
C ity and State
California—C o n td .
Stockton__ . .
Vallejo----------Colorado:
C o lo ra d o
Springs
D en v er. ------Pueblo_______
M o n ta n a :
G re a t F alls----N ew Mexico:
A lbuquerque—
Oregon:
P o rtlan d ______
Salem________
U tah:
Ogden ------Salt Lake C ity.
W ashington:
B ellingham ----E v erett . . . . .
Seattle_______
Spokane--------
New non- T otal
New
residen residen- (includ
ing
tial
tial
buildings buildings repairs)
0
$34, 933
0
129, 800
0
$11, 760
1,270
$23, 208
46, 6 6 6
1,150
, 860
855
3,845
267, 535
6 , 867
66
, 650
160
7, 870
10, 500
104, 425
134, 799
62, 890
22, 890
36, 265
466
190, 090
33, 274
0
19, 450
5,400
1,876
8 , 500
40, 805
500
5,600
50,170
5, 750
12, 055
1, 380
31, 785
24, 598
20, 306
9, 879
125, 750
40, 328
T o tal. ------- 1, 437, 745 1, 327,835
3, 925, 740
6
WAGES AND HOURS OF LABOR
W a g es a n d H o u r s o f L ab or in t h e L e a th e r I n d u s tr y , 1932
HE Bureau of Labor Statistics lias completed a study of days and
hours worked and earnings of workers in the leather industry in
the United States in 1932. The study was limited to tanneries en
gaged primarily in the manufacture of one or more of such leathers as
sole, belting, side upper, kid, patent, or upholstery leather, made
from cattle hides, and calf, sheep, and goat skins. A summary of the
results is presented in this report; more detailed data will be published
later in bulletin form.
Agents of the bureau obtained from the pay rolls and other records
of 114 representative tanneries in 15 States the number of days and
hours worked in a representative pay-roll period and the amount of
earnings made in such period by each of 21,399 wage earners. Except
for a few tanneries the wage figures were collected for a pay period in
March, April, or May, and, therefore, are representative of conditions
in those months. The number of wage earners covered in the study
was approximately 43 per cent of the total number engaged in the
manufacture of all kinds of leather in the United States, as shown by
the 1929 Census of Manufactures.
Table 1 shows average days, full-time and actual hours, and earn
ings in one week, the per cent of full-time actually worked in the week,
and average earnings per hour in 1932 for the industry as a whole and
for the wage earners in each of the important occupations in the hide
house, beam house, tan house, finishing, sorting and shipping, and
maintenance departments in the leather industry; data are also shown
for a group of “ Other employees” in each department, including the
wage earners in a number of occupations each too few in number to
warrant occupational tabulation.
The 21,399 wage earners in all occupations combined worked an
average of 5.2 days in one week. In arriving at the average per day
for these wage earners, each full day or part of a day that an employee
did any work in the week was counted as a day. Their full-time hours
per week averaged 50.4 and they actually worked an average of 42
hours in the week or 83.3 per cent of full time, thus showing that the
hours worked were 16.7 per cent less than full time. They earned an
average of 47.1 cents per hour and $19.74 in one week. Had each
wage earner worked full time and at the same average per hour as
was earned in the hours actually worked, the average full-time earn
ings per week would have been $23.74 or $4.00 more than was actually
earned in the week.
Average earnings per hour of males in the various occupations
ranged from 35.1 cents for the measuring-machine operator’s helpers
in the sorting and shipping department to 66.9 cents for splittingmachine operators in the finishing department, and those of females
ranged from 23.2 cents for machine setters-out in the finishing depart
ment to 39 cents for laborers and truckers in the sorting and shipping
department.
Average actual earnings in one week of males ranged from $14.98
for laborers and truckers in the maintenance department to $29.06 for
pumicers in the finishing department, and those of females ranged
T
902
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
903
W A G ES A N D H O U R S OF LABO R
from $7.75 for machine setters-out in the finishing department to
$16.13 for laborers and truckers in the tan house.
Average hours actually worked in one week by males ranged from
31.8 for buffing-wheel operators to 49.5 for color, fat liquor, and
seasoning mixers, and those worked by females ranged from 33.4 for
machine setters-out to 50 for hand boarders or grainers. Each of these
occupations is in the finishing department.
Hides are received at tanneries in various conditions, known in the
industry as “ market,” i. e., tanned without previous cure; “ green
salted, ” preserved by piling down in salt; “ dry salted,” salted and
then allowed to dry; and “ flint hides, ” dried without previous salting.
The hides are classified at the tanneries according to weight (as
heavy, medium, or light) and are graded by the sorters and counters
according to the number and size of scores and cuts made in skinning
or dressing animals, holes made by grubs, etc.
Wage earners in the finishing department represented about 65 per
cent of those covered by the study. They are divided into three
groups—those working on patent leather, those working on sole and
belting, and those working on other kinds of leather.
T a b l e 1 .— A V E R A G E H O U R S A N D E A R N IN G S IN T H E L E A T H E R IN D U S T R Y
1932 B Y
D E P A R T M E N T , O C C U P A T IO N , A N D S E X
Department and
occupation
Sex
N um N um
ber
ber
of
of
estab wage
lish earn
m ents ers
A ver
age
days on
which
wage
earners
worked
in 1
week
Aver
age
full
tim e
hours
per
week
H ours actu
ally workec A ver A ver
age
in 1 week
age
full
earn tim e
ings earn
A ver Per
per
ings
age cent
per
n u m of full hour
week
ber tim e
Aver
age
actual
earn
ings
in 1
week
$20. 70
18.07
27.63
H id e h o use
Sorters and counters.
M a le ___
Laborers and truckers_____ ___do____
O ther employees___
-_ do____
59
29
38
177
119
58
5.3
5.3
5.6
50.0
50.1
50.2
43.8
44.1
46.3
92.2
__do
-__do____
-__do__ _
89
23
671
39
287
5.2
5.3
49! 7
51.1
42.0
43.0
84.5
84.1
.597
.490
29.67
25.04
19. 72
25.09
21.07
-__do____
___do____
-- .d o ____
105
63
344
432
49
5.3
5.0
5.1
50.8
51.0
50.5
42. 5
39.5
40.1
83.7
77.5
79.4
.492
.492
.534
24.99
25.09
26.97
20.90
19. 46
21.40
64
91
405
76
356
363
5.1
5.0
5.1
5.5
50. 6
49. 6
50.8
50.2
42.1
41.3
42.4
47. 2
83.2
83.3
83.5
94.0
.449
.431
.424
.564
22.72
21.38
21.54
28.31
18.90
17.81
17.98
26. 59
89
97
46
156
753
184
5.4
5.2
4.8
5. 6
5.3
50.7
50.8
51.4
52.5
50. 6
45.9
40. 7
39. 5
49. 5
44.5
90.5
80.1
76.8
94.3
87.9
.462
.436
.382
.326
.577
23. 42
22.15
19. 63
17.12
29. 20
21.24
17. 76
15.11
16.13
25.68
87.6 $0.473 $23. 65
.410 20. 54
.597 29.97
8 8 .0
B e a m house
H aulers__________________
Splitting-m achine operators.
Unhairing-m achine operat
ors.
Fleshing-machine operators.
B eam sters or scudders, hand
Beam sters or scudders, m a
chine.
T rim m ers________________
M achine helpers__________
Laborers and truckers_____
O ther employees__________
__ do____
___do____
. .. d o ____
__ do____
86
20
70
21
T a n house
Liquor m en______________ __ do__ _
H aulers__________________ - -do____
Laborers and truckers_____ -__do____
Female _ _
O ther employees__________ M ale. __
Female - _
1
84
1
8
324
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
F i n i s h i n g d e p a r t m e n t , so le
a n d b e ltin g
Bleachers_________________
Extractors, tem perers, and
oilers.
W ringing and setting-out
m achine operators.
D ry-loft m en______________
Spongers and staffers______
Rolling-machine o p erato rs. .
M ale____
--.d o ____
37
37
96
237
5.0
5.0
52.7
52.5
39.6
39.9
75.0
76.0
-__do____
38
284
5.1
51.5
38.8
75.3
.432
22.25
16.73
37
333
5.2 52.0 39.2 75.4
33
232
5.2 51.3 39.2 76.4
37
534
5.3 51.3 40.8 79.5
i Eor less th a n 3 wage earners in this establishm ent, d a ta included in to tal.
.391
.390
.474
20. 33
15.31
15.28
19.37
- do___
_--do____
-.-d o .........
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
.398
.419
20. 97
2 2 .0 0
2 0 .0 1
24.32
15. 71
16.73
904
M O N T H L Y L A B O R R E V IE W
T a b l e 1 .— A V E R A G E H O U R S A N D E A R N IN G S IN T H E L E A T H E R IN D U S T R Y , 1932, BY
D E P A R T M E N T , O C C U P A T IO N , A N D S E X —C ontinued
D epartm ent and
occupation
Sex
N um N um
ber
ber
of
of
estab wage
lish earn
ments ers
Aver
age
days on
which
wage
earners
worked
in 1
week
Aver
age
fulltim e
hours
per
week
Hours actu
ver
ally worked Aver Aage
in 1 week
full
age
tim e
ings earn
Aver Per
ings
per
age cent
per
num of full hour week
ber tim e
Aver
age
actual
earn
ings
in 1
week
F in is h in g d e p a r tm e n t,
p a t e n t le a th e r
Buffing-wheel operators------ M ale____
Togglers and tackers---------- ___do____
Female _ _
Oil and dope mixers ______ M a le ... .
D au b ers. .
___________ _ d o ___
Female
Pum icers
___________ M ale .
Female
T r im m e rs ________________ M a le ... .
Fem ale. .
5
8
1
8
13
88
8
2
8
1
7
93
3
14
5
1
4.5
4.9
13
120
0
0
0
5.2
5.2
5.7
5.5
49.8
49. l
0
31.8
35.4
0
63.9 $0. 638 $31. 77
72.1
.572 28.09
(>)
0
(>)
8 8 .2
.526 25.83
86.7
.653 30. 82
98.8
.273 13. 79
.663 31.63
91.8
103.1
.258 12. 38
83.5
.490 24. 35
0
(l)
C1)
5.6
(>)
49.1
47.2
50.5
47.7
48.0
49.7
0 )
43.3
40.9
49.9
43.8
49.5
41.5
5.1
4.3
5.1
5.3
5.3
5.0
5.5
5.9
5.1
5.7
50. 2
50. 6
50. 4
50.4
49.4
51.0
50.2
49. 7
50.0
50.2
41.3
33.4
38.5
44.1
43.2
39.6
45.7
48.3
38.9
49.5
82.3
5.1
4.5
5.1
4. 6
5. 6
5.5
5.1
4.8
4.7
5.0
5.0
4. 7
5.1
5.0
4.8
5.3
5.4
5. 1
5. 2
5.0
5. 1
5.4
5.2
5. 1
4.9
5.2
43.2
38. 7
41.0
36.3
45.4
44.4
41.4
36.4
36.3
38.2
34.1
37. 6
41.4
41.3
42.7
44.2
41.9
39. 8
40. 1
43.9
40.8
43.0
42.8
40.4
38.1
39.5
50.0
42.0
86.9
78.0
81.3
72.9
89.7
90.1
83.1
75.1
73.9
76.6
70.9
76.4
84.5
81.9
84.2
87.9
85.3
80. 4
80.0
5.0
49.7
49. 6
50.4
49.8
50. 6
49.3
49.8
48.5
49.1
49.9
48. 1
49.2
49.0
50.4
50. 7
50.3
49.1
49. 5
50.1
49.8
49. 4
50.3
50.2
49.7
50.6
50.7
50.0
48.3
5.3
5.0
5.0
5. 1
5. 1
4.8
50.2
49.4
49.3
49.8
50.9
50.0
43.6
40. 2
40.5
42.3
41. 2
40.9
43.9
45.5
43.8
39.2
89.4
6 .0
0
$20. 31
20. 23
0
22
. 78
26. 74
13.60
29.06
12.78
20. 32
0
F i n i s h i n g d e p a r t m e n t , o th er
t h a n s o le o r p a t e n t
M a le ...
Fem ale .
Setters-out, h an d
____- M a le ... .
D riers
_ _ _______ __ do____
Female
Splitting-m achine operators- M ale___
Sorters, blue and cru st_____ _ do____
Female
Shaving-m achine operators. M ale___
Color, fat liquor and season- ___do____
ing mixers.
do __
Colorers and fat liquorers _
Female
Oiling-off m achine operators. M ale___
F e m a le ..
D am peners or saw d u sters.— M ale___
Female
Stakers, m a c h in e _________ M ale. ..
F e m a le ..
Stakers, h a n d . _ _ ___
__ M ale . . .
Tackers, togglers, and past- ___do____
Female _ _
ers.
Rolling-machine operators . . M ale___
F em ale. .
Buffing-wheel operators____ M ale . . .
Fem ale __
Brushing-m achine operators. M ale..
F em ale. .
Trim m ers .
M ale _
Fem ale __
Finishers or seasoners, ma- M ale___
Female _ _
chine.
Finishers or seasoners, h a n d - M ale.. _
Female _ _
Glazing-machine o p erato rs.. M ale___
Female . .
Boarders or grainers, h a n d .. M ale. ..
Female _
Boarders or grainers, ma- M ale____
chine.
Em bossing or plating press ___do____
operators.
Female . .
Ironers, h an d or m achine__ M ale ...
Female _.
M ale _
M achine helpers.
Fem ale.
Setters-out, machine-
70
4
23
61
20
31
52
5
71
47
63
4
23
9
43
3
72
6
14
60
4
17
13
63
4
34
7
38
40
38
30
39
42
59
17
31
701
61
152
324
84
59
163
11
558
89
370
14
43
42
119
8
854
13
127
1 ,1 1 1
143
56
44
603
29
83
13
114
238
224
200
13
413
875
752
270
173
5
42
53
7
26
27
41
7
280
33
133
170
188
37
1
6 .0
.449
.232
.456
.378
.266
.669
.508
.248
.623
.495
22. 54
11.74
22.98
19. 05
13.14
34.12
25. 50
12. 33
31.15
24. 85
18. 55
7. 75
17.56
16. 67
11.47
26.51
23. 23
11.96
24. 26
24.47
23. 56
16. 2 2
87.0
.474
.327
.419
.288
.372
.257
.560
.305
.606
.551
.341
.442
.322
.543
.235
.381
.272
.443
.290
.421
.291
.500
.306
.603
.372
.517
.311
.530
14. 34
18. 82
12. 67
27.89
14. 79
29.75
27.49
16.40
21.75
15. 78
27. 37
11.91
19.16
13.36
21.93
14. 53
20.97
14. 38
25.15
15. 36
29.97
18. 82
26.21
15.54
25.60
20. 48
12. 65
17.16
10. 44
16.88
11.40
23.14
11. Q9
2 2 . 01
21.05
1 1 . 62
16. 61
13. 34
22. 43
10.04
16. 84
11.39
17. 61
1 1 . 61
18. 46
11.89
21.51
13.09
24.39
14.16
20.41
15.54
22. 27
86.9
81.4
82.2
84.9
80.9
81.8
.496
.275
.465
.286
.421
.261
24.90
13.59
22.92
14. 24
21.43
13. 05
21.63
11.05
18.81
8 6 .8
.378
.279
.541
.287
19.13
14.20
27.37
14.46
16. 63
12.69
23.68
11.25
6 6 .0
76.4
87.5
87.4
77.6
91.0
97.2
77.8
98. 6
8 8 .2
82. 6
85.5
85.3
81.3
75.3
77.9
1 0 0 .0
2 1 .1 2
1 2 .1 2
17.35
10.65
F i n i s h i n g d e p a r t m e n t , a ll
le a th e r s 2
562
Laborers and truckers ____ M ale
78
5.4 50.6
25
Female
7
5.7 50.9
O ther employees. ________ M ale___
108 1, 234
5.4 50.6
4.8 50.4
Female __
25
117
1 For less th a n 3 wage earners in this establishm ent, d ata included in
2 These employees were no t segregated b y k in d of leathers.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
total.
8 6 .6
77.8
W AGES AND
H O U R S OF LABO R
905
T a b l e 1 .— A V E R A G E H O U R S A N D E A R N IN G S IN T H E L E A T H E R IN D U S T R Y
1932 R Y
D E P A R T M E N T , O C C U P A T IO N , A N D S E X —C ontinued
D epartm ent and
occupation
Sex
N um N um
ber
ber
of
of
estab wage
lish earn
ments
ers
A ver
age
days on
which
wage
earners
worked
in 1
week
H ours a c tu
A ver ally worked
age
in 1 week
full
tim e
hours Aver Per
per
age cent
week n u m of full
ber tim e
A ver
Aver age
age
full
earn tim e
ings earn
per
ings
hour
per
week
A ver
age
actual
earn
ings
in 1
week
S o r tin g a n d s h ip p in g d e p a r t
m ent
M easuring-machine opera
tors.
M easuring-machine opera
tors’ helpers.
S orters.. _____________
M ale___
Female . .
M ale___
F e m a le ..
Malo,
Female __
Packers and shippers _ ___ M ale
Fem ale._
Laborers and tru c k e rs _____ M ale
Female
O ther employees. . . ______ Male
Female __
M a in te n a n c e d e p a r tm e n t
M achine fixers___
Laborers and truckers
O ther em ployees.. _
45
19
23
84
91
51
40
46
364
8
22
96
384
37
22
10
36
111
1
6
65
156
26
12
M ale
_ _do_
Female _ _
Male
36
56
i
103
__do
Female . .
Male and
female.
114 18, 755
57 2,644
114 21, 399
94
329
0
809
0
5.5
5.0
5.6
5.5
5.5
5.5
5.5
5.4
5.2
5.0
5.6
5.2
50.0
49.6
48.7
49.8
49.9
49.9
50.4
49.7
50.3
50.0
50.2
49.4
44.5
41.9
44.3
44.1
44.6
45.4
44.8
44.3
42.0
36.2
47.0
41.8
89.0 $0.440 $2 2 .0 0
84.5
.301 14.93
91.0
.351 17.09
8 8 .6
.274 13.65
89.4
.577 28. 79
91.0
.305 15. 22
88.9
.427 21.52
89.1
.284 14.11
83.5
.382 19. 21
72.4
.390 19. 50
93.6
.556 27.91
84.6
.323 15.96
5.5
5.2
5.6
52.3
51.4
(D
50.6
46.7
42.0
0 )
47.2
89.3
81.7
(i)
93.3
.525
26. 57
26.93
14.98
(i)
24.78
5.2
5.1
5.2
50.4
50.0
50.4
42.1
40.9
42.0
83.5
81.8
83.3
.493
.303
.471
24.85
15.15
23.74
20. 78
12. 41
19. 74
.576
.357
0
30.12
18.35
0
$19.58
12. 63
15. 53
1 2 .1 0
25. 73
13.84
19.12
1 2 . 60
16.03
14.11
26.15
13.51
A l l d e p a r tm e n ts
All occupations_____
i F o r less th a n 3 wage earners in th is establishm ent, d ata included in total.
Hours and Earnings, by Sex and State
shows for the wage earners of each sex covered in each
State in 1932, or group of two States, and for both sexes combined in
each State or group of States, average days, hours, and earnings, and
the per cent of full time actually worked in one week. In certain
cases combination was made of the figures for two States—as, Illinois
and Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee, and Massachusetts and New
Hampshire—in order to avoid presenting data for one tannery only,
and thus possibly reveal its identity.
. The table shows that the 1,224 males of the 5 tanneries covered
in Delaware worked an average of 4.7 days in the week for which
figures are shown in this report; that their average full-time hours
per week were 50.4; that they actually worked an average of 39.7
hours in the week, or 78.8 per cent of their average full-time hours per
week; that they earned an average of 46.7 cents per hour and $18.57
in the week; and that had they worked full time during the week at
same average per hour as was earned in the hours actually worked in
the week they would have earned an average of $23.54 or $4.97 more
than was actually earned in the week.
Average earnings per hour for males ranged, by States, from a low
of 30.9 cents to a high of 55.9 cents; those for females ranged from 25
to 34.2 cents; and those for both sexes combined ranged from 30.9
to 52.9 cents per hour.
Males in all States combined earned an average of 49.3 cents per
hour and $20.78 in one week and their average full-time earnings per
week were $24.85. Females earned an average of 30.3 cents per hour
and $12.41 in one week and their average full-time earnings per
week were $15.15.
T
able
2
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
906
M O N T H L Y L A B O R R E V IE W
T a b l e 2 .—A V E R A G E H O U R S A N D E A R N IN G S IN T H E L E A T H E R IN D U S T R Y , 1932 B Y
SE X A N D S T A T E
A ver
Aver
age
days
age
N u m N um on
fullber of b er of which
tim
e
estab wage
lish earners wage hours
earners
per
m ents
worked week
in 1
week
Sex and State
H ours actually
worked in 1
week
A ver
age
num
ber
A ver
Aver
age
A ver
age
fullage
earn
tim e
actual
per earn
earn
Per ings
per ings in
cent of hour ings
week 1 week
full
tim e
M a le s
D elaw are_________________
Illinois a n d M issouri _ _ . _
K entucky and Tennessee. __
M assachusetts a n d New
H a m p sh ire..
____ . . .
M ichigan_________ _ ___
N ew Jersey_____ _______
N ew Y ork___
. .
N o rth C arolina.. . . . .
_____
Ohio
Pennsylvania ____
W est V irginia_____
W isconsin_______
T o tal_____________ ...
5
9
3
1, 224
1, 960
199
4.7
5.1
5.5
50.4
49.9
49.6
39.7
40.2
41.4
78.8
80.6
83.5
$0.467
.499
.382
$23.54
24.90
18.95
$18.57
20. 07
15. 80
26
5
5.4
5.7
5.3
5.0
4.1
5.4
5.4
5.3
5.2
48.6
54.0
50.5
49.8
54.1
50.8
51.0
50.9
52.1
43.0
45.1
44.5
42.5
29.0
45.0
44.9
33.1
39.9
88.5
83.5
8
4,192
814
1,208
2,063
608
929
3, 565
465
1, 528
65.0
76.6
.553
.369
.559
.533
.309
.501
.478
.372
.425
26.88
19. 93
28.23
26. 54
16. 72
25.45
24. 38
18. 93
22.14
23.77
16. 65
24.88
22.65
8 . 97
22. 52
21.45
12. 29
16. 96
114
18, 755
5.2
50.4
42.1
83.5
.493
24. 85
20.78
4
676
394
4.9
4.8
51.1
49.3
39.9
37.5
78.1
76.1
.280
.278
14.31
13. 71
11.19
10.42
9
7
640
76
223
47
125
291
172
5.3
5.2
5.1
5.4
5.6
5.0
5.6
48.0
54.0
51.7
48.0
50.0
49.9
50.8
41.6
43.8
43.7
44.1
45.9
41.1
41.1
86.7
81.1
84.5
91.9
91.8
82.4
80.9
.319
.250
.330
.342
.305
.342
.289
15. 31
13. 50
17. 06
16. 42
15. 25
17. 07
14. 6 8
13. 28
10. 92
14. 41
15. 08
14. 01
14.06
57
2,644
5.1
50.0
40.9
81.8
.303
15.15
12.41
5
9
3
1,900
2,354
199
4.8
5.0
5.5
50.7
49.8
49.6
39.8
39.7
41.4
78.5
79.7
83.5
.401
.464
.382
20. 33
23. 11
18.95
15. 94
18. 45
15.80
26
5
5.4
5.6
5.3
5.0
4.1
5.4
5.4
5.3
5.3
48.6
54.0
50.7
49.8
54.1
50.7
50.9
50.9
51.9
42.8
45.0
44.4
42.5
29.0
45. 1
44.6
33.1
40.0
8 8 .1
8
4,832
890
1, 431
2 , 110
608
1,054
3,856
465
1,700
83.3
87.6
85.3
53.6
89.0
87.6
65.0
77.1
.523
.359
.524
.529
.309
.477
.468
.372
.411
25. 42
19.39
26.57
26.34
16. 72
24. 18
23. 82
18. 93
21. 33
22. 38
16. 16
23. 25
22. 48
8 . 97
21.51
20.89
12.29
16. 45
114
21, 399
5.2
50.4
42.0
83.3
.471
23. 74
19.74
10
11
5
5
23
4
8 8 .1
85.3
53.6
8 8 .6
8 8 .0
F e m a le s
D elaw are__________ __ . . .
Illinois and M issouri
M assachusetts a n d New
H am p sh ire___ _______ _
M ichigan _ _ . _ . . .
N ew Jersey___________ _
N ew Y o rk .__ . . . ._ .
O hio. . . .
. ____
Pennsylvania
W isconsin . . .
T o ta l_____ ______ _
6
19
1
5
5
1
1 1 .8 8
M a le s a n d fe m a le s
D elaw are...
Illinois and M issouri___ . . .
K en tu ck y and Tennessee___
M assachusetts and New
H a m p sh ire.. .
. _____
M ichigan. .
N ew Jersey_____
_____
N ew Y ork.
.
N o rth C arolina_____ ______
Ohio___ ______ ________ _
Pennsylvania_________
W est V irginia____ ____ .
W isconsin___ . . . ______ _
T o tal________ . . . . .
10
11
5
5
23
4
Hours and Earnings in Selected Occupations
T a b l e 3 shows average days, hours, and earnings of the wage
earners of each sex in each of 10 representative occupations in each
State studied. It is believed that these occupations illustrate fairly
the conditions in the industry.
The 177 sorters and counters in the hide house earned an average
of 47.3 cents per hour and $20.70 in one week. In the various States,
average earnings per hour in this occupation ranged from a low of
28.3 cents to a high of 53.0 cents, and average actual earnings in one
week ranged from $13.16 to $24.44. Full-time earnings per week for
all States averaged $23.65 and ranged, by States, from $14.15 to
$26.13.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
W AGES AND
907
H O U R S OF LABOR
T a b l e 3 —A V E R A G E H O U R S A N D E A R N IN G S IN 10 O O O U PA T I ONS IN T H E L E A T H E R
IN D U S T R Y , 1932, B Y D E P A R T M E N T , SE X , A N D ST A T E
D epartm ent, occupation,
sex, a n d State
A ver
A ver
age
N u m N u m days on age
ber of ber of which
fullestab wage
wage
tim e
lish earners earners hours
m ents
worked per
in 1
week
week
H ours actually
w orked in
1 week
A ver
age
num
ber
Aver
Aver
A ver
age
age
age
fullactual
earn
tim e
earn
Per ings per earn
in
cent of hour ings per ings
full
week 1 week
tim e
H id e h o use
Sorters and counters, male:
D e law a re ... __________
Illinois and M issouri. __
K entucky a n d Tennes
s e e ._____ _________
M assachusetts an d New
H am pshire_______
M ichigan_____________
New Jersey______
New Y ork________ - Ohio_______________ _
Pennsylvania_______ . .
____
W isc o n s in _____
1
3
6 .0
50.0
46.5
93.0
.283
14.15
13.16
18
64
3
5.8
46.9
53.3
45.8
47.1
46.8
45.9
34.1
96.3
98.7
11
48.7
54.0
52.0
50.0
50.0
50.4
51.9
94.2
93.6
91.1
65.7
.519
.377
.464
.519
.355
.501
.441
25.28
20. 36
24.13
25.95
17.75
25. 25
22. 89
24. 35
20.08
21.25
24. 44
16. 59
23. 01
15. 05
T o tal_________
5
7
1
6
18
21
5.3
5.1
6 .0
50.7
49.3
42.8
41.7
84.4
84.6
$0.344
.530
$17. 44
26.13
$14.71
22.09
4
5
2
8
7
8
16
28
5.0
5.6
5.6
5.4
4.4
59
177
5.3
50.0
43.8
87.6
.473
23.65
20. 70
5
31
31
4.8
5.2
49.8
49.5
40.3
39.3
80.9
79.4
.442
.501
2 2 .0 1
17. 80
19. 6 8
8 8 .1
B e a m h o use
Fleshing-machine operators,
male:
D elaw are------------ -------Illinois and M issouri___
K entucky a n d Tennes
see_________
____
M assachusetts a n d New
H am pshire_______
M ichigan._. _______ ..
New Jersey .. ______ _
New Y o rk ____ ____ .
N o rth C arolina________
Ohio______ . . .
Pennsylvania___ ____
W est V irginia__ . . . . .
W isconsin____. . .
T o tal______ . . . -----Laborers and truckers, male:
D elaw are. _______ ___
Illinois and M issouri___
M assachusetts a n d New
H am p sh ire. ________
M ic h ig a n ___________
New Jersey___________
N ew Y o rk ..
... .
N o rth C arolina_____ . .
O h io ___________ ____
Pennsylvania . . . . . ---W est V irginia.. ______
W isconsin____. . . . .
T o tal_________
. . _
8
24.80
2
5
6 .0
49.6
46.0
92.7
.433
21.48
19. 91
24
5
9
79
5.1
5.9
8
42.5
47.6
51.1
44.2
27.5
47.3
44.4
32.1
36.7
87.1
87.3
97.3
13
74
7
25
5.4
4.5
5.8
5.5
5.0
5.0
48.8
54.5
52.5
49.8
54.0
50.6
52.1
50.6
52.3
50.9
93.5
85.2
63.4
70.2
.554
.409
.509
.564
.328
.510
.463
.389
.419
27.04
22. 29
26. 72
28. 09
17. 71
25.81
24.12
19.68
21.91
23. 54
19. 46
26.01
24.96
8 . 99
24.09
20. 58
12. 50
15. 37
105
344
5.3
50.8
42.5
83.7
.492
24.99
20. 90
2
23
43
4.7
5.0
49.4
50.0
39.9
41.8
80.8
83.6
.434
.449
21.44
22.45
17. 33
18.78
14
4
4
78
24
15
46
14
23
67
7
16
5.2
5.3
5.6
5.0
3.5
5.9
5.7
5.7
42.9
44.8
48.1
43.1
26.5
53.2
45.6
37.9
21.7
86.7
83.0
91.6
86.7
48.2
106.4
88.9
73.7
40.9
.429
.324
.431
.439
.300
.537
.406
.333
.375
21.24
17. 50
22. 63
21.82
16. 50
26. 85
20. 83
17.12
19. 91
18. 42
14. 50
20. 72
18. 89
7. 96
28. 57
18. 54
12.61
2 .8
49.5
54.0
52.5
49.7
55.0
50.0
51.3
51.4
53.1
64
356
5.1
50.8
42. 4
83.5
.424
21.54
17.98
4
9
13
52
5.5
5.1
47.8
49.5
43.7
37.1
91.4
74.9
.348
.476
16.63
23.56
15. 21
17. 65
11
5
3
21
4
4
16
4
1
9
4
2
11
25
32
11
6 .1
8 8 .8
8 .1 2
T a n house
H aulers, male:
D elaw are_____________
Illinois and M issouri___
K entucky a n d Tennes
see. _ __ ____________
M assachusetts an d New
H am pshire_________
M ichigan..
. ______
New Jersey___. . . .
New Y ork____ _____
N orth C arolina________
O hio._________________
Pennsy lv an ia.. .................
W est V i r g i n i a . . ______
W isconsin_____________
T o tal____________ . . .
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
3
14
6 .0
49.6
43.4
87.5
.382
18.95
16. 60
18
5
5.3
5.8
5.2
5.1
3.8
5.1
5.4
5.3
4.9
48.7
54.7
51.2
51.2
54.1
51.4
51.2
50.5
51.9
42.8
42.9
42.0
43.2
28.4
42.8
43.7
35.0
36.4
87.9
78.4
82.0
84.4
52.5
83.3
85.4
69.3
70.1
.470
380
.443
.505
.297
.379
.444
.308
.415
22.89
20. 79
2 2 . 68
25. 8 6
16.07
19. 48
22. 73
18. 58
21.54
20.09
16.33
18. 59
21.84
8 . 42
16. 25
19. 38
8
180
46
28
78
59
26
172
45
40
97
753
5.2
50.8
40.7
80.1
.436
22.15
17.76
6
9
5
5
21
4
1 2 .8 6
15.13
908
M O N T H L Y L A B O R R E V IE W
T a b l e 3 .—A V E R A G E H O U R S A N D E A R N IN G S IN 10 O C C U PA T IO N S IN T H E L E A T H E R
IN D U S T R Y , 1932, B Y D E P A R T M E N T , SE X , A N D S T A T E —C ontinued
D epartm ent, occupation,
sex, an d State
Aver
Aver
age
days
on age
N um - N u m
full
which
of wage
tim e
estab- ber
wage earners
hours
lish- earners
worked per
m ents
week
in 1
week
H ours actually
worked in
1 week
Aver
age
num
ber
Aver Aver
Aver
age
age
age
fullactual
earn
tim e
earn
Per ings per earn ings in
cent of hour ings per 1 week
week
full
tim e
F i n i s h i n g d e p a r t m e n t , so le
a n d b e ltin g
Rolling-machine operators,
male:
K entucky and Tennes
see,. . . . . . . . .
M assachusetts and New
H am pshire__________
M ichigan . . .
----------New Y ork------ ---------N o rth C aro lin a ... ------Ohio__ .
. . . -----Pennsylvania_____ ____
W est Virginia __ ------- --
13
4
221
T o tal_________ ______
3
27
5.7
49.6
39.8
80.2
$0.490
$24. 30
$19.52
1
9
40
99
53
27
5.0
31.3
45.6
41.3
33.0
43.5
44.7
29.9
62.6
84.1
81.8
60.7
86.3
87.6
59.2
.550
.373
.604
.329
.475
.472
.408
27. 50
2 0 . 22
30. 50
17. 90
23.94
24.07
2 0 . 60
17.24
17.01
24.98
10. 86
20.62
58
4.8
4.2
5.7
5.6
5.3
50.0
54.2
50.5
54.4
50.4
51.0
50.5
37
534
5.3
51.3
40.8
79.5
.474
24. 32
19. 37
4
9
129
60
4.4
5.0
50.8
49.8
34.3
35.4
67.5
71.1
.538
.529
27. 33
26. 34
18. 47
18. 76
25
48.9
54.0
51. 9
48.9
50.0
48.2
52.2
43.9
50. 7
44.0
43.8
55.6
40.3
39.8
89.8
93.9
84.8
89.6
83.6
76.2
.599
.394
.546
.570
.588
.596
.419
29. 29
21.28
28. 34
27. 87
29. 40
28. 73
21.87
26. 27
19. 97
24. 00
24. 98
32. 72
24. 04
16. 64
23.14
4
5
5
2
6 .0
2 1 .1 1
12 22
.
F i n i s h i n g d e p a r t m e n t , o th er
t h a n s o le o r p a t e n t
Stakers, machine, male:
Delaware . .
Illinois an d M issouri----M assachusetts a nd New
H am pshire. -----------M ichigan___. . . ----------N ew Jersey .. -------------N ew Y o rk_________ . . .
Ohio. . . ________ .
Pennsylvania--------------W isco n sin ... . . . .
T o tal_______________
Stakers, m achine, female:
Illinois an d M issouri----M assachusetts an d New
H am pshire---- .
W isconsin_________ . . .
T o tal____ ______ . . .
Tackers, togglers and pasters,
male:
Illinois and M issouri----M assachusetts an d N ew
H am p sh ire. . ------M ichigan___. . . . -------N ew Jersey ____ _____
N ew Y ork. _ _____
O hio. . . .
_____
P e n n sy lv an ia. ---------W isconsin-------------------T o t a l . _____ . .
Tackers, togglers and pasters,
female:
Illinois a n d M issouri----M assachusetts an d N ew
H am pshire.
N ew Y ork_________ . . .
T o tal_________ ____ _
Finishers or seasoners, hand,
male:
Illinois and M issouri___
M assachusetts a n d New
H am pshire
M ichigan..
N ew Jersey____ . . . .
N ew Y ork. . . . . . . . . .
Ohio. . . . . . . .
Pennsylvania__________
W isconsin-------------T o tal---------- -----------
259
5.4
1
12
6 .0
9
7
89
82
5. 2
4.9
1
8
8
21
6 .0
132
70
5.0
5.4
72
854
5.1
49.8
41.4
83. 1
.560
27. 89
3
6
4.0
48.3
29.9
61.9
.259
12. 51
7.74
2
1
5
5.6
0 )
4.8
48.0
0 )
48.5
42.8
0 )
36.4
89.2
(>)
75.1
.338
(0
. 305
16. 2 2
(*)
14. 79
14.46
0 )
11.09
(0
13
6
7
21
1
8
7
4
4
8
60
1 1 1 .2
221
4.6
50.0
33.1
6 6 .2
.535
26. 75
17.71
381
53
46
139
85
45
141
5.2
5.8
4.7
4.9
4.5
5.3
5.0
5.0
48.2
54. 0
51.4
48.6
51.3
50.3
52.2
49.9
38.5
44.8
39.2
41.2
37.6
44.5
38.0
38.2
79.9
83.0
76.3
84.8
73.3
88.5
72.8
76.6
.588
.422
.576
.579
.606
.594
.443
.551
28. 34
22. 79
29.61
28.14
31.09
29.88
23.12
27.49
22.63
18.90
22. 57
23. 83
22. 77
26.45
16.82
21.05
1 ,1 1 1
2
64
5.0
48.3
33.8
70. 0
.292
14.10
9.86
1
1
4
77
(>)
143
5.0
(')
5.0
48.0
«
48.1
34.6
0 )
34. 1
72.1
0 )
70.9
.381
0 )
.341
18.29
0 )
16.40
13.15
(>)
1 1 . 62
5
89
5.3
50.0
41.9
83.8
.593
29. 65
24. 8 8
12
1
88
5.8
0 )
5.3
5.2
4.7
5.7
5.5
5.4
48.4
(>)
50.9
49. 1
51.2
51.9
51.6
50.3
46.5
0 )
44.3
41.0
37.8
56.4
39.9
43.0
96.1
0 )
87.0
83.5
73.8
108.7
77.3
85.5
.561
0 )
.586
.456
.484
.326
.394
.500
27.15
0 )
29.83
22.39
24.78
16.92
20.33
25.15
3
5
3
4
6
39
0
)
29
38
65
29
74
413
i F o r less th a n 3 wage earners in th is establishm ent, d ata included in total.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
26.10
)
25. 95
18.69
18.27
18. 39
15.74
21.51
0
W AGES AND
909
H O U R S OF LABO R
T a b le 3 — A V E R A G E H O U R S A N D E A R N IN G S IN 10 O C C U PA T IO N S IN T H E L E A T H E R
IN D U S T R Y , 1932, B Y D E P A R T M E N T , SE X , A N D S T A T E —C ontinued
D epartm ent, occupation,
sex, and S tate
A ver
Average
N u m N u m days on age
ber of ber of which
fullestab wage
tim e
lish earners earners hours
m ents
worked per
week
in 1
week
H ours actually
w orked in
1 week
A ver
age
num
ber
A ver
age
full
tim e
Per ings per earn
cent of hour ings per
week
full
tim e
Aver
age
A ver
age
actual
earn
ings in
1 week
F i n i s h i n g d e p a r t m e n t , o th e r
t h a n s o le o r p a t e n t —Con.
Finishers or seasoners, hand,
female:
D e law a re ...
. . ___
Illinois and M issouri___
M assachusetts and New
H am psh ire______ ____
M ic h ig a n ___________
N ew Jersey------- ------N ew Y ork_____________
Ohio. ______ _ - - —
P ennsy lv an ia—
------W isconsin-.- -------------Total-
_______
Glazing-machine operators,
male:
Delaware . . — - — - - Illinois and M issouri----M assachusetts and N ew
H am pshire- ___
M ic h ig a n _________
N ew Jerse y ..
-----N ew Y ork _ _ _ - ------Ohio .
- --.
Pennsylvania---- ---------W isconsin------ -- — - —
T otal________________
Glazing-machine operators,
female:
Delaw are_____
___
Illinois and M issouri----M assachusetts and N ew
H am pshire---------------N ew Jersey____________
N ew Y ork.
—_
Pennsylvania__________
W isconsin___________
T otal------------------------
4
5
221
71
5.1
5.1
51.2
50.0
41.3
42.1
80.7
84.2
$0.287
.304
$14. 69
15. 20
$1 1 . 8 6
12. 77
5.3
5.5
5.2
41.9
47.6
45.6
49.5
45.4
42.4
43.2
87.3
87.2
103.1
90.8
85.1
85.4
.322
.283
.306
.332
.315
.327
.287
15.46
15. 28
16.00
15.94
15. 75
16. 28
14. 52
13.48
13.46
13.97
16.41
14.30
13.88
12.42
6 .0
7
4
204
32
85
5
59
117
81
5.5
5.0
5.7
48.0
54.0
52.3
48.0
50.0
49.8
50.6
42
875
5.2
50.2
42.8
85.3
.306
15. 36
13.09
3
7
107
28
4.5
5.1
50.8
50.0
34.1
34.9
67.1
69.8
.508
.505
25.81
25.25
17. 34
17. 62
5.2
49.5
(»)
52.2
49.0
50.0
47.6
51.9
P
)
44.1
P
)
84.5
P)
. 604
.594
29.40
39.5
52.0
41.0
46. 7
80.6
104.0
31. 53
28. 03
27. 35
34.22
22.78
22.57
28.44
29. 49
20. 50
15
1
4
1
1
22
1
182
P104
)
(0
37.5
8 8 .1
75.8
PI
22.29
P)
26. 62
6
1
8
6
27
58
209
35
5.1
5.0
5.8
5.0
5.8
90.0
.572
.547
.719
.439
59
752
5.1
49.7
40.4
81.3
.603
29.97
24. 39
4
4
146
17
4.9
4.5
51.4
47.1
39.5
32.9
76.8
69.9
.327
.371
16. 81
17.47
12. 92
1 2 . 18
4.3
5.7
48.0
52.4
31.8
49.0
66.3
93.5
.382
.426
18.34
22. 32
2 0 .8 6
5
3
19
2
1
21
(0
2
1
(')
64
4.8
)
50.0
(>)
P
)
34.5
P)
4.9
50.6
(0
0
(0
8 6 .1
12.16
P)
69.0
P)
P)
.464
P)
23. 20
P)
P)
P
)
16.01
P)
38.1
75.3
.372
18.82
14.16
24.13
17
270
3
27
27
5.8
5.4
6 .0
50.8
49.8
49.6
50.1
46.4
45.0
98.6
93.2
90. 7
.475
.424
.333
2 1 .1 2
11
16.52
23. 80
19.69
15.01
4
9
86
21
21
51
4
7
16
69
7
28
48.3
54.0
51.2
50.8
53.6
50.5
49. 7
50. 6
52. 1
45.7
41.7
45.5
43.8
33.4
47.6
46.1
37.2
43.6
94.6
77.2
88.9
10
5.7
5.0
5.5
5.0
4.8
5.8
5.7
5.9
5.8
62.3
94.3
92.8
73. 5
83.7
.455
.308
.506
.504
.283
.387
.400
.402
.387
21.98
16. 63
25. 91
25. 60
15. 17
19. 54
19. 8 8
20. 34
20.16
20. 83
12. 85
23.02
22.06
9. 45
18.41
18.44
14.96
16. 8 6
5.5
50.4
44.8
88.9
.427
21.52
19.12
S o r tin g a n d s h ip p in g d e p a r t
m ent
Packers and shippers, male:
D elaw are. -------- ------Illinois an d M issouri----K entucky and Tennessee.
M assachusetts a n d N ew
H am pshire
M ichig an .. ___ ------ ..
N e w J e rs e y ... ---------- .
N ew Y ork. . _______ .
N o rth C arolina________
Ohio__________________
P e n n sy lv an ia... . . ____
West V irginia________
W isconsin ___________
8
2
20
5
4
20
20
8 6 .2
T o tal________________
96
384
Packers and shippers, female:
Delaware _ . . . ____
M assachusetts a n d New
H am pshire_____ . .
N ew Jersey . . . ______
N ew Y ork___ ________
P ennsy lv an ia.. ----------
2
15
5.5
51.2
44.2
86.3
.262
13.41
11.59
5
8
5.5
48.0
46.5
44.9
46.5
93.5
.287
.341
13.78
15.83
12.89
15.83
T otal________________
10
1
1
1
1
0)
3
6 .0
10
4.9
50.0
0)
P)
43.2
37
5.4
49. 7
44.3
(0
1 0 0 .0
(')
86.4
P)
.297
14.85
P
)
12.84
89.1
.284
14.11
12
For less th a n 3 wage earners in th is establishm ent, d ata included in total.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
P)
. 60
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
910
H o u rs an d E a rn in g s in S a w m ills in 1932
STUDY of wages and hours of labor in the sawmill industry in
the United States was made by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
during the summer of 1932. A summary of the results of this study
is shown in Table 1 in comparison with like figures for each of the
other years from 1910 to 1930 in which the bureau has made studies
of the industry.
In making the study agents of the bureau collected wage figures
covering days, hours, and earnings of each of the 32,130 wage earners
of 259 representative sawmills in 21 States for a representative pay
roll period, except for a few mills, in May, June, and July. Data were
also collected for wage earners of logging camps, but wage figures for
them are not given in this article. A bulletin will be published later
with detailed figures for both sawmills and logging camps.
A
Trend of Hours and Earnings, 1910 to 1932
B etween 1930 and 1932, average full-time hours per week decreased
from 56.5 to 55.8, average earnings per hour decreased from 35.9
cents to 25.6 cents or 29 per cent, and average full-time earnings per
week decreased from $20.28 to $14.28. This is shown in Table 1.
The averages for the years from 1910 to 1921 are for wage earners
in the important or “ selected” occupations in the industry only and
are comparable, one year with another, over this period. Those for
the years from 1921 to 1932 are for wage earners in all occupations in
the industry and are, therefore, comparable one year with another
over this period, but are not comparable with the averages for wage
earners in the important or selected occupations. Two sets of figures
are shown for 1921—the first for 33,115 wage earners in the selected
occupations in 279 sawmills, and the second for 45,667 wage earners
in all occupations in the industry in the same 279 sawmills.
Average full-time hours per week for the 45,667 wage earners in all
occupations in the industry in 1921 were 58 or 0.8 of an hour per week
more than the average for the 33,115 in selected occupations only.
Average earnings were 2.6 cents more per hour and $1.75 more per
week in all occupations than for those in selected occupations.
Index numbers, on the 1913 base, are shown for the purpose of
making comparisons of the increases or decreases in hours and
earnings from one year to another over the entire period from 1910
to 1932. In order to make the series continuous and comparable,
the index numbers for 1921 for selected occupations have been
increased or decreased in proportion to the increase or decrease in the
averages for all occupations as between 1921 and the specified
succeeding years.
The index numbers of average full-time hours per week show that
such hours were longer by 0.7 per cent in 1912 and shorter by 10 per
cent in 1932 than in 1913, the basic year. They also show that
average earnings per hour were 8.6 per cent less in 1915 and 94.6 per
cent more in 1919 than in the basic year, 1913, and that earnings per
hour and full-time earnings per week were less in 1915 and more in
1919 than in any of the other years in the table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
WAGES AND HOUES OF LABOR
911
T a ble 1. — A V E R A G E H O U R S A N D E A R N IN G S , IN SA W M IL L S, W IT H IN D E X N U M B E R S
T H E R E O F , 1910 TO 1932
Year
Selected occupations:
1910- -- ______________
1911 - .
________________
1912
______________
1913 _________________________
1915-. _______________________
1919
.
_________________
19211
______________
All occupations:
1921
1923
- _________________
1925
___________________
1928
-- ____________
1930
- -, ____________
1932__________________________
Index num bers (1913=
1 0 0 ) of—
Aver
Aver
N um - N u m age full Aver- age full
age
ber of ber of tim e
tim e
F u ll
F u ll
earn
estab wage
earn
E a rn tim e
per ings
tim e
lish earners hours
per ings
per hours
hour
ings
per
earn
ments
week
week
per
hour ings per
week
week
245
299
361
361
348
141
279
23, 316
31, 495
34, 884
34, 328
39, 879
18, 0 2 2
33,115
61.3
61.4
61. 5
61.1
61.1
56.1
57.2
$0.180
.176
.178
.185
.169
.360
.308
$10.99
10. 76
10. 89
1 1 . 26
10. 30
20.13
17. 62
279
252
299
319
324
259
45,667
45, 068
61,193
58, 007
50, 951
32,130
58.0
58.1
58. 1
56.6
56.5
55.8
.334
.362
.357
.371
.359
.256
19. 37
21.03
20. 74
2 1 .0 0
20.28
14.28
100.3
100. 5
100. 7
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
97.3
95.1
96. 2
97.6
95.6
96. 7
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
91.8
93.6
91.4
194.6
166.5
91.5
178.8
156.5
93.8
93.8
91.3
91.2
90.0
180. 5
178.0
184.9
179.0
127.6
169.9
167. 6
169. 7
163.9
115.4
i 2 sets of averages are shown for 1921 for th e in d u stry , 1 for selected occupations and th e other for all
occupations in th e in d u stry . T h e 1910 to 1921 averages for selected occupations only are comparable
one year w ith another, as are those for all occupations from 1921 to 1932.
Average Hours and Earnings, 1930 and 1932, by Occupations
T able 2 shows the average number of days on which wage earners
worked in one week, average full-time and actual hours and earnings
in one week, average earnings per hour and the per cent of full-time
worked in 1930 and 1932 for the wage earners in each of the impor
tant occupations in the industry, and for a group designated in the
table as “ other employees,” which includes wage earners in a num
ber of occupations, each too few in number to warrant occupational
tabulation.
The figures at the end of the table are for all occupations in the
industry and for males only, as no females were found employed in it.
They worked an average of 5.2 days in one week in 1930 and 4.8 days
in 1932. In arriving at the average days per week, each full day or
part of a day on which a wage earner did any work in the week was
counted as a day. Their full-time hours per week averaged 56.5 in
1930 and 55.8 in 1932, and they actually worked an average of 48.6
hours in one week in 1930 and 40.1 in 1932. In 1930 the actual
working time was 86 per cent of full time, as compared with 71.9
per cent in 1932, thus showing that the hours worked in one week
were 14 per cent less than full time in 1930 and 28.1 per cent less in
1932. Earnings per hour averaged 35.9 cents and actual earnings
averaged $17.46 in one week in 1930; the amounts were 25.6 cents
per hour and $10.25 per week in 1932. Had these employees worked
full time in each week and at the same average per hour as was
earned in the hours actually worked, their average full-time earnings
in one week would have been $20.28 in 1930, as compared with $14.28
in 1932.
Average full-time hours per week were more in 2 and less in 22
occupations in 1932 than in 1930. The average for the group of
“ other employees” decreased from 57 in 1930 to 56.2 in 1932. Aver
age earnings per hour and average full-time earnings per week were
less in 1932 than in 1930 in each of the occupations in the industry.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
912
Average full-time hours per week in the various occupations in the
industry ranged in 1930 from 55 for tallymen to 58.4 for yardmen,
and in 1932 from 53.1 for power truckers to 58.5 for circular head
sawyers. Average earnings per hour ranged, in 1930, from 24.2
cents for yardmen to 88.6 cents for band head sawyers and in 1932
from 15.4 to 65.2 cents for the same occupations.
T a ble 2 —A V E R A G E H O U R S A N D E A R N IN G S IN SA W M IL L S, 1930 A N D 1932, BY
O C C U P A T IO N
1930
1932
_____________ _ 1930
1932
Sawyers, head, band .............. __ 1930
1932
Sawyers, head, circular-------------- 1930
1932
Doggers_______________________ 1930
1932
S etters------ ------------------------------ 1930
1932
Saw tailers on head saw s---------- 1930
1932
1930
Sawyers, gang--------------------1932
1930
Sawyers, resaw_______________
1932
Edgerm en---------------- . . . 1930
1932
Edger tailers---------------------------- 1930
1932
Transfer m en--------------------------- 1930
1932
T rim m er loaders----------- --------- 1930
1932
T rim m er operators_____________ 1930
1932
Off bearers, gang or resaw ---------- 1930
1932
G raders_____________________
1930
1932
Sorters____________ ___________ 1930
1932
11930
Truckers, h a n d -- ----------------1932
Truckers, power_________ _____ 21932
1930
Stackers, h a n d . _____________
1932
M achine feeders, planing m ill-. - 1930
1932
Sawyers, small s a w s . . . ________ 1930
1932
T ally m en ----------------------1930
1932
M illw rights______ ____ ________ 1930
1932
Laborers.
- _________________ 1930
1932
O ther employees_______________ 1930
1932
Pond m en------ ------------------------
Y ardm en, log
All employees----
1
-------
1930
1932
Includes truckers, power.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
H ours ac
tually
worked
in 1 week
Aver
age
full
tim e
hours
per
week
A ver
Aver age
age
full
earn tim e
ings earn
per
ings
Aver Per
per
age cent hour
week
num of full
ber tim e
Aver
age
actual
earn
ings
in 1
week
1,373
3, 778
2, 504
3, 010
923
730
4,663
2, 533
1, 338
890
1,583
1,376
743
442
678
420
16, 744
11,104
7, 651
4,470
5.4
4.9
5.2
4.6
5.4
4.9
5.3
5. 0
5.1
4.6
5.2
4.9
5.3
4.8
5.5
5.1
5.4
5. 1
5.3
4.9
5.2
4. 7
5.4
5. 0
5.2
4.9
5.4
4.9
5.2
4.9
5.4
4.9
5.2
4.8
5.2
4.7
5.1
5.1
4. 7
5.2
4. 7
5.1
4. 5
5.6
5. 1
5.8
5. 7
5.0
4.6
5. 5
5.2
56.9
55.9
58. 4
58. 2
55.9
55. 6
58. 0
58. 5
57.9
56.9
56 5
55. 8
56 2
55. 7
56. 4
54 7
55. 7
53. 8
56. 4
55. 7
56. 5
55.9
55. 2
54.9
55.8
54.3
55. 8
55. 1
55.8
54.8
55.2
54. 7
55.3
54. 7
56.8
58. 3
53. 1
57. 2
56.8
55. 5
55. 4
56.8
56. 6
55.0
54.3
55.6
54. 6
56. 6
56.0
57. 0
56. 2
50.8
42.1
49.8
42. 1
49. 7
40.0
51. 0
45.6
48. 2
39.3
48. 8
40 5
49. 2
39.9
52.6
41.6
50. 7
40.9
49. 4
40.9
48. 2
39. 3
49. 7
39.9
48. 1
39.2
50. 1
40. 1
48.1
40. 2
49. 7
40.0
47.3
38. 7
49.2
41. 7
39.9
47. 2
40. 0
58. 1
39.9
47.9
38. 5
51.3
43. 2
56. 5
51.0
46.8
38. 0
52. 0
44. 5
89.3 $0. 344 $19. 57
.235 13.14
75.3
.242 14.13
85.3
. 154 8.96
72.3
88.9
.8 8 6
49.53
.652 36. 25
71.9
87.9
.6 6 6
38. 63
77.9
.430 25.16
83.2
.306 17. 72
.2 1 2
1 2 . 06
69.1
86.4
.451 25. 48
.319 17. 80
72.6
87. 5
.336 18. 8 8
71.6
.231 12. 87
.506 28. 54
93.3
76. 1 .369 20.18
91. 0
.460 25. 62
.341 18. 35
76. 0
87. 6
.461 26. 0 0
73.4
.324 18. 05
85.3
.301 17. 01
.2 0 2
70.3
11.29
.344 18. 99
90. 0
72. 7 .217 11.91
86. 2
.366 20. 42
72. 2
.266 14. 44
89.8
.398 2 2 .2 1
72. 8
.283 15.59
8 6 .2
.315 17.58
73.4
.224 1 2 . 28
.474 26.16
90.0
73. 1
.331 18.11
.344 19. 02
85. 5
. 242 13. 24
70. 7
.307 17.44
8 6 .6
71.5
. 178 10. 38
75. 1
.308 16.35
82. 5
.364 2 0 . 82
70.4
.233 13. 23
86. 7
.365 2 0 . 26
.254 14. 07
72.0
.314 17.84
84.3
.2 1 1
11.94
6 8 .0
93.3
.447 24. 59
79.6
.315 17.10
1 0 1 .6
.593 32.97
93.4
.425 23. 21
82. 7
.291 16. 47
.205 11.48
67.9
91.2
.418 23.83
79.2
.325 18. 27
$17. 51
9.91
12. 05
6 . 50
44. 07
26.12
33.96
19.62
14. 77
8 . 32
22. 03
12.92
16. 54
9.21
26. 64
15. 33
23. 36
13. 94
22. 78
13.24
14. 52
7. 92
17.09
8 . 66
17.58
10.43
19. 93
11.36
15.18
9. 01
23. 56
13. 27
16. 29
9. 38
15.13
7. 44
1 2 . 28
17. 18
9. 33
17. 54
10.13
15.06
8.14
22.95
13.60
33. 55
21.67
13.63
7.78
21.72
14.46
324 50,951
259 32,130
5. 2
4.8
56. 5
55.8
48.6
40. 1
N um
ber of
Y ear estab
lish
m ents
Occupation
Aver
age
days on
which
wage
earners
worked
in 1
week
246
192
96
69
286
233
50
35
271
206
322
255
323
248
72
55
163
105
323
256
308
234
177
113
199
158
308
252
195
127
307
247
284
233
310
170
127
285
245
252
211
270
237
218
162
285
216
324
257
319
259
N um
ber of
wage
earners
1,338
708
337
164
597
414
59
38
749
454
684
449
668
455
96
66
307
190
804
542
688
478
675
386
518
313
518
380
615
328
2 ,1 1 0
2
.
71.9
86 0
.359
.256
Included in truckers, hand, in 1930.
20.28
14.28
17.46
10.25
WAGES AND HOURS OF LABOR
913
Average Hours and Earnings in 1930 and 1932, by States
T able 3 shows average days, hours, and earnings for the wage
earners covered in each State in 1930 and 1932.
Except in one State, average hours actually worked in one week
were less in 1932 than in 1930, and average earnings per hour and
actual earnings in one week for each State were less in 1932 than in
1930.
Average full-time hours per week in the various States ranged in
1930 from 47.3 to 61.3 and in 1932 from 48 to 60.3 and hours actually
worked in one week ranged from 44.5 to 54.4 in 1930 and from 31.4
to 49.5 in 1932. Average earnings per hour ranged from 21.8 to 57.5
cents in 1930 and from 13.3 to 44.4 cents in 1932, and average actual
earnings in one week ranged from $10.56 to $27.68 in 1930 and from
$5.67 to $16.54 in 1932.
T able 3.—A V E R A G E H O U R S A N D E A R N IN G S IN SA W M IL L S, 1930 A N D 1932, B Y S T A T E S
State
A labam a_____
A rkansas_____
California_____
Florida_______
Georgia..............
Idaho________
K entucky_____
Louisiana_____
M aine-----------M ichigan_____
M ississippi____
M o n tan a.-........
N orth Carolina.
Oregon_______
South CarolinaTennessee____
Texas________
Virginia______
W ashington___
W est Virginia. .
W isconsin____
T o ta l------
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
N um
ber of
Y ear estab
lish
m ents
A ver
age
N u m days
on
ber of w hich
wage wage
earn earners
ers worked
in 1
week
H ours ac
tually
A ver worked
in
age
1 week
full
time
hours
per Aver Per
age cent
week num
of full
ber tim e
1930
1932
1930
1932
1930
1932
1930
1932
1930
1932
1930
1932
1930
1932
1930
1932
1930
1932
1930
1932
1930
1932
1930
1932
1930
1932
1930
1932
1930
1932
1930
1932
1930
1932
1930
1932
1930
1932
1930
1932
1930
1932
3,760
2,224
3,569
1, 788
2,650
2,188
2,191
1, 502
2,107
783
1,205
990
500
298
4, 732
2,986
515
367
1,858
957
4,405
2, 441
702
723
2,458
1,975
3, 837
2,492
1,920
1, 322
994
498
2, 350
1,639
887
651
6 , 398
4, 682
903
822
2,216
802
4.9
4.9
5.3
4.4
5.7
5.2
5.0
4.6
5.2
4. 7
5.7
4.9
5.1
4.9
5.1
4. 5
5.5
5.0
5.3
4.6
4.7
5.0
5.5
4.0
5.3
4.6
5.4
5.3
5.1
5.1
4.8
4.5
4.6
4.2
5.1
4.9
5.5
4.9
5.4
4. 7
5. 5
5.0
60.8
60.3
58.5
59.3
53. 7
52. 2
61.3
59.8
58. 0
58.9
48. 1
49.0
57.3
58. 1
60.0
59.4
59.2
59.0
58. 3
57.8
59. 7
59.2
52.0
51.9
59.0
58.6
48.6
48.0
60.1
60.0
56. 8
58. 5
58.7
59.8
59.9
59.4
48. 1
48. 0
59.0
59.4
59. 1
58. 5
48. 5
47. 7
51.6
37. 7
51. 1
39. 7
50.9
41. 4
49. 2
42. 5
45.6
38. 7
48. 7
41. 5
50.4
36.6
54.4
49. 5
51. 2
37. 2
45. 2
45.9
47.6
31.4
51. 2
42. 5
44.8
39. 9
50.7
46.7
44. 5
38.8
44. 5
36.4
50.0
43. 1
45.3
35.0
50.3
43. 1
53. 0
40.3
324 50, 951
259 32,130
5.2
4.8
56. 5
55.8
48.6
40.1
1930
1932
28
22
15
13
14
12
12
11
29
15
5
5
9
6
19
18
11
7
14
10
20
16
5
5
32
30
15
14
8
8
17
12
11
10
9
7
21
20
9
9
17
9
A ver
Aver age
age
full
earn tim e
ings earn
per
ings
hour
per
week
79.8 $0 . 218
79.1
. 136
.301
63. 6
. 193
95. 2
.542
76.1
. 410
83.0
.236
69.2
.174
84. 8
. 218
72. 2 .134
94.8
.575
79. 0
.427
.341
85.0
71.4
.268
84.0
.287
0 1 .6
. 197
91.9
.352
83.9
.272
87.8
.380
64.4
.296
75.7
.282
77. 5
.152
91. 5
.504
60.5
.444
8 8 .2
8 6 .8
.2 2 2
72. 5
92. 2
83. 1
84.4
77.8
78.3
66. 3
75.8
60.9
83. 5
72.6
94.2
72.9
85.3
72.6
89. 7
68.9
.160
.573
.412
.225
.133
. 315
.217
.296
.259
.167
.549
.376
.430
.325
.362
.300
.0
71.9
.359
.256
86
.2 2 1
A ver
age
actual
earn
ings
in 1
week
$13. 25
8 . 20
17.61
11.44
29.11
21.40
14. 47
10.41
12.64
7. 89
27. 6 6
20.92
19. 54
15. 57
17. 22
11. 70
20. 84
16.05
22.15
17.11
16. 84
9. 00
26. 21
23.04
13.10
9. 38
27. 85
19. 78
13. 52
7. 98
17. 89
12. 69
17. 38
13. 22
15. 51
9. 92
26. 41
18. 05
25. 37
19. 31
21.39
17. 55
$10. 56
6.49
15. 51
7. 26
27. 6 8
16. 29
12. 02
7. 22
10. 75
5.67
26. 21
16.54
16. 57
11.15
14. 44
7. 20
19. 18
13. 47
19. 46
10. 99
12. 75
6 . 99
23. 98
13. 97
11. 38
6.81
25. 69
16. 40
11. 42
6 . 21
14.04
8.42
13.16
8 . 03
12.96
7. 18
24.89
13.14
21.63
13. 99
19. 18
1 2 . 08
. 28
14.28
17. 46
10.25
20
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
914
Average Hours and Earnings in Selected Occupations, 1932
T he data in Table 4 are limited to the wage earners in six of the
representative occupations in the industry; these illustrate fairly the
variations of hours and earnings in each of the occupations in the in
dustry in the different States covered in this report.
Average full-time hours of band head sawyers ranged in the various
States from 48 to 60 and for all States averaged 55.6. Average
hours actually worked in one week ranged from 27 to 51 and for all
States averaged 40. Average earnings per hour ranged from 46.0 to
84.5 cents and for all States averaged 65.2 cents. Average full-time
earnings per week ranged from $27.14 to $44.39 and for all States
averaged $36.25. Average actual earnings per week ranged from
$21.42 to $40.70 and for all States averaged $26.12.
T a ble 4 .—A V E R A G E H O U R S A N D E A R N IN G S IN SIX R E P R E S E N T A T IV E O C C U P A T IO N S
IN SA W M IL L S, 1932, B Y S T A T E S
O ccupation and State
Sawyers, head, band:
A labam a
_____________
____________
A rk a n sa s,.
California__________________
F lo rid a ,,
.
___ __
Georgia_______ _
Id ah o___
K e n tu c k y .., ____
. ____
Louisiana . _________ .
M aine
.
_ _ _ _
M ichigan,. „
_ ____
M ississip p i,,_
_ ______
M ontana
N o rth Carolina
Oregon___
South C arolina___________
Tennessee, . _________ ____
Texas _
_ . .
V irginia___________________
W ash in g to n .__ . ________
W est V irg in ia __
W is c o n s in ..___
T o tal____________________
Doggers:
A labam a____ _
_
A rk an sas,. . . .
California . .
_____
F lo rid a,_ ____ _ _ _ .
Georgia____________ _ ____
Id a h o ..
K en tu ck y __
____
__ . .
Louisiana___
M aine . . . .
M ic h ig a n .___ . . .
M ississip p i..
.
M o n tan a____
___ _
N o rth Carolina . . .
Oregon __
_____ _ _
South C aro lin a,, ,
_______
Tennessee___
.
T e x a s _______
V irginia. _ . , , _________ _
W a s h in g to n __
W est V irginia, . . . _
. ___
W isconsin___ _____ _
___
T o tal____________________
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
N um
ber of
estab
lish
m ents
18
12
12
9
9
5
N um
ber of
wage
earn
ers
23
20
32
17
11
13
6
6
18
5
13
36
7
18
33
13
26
32
8
11
10
10
12
21
10
16
5
22
7
11
Aver
age
days
on
w hich
wage
earners
worked
in 1
week
H ours actu
A ver ally worked
in 1 week
age
fulltim e
hours A ver Per
per
age
cent
week num of full
ber
tim e
A ver
age
earn
ings
per
hour
5.2
5.2
4. 9
4.9
4.5
5.8
5.3
4.7
5.0
4.9
5.4
3.4
5.4
5.0
5.5
4.4
4.6
5.2
4.8
4.5
5.5
57.7
59. 5
52. 5
59. 7
57. 6
49.4
57.5
58.4
58.9
57.3
58.0
52.6
59.0
48.3
60.0
57.8
59.4
59.0
48.0
59. 6
58.2
46.6
42.2
37.9
42.3
41.3
48.2
48.3
34.2
48.3
40.5
42.2
27.0
51.0
35.7
49. 6
37.9
36.0
46. 5
32.3
42.7
43.6
80.8
70. 9
72.2
70.9
71.7
97.6
84.0
58.3
82.0
70.7
72.8
51.3
86.4
73.9
82.7
65. 6
60. 6
78.8
67.3
71. 6
74.9
$0. 574
.547
.749
.664
.557
.845
.602
.608
$26. 79
23.04
28. 36
28.10
22.99
40.70
29.10
2 2 . 81
26. 57
24. 83
24. 71
22. 76
23.74
29. 67
27.17
23.15
22. 85
21.42
27. 21
28. 51
26. 51
36. 25
26.12
7.81
18.85
8.76
5. 6 8
23.47
14.15
10.91
15. 60
16. 93
7. 44
24. 10
8 . 61
16.53
7. 6 8
11. 35
12. 72
9. 55
16.51
19.18
17. 81
5. 85
6 . 42
14. 6 8
5. 36
3. 8 6
15. 6 6
11. 76
6 . 28
13.40
11. 75
4. 8 8
11.44
6.19
14. 05
6 . 10
7. 22
8.16
7. 39
1 1 . 82
13. 39
12. 17
12.06
8.32
.6 6 8
.550
.613
. 585
.844
. 466
.830
.548
.611
.635
.460
.842
48
14
8
11
233
414
4.9
55.6
40.0
71. 9
.652
19
47
33
5
23
4. 7
4.8
5. 2
4.0
4.4
4.0
5.2
4.3
5. 1
4.8
4.5
3.2
4.6
5.5
5.3
59.6
59.4
50.4
59.6
58.0
48.0
57.3
60. 3
59. 1
57.2
60. 0
52. 5
58. 6
48. 2
60. 0
57.9
60.0
59.3
48.0
58.3
58. 2
44.8
37.7
39.2
36. 7
39.4
32.0
47. 5
34.6
50.7
39.8
39.4
25. 0
42.1
40.9
47.6
36.9
38. 5
45.9
34.3
40.7
39. 7
75.2
63.5
77.8
61.6
67.9
66.7
82.9
57.4
85.8
69. 6
65.7
47. 6
71.8
84.9
79.3
63. 7
64.2
77.4
71.5
69.8
. 131
. 170
.374
. 147
.098
.489
.247
.181
.264
.296
. 124
.459
. 147
.343
.128
. 196
6 8 .2
.161
.344
.329
.306
56.9
39.3
69.1
.2 1 2
12
3
10
13
3
20
7
0
11
15
4
9
43
7
17
17
6
4
30
9
7
12
44
20
4
7
18
18
15
16
15
52
8
12
10
4 .4
3 .8
9
14
5. 1
5.0
4.4
4.9
206
454
4.6
A ver
age
actual
earn
ings
in 1
week
$33.12
32. 55
39.32
39. 64
32.08
41. 74
34. 62
39.01
32.40
35.12
33.93
44. 39
27. 49
40. 09
32. 8 8
35. 32
37. 72
27. 14
40. 42
39.81
35. 39
9
20
A ver
age
full
tim e
earn
ings
per
week
.6 6 8
.2 1 2
1 0 .1 0
WAGES AND HOURS OF LABOR
915
T a ble 4 . —A V E R A G E H O U R S A N D E A R N IN G S IN SIX R E P R E S E N T A T IV E O C C U P A T IO N S
IN SA W M IL L S, 1932, BY S T A T E S —Continued
N um
ber of
estab
lish
ments
Occupation and State
Setters:
A labam a, _ _ _______
A rk a n s a s __ _
___ ___
California,
_
___
F lorida,- _
Georgia
____
Idaho
.
, ,, ,,
,, ,,
K entucky
. _ _
__
Louisiana,
M aine , ,
, ,
M ichigan , ,
M ississippi,, _ _
,
M ontana _,
N o rth Carolina
Oregon
South C arolina ,
,,
Tennessee
Texas
___
__
Virginia ___
,,
,, W ashington _,
W est V i r g i n i a _____ , , ,
Wisconsin , ,
,, ,
T o ta l------------ -- ---------- ,
Saw tailers on head saws:
A labam a
.
,, ,
Arkansas
California, ,
Florida
____
G eorgia,.,
Idaho .
K entucky
Louisiana
M aine
M ichigan __
. ,
M ississippi _______
M ontana ,
. . .,
N orth C arolina,, __ . .
, ,_
Oregon
. ,
South Carolina
,
Tennessee . , .
. . ,
Texas
__________
Virginia
____
W ashington , .
_ ,.
W est V irginia,
Wisconsin ,
____ ,
Total ---------- ------------- . . .
Edgerm en:
A labam a__ _
______
A rkansas___ ________ . . .
C alifornia-_ ,
, ,
Florida
__
Georgia „
. .
______
Idaho
___ .
K entucky
_
____
Louisiana, , __
,,.
M aine
, ,
M ichigan....................
M ississippi____
, .
M ontana___
. .
N orth C arolina,, , ______
Oregon .
South Carolina
... ,
Tennessee
. .
__
Texas
. . _ _____
Virginia ___ - _ _ _ _ _
W ashington _ ,
W est Virginia .
. .
W isconsin.
, ----------T otal,
.
,
------
12
140152°—32
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
N um
ber of
wage
earn
ers
A ver
age
days
on
which
wage
earners
worked
in 1
week
H ours actu
A ver ally worked
in 1 week
age
full
tim e
hours A ver Per
age
per
cent
week n u m of full
tim e
ber
A ver
age
earn
ings
per
hour
A ver
age
full
tim e
earn
ings
per
week
$0 . 2 1 1
.216
.477
.240
. 147
.539
.291
.272
.292
8 8 .0
.360
74.5
.242
81.7
.519
55. 5
.197
74.5
.509
80.5
. 194
80.8
.277
6 8 .0
.272
63. 7
.194
78.3
.429
68. 1
. 375
68.9
.362
71.5
$1 2 . 26
12. 85
25.14
14.33
8 . 69
26. 52
16. 73
16.16
17. 26
20. 59
14. 04
26. 94
11. 52
24. 53
11.64
16. 09
16. 32
11.43
20. 59
21.34
21.18
$9. 67
8 . 83
19. 53
10. 20
6 . 57
24.28
13. 55
9. 24
15. 18
15. 34
11.45
14. 96
8.58
19. 76
9. 42
10. 95
10. 38
8 . 95
14.01
14. 6 8
15. 16
58. 1
59.5
52.7
59. 7
59. 1
49. 2
57. 5
59.4
59. 1
57. 2
58.0
51.9
58. 5
48. 2
60.0
58. 1
60.0
58.9
48.0
56.9
58. 5
45.8
41.0
40.9
42. 5
44.8
45.0
46.6
34.0
52.0
42.6
47.4
28.8
43.6
38.8
48. 5
39. 5
38. 2
46.1
32.7
39. 2
41.8
78.8
68.9
77.6
71. 2
75.8
91.5
81.0
57.2
A ver
age
actual
earn
ings
in 1
week
9
9
48
16
13
4.9
5.0
5. 2
4.8
4.8
5.5
5.0
4.6
5.3
5. 2
5.6
3.6
4.8
5.2
5.4
4.6
4.4
5.0
4.8
4.3
5.3
255
449
4.9
55.8
40. 5
72.6
.319
17. 80
12. 92
33
60.0
59. 5
53.1
59.6
59. 1
49. 2
56.9
59.4
56.8
57.2
59.1
52. 6
58.2
48.2
60.0
58. 5
60.0
58.3
48.0
59. 7
58.6
45.0
42. 3
40.6
40.2
44.0
44.9
40. 5
34.0
47.5
42. 5
49.9
26.6
44.4
37. 2
51.6
35.8
37.0
40.0
32.0
43.1
41.1
75.0
71.1
76. 5
67.4
74.5
91.3
71. 2
57.2
83.6
74.3
84. 4
50.6
76.3
77.2
7. 62
9. 40
18. 64
8 . 40
5. 08
17. 91
12. 69
10. 45
18. 8 6
16. 36
7.74
20. 72
7. 80
17. 8 8
6 .99
10. 59
11.04
.7
72. 2
70. 1
. 127
. 158
.351
.141
.086
.364
.223
.176
.332
.286
.131
.394
. 134
.371
.116
.181
. 184
. 139
.353
.308
.288
16. 94
18. 39
16.88
5. 71
6 . 69
14. 25
5. 65
3.76
16. 37
9. 01
5.97
15. 75
12.13
6.54
10.48
5. 95
13. 83
5. 97
6 . 46
6.81
5. 57
11. 32
13. 29
11.85
22
31
13
21
12
33
11
20
15
5
15
15
6
6
18
4
38
7
17
30
17
32
33
10
16
5
29
14
8
12
14
10
22
7
20
11
10
9
9
60
15
14
4.7
5.1
5.2
4.4
4.7
5.5
4.8
4.7
5.0
5.1
5.4
3.3
4.9
4.9
5.6
4.2
4. 1
4. 5
4.8
4.7
5.1
248
455
4.8
55.7
39.9
71.6
.231
12. 87
9. 21
22
12
12
11
39
58.5
59. 5
52. 6
59.8
59.1
49.0
58.1
59.4
58.8
56.7
59.1
52.5
58.3
48.2
60.0
58.0
60.0
58.9
48. 0
59. 7
58.4
48.5
38.4
39. 7
40. 6
44.0
44. 6
45.0
36.4
50.8
42.4
49.9
26. 2
42. 5
40.5
54.0
39.5
42.9
56.1
31.3
41.4
43.3
82.9
64.5
75.5
67.9
74.5
91.0
77.5
61.3
86.4
74.8
84.4
49.9
72.9
84.0
90.0
68. 1
71.5
78.3
65.2
69.3
74. 1
.206
.245
.484
.264
.136
. 521
.312
.254
.354
.346
.215
.514
.189
.540
.197
.263
.269
.179
.477
.402
.358
12.05
14. 58
25. 46
15. 79
8.04
25. 53
18.13
15. 09
20. 29
19. 62
12. 71
26. 99
9.98
9.42
19. 23
10. 70
5.97
23.21
14.05
9.24
17. 53
14. 67
10. 71
13.46
1 1 .0 2
8 .0 1
26.03
11.82
15.25
16.14
10. 54
22. 90
24. 00
20.91
21.85
10. 65
10.39
11. 53
8 . 27
14.91
16.63
15.50
55. 7
40.9
73.4
.324
18. 05
13.24
22
12
12
11
15
5
20
33
16
15
15
6
8
18
37
2
10
16
5
28
14
8
10
10
6
20
2
17
28
13
31
41
12
12
23
10
9
9
76
15
16
5. 1
4.8
5.1
4.8
4.8
5.4
5.3
4.8
5.2
5. 2
5.3
3.3
4.7
5.4
5. 7
4. 7
4.9
5.1
4. 7
4. 5
5.3
256
542
4.9
15
5
22
38
25
15
18
6
8
18
5
51
10
16
5
30
14
8
12
10
7
20
6
18
44
16
32
41
16
13
23
10
—
8 6 .0
61. 2
61.7
6 8 .6
66
8 .1 0
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
916
T a b l e 4 .—A V E R A G E H O U R S A N D E A R N IN G S IN SIX R E P R E S E N T A T IV E O C C U P A T IO N S
IN SA W M IL L S, 1932, BY S T A T E S —Continued
O ccupation and State
Laborers:
A labam a
. _ .
... A rkansas . . . . ___________
California. _ _
F lo rid a ._ _ . . . _____ _______
Georgia_____ _ _____ __ . . .
Id a h o ____________ _______
K en tu ck y . . .
. _
L ouisiana__
-----M ain e_____________ _____
M ichigan________________ _
M ississip p i.. . . . _____ _ --_
M o n tan a __________ ____ _
N o rth C a ro lin a ____ ___
O regon.. _____ _ ______- .
South Carolina - - - - - - - - Tennessee___ _ _______ ____
Texas_____ - - - - - - - .
...
V irginia_______
W ash in g to n ._
.
W est Virginia
_
- .
W isconsin____. . .
T o tal_________________ __
Aver
age
N u m N u m days
on
ber of ber of
estab wage which
wage
lish earn
m ents ers earners
worked
in 1
week
H ours actu
A ver ally w orked
in 1 week
age
fulltim e
hours A ver Per
cent
per
age
week n u m of full
ber
tim e
239
723
871
549
129
621
203
1, 534
239
288
4.7
4.1
5.0
4.4
4.4
4.6
4.6
4.3
5.1
4.0
4.7
3.9
4.3
5.1
4.9
4.2
3.9
4.6
4.8
4.3
4. 7
60.6
59.4
52.1
59.9
58.6
49.0
58.4
59.3
59.3
58.4
59.3
51.3
58. 7
47.9
60.0
59. 1
59. 7
59.6
48.0
59. 7
58.3
45.7
34.6
37.9
40.3
39.9
35.9
37.3
35.5
50.5
31.8
42.0
30.6
39.6
38. 1
45. 1
36. 1
33.0
41.9
34.4
38.3
36.5
257 11,104
4.6
56.0
38.0
22
13
12
11
15
5
6
IS
6
10
16
5
30
14
8
11
10
7
20
9
9
807
619
740
566
273
330
76
1,007
83
339
868
A ver
age
ings
per
hour
A ver
age
full
tim e
earn
ings
per
week
Aver
age
actual
earn
ings
in 1
week
73.3
63.9
59.9
85.2
54.5
70.8
59.6
67.5
79. 5
75.2
61. 1
55. 3
70.3
71.7
64.2
62.6
$0.106
.151
,356
.131
.094
.364
.208
.148
.207
.247
.114
.391
.117
.346
.093
.161
.178
.132
.317
.263
.257
$6.42
8 . 97
18. 55
7. 85
5.51
17.84
12.15
8 . 78
12.28
14. 42
6 . 76
2 0 . 06
6.87
16. 57
5. 58
9.52
10. 63
7.87
15. 22
15.70
14.98
$4. 8 6
5.25
13.49
5. 26
3. 76
13. 08
7. 77
5.25
10.43
7.85
4. 77
11.99
4.65
13. 20
4.18
5.83
5.88
5. 53
10.92
10.08
9. 37
67.9
.205
11.48
7.78
75.4
58.2
72.7
67.3
6 8 .1
E n tr a n c e W age R a te s of C o m m o n L ab o r, J u l y 1, 1932
are presented herewith showing the entrance rates paid to
adult male common labor, compiled from reports received from
D ATA
establishments in 13 industries which on July 1, 1932, had 142,938
laborers to whom they were paying the entrance rate. Similar data
have been collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics each year
since 1926; the surveys, however, have not been confined to identical
establishments over this 7-year interval but have been expanded
periodically to secure a more representative coverage in each of the
13 industries surveyed.
The term “ common labor” has many interpretations in various
industries and even in different localities or plants in the same indus
try. Also, the rates of pay are increased by some employers after a
stated length of service or a certain degree of fitness for the job has
been developed. These various interpretations and changes in rates
of pay complicate the publication of strictly comparable data con
cerning common labor. Therefore, to present data which will reflect
the changes in common labor wage rates from time to time, the bureau
has confined its surveys to the rates paid to adult male common labor
when first hired and has interpreted the term “ common labor” to
mean workers having no specific productive jobs or occupations, who
perform physical or manual labor of general character requiring little
skill or training.
The 13 industries included in the 1932 survey are industries in which
large numbers of common laborers are employed. With the excep
tion of general contracting, the information concerning common labor
rates in the remaining 12 industries has been secured from establish
ments which also furnish monthly volume of employment data to the
bureau.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
WAGES AND HOURS OF LABOR
917
In some cases two rates have been reported by an establishment—
for example, one for the 10-hour day and another for the 8-hour day,
or one for white laborers and one for colored or Mexican workers.
In the following tabulations, however, these distinctions have not
been maintained. It is apparent that the lowest rates are shown in
those geographic divisions where there are large numbers of colored
or Mexican workers, while the highest rates are reported in those
localities where the 8-hour day is more or less prevalent.
The number of common laborers receiving the entrance rate on
July 1, 1932, in the reporting establishments in the 13 industries
surveyed follows:
Automobiles_______
Brick, tile, and terra cotta____________________________
Cement_____________________________________________
Electrical machinery, apparatus, and supplies__________
Foundry and machine-shop products__________________
Iron and steel_______________ :-----------------------------------Leather----------------Lumber (sawmills)___________________________________
Paper and pulp____________________________________
Petroleum refining___________________________________
Slaughtering and meat packing-----------------------------------Public utilities_______________________________________
General contracting---------------------------------------------------
13, 776
4, 677
1, 099
2, 477
9, 451
11, 889
2, 798
14, 068
13, 800
4, 082
10, 962
20, 868
32, 991
Total_________________________________________ 142,938
The following tabulation shows the distribution of these laborers
according to the geographic divisions in which the reporting plants
or operations are located:
New England________________________________________
Middle Atlantic_______
East North Central________
West North Central-_________________________________
South Atlantic-------------------------East South Central_____ ^-----------------------------------------West South Central__________________________________
Mountain___________________________________________
Pacific______________________________________________
Total_______________
9,
27,
44,
18,
10,
4,
10,
3,
14,
048
096
683
253
837
505
258
597
661
142, 938
The average entrance rate per hour on July 1, 1932, in the com
bined 13 industries was 38.1 cents.1
The highest hourly entrance rate, $1, was reported in the general
contracting industry in the Middle Atlantic States and the lowest
hourly entrance rate, 5 cents, was reported in the lumber (sawmill)
industry in the East South Central division.
With the exception of the automobile industry, the average hourly
entrance rate on July 1, 1932, in each of the 13 industries surveyed,
was lower than the rate reported on July 1, 1931. In the automobile
industry the increase was due to the greater number of laborers
reported in July, 1932, at the entrance rates in a number of higher-rate
plants. This industry reported the highest average hourly entrance
rate of the 13 industries surveyed, 62 cents, while the lowest average
entrance rate per hour (21.5 cents) was reported in the lumber (saw
mill) industry.
1
C om puted b y m ultiplying th e common labor entrance wage rate per hour in each p la n t b y the num ber
of common laborers w orking a t such rate, a n d dividing th e combined aggregate for all p lants b y th e to tal
of such common laborers.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
918
The petroleum refining and public utilities industries reported
average hourly entrance rates of 42.1 cents and 41.5 cents, respec
tively, and the general contracting and electrical machinery industries
reported average hourly entrance rates of slightly less than 40 cents.
The average hourly entrance rates in the remaining groups ranged
from 30.6 cents to 35.6 cents, with the exception of the brick industry,
which reported an average of 28.9 cents.
Four of the nine geographic divisions reported average entrance
rates of more than 40 cents per hour, the East North Central reporting
the highest average rate of 45 cents per hour. The lowest average
rate of the nine geographic divisions, 21 cents per hour, was reported
in the East South Central division.
Table 1 shows the weighted average entrance rates on July 1 of
each of the years since 1926 for all industries combined and for all
industries, omitting general contracting.
T a b l e 1 .—W E IG H T E D A V E R A G E E N T R A N C E
R A T E S F O R C O M M O N L A B O R , JU L Y 1
OF E A C H Y E A R , 1926 TO 1932
W eighted average
entrance rate
Ju ly 1—
All indus
All indus tries
except
tries com general
con
bined
tracting
C e n ts
1926______________________________
1927______________________________
1928______________________________
1929
_______________________
1930
_______________________
1931
_______________________
1932
_______________________
C e n ts
42.8
42. 6
44.9
43.7
43.1
41.2
38.1
40.9
40.4
44. 1
42.1
41.6
40.7
37.6
Table 2 shows, for each industry included, the high, low, and aver
age common-labor entrance rates per hour on July 1, 1932, in each
geographic division and in the United States as a whole.
T a b l e 3 .— H O U R L Y E N T R A N C E
W A G E R A T E S F O R C O M M O N L A B O R , JU L Y 1, 1932
[The rates on which this table is based are entrance rates paid for a dult m ale common labor]
Geographic division
In d u stry
Automobiles:
Low _____________
High
__ _______
Average.
_____
Brick, tile, a n d terra cotta:
Low
.
...
H ig h__________________
Average_______________
U nited
States
W est
E ast W est
N ew M id NEoast
rth N orth South South South M oun
E ng dle A t Cen
A t
Cen
Cen Cen tain Pacific
land lantic tral
tral lantic tral
tral
C e n ts
C e n ts
C e n ts
C e n ts
30.0
75. 0
62.0
30.0
45. 0
38. 1
30. 0
75.0
62. 5
30.0
75.0
62.0
36. 0
75.0
61.7
6 .0
28.0
45.0
35.8
2 2 .0
15.0
60.0
32.3
2 0 .0
44.0
31.6
34.0
26.5
C e n ts
60.0
28.9
1
C e n ts
C e n ts
C e n ts
75. 0
75. 0
75.0
75. 0
75. 0
75.0
6 .0
8 .0
40.0
17.8
26.5
17.2
12.5
22.3
15.5
C e n ts
C e n ts
45. 0
’ 55. 0
52. 2
23.5
45.0
38.4
30.0
45.0
36.0
1
N e w E n g l a n d : Connecticut, M aine, M assachusetts, New H am pshire, R hode Island, V erm ont. M i d d l e
A t l a n t i c : N ew Jersey, N ew Y ork, Pennsylvania. E a s t N o r t h C e n t r a l: Illinois, Indiana, M ichigan, Ohio,
W isconsin. W e s t N o r t h C e n t r a l: Iowa, K ansas, M innesota, M issouri, N ebraska, N o rth D akota, South
D akota. S o u t h A t l a n t i c : Delaware, D istrict of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, M aryland, N orth Carolina,
South Carolina, Virginia, W est Virginia. E a s t S o u t h C e n t r a l: Alabam a, K entucky, M ississippi, T ennes
see. W e s t S o u t h C e n tr a l: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas. M o u n t a i n : Arizona, Colorado, Idaho,
M ontana, N ew Mexico, N evada, U tah, W yoming. P a c i fi c : California, Oregon, W ashington,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
WAGES AND HOURS OF LABOR
919
T a b l e 2.—H O U R L Y E N T R A N C E W A G E R A T E S F O R C O M M O N LA B O R , JU L Y 1,1932—Con.
Geographic division
U nited
States
In d u stry
Cement:
Low
High
Avp.ra.gA
Electrical m achinery, apparatus, and supplies:
A verage..
Foundry and
products:
Low __
High
Average Iron and steel:
Low
High
___ - _______
machine-shop
__
_ _
--------------------
A vpragp.
Leather:
L um ber (sawmills):
Low
. - . _ ___
H igh__________________
Average________ _____
Paper and pulp:
T nw
H ig’n
Petroleum" refining:
High
Slaughtering and m eat packmg:
Low
High
Public utilities : 2
Low
______________
High
Average_______________
General contracting: 3
Low
_ ______ ____
H igh__________________
A v e ra g e ____________ .
Total—•
Low _______
High
Average__________
C e n ts
ast W est South E ast W est
New M id NEorth
N orth A t South South M oun Pacific
Eng dle A t Cen Cen
Cen Cen tain
land lantic tral
tral
tral lantic tral
C e n ts
20.0
40. 0
30. 6
C e n ts
C e n ts
C e n ts
32.0
35.0
33.5
24.0
33.5
28.1
28.0
33.0
30.1
C e n ts
C e n ts
C e n ts
20.0
33.0
23.2
22.5
26.0
24.4
17.5
36.0
28.5
C e n ts
C e n ts
36.0
40.0
38.6
50 0
39.6
45 0
20 0
!
38.1
.22 0
50.0
38.3
30 0
46.0
41.8
26. 0
31.0
28.2
35.0
38.0
37.0
15.0
55.0
34.8
20.0
50.0
36.1
17.9
54.0
36.9
18.0
55.0
35.3
25.0
50.0
35.4
15.0
40.0
25.0
15.0
35.0
23.0
15.5
45.0
31.8
30.0
40.0
32.4
19.0
41.0
31.2
25.0
45.0
33.2
25.0
33.0
30.0
15.5
33.0
30.1
16.0
23.0
24.3
15. 0
55. 0
32.9
30.0
50. 0
38.4
30.0
45.8
38.8
24.0
55.0
32.4
2 0 .0
2 0 .0
2 0 .0
15.0
35.0
23.4
28.5
28.5
28.5
5.0
62.5
21.5
24.0
36.0
25.8
12.5
30.0
25.9
2 0 .0
62.5
28.0
12.5
30.0
25.0
6.5
31.0
14.6
5.0
25.0
14.3
7.5
25.0
15.1
12. 5
50. 0
35.6
25.5
50.0
41.4
25.0
50.0
35.0
45.0
35.5
25.0
38.0
33.3
16.0
40.0
25.5
12.5
29.0
19.1
18.0
22.5
20.4
36. 0
56.0
46.5
35.0
48.0
40.9
32.5
45.0
36.9
29.0
50.0
40.0
22.5
48.0
35.4
40. 0
54.0
51. 1
53.0
62.0
55.2
29.0
40.0
33.7
35. C
35.0
35.0
27.0
33.0
29.9
31.5
40.0
33.7
31.0
40.0
34.5
22.5
62.0
42.1
2 0 .0
35.0
55.0
43.0
32.0
50.0
43.9
37.0
37.0
37.0
27.0
35.0
32.4
31.3
52.0
42.8
16. 5
37.0
32.0
18.8
40.0
30.1
¿ô. 0
50.0
37.5
27.0
40.0
34.6
34.0
34.0
34.0
32.5
40.0
35.9
27.0
40.0
36.3
15.0
75.0
41.5
29.0
58.0
47.2
25.0
65.0
45.9
2 0 .0
2 0 .0
75.0
45.5
55.0
39.5
15.0
50.0
30.8
15.0
40.0
27.9
15.0
49.0
27.6
25. 0
65.6
42.9
27.0
60.0
44.3
7.5
25.0
80.0
39.7
2 0 .0
50.0
23.0
15.0
37.5
22.7
7.5
40.0
25.6
2 0 .0
90.0
45.1
15.0
87.5
36.8
1 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
62.5
44.8
30.0
75.0
48.2
15.0
90.0
45.0
12.5
87.5
35.8
50.0
23.4
5.0
75.0
7.5
75.0
23.7
16. 5
65.6
39.3
18.8
75.0
40. 2
1 0 0 .0
39.9
5.0
1 0 0 .0
38.1
2 0 .0
80.0
40.4
25.0
46.6
12.5
1 0 0 .0
40.4
6 .0
2 1 .0
Includes street railways, gas works, waterworks, and electric power and light plants.
3 Includes building, highway, public works, and railroad construction.
2
S u m m a r y o f W age S u r v e y s o f B u r e a u o f L abor S t a t is t ic s ,
1926 t o 1932
HE Bureau of Labor Statistics has for a number of years collected
and published data concerning hours and earnings for the wage
earners in many of the major manufacturing industries in the United
States. Some of the industries have been covered in the even years
and some in the odd years. With the exception of the leather indus
try, those industries that wTere covered in 1932 were also studied in
1930.
T
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
920
The bureau has also, at irregular intervals or in one year only, made
studies of other industries than those covered every two years. In
1931, wage data were collected for the manufacture of silk and rayon
goods, filling stations, motor-vehicle repair garages, air transporta
tion, and bread and cake bakeries. The tanning of leather was
covered in 1932.
The detailed results of these studies have been published in various
issues of the Monthly Labor Review and in bulletins of the bureau.
For convenience of reference, summaries of the more recent of these
reports are here presented.
Table 1 shows the average hours and earnings, by sex and year, for
each of the industries for which wage studies were completed in the
year 1931 and in the first part of 1932.
T a b l e 1 .—A V E R A G E H O U R S A N D E A R N IN G S IN S P E C IF IE D IN D U S T R IE S A N D Y E A R S
Average full-time
hours per week
In d u stry
Average earnings
per hour
Y ear
F e Total
M ale male
M otor vehicles . .
Coal, a n th racite_______ _
Coal, bitum inous _________ _
Silk and rayon goods. _ . . .
F o u n d ries...
. . . . ____
M achine s h o p s... . _______ ._
F u rn itu re
Bakeries, bread . . . .
Bakeries, cake___
...... .
M etalliferous m ining. __ . . . .
Slaughtering and m eat packing. _
Filling statio n s___ ___ _____
M otor-vehicle repair garages .
Iro n and steel ____________ . . .
A ir transportation:
G round personnel.
P ilo ts____________________
C opilots. __________ .
Boots an d shoes. . _______ ..
H osiery. ____________________
U nderw ear.
.....
C otton goods____ _ _______ _
D yeing a n d finishing of te x tile s..
W oolen a n d w orsted goods. . . .
L eather _
L u m b er____ ________
Various trades (union scales)___
Average full-time
earnings per week
1930
1931
1931
1931
1931
1931
1931
1931
1931
1931
1931
1931
1931
1931
48.7
l1)
(!)
51. 5
50.3
49.8
51.9
55.0
51.8
51. 6
49. 2
60. 0
53.4
52.4
50.6
50. 0
48. 7
49. 2
49.8
50. 1
50. 1
48.9
48.8
(!)
(i)
50.7
50.3
49. 8
51.8
54.9
51.0
51. 6
49.2
60. 0
53.4
52. 4
1931 48. 5 48.0 48. 5
1931 3110.0
3110.0
1931 3170.0
3170.0
1932 48. 9 48.9 48. 9
1932 52. 2 51. 7 51. 9
1932 51. 1 50. 6 50. 7
1932 53. 7 53. 0 53.4
1932 51.4 51. 2 51. 3
1932 50. 6 50. 0 50. 3
1932 50.4 50.0 50. 4
1932 55. 8
55. 8
1932 42.9
42.9
M ale
Fe
male
$0. 733 $0. 436
2. 824
2. 619
.485
.335
.601
.422
.637
.408
.416
.314
.553
.298
.486
.275
. 559
.321
.470
. 393
. 579
.663
4
6
.645
7. 084
1. 341
.493
.494
.408
.284
.418
.447
.493
. 256
i. i n
.497
Total
M ale
Fe
male
$0. 724 $35. 70 $2 2 . 06 $35. 33
m
2 824
0 )
(l)
(i)
2. 619
24. 98 16. 75 20. 58
.406
.600
30. 23 20. 55 30. 18
.634
31. 72 20. 07 31. 57
.411
21. 59 15. 64 21. 29
. 548
30. 42 14. 93 30. 09
.399
25.17 13. 78 20.35
55Q 28 84
.449
23. 12 15. 70 22. 09
393
23 58
30 92
. 579
30. 92
34.58
.663
34. 58
.640
31. 26
4 7 084 5 77Q 1Q
1 341
0 )
24. 11
.412
.376
25. 79
.292
20. 85
. 266
15. 25
.400
21.49
.394
2 2 . 62
.471
24. 85
256
14 28
p in
46! 74
23. 85
31. 05
15.06
15. 10
13. 16
12. 40
14. 90
16. 35
15. 15
m
20. 15
19. 51
14. 80
14. 20
20. 52
19. 82
23. 74
6
.308
.292
.260
.234
.291
.327
.303
Total
46. 74
N o t reported.
A ctual hours worked, exclusive of lunch tim e.
A ctual flight hours in 1 m onth.
P er hour of actual flight regardless of hours on d u ty .
s Average full-tim e earnings per m onth.
6 P er h o u r on d u ty regardless of hours of actual flight.
1
2
3
4
Average hourly earnings are presented in Table 2 for each industry
for which studies have been made in more than one year between 1926
and 1932. This table has been compiled for the purpose of showing
comparative figures oyer the period 1926 to 1932, in so far as the
bureau’s surveys permit.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
WAGES AND HOUES OF LABOE
921
T a b l e 2 . —A V E R A G E H O U R L Y E A R N IN G S IN S P E C IF IE D IN D U S T R IE S , 1926 TO 1932,
BY S E X
E arnings per hour, b y year
In d u stry an d sex
1926
1927
1929
1928
Boots and shoes:
$0.625
M ales
- _ __ _ _______ _________ $0.622
.397
.401
Females
- ______ - _________
Males and females
.530
.528
Hosiery:
.724
.675
Males
.360
.358
Females
.472
.488
M ales and females
_ _ _ ______ ___
Underwear:
.477
.453
M ales - - ________ __________________
.352
.329
Females --____ ____ ____ _
.354
.378
M ales and females
C otton goods:
.345
.347
Males
- ______ - __ - ___________
Females
.296
.301
.324
.328
M ales and females __ _ ___ _ _____
D yeing and finishing of textiles:
M ales
____- _________
- -- - - Females
- __- -_______
M ales and females ____
__ ____ ___
.371
T/umber, males
______ _______ ___ _ ‘.357
W oolen a nd worsted goods : 2
M ales
.545
.568
Females
_ ____ __
.418
.438
.514
M ales and females
_ _ _ _ _____ _
.491
W oolen and w orsted goods : 3
__________ ___
Males
Females
- _____ ___ _ -M ales and females
_ _________ _____
M en ’s clothing:
.924
.937
M ales
_ _________________
. 534
Females
. 548
.731
M ales and females
____ _______
.750
Slaughtering and m eat packing:
$0. 520
M ales
____
- _______
.364
Females
____
- ______
.501
Males and females
Furniture:
M ales
- ______
Females
M ales and females
Trnn and steel, males
. 637
M otor vehicles:
'. 729
.756
M ales
__________
Females
______
1.467
.487
Males and females
.750
i. 723
Foundries:
.626
Males
--_________ ___ - - .459
________ ___
Females
M ales and females
.624
M achine shops:
.629
M ales
-- -____
_________
.403
Females
_____
_____
M ales and females
_____ _
.625
Coal, bitum inous:
«. 817
M iners and loaders, males
Employees other th a n miners and loaders,
.664
males
__- - ___ ____
Coal, anthracite:
Tnside work, males
5. 965
O utside work, males
3. 598
M etalliferous mining, males
s. 559
1.154
1.159
1.148
Various trades (union scales' ) ,6 males____ ___
1932
1931
$0. 604
.382
.510
$0.493
.308
.412
.707
.366
.497
.494
.292
.376
.457
.330
.357
.408
.260
.292
.346
.293
.325
.
.284
.234
.266
.418
.291
.400
.256
.473
.335
.452
.359
.532
.403
.473
.516
.392
.460
.447
.327
.394
.885
.504
.701
$0. 525
.369
.504
$0.470
.321
.449
.499
.345
.490
.674
.416
.314
.411
.663
1 Y ear 1925.
2 N ot including southern mills.
3 Including southern mills.
4 Tim e a t face including lunch.
3 Y ear 1924.
6 A com bination of th e principal organized trades working a t tim e rates.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1930
.733
.436
.724
.625
.451
.624
.601
.422
.600
.641
.399
. 638
.637
.408
.634
687
4. 599
*.
.605
.595
.8 8 6
1.204
1.250
.612
.559
1.254
1 .1 1 1
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
922
W a g e -R a te C h a n g e s in A m e r ic a n I n d u s tr ie s
Manufacturing Industries
ATA concerning wage-rate changes occurring between July 15
and August 15 in 89 manufacturing industries included in the
monthly trend of employment survey of the Bureau of Labor
Statistics are presented in the following table.
Of the 18,152 manufacturing establishments furnishing employ
ment data in August, 17,640 establishments, or 97.2 per cent of the
total, reported no change in wage rates during the month ending
August 15, 1932. The employees whose wage rates were reported
unchanged over the month interval totaled 2,414,199 comprising 96.4
per cent of the total number of employees included in this survey of
manufacturing industries.
Decreases in rates of wages were reported by 500 establishments,
or 2.8 per cent of the total number of establishments reporting.
These decreases, averaging 12.7 per cent, affected 88,865 employees,
or 3.5 per cent of all employees in the establishments reporting.
Twelve establishments in four industries reported wage-rate in
creases averaging 12.1 per cent and affecting 284 employees.
D
T able
1 .— W A G E
C H A N G E S IN M A N U F A C T U R I N G I N D U S T R I E S D U R IN G
E N D IN G A U G U ST 15, 1932
E stab
Total
lish
ber
m ents num
of em
report ployees
ing
In d u stry
All m anufacturing industries____ 18,152 2, 503, 348
Per cent of total________ __ 100.0
100.0
Slaughtering and m eat packing .
C o n fe ctio n ery .._________ .
Ic e crea m _____ . . . . . . . . .
F lour. ________
Baking___
_____________
Sugar refining, cane________ _
Beet sugar______________ ____
Beverages. . __________ ._
B u tte r.. ________
C otton goods_______ _______ _
H osiery and k n it goods_________
Silk goods_____________________
Woolen and worsted goods____
C arpets an d rugs____
________
D yeing an d finishing textiles___
Clothing, m en ’s . ______
Shirts and collars_______
Clothing, w om en’s _______
M illinery_____ . . . _________
Corsets and allied garm ents_____
C otton sm all wares____________
H ats, fur-felt _ ________
M en’s furnishings. ___________
Iron and steel_________________
Cast-iron p i p e ______
_ . ...
Structural and ornam ental ironw ork_______ __________
H a rd w a re ______
... .. .
Steam fittings, an d steam and
hot-w ater heating ap p aratu s___
Stoves _____ _______ .
Bolts, n uts, washers, and r iv e ts ...
C utlery (not including silver and
plated cutlery) and edge tools.
Forgings, iron and steel. . . . . .
1
Less th a n one-tenth of
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1
per cent.
232
326
394
440
952
15
52
340
327
694
447
246
253
33
147
354
107
3G9
123
30
112
37
77
N u m b er of establish
m ents reporting—
N um ber of employees
having—
No
Wage Wage
Wage
No wage Wage
wage
in
de
in
de
changes creases creases changes creases creases
17, 640
97.2
12
«
500 2, 414,199
2.8
96.4
39
82, 857
30, 706
13; 545
16, 061
6i; 757
s; 1 1 7
4,138
10, 030
6| 456
193, 956
92, 973
39, 691
54, 416
12, 364
29, 609
54, 488
12,317
20, 309
7, 636
5 ,119
7, 324
5, 476
4, 224
162, 725
5,652
223
322
385
432
938
15
52
333
312
637
430
241
239
31
136
350
104
364
120
29
111
36
77
203
31
187
115
15, 401
20,116
110
5
105
160
13, 242
13, 947
8 | 147
103
156
4
68
127
62
8 , 744
5,239
126
59
212
M ONTH
185
9
4
9
8
14
7
3
7
8
57
17
2
14
2
h
1
3
3
5
3
1
1
1
9
8
2
2
68
i
3
284
.1
78,059
30 40Q
13 390
10 884
01 417
8! 117
4 138
9 849
(i, 320
173 110
88J 937
39,166
49’ 103
19 189
2ei 860
5L 305
12 11Q
19* Q88
7 381
5,’ 104
7 319
R
4
447
224
157 288
3; 949
15 392
18, 712
13,046
13 6^7
8 ; 147
88, 865
'3 .5
4 798
297
219
340
181
39
232
8
97
20 841
4 036
’ 293
5 313
182
2 749
175
198
321
255
15
5
29
5 437
1, 703
g
1,404
196
260
8,734
10
4 , 991
248
WAGES AND HOURS OF LABOR
T a b l e 1 .—W A G E
923
C H A N G E S IN M A N U F A C T U R I N G I N D U S T R I E S D U R IN G M O N T H
E N D IN G A U G U ST 15, 1932-C ontinued
In d u stry
Plum bers’ supplies_____ ___
T in cans and other tin w are__
Tools (not including edge tools,
machine tools, files, or saw s)__
Wi rework
Lum ber—
S a w m ills_____ _ _____ _
M ill w o r k ___ _ __ _ _ _____
Furniture _______ ___________
T urpentine an d rosin _ ___
L e a th e r.. _____ _______ _______
Boots and s h o e s .__ _____ _ . .
Paper and p u lp _______________
Paper boxes________ _________
Printing:
Book and job . . . .
Newspapers and periodicals .
Chemicals _________
Fertilizers__
. _____________
Petroleum refining __ __ _____
Cottonseed oil, cake, and m e a l..
D ruggists’ preparations________
Explosives.
. . ________ .
Paints a nd varnishes . . ______
R ayon
__ ________________
Soap _________________________
C em ent____ _____ _ ________
Brick, tile, a n d terra cotta - - ___
P o ttery . . I ____________________
Glass _____ . . ____ _ ______
M arble, granite, slate, and other
stone products
___________
Stam ped and enameled ware . .
Brass, bronze, and copper products _______ _. . . _ ________
A lum inum manufactures
Clocks, tim e recording devices,
and clock m ovem ents.
Gas and electric fixtures, lam ps,
lanterns, and reflectors ______
Plated w a r e ___ _______________
Smelting a n d refining—copper,
lead, and zinc . . ____________
Jewelry
_____ _______
____
Chewing a n d smoking tobacco
and snuff. _______ _________
Cigars and c ig a re tte s __
...
Automobiles ___ ___________
Airciaft
______ _______ ___ _
Cais, electric a n d steam railroad
L o c o m o tiv e s_________________
Shipbuilding
R ubber tires and inner tubes __
R ubber boots an d shoes
R ubber goods, other th a n boots,
shoes, tires, and inner tu b es__
Agridìi turai im pieme.n ts
Electrical m achinery, apparatus,
and supplies
Engines,* turbines, tractors, and
w a terw h ee ls..
__ _
__
Cash registers, adding machines,
and calculating machines
Foundry and machine-shop products
M achine tools
Textile m achinery and parts
Typew riters and supplies
Radio
Electric-railroad repair shops—
Steam-railroad repair shops_____
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
E stab
Total
lish
ber
m ents num
of
em
report ployees
ing
N u m b er of establish
m ents reporting—
N um ber of employees
having—
Wage Wage No wage Wage Wage
No
in
in
wage
de
de
changes creases creases changes creases creases
69
58
6,823
8,618
65
57
4
1
5, 768
8,566
1,055
52
129
70
5, 671
5,056
124
68
5
2
5, 413
4, 736
258
320
631
465
481
21
165
332
419
315
56,990
16', 980
39,497
1,000
22, 877
108| 849
76, 610
19,367
614
449
462
20
159
330
405
309
17
16
19
1
6
2
14
6
54, 485
16, 223
38,016
994
22, 381
108! 508
73,239
18! 939
2, 505
' 757
1,451
6
496
341
3,371
' 428
766
471
116
209
118
53
41
22
360
22
87
124
667
122
196
47, 648
65, 623
19, 643
4, 908
47,656
1,605
7,149
2, 678
14,969
18,014
12' 100
12, 968
19' 857
12, 854
30, 387
752
450
115
205
117
53
41
12
354
16
87
123
645
116
189
14
21
1
4
1
407
1, 800
89
100
5
1
22
5
7
47, 241
63', 823
19, 554
4 , 808
4L 651
1,605
7,149
1,737
14, 795
11, 594
12, 100
12, 678
18,438
12, 572
29,863
218
91
5, 716
12' 397
216
88
2
3
5, 678
1L 936
38
461
206
27
26,197
4, 752
200
26
6
1
25, 931
4,739
266
13
22
3, 383
22
54
54
4,316
6i 969
53
53
1
1
3,231
6,942
1, 085
27
28
151
7,157
7, 392
27
151
1
7,133
7,392
24
35
219
247
29
35
11
97
41
7
10, 237
382
204', 683
4,260
4, 507
2,402
2 5 , 868
44' 361
5, 566
34
217
241
28
35
11
96
40
7
1
2
6
1
10, 219
44, 365
; 550
4, 250
4, 507
2,402
23,518
44,145
5, 566
18
1,017
1,133
10
104
17, 623
5,210
103
76
1
17,602
5,210
291
91,467
289
2
91,413
54
85
15,029
84
1
14, 818
211
45,
10
6
6
1
941
174
6,420
5
290
1,419
' 277
524
3, 383
1
1
203
3, 350
216
21
45
13,130
44
1
9,566
3, 564
1, 092
' 151
35
18
40
403
529
96, 376
9, 804
5, 630
6' 297
15, 705
2L 141
66, 212
1,053
148
35
18
39
387
524
39
3
94, 224
9, 756
5,630
6,297
15,405
19, 704
66,066
2,152
48
1
16
5
300
1, 437
146
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
924
Nonmanufacturing Industries
I n t h e following table are presented data concerning wage-rate
changes occurring between July 15 and August 15, 1932, reported by
firms in 14 nonmanufacturing groups included in the bureau’s monthly
employment survey.
No changes in wage-rates over the month interval were reported by
firms in the anthracite mining or crude petroleum producing groups.
In each of the remaining 12 groups a number of establishments
reported decreases in wage rates, the average per cent of decrease
ranging from 8.2 per cent in the electric railroad group to 15.6 per
cent in the dyeing and cleaning group. The wage rate decreases
reported in the telephone and telegraph group averaged 8.6 per cent
and those reported in the power and light group averaged 9.7 per cent.
With the exception of the bituminous coal mining group, in which the
average per cent of decrease in wage rates was 14.6 per cent, the remain
ing groups reported decreases in wage rates averaging from 10 to 12
per cent. No increases in wage-rates from July to August were reported
by establishments in these 14 nonmanufacturing groups.
T a ble 3 .— W A G E C H A N G E S IN N O N M A N U F A C T U R I N G I N D U S T R I E S D U R IN G M O N T H
E N D IN G A U G U ST 15, 1932
E stab
Total
lish
ber
m ents num
of
em
report ployees
ing
In d u strial group
A nthracite m in in g_________
Per cent of to ta l_______
.
N um ber of es
tablishm ents
reporting—
N um ber of em
ployees having—
No
W age N o wage Wage
de
wage
de
changes creases changes creases
160
100. 0
67,212
100 0
160
100 0
B itum inous coal m ining___________
Per cent of total_______ _
1,145
100.0
151,795
100.0
1,091
95.3
54
4. 7
144,008
94.9
7, 787
5.1
M etalliferous m ining___
Per cent of to tal_________ ____
256
100. 0
18,310
100. 0
254
99.2
2
0.8
17, 694
96.6
616
3.4
Q uarrying and nonm etallic m ining_____
Per cent of to ta l__________ _
628
100.0
23, 853
100. 0
616
98. 1
12
1.9
23,494
98.5
359
1.5
C rude petroleum producing____
Per cent of to ta l_______________
273
100. 0
21, 793
100. 0
273
100 0
Telephone and telegraph-_.
Per cent of to tal______________
8,049
100. 0
274.060
100.0
8,009
99. 5
40
0.5
273,700
99.9
360
0. 1
Power and lig h t...... _........
Per cent of to tal______________
3,494
1(30. 0
219,521
100. 0
3, 473
99.4
21
0.6
218,339
99.5
1,182
0.5
Electric-railroad and motor-bus operation and
m aintenance_________
Per cent of total _
501
100.0
136,103
100. 0
468
93.4
33
6.6
127,958
94.0
8,145
'6 .0
W holesale trad e. . . .
Per cent of total.
2, 688
100. 0
70,494
100.0
2,649
98.5
39
1.5
69, 571
98. 7
923
1.3
14, 057
100. 0
311,404
100.0
14,017
99. 7
40
0.3
309,430
99.4
1,974
0.6
H otels_______ _ . . .
Per cent of to tal________
2,580
100. 0
138,361
100. 0
2, 551
98. 9
29
1. 1
136, 950
99.0
1,411.
1.0
C anning and preserving . . _
Per cent of to ta l___ ____
913
100.0
72,270
100. 0
909
99.6
4
0.4
72,120
99.8
150
0.2
Laundries _____ _
Per cent of to tal________________
1,006
100. 0
60, 232
100. 0
987
98. 1
19
1. 9
59,148
98. 2
1,084
1. 8
D yeing and cleaning.......... .
Per cent of to ta l............. . . .
398
100. 0
12,159
100.0
387
97. 2
11
2.8
11,725
96.4
434
3.6
R etail trad e____.
Per cent of to ta l____
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
_
..............
_____
67 212
100 0
21,793
100 0
WAGES AND HOUES OF LABOR
925
W age C h a n g e s R e p o r te d b y T r a d e -U n io n s S in c e J u n e , 1932
HANGES in the wages and hours of labor of trade-unionists and
^ municipal employees which occurred during the period June
to September, 1932, and which have been reported to the bureau
during the past month, are tabulated in the table following. The
tabulation covers 71,542 workers, of whom 1,826 were reported to
have gone on the 5-day week.
No renewals of wage agreements were reported.
C
R E C E N T W A G E C H A N G E S , B Y IN 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 N E TO
S E P T E M B E R , 1932
R ate of wages
In d u stry or occupation and locality
Bakers:
Alexandria, Va.—
D ayw ork ______ _______
N ightw ork _____________
Fresno, Calif.—
Forem en_____________
Oven men _______
D ough m ixers____ ______
Bench h a n d s........._.........................
Peoria, 111.—
Forem en. ..................................
Oven m en______ _______________
B e n c h m e n ............... ..................
Rock Island, 111.—Forem en. ........ ............ ............
_________ _
Bakers
_
Benchmen
................... .............
W ashington, D . C.—
D aywork _________________ ____
N ightw ork . __________________
Building trades workers:
Asbestos workers—
Boston, M ass _______________
N ew H aven, C o n n .. _________
B ricklayers and masons—■
Baltimore, M d., m arble setters___ _
Boston, M ass.—
Mosaic and terrazzo workers_______
Tile layers_________ ________
Buffalo, N . Y .—
B ricklayers_______ . . . _
M arble setters, mosaic an d terrazzo
workers. _ ____ . . .
S to n e m a s o n s ...___________
R ichm ond, Va.—
Bricklayers and stonem asons_______
M arble setters.. . . .
. . . ___
Mosaic and terrazzo workers
Tile lay ers.. ____________________
St. Paul, M inn.—
B ricklayers and stonem asons________
M arble setters
Tile layers . .
. . .
Spokane, W ash., bricklayers and masons
C arpenters—
H am ilton, Ohio, and vicinitv__________
M inneapolis, M in n .
_
______
St. Paul, M in n ..
_ _______________
W est Frankfort, 111_____________ ______
C em ent finishers, Buffalo, N . Y ______ . . .
Electrical workers—
Galesburg, 111
____________
St. Paul, M in n . ____________ ____ _
Elevator constructors—
Buffalo, N . Y ________________________
Helpers _ . . .
. . . _ _________
Columbus, Ohio. ____________________
Helpers .. _______________________
D etroit, M ich________________________
Helpers___________ ____ __________
1 H ours per day.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
D ate of
change
After
change
P e r w eek
P e r w eek
51.00
48 00
48 00
45. 00
1 40. 00-45. 00
88 00-87 00
31.00r34.00
35. 00-40.00
48
48
27. GO-30! 00
48
48
39. 00-44.40
84 20-89 00
27.00-31.80
37. 29-42. 42
48
48
25. 65-30. 45
48
48
48. 00
57. 60
43.20
51.84
48
48
48
48
1
June 13
do
•Tune 21
do
P er hour
June
do
Before After
change change
$43. 20
51.84
do
do
Ju n e
Before
change
$48. 00
57. 60
June 21
do
June
H ours per week
48
48
45.90
48
48
45 on
40. 50
48
48
48
P er hour
1. 50
1.37 y>
1
1.25
.123-4
40
40
40
40
__ do
1. 50
1. 25
40
40
-__do_ _
Ju n e 13
1.50
1.50
1.25
1.30
40
40
40
40
June
1
48
48
1
1. 50
1.25
40
40
__ do_ _
. . . d o ___
1.50
1.50
I .3 7 3 4
1.25
40
40
40
40
-__do_ _
___do___
do_
_do
1.50
1.50
1.37H
1.37**
1.25
1. 37}4
1.25
1.25
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
-__do___
do
do
-__do___
1.25
1 . 371 ^
1. 25" ~
1.50
1.10
1 22U
1 12Ì4
1. 25' '
•¿4
44
40
40
44
Ju ly 28
Ju n e 1
do
Ju n e 25
Ju n e 1
1.12
1.00
1 00
1.00
1 . v iV
1 .0 0
1
.85
85
18
44
44
.7 5
44
i
.90
40
44
40
Ju ly Ju n e 1
1.12**
1.12**
.90
1.00
44
44
40
44
do
do
do
do
do
. . . d o ___
1. 473di
1 .0 3 ' "
1. 34
1. 50
1 36
95
1 16
81
1 31
40
40
44
44
44
1 .0 0
.91
44
40
40
40
40
40
40
1.02
40
8
40
926
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
R E C E N T W A G E C H A N G E S, B Y IN 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 N E TO
S E P T E M B E R , 1932—Continued
H ours per week
R ate of wages
In d u stry or occupation and locality
D ate of
change
After
change
Before
change
B uilding trades workers—C ontinued.
P er hour
E levator constructors—Continued.
$1.34
June 18
M em phis, T e n n _____________
.94
.__do___
H elpers________ ■
________
1.23
June 1
R ichm ond, V a______________
.86
_-do___
H elpers_________________
1.23
.-_do___
Saginaw, M ich______________
.86
--d o ___
H elpers_________________
1.43
__do___
Springfield, M ass____________
1.43
_-_do___
Toledo, Ohio________________
1.00
.__do___
H elpers_________________
1.48
.- .d o ___
Y oungstown, O hio__________
1.08
.__do___
Helpers_________________
Engineers, portable a n d hoisting—
. ..d o ___
1.37JÌ
Erie, P a ____________________
1.25
. ..d o ___
Louisville, K y ______________
G ranite cutters—
L12 3/
do___
Springfield, M ass_____________________
.do___ 1. 12J6-1.18
W orcester, M ass____________________
H od carriers and laborers, Des Moines,
Iowa—
.90
H od carriers and plasterers’ laborers------ June 3
.773/
M o rtar m ixers________________________ ___do___
1.623/
Lathers, Belleville, 111., and v icin ity----------- Ju n e 1
P ainters—
.87 3/
Spokane, W ash _______________________ . . . d o ___
1.00
Texarkana, A rk .-T ex _________________ Sept. 1
1.37H
Plasterers, D etroit, M ich -------------------------- June 1
Plum bers—
1.31K
D utchess C ounty, N . Y _______________ Ju ly 1
1.00
Fall R iver, M ass____________ _________ Aug. 1
H am ilton, Ohio___ ____ ______________ Ju ly 1
1.37H
1.00
L ittle Rock, A rk _____________________ June 1
1.37 3/
N iagara Falls, N . Y __________________ Ju n e 30
1.31M
Terre H au te, In d _____________________ Ju n e 1
1.10
Sheet-m etal workers, M em phis, T e n n --------- - . .d o ___
1.373/
Sprinkler fitters, Baltim ore, M d ___________ . . . d o ___
Steam fitters—
1.31R
D utchess C ounty, N . Y ---------------------- Ju ly 1
1- 373-2
H am ilton, Ohio___________ ___________ . .. d o ___
1.00
L ittle Rock, A rk -------------------------------- June 1
• 93X
M ilw aukee, W is______________________ . . . d o ___
1.65
N ew ark, N . J ________________________ . . . d o ___
1.12M
H elp ers__________________________ -__do___
1.373/
N iagara Falls, N . Y ---------------------------- Ju n e 30
L31M
T erre H a u te, In d _____________________ Ju n e 1
1.25
Stonecutters, W ashington, D . C ___________ . . . d o ___
1.87j /
Structural-iron workers, Buffalo, N . Y ------- June 15
P er w eek
C hauffeurs and team sters, Seattle, W ash.:
45. 00
B akery salesm en-drivers__________ _______ - June 20
C lothing workers:
Cloak a n d su it m akers, N ew Y ork, N . Y .—
Cloak a n d dress cu tters_______________ Ju ly 29
(2)
0
Sam ple m ak ers_______________________ ---d o ___
Jacket, coat, reefer, a n d dress operators. _ ---d o ___
(2)
Skirt operators_______________________ ---d o ___
0
Piece tailo rs__________________________ -__do___
0
Reefer, jacket, a n d coat finishers_______ _-_do___
0
Reefer, jacket, a n d coat finishers’ helpers - - .d o ___
0
Jacket, coat, reefer, a n d dress upper
pressers____________________________ -.d o ___
0
Jacket, coat, reefer, and dress under
pressers____________________________ ...-do___
0
0
Sk irt u p p er pressers__________________ - .d o ___
Sk irt un d er pressers__________________ . __do___
0
Skirt b asters--------------------------------------- -__do___
0
Skirt finishers________________________ -__do___
0
D rap ers_____________________________ ..- d o ___
0
0
Begraders on sk irts----------------------------- . ..d o ___
B ushelm en__________________________ --d o ___
0
E xam iners___________________________ - .d o ___
0
Food w orkers, Sacramento, Calif.:
40.00
M eat c u tte rs_____________________ ______ - June 9
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
P e r hour
$1.17 3/
.82
1. 14
.80
1.13
.79
1.22M
1.23
86
1. 35
.95
40
40
44
44
44
44
40
44
44
40
40
40
40
44
44
44
44
40
44
44
40
40
1.25
1.00
44
44
44
44
44
44
4.4
44
.75
.60 •
1-373/
40
40
40
40
40
40
.80
.75
1.25
40
40
44
40
44
44
1.12,1/
.85
1 .123/
.90
1.10
1 .12JZ
.90
1.25
40
40
40
44
40
44
40
40
40
40
40
44
40
40
40
40
1.12
1-12^
. 90
1.00
1.50
1.00
1.10
1-123/
1.25
1.25
40
40
44
40
40
40
40
44
44
44
40
40
44
40
40
40
40
40
40
44
41.00
48
48
47. 00
40. 00
50. 00
48.00
43. 00
41.00
33.00
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
1.00
1. 00-1.051/2
P e r w eek
45.00
40
40
41.00
41.00
41.00
27. 00
23.50
29. 00
32. 50
36. 00
36. 00
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
37.00
54
54
18
18
18
18
P e r hour
P er hour
G lass-bottle blowers, U nited States____________ Sept. 1
Iron, steel, and tin workers, Seattle, W ash.:
Steel w orkers, rolling d ep artm en t__________ Ju ly 16
i H ours per day.
2 N o t reported.
3 Plus bonus.
Before After
change change
3.50
a. 60
0
( 2)
4
123/ per cent reduction.
WAGES AND HOURS OF LABOR
927
R e c e n t w a g e c h a n g e s , b y in 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 , ju n e t o
S E P T E M B E R , 1932—C ontinued
B ate of wages
D ate of
change
In d u stry or occupation and locality
M etal workers:
Boilermakers, Bristol, V a .
________
___ Ju ly
M achinists—
Brooklyn, N . Y ____________________
Somerset, K y _______________________
M olders—
C incinnati, Ohio ________ _______
H am ilton, Ohio . . . . . . _______
Philadelphia, P a __________ . . . . . .
1
Before
change
A fter
change
P er hour
P er hour
$0.80
P e r w eek
Ju ly —
42.61
P e r hour
Ju ly
1
8
1
Louisville, K y., w eb pressmen—
Foremen, d a y ------------------ __ June 20
Foremen, n ig h t._. . . . . . . . . . _ do
Journeym en, d a y . ___________ .
do
Journeym en, night ._ _________
do
Forem en, d a y . ____________ ___ Sept. 4
Forem en, night
_ ________
do
Journeym en, day
_ ________ .
__ do
Journeym en, night . ________ . . . _ do
Street-railw ay workers:
Chicago, 111., and vicinity—
M otorm en and conductors ________
June 1
N ew H aven, Conn., and v icinity—
Bus operators_______
..
.....
Ju n e 1
M otorm en an d co n ductors...
__ do
1-man car operators ___ ____ ___
_ do
Shopmen ! ..........
__ do
Pueblo, Colo________________
______ Aug. 1
1 H ours per day.
6 Piecework.
2 N o t reported.
9 10 per cent reduction.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1.25
P er day
6. 72
(5)
P e r w eek
40
32
38.58
44
40
48
32
P er hour
.50
P er day
7. *50
7 50
7.00
P er hour
Patternm akers, M ilwaukee, Wis ________
June 1
M iners:
Coal m iners (day w ork), H udson and Sheridan fields, W y o m in g ...
_____________ Aug. 6
Potters, U nited States
.........
. ___
Aug. 15
P rinting and publishing trades:
Compositors and m achine operators—
C harleston, S. C.—
N ewspaper, d a y . . . . . . _______ _ June 7
Newspaper, n ig h t___ ______ _ . . . _ do
Cleveland, Ohio—
Newspaper, d a y .. ________ __ __ Ju ly 1
Newspaper, night _ ____
do
N ewspaper, m id n ig h t__________ . .
do
Louisville*, K y .—
Newspaper, d ay
-----.------------June 6
Newspaper, n i g h t ___ _______ ___
do
M inneapolis, M inn.—•
N ewspaper, day—
R ate A . . . .
...
. . . . . . June 4
R ate B _ ____ .
do
Newspaper, night—
R ate A ___ ____________
do
R a t e B . ____
. _ _.
_ do
Electrotypers—
Louisville, K y .—
Forem en____________________ __
June 1
Journeym en _____ _______
do
Finishers . ______ _____ _______
_ do
M ilw aukee, Wis
____ _________
do
Pressm en and assistants—
A tlanta, G a., job work—
Pressm en, cylinder _. . ._ . . . ___ Ju n e 6
Pressm en, nlaten
do
Press assistants and feeders.. _.
_do
B irm ingham , A la., job w ork—
Pressm en, cylinder .
Ju n e 1
Pressm en, p la te n ..
- _do
Press assistants and feeders------------- -__do___
$0.72
Before After
change change
P e r w eek
.56
P er day
Aug.
do
Aug.
H ours per week
6. 00
fi no
6.40
48
48
48
48
P er hour
. 80-1. 00
44-47H 40-45
P er day
5. 42
(6)
i8
(2)
18
(2)
48
48
P e r w eek
45. 12
48. 00
40. 61
43. 49
48
48
53. 55
58 95
60. 48
51.07
56 25
57. 54
45
45
42
42
45. 00
48 00
40.50
43. 50
48
48
48
48
50. 00
52. 00
45. 00
46 80
461/i
46^
46
46*6
53. 00
55. 00
47 70
49. 50
42
42
42
42
50. 00
40 00
35. 00
50. 00
30.00
30 00
26 25
40.00
44
44
44
44
44
44
44
44
36. 50-50. 00
36. 50-40. 00
23. 50-29. 00
32. 85-45. 00
32. 85-36 00
21. 15-26. 10
44
44
44
44
44
44
40. 00-44. 00
36. 50
19. 50-26. 50
38. 00-41. 60
32. 50-35. 00
16. 50-25. 00
44
44
44
44
44
44
P er day
P e r day
48
43
48
43
48
43
48
43
48
43
48
43
48
43
48
43
8. 00
8 00
7 50
7. 50
7. 50
7. 50
7. 00
7. 00
P er hour
7. 50
7 50
7 00
7. 00
7. 25
7. 25
6. 75
6 75
P er hour
.77
.72
. 62
. 69
. 44_. 67}^
.65
(7)
.70
(8)
(*)
.60
. 53
. 60
42-56
42-56
42-56
42-56
i7
42-56
42-56
42-56
42-56
i6
.65
7 1 4 H per cent reduction.
8 H ours irregular.
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
928
R E C E N T W A G E C H A N G E S , B Y IN 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 N E TO
S E P T E M B E R , 1932—C ontinued
R ate of wages
In d u stry or occupation and locality
Street-railw ay workers—C ontinued.
St. Louis, M o —
M otorm en and conductors—
F irst y e ar________________________
Second y e ar______________________
T h ird y e ar_______________________
F o u rth y e ar______________________
1-man car an d bus operators—
F irst y ear________________________
Second y ear_____ _______ ____ _____
T h ird y e ar_______________________
F o u rth y e ar______________________
M unicipal employees:
A llentow n, Pa., school employees__________
Chester, P a.—
Em ployees receiving less th a n $1,500 per
y ear_______.._______________________
Em ployees receiving $1,500 and over per
y ear_______________________________
Colorado Springs, Colo___________________
D ade C o u n ty , F la., school employees___ ___
D u Quoin, 111____________________________
Jefferson C o u n ty , A la., school teachers_____
N ew ark, N . J ____________________________
Newberg, Oreg___________________________
Ocean C ity, N . J _________________________
Portland, Oreg___________________________
2 N o t reported.
6 10 per cent reduction.
8 H ours irregulor.
9 Various.
10 5 per cent reduction.
D ate of
change
H ours per week
Before
change
After
change
P e r hour
P er hour
June 1
-_-do___
___do___
-__do___
$0. 468
. 522
. 576
.621
$0. 452
.504
.557
.60
-__do___
_ . d o ___
- - d o ___
-__do___
.538
.592
.646
.691
.502
.554
.607
.65
Ju ly
Before After
change change
.
(S)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(2)
(2)
(8)
(8)
1
(2)
(6)
---d o ___
(9)
(10)
50
50
-_ _ d o __
_ _do___
-- .d o ___
Ju n e 1
Sept. 5
Ju ly 1
June 1
Sept. 1
Ju n e 1
(9)
(9)
(9)
(9)
(9)
(9)
(9)
(9)
(9)
(«)
(“ )
(6)
50
(2)
(2)
(2)
30
(2)
(2)
(2)
44
50
(2)
(2)
(2)
30
(2)
(2)
(2)
44
(12)
(6)
(13)
(6)
(6)
(14)
11
to 15 per cent reduction.
1216 per cent reduction.
131 to 15 per cent reduction.
14 3 to 14 per cent reduction.
E ig h t-H o u r D a y R e g u la tio n s fo r B r a z ilia n W orkers 1
N MAY 4, 1932, a decree (No. 21,364) was passed in Brazil which
provides that the working-day in all industrial establishments
shall normally be 8 hours and specifies that the day’s work must be
carried out between 5 a. m. and 10 p. m.
The working week shall consist of 48 hours so arranged that for
each period of 6 working-days there shall be one day of rest, of at
least 24 consecutive hours, to be observed preferably on Sunday.
In order to prevent accidents or to make urgent repairs, the weekly
rest period may be suspended. The workday may be increased to
10 hours (or the week to 60 hours) if an agreement is made between
the employer and the employees and provision is made for the pay
ment of additional wages. In unhealthful industries and those
carried on underground, however, the workday may not exceed 8
hours. When overtime work is necessary to prevent raw materials
from deteriorating or to finish certain work or articles in process of
manufacture, the workday may, in exceptional cases, be extended to
12 hours if provision is made in an agreement between the employer
and the workers for an increase in wages for the extra time.
_ The decree provides that any industrial enterprise may be run con
tinuously if the workers are employed by shifts.
O
1 D ata are from Brazil, Diario Oficial, Rio de Janeiro, M ay 6, 1932.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
WAGES AND HOURS OF LABOR
929
In certain industries the workday may be divided into two periods
with an intervening rest period of at least 3 hours, provided the actual
working hours do not exceed 10.
Night work may not exceed 7 hours of actual work except in con
tinuous industries and in those subject to special regulations issued
by the Minister of Labor, Industry, and Commerce.
Both day and night work shall be stopped for at least half an hour
for an interval of rest or lunch, which shall not be computed in the
actual working time.
When an accident or force majeure causes a stoppage of work, the
length of subsequent working-days may be increased until the lost
time is made up. However, the workday shall not be increased more
than 2 hours a day.
Members of the same family who are engaged in manual work and
those who hold executive, administrative, or confidential positions
shall be exempt from these regulations. This decree, also, does not
affect the worldng-day in agricultural enterprises, general transporta
tion activities, maritime trades, mining, and the operation of Federal,
State, or municipal public utilities in charge of private corporations,
which is subject to special regulations by the Minister of Labor,
Industry, and Commerce.
Violations of the provisions of this decree shall be punished with a
fine to be imposed by the National Department of Labor.
W ages an d H o u rs of W ork in B r itish C o lu m b ia , 1931
following statistics on wages and hours in British Columbia
are taken from the annual report of the Department of Labor of
T HE
that Province for the year ending December 31, 1931.
The average full week’s wages of adult males in British Columbia
in various industries in 1931 are presented in Table 1. I t will be
noted that the average for all industries is $2.47 per week less in 1931
than in 1930.
T a b l e 1.—A V E R A G E F U L L W E E K ’S W A G E S O P A D U L T M A L E S IN S P E C IF IE D IN D U S
T R IE S IN B R IT IS H C O L U M B IA IN 1931
Average wage,
1931
In d u stry group
Breweries
__ _______________
B uilders’ m aterials____________
Cigar and tobacco m anufacturing_ _ ____________________
Coal m in in g _________________
Coast shipping________________
C ontracting - ________________
Explosives a n d chemicals______
Boorf products’ m anufacture
G arm ent m aking
H ouse furnishings____________ _
.1ewelry m anufacture
Laundries, cleaning, a n d dyeing.
Leather a nd fu r goods manufacture
L um ber industries_____________
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Average wage,
1931
In d u stry group
A m ount
Change
from
1930
$27. 58
25.81
+ $ 0 .18
—1.57
20. 40
28. 40
29. 63
27.41
26. 78
23. 43
22. 51
23. 18
31. 29
25. 29
- 4 . 66
- 63
- 1 . 73
-2 .9 3
+ .1 2
- 4 . 36
- 5 . 83
- 2 . 36
- 6 . 56
- 1 . 87
25.81
21.09
- 2 . 50
-4 .6 0
M etal m ining____ ____________
M etal trad es__________________
M iscellaneous trad es an d industries_______________________
Oil refining___________________
P a in t m anufacture __________
P rin tin g a n d publish ing___
P u lp a n d p ap er m anufacturing, _
Shipbuilding______________ ,
Smelting
, , . ___ _ ______
Street railw ays, gas, w ater, power, telephones, e tc ___________
W ood m anufacturing (n. e. s . ) „ .
Average____ ____________
A m ount
C hange
from
1930
$30. 02
27. 74
—$3. 29
- 2 . 22
23. 43
31.24
26. 11
39. 78
25. 94
29. 58
30.44
- 2 . 45
+ 1. 46
+ . 26
+ . 44
- 1 . 45
- . 77
+ . 39
29. 11
23. 67
- .9 1
- 2 . 36
26.17
-2 .4 7
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
930
According to Table 2 there were 16,264 aduit. male workers being
paid wage rates of less than $19 per week, 5,521 being paid less than
$15 per week.
T a b l e 2 —N U M B E R O F A D U L T M A L E W O R K E R S E M P L O Y E D A T S P E C IF IE D R A T E S ,
IN B R IT IS H C O L U M B IA , 1931
N um ber of adult
male workers
N u m b er of adult
male workers
W eekly rate
W eekly rate
Increase
over 1930
1931
U nder $6
$6 to $6.99___________
$7 to $7.99___________
$8 to $8.99_______
$9 to $9.99
$10 to $10.99
. .
$11 t.n $11 QQ
$12 to $12.99... . .
3
35
81
79
147
526
3
35
81
76
100
469
1,174
992
Increase
over 1930
1931
$13 to
$14 to
$15 to
$16 to
$17 to
$18 to
$13.99________________
$14.99________________
$15.99________________
$16.99________________
$17.99________________
$18.99________________
T otal.
953
1, 973
2, 675
3, 322
1, 989
2, 757
769
1,157
1, 721
2,298
39
809
16, 264
9,011
The average full weekly working hours of 4,088 British Columbia
firms making returns for 1931 was 47.37 as compared with 48.62 for
the preceding year based on reports from 4,704 firms.
T a b l e 3 .— A V E R A G E F U L L W E E K L Y H O U R S OF W O R K IN B R IT IS H
C O L U M B IA , BY
IN D U S T R IE S , 1931
H ours per
week, 1931
H ours per week,
1931
In d u stry
In d u stry
N um Change
from
ber
1930
N u m Change
from
ber
1930
Breweries______________________
B uilders’ materials, e tc __________
Cigar and tobacco m anufacturing..
Coal m ining____________________
Coast sh ip p in g __________________
C ontracting____________________
Explosives, chemicals, e tc ________
Food products m anufacture______
G arm ent m ak in g ________________
House furnishings_______________
Jew elry m anufacture____________
Laundries, cleaning, an d dyeing. _
Leather and fur goods m anufacture.
Lum ber industries:
Logging------------------------------Logging railw ays____________
L um ber d e alers...___________
Planing m ills...... ........................
46.98
45. 64
44. 82
46. 75
53. 69
44. 08
44. 80
48. 84
44. 53
44.29
43. 06
45. 93
46. 07
-0 .2 0
- 1 . 45
- . 18
-1 .2 8
- . 25
- 1 . 08
- .5 0
- 3 . 39
+ . 45
- .9 6
-1 .0 1
- . 13
- .6 0
48. 46
49.13
47.65
47. 33
+ . 02
- .9 6
+ . 06
- 1 . 35
L um ber industries—Continued.
Sawmills__ . . . .
.
Shingle m ills___ _________ .
M etal m ining____ _
____
M e ta ltr a d e s . . . . . . . . . . . . .
M iscellaneous trades and industries.
Oil refining. „ _____ ___________
P a in t m anufacturing__
___
P rin tin g a nd publishing___ _ .
Pu lp and paper m anufacturing___
Shipbuilding__
.
. . ...
Sm elting__________ ____________
S treet railw ays, gas, w ater, power,
e tc ________ ____ . .
. .
W ood m anufacture (not elsewhere
specified)_____________________
T o ta l..
47. 39
47. 52
51.46
45. 85
48.89
50. 47
44. 33
45. 29
48. 11
44. 13
52. 04
- 1 . 56
- .3 2
- .8 3
- .0 3
+1. 57
- 4 . 14
- .0 7
- . 23
- .2 1
- .2 2
+ .0 3
44. 85
-1 .4 0
45.20
- .7 2
47.37
- 1 . 25
E a rn in g s an d H ou rs in th e E le c tro te c h n ic a l In d u stry in
G e rm a n y in O cto b er, 1931
HE investigation of the average actual hourly and weekly earn
ings and weekly hours of labor in the electrotechnical industry
in Germany in October, 1931, undertaken by the German Federal
Statistical Office, covered 31 establishments with 60,429 workers in
17 localities.1
Table 1 shows the earnings and hours in October, 1931, and Table 2
shows a comparison of these with those in October, 1928. The data
for 1931 in the two tables are not identical owing to certain differences
in the coverage of the two investigations.
T
1 G ermany.
Federal Statistical Office.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
W irtschaft u n d S tatistik, Ju ly 2, 1932, pp. 439-441.
WAGES AND HOURS OF LABOR
931
T a b l e 1 .—A V E R A G E A C T U A L E A R N IN G S A N D H O U R S O F L A B O R IN T H E E L E C T R O
T E C H N IC A L IN D U S T R Y IN G E R M A N Y IN O C T O B E R , 1931
[Conversions into U nited States currency on basis of m ark=23.8 cents; pfennig=0.238 cent]
N um
ber of Hours
em
per
ploy week
ees
Occupation group
Skilled tim e workers_____ ____
Skilled piece w o rk e rs.______
T o tal______________
u.s.
u. s.
P fe n
n ig s
C e n ts
P fe n
n ig s
41.72
39. 21
110.4
120.2
C e n ts
28.3
28.6
94.4
107.2
22. 5
25.5
22, 420
40.07
116.7
27.8
102.6
24.4
3, 143
7, 121
41.36
39.07
87.8
103.9
20.9
24.7
78.6
89.5
18.7
21. 3
7,708
14, 712
Semiskilled tim e w orkers. _ _
Semiskilled piece workers
..
A greement
Per
hourly earn cent W eekly earn
ings 1
ings
actual
earn
ings
Ger
Ger
Ger
.S . form m
m an
m an U
an
of
cur
cur
cur
cur
cur
union
cur
rency rency rency rency rate rency rency
H ourly earn
ings i
M a rks
116.2
111.8
46. 04
47.14
$10.96
11.22
113.3
46. 77
11.13
110.4
115. 3
36. 32
40.59
8.64
9.66
T o ta l.. __________ __
10, 264
39. 77
98.8
23.5
86.0
20.5
114.0
39.28
9. 35
Unskilled tim e workers . . .
U nskilled piece w orkers. . .
5, 156
1, 931
40.79
38.41
79.7
95.5
19.0
22.7
76.1
86.9
18.1
20.7
104. 1 32.51
109.6 36. 68
7.74
8.73
T otal______________
Total, m ale____________
Female tim e w o rk ers.. . . . ..
Fem ale piece workers _ . . .
Total, female___ _ ________
7,087
40.15
83.8
19.9
78.9
18.8
105.7
33. 64
8.01
39, 771
40. 01
106.2
25.3
94. 1
22.4
112.3
42. 50
10.12
3, 118
17, 540
41.29
37. 85
57.6
66.0
13.7
15.7
53.6
60.6
12.8
14.4
107. 1 23.79
108.9 24.98
5. 66
5.95
20, 658
38. 37
64.6
15.4
59.5
14.2
108.6
24. 80
5. 90
Total, male and fem ale._ _ . . . 60, 429
39.45
92.4
22.0
82.6
19. 7
111.4
36. 45
8.68
1 Including supplem ents.
T a b l e 3 .— E A R N IN G S A N D H O U R S OF LA B O R IN T H E E L E C T R O T E C H N IC A L IN D U S
T R Y O F G E R M A N Y IN O C T O B E R , 1928, A N D O C T O B E R , 1931
[Conversions into U nited States currency on basis of m ark=23.8 cents; pfennig=0.238 cent]
H ourly earnings 1
W eekly hours of labor
October, 1931
Occupation group
Skilled tim e w o rk e rs......................
Skilled piece w o rk e rs ... ______ _
Semiskilled tim e w orkers______
Semiskilled piece w orkers___ .
U nskilled tim e workers_____ . .
U nskilled piece w o rk e rs.. _____
Fem ale tim e w orkers___ _ . . . .
Fem ale piece workers . . .
October, 1931
Per
Oc
Oc
cent of tober,
tober,
Oc
1928 A m ount tober,
1928 N u m
ber
1928,
earn
ings
C e n ts
27.3
29.7
21.6
25.9
19.6
22.9
14.2
15.9
W eekly earnings
October, 1931
Per
Per
Oc
cent of
cent of tober,
Oc
Oc
1928
A m ount tober,
tober,
1928,
1928,
earn
hours
ings
C e n ts
26.4
28.6
20.9
24.8
19.0
22.7
13.8
15.8
96.7
96.5
97.0
95.5
96.7
99.4
97.1
99.0
49. 50
47. 50
49. 50
46.75
49. 00
47.25
45. 50
46.25
41.13
38.76
40.59
38.24
40. 36
37.79
40. 60
37.14
83.1 $13.51
81.6 14.10
82.0 10.71
81.8 12.14
82.4
9.59
80.0 10. 78
89.2
6.46
80.3
7.37
$10.84
11.10
8. 50
9.47
7.66
8.59
5.60
5.85
80.3
78. 8
79. 4
78.0
79.9
79.7
86.7
79.4
1 Including agreem ent supplem ents.
Thus the hourly earnings decreased by 2.7 per cent, the hours of
labor decreased by 18.1 per cent, and the weekly earnings decreased
by 20.4 per cent in October, 1931, as compared with those in October,
1928.
140152°—32-----13
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
932
E a r n in g s a n d H o u r s in t h e M a n u fa c tu r e o f Iro n a n d S te e l
P r o d u c ts in G e r m a n y in O c to b er, 1931
HE investigation of the average actual hourly and weekly earnings
and weekly hours of labor in the manufacture of iron and steel
products in Germany, in October, 1931, undertaken by the German
Federal Statistical Office, covered 127 establishments with 26,293
workers in 28 localities.1
Table 1 shows earnings and hours of labor in October, 1931, and
Table 2 shows a comparison of these earnings and hours with those
in October, 1928. The data for 1931 in the two tables are not
identical owing to certain differences in the coverage of the two
investigations.
T
T a b l e 1 . - A V E R A G E A C T U A L E A R N IN G S A N D H O U R S OF L A B O R IN T H E M A N U F A C
T U R E O P IR O N A N D S T E E L P R O D U C T S IN G E R M A N Y IN O C T O B E R , 1931
[Conversions in to U nited States currency on basis of m ark=23.8 cents; pfennig=0.238 cent]
Ger
m an
cur
cur
rency rency
Per Average weekcent by earnings °
actual
earn
Ger
Ger
ings
m an
form
an
cur
cur unionof m
cur rency
cur
rency
rate rency rency
H ourly earn A greement
hourly wages
ings»
N um - H ours
ber of per
em
ployees week
Occupation group
Skilled tim e workers______________
Skilled piece w orkers---------------------
4,718
5,896
u. s.
u. s.
P fe n
n ig s
C e n ts
P fe n
n ig s
C e n ts
40. 88
39.67
96.0
107.6
22.8
25.6
78.4
88.8
18.7
21.1
u. s.
M a rks
120.9
119.9
39. 23
42. 70
$9. 34
10.16
T o tal_______________ ______
10,614
40. 21
102.3
24.3
83.9
20.0
120.6
41.15
9.79
Semiskilled tim e w orkers. . . . ----Semiskilled piece w o rk ers...
_ ...
2,330
5,750
42.12
39. 45
84.2
99.9
20.0
23.8
71.7
79.8
17. 1
19.0
114. 6
122. 7
35. 47
39. 43
8.44
9. 38
T o ta l.._ _ . . . . _____
8, 080
40. 23
95.1
22.6
77.4
18.4
120.3
38. 27
9.11
1, 785
1, 202
42. 35
42.45
79.6
95.8
18.9
22.8
69.6
79.8
16.6
19.0
111.9
117.5
33. 73
40. 65
8.03
9.67
_____
U nskilled tim e w o rk e rs ______ .
U nskilled piece workers-------- . . .
2,987
42. 39
86.2
20.5
73.7
17.5
114.4
36. 53
8.69
21, 681
40. 51
97.4
23. 2
80.0
19.0
119.8
39.45
9. 39
1, 441
3,171
41.68
39.04
50.3
60.3
12.0
14.4
46. 2
51.9
11.0
12.4
108.2
115.8
20. 95
23.52
4.99
5.60
T otal, female________________
4, 612
39. 87
57.0
13.6
50.0
11.9
113.6
22. 72
' 5.41
T otal, male and female----------
26, 293
40. 40
90.4
21.5
74.8
17.8
19.0
36. 52
8.69
T o tal. _ ____ _______
_____
T otal, m ale_________________
Fem ale tim e w o rk e rs ...---------------Fem ale piece workers---------------------
° Including all agreem ent supplem ents.
1 G erm any.
Federal Statistical Office.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
W irtschaft u n d S tatistik, Aug. 1, 1932, pp. 469-471.
WAGES AND HOUES OF LABOR
T able 2
-
933
E A R N IN G S A N D H O U R S OF L A B O R IN T H E IR O N A N D S T E E L P R O D U C T S
IN D U S T R Y OF G E R M A N Y , IN O C T O B E R , 1928, A N D O C T O B E R , 1931
[Conversions into U nited States currency on basis of m ark=23.8 cents]
H ourly earnings 1
W eekly hours of labor
October, 1931
October, 1931
Occupation group
Per
Octo
cent of Octo
ber,
ber,
Octo
1928 A m o u n t ber,
1928 N u m
ber
1928,
earn
ings
C e n ts
Skilled tim e workers___________
Skilled piece w o rk e rs.. ________
Semiskilled tim e w orkers. . _ _
Semiskilled piece w orkers—--------U nskilled tim e w orkers. _______
U nskilled piece workers
Fem ale tim e w orkers__ - _
Fem ale piece w orkers---- -- - . _
23. G
28. 1
21. 2
2G. 0
19.8
25.1
12.7
15.1
W eekly earnings
October, 1931
Per
Per
Octo
cent of
cent of ber,
Octo
Octo 1928 A m ount ber,
ber,
1928,
1928,
earn
hours
ings
C e n ts
22.6
25.8
20.3
23.6
19.2
23. 2
12.0
14.7
96.0
91.9
96. 2
91. 0
96.9
92. 5
94.4
97.6
50. 25
48.00
49. 75
47. 75
49. 25
47. 75
44. 75
45. 25
39. 99
38.31
40.98
38. 94
40. 20
43. 35
38. 80
36.86
79.6 $11. 85
79.8 13.50
82.5 10. 51
81.5 12. 42
81.6
9. 75
90.8 11.99
5. 69
86. 7
81.5
6. 81
$ 9.05
9.88
8. 33
9.20
7. 72
10.05
4. 64
5.42
76.4
73.2
79.3
74.1
79.2
83.8
81.7
79.7
1 Including agreem ent supplem ents.
Thus, as the table indicates, the hourly earnings decreased on an
average by 5.8 per cent, weekly hours of labor by 18.5 per cent, and
weekly earnings by 23.3 per cent in October, 1931, as compared with
those in October, 1928.
W ea v ers’ W a g es in t h e E n g lis h W o o le n -T e x tile I n d u s tr y
RECENT communication from the United States consul at Brad
ford, England, gives some figures as to the prevailing wages for
A woolen
weavers in that district. In an introductory statement, the
consul calls attention to the fact that since 1927 there has been no
wages agreement between the unions and the employers, and that
there are consequently no uniform standards for rates.1 Since March,
1930, two wage cuts, totaling about 20 per cent, have been enforced
against the workers, and in general employers now make individual
agreements with each of their employees.
However, although there is no scale of wages operating throughout the indus
try as a whole, most of the employers are paying the wages set out in the last
agreement, less approximately 20 per cent. These rates now represent the
basic wage, plus an increase of 45.75 [per cent] on account of the increased cost
of living since 1914. In a few instances the entire 20 per cent reductions have
not been enforced and in consequence a small minority of weavers is being paid
at slightly higher rates than those set out in the table.
It should be understood that with certain exceptions weavers are paid upon
piece rates. Consequently, the actual amount of money received by weavers
each week varies according to the amount of work performed, but the piece
rates in the industry have been arranged in such a manner in the past that a
weaver of average skill should now earn not less than the amount stated in the
wages table, according to the type of loom worked. The exceptions to piece
work rates are pattern weavers and others doing weaving work of a special
nature to which piece rates can not equitably be applied. The time rates applied
to such work are about the same as the weekly wages of piece-rate workers,
although a few weavers of special skill engaged on time rates are said to be paid
higher rates by individual employers.
1 See L abor Review, April, 1932, p. 930.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
934
The following table represents the wages paid to the majority of weavers in
the worsted and woolen branches of the wool-textile industry in Yorkshire at the
present time. As previously stated there is no agreement protecting these rates,
and any employer may pay lower rates if he can engage workers who will accept
them.
BA SIC A N D T O T A L W A G E R A T E S F O R W E A V E R S IN T H E Y O R K S H IR E (E N G L A N D )
W O O L T E X T IL E IN D U S T R Y
[Conversions into U nited States currency on basis of p o u n d =$4.8665, shilling=24.33 cents, penny=2.03
cents]
Basic weekly wage
K ind of w eaving done
English
currency
U nited
States
currency
Basic wage plus costof-living increase
English
currency
U nited
States
currency
W o r s t e d s e c tio n
Dress goods: 2 looms per w eaver. __ ____... _____ ______
Coatings: 2 looms per w e av er.. _ _ . . . ...
______ ___
C oating looms, plain, including mixing boxes:
1 loom per weaver
... . . . .
2 looms per weaver
_
. . .
Coating looms, plain, w ith drop boxes: 1 loom per weaver.
£.
s.
d.
1
19 0
1 0
$1. 62
5.11
1
1
19 0
1 6
0 0
1
1
1
£ . s.
1 7
1 10
d.
8
6
$6. 73
7.42
4.62
5. 23
4. 87
1 7 8
1 10 10
1 9 2
6. 73
7.50
7.10
19 0
1 6
4. 62
5. 23
1 7 8
1 10 10
6.73
7.50
19 0
1 6
0 0
4.62
5. 23
4. 87
1 7 8
1 10 10
1 9 2
6. 73
7.50
7.10
4. 62
5. 23
4. 62
4. 87
4.62
4. 87
5.11
1 7 8
1 10 10
1 7 8
1 9 2
1 7 8
1 9 2
1 10 6
6. 73
7.50
6. 73
7.10
6. 73
7.10
7. 42
W o o le n s e c tio n
T a p p e t looms:
1 loom per w eaver.
. . . . . . _____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
2 looms per w e a v e r .________________ _______ _ _ _
Box looms, plain:
1 loom per w eaver. ___ __ _________ . . .
2 looms per w e a v e r___
__ _______ _ . . . . . . _ _ __
Box looms, fancy: 1 loom per w eav er., _
B lanket looms:
1 loom per weaver ______ _____ ______ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _
2 looms per w eaver__________________________ _____
B lanket box looms, plain: 1 loom per w eaver. ___________
Rugs, cotton, warps: 1 loom per w eaver
_. _ . . . ___
Plain looms and b astard box: 1 loom per w eaver___ ______
Box looms, un d er 80 picks: 1 loom per weaver _ ._
Box looms, 80 picks and over: 1 loom per w eaver_________
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
*
19
1
19
1 0
19
1 0
1 1
1
0
6
0
0
0
0
0
TREND OF EMPLOYMENT
S u m m a r y fo r A u g u s t, 1932
MPLOYMENT increased 0.5 per cent in August, 1932, as
compared with July, 1932, and earnings decreased 1.0 per cent.
These figures are based on the pay rolls ending nearest the 15th
of the month.
The industrial groups surveyed, the number of establishments
reporting in each group, the number of employees covered, and the
earnings for one week, for both July and August, 1932, together
with the per cents of change in August are shown in the following
summary :
E
S U M M A R Y OF E M P L O Y M E N T A N D E A R N IN G S , JU L Y A N D A U G U ST, 1932
Indu strial group
M a n u fa c tu r in g ____________
Coal m in in g ________________
A n th ra c ite .. ____________
B itum inous
. ...............
M etalliferous m in in g ___ . . .
Q u arryin g a n d n o n m e ta llic
m in in g _ __ ________ _ ___
C rude p e tr o le u m p ro d u cin g
P u b lic u tilitie s _____________
Telephone a n d telegraph__
Pow er and lig h t__________
Electric-railroad and motorbus operation and m aintenance_______________
T rad e______________ _______
W holesale______ ________
R etail___________________
H otels.
__________________
C a n n in g a n d preserving. _ _
L au n d ries. _______________
D y ein g a n d c le a n in g ___ ___
B u ild in g c o n s tr u c tio n ______
E m ploym ent
E stablishm ents July, 1932 A ugust,
1932
Earnings in 1 week
Per
cent of
August,
change Ju ly, 1932
1932
18,152
1,305
160
1,145
256
2, 490, 355
210, 723
60,818
149,905
18,899
2,503,348 1 + 1 .4 $42,904,628 $42,392,331
219,007
3,038,722
+ 3 .9
3,443,715
67,212 +10.5
1,372,668
1,644,300
151, 795
1,666,054
1,799,415
+ 1 .3
18,310
- 3 .1
337,367
328,982
628
273
12,044
8,049
3,494
23,071
21,041
637, 989
277,324
221,821
23,853
21,793
629,684
274,060
219,521
+ 3 .4
+ 3 .6
- 1 .3
- 1 .2
-1 .0
501
16,745
2,688
14,057
2,580
913
1, 006
398
10,462
138,844
390,583
70,635
319,948
139,871
53,280
61,295
12,602
88,062
136,103
381,898
70,494
311,404
138,361
72,270
60,232
12,159
86,300
- 2 .0
- 2 .2
-.2
- 2 .7
- 1 .1
+35.6
- 1 .7
-3 .5
-2 .0
T o ta l__________________ 64,762
4,147,771
4,167,215
+ .5
366,026
635,273
17,941,082
7,482, 518
6,640,186
Per
cent of
change
i + 0 .3
+13.3
+19.8
+ 8 .0
-2 .5
374,357
611,769
17,570,018
7,427,487
6,471,438
+ 2 .3
- 3 .7
- 2 .1
-.7
-2 .5
3,818,378
3,671,093
8,528,991
8,224,113
1,947, 717
1, 903, 709
6,581,274
6,320,404
21,930, 567 2 1,862,502
611,846
844,059
984,638
949,574
233,761
219,200
2,264,242
2,181,839
-3 .9
- 3 .6
- 2 .3
- 4 .0
- 3 .5
+38.0
- 3 .6
- 6 .2
- 3 .6
79,777,148
79,002,459
- 1 .0
1 W eighted per cent of change for th e combined 89 m anufacturing industries, w herein th e proper allow
ance is m ade for th e relative im portance of th e several industries so th a t the figures represent all estab
lishm ents of th e country in th e 89 industries surveyed, repeated from Table 1, m anufacturing industries;
th e rem aining per cents of change, including total, are unw eighted.
2 T he am o u n t of p ay roll given represents cash paym ents only; th e additional value of board, room, and
tips can not be com puted.
Data are not yet available concerning railroad employment for
August, 1932. (See section “Class I steam railroads” for latest
figures reported.)
Per capita weekly earnings in August, 1932, for each of the 16
industrial groups included in the bureau’s monthly trend-of-employment survey, together with the per cents of change in August, 1932,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
935
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
936
as compared with July, 1932, and August, 1931, are given in 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).
P E R C A P IT A W E E K L Y E A R N IN G S IN A U G U ST , 1932, IN 16 IN D U S T R IA L G R O U P S A N D
C O M P A R IS O N W IT H JU L Y , 1932, A N D A U G U ST, 1931
Per capita
weekly
earnings in
A ugust,
1932
Industrial group
M ami factoring
_____________________________________ ___
Coal mining:
A nthracite _______ - _____ - - - - - - __________________________
"Ritnminons
_______________________________________ M etalliferous m ining
________________________________
Q uarrying and nonm etallic m ining
- _____________
Clrude petroleum producing
_______________________________ Public utilities:
Telephone and telegraph
__________________________
Power and light,
______ ___ _________ Electric-railroad and motor-bps operation and m aintenance.
Trade:
Wholesale - _ _________________________________________ R etail
____________________________- ________________ TTntels (ep.sh paym ents only) U
____________________ - __
___ _____
C anning arid preserving
__ __________ ____
Rann dries
__________________________________ _ —
D yeing and cleaning
_ __________________ - __ —
R nilding construction __________________________________ - —
Total
- ____________________________
______
Per cent of change A u
gust, 1932, compared
w ith—
July,
1932
August,
1931
$16.93
- 1 .2
-2 2 .7
24.46
11.85
17. 97
15.69
28.07
+ 8.4
+ 6 .7
+ .7
- 1 .1
-7 .0
+• 4
-3 2 .4
-1 9 .9
-2 7 .4
-1 7 .2
27.10
29.48
26. 97
+ .4
- 1 .5
- 1 .9
- 5 .8
- 6 .2
-1 2 .2
27.01
20. 30
13.46
11.68
15.77
18. 03
25. 28
- 2 .0
- 1 .3
- 2 .5
+ 1.7
- 1 .8
- 2 .8
-1 .7
-1 2 .9
—14. 9
-1 5 .0
- 9 .5
-1 3 .6
-1 7 .3
(2)
2 18. 82
2 - 1 .4
2 -1 7 .3
1 T he additional value of board, room, and tip s can no t be com puted.
2 D ata not available.
2 Does not include building construction.
E m p lo y m e n t in S e le c te d M a n u fa c tu r in g I n d u s tr ie s in A u g u s t,
1932
Comparison of Employment and Earnings in August, 1932, with July, 1932, and
August, 1931
MPLOYMENT in manufacturing industries increased 1.4 per
cent in August, 1932, as compared with July, 1932, and earnings
increased 0.3 per cent over the month interval. Comparing August,
1932, with August, 1931, decreases of 21.3 per cent in employment
and 39.2 per cent in earnings are shown over the 12-month period.
The per cents of change in employment and earnings in August,
1932, as compared with July, 1932, are based on returns made by
18,152 establishments in 89 of the principal manufacturing industries
in the United States, having in August 2,503,348 employees whose
earnings in one week were $42,392,331.
The index of employment in August, 1932, was 56.0 as compared
with 55.2 in July, 1932, 57.5 in June, 1932, and 71.2 in August, 1931;
the pay-roll index in August, 1932, was 36.3 as compared with 36.2
in July, 1932, 39.3 in June, 1932, and 59.7 in August, 1931. The
12-month average for 1926 equals 100.
E
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
TEEND OF EMPLOYMENT
937
In Table 1, which follows, are shown the number of identical
establishments reporting in both July and August, 1932, 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 August 15, and the amount of their weekly earnings in August,
the per cents of change over the month and year intervals, and the
index numbers of employment and earnings in August, 1932.
The monthly per cents of change for each of the 89 separate indus
tries are computed by direct comparison of the total number of
employees and of the amount of weekly earnings reported in identical
establishments for the two months considered. The per cents 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 weighting the index
numbers of the several industries in the groups by the number of
employees or wages paid in the industries. The per cents 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 earnings.
T a ble 1 .— C O M P A R IS O N OP E M P L O Y M E N T A N D E A R N IN G S IN M A N U F A C T U R I N G
E S T A B L IS H M E N T S IN JU L Y A N D A U G U ST , 1932, A N D A U G U ST, 1931
E m ploym ent
In d u stry
E stab
lish
m ents
report
ing in
N um
both
on
Ju ly pber
ay roll
and
A
ugust,
A u
1932
gust,
1932
Earnings
Per cent of
change
Per cent of
change
A m ount
of pay roll
(1 week)
August,
1932
Ju ly
to
A u
gust,
1932
A u
gust,
1931,
to
A u
gust,
1932
+ 1 .5
- 8 .7 $4,944,062
July
to
A u
gust,
1932
Au
gust,
1931,
to
Au
gust,
1932
- 0 .9
-2 2 .0
80.6
66.2
1, 703,456 - 3 .0 -2 1 . 6
431,408 +23.2 -2 0 .6
366, 829 - 3 .8 -2 4 .2
348,326 - 1 . 4 -2 1 .4
1,377, 391 - 1 . 8 -2 2 .0
213,184
- . 7 -1 6 .1
92, 749 +23.8 -1 8 .0
266, 564 - 8 .9 -31. 1
144,155 - 1 .9 -1 7 .2
85.0
71.5
81.6
82.5
80.7
76.4
52.3
74.8
103.5
67.8
53.3
66.4
67.9
67.6
68.9
41.0
63.8
85.6
-4 0 .1
-4 0 .3
-3 1 .2
-3 7 .5
-3 8 .1
-5 9 .0
62.3
61.2
72.7
53.7
70.4
47.1
40.1
38.4
46.2
36.8
50.4
24.2
-3 8 .9
-45.1
-4 6 .2
-4 5 .0
-3 5 .3
-2 8 .2
- 1 . 1 -4 1 .6
+35.1 -3 4 .3
- 8 .4 -5 6 .2
68.1
62.3
50.7
53.4
62.4
92.6
68.5
68.0
46.3
47.3
35.7
31.8
34.9
43. 1
61.6
44.3
44.0
26.0
Food a n d k in dred p ro d u cts. 3,078
Slaughtering a n d m eat
packing____ __________
232
Confectionery___________
326
Ice cream_______________
394
Flour............................ ...........
440
B aking_________________
952
Sugar refining, cane______
15
Beet sugar_____ _______
52
B everages.. ____________
340
B u t t e r ...... ................ ............
327
233,667
T extiles a n d th eir p r o d u cts. 3,029
C otton g o o d s.......................
694
Hosiery and k n it goods___
447
Silk goods___ _____ ______
246
Woolen and worsted goods.
253
Carpets and ru g s________
33
D yeing a n d finishing textile s.. ________________
147
Clothing, m en’s _________
354
Shirts and collars________
107
Clothing, w om en’s ______
369
M illinery_______________
123
Corsets and allied garm ents.
30
C otton small w ares______
112
37
H ats, fur-felt____________
77
M en’s furnishings.. . . . ___
539,902
193.956
92,973
39,691
54,416
12,364
+12.7
+10.2
+ 7 .6
+29.7
+23.8
+ 6.1
-2 0 .0
-1 8 .4
-1 0 .6
-1 7 .8
-1 8 .7
-3 8 .5
6,810,425
1,911,919
1,110,136
539, 821
863,952
166,446
+24.9
+16.9
+14.4
+42.7
+31.2
+ 3 .8
29, 609
54,488
12,317
20,309
7,636
5,119
7,324
5,476
4 ,224
+ 6 .3
+10.4
- 1 .3
+17.6
+32.5
+ 1 .9
- 1 .1
+14.5
- .7
-1 9 .0
-2 0 .8
-3 0 .0
-3 3 .3
-1 9 .4
- 8 .7
-2 2 .5
-2 0 .7
-3 0 .1
523, 500
746,872
127,945
375, 391
131, 724
64,141
99,098
107,234
42,246
+25.4
+37.3
+ 4.3
+36.2
+51.4
- 2 .5
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
82, 857
-.3
- 3 .6
30, 706 +21.8 - 3 .4
13.545 - 2 .1 -1 2 .4
16, 061
-.9
- 8 .3
61, 757 - 1 .1 -1 1 .9
8,117
+• 8 - 9 .4
4,138 +28.4
-.8
10, 030 - 6 .3 -2 0 .8
6,456 - 1 .1 - 8 .9
Index n u m
bers A ugust,
1932 (average
1926=100)
Em
ploy E a rn
m ent ings
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
938
T a b l e 1 —C O M P A R IS O N O F E M P L O Y M E N T A N D E A R N IN G S IN M A N U F A C T U R IN G
E S T A B L IS H M E N T S IN JU L Y A N D A U G U ST , 1932, A N D A U G U ST, 1931—C ontinued
Earnings
E m ploym ent
In d u stry
E sta b
lish
m ents
report
ing in
N um
both
ber on
Ju ly
p ay roll
and
Au A ugust,
1932
gust,
1932
Iron a n d steel a n d th eir
p ro d u cts, n o t in c lu d in g
m a c h in e r y . __ ----------------- 1,401
Iro n and steel-----------------212
Cast-iron p ip e ------- _ --39
Structural and ornam ental
iro nw ork.. ___________
187
115
H a rd w a re ... ----------------Steam fittings and steam
and hot-w ater heating
a p p aratu s. ___________
105
Stoves__________________
160
Bolts, nuts, washers, and
riv ets____________ . --68
C u tlery (not including
silver a n d p lated cu t
127
lery) and edge tools____
62
Forgings, iron and steel___
Plu m b ers’ supplies_______
69
T in cans and other tin
w are______ __________
58
Tools (not including edge
tools, machine tools, files,
129
or saw s)_______________
W irew ork_______________
70
L u m b er an d allied p rod u cts. 1, 598
Lum ber—
Sawmills____________
631
M 'illwork____ _______
465
481
F u rn itu re _____ . ____
21
T u rp en tin e and rosin_____
L eather a n d its m a n u fa c
tu r e s _____________ _ _ . . .
L eath er________________
Boots and shoes............... .
Per cent of
change
P er cent of
change
Ju ly
to
A u
gust,
1932
A u
gust,
1931,
to
A u
gust,
1932
A m ount
of pay roll
(1 week)
August,
1932
July
to
A u
gust,
1932
A u
gust,
1931,
to
A u
gust,
1932
Index num
bers August,
1932 (average
1926=100)
Em
ploy E a rn
m ent ings
- 1 .6 -2 6 .4 $3,716,782
- 2 .5 -2 6 .1 1,910, 598
- 4 .3 -4 5 .7
70,935
(>) -5 2 .9
- 0 .9 -5 7 .8
- 7 .6 -6 4 .3
50.8
50.4
30.7
23.1
19.5
15.8
15,401
20,116
- 1 .3 -3 8 .1
- 2 .6 -2 5 . 2
266, 850
142,439
-.1
- 3 .3
-5 6 .7
-5 2 .7
44.6
46.4
25.0
20.9
13,242
13, 947
+ 1 .9 -3 5 .6
+ 7.3 -2 7 .2
223,401
226,257
+ 1 .2 -4 9 .7
+ 9.6 -4 5 .2
33.1
43.7
18.8
23.8
8,147
- 3 .6
108,713
- 7 .8 -4 9 .7
60.3
29.2
8, 744
5,239
6,823
+ 1 .3 -1 2 .3
- 3 .3 -2 2 .7
- 3 .8 -2 1 .3
149,294 - 2 .3 -2 9 .2
75, 375 -1 6 .8 -5 0 .3
115,139 +11.2 -4 5 .3
63.0
53.0
59.0
39.5
25.1
34.4
8,618
+• 5 -1 3 .8
+ 3 .8 -2 1 .5
75.5
45.2
5,671
5,056
- 8 .1 -3 4 .0
+ 3 .3 -1 6 .6
77, 730 - 8 .7 -5 4 .1
82, 625 +11.3 -3 7 .9
54.4
90.2
26.6
59.5
279,381
162, 725
5,652
-2 1 .9
167,426
114,467
0)
-2 9 .6
+ 1 .0 -5 2 .6
36.4
19.3
56,990
16,980
39, 497
1,000
- .7
-.7
+ 2 .2
- 7 .1
-2 8 .6
-3 4 .2
-3 1 .2
-1 7 .3
635,612 - 2 .4 -5 3 .4
248,232 - 4 .2 -54. 3
527,396 +13.4 -5 2 .2
14,198 - 6 .2 -2 5 .7
34.5
34.6
41.6
41.5
17.3
19.9
21.8
36.7
1,425,438
497
165
332
131,726
22, 877
108,849
+ 6 .2 -1 2 .3
+2.1 -1 9 .6
+ 7 .2 -1 0 .6
2,077,372 +11.4 -3 1 .7
427, 607 + 5 .0 -3 6 .3
1,649,765 +13.5 -3 0 .2
75.2
64.4
77.9
49.8
48.2
50.3
Paper a n d p r in tin g ________ 1,971
419
Paper and p u lp __________
315
Paper boxes. ___________
Prin tin g —
Book and job______ .
766
N ewspapers and peri
471
odicals________ . -
209,248
76, 610
19, 367
- 1 . 4 -1 3 .3
+ 2 -1 1 .1
+ .1 -1 7 .9
5,141,947
1, 333,944
327,095
- 2 .3 -2 7 .3
+ 1 .8 -3 2 .8
- . 1 -3 2 .3
77.3
72.2
66.6
62.7
46.7
52.8
C h em ica ls a n d allied prod
u c ts ___ ______________ . 1,028
116
Chem icals_______________
209
Fertilizers_______________
118
Petroleum refining_______
Cottonseed, oil, cake, and
53
m eal____ ____ . _____
41
Druggists ’ preparations___
22
Explosives______________
360
Paints and varnishes_____
22
R ayon__________________
87
Soap......... ...............................
S to n e , clay, a n d glass prod
u c ts ___ _________________ 1,327
124
C em en t____
-. . . .
667
Brick, tile, and terra cotta.
122
P o ttery__________ ______
196
Glass_________ _______
M arble, granite, slate, and
218
other stone products____
1 N o change,
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
-1 9 .8
1, 266,849
- 5 .2 -3 3 .2
70.9
56.8
- 7 .3
2,214,059
- 2 .5
-1 8 .8
95.1
83.0
128,722
- . 6 -1 7 .1
19,643 - 1 .0 -1 1 .7
4, 908 +12.5 -2 2 .6
47, 656 - 2 . 1 -1 2 .3
2,981,529
468,396
67,188
1, 355,437
-.7
+ ( 2)
+ 5.1
-.9
-2 9 .3
-25. 4
-3 8 .2
-2 0 .3
67.6
81.3
34.2
62.8
56.1
58.6
25.2
56.2
47, 648
65, 623
- 4 .0
-.9
1,605
7,149
2, 678
14, 969
18,014
12,100
- 2 .3
+ 3 .2
+ 3 .9
- 4 .3
- .1
+ .8
+24.4
-1 7 .0
-28. 7
-1 5 .9
-4 1 .5
- 5 .3
20, 510
141, 799
49, 516
306, 850
294, 656
277,177
- .6
+ 2 .4
+ 1 .8
-8 . 1
+ 4.6
- 1 .4
-4 . 1
-2 5 .8
-4 7 .3
-3 4 .5
-5 3 .0
-2 0 .9
27.5
68.2
69.2
66.0
92.8
93.9
28.1
65.7
43.6
48.7
74.5
81.5
81,782
12, 968
19, 857
12, 854
30, 387
+ 1 .3
- 6 .3
+ 1 .9
+7. 7
- 3 .4
-3 3 .2
-3 8 .0
-3 8 .7
-29. 6
-2 5 .7
1,324,153
237, 632
244, 364
176, 290
538, 468
+ 2 .8
- 3 .2
+ 4 .4
+ 9 .6
- 2 .8
-4 9 .9
-55. 7
-5 7 .8
-5 0 .3
-41. 0
42.3
38. 0
29.9
52.0
52.7
25.5
23.4
13. 7
26. 7
36.5
127, 399 +10.1 -4 9 .1
52.2
35.6
5, 716
+ 9 .9 -3 5 .2
2 Less th a n one-tenth of 1 per cent.
TREND OF EMPLOYMENT
939
T a ble 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 E A R N IN G S IN M A N U F A C T U R IN G
E S T A B L IS H M E N T S IN JU L Y A N D A U G U ST , 1932, A N D A U G U ST , 1931—C ontinued
E m ploym ent
In d u stry
N on ferrous m e ta ls a n d
th eir produ cts
Stam ped and enameled
w are__________________
Brass, bronze, a n d copper
products___________
A lum inum manufacturings
Clocks, tim e recording de
vices, a n d clock move
m e n ts ... ________
Gas and electric fixtures,
lam ps, lanterns, and re
flectors______________
Plated w are. . . . ____
Smelting and re fin in g copper, lead, and zin c...
Jew elry........................
E stab
lishm ents
report
ing in
N um
both
ber on
Ju ly
pay
roll
and
Au August,
1932
gust,
1932
A m ount
A u of p ay roll
gust, (1 week) Ju ly
1931, August,
to
to
1932
A u
A u
gust,
gust,
1932
1932
A u
gust,
1931,
to
Au
gust,
1932
Em
ploy E a rn
m ent ings
72,563
+ 2 .3 -4 2 .5
50.2
30.6
12, 397
+ .6 -1 8 .8
192,698
+ 2.3 -3 9 .0
57.0
34.6
206
27
26,197
4,752
- 1 .0 -2 3 .2
+ 4.1 -2 3 .6
409,248
63,391
- 2 .9 -4 4 .4
+ 7 .9 -4 9 .7
49.3
46.3
27.8
23.5
+ 2 .7 -2 3 .1 $1,160,119
22
3, 383 +36.1 -2 8 .2
43,447 +39.0 -4 6 .8
41.6
26.4
54
54
4,316 +25.4 -3 1 .5
6,969 + 8 .0 -1 9 .2
85, 796 +20.9 -4 4 .1
122, 288 + 6.9 -3 8 .1
60.6
57.5
41.4
34.0
28
151
7,157 - 7 .1 -2 0 .7
7,392 +13.9 -2 8 .6
115, 019 -1 0 .0 -4 0 .6
128, 232 +12.1 -4 4 .7
53.9
35.4
33.1
21.9
55,619
35
219
10, 237
45, 382
T ra n sp o rta tio n e q u ip m e n t.
Automobiles___ ___
A ircraft______ . ____
Cars, electric a n d steam
railroad__________ . . .
Locomotives________
Shipbuilding____ ________
419
247
29
R ubber p r o d u c ts .. . . .
R ubber tires a n d inner
tubes_____ ____ _
R ubber boots and sh o es..
R ubber goods, other than
boots, shoes, tires, and
inner tu b e s.....................
35
11
97
-1 3 .2
708,441
- 3 . 8 -2 5 .2
70.3
52.5
+ 1 .1 + 6 .5
- . 3 -1 5 .9
139,400
569,041
+ 2.8 - 8 .5
- 4 . 9 -2 7 .5
88.7
67.9
71.8
50.2
4,564,670 -2 2 .7 -3 5 .1
3, 714, 068 -2 4 .9 -35. 1
138, 669 + 1 .0 -2 4 .4
50.5
52.0
170.7
32.0
31.8
183.2
79, 500 - 2 .5 -3 7 .3
52, 098 - 4 .5 -4 9 .8
580, 335 -1 7 .4 -3 5 .4
18.6
15.9
71.5
11.1
11.6
52.6
0)
242,720 -1 1 .1 -2 2 .7
204,683 -1 2 .2 -2 2 .4
4, 260 - 5 .4 -2 7 .9
4, 507
2,402
26,868
- 5 .7 -3 1 .1
- 4 .2 -3 9 .8
- 6 .1 -1 9 .6
152
67,550
- 2 .1
- 8 .4 -3 2 .8
64.1
40.1
41
7
44, 361
5,566
- 4 .3 -1 0 .4
+ 6 .4 -1 3 .8
870, 317 -1 3 .7 -3 2 .8
87, 606 +15.8 -3 5 .5
62.2
53.8
39.0
33.4
104
17,623
- 1 .6 -1 2 .8
297,383
- 4 .7 -3 1 .9
76.2
47.7
258,648
5, 210
- 4 .4 -3 1 .7
+ 9.6 -30. 7
4, 340, 768 - 6 .2 -5 0 .3
80,697 +10.7 -3 5 .4
45.2
21.7
25.7
15.5
91,467
- 3 .6
-3 0 .6
1, 553, 235
-5 1 .6
53.5
33.4
15,029
- 5 .4
-3 5 .1
281, 360
- 3 . 7 -4 7 .1
39.4
23.1
306, 555
- 3 .9
-3 3 .7
62.1
45.1
1,487,906
177,898
- 6 .2
- 5 .6
-4 9 .4
-6 1 .7
42.8
28.6
21.9
16.9
90, 867 +34.0 -5 2 .9
88,175 -2 5 .0 -60. 2
274, 075 - 6 .1 -5 1 .6
49.3
40. 7
63.1
28.9
21.7
44.9
M ach in ery, n o t in c lu d in g
tr a n sp o r ta tio n e q u i p
m e n t __________ .
1,833
A gricultural im p le m e n ts..
76
Electrical m achinery, ap
paratus, and supplies___
291
Engines, turbines, trac
tors, and w ater wheels.
85
Cash registers, adding m a
chines, an d calculating
m achines______________
45
F oundry and machineshop products_________ 1,092
M achine to o ls ....................
151
Textile m achinery and
p a rts __________________
35
Typew riters and supplies..
18
R adio______ ____________
40
932
403
529
-1 1 .6
13,130 -1 1 .8 -2 3 .2
96, 376
9,804
- 5 .6
- 7 .0
-3 0 .0
-4 7 .3
5,630 +18.9 -3 3 .8
6,297 -2 8 .8 -46. 7
15, 705
+ .9 -3 6 .4
87,353
21,141
66, 212
T o ta l, 89 in d u str ie s___ 18,152 2,503,348
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Ju ly
to
Au
gust,
1932
P er cent of
change
Index num hers August,
1932 (average
1926=100)
91
254
1 N o change.
P er cent of
change
633
T obacco m a n u fa c tu r e s .. .
Chewing and smoking to
bacco and snuff . . . . .
Cigars and cigarettes . . .
R ailroad repair s h o p s ______
Electric ra ilro ad .. ______
Steam railroad___________
Earnings
- 4 .9 -2 4 .3
- 2 .1 -11. 1
- 5 .3 -25. 7
1,255,306
- 9 .6
1,941, 319
544, 780
1,396, 539
- 3 . 5 -4 0 .2
- 4 .3 -2 2 .0
- 3 . 2 -4 2 .1
44.8
66. 7
43. 1
33.0
54.6
31.3
+ 1 .4 -2 1 .3 42,392,331
+ .3 -3 9 .2
56.0
36.3
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
940
Per Capita Earnings in Manufacturing Industries
P e r capita weekly earnings in August, 1932, for each of the 89 manu
facturing industries surveyed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics,
together with the per cent of change in August, 1932, as compared
with July, 1932, and August, 1931, 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).
T a b l e 3 .— P E R C A P IT A W E E K L Y E A R N IN G S IN M A N U F A C T U R I N G IN D U S T R IE S IN
A U G U ST, 1932, A N D C O M P A R IS O N W IT H JU L Y , 1932, A N D A U G U S T , 1931
Industry-
Food and kindred products:
Slaughtering an d m eat packing.......................— ...............................
Confectionery------------- -------------------- ---------------------------------Icecream ................................................... - ------------------------ -------F lo u r..........— --------- ------- ---------- -------------------------------------B aking________ ______ - ........................— ------ --------------------Sugar refining, can e____________________________________ ___
B eet sugar........................................- .........— ------ -----------------------Beverages---------- ------- ------------------------------------------------------B u tte r________________ _____ - ------------- ------ ----------------------Textiles an d th e ir products:
C otton goods........ ..........................- ----------------------------------- ------H oisery a n d k n it goods......................................... .................................
Silk goods---------------------------------------------------------■■--------------W oolen an d w orsted g o ods.------------ ------- ------------------- ------ —
C arpets an d ru g s............................................. .......................................
D yeing an d finishing te x tiles------------------------------------ -------—
Clothing, m en ’s________________ ______________ ______ ____
Shirts an d co llars.....................................................................................
Clothing, w om en’s ----------------------- ------ ------------ ------ -----------M illinery................................ - ........................................ .........................
C orsets a n d allied garm ents— ............................................. ..............
C otton sm all w ares________________________ _____ __________
H ats, fur-felt---------------------- ------ ---------------------------------------M en ’s furnishings--------------------------------------------------------------Iro n an d steel a n d th e ir products, n o t including m achinery:
Iro n a n d s te e l— ------- ------------------------ - ------ -------------- -------Cast-iron p ip e_____________________________________________
Structural a n d ornam ental ironw ork................................................
H ardw are.........................................- ....................: ------------ — .............
Steam fittings a n d steam an d hot-w ater heating apparatus-------S to v e s ..............................................................—.................. ..................
Bolts, n u ts, w ashers, a n d riv ets— ------- ------------------------------C utlery (not including silver and p lated cutlery) a n d edge to o ls..
Forgings, iron and steel.........................................................................
Plum bers’ supplies-------------------- ------ ---------------- ------ ----------T in cans and other tin w a re ...................... ................ ..........................
Tools (not including edge tools, m achine tools, files, or saw s)----W ire w o rk ...--------------------------------------------- ----------------------L um ber and allied products:
L u m b erSawmills.................... ........................... ..............................................
M illw ork.............................................................................................
F u rn itu re --------------------------------------- ----------------------------- —T u rp en tin e an d rosin--------- --------------- --------- ------ ---------------L eath er and its m anufactures:
L eath er----------------------------------------------------------------------------Boots an d shoes_________________________________________ _
P a p e r and printing:
P ap er and p u lp ..........................- ............................................................
P a p e r boxes— ................................................- .......................................
P r in tin g Book and jo b ____________ ________ - .....................................—
N ewspapers an d periodicals...........................................................
i N o change.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
P er capita
weekly
earnings in
August,
1932
Per cent of change
compared w ith —
July, 1932 August, 1931
$20. 56
14.05
27.08
21.69
22. 30
26. 26
22.41
26.58
22. 33
- 2 .7
+ 1 .2
- 1 .7
-.5
-.8
-1 .5
- 3 .6
- 2 .8
- .8
-1 8 .6
-1 7 .9
-1 3 .4
-1 4 .1
-1 1 .4
- 7 .2
-1 7 .5
-1 2 .1
- 9 .1
9.86
11.94
13. 60
15.88
13.46
17. 68
13.71
10.39
18. 48
17. 25
12. 53
13. 53
19. 58
10.00
+ 6.1
+6. 3
+10.0
+ 6 .0
- 2 .2
+17.9
+24.4
+ 5 .7
+15.8
+14.3
- 4 .4
(0
+17.9
- 7 .8
-2 6 .7
-2 3 .2
-2 4 .4
-2 3 .9
-3 3 .6
-2 4 .4
-3 0 .4
-2 2 .6
-1 7 .6
-1 9 .6
-2 1 .5
-2 4 .8
-1 7 .0
-3 7 .6
11. 74
12. 55
17.33
12. 05
16. 87
16. 22
13. 34
17. 07
14. 39
16. 88
19. 43
13.71
16. 34
+ 1.6
- 3 .5
+ 1.2
- .7
- .7
+2.1
- 4 .3
- 3 .6
-1 4 .0
+15.6
+ 3.3
-.7
+ 7.7
-4 3 .0
-3 4 .0
-3 0 .2
-3 6 .9
-2 2 .2
-25. 1
-3 5 .6
-1 9 . 1
-3 5 .6
-3 0 .6
-9 .0
-30. 5
-2 5 .7
11.15
14. 62
13. 35
14.20
- 1 .8
- 3 .4
+11.0
+ 1.1
-3 4 .4
-3 0 .3
-3 0 .3
- 9 .9
18. 69
15.16
+ 2 .9
+ 5 .9
-2 0 .9
-2 1 .8
17.41
16.89
+ 1.8
- .2
-2 4 .2
-1 7 .5
26.59
33. 74
-1 .2
- 1 .6
-1 6 .7
-1 2 .3
TREND OF EMPLOYMENT
941
T able 3 .—P E R C A P IT A W E E K L Y E A R N IN G S IN M A N U F A C T U R IN G IN D U S T R IE S IN
A U G U ST , 1932, A N D C O M P A R IS O N W IT H JU L Y , 1932, A N D A U G U ST , 1931-C ontinued
In d u stry
Chem icals and allied products:
C hem icals._______________
Fertilizers____________ .
Petroleum refining____ _______ _
Cottonseed oil, cake, a n d meal ___. . .
D ruggists’ p reparations_____________
Explosives_________________ . . .
P ain ts an d varnishes_______ _______ _
R ayon_______________________ .
S o a p ............... ....... .............. .......................
Stone, clay, and glass products:
C em ent______________________
Brick, tile, and terra co tta___________
P o tte ry ___ ______________ _____
Glass__________________________
M arble, granite, slate, a n d other stone p roducts.........
Nonferrous m etals a n d th eir products:
Stam ped and enam eled w are..................................
Brass, bronze, and copper products___________
A lum inum m anufactures________ ________
Clocks, time-recording devices, a n d clock movem ents
Gas and electric fixtures, lam ps, lanterns, and reflectors
P lated w are____________________ . .
Sm elting an d refining—copper, lead, and z in c ___
Jew elry____ _____________ ____
Tobacco m anufactures:
Chewing an d smoking tobacco and snuff................
Cigars and cigarettes________________ ___ _
T ransportation equipm ent:
A utom obiles..............................................................
A ircraft____________ ________
__
Cars, electric a n d steam railroad___________
L o c o m o tiv e s..______ ___ ._
Shipbuilding____ ________ _____ ________
R ubber products:
R ubber tires and inner tu b e s ........... ....... ...
R ubber boots and shoes_______ _____ _____
R ubber goods, oth er th a n boots, shoes, tires, and inner tu b e s .. .
M achinery, n o t including transportation equipm ent:
A gricultural im p le m e n ts _____________
Electrical m achinery, ap p aratu s, a n d supplies.
Engines, turbines, tractors, and w ater wheels . . .
Cash registers, adding m achines, and calculating machines
F o u n d ry and machine-shop p roducts______
M achine tools__________ ____ _
Textile m achinery and p a rts___________
Typew riters and su p p lies..........................................
R adio________________ __________
R ailroad repair shops:
Electric-railroad repair shops_____________
Steam-railroad repair shops________ ____
P er capita
w eekly
earnings in
August,
1932
$23. 85
13.69
28. 44
12. 78
19.83
18. 49
20. 50
16. 36
22.91
Per cent of change
compared w ith—
July, 1932 August, 1931
4_1 i
15 3
90 9
- 9 .1
4-1 Z
9
“t"I.
+ 1 .8
- 2 2 .6
- 1 0 .6
9fi 9
, on
zz. oz
1Q
iy. 8o
16. 6
4-4 7
_|_3
3
+ 2
6
9Q 4A
Zo.
*31 1
9Q 9
90. O
8
ZU
-2 1 .7
18.32
12.31
13.71
17. 72
22.29
4-1
“t-i. 7/
15. 54
15.62
13. 34
12 84
19.88
17. 55
16.07
17. 35
4-1
T L 7<
- 1 .9
+ 3 .7
+ 2 .1
- 3 .5
- 1 .0
3 1
—l! 5
24 9
-27! 6
-3 4 .1
-2 5 .9
-1 8 .2
.... O
O 4A
Zo.
-2 5 .0
13.62
12.54
+ 1 .7
-1 3 .9
18.15
32. 55
17.64
21.69
21.60
+ .2
99 4
19 Q
.
"TO- I
1JO.
fi 4
A
"r4. y
0 .0
17
1/. 0
U
8 fi
+ 3.3
9
0 O
ZU.
U
19.62
15. 74
16.87
- 9 .8
9C; O
9c 4
4
ZO.
2
-2 1 .7
15. 49
16.98
18. 72
23. 35
15.44
18.15
16.14
14.00
17.45
+ 1 .0
- 6 .2
+ 1 .7
+ 9 .0
25.77
21.09
g
4-1 fi
+12.7
+ 5 .3
fifi
0 .0
-2 9 .8
-. 1
-1 3 .6
-2 7 .6
97
9
Z/. Z
-2 8 .9
9K 9
24.0
-2 .2
+ 2 .2
12 3
—2 2 ! 0
General Index Numbers of Employment and Earnings in Manufacturing
Industries
G eneral index numbers of employment and earnings in manufac
turing industries by months, from January, 1926, to August, 1932,
together with average indexes for each of the years from 1926 to 1931,
and for the 8-month period, January to August, 1932, inclusive, are
shown in Table 3. In computing these general indexes, the index
numbers of each of the separate industries are weighted according to
their relative importance in the total. Preceding this table are two
charts prepared from these general indexes showing the course of
employment and earnings for each of the years 1926 to 1931, inclusive,
and for the months from January to August, 1932.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.
MOMTHLY INDEXES I9Z6-I952.
MONTHLY
AVERAGE:
I9 E 6 -I0 0 .
EMPLOYMENT
105
100
I9Z.7
95
90
85
80
75
70
65
60
55
50
45
4-0
35
JAN.. FEB, MAR, APR;, m V JUNE JULY AUG, SEPT OCT, NOV. DEC,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
TREND OF EMPLOYMENT
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.
MONTHLY INDEXES 1926-1932..
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MO NTHLY AVERAGE
1 9 2 .6 = IOO.
! 05
100
95
90
65
60
75
70
65
60
55
50
45
40
35
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
944
T a b l e 3 .—G E N E R A L IN D E X E S
OF E M P L O Y M E N T A N D E A R N IN G S IN M A N U F A C
T U R IN G IN D U S T R IE S , JA N U A R Y , 1926, TO A U G U ST , 1932
[12-month average, 1926=100]
Earnings
E m ploym ent
M onth
1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1926
J a n u a ry _____________
F e b ru a ry _________ . . .
M arch________________
A p ril________ _______
M a y _________ ______
J u n e _________________
J u ly .
----------A u g u st__________ . . . .
S ep tem b er..
O ctober. _____________
N ovem ber___ ______ _
D e c e m b e r................... .
A verage...............
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
81.0
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
1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932
64.8 98.0 94.9 89.6 95.5 88.1 63.7 48.6
65.6 102.2 100.6 93.9 101.8 91.3 68.1 49.6
64.5 103.4 102.0 95.2 103.9 91.6 69.6 48.2
62.2 101.5 100.8 93.8 104.6 90.7 68.5 44.7
59.7 99.8 99.8 94.1 104.8 88.6 67.7 42.5
57.5 99.7 97.4 94.2 102.8 85.2 63.8 39.3
55.2 95.2 93.0 91.2 98.2 77.0 60.3 36.2
56.0 98.7 95.0 94.2 102.1 75.0 59.7 36.3
99.3 94.1 95.4 102.6 75.4 56.7
102.9 95.2 99.0 102.4 74.0 55.3
99.6 91.6 96.1 95.4 69.6 52.5
..... 99.8 93.2 97.7 92.4 68.8 52.2 —
100.0 96.4 93.8 97.5 84.7 72.2 160.7 100.0
96.5 94.5 100.5 81.3 61.5 143.2
1 Average for 8 m onths.
Time Worked in Manufacturing Industries in August, 1932
R e p o r t s as to working time in August were received from 13,255
establishments in 89 manufacturing industries. Four per cent of
these establishments were idle, 40 per cent operated on a full-time
basis, and 56 per cent worked on a part-time schedule.
An average of 83 per cent of full-time operation in August was
shown by reports received from all the operating establishments
included in Table 4. The establishments working part time in
August averaged 71 per cent of full-time operation.
T a b l e 4 —P R O P O R T IO N O F F U L L T IM E W O R K E D IN M A N U F A C T U R IN G IN D U S T R IE S
B Y E S T A B L IS H M E N T S R E P O R T IN G IN A U G U ST , 1932
Per cent of estab
lishm ents
in
which em ploy
ees w orked—
Establishm ents
reporting
Average per cent of
full tim e reported
by-
In d u stry
Total
num ber
F ood a n d kindred p rod u cts _ ____Slaughtering and m eat packing. ___
Confectionery___ __________________
Ice cream __ _____________________
F lo u r________________ ____ _
Baking . .
. _____________________
Sugar refining, c a n e ... _____________
Beet sugar_______________________ .
Beverages__________________ . . .
B u tte r ......... ................................ ..............
2, 375
167
239
319
390
633
13
49
292
273
T extiles a n d th eir p ro d u cts. _______
C otton goods_______________________
Hosiery and k n it goods_____________
Silk goods. _______________________
Woolen and w orsted goods_________
C arpets and rugs ____ . . __________
D yeing and finishing textiles________
Clothing, m en’s____________________
Shirts and collars__________________
Clothing, wom en’s________ ________
M illinery________________________
Corsets and allied garm ents_________
C otton small w ares_________________
H ats, fur-felt__________________ _ . .
M en ’s furnishings________ __________
2,263
633
361
196
220
26
134
214
68
135
77
19
102
25
53
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
All op
Per cent Full tim e P a rt time erating
establish
idle
m ents
1
l
3
1
23
9
9
6
12
10
15
2
14
15
19
6
2
ÎÏ
E sta b
lishm ents
operating
p a rt tim e
73
72
30
80
69
85
31
90
74
84
26
27
68
20
30
15
46
10
26
16
94
96
81
97
92
97
90
99
95
97
78
87
73
84
74
78
83
88
79
85
47
39
55
64
64
15
42
44
37
53
' 56
47
25
48
28
44
52
40
24
26
69
56
42
49
27
38
53
74
52
60
88
84
90
93
92
73
86
89
90
92
93
87
82
85
80
74
71
76
74
74
67
75
77
82
77
83
74
75
70
71
TEEND OF EMPLOYMENT
945
T a b l e 4 —P R O P O R T IO N OP F U L L T IM E W O R K E D IN M A N U FA C T U R IN G IN D U S T R IE S
B Y E S T A B L IS H M E N T S R E P O R T IN G IN A U G U ST , 1932—C ontinued
Per cent of estab
lishm ents
in
w hich employ
ees w orked—
Establishm ents
reporting
Average per cent of
full tim e reported
by-
In d u stry
Total
num ber
I r o n a n d stee l a n d th e ir p ro d u c ts , n o t
____
I n c lu d in g m a c h in e r y ...
Iron and steel__________________ . . .
Cast-iron pipe________________ ___
Structural and ornam ental iro nw ork.. .
H ardw are_____ . . . __________ ____
Steam fittings and steam and hot-water heating apparatus ___________
Stoves_____________________________
Bolts, nuts, washers, and rivets . . . .
C utlery (not including silver and
plated cutlery) and edge tools______
Forgings, iron and steel_____________
Plum bers’ supplies_________________
T in cans and other tin w are. ______
Tools (not including edge tools, machine tools, files, or saws)__ ______
W irework__________________ ____
All op
E s ta b
Per cent Full tim e P a rt tim e erating lishm ents
idle
establish operating
m ents p a rt tim e
1,030
158
35
130
55
5
11
11
4
2
12
8
9
8
4
83
80
80
88
95
67
57
54
73
64
62
53
49
70
62
85
114
60
6
5
2
11
7
92
84
93
58
69
65
57
65
63
99
34
54
49
2
23
15
13
43
75
85
81
53
72
64
73
87
63
57
69
77
106
51
5
16
16
79
84
68
74
61
69
L u m b e r a n d allied p r o d u c ts _________
Lum ber, saw m ills__________________
Lum ber, m illw ork__________________
F u rn itu re _________________________
T urpentin e and rosin ______________
1, 073
438
285
332
18
7
9
4
6
11
22
14
20
32
28
72
77
76
62
61
74
70
75
79
87
66
64
68
67
80
L e a th e r a n d its m a n u f a c t u r e s . .. . . . _
L e a t h e r . ___ ______ _____________
Boots and shoes.......................... ..............
376
127
249
2
2
1
32
39
29
66
59
69
84
85
83
76
76
76
P a p e r a n d p r i n t i n g __________________
Paper and p u lp ____________________
P aper boxes_____ _____ ____________
Printing, book and jo b ...
________
Printing, newspapers and periodicals..
1, 546
320
256
601
369
1
4
34
28
9
20
81
64
68
91
79
19
83
77
75
81
98
75
68
73
76
89
C h e m ic a ls a n d a llied p r o d u c ts _______
Chemicals_________________ ______ _
Fertilizers_________________________
Petroleum refining_________________
Cottonseed oil, cake, and m e a l.. . . .
D ruggists’ p reparations__ _______ ___
Explosives_____ __________ . . . . __
P ain ts and varnishes_____ __________
R ayon____________________________
Soap____________________________ .
762
79
148
63
42
27
11
307
12
73
2
5
5
5
53
66
61
79
45
37
45
58
56
44
29
34
16
55
63
91
55
25
44
90
95
93
98
80
91
83
87
90
93
79
85
81
88
63
85
83
77
67
85
S to n e , c la y , a n d g la ss p r o d u c ts ______
C em ent___________________________
Brick, tile, and terra cotta___________
P o ttery ____________________________
G lass..________ _______ ____. . .
M arble, granite, slate, and other stone
products------------- ------------------------
767
71
291
93
131
14
10
22
6
12
34
79
19
15
66
53
11
59
78
22
79
97
72
67
93
66
73
63
61
72
181
7
26
67
79
70
N o n fe rro u s m e ta ls a n d th e ir p ro d u c ts .
Stam ped and enameled w are
____
Brass^ bronze, and copper products__
A lum inum m anufactures
Clocks, tim e-recording devices, and
clock m ovem ents______ _______. . .
Gas and electric fixtures, lamps, lanterns, and reflectors.......... ................ .
Plated w are________________ ______
Smelting and refining—copper, lead,
and zinc_________________________
Jew elry...... ............ ....................................
477
80
135
14
2
3
17
11
16
7
81
89
81
93
73
75
73
67
68
72
68
64
T o b a c c o m a n u f a c t u r e s _____ _____ ___
Chewing and smoking tobacco and
snuff........ ................ .................................
Cigars and cigarettes________________
1 Less th a n one-half of 1 per cent.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
6
4
0
«
9
1
17
19
5
16
79
64
56
43
46
2
16
13
81
87
76
72
71
68
19
121
16
2
32
24
53
74
82
73
72
64
199
5
21
74
79
73
31
168
3
5
26
20
71
74
81
79
74
73
946
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
T a b l e 4 —P R O P O R T IO N OF F U L L T IM E W O R K E D IN M A N U F A C T U R IN G IN D U S T R IE S
B Y E S T A B L IS H M E N T S R E P O R T IN G IN A U G U ST , 1932—C ontinued
Per cent of estab
l i s h m e n t s in
w hich em ploy
ees w orked—
Establishm ents
reporting
In d u stry
Total
num ber
275
150
24
25
S
68
120
27
5
T ra n sp o rta tio n e q u ip m e n t__________
A utom obiles,- ---------- -------------------- A ircraft----------Cars, electric and steam railroad.
Shipbuilding_____________________
R ubb er p ro d u cts______ _____— --R.nhher tires and inner t u b e s __- ___
R ubber boots and shoes
R u b b er goods, other th a n boots,
shoes, tires, a n d inner tu b e s-------M ach inery, n o t in c lu d in g tra n sp o rta tio n e q u ip m e n t---------------------------A gricultural im plem ents-----------------Electrical m achinery, apparatus, and
supplies.
--------- ---------------- Engines, turbines, tractors, an d w ater
wheels
-_________ ___
Cash registers, adding m achines, and
_____ _
calculating m achines____
F o u n d ry and machine-shop pro d u cts..
M achine tools------------- -Textile m achinery a n d p a rts _______ T ypew riters and supplies________ _
Radio __________________________
R ailroad repair s h o p s ________________
Electric-railroad repair shops____
Steam-railroad repair shops----- --------T o ta l, 89 in d u str ies____ _______
Average per cent of
full tim e reported
by—
All op
E sta b
Per cent Full tim e P a rt time erating lishm ents
establish operating
idle
m ents p art tim e
5
5
8
4
6
1
27
13
50
20
13
56
28
26
67
82
42
76
88
38
71
74
100
78
70
92
76
79
93
82
81
90
82
73
72
81
66
71
88
1
31
68
1,231
61
3
8
19
31
78
61
175
2
59
14
84
74
70
20
80
75
69
59
79
86
76
67
52
53
34
68
83
70
73
76
74
88
90
94
85
73
63
70
70
61
78
80
83
79
56
83
71
34
727
114
29
9
23
761
343
418
6
3
4
3
2
35
18
10
21
33
48
46
66
30
13, 255
4
40
1
70
66
83
70
76
82
75
74
90
E m p lo y m e n t in N o n m a n u f a c t u r in g I n d u s tr ie s in A u g u s t, 1932
N THE following table are presented employment and pay-roll
data for 14 groups of nonmanufacturing industries, the totals of
which also appear in the summary table of employment and earnings.
I
T a b l e 1 —C O M P A R IS O N OF E M P L O Y M E N T A N D E A R N IN G S IN N O N M A N U F A C T U R
IN G E S T A B L IS H M E N T S IN JU L Y A N D A U G U ST , 1932, A N D A U G U ST, 1931
Industrial group
E m ploym ent
E sta b
lish
m ents
Per cent of
report
change
ing in N um ber
both
A u
on
July pay roll, Ju ly gust,
and A ugust, to A u 1931,
A u
gust, to A u
1932
1932 gust,
gust,
1932
1932
160
A nthracite m ining_____ ____
B itum inous coal m in in g___
1,145
256
M etalliferous m in ing _______
Q uarrying and nonmetallic
m ining. _________ ________
628
C rude petroleum producing___
273
Telephone and telegraph _ .
8,049
Power and l i g h t . . ___________ 3, 494
Electric-railroad an d motorbus operation a n d mainte501
nance____ ___ . .
Wholesale tra d e _______ . ------ 2,688
R etail tra d e _______ . . ______ 14, 057
H o te ls ____
_ __________ 2, 580
913
C anning and preserving______
1,006
L au n d ries.- _ _ _
D yeing and cleaning______ - _
398
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
P ay roll totals
Per cent of
change
AinuUul
A u
of pay roll
(1 week)
July gust,
A ugust, to A u 1931, E m P a y
gust, to A u ploy roll
1932
1932 gust, m ent totals
1932
67, 212 +10. 5 -2 6 .9 $1, 644, 300 +19.8 -2 6 .6
151, 795 + 1.3 -2 2 .9 1, 799,415 + 8 .0 -4 7 .8
18, 310 - 3 .1 -4 8 .7
328, 982 - 2 . 5 -5 9 .0
23,853
21, 793
274,060
219, 521
+ 3 .4 -2 5 .8
+ 3 .6 - 8 .0
-1 .2 -9 . 1
- 1 . 0 -1 5 .0
136,103 - 2 . 0 -1 2 . 6
70, 494 - 0 .2 -1 1 .7
311,404 - 2 .7 -1 1 .2
138, 361 - 1. 1 -1 6 . 4
72, 270 +35.6 -3 0 .7
60, 232 -1 . 7 -1 2 .5
12,159 - 3 .5 -1 5 .0
Index numbers (average
1929= 100)
49.2
59.4
28.6
41.4
26.4
16.5
-4 6 .1
-2 3 .8
-1 4 .3
-2 0 .3
51. 1
57.4
78. 1
81.5
29.7
42.9
79.1
76.7
3, 671,093 - 3 .9 -2 3 .3
1, 903, 709 - 2 .3 -2 3 .0
6,320,404 - 4 . 0 -2 4 .4
1, 862, 502 - 3 . 5 -2 8 .9
844, 059 +38.0 -3 7 .3
949, 574 - 3 .6 -2 4 .5
219, 200 - 6 .2 -2 9 .6
74.1
76.4
72.6
77. 6
99.0
78.9
79.5
62.8
63.2
60.7
59.6
65.6
63.9
56.3
374, 357
611, 769
7,427,487
6, 471,438
+ 2 .3
- 3 .7
- 0 .7
-2 .5
TREND OF EMPLOYMENT
947
Indexes of Employment and Earnings for Nonmanufacturing Industries
numbers of employment and earnings for 14 nonmanufac
turing industries are presented in the following table. These index
numbers show the variation in employment and earnings in these
groups, by months, from January, 1929, to August, 1932, with the
exception of the laundries and the dyeing and cleaning groups, for
which information over the entire period is not available. The bureau
recently secured data concerning employment and earnings for the
index base year 1929 from establishments in the laundries and the
dyeing and cleaning groups, and has computed index numbers for
these two groups, which now appear in this tabulation. The monthly
collection of trend-of-employment statistics in these two groups did
not begin until the latter months of 1930 and, therefore, indexes for
each month of the entire period are not available.
I ndex
T a b l e 2 .—IN D E X E S OF E M P L O Y M E N T A N D E A R N IN G S F O R NON M A N U F A C T U R IN G
IN D U S T R IE S , JA N U A R Y TO D E C E M B E R , 1929, 1930, A N D 1931, A N D JA N U A R Y TO
A U G U ST, 1932
[12-month average, 1929= 100]
A nthracite mining
M onth
Em ploym ent
B itum inous coal mining
Earnings
E m ploym ent
Earnings
1929 1930 1931 1932 1929 1930 1931 1932 1929 1930 1931 1932 1929 1930 1931 1932
Jan u a ry ________
F e b ru a ry _____
M a r c h ...............
A pril___________
M a y ___________
J u n e ______ ____
Ju ly -----------------A u g u st............. .
Septem ber______
O ctober________
N ovem ber______
D ecem ber______
105.7102.1
106.0 106.9
98.0 82.6
100. 7 84.1
103.7 93.8
92.9 90. 8
83.2 91.6
91. 1 80. 2
101.9 93.8
106. 1 99. C
104.0 97.2
107.1 99.1
90.6 76.2 100.7 105.8 89.3 61.5 106.4 102.5
89.5 71.2 122.1 121.5 101.9 57.1 107.7 102.4
82.0 73.7 90.8 78.5 71.3 61.2 106.8 98.6
85.2 70.1 88.3 75. ( 75.2 72.0 100.2 94.4
80.3 66.9 99.0 98.8 76. i 58.0 96.6 90.4
76. 1 53.0 80.7 94.1 66.7 37.4 94. 7 88.4
65. 1 44. 5 64.7 84. C 53.7 34.5 94. 1 88.0
67.3 49.2 78.4 78.8 56.4 41.4 95.7 89.2
80.0
103.8 91.6 64.9
97.2 90.5
86.8
133. £ 117.2 91.1
98.8 91.8
83.5
100.5 98.0 79.5
101.0 92.5
79.8 —
137.2 100.0 78.4 —
101.4 92.5
93.9
91.5
88.8
85.9
82.4
78.4
76.4
77.0
80.4
81.3
81.1
81.2
80.8 106.1
77.4 116.6
75.2 108.6
65.5 89.2
62.6 91.9
60. 5 90.0
58.6 85.6
59.4 92.8
98.6
106.8
106.0
108.2
101.4
102. 1
86.4
81.7
77. 5
75.6
68.9
71. 1
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
47.0
46.8
33.9
30.7
27.3
24.4
26.4
Average___ 100.0 93.4 80.5 ‘ 63.1 100.0 95.3 75.4 ‘ 52.9 100.0 93.4 83.2 ‘67.5 100.0 81.3 57.5 ‘ 35.4
M etalliferous mining
Jan u a ry ............... .
F ebruary ___ . . .
M arch _______
A pril_______ _
M a y ........ ....... ..
J u n e ___________
J u ly -----------------A ugust_________
Septem ber............
O ctober................
N ovem ber______
December______
93.1
94.6
97.0
100.6
100.8
103.8
101.5
103.2
102.1
101.9
103.0
98.5
95.7
92.3
90.9
89.3
87.5
84.6
80.5
79.0
78.1
77.2
72.8
70.1
68.3 49.3
65.3 46.9
63.5 45.0
63.9 43.3
62.4 38.3
60.0 32.2
56.2 29.5
55.8 28.6
55.5
53.8
52.8
51.2 —
88.0
91.8
99.1
104.6
104.6
105.6
99.0
100.1
102.0
103.1
102.2
99.7
92.7
92.5
90.8
88.3
85.6
81.6
71.9
71.0
69.9
68.6
63.4
59.9
Q uarrying and nonm etallic m ining
55.0 29.7 91.6
54.6 27.8 91.9
52.8 26.5 96.0
51.4 25.0 99.6
49.3 23.8 104. 1
46. 1 20.1 106. 6
41.3 16.9 104.7
40.2 16.5 106.7
40.0
106.6
37.4
103.6
35.1
98.6
34.3 —
90.1
79.6
79.8
83.0
87.4
90.8
90.3
89.9
89.3
87.7
84.7
78.3
70. 2
64.4 48.9
66.6 47.4
70.0 46.0
76.1 48.6
75.0 50.6
72.3 49.5
71.0 49.5
68.9 51.1
66.6
64.5
59.3
53.9 —
85.9
88.9
95.0
100.5
107.1
110.5
104.7
110.3
109.8
105.8
96.0
85.4
71.9
73.5
80.0
85. 4
90. 2
90.9
85.5
85.8
82. 5
79. 3
66. 8
59.9
50.4 30.2
54.4 29.6
58. 2 28.7
62. 6 30.0
62. 3 32. 3
60.1 30.0
57. 3 29.1
55.1 29. 7
51. 2
48. 7
43.3
36.9 —
Average___ 100.0 83.2 59.1 ‘ 39.1 100.0 78.0 44.8 ‘23.3 100.0 84.3 67.4 ‘49.0 100.0 79.3 53.4 ‘ 30.0
C rude petroleum producing
Jan u ary .................
F e b ru a ry ..........
M arch .................
A pril____ ____ _
M a y ___________
J u n e ............. .........
J u ly ----------- -----A ugust____ ____
S e p te m b e r..........
O ctober________
N ovem ber______
December____
90.0
90.4
89.6
97.6
93.
104.1
106.0
113.2
108.
107.9
92.7 74.
90. 73.2
89.3 72.2
86.8 69.8
89.8 67.8
90.2 65.0
89.9 65.3
87.7 62.4
85.0 61.2
85.2 60.4
101.1 83.6 57.6
97.0 77.4 58.2
54.9
54.
51.4
54.9
54.5
54.2
55.4
57.4
93.1
99.0
97.4
96.7
92.4
99.4
100.7
104.7
110.7
94.0 71.5
88.6 70.0
91.3 73.2
86
66.3
85.4 64.7
87.1 62.7
88.5 59.2
86.0 56.3
84.0 55.2
100.1 82.
54.4
103.8 80.0 52.0
102.1 77.2 54.9
Telephone and telegraph
46.5 94.3 101.6
46. 95.3 100.2
43.2 96.5 99.4
44. 5 97.8 98.9
47.1 100.4 99.7
44.8 101.5 99.8
44.6 102.6 100.0
42.9 103.7 98.
102.5 96.8
101. 94.5
101.9 93.0
101. 91.
90.5 83.0
89.2 82.0
88.6 81.7
88. 1 81.2
87.4 80.6
86.9 79.9
86.6 79.1
85. 78.1
85.0
84.1
83.5
83.1
105.1
101. 9
105.8
103.4
103.2
103.4
106.
102.5
102.2
100.9
97.9
101.3
Average___ 100.0 87.4 65.7 ‘ 54,i 100.0 85. ! 61.7 ‘45.1 100.0 97.9 86.6 ‘ 80.7 100.0 102.'
Average for 8 m onths.
140152°—3 2
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
-14
96.3
94.8
97
95.0
94.1
95.0
93.3
92.3
92.1
91.6
89.7
92.7
89.1
89.6
88.2
83.4
82.8
82.1
79.6
79.1
93.7 ‘84.2
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
948
T a b l e 2 —IN D E X E S O F E M P L O Y M E N T A N D E A R N IN G S F O R N O N M A N U F A C T U R IN G
IN D U S T R IE S , JA N U A R Y TO D E C E M B E R , 1929, 1930, A N D 1931, A N D JA N U A R Y TO
A U G U ST , 1932—C ontinued
Electric-railroad and motor-bus operation
and m aintenance 2
Power and light
M onth
Earnings
E m ploym ent
Earnings
E m ploym ent
1929 1930 1931 1932 1929 1930 1931 1932 1929 1930 1931 1932 1929 1930 1931 1932
J an u ary________
February _____
M arch ____
A p r il______
M a y _______ ___
j un e______ ___ ________
Ju ly
A u g u s t,_______
S ep tem b er.. . . .
October
_ . .
N ovem ber____
'Pecember
92.9 99.6
92.6 98.8
92.8 99.7
95.9 100.7
98.4 103.4
100.7 104.6
103.2 105. 9
105.4 106.4
105.5 105. 2
105.7 104.8
104.7 103.4
102. 5 103.2
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
91.7 99.7 98.6
91.8 100.4 99.7
94.5 102.1 102.4
95.5 102.6 97.6
98.1 104.5 98.7
100.4 107.8 98.3
102.3 106.7 97.4
103.8 106.6 96.2
106.6 106.1 94.3
106.0 105.6 93.2
104.1 103.7 93.3
105.8 106.3 91.2
88.4
86.0
85.4
82.4
84.2
80.5
78.7
76.7
__
__
__
99.7
99.1
97.0
98.5
100.4
101. 2
102.2
102. 2
101.4
100. 5
99.4
98.3
97.1
95.1
94.4
95.2
95.2
94.8
95.3
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
84.0
82.7
81.5
79.9
79.5
78.9
77.6
78.0
76.9
76.5
75.6
74.1
__
__
__
98.7
97.6
98.0
99. 5
101. 0
101.7
101.9
102. 0
101.5
100. 0
98.4
99.8
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
74.3
73.6
72.4
70.7
71.2
69.2
65.3
62.8
__
__
____
Average___ 100.0 103.0 95.6 184.7 100.0 104.3 96.7 182.8 100.0 93.4 84.7 177.1 100.0 93.5 83.4 169.9
R etail trade
Wholesale trade
Jan u a ry ________
February ___ . .
M arch _________
April ____
M ay _________
Ju n e _________
July _________
August . ______
Septem ber____ .
October
N ovem ber______
D ecem ber.............
Average—
97.7 100.0
96.9 98.5
97.3 97.7
97.9 97.3
99.0 96.8
99.2 96.5
100.4 96.0
101.3 95.0
101.9 94.8
102.9 94.2
102.9 92.6
102.6 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
—
96.7 100.0
96.4 98.3
98.5 99.7
97.8 97.9
99.0 97.4
98.6 98.6
100.5 96. C
100.0 93.6
103.3 93.6
102.7 92. t
101.9 91.0
104.7 91.3
87.5 74.1 99.2
88.4 72.5 94.6
89. 1 71. a 96.2
85.2 68.9 95.5
84.7 69.7 .97.3
84. 1 66.2 97.4
83. i 64.7 93.6
82. 1 63.2 93.6
81.4 __ 97.6
79. t
101.7
79.7
106.7
126.2
77.8 —
99.0 99.7
94. 5 96.0
96.1 95.5
96.0 97.5
97.1 97.3
98.6 96.8
95.9 91.7
95.2 87.6
99.2 92.4
102.6 95. 1
105.2 96.8
120.6 107.7
89.4 78.0
86.7 73.7
87.5 73 4
88.3 72.7
88.0 71.1
87.6 68.2
83.3 63.3
80.3 60.7
83.5 __
84.6
85.4 __
94. 1 —
100.0 96.0 86.6 178.7 100.0 95.9 83.6 ‘ 68.8 100.0 95.9 89.4 179.4 100.0 96.2 86.6 i 70.1
C anning and preserving
Hotels
Ja n u a ry ......... .......
F e b ru a ry ----------M arch _________
A pril___________
M a y .....................
Ju n e ----------------Ju ly ____________
A ugust-------------Septem ber--------O ctober________
N ovem ber--------D ecem ber______
98.9 90.0 84.3
94.4 87.1 80.5
93.9 87.8 81.4
97. a 90. 1 81.6
96.7 89.9 80.9
93.9 89. 1 79.4
89.0 83.9 74.6
85.6 81.8 72.6
92.0 86.6 __
95.5 89.8
98.4 90.9 __
115. 1 106.2 —
97.1 100.4
99.8 102.4
100.9 102.4
99.7 100.1
98.1 98.0
99.3 98.0
101.1 101.3
102.6 101.5
102.8 100.1
100.6 97.5
100.0 95.2
97.7 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
—
98.5 100.3
102.0 103.8
103.4 104.4
100.6 100. 3
98.9 98.4
98.7 98. 1
99. 8 99.8
99.4 98.6
100.2 97.1
100.2 95.5
99.8 93.6
98.9 91.5
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
73.9
72.4
69.6
67.0
63.8
61.8
59.6
______
______
______
—
50.8 46.1
48.9 45.7
49. 4 49.7
90.6 74.8
62.0 65.7
76.6 83.0
126.8 126.3
184.8 185.7
210.1 246.6
143.3 164.7
95.1 96.7
61.3 61.6
48.9
48.3
53.0
59.6
56.0
70.6
102.2
142.9
180.1
108.1
60.8
40.7
35.0 57.3 50.3 46.1
37.1 59.2 51.5 48.6
36.3 54.9 50.8 50.3
47.0 98.9 72.6 57.1
40. 5 71.2 66.9 56.0
55.5 71.9 81.5 58.6
73.0 109.2 112.7 74.2
99.0 180.1 172.0 104.7
207.9 214.8 129.4
134.5 140.0 77.6
91.6 82.9 48.1
63.4 57.4 36.9
—
31.8
32.7
31.9
37.9
36.0
40.5
47.5
65. G
______
........
Average___ 100.0 99.2 91.7 181.0 100.0 98.5 85.4 167.8 100.0 103.9 80.9 >52.9 100.0 96.1 65.6 140. 5
D yeing and cleaning
Laundries
Jan u a ry —
F e b ru a ry ..
M arch ----A pril_____
M a y ........ .
J u n e -------Ju ly ______
A ugust___
September
October—
N ovem ber.
DecemberAverage— 100.0
90.5
90.0
9.5
90.5
90.3
91.0
91.8
90.2
89.3
84.7
82.9
82.0
82.0
81.4
81.0
80.3
78.9
88.1
86.2
85.3
9.4 181.7 100.0
.....
82.1
80. 5
80.6
83.3
84.5
85.1
82.4
79.5
86.6 76.4
85.6 73.3
85.6 71.6
86.8 71.4
86.5 70.6
87.1 68.6
87.4 66.3
84.6 63.
84.1
81.8
78.9
77.4
88.9
87. 4
88. 0
95. 7
96. 7
99. 0
98. 6
93. 5
95.3
94. 2
90.1
84.9
84.4 ‘ 70. 3 100.0
92.7 !82.3 100.0 — -
77.7
75.1
75.6
86.3
86.6
89.1
86.2
80.0
82.6
81.4
74.7
67.9
65.8
62.2
61.7
65.9
67.3
65.8
60.0
56.3
80.3 163.1
1 Average for 8 m onths.
J
,
.
.
,
.,
,
2 N o t including electric-railroad car building and repairing; see transportation equipm ent and railroad
repair-shop groups, m anufacturing industries, Table 1.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
TREND OF EMPLOYMENT
949
T ren d o f E m p lo y m e n t in A u g u s t, 1932, b y S ta te s
N THE following table are shown the fluctuations in employment
and earnings in August, as compared with July, 1932, in certain
industrial groups by States. These tabulations have been prepared
from data secured directly from reporting establishments and from
information supplied by cooperating State agencies. The combined
total of all groups does not include building construction data, infor
mation concerning which is published elsewhere in a separate tabula
tion by city and State totals. In addition to the combined total of all
groups, the trend of employment and earnings in the manufacturing,
public-utility, hotel, wholesale-trade, retail-trade, bituminous-coal
mining, crude petroleum producing, quarrying and nonmetallic min
ing, metalliferous mining, laundries, and dyeing and cleaning groups
is presented. In publishing data concerning public utilities, the
totals of the telephone and telegraph, power and light, and electricrailroad operation groups have been combined and are presented as
one group in this State compilation. 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 earnings in July
and August as reported by identical establishments in this industry
are included, however, in the combined total of “All groups.”
The per cents of change shown in the accompanying tables, unless
otherwise noted, are unweighted per cents 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 the summary
table are the fluctuations in this industry by State total.
Where 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
have been included in the State totals for “All groups.” Data are
not presented for any industrial group where the representation in the
State covers less than three establishments.
I
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
950
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
C O M P A R IS O N O F E M P L O Y M E N T A N D E A R N IN G S IN I D E N T I C A L E S T A B L IS H M E N T S
IN JU L Y A N D A U G U ST , 1932, B Y ST A T E S
[Figures in italics are not compiled b y th e Bureau of Labor Statistics, b u t are taken from reports issued
b y cooperating State organizations]
M anufacturing
T otal—all groups
S tate
A la b a m a _____
A rkansas______
A rizona_______
C a lifo rn ia _____
Colorado______
C onnecticut___
D elaw are----- -D istrict of Colu m b ia .............
F lorida________
G eorgia------------
N u m N um ber
N u m N um ber
A m ount
A m ount
ber of on pay
Per of pay roll Per
Per of pay roll Per ber of on pay
estab
roll, cent of (1 week), cent of estab
roll, cent of (1 week), cent of
lish
August, change A ugust, change lish August, change August, change
m ents
1932
1932
m ents
1932
1932
497
45, 921
+ 1.1
$472,154
+ 3 .9
202
31, 666
+ 2.3
$318, 745
452
IS , 620
+ .5
199, 359
+ .3
183
8 ,8 2 9
+ 2 .8
1 1 0 ,6 6 1
362
7, 805
- 3 .5
157,153
- 7 .9
62
2, 003
-4 .8
41,376
1 ,3 7 9
2 2 5 ,8 9 7
+ 9 .6
5 ,2 6 8 ,5 5 0
+ 8 .1
1 ,1 0 2
3 ,1 7 3 ,4 3 3
745
27,004
-5 .6
545, 266
- 5 .9
119
144,022 + 1 5 . 7
1,080
129
116, 729
8,067
- 2 .7
- 7 .0
2,072,350
158,166
- 2 .4
-.9
585
511
638
28,061
20,877
63,210
- 2 .2
-.9
+ 4.1
682,300
340,351
770, 797
- 2 .9
-5 .6
+3.1
Id a h o ------------201
11 ,5 0 0
Illinois________
In d ia n a _______
1,219
Iow a_______
1,111
K ansas________ 2271,213
14.0
- 1 .8
191,033
- 7 .3
665
51
97,531
5,508
-2 .6
- 2 .4
1,576, 626
106,980
- 1 .3
+ 4 .0
55
132
305
3,812
13, 397
49,868
-1 .2
-.4
+ 4 .2
129,218
178,387
502, 747
- 3 .1
- 6 .3
+ 5 .6
7,870
+ 3 .9
148,489
+ 4 .0
41
4,450
+ 6.9
81,011
+ 9.0
+ 1 .3
5 ,3 8 9 ,0 2 8
+ 2 .9
1 ,0 0 2
163 ,466
+ 2 .3
2 , 864,2 7 5
1,802,546
779, 788
824,398
-.4
- 1 .9
- 2 .1
585
465
383
75,003
22, 546
21, 951
- 1 .9
+ .1
- 1 .1
+ 7 .1
+ .2
-.8
-.7
1,252,434
402,891
463, 610
- .9
- 2 .2
- 1 .4
830, 277 + 2 .2
431, 642
609,307 +11.2
218
222
188
19,854
-.9
17,496 - 3 .4
28, 209 +11.3
4 4 ,8 4 2 3 + . 9
308,586
238,044
441, 770
6 9 ,9 9 9
3 2 1 ,2 0 1
M ichigan______
M innesota_____
M ississippi . _
M issouri______
M o n tan a______
1, 551
975
398
1,123
297
N eb rask a______
N ev ad a----------N ew H am pshire
N ew Jersey.........
N ew M exico___
670
136
457
1,469
177
N ew Y o rk _____
N o rth CarolinaN o rth D a k o ta ...
O hio__________
O klahom a...........
Oregon________
Pennsylvania__
R hode Isla n d __
South C arolina..
South D a k o ta ...
W ashington____
W est V irginia.. .
W isconsin_____
W yom ing______
- 7 .0
9,833
104,202
41, 715
40, 521
i 841
7 ,9 0 0
Tennessee_____
Texas...... ..........
U ta h ... ______
V erm ont______
Virginia........... .
+ 4 .5
+
2 6 2 ,9 1 2
K en tu ck y -------Louisiana____
M ain e_____ _
M ary lan d_____
M assach u setts.-
818
502
569
+ 6.1
+ .3
56,116
28,647 - 1 .3
36, 581 +10.8
- .1
+ S .5
- 1 .6
+ 1 .9
448
1 ,0 7 8
1 4 4 ,5 0 4
+ 1 2 .3
7 4 9 ,0 1 6
2 ,5 0 2 ,5 2 2
+ 1 3 .7
261,877 - 7 . 4
60,191 - 1 . 4
+ .4
9,104
98, 498
-.1
6,341 +11.9
5,123,431 -1 6 .9
1, 254. 737 - 2 .8
111, 094 + 1 .2
2,001,076 - 1 .5
143,814 + 3 .9
403
198, 294
- 8 .7
3 ,7 9 1 ,9 5 9
- 2 0 .6
288
78
524
51
29,098
5,153
55, 585
1,937
-4 .6
+2.1
+ .8
+ 4.4
580, 087
50,254
1, 027, 227
42, 211
-4 .0
+ 5.8
+ .6
+ .6
20, 770
1, 454
32, 441
169, 635
4,475
-1 .5
- 6 .3
+ 8 .2
-1 .5
+ .5
453, 705 - 2 .0
40, 533 - 2 .8
523, 796 +10.0
3, 646, 607 - 2 .8
75,034 + 2 .9
131
23
186
10, 268
287
27,864
- 1 .4
(<)
+ 8 .7
217,848
8,477
425, 540
- 2 .5
+ 2.1
+10.9
6707
25
1 5 5 ,0 7 4
3,455
854
262
4, 718
700
448, 606
97, 674
3, 672
335,816
24, 541
- . 1 «1 ,6 2 3
+• 6 10, 510, 540
+5. 6 1,053, 035 +13.1
532
-.1
82, 086 - 2 .0
59
- 2 .6 6,017,891 - 5 .6 1, 967
+ .4
515,806 - 1 .3
128
2 8 5 ,8 6 8
580
4,104
916
322
156
25, 748
548,488
47, 040
39,096
5,379
- 4 .7
+ 2 .0
+ 9 .4
+ 7 .8
+ 1 .6
727
55,894
+ 7 .2
753
5 1 ,4 6 1
- .1
1 ,1 8 0 ,0 1 4
12, 008
8, 590
71,223
-7 .7
-.2
+• 2
215, 551
163,075
1,100,542
331
361
1,237
1 ,3 0 4 ,5 3 5
6 ,8 0 0 ,1 1 9
+ .4
+13.9
(3, ‘)
498, 725
9,383,940
838,105
364,128
123,961
- 2 .4
+ 4 .0
+ 5 .3
+ 8 .7
+ .4
731, 623
+4- 0
977, 568
30,026
4,114,196
177,192
+14.2
+ .5
-7 .4
- 2 .2
+ 1. 1
234,468
573,433
310, 225
35, 625
+ 9 .6
+11.4
- 2 .4
+ 8 .9
273
40,040 +10.7
490, 729
+15.0
- 1 .1
343
2 5 ,4 3 4
4 9 8 ,7 4 6
- 3 .1
-5 .0
- 1 .5
+ .2
86
117
431
3, 353
4,198
46,964
+ .2
-.9
- 1 .5
260
189
3807
28
- 1 .2
- 1 .2
942,530
1,085,928
- .5
1 ,9 5 3 ,0 8 9
+ 3 .3
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
6 ,2 4 8 ,8 0 1
4. I
4 ,3 7 4 ,1 5 0
- 1 .8
1Includes building and contracting.
2 State bureau figures no t received,
s W eighted per cent of change.
* No change.
+ 3 .4
+ 5.9
+5.1
- 3 .4
+ .1
-
-1 3 .6
-.8
46,279
72,407
134,058 +11.9
13, 607
3 0 4 ,9 6 5
6,314
+ 1 .7
1 2 0 ,5 9 6
5, 654
159
1 ,7 2 8
3 ,2 2 2 , 666
+ .4
35, 664 +13.5
35, 770 + 9.3
2,006 + 3 .5
1,178
723
+ 2 .7
92,972
1, 268
242, 976
8,765
- 2 .4
271
175
47
1 1 ,0 7 2
183
466
+ .1
67,857
78, 200
695,212
+4- 0
+ .1
-. 1
- .3
21,629
27, 423
- 1 .3
- 3 .4
396,135
432,062
+ .3
- 5 .0
9 2 ,5 7 7
- 1 .5
1 ,3 5 4 ,0 0 9
+ 5 .5
1, 345
+ 1 .7
40, 736
+ 4 .9
s Includes laundries.
6 Includes laundering and cleaning.
? Does not include hotels.
TREND OF EMPLOYMENT
951
C O M P A R IS O N O F E M P L O Y M E N T A N D E A R N IN G S IN ID E N T IC A L E S T A B L IS H M E N T S
IN JU L Y A N D A U G U ST , 1932, B Y S T A T E S —Continued
State
A labam a________
A rkansas________
A rizona_________
California_______
Colorado________
C onnecticut_____
D e la w a re ..............
D i s t r i c t of Colu m b ia ________
Florida__________
Georgia...................
Id a h o ___________
Illinois................
In d ia n a -............. .
Iow a____________
K ansas....................
Wholesale trade
R etail trade
N u m N um ber
A m ount of
ber of on pay
Per
Per
pay roll
estab
roll
cent of (1 week) cent of
lish August, change August, change
ments
1932
1932
N u m N um ber
A m ount of
ber of on pay
Per
p a y roll
Per
estab
roll
cent of (1 week) cent of
lish August, change August, change
m ents
1932
1932
15
547
17
464
21
165
- 1 .1
$14, 073
- 2 .6
64
1,594
- 1 .6
$24,321
- 2 .3
1 3 ,1 4 3
- 2 .2
159
1 ,5 3 9
- .9
2 7 ,5 7 9
- 6 .2
- 5 .1
172
- .9
4, 447
1,352
23,469
134, 738
- 2 .1
94
2 2 ,9 9 7
-.4
+ /. 4- 2 .9
4 6 2 ,4 8 5
- 4 .6
28
715
- 2 .3
20,864
- 7 .8
278
3,949
84, 730
- 1 .0
+ .7
- 6 .4
58
9
1,221
166
- 1 .2
W
34,187
4,845
- 2 .3
+ 2 .5
128
12
4,887 -1 0 .0
159 - 7 . 0
103, 602
2,368
-7 0
-1 5 .5
29
50
30
396
742
372
+ .3
-.3
- 3 .4
12, 885
18, 636
10,353
- .6
- 1 .4
- 3 .3
405
81
33
9, 590
901
1,905
- 2 .4
- 2 .7
- 4 .1
204, 762
17,308
31, 205
-4 7
- 7 .0
+ .3
66
644
- 2 .1
11,832
-.6
1 6 ,0 0 4
- .8
3 8 1 ,5 7 5
188
125
214
5, 587
3, 045
3,991
- 2 .2
+ 1 .4
- 1 .2
100,314
53, 589
69,858
+ 1 .1
- 1 .7
+ 5 .1
- 1 .0
+• 7
- 2 .8
- 3 .5
- 1 .8
59
32,134
26,437
32,701
21, 715
40,869
20,000
68
- .1
4 ,5 3 3
114
+ 2 .7
3,348
15
869
1,262
1,012
1,717
+ * .i
(*)
2 1 ,1 2 9
64
34
55
7
- 3 .9
-2 6
-5 .8
K entucky_______
Louisiana.............
M aine......................
M aryland_______
M assachusetts___
21
23
17
476
578
490
-.6
- 3 .8
-.2
9, 675
12, 673
11,404
- .3
- 1 .2
+ 2.1
30
53
69
1,403
2,803
1, 079
- 9 .2
+ .6
- 1 .4
35
674
791
1 4 ,1 0 4
- 1 .7
- 1.2
17, 648
3 8 2 ,0 6 6
- 2 .5
- 2 .4
35
4 ,0 8 2
4 ,6 6 5
64,362
- 2 .9
- 3 .3
M ichigan-----------M innesota---------Mississippi______
M issouri________
M ontana.............
70
64
5
57
12
1,884
3,934
115
4,956
215
+ .4
- .7
- 1 .7
- .5
-.5
54, 287
109, 424
2,339
123, 436
6,303
- 2 .1
- 2 .0
- 1 .6
- 1 .4
- 1 .6
245
284
60
134
56
10,043
6,487
427
5, 343
760
- 6 .2
-.2
- 4 .9
-. 1
-.5
212,398
119, 971
4,975
110, 755
16, 613
- 5 .6
- 3 .1
-1 1 . 7
- 2 .1
- 1 .3
N ebraska________
N evada_________
New H a m p sh ire ..
N ew Jersey______
N ew Mexico_____
31
8
15
28
5
914
94
162
593
72
- 1 .1
- 6 .0
(‘)
+ .5
+ 1 .4
25,162
3, 575
4, 344
18, 502
2,411
- 2 .3
- 4 .4
-.2
-. 1
- 4 .9
162
31
60
429
48
1,559
257
584
6,984
277
- 4 .1
- 2 .7
+ 2.1
- 1 .2
- 3 .1
29, 869
7,086
10,281
152,312
5,804
- 6 .9
- 5 .5
- 1 .9
- 2 .6
- 3 .2
New Y ork _______
N orth C arolina__
N orth D akota___
Ohio........ ...............
Oklahom a...............
182
18
16
230
49
5,464
257
221
4,849
739
+ .5
- .8
- .5
- 1 .3
+ 2 .4
174,638
6, 258
6,444
126,954
19,611
- 1 .5
+ .8
- 4 .7
- 3 .6
+ .3
515
175
40
1,530
108
41, 216 - 2 .4
555 + 1.1
358 -1 1 .4
28,306 - 2 .8
1,512 - 2 .1
917, 696
10,921
5, 719
541,349
27, 702
- 4 .0
+ .5
-1 6 .4
- 4 .9
- 6 .1
Oregon................. ...
Pennsylvania........
Rhode Islan d ____
South Carolina__
South D ak o ta........
54
134
41
18
10
1,280
3, 502
982
268
129
- 3 .0
35, 775
95,069
24,611
6,004
3,798
- 2 .5
- 1 .7
- 2 .6
-.6
- 2 .1
92
340
514
15
14
1,694 - 1 .0
22,825 - 7 .5
4, 769 - 1 .6
372 - 3 .9
223 -1 0 .4
34,672
451,834
102,263
3,733
3,251
- 6 .2
- 7 .7
-3 . 7
- 1 .5
- 4 .4
Tennessee_______
Texas___________
U ta h ............. ...........
V erm ont________
Virginia................. .
W ashington.........
W est Virginia____
W isconsin.............
W yom ing...............
-
1. 1
- 3 .0
+ 6 .8
+ .8
34
592
- .7
12, 221
- 4 .3
137
2 ,7 0 6
- 3 .5
7 4 ,7 2 0
- 2 .7
16
5
43
494 - 1 .6
122
+. 8
1, 218 +49.3
95
35
2,196
550
41
1 ,7 2 5
8
4 No change.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
57
- 1 .1
-5 .8
4-1.2
(*)
7 8 ,3 4 1
1 ,1 3 2 ,2 4 1
- 6 .8
- 1 .6
-. 1
- 7 .3
- 3 .9
55
2,971
- 5 .2
49, 687
85
6 ,3 3 8
- 3 .7
1 1 6 ,5 1 9
12,191 - 1 . 7
3, 015 - 1 .4
24,702 +15.4
81
45
474
528
471
4,370
- 4 .2
- 4 .5
- 3 .1
13,314
8, 571
79,406
61, 575
15, 568
465
48
5,884
884
-2 .7
- 9 .7
114,047
15,971
6,824
- 3 .6
- 6 .1
51
- 3 .8
1 0 9 ,3 9 0
42
224
- 2 .6
- 4 .7
5,819
- 1 .4
3 8 ,0 4 9
1,739
-1 .7
-7 .0
+ 7 .7
- 2 .1
- 1 .4
-
1.1
+ 3.1
- 2 .0
- 9 .1
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
952
C O M P A R IS O N O F E M P L O Y M E N T A N D E A R N IN G S IN ID E N T IC A L E S T A B L IS H M E N T S
IN JU L Y A N D A U G U ST , 1932, B Y S T A T E S —C ontinued
State
A labam a...... ..........
A rkansas________
Arizona_________
California........ .......
Colorado...............
C onnecticut_____
D elaw are_____ D istrict of Columb ia ...................... .
Florida__________
Georgia________
Id a h o __________
Illinois______ ___
In d ia n a ________
Iow a____________
K an sas.-.............
Q uarrying and nonm etallic m ining
M etalliferous m ining
N u m N um ber
of Per
ber of on pay
Per A m ount
roll (1 cent
estab roll A u cent of pay
of
week)
A
u change
lish
gust, change gust, 1932
m ents
1932
N u m N um ber
m ount of Per
ber of on pay
Per A ay
ro ll (1 cent of
estab roll A u cent of pweek)
A u
lish
gust, change gust, 1932
change
m ents
1932
8
9
676 +27.1
124 +10.7
29
622
+ .2
10
215 +58.1
$5, tf28 +24.1
1,332 + 6 .0
12, 215
-9 . 9
567
1,096
-2 .4
+ 7 .5
6,180
10,993
26
38
17
22
703
1,968
395
949
+ 1 .3
-.3
+ 8 .5
-1 .9
11,798 + 1 .3
34, 314 - 2 .0
6, 339 +12.7
20,764 + 2 .6
6,991 +23. 3
4, 418 + 8.9
7,808 +69.7
5 ,6 9 6
+ .9
27
4
7
913 +20.9
495 + 9 .5
365 +111.0
16
327
M ichigan____ . . .
M innesota______
M ississippi
.
M issouri________
M o n tan a________
22
7
3
12
4
632 + 2 .4
206 + 2 .0
38 +111.1
280 +59.1
22 +15.8
N eb rask a________
N ev ad a_________
New H am pshire
N ew Jersey______
N ew M exico_____
3
91 -3 1 .1 .
1, 358 -3 1 .4
9
3
144 +22.0
23 -4 6 .5
4,582 +50.0
574 -6 2 .3
O re g o n _________
Pennsylvania- . _
R hode Island . .
South C arolina...
South D ak o ta___
Tennessee_______
Texas___________
U t a h .. .. ...........
V erm ont________
Virginia_________
W ashington.
W est V irg in ia ___
W isconsin_______
W yom ing______
‘ N o change.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
8, 747
4,264
169
3,319
308
+ 7 .0
+ 11.7
+302.4
+16.0
+23.2
$4,199
+29.6
44,503
36, 205
15,136
—16. 7
+ 3.3
- 2 0 .4
11
1, 586
33,959
+
1.2
12
26
398
-
1 .7
43
22
3,894
672
- 8 .3
+ 8 .4
41, 786
8,863
+
+
7 .6
12
16
1, 022
115
+ 3.5
+ 9.5
18,915
2,352
+ 3 .6
+18.0
155 -1 4 .8
4,804
—3.
15
43
4
2,087
55
+ 3 .3
- 1 .8
44,092
856
+ 4 .5
+ 5 .4
66
4
2,018
59
+ 6 .2
- 3 .3
33, 563
' 732
+ 6 .8
- 4 .9
8
5
2, 572
+ 2 .7
30,842 +10.2
139 - 6 .1
40 +53.8
651 -1 3 .1
828 +75.1
22
1,080
+ 3 .3
13,576
13
574
- 3 .9
12,9 4 2
38
16
2,070
893
8
8
13
+ 8 .9
+ 5 .6
- 1 .8
+ .9
41,014 - 6 . 4
9,735 +22.6
179
409
+ 1 .7
+ 2 .8
4,195 - 2 . 6
3, 548 -11. 4
119
- 3 7 .0
1 ,6 0 5
-1 + 5
-. 5
«
1 .6
5
846
+ .6
16,195
+
12 .7
30
564
+ 3 .9
8,411
+
2 2 .8
96 -15. 8
2,134
-1 5 .7
194 +10.9
2,372
-3 .4
—4. 5
31,555
—1 9
6
55
680
- 2 .6
+ 9 .4
K en tu ck y _______
Louisiana_______
M ain e__________
M ary lan d_______
M assachusetts___
N ew Y ork. . . _
N o rth C arolina__
N o rth D ak o ta___
Ohio____________
O klahom a_______
- 0 .1
2,401 - 4 . 9
1, 368
580 -1 8 .1
3,073 +24.0
6
19
+ 7 .9
8
17
19
14
4
11
2,018
TREND OF EMPLOYMENT
953
C O M P A R IS O N O F E M P L O Y M E N T A N D E A R N IN G S IN ID E N T IC A L E S T A B L IS H M E N T S
IN JU L Y A N D A U G U ST , 1932, B Y S T A T E S —C ontinued
State
A labam a________
A rkansas________
A rizona_________
California_______
Colorado
B itum inous coal mining
C rude petroleum producing
N u m N u m b e r P er
A m ount
Per
ber of on pay cent of p ay roll cent
estab
roll
(1 week)
of
of
lish A ugust,
August, change
m ents
1932 change
1932
N u m N u m b e r Per
A m ount
Per
ber of on pay cent of pay roll cent
(1 week)
estab
roll
of
of
lish August,
A ugust, change
m ents
1932 change
1932
39
6,858
- 2 .0
$45, 737
5
89
+ 3 2 .8
1 ,6 4 1
38
3,048
21
1 ,5 5 7
+ 2 .0
+ I 4I .5
- 7 .6
41,446
+ 6 .4
+83.8
L 872 -1 6 .5
1,953 - 5 .3
473 +18.8
2 1 ,6 2 1
+ 1 3 .7
10
227
(4)
$5,333
- 4 .7
37
4,179
- 3 .0
129, 374
- 7 .2
7
4
136
32
- 1 .4
+ 6.7
3,067
511
+ .3
-1 .0
35
1,241
C onnecticut_____
D elaware ______
D istrict of Colum
b ia ____________
Florida_____ ____
Georgia_________
Id a h o ____ _______
Illinois__________
In d ia n a _________
Iow a____________
Transas
36
22
13
47,501 + 6 .8
33,796 + 9.1
6,968 +30.3
K entucky _______
Louisiana__ _____
M ain e. _______
M a r y la n d -______
M assachusetts___
141
22,989
+ 1 .4
274,470
+ 8 .6
IS
u m
+ .1
6,242
- 2 .3
M ichigan________
M innesota_______
M ississippi______
Missouri _ ___
M o n tan a________
3
16
6
N ebraska________
N ev ad a_________
N ew H am p sh ire. _
N ew Jersey _____
N ew Mexico_____
12
N ew Y ork_______
N o rth Carolina . .
N o rth D ak o ta___
O hio____________
O klahom a__ ____
Oregon__________
Pennsylvania____
R hode Isla n d __ _
South C arolina___
South D ak o ta____
Tennessee_______
Texas___________
U ta h ......................
V erm ont________
Virginia_________
W ashington_____
W est Virginia____
W isconsin_______
W yom ing_______
246 -5 6 .3
991 + 7 .4
360 +462. 5
1,689
+ .5
+ .2
29, 510
-3 .8
6
10
183 - 1 .1
188 +11.2
3,591
4,971
- 1 .6
+10.1
5
50 +22.0
1,236
+22.0
2,652 -1 8 .3
16,173 - 1 . 9
4,259 +65.3
24,562
+ 7 .8
4
5
56
16
5,460 +19.8
400 +42.9
367
51,790
14
2,437
14
1,303
32
8,193
+ 7 .6
104,234 +11.0
482 -1 5 .9
34,718
+ .8
11
240
32
4 No change.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
3,092
-.5
77,156 +37.9
4,843 + 6 .1
532, 259
+ 2 .1
- 2 .7
17, 366
- 5 .3
-2 .5
22,996
-.9
+ 4.Ö
5
65
865
-1 8 .8
- 7 .0
4,114
- 4 .8
58 -1 3 .4
4,528
+ .2
975
117,375
-1 0 . 6
-.6
29 +52.6
172
19
352
- 2 .8
9,040
-.2
3
6 ,6 2 7
+ 4 -7
2 4 9 ,1 8 1
+ 2 .3
10,127 -1 2 .7
424,836 +11.0
9
386
- .5
9,123
- 5 .4
65,816 +23.2
5
68 +13.3
2,014
+ 4 .5
954
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
C O M P A R IS O N O F E M P L O Y M E N T A N D E A R N IN G S IN ID E N T IC A L E S T A B L IS H M E N T S
IN JU L Y A N D A U G U ST , 1932, BY S T A T E S —C ontinued
Hotels
Public utilities
State
N u m N u m b e r Per
ber of on pay
cent
estab
roll
of
lish A ugust, change
m ents
1932
A labam a________
A rkansas________
A riz o n a ............ .
California____. . .
Colorado............. .
u m N u m b e r Per
A m ount
A m ount
Per N
Per
ber of on pay cent
of pay roll cent
of pay roll cent
(1 week)
(1 week)
estab
roll
of
of
of
A ugust, change lish August, change August, change
m ents
1932
1932
1932
123
1,966
-.6
42,167
- 1 .4
27
1,179
50
1 ,1 8 5
- 1 5 .1
29, V ,3
— 1 3 .4
17
822
67
1, 331
- 2 .6
35, 480
13
264
33
308
11, 354
1, 301
- 9 .9
+ .8
- 1 .3
+ .5
+ .8
42
4 8 ,5 7 9
- .2
1 ,3 8 7 , 636
196
5,613
- 1 .4
144,689
-1 .2
+ .3
- 4 .5
10, 255
- 8 .1
8 ,9 1 4
- 1 .8
4,509
187, 379
20, 606
- 7 .7
+2.1
+ 1.7
C onnecticut_____
D elaw are____ . . .
D istrict of Columbia____________
Florida........... .........
G eorgia...................
145
28
10,080
1,113
-1 .0
+ 1 .5
309, 813
29,804
- 6 .0
+ .8
34
6
1,139
249
-.2
- 4 .6
14,839
2,923
- 2 .9
- 3 .2
22
184
186
8, 285
4, 093
6,804
- 1 .6
- .8
- 2 .2
244, 790
107, 381
192,902
-.4
- 4 .7
- 2 .1
51
35
35
3, 536
650
1,496
- 3 .9
- 5 .0
- 6 .0
51, 335
6, 828
12,330
- 6 .5
-1 0 .6
-1 0 .2
Id a h o ___________
Illinois__________
In d ia n a _________
Iow a_______ ____
K ansas____ _____
57
728
3,399
67, 448
8 ,1 2 6
- 3 .6
125, 539
- 9 .6
6,407
9,958
8,196
- .5
—1 .4
- 2 .3
-1 .3
-1 .3
- 7 .9
63
133
373
402
2,552
1,885
808
- 1 .0
- 2 .3
-2 .4
28, 082
19,406
7,888
- 4 .8
- 5 .1
- 5 .0
1,701 - 1 .7
1, 841 - 4 .4
1,814 +18.4
18, 051
19, 822
24,043
- 4 .9
- 7 .7
+21.1
14,029
- 5 .7
1, 844, 397
- 2 .6
170, 342
227, 552
180, 511
+ .4
- 1 .7
- 3 .2
15
849
60
50
36
246
- 9 .6
K en tu ck y_______
Louisiana........ .......
M ain e__________
M ary lan d_______
M assachusetts___
304
152
170
7,102
4, 456
2,875
- 1 .1
-.5
- 4 .3
168, 365
106, 411
80, 757
- 2 .3
-.1
- 2 .8
39
24
31
92
8 138
12, 720
4 5 ,7 6 8
- 1 .2
- 2 .0
3 6 4 ,2 7 8
1 ,3 0 9 ,2 8 2
- 1 .3
- 3 .3
24
105
1 ,1 5 9
5 ,8 0 5
- 2 .5
- 3 .3
14, 896
8 7 ,0 8 8
- 1 .8
- 6 .9
M ichigan_______
M innesota______
M ississippi______
M issouri________
M o n tan a________
407
200
213
222
111
23,047
13,106
2,224
22, 242
1,904
- 2 .7
- 1 .4
+ 1 .0
- 3 .3
-.3
653,597
352,183
42,772
600, 247
55,646.
-4 .4
- 1 .1
-.6
- 3 .7
-.2
78
63
22
82
17
4, 501
2,962
628
4,350
270
+ 2 .2
- .8
- 2 .9
- 2 .9
+ 3.8
56,871
36, 568
5,295
50,042
4,084
- 3 .6
- 4 .2
- 2 .4
-1 3 .4
- 2 .7
N eb rask a.......... .
N e v ad a _________
N ew H a m p sh ire ..
N ew Jersey______
N ew M exico.. . . .
296
40
143
278
54
5,738 - 2 .4
382 -1 4 .5
2,131 - 1 .3
22,488 - 1 .8
521
-.2
152,291
10,949
59, 679
664,108
11,485
+ .4
- 6 .5
+• 6
- 2 .3
+ .1
32
14
26
95
16
1,475 + 2.3
213 + 3.9
1, 218 +21.1
6,147 + 9 .5
319 - 1 . 2
15, 585
4, 083
13,985
81,217
3,355
- 6 .3
+ 3.3
+40.3
+7.7
- 4 .1
N ew Y o rk _______
N o rth C arolina__
N o rth D akota.......
O h io ........................
Oklahoma...............
903
76
117
493
240
109,706
1,749
1, 217
34, 537
5,684
-1 .2
- 1 .6
-1 .1
- 2 .2
- 2 .6
3,388, 265
37, 544
31, 383
884,402
131, 231
- 2 .7
+ 1.1
+ .2
-.6
-1 .0
282
35
17
173
41
30,457
1,316
334
9, 388
793
- 1 .5
+ 1.5
-.6
- 2 .7
- 2 .5
473, 620
11, 724
3,721
119,112
7,516
- 4 .6
- .9
- 7 .2
- 5 .0
- 5 .8
Oregon__________
Pennsylvania........
R hode Islan d ____
South C arolina___
South D ak o ta____
187
706
35
71
57
5,816
61,172
3,481
1,686
887
-.3
- 1 .1
- 2 .5
- 3 .7
+ 1 .6
150,704
1, 701,602
103,863
36, 538
23,845
- 1 .1
- 2 .8
- 2 .6
- 4 .2
+ 1 .3
42
194
26
17
14
1,110
9,949
699
330
312
+ 2 .2
-4 .2
+ 2 .6
-6 .2
+ 2 .3
15,800
124, 619
8,241
2,481
3,681
-1 . 2
- 6 .8
- 4 .7
-1 1 .4
- 2 .7
Tennessee_______
T e x a s ... ________
U ta h ____________
V erm ont________
Virginia...... ............
W ashington_____
W est Virginia____
W isconsin___ ___
W yom ing_______
- 1 .3
42
2,256
- 3 .3
20, 273
1 9 0 ,9 4 3
- .1
- .6
36, 963
- 1 .3
+• 1
- 1 .3
U
2 ,9 6 9
38, 738
23,860
145,841
+ 1 .2
- 1 .3
279, 593
160, 584
+ .3
- 2 .9
— 1 .1
3 0 9 ,0 7 8
- 1 .9
- 2 .2
11,077
-.7
254
5,021
131
6 ,8 1 3
65
121
153
1,838
999
5,818
-(10)
202
126
» 42
48
10,193
6,102
1 1 ,1 6 6
437
-.8
- .1
8 Includes restaurants.
8 Includes steam railroads.
10 Less tb a n one-tenth of 1 per cent.
11 Includes steam railw ays and express,
w D a ta no t supplied.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
113,725
14
26
39
- 6 .3
517 - 5 .5
588 +10.7
2,014 - 3 . 8
7, 307
6,518
23,003
-1 2 .2
+ 8.1
- 4 .6
58
41
2, 074
1,114
-.6
-.9
1 ,2 5 7
- 1 .7
25, 689
12, 640
(12)
3, 026
- 3 .1
- 3 .5
*42
12
200
+ 4 .2
- 2 .7
TREND OF EMPLOYMENT
955
C O M P A R IS O N OF E M P L O Y M E N T A N D E A R N IN G S IN ID E N T IC A L E S T A B L IS H M E N T S
IN JU L Y A N D A U G U ST, 1932, BY S T A T E S —C ontinued
State
A labam a________
A rkansas________
A rizona_________
C alifornia_______
Colorado.................
C onnecticut.........
D e la w a re ... - . . .
D istrict of Columbia____________
Florida....................
G eorgia..................
Idaho __________
Illinois__________
I n d ia n a ..................
Iow a____________
K ansas.....................
K entucky _______
Louisiana_______
M aine__________
M aryland_______
M assachusetts___
Laundries
D yeing and cleaning
N u m N um ber
A m ount
ber of on pay
Per of pay roll Per
ro ll
estab
cent 01 ( 1 week) cent of
lish A ugust, change A ugust, change
m ents
1932
1932
N u m N um ber
A m ount
Per of p ay roll Per
ber of on pay
roll
cent of ( 1 week) cent of
estab
lish A ugust, change A ugust, change
1932
1932
m ents
4
417
-5 .0
$3,841
-4 .6
19
505
- .2
5 ,1 5 4
- 3 .2
8
1373
227
-4 .2
3,128
-7 .3
5 ,7 7 6
- .2
858
+ .6
- . 8
1 1 0 ,3 5 8
11
12,776
-3 .8
9
148
+ .7
2,874
-5 .2
28
4
1,360
315
- 3 .1
-.3
23, 580
4,819
- 3 .5
-3 .0
11
284
40
-4 .7
-4 .8
6,352
648
- 8 .4
- 4 .6
16
9
13
2,306
458
690
-2 .4
-.7
+ .3
36, 527
4,661
6 ; 601
- 4 .1
- 3 .1
-5 .4
13 21
1 ,3 5 5
— 4.4
2 0 ,0 6 5
- 8 .3
1, 592
219
-
-.5
- 3 .4
20, 788
3,463
1 2 ', 0 2 1
20
3
36
1,102
2 .6
4
3
3
130
- 5 .1
2,683
- 8 .5
131
-9 .0
1,515
-
- 9 .0
- 4 .4
- 6 .0
9
160
- 9 .6
2,580
3
13
- 7 .1
186
5
224
9
320
1 ,9 3 4
825
-
2.1
10, 739
-5 .4
564
+
2 .0
8,901
+ 3 .4
25
105
1 ,9 3 1
3,601t
- 1 .4
- 1.4
2 9 ,8 0 7
6 1 ,3 0 8
- 3 .9
- 2 .8
122
M ichigan__ . . . .
M innesota_______
M ississippi______
M issouri________
M ontana________
22
14
7
35
15
1,524
823
382
2,516
342
- 4 .8
- 1 .1
0 )
-4 .0
- 2 .0
19,148
13, 671
3, 496
36; 269
6,320
- 8 .4
- 4 .6
- 2 .6
- 5 .7
- 2 .2
17
N ebraska________
N e v ad a _________
N ew H am p sh ire...
N ew J e rse y ...........
N ew Mexico_____
7
4
16
26
5
469
59
314
3,132
242
+ 2 .9
+ 1 .7
+ 1 .0
+ 3 .0
+ 5 .7
7,006
1,365
4; 983
64', 974
3,764
- 3 .7
+ 7 .5
- 2 .2
+ 1 .6
+ 5 .7
N ew Y o rk _______
N orth C arolina__
70
12
11
O hio____________
O klahoma............. .
81
7
6,761
737
252
4,518
57-
- 4 .3
N o rth D a k o ta
-1 .9
-3 .7
119, 211
7,908
L 372
70, 044
7,105
- 5 .0
- 1 .9
- 2 .5
- 5 .9
-6 .4
Oregon....................
Pennsylvania____
R hode Islan d ____
South C aro lin a...
4
43
7
320
3, 284
1,135
330
148
-.3
-3 .3
- 1 .6
+ 4 .8
- 1 .3
Tennessee_______
Texas_______ . . .
U tah ........................
V erm ont________
Virginia.................
13
25
7
5
14
942
1,313
519
80
958
W ashington_____
W est Virginia____
W isconsin_______
W y o m in g ______
13^6
- 2 .7
4
111
+ 7 .8
8
14
19
-8 .7
- 9 .1
6
18
S o u th D a k o ta
$1,912
400
5
22
21
196 + 4 .8
32 - 1 1 . 1
11 .1
-1 2 .3
2 .6
3,324
- 1 1 .9
- 1 .8
4 ,1 5 2
3 5 ,488
- I 4.6
- 3 .8
11
565 -1 1 .7
311
-.3
9, 563
5,752
-2 4 .6
+ 1.6
15
425
-5 .8
7,143
-
5
129
- . 8
3,109
-
8
329
-5 .5
9,751
+ 1 .7
19
569
-
6 .1
11,976
-6 .5
48
3
1,664
162
-4 .8
- 1 .2
27,001
2,273
5,019 - 2 .5
50, 355 - 6 . 8
19, 741
- . 6
3,265 +10. 4
2 ; 160
- 4 .0
5
26
50
1,250
292
-2 .5
+ 2.1
- 3 .0
- 3 .2
- 3 .6
- 1 .2
8,374
15,955
7,195
1,049
11,336
- 3 .9
- 5 .3
- 4 .3
+ 4 .0
- 1 .8
4
17
7
3
23
38
395
117
26
323
737 +13.4
660 - 1 .9
12, 367
9,135
-9 .4
- 3 .8
15
226
161
91,3
1 3 ,2 0 2 - 1 0 . 2
Ï , 998 + 5 .7
- . 8
-
1.0
- . 6
6
8
-
-
6 .6
-
-
2 .2
1 1 .2
-
1 .1
1 1 .0
2 .1
1,095
, 682
5, 600
+ .3
- 6. 7
+ 2 .6
- 2 .6
- 2 .5
- 3 .3
(4)
- 3 .6
573
6,431
2,094
490
4,933
+ 1 .1
-2 .7
-3 .3
+ 4 .0
-7 .2
+ 3 .7
3,910
2, 461
- 7 .1
- 3 .7
(*)
- . 6
20
N o change.
H Includes dyeing and cleaning.
*
E m p lo y m e n t an d E a rn in g s in A u g u st, 1932, in C itie s of Over
500,000 P o p u la tio n
N THE following table are presented the fluctuations in employ
ment and earnings in August, 1932, as compared with July, 1932,
for 13 cities of the United States having a population of 500,000 or
I
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
956
over. These changes are computed from reports received from identi
cal 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
financial institutions, insurance offices, and 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.
F L U C T U A T IO N S IN E M P L O Y M E N T A N D E A R N IN G S IN A U G U ST , 1932, AS C O M P A R E D
W IT H JU L Y , 1932
N um ber
of estabCities
N ew Y ork C ity _______ _
Chicago, 1 1 1 ...__ ________
Philadelphia, P a _____ ___
D etroit, M ich _________
Los Angeles, Calif_______
Cleveland, Ohio_______ St. Louis, M o .. _______
Baltim ore, M d __________
Boston, M ass . _________
P ittsb u rg h , Pa_
____
San Francisco, Calif______
Buffalo, N . Y __________
M ilw aukee, W is_____ - -
N um ber on p ay roll
reporting
in both
m onths
July, 1932
2,013
1,837
666
583
546
1,046
498
553
2,960
334
897
273
472
275, 799
177,654
114,542
202, 735
50,005
77, 360
63, 387
43,902
80,653
46, 646
38, 052
34,824
33,599
August,
1932
280,474
179,857
114,306
183,074
50,488
75,428
62,992
43,261
81,595
44,669
39, 201
32,971
33,068
Per
cent of
change
+ 1 .7
+ 1 .2
-.2
-9 .7
+ 1 .0
-2 .5
- .6
-1 .5
+ 1 .2
-4 .2
+ 3 .0
- 5 .3
- 1 .6
A m ount of p ay roll
(1 week)
July, 1932
August,
1932
$7, 739, 380
4, 080, 599
2,440,244
4,965,891
1,193,014
1,547, 787
1,338,686
866,133
2,010, 297
928, 556
931,485
773,899
628,933
$7, 770,154
4,088,882
2,432,942
3,906,958
1,196, 726
1, 509,858
1, 323,153
846, 219
1, 992,148
867, 845
943,860
728,106
628,642
Per
cent of
change
+ 0 .4
+ .2
-.3
-2 1 .3
+ .3
- 2 .5
- 1.2
- 2 .3
- .9
-6 .5
+ 1 .3
- 5 .9
(')
1 Less th a n one-tenth of 1 per cent.
E m p lo y m e n t in E x e c u tiv e C ivil S e r v ic e o f t h e U n ite d S t a t e s ,
A u g u s t, 1932
HE number of workers on the Federal pay roll at the end of
August, 1932, wTas 11,597 less than at the end of August, 1931.
Comparing August with July, 1932, there was a gain of 2,308
employees. This was entirely due, however, to an increase in the
number of temporary employees in the War Department outside of
Washington, D. C.
These figures do not include the legislative, judicial, or Army and
Navy services. The data as shown in the table below are compiled
by the various Federal departments and offices and sent to the
United States Civil Service Commission, where they are assembled.
They are tabulated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and published
here by courtesy of the Civil Service Commission, and in compliance
with the direction of Congress. No information has as yet been
collected relative to the amounts of pay rolls. Because of the im
portance of Washington as a government center, the figures for the
District of Columbia and for the Government service outside the
District of Columbia are shown separately.
At the end of August, 1932, there were 575,366 employees in the
executive civil service of the United States. Of this number, 535,980
were permanent employees and 39,386 were temporary employees.
In the interval between August 31, 1931, and August 31, 1932,
there was a loss of 0.8 of 1 per cent in the number of permanent
T
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
TREND OF EMPLOYMENT
957
employees and a loss of 15.9 per cent in the number of temporary
employees. The loss of total employees was 2.0 per cent.
The number of employees in the District of Columbia showed a
decrease of 5.0 per cent in August, 1932, as compared with August,
1931. Permanent employees in the District of Columbia showed a
slight increase comparing these two periods. This increase was
caused by the taking on of new employees by the Reconstruction
Finance Corporation. Exclusive of this agency there was a decrease
in the number of permanent Government employees in the District of
Columbia. The number of temporary employees decreased 59.1 per
cent comparing these two periods. There was a decrease of 0.4 of 1
per cent in Federal employees in the District of Columbia comparing
August with July, 1932.
During the month of August, 1932, 21,421 were hired in the entire
Federal service and 19,113 were separated from the service on account
of resignation, termination of appointment, death, retirement, or
other causes. This indicates a net turnover rate of 3.33 for the
month. The turnover rate for the District of Columbia was 0.51.
On August 31, 1932, there were 67,259 employees on the Govern
ment pay rolls in the District of Columbia. Of this number, 64,795
were permanent and 2,464 were temporary workers.
E M P L O Y E E S IN T H E E X E C U T IV E C IV IL S E R V IC E O P T H E U N IT E D ST A T E S , A U G U ST
1931, A N D JU L Y A N D A U G U ST , 1932 1
D istrict of Columbia
Item
N um ber of employees:
August, 1931_ ______ ____ _
July, 1932__________________
August, 1932..- . . ______
G ain or loss:
A ugust, 1931-August, 1932___
July, 1932-A ugust, 1 9 3 2 .____
Per cent of change:
A ugust, 1931-August, 1932___
July, 1932-August, 1932______
Labor turnover, A ugust, 1932:
A dditions. . . ___________
Separations . . . . _________
Turnover ra te _________ ._
Per
m a
n ent
64, 791
65, 098
64, 795
Tem
po Total
rary 2
Outside th e D istrict
P er
m a
n ent
T em
po
Total
rary 2
E ntire service
Per
m a
nent
Tem
po
T otal
rary 2
6, 026 70,817 475, 341 40,805 516,146 540,132 46,831 586, 963
2,454 67, 552 472, 900 32, 606 505, 506 537,998 35, 060 573, 058
2,464 67,259 471,185 36,922 508,107 535,980 39, 386 575,366
+ 4 -3,562 - 3 , 558 -4 ,1 5 6 -3,883 - 8 , 039 -4,1 5 2 -7,445 -11,597
-303
+10 -293 -1 ,715 +4,316 +2,601 -2,018 +4,326 +2, 308
-5 9 .1
+ 0)
- 0 .5 + 0 .4
96
399
0.15
285
275
11.18
- 5 .0
- 0 .4
- 0 .9 - 9 .5
- 0 .4 +13.2
-1 .6
+ 0.5
- 0 .8 -1 5 .9
- 0 .4 +12.3
-2 . 0
+ 0 .4
381
674
0.51
1,698 19, 342
3,413 15, 020
0. 36 43. 22
21, 040
18, 439
3. 64
1,794 19,627
3,812 15,301
0.33 41.11
21, 421
19,113
3. 33
1 C ertain revisions have been made from tim e to tim e b y the Civil Service Commission in dropping
certain classes of employees previously carried in th e tabulations. T hus, in the D istrict of Colum bia 68
mail contractors and special-delivery messengers were elim inated from th e enum eration in M ay, 1932, and
in the service outside th e D istrict of C olum bia 35,800 star-route and other contractors, clerks in charge of
mail contract stations, clerks in third-class post offices, and special-delivery messengers were elim inated in
A pril, 1932, and 835 collaborators of th e D epartm ent of A griculture in Ju n e, 1932. In th e table, in order to
make the figures comparable for all th e m onths shown, it was assum ed th a t the num ber of these employees
was the sam e in A ugust, 1931, as in th e m onth th ey were dropped from th e tabulation (actual figures not
being available from th e Civil Service Commission), and the d ata for this m onth have been revised accord
ingly in this table.
2 N ot including field service of th e Post Office D epartm ent.
" Less th a n one-tenth of 1 per cent.
E m p lo y m e n t in B u ild in g C o n s tr u c tio n in A u g u s t, 1932
MPLOYMENT in the building construction industry de
creased 1.9 per cent in August as compared with July, and earn
ings decreased 3.6 per cent. These figures are based on pay-roll
reports received from 10,464 firms engaged on building operations in
34 States and the District of Columbia.
E
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
958
C O M P A R IS O N O F E M P L O Y M E N T A N D T O T A L PA Y R O L L IN T H E B U IL D IN G C O N
ST R U C T IO N IN D U S T R Y IN ID E N T IC A L F IR M S , JU L Y A N D A U G U ST, 1932
Locality
N um
ber
of firms
report
ing in
both
m onths
N u m b er on pay
roll—
Ju ly
August
528
440
69
Alabam a, B irm ingham ___________
California:
26
1,708
1,638
Los Angeles L . . . ...................
30
995
954
San Francisco-Oakland 1------- .
25
603
596
O ther reporting localities 1_____
709
188
699
Colorado, D enver________________
Connecticut:
632
127
529
B ridgeport.............. .................. .
230
1,155
1,127
H artford_____________________
1,484
199
1,416
_______
New H a v e n -.
1,542
D elaware, W ilm ington __________
116
1,298
547
6,190
6,083
D istrict of C olum bia_____________
Florida:
341
48
325
Jacksonville.............. ..................—
75
534
577
M iam i.___ __________________
127
1,239
1,442
Georgia, A tla n ta ......... .........................
Illinois:
1, 237
138
Chicago !__________________ 1,181
890
918
85
O ther reporting localities 1------Indiana:
659
110
572
Fo rt W ayne___________ ______
162
1, 070
Indianapolis_________________
1, 066
288
195
46
South B en d ...........- ................ .......
100
373
545
Iowa, Des M oines________________
458
62
443
Kansas, W ichita_________________
903
129
777
K entucky, L ouisville.--.....................
1,642
129
1,943
Louisiana, New Orleans__________
495
103
462
M aine, P o rtlan d __ ____________
M aryland, B a l t i m o r e .
-----119
1, 391
1, 531
M assachusetts, all reporting locali6,562
ties i— .................................... ............
746
6,086
M ichigan:
2,672
2,751
450
D etro it____________________ _
124
36
142
F lin t________________________
632
113
616
G rand R apids.............................. M innesota:
D u lu th ___________ ____ ______
148
51
233
M inneapolis________ ________
230
1, 681
1, 628
142
St. P a u l . . . ......................................
1, 347
1,208
M issouri:
2,042
262
1,782
Kansas C ity 2 ...............................
432
2,550
2,408
St. Louis_____ _______________
902
N ebraska, O m aha____________ ___
133
889
N ew York:
N ew Y ork C ity 1_____________
332
9,864
9,938
175
3,878
O ther reporting localities 1 ____
3,956
207
N o rth Carolina, C harlotte________
39
256
Ohio:
87
359
320
A kron........ .....................................
490
3,191
2,941
C in c in n ati3..................... ..............
2,374
475
2,254
Cleveland___________________
D ay to n__________ _______ ___
122
429
399
312
65
349
Y oungstown.................................Oklahoma:
94
478
405
Oklahoma C ity ______ _______ 257
58
243
T u lsa______ ______ ____ ______
1,140
195
1,339
Oregon, P o rtlan d .............................. .
Pennsylvania:
222
32
E r ie 1........... ................ —................
239
491
4,885
4, 704
P h ilad e lp h ia 1- . _____________
1,454
P itts b u rg h 1__________________
253
1,435
55
386
416
R eading-Lebanon1___________
Scranton 1___________ ____ ___
32
163
150
318
2,269
2,252
O ther reporting localities 1_____
238
1, 727
1, 551
R hode Island, Providence..................
Tennessee:
42
464
518
K noxville....... ....... ................ .........
95
515
467
M em phis__________ _________
689
75
639
N ashville....................................... Texas:
897
833
D allas.......... ....................................
148
675
H o u sto n .............................. .........
116
616
681
745
98
San A ntonio_________________
1 D ata supplied b y cooperating State bureaus.
2 Includes both K ansas C ity, M o., and K ansas C ity, K ans.
3 Includes C ovington and N ew port, K y.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
A m ount of p ay roll
(1 week)—
Per cent
of change
Per cent
of change
Ju ly
A ugust
$7, 234
$6, 219
-1 4 .0
-4 .1
- 4 .1
- 1 .2
- 1 .4
38, 572
20,980
12,385
16,424
34,234
22, 061
13, 492
13, 876
-1 1 .2
+ 5.2
+ 8.9
-1 5 .5
-1 6 .3
-2 .4
- 4 .6
-1 5 .8
- 1 .7
15, 815
32, 061
44,134
35, 009
170, 285
13, 395
30, 368
40, 541
29, 007
167, 731
-1 5 .3
- 5 .3
- 8 .1
-1 7 .1
- 1 .5
- 4 .7
+ 8.1
+16.4
5, 083
9,826
15, 480
5,355
10, 575
19, 594
+ 5 .4
+ 7 .6
+26.6
- 4 .5
+ 3 .1
36,447
22,368
40,492
25, 539
+11.1
+14.2
-1 3 .2
-.4
-3 2 .3
+46.1
- 3 .3
-1 4 .0
+18.3
-6 .7
+10.1
13, 842
27, 826
6, 322
7,470
9, 002
18,163
26, 718
11, 609
23, 867
12,102
25, 643
3,880
9, 818
8,283
14, 653
29, 656
10, 025
26,953
-1 2 .6
- 7 .8
-3 8 .6
+31.4
-8 .0
-1 9 .3
+11.0
-1 3 .6
+12.9
-1 6 .7
-7 .3
183, 319
166,963
-8 .9
+ 3 .0
+14.5
-2 .5
57, 626
2,288
13, 054
58, 456
2, 437
12, 659
+ 1 .4
+ 6 .5
-3 .0
+57.4
- 3 .2
-1 0 .3
2,803
41, 606
34,231
4,328
36, 741
29, 697
+54.4
-1 1 .7
-1 3 .2
-1 2 .7
- 5 .6
- 1 .4
58,494
70, 021
19, 220
46, 265
63, 650
17, 813
-2 0 .9
- 9 .1
- 7 .3
+ 2 .0
+23.7
402,100
116, 075
2,934
396, 673
116, 915
3, 111
- 1 .3
+ .7
+ 6 .0
-1 0 .9
-7 .8
- 5 .1
-7 .0
+11.9
7,350
89,906
59,985
9,154
6,047
6,543
78,810
61,622
8,635
7,615
-1 1 .0
-1 2 .3
+ 2 .7
- 5 .7
+25.9
-1 5 .3
-5 .4
+17.5
8,269
4, 584
24, 737
6,408
3, 761
29,598
-2 2 .5
-1 8 .0
+19.7
+ 7 .7
-3 .7
-1 .3
- 7 .2
-8 .0
-.7
-1 0 .2
5,565
110, 020
41, 553
8,271
3, 977
46, 254
44, 030
5,598
109, 668
37, 636
7,034
3,787
45, 410
37, 788
+ .6
-.3
- 9 .4
-1 5 .0
- 4 .8
- 1 .8
-1 4 .2
+11.6
- 9 .3
- 7 .3
6, 216
10,237
12,488
7,438
8,249
11,337
+19.7
-1 9 .4
-9 .2
- 7 .1
- 8 .7
+ 9 .4
14, 969
12, 087
10,415
14,156
10, 644
12,119
-5 .4
-1 1 .9
+16.4
TREND OF EMPLOYMENT
959
C O M P A R IS O N OF E M P L O Y M E N T A N D T O T A L PA Y R O L L IN T H E R TIIf n r v r f f v v
ST R U C T IO N IN D U S T R Y IN ID E N T IC A L F IR M S , JU L Y A N D A Y o U S T Y 932-C ^n
N um
ber
of firms
report
ing in
both
m onths
Locality
N um ber on pay
roll—
A m ount of pay roll
(1 w eek)—
Per cent
of change
Ju ly
August
Per cent
of change
Ju ly
A ugust
U tah, Salt Lake C ity ............. .
Virginia:
N orfolk-Portsm outh.
R ichm ond________
W ashington:
Seattle_____________
Spokane__________ .
T acom a_________ . .
W est Virginia, W heeling__
Wisconsin, all reporting localities L_
88
360
321
-1 0 .8
$7, 021
$6, 006
-1 4 .5
94
156
623
1,104
544
1, 062
-1 2 .7
-3 .8
11,316
22, 934
9,926
21,835
-1 2 .3
-4 .8
176
49
78
53
60
745
202
142
193
1,432
875
186
131
181
1,635
+17.4
- 7 .9
-7 .7
-6 .2
+14.2
17, 592
3, 872
2,454
3, 761
29, 473
17, 934
4,443
2, 106
3, 710
34, 298
+ 1 .9
+14.7
-1 4 .2
-1 .4
+16.4
Total, all localities__________
10, 464
88,073
86,370
- 1 .9 2, 265, 230 2,183, 314
- 3 .6
1D ata supplied by cooperating S tate bureaus.
E m p lo y m e n t o n C la ss I S te a m R a ilr o a d s in t h e U n ite d S ta t e s
ATA are not yet available concerning railroad employment for
August, 1932. Reports of the Interstate Commerce Commis
sion for Class I railroads show that the number of employees (exclu
sive of executives and officials) decreased from 1,033,887 on June 15,
1932, to 1,008,608 on July 15, 1932, or 2.4 per cent; the amount of
pay roll decreased from $119,608,254 in June to $114,801,532 in July,
or 4.0 per cent.
J
The monthly trend of employment from January, 1923, to July,
1932, on Class I railroads that is, all roads having operating revenues
of $1,000,000 or over—is shown by the index numbers published 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.
D
T a ble 1 .—IN D E X O F E M P L O Y M E N T , ON CLASS I ST E A M R A IL R O A D S IN T H E U N IT E D
ST A T E S , JA N U A R Y , 1923, TO JU L Y , 1932
[12-month average, 1926=1001
M onth
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
Jan u a ry _____ _____
F e b ru a ry ____ _______
M arch ___ _______
A pril______ ____
M a y ______________
Ju n e ______________ .
Ju ly _______________________
A ugust___________________
Septem ber____________
O ctober_______________
N ovem ber______________
D ecem ber________________
98.3
98.6
100.5
102.0
105.0
107.1
108.2
109.4
107.8
107.3
105.2
99.4
96.9
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
73.7
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
A verage.............................. 104.1
98.3
97.9
100.0
97.5
92.9
93.3
83.5
70.6
159.4
1Average for 7 m onths.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1932
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
960
Table 2 shows the total number of employees on the 15th day each
of July, 1931, and June and July, 1932, and total pay roll for the
entire months.
In these tabulations data for the occupational group reported as
executives, officials, and staff assistants are omitted.
T a b l e 3 .— E M P L O Y M E N T A N D E A R N IN G S OF R A IL R O A D E M P L O Y E E S , JU L Y , 1931,
A N D JU N E A N D JU L Y , 1932
[From m o n th ly reports of In terstate Commerce Commission. As data for only the more im portant
occupations are shown separately, th e group totals are no t th e sum of the item s under the respective
groups]
N um ber of employees at
m iddle of m onth
T otal earnings
Occupations
Ju ly 15,
1932
Ju ly 15,
1931
June 15,
1932
Professional, clerical, and general-- C lerk s-- ------ --------------Stenographers and ty p ists----------
222, 232
120, 974
20, 667
184, 282
97, 626
17,496
179,628 $32,981,199 $24,733,183 $23,528,973
94,929 16,943,637 12, 346, 867 11,710,240
2,095, 628
16,897
2,738,562
1,978,787
M aintenance of w ay and structures - Laborers, extra gang and work
tra in _____________ --- ------Laborers, tra c k and roadw ay
section................- ......................... -
303, 825
233, 848
223,977
27,777, 398
17, 551,482
37, 325
20,588
18,887
2, 612, 727
1, 097, 716
972,448
160,927
130,518
124,353
11,019,169
6,911,615
6,210,862
M aintenance of equipm ent and storesCarmen- -------------------------------M achinists _-- --------------------Skilled trades helpers- ------------Laborers (shops, engine houses,
power p lan ts, and s to r e s ) ____
Common laborers (shops, enginehouses, pow er plants, and
s to re s)--........................................
342,915
71,148
45, 533
74, 867
273,015
55, 614
38,186
58, 840
266, 898
54, 269
36,987
57,593
42,733,661
9, 956, 413
6, 566, 881
7,787,611
27, 932, 230
6, 347, 229
4,441, 722
4, 892,184
26,137,432
5,982,324
4,107.611
4,532,813
28,088
22, 370
21,944
2, 594,117
1,714,154
1,652,048
36,962
28, 728
28,109
2,703, 310
1,692,170
1,543,246
160, 563
27, 725
133,012
25, 862
131,436
25,762
20, 505, 796
4, 444, 470
15, 000, 565
3, 660, 255
14,661,195
3, 583, 088
T ran sp o rtatio n , other th a n train,
engine and y a rd ------------ --- Station a g e n ts ... . — ------- -Telegraphers, telephoners and
tow erm en
-------------- - --Truckers (stations, warehouses,
and platform s)------ ------------- Crossing a n d bridge flagmen and
g atem en....... ................ ..................
July, 1931
June, 1932 Ju ly , 1932
16,273,505
19, 491
16, 858
16,904
3, 081,037
2, 317, 599
2, 329,644
23,114
17,126
16,193
2,130, 949
1,329, 733
1, 216,705
18, 957
18,140
18,176
1,468, 293
1, 252, 401
1,236, 904
T ransportation (yardm asters, sw itch
tenders a n d hostlers)--------------------
17, 553
13,850
13,518
3, 430,951
2, 295,725
2,261,163
Transportation, tra in and engine____
R oad conductors..
-. --------R oad brakem en and flagm en.. .
Y ard brakem en an d yard helpers.
R oad engineers and m otorm en—
R oad firemen and helpers----------
247, 304
28, 250
54, 745
41, 199
33, 453
34, 406
195, 880
22, 854
43,350
32,626
26, 586
27, 406
193,151
22,646
43,032
32,098
26,484
27,092
49, 020, 282
6, 846, 815
9, 339, 305
6, 843, 683
9,023, 482
6, 536, 824
32, 095, 069
4, 639, 928
6, 027, 799
4, 261,174
6, 045, 639
4, 323, 529
31,939, 264
4, 677,796
6, 059,594
4, 141,755
6,089,258
4,355,774
All em ployees............................... 1, 294, 392 1, 033,887 1,008, 608 176,449, 287 119, 608, 254 114,801, 532
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
RETAIL PRICES
R e ta il P r ic e s o f F o o d in A u g u s t , 1932
HE following tables are compiled from simple averages of the
actual selling prices received monthly by the Bureau of Labor
Statistics of the United States Department of Labor from retail
dealers.
Table 1 shows for 51 cities of the United States retail prices of food
on August 15, 1931, and July 15, and August 15, 1932.
T
T a ble 1 . — A V E R A G E R E T A IL P R IC E S OF FO O D IN T H E U N IT E D S T A T E S ON A U G U ST
15, 1931, A N D JU L Y 15, A N D A U G U ST 15, 1932
A rticle
Aug. Ju ly
15,
15,
1931 1932
U n it
Sirloin s t e a k ____ P o u n d __
R ound steak_____ __do______
R ib roast________ -__do_____
C huck ro a st______ -- .d o _____
P late beef________ _--do_____
Pork chops__ ____ __do___
Bacon sliced_____ __do____
H am sliced_______ -.-d o _____
Lam b, leg of_____ -_-do_____
H ens_________ _ __do_____
S a lm o n , re d ,
__d o ___
canned______
M ilk, fresh___
Q u a rt__
M ilkj evaporated__ 14J^-oz. can
B u tte r _____ . P o u n d ___
M argarine____ __ ___do_____
Cheese__________ __do____
L ard___
__ __ _ __do_____
Vegetable lard sub- ---d o _____
stitute.
Eggs, strictly fresh Dozen . . .
B read ______ __
P o u n d ___
Aug.
15,
1932
C ts.
C ts .
C ts.
39. 5
34. 6
28.5
20.8
13.3
33. 3
36. 6
46. 1
29.6
30. 9
35. 3
31.0
24.9
18. 1
11.2
25. 5
23. 7
36.0
24.9
23. 6
34. 9
30. 8
24.6
18.0
11.2
23. 3
23. 9
35.7
24.0
23.1
32. 9 24. 6
12.1 10. 7
8.0
6. 5
34. 4 23. 9
18. 1 14. 5
26. 5 22. 0
12. 8
8. 5
23.3 19.3
21.8
10. 5
6.3
26. 8
14. 5
22. 6
8.9
19.1
31. 9
7.4
26. 8
6. 8
22.8
6. 8
Aug. Ju ly Aug.
15,
15,
15,
1931 1932 1932
Article
U n it
Flour _________
Corn meal - _ __
Rolled oats_______
Corn flakes______
W heat cereal___
M acaroni__
Rice ___________
Beans, n a v y _____
Potatoes_________
O nions__________
C abbage...
___
Pork and beans
Corn, canned __
Peas, canned_____
Tom atoes, canned
Sugar____________
Tea
Coffee_______,____
P runes__________
R aisins__________
B ananas_________
Oranges_________
P ound .
__do
-__do_____
8-oz. pkg__
28-oz. pkg.
P o u n d ___
__do___ _
---d o _____
-__do_____
__do_____
__do_____
16-oz. can
N o. 2 can
-__do_____
__ do
P o u n d ___
_ do
__do____
-__do_____
__do
Dozen
__do__.
C ts .
C ts.
3. 4
4. 5
7.9
8.8
24.0
16. 5
8.1
7.8
2.2
4. 3
4.0
8. 3
13. 2
13.9
10. 0
5. 7
75. 4
32. 4
11. 7
11. 2
24. 1
37. 3
3. 2
3. 8
7.6
8.5
22.5
15. 2
6. 6
5.0
1.9
4. 2
3.3
7.0
10. 5
12.7
9. 5
5.0
70. 3
29. 7
9.4
11. 5
23. 0
32. 8
C ts.
3. 1
3. 8
7.5
8.4
22.5
15. 2
6. 5
4.9
1.7
3.6
3.0
7. 0
10. 5
12.7
9. 4
5. 1
70. 1
29. 6
9.3
11. 6
22. 7
30. 7
Table 2 shows the trend in the retail cost of three important groups
of food commodities, viz, cereals, meats, and dairy products, by years
for 1913, 1920, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, and by months for 1931 and
1932. The articles included in these groups will be found in the May
issue of this publication.
T a ble 2 .—I N D E X N U M B E R S O F R E T A IL C O ST O F C E R E A L S , M E A T S , A N D D A IR Y
P R O D U C T S , F O R T H E U N IT E D S T A T E S , B Y Y E A R S , F O R 1913, 1920, 1928, 1929, 1930, A N D
B Y M O N T H S , 1931 A N D 1932
[Average cost in 1913=100.0]
Y ear a n d m onth
1913___________________
1920___________________
1928___________________
1929___________________
1930___________________
1931: Average for y ear___
Ja n u a ry __________
F e b ru a ry ___ .__
M arch _ _ _ _ _ _
A pril
_ _
M a y _______________
J u n e __
_ __
J u ly . _____________
A ugust- __________
Cereals M eats
100.0
232.1
167. 2
164. 1
158. 0
135.9
147. 1
144. 6
142. 4
138. 9
137. 7
136. 3
134. 3
132.0
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
100.0
185. 7
179. 2
188. 4
175. 8
147.0
159. 5
153.4
152. 5
151. 4
149. 3
145. 7
147. 8
149. 1
D airy
prod
ucts
100.0
185.1
150. 0
148. 6
136. 5
114.6
123. 6
120. 2
120. 5
116. 5
110. 3
108. 3
109. 6
111.9
Y ear and m o n th
1931—Continued.
Septem ber________
O ctober. __
N ovem ber__ _ ____
D e c e m b e r.________
1932:
J a n u a ry ____________
F eb ru ary ___________
M arch _____________
A pril ____________
M a y _______________
J u n e _______________
J u ly _______________
August.^____________
Cereals M eats
D airy
prod
ucts
130. 2
129. 8
129.1
127.8
147. 7
142. 7
135. 4
129.3
114. 3
117. 0
114.4
111. 4
126. 4
125. 0
124. 3
122. 9
122. 6
122.5
121.2
120.4
123.4
117.3
118. 9
118. 6
115.3
113.4
122.6
120. 1
106.5
102.9
101. 9
97.4
94.3
92.6
91.4
93.8
961
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
962
Index Numbers of Retail Prices of Food in the United States
I n T a b l e 3 index numbers are given which show the changes in
the retail prices of specified food articles, and for all articles combined
by years, for 1913, 1920; 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, and by months for
1931 and 1932. These index numbers are based on the average for
the year 1913 as 100.0.
T a b l e 3.—IN D E X N U M B E R S O F R E T A IL P R IC E S O F P R IN C IP A L A R T IC L E S O F FO O D
B Y Y E A R S, 1913, 1920, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, A N D B Y M O N T H S F O R 1931 A N D 1932
[Average for year 1913=100.0]
Year and
m onth
Sirloin Round R ib Chuck P late
beef
steak steak roast roast
Pork
H am
chops Bacon
100.0
209.9
175.6
186.4
166.7
145.5
153.5
148.8
150.2
153.1
148.8
146.0
144.6
145. 1
145.1
140.4
137.1
134.3
100.0
187.6
159.6
160.7
157.3
138. 2
149.4
146.1
144.9
141.6
138.2
134.8
136.0
136.0
136.0
134.8
134.8
130.3
100.0
183.0
147.5
143.9
120.4
92.4
98.4
94.8
97.4
91.9
81.5
80.7
82.8
89.8
96.1
104.2
97.4
95.3
101.5
96.7
95.2
92.2
88.5
85.9
87.8
88.5
139.8
136.4
136.1
134.9
131. 2
129. 7
133.8
132.7
131.0
127.2
128.2
124.9
120.7
113.1
110.8
108.5
129.2
128.1
127.0
123.6
121.3
121.3
120.2
118.0
84.3
77.0
77.0
70.0
65.5
62.9
62.4
70.0
Rice
P o ta Sugar
toes
Tea
ar
Coflee All
ticles 1
100.0 100.0
172.1 177.1
188.2 188.3
196.9 199.1
182. 7 184.8
155.1 154.3
167.3 168.2
161.4 161.0
158. 7 157.8
157. 5 156. 5
155. o 154. 7
152.4 151.1
154. 3 154. 3
155.5 155.2
155.1 154.3
152.0 150.7
146.9 144.8
142.9 140.4
100.0 100.0
167.7 163.8
176.8 174.4
185.4 186.9
172.7 170.0
146.0 134.4
159.1 152.5
154.0 145.6
153. 0 141.9
150. 0 139.4
147. 0 135. 6
142.9 130.6
142.9 130.0
143.9 130. 0
142.9 130. 6
141. 4 129.4
137.9 126.3
134.8 122.5
100.0
151.2
157.0
172.7
155.4
118.2
138.0
131. 4
128.1
124.8
119.8
112.4
110.7
109.9
111. 6
111.6
109.9
108.3
100.0 100.0
201.4 193.7
165. 7 163. 0
175.7 161.1
171.0 156.7
138.6 134.8
141.9 148.9
131. 4 145.2
140. 0 143.0
141.4 141.1
143.3 139.3
140.0 136.7
151. 4 137.0
158.6 135. 6
153.3 134.1
139.5 127.0
119. 0 118.9
103.8 112.2
137.4
130.7
129.9
131. 5
129.9
129.1
139. 0
137.4
135.0
127.4
127.8
128. 3
127.4
127.4
139. 0
138.1
129.8
123. 2
123. 2
122.7
120. 2
118.7
125.8
124. 2
115.6
108.1
108.1
108.8
106.3
105.6
113.1
112.5
101.7
97.5
95.9
95.9
91.7
88.4
92. 6
92. 6
99.5
91.0
102.4
102.4
94.8
93.8
121. 4
111. 0
Y ear and
m onth
Cheese L ard
Eggs
Bread Flour
Corn
meal
100. 0
188.2
174. 2
171.9
158.8
127.1
145.2
141.2
137. 1
132. 6
124. 0
119.9
118.6
119.9
122.2
122. 6
121.3
118.6
100.0
186.7
117. 7
115.8
107.6
84. 2
99.4
91.8
89.9
89.9
85.4
82.3
82.3
81.0
79.8
78.5
77.2
70.9
100. 0
197.4
134.5
142.0
118.8
91.9
104.6
78.8
82.6
79.4
71.9
74.8
82.9
92.5
98.0
109.9
115.1
111.6
100.0
205.4
162.5
160.7
155.4
135.7
146.4
142.9
141.1
137.5
137.5
135.7
133.9
132.1
130.4
130.4
130.4
128.6
100.0
245.5
163.6
154.5
142.4
109.1
121.2
121.2
118. 2
115. 2
112.1
112.1
109.1
103.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100. 0 100.0
216. 7 200.0
176.7 114. 9
176.7 111.5
176.7 109.2
94.3
153.3
170.0 102. 3
166.7 102.3
98.9
166.7
96.6
163.3
95.4
153.3
94.3
150.0
93.1
150.0
150. 0
93.1
92.0
150.0
89.7
146.7
86.2
140. 0
136.7
85.1
100.0
370.6
158.8
188.2
211.8
135.3
170.6
158.8
158.8
164.7
164.7
141.2
135.3
129.4
117.6
105.9
100.0
105.9
115.4
110.4
107.7
105. 4
101.8
100.9
99. 5
102.3
63.9
59.5
57.6
55.1
52.5
49.4
53.8
56.3
85.8
70.1
61.2
58.0
58.0
60.3
66. 1
77. 7
126.8
125.0
125.0
123. 2
123.2
123.2
121.4
121.4
100.0
100.0
97.0
97.0
97.0
97.0
97.0
93.9
133.3
133.3
1S0.0
130. 0
130.0
130.0
126.7
126.7
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
105.9
117.6
111.8
100.0
J 22 articles in 1913-1920; 42 articles in 1921-1932,
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
M ilk B u tte r
100.0 100.0
206.3 207.9
196.7 208.5
204.1 212.2
198.5 185.7
170.6 156.1
188.1 166.1
183.3 164.6
178.4 164.0
175.5 165.6
172.9 165.1
170.6 161.9
171.4 158.7
171.4 156.6
169.5 152.4
164.3 145.5
155. 4 138.1
147.6 131.7
1913.......... ...........
1920...... ............
1928__________
1929__________
1930______ _
1931__________
Jan u a ry ___
F ebruary
M arch ____
April
M a y ______
J u n e __ ___
Ju ly ____
A ugustSeptem ber.
October
N ovem ber.
D ecem ber..
1932:
Jan u a ry ___
February
M arch ____
April
M a y ______
Ju n e ______
Ju ly ______
A ugust___
1913__________
1920_________
1928__________
1929-_________
1930__________
1931______ -J anuary___
F ebruary
M arch ____
A pril . . .
M a y ______
J u n e ______
Ju ly ______
A ugust___
Septem ber.
O ctober___
N ovem ber.
D ecem ber..
1932:
Jan u a ry ___
F ebruary _
M a r c h ...
A pril_____
M ay ______
Ju n e ______
Ju lv ______
A ugust___
Lamb, H ens
leg of
85.1
83.9
81.6
79.3
77.0
75.9
75.9
74.7
127.5
125.4
131.7
135.4
132.3
128.6
131.7
127.0
100.0 100.0
352.7 134.7
129.1 142.3
120.0 142.6
112.7 142.5
103. 6 138.6
107.3 141.0
107.3 140.6
105. 5 139.7
103.6 138.2
101.8 136.9
101.8 136.8
101.8 137.3
103.6 138.6
103. 6 139.3
101.8 139.0
101.8 138.1
100.0 138.1
100.0
157.7
165.1
164.8
136.2
113. 4
126.8
125.2
121.8
116.1
112.4
111. 1
109.1
108.7
108.7
107.7
106.7
105.7
100.0
203.4
154.3
156.7
147.1
121.3
132.8
127.0
126.4
124.0
121.0
118.3
119.0
119.7
119.4
119.1
116.7
114.3
136.2
135. 3
134.7
133.1
132.4
130.5
129.2
128.9
104.4
104.0
103.4
102.3
100.7
99.7
99.7
99.3
109.3
105.3
105.0
103.7
101.3
100.1
101.0
100.8
98.2
96.4
94.5
92.7
89.1
89.1
90.9
92.7
RETAIL PRICES
963
Comparison of Retail Food Costs in 51 Cities
T a b l e 4 shows for 39 cities the percentage of increase or decrease
in the retail cost of food in the United States in August, 1932, com
pared with the average cost in the year 1913, in August, 1931, and
July, 1932. For 12 other cities comparisons are given for the 1-year
and the 1-month periods; these cities have been scheduled by the
bureau at different dates since 1913. The percentage changes are
based on actual retail prices secured each month from retail dealers
and on the average consumption of these articles in each city. The
consumption figures which have been used since January, 1921, are
given in the Labor Review for March, 1921 (p. 26). Those used for
prior dates are given in the Labor Review for November, 1918 (pp.
94 and 95).
Effort has been made by the bureau each month to have all sched
ules for each city included in the average prices. For the month
160
140
120
100
JAN. FEB
MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE. JULY. AUC. SEPT OCT NOV DEC
of August schedules were received from 99.5 per cent of the firms in
the 51 cities from which retail prices of food are collected.
Out of about 1,207 food reports 7 were not received—1 each in
Detroit, Portland (Oreg.), and San Francisco; 2 each in Los Angeles
and Seattle.
Out of about 350 bread reports 1 was missing in Little Rock.
A perfect record is shown for the following-named cities: Atlanta,
Baltimore, Birmingham, Boston, Bridgeport, Buffalo, Butte,
Charleston (S. C.), Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus,
Dallas, Denver, Fall River, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville,
Kansas City, Louisville, Manchester, Memphis, Milwaukee, Min
neapolis, Mobile, Newark, New Haven, New Orleans, New York,
Norfolk, Omaha, Peoria, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland (Me.),
Providence, Richmond, Rochester, St. Louis, St. Paul, Salt Lake
City, Savannah, Scranton, Springfield (111.), and Washington.
140152°—32----- 15
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
964
T a b l e 4 .—P E R C E N T A G E C H A N G E IN T H E R E T A IL C O ST O F FO O D IN A U G U ST , 1932,
C O M P A R E D W IT H T H E C O ST IN JU L Y , 1932, A U G U ST , 1931, A N D W IT H T H E C O ST
IN T H E Y E A R 1913, B Y C IT IE S
C ity
Percent Percentage decrease,
A u g u s t , 1932,
age in
compared w ith —
crease,
A ugust,
1932, com
pared
August, July, 1932
w ith 1913
1931
Un itoci States
0. 8
15.8
0. 2
A tlanta
Baltim ore _ _ __
'Birmingham
Boston.. ______ _
B ridgeport__
i .7
4.8
.8
2.7
16. 7
16.1
13. 4
17.0
13. 6
.3
1. 5
2 1. 7
.7
1.0
Buffalo
B u tte
Charleston, S. C .._
Chicago________ .
C incinnati--
6. 0
13.6
18. 5
16.0
17.8
22. 3
.6
1.0
.5
.7
2. 6
15.8
18.2
16.9
13.7
1.9
3.0
2 1.0
2 .5
4. 1
10.4
i 1. 4
C leveland.. _____
C olum bus_____
D allas _________
D enver ........ .....
i 3.0
____
D etroit
Fall River
H ouston
Indianapolis ____
i 4. 2
.3
.Tackson ville
K ansas C ity ____
L ittle R ock_______
Dos Angeles _
Louisville________
M anchester ____
M em phis ___
M ilw aukee ......
i 6.0
14.7
Percent Percentage decrease,
A u g u s t , 1932,
age in
compared w ith—
crease,
August,
1932, com
A ugust, J u ly ,1932
pared
1931
w ith 1913
C ity
M inneapolis__ Mobile ______ N ew ark______ _
New H a v e n _____
N ew Orleans_____
N ew Y o rk ___ . _
Norfolk_____ _ _ _
O m aha__________
Peoria________ _
P hiladelphia______
P itts b u r g h - __ _
Portland, M e __
Portland^ Oreg____
Providence_______
R ichm ond_____
2. 3
i 1.9
20. 7
12. 7
18. 2
15.5
2 1. 0
2. 3
R ochester.. _____
St. Louis ______
St. Paul - _
Salt Lake C ity . San Francisco __
i 5. 7
12.0
i 8.8
i 14.5
15.4
16.7
16.0
20. 7
2 3.8
2 1.9
2 1. 7
4.6
16.8
3.6
i 6.6
2.9
17.3
15.2
15.4
17.3
2.2
2 1.4
2 1. 2
2.0
Savannah ____ _
Scranton _____
Seattle________
Springfield, 111_
W ashington ___ -
1 Decrease.
4. 7
1 1.7
4.3
7.3
i .2
9.2
18.4
4.2
i 2.1
i 5.2
3.0
4.0
.5
i 15.8
4.4
6.0
1.2
8.7
Hawaii:
H onolulu _ _
Other localities.
19. 3
18. 5
14.9
14.1
12.4
1.5
2 1.5
2.1
.4
2 2. 6
13.7
11.8
19.9
14.9
18.5
.1
2. 5
1.0
1.3
.8
18.4
16.1
12.2
16.5
14.3
2 .2
1.5
2 .2
1.0
2 1.0
11.3
18.0
18. 6
20. 6
11.0
2. 1
.5
3.5
3.4
2 1.1
15. 3
15.9
13.7
15.4
16.3
2 3.2
.5
1.3
15.2
15.8
1.3
1.7
.3
2 .6
2 Increase.
R e ta il P r ic e s o f C oal in A u g u s t, 1932
ETAIL prices of coal are secured in each of the 51 cities in 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.
Table 1 shows the average prices of coal per ton of 2,000 pounds
and index numbers for the United States on August 15, 1932, in com
parison with the average prices on August 15, 1931, and July 15, 1932,
together with the percentage change in the year and in the month.
R
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
RETAIL PRICES
T
965
1 . —A V E R A G E R E T A IL P R IC E P E R 2,000 P O U N D S O P CO AL F O R T H E U N IT E D
ST A T E S , A N D P E R C E N T O P C H A N G E ON A U G U ST 15, 1932, C O M P A R E D W IT H
A U G U ST 15, 1931, A N D JU L Y 15, 1932
able
Average retail price on—
Article
Pennsylvania anthracite:
S to v e Average price per 2,000 p ounds____________
Index (1913=100.0)______________________
C hestnut—
Average price per 2,000 p ounds__ __________
Index (1913=100.0)_______________________
Bitum inous:
Average price per 2,000 pounds_______________
Index (1913=100.0)___________________________
Per cent of increase
(+ ) or decrease
( - ) Aug. 15, 1932
compared w ith—
Aug. 15,
1931
Ju ly 15,
1932
Aug. 15,
1932
Aug. 15,
1931
$14. 76
191.1
$13. 37
173.0
$13. 50
174.8
- 8 .5
+ 1 .0
$14. 73
186.1
$13.16
166.2
$13. 28
167.8
-9 .8
+ .9
$8.11
149.3
$7. 50
138.0
$7. 52
138.4
- 7 .3
+ .3
July 15,
1932
Table 2 shows average retail prices of coal on July 15 and August 15,
1932, by cities. In addition to the prices for Pennsylvania anthracite,
prices are shown for Colorado, Arkansas, and New Mexico anthracite
in those cities where these coals form any considerable portion of the
sales for household use.
The prices shown for bituminous coal are averages of prices of the
several kinds sold for household use.
T a b le 3 .—A V E R A G E R E T A IL P R IC E S O F C O AL P E R T O N O F 2,000 PO U N D S , F O R H O U S E
H O L D U SE , O N JU L Y 15 A N D A U G U ST 15, 1932
C ity, and k in d of coal
Ju ly 15, Aug. 15,
1932
1932
A tlanta, Ga.:
Bitum inous, prepared sizes____ $5. 64
Baltimore, M d.:
Pennsylvania an thracite—
Stove____
. . . . . ________ 12. 25
C hestnut
11. 75
Bitum inous, ru n of m ine—
High volatile_______________
6. 86
B irm ingham , Ala.:
4. 96
Bitum inous, prepared sizes
Boston, Mass.:*
Pennsylvania an thracite—
Stove.. ______
_____ . . 13. 25
C h estn u t__________________ ..13.00
B ridgeport, Conn.:
Pennsylvania an thracite—
______ . . 13.00
Stove
. . .
Chesnut _________________ 13.00
Buffalo, N . Y .:
Pennsylvania an thracite—
11.88
Stove_________ . ____ ____
C hestnut
11. 63
B utte, M ont.:
9. 89
Bitum inous, prepared sizes____
Charleston, S. C.:
Bitum inous, prepared sizes
9. 50
Chicago, 111.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
15. 30
Stove.. . . ________________
C hestnut
15. 05
Bitum inous, prepared sizes—
7. 53
H igh volatile. _. . _______
9. 22
Low volatile.- .
____ _
6.95
R u n of mine, low volatile_____
Cincinnati, Ohio:
Bitum inous, prepared sizes—
High volatile
5.00
6.75
Low volatile................... ............
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
$5. 82
12. 50
12. 00
7. 07
4.98
13. 25
13.00
13. 00
13. 00
12.15
11. 90
9.85
9. 50
15. 44
15.13
7. 44
9. 42
6.92
5. 00
6.75
C ity, and k in d of coal
Ju ly 15, Aug. 15,
1932
1932
Cleveland, Ohio:
Pennsylvania an thracite—
Stove______________________ $13. 63
C hestnut___________ _______ 13. 38
Bitum inous, prepared sizes—
6.19
H igh volatile________ _____
8.00
Low volatile___________ ____
Colum bus, Ohio:
Bitum inous, prepared sizes—
5. 15
H igh v o la tile .. . . _______
6. 25
Low volatile_______________
Dallas, Tex.:
14. 00
Arkansas anthracite, e g g _____
Bitum inous, prepared sizes___
10. 00
D enver, Colo.:
Colorado anthracite—•
Furnace, 1 and 2, m ixed_____ 14. 75
Stove, 3 and 5 mixed ______ 14. 75
7. 95
Bitum inous, prepared sizes___
D etroit, M ich.:
Pennsylvania an thracite—
Stove_____________ _______ 12. 92
C h e s tn u t___ _
...
____ 12.71
B itum inous, prepared sizes—
5. 91
H igh v o l a t i l e .. ___. . . . . .
Low volatile . . .
. _
6. 95
6. 31
R u n of mine, low volatile____
Fall River, Mass.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
14. 25
Stove_____________
_____
14.00
C h e s t n u t . .. _____
. ..
H ouston, Tex.:
9. 20
Bitum inous, prepared sizes. _
Indianapolis, In d .:
Bitum inous, prepared sizes—
4. 79
H igh volatile_____
. ------0.71
Low volatile . _______ ____
5. 55
R u n of mine, low volatile_____
$13.56
13. 31
6. 33
8. 00
5.14
6.25
13. 50
9.75
14.50
14. 50
7.89
13. 00
12. 79
6. 04
6. 86
6. 25
14. 00
13. 75
9. 40
4. 80
7.17
5.85
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
966
T a b l e 2 .—A V E R A O E R E T A IL P R IC E S OF C O AL P E R T O N O F 2,000 P O U N D S, F O R H O U S E
H O L D U SE, ON JU L Y 15 A N D A U G U ST 15, 1932—C ontinued
C ity, and k in d of coal
Jacksonville, Fla.:
B itum inous, prepared sizes____
K ansas C ity, M o .:
A rkansas anthracite—
Furnace___________________
Stove No. 4— . __________
Bitum inous, prepared sizes____
L ittle Rock, Ark.:
A rkansas an thracite—e g g _____
Bitum inous, prepared sizes____
Los Angeles, Calif.:
Bitum inous, prepared sizes____
Louisville, K y.:
B itum inous, prepared sizes—
H igh volatile_______ ______
Low volatile ___ - _________
M anchester, N . H.:
Pennsylvania an thracite—
Stove_____________ - ____
C h estn u t__________________
M em phis, Tenn.:
Bitum inous, prepared sizes____
M ilw aukee, Wis.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove____________________ C hestn u t__________________
B itum inous, prepared sizes—
____
H igh volatile______
Low volatile_______________
M inneapolis, M inn.:
Pennsylvania an thracite—■
Stove--------------- --------------C h estn u t__________________
Bitum inous, prepared sizes—
H igh v o la tile .. ________ . . .
Low volatile_______________
M obile, Ala.:
B itum inous, prepared sizes___
N ew ark, N . J.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove---- ------ ----------------- __
C hestnut _________________
N ew H aven, Conn.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove________ __________ .
C h estn u t___ _______ ____ _
N ew Orleans, La.:
B itum inous, prepared sizes____
N ew Y ork, N . Y.:
Pennsylvania an thracite—
Stove______________________
C h e s tn u t______________ . . .
Norfolk, Va.:
Pennsylvania an thracite—
Stove____ ________________
C h estn u t__________________
B itum inous, prepared sizes—
H igh volatile. . . . . . . . . .
Low volatile _
.
.....
R u n of mine, low volatile_____
O maha, N ebr.:
Bitum inous, prepared sizes____
Peoria, 111.:
Bitum inous, prepared sizes____
Philadelphia, Pa.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove . . . _________________
C h estn u t_________________ .
Ju ly 15, Aug. 15.
1932
1932
$9.00
$9.00
10.63
12. 17
5.75
10. 63
12.17
5. 78
11.75
8.17
11.50
8.00
15.13
15.25
4. 68
6. 75
4. 69
6. 69
14. 50
14. 50
14. 50
14. 50
6.94
6.54
14. 45
14. 20
14 65
14.40
6. 97
8. 75
6.99
8. 78
16.75
16. 50
16.95
16. 70
9.62
11.87
9. 60
11.87
7.31
7.17
11.75
11.50
11. 99
11. 74
13.65
13. 65
13. 65
13. 65
8.07
8. 07
12.02
11. 77
12 25
12.00
12. 50
12. 50
12. 50
12. 50
6. 50
7. 50
6.50
6. 50
7. 50
6.50
8.73
8.77
6.10
5.96
11.00
10.75
11.17
10.92
C ity, and kind of coal
Ju ly 15, Aug. 15,
1932
1932
Pittsburgh, Pa.:
Pennsylvania anthracite, chestn u t________________________ $12.88
Bitum inous, prepared sizes____
4.04
Portland, Me.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
15 Rfi
Stove— _______
C hestnut__________________
15. 12
Portland, Oreg.:
Bitum inous, prepared sizes___
11.96
Providence, R. I.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove______________________ 1 14. 00
C h estnut__________________ i 13. 75
R ichm ond, Va.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove______________________ 12. 88
C hestnut___________ _______ 12.88
Bitum inous, prepared sizes—
6 67
H igh volatile
Low volatile____________ — 7. 43
R u n of mine, low volatile___ .
6. 39
Rochester, N . Y.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove
Chestnut,
1A 13
St. Louis, M o.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
14 79
Stove _
C hestnut_______________ __ 14. 72
Bitum inous, prepared sizes____
5.16
St. Paul, M inn.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove______________________ 16.75
C hestnut
16.50
Bitum inous, prepared sizes—
H igh volatile________ ______
9.55
Low volatile_______ _______
21.87
Salt Lake C ity, U tah:
Bitum inous, prepared sizes____
7.39
San Francisco, Calif.:
N ew Mexico anthracite, Cerillos egg-----------------------------25.00
Colorado anthracite, egg______
24. 50
B itum inous, prepared sizes___
15.00
Savannah, Ga.:
B itum inous, prepared sizes____ 2 8.28
Scranton, Pa.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
Stove______________________
8. 63
C hestnut
8. 35
Seattle, W ash.:
Bitum inous, prepared sizes___
9.01
Springfield, 111.:
Bitum inous, prepared sizes____
4. 39
W ashington, D . C.:
Pennsylvania anthracite—
3 13 56
Stove
C hestnut
3 13! 26
B itum inous, prepared sizes—
H igh volatile__ ______
3 8. 29
Low volatile..
___
3 9.86
R u n of mine, m ixed__________ 8 7. 50
$12. 75
4.00
15 26
15.12
12.09
14. 00
1 13. 75
1
13. 00
13.00
7. 65
6. 50
12.50
14! 85
4.80
16.95
16.70
9.49
11.87
7.39
25. 00
24. 50
15.00
2 8. 53
8. 83
8. 55
9.70
4.34
3 13.55
3 8. 29
3 9. 86
3 7. 56
1 T h e average price of coal delivered in bins is 50 cents higher th a n here shown. Practically all coal is
delivered in bins.
2 All coal sold in Savannah is weighed b y th e city. A charge of 10 cents per to n or half ton is m ade. This
additional charge has been included in the above price.
3 Per ton of 2,240 pounds.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
WHOLESALE PRICES
In d ex N u m b e r s o f W h o le sa le P r ic e s, 1913 t o A u g u s t, 1932
T
HE following table presents the index numbers of wholesale
prices by groups of commodities, by years, from 1913 to 1931,
inclusive, and by months from January, 1931, to date:
IN 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
[1926=100.0]
Y ear and m onth
1913_________________
1914_________________
1915._ ______________
1916_________________
1917_________________
1918_________________
1919_________________
1920_________________
1921_________________
1922_________________
1923_________________
1924_________________
1925_________________
1926_________________
1927_________________
1928_________________
1929_________________
1930_________________
1931_________________
1931:
Jan u a ry _________
F ebruary________
M arch ___ _______
A pril__________
M ay _____ _______
Ju n e ____________
J u ly _____________
A u g u s t .- ____ -.
Septem ber___ _ _
October_________
N ovem ber_____
December________
1932:
Jan u a ry ______
F ebruary___ _____
M arch......................
A pril___ _____ _
M ay ____________
Ju n e ____________
J u ly _____________
A ugust___ - _____
Hides
and
Tex Fuel M etals B uild C hem House- MisFarm
and
furleath
and
tile
ing
icals nishcelprod Foods
er
prod light m etal m ate and
laneucts
Prod rials drugs
ing
prod ucts
ing
ous
ucts
goods
ucts
All
com
modi
ties
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
80.2
81.4
112.0
160. 7
165.0
182.3
157.0
164. 7
115.0
100.3
101. 1
98.9
101.8
100.0
96.8
95.6
94.2
89.1
79.3
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
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
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
73.1
70.1
70.6
70. 1
67.1
65.4
64.9
63.5
60.5
58.8
58. 7
55.7
80.7
78.0
77.6
76.3
73.8
73.3
74.0
74.6
73. 7
73.3
71.0
69.1
88.7
86.9
87.6
87.5
87.6
88.0
89.4
88. 7
85.0
82.5
81.6
79.8
71.3
70.9
70.0
68. 2
67.4
66.6
66.5
65.5
64.5
63.0
62.2
60.8
73.3
72.5
68.3
65. 4
65.3
62.9
62.9
66. 5
67.4
67.8
69.4
68.3
86.9
86.5
86.4
85. 7
85.0
84.4
84.3
83.9
83.9
82.8
82. 6
82.2
83.8
82.5
82.5
81.5
80. 0
79.3
78. 1
77. 6
77.0
76.1
76.2
75.7
84.5
83.3
82.9
81.3
80.5
79.4
78.9
76.9
76.3
75. 6
76.1
76.1
88.3
88. 1
88.0
87.9
86.8
86.4
85. 7
84. 9
82. 7
81.0
80.9
78.5
72.2
71. 5
72.0
71.5
70. 5
69. 7
69. 7
68. 3
68.2
66.6
68. 7
66.8
78.2
76.8
76.0
74.8
73.2
72.1
72.0
72.1
71.2
70. 3
70.2
68.6
52.8
50.6
50.2
49.2
46.6
45. 7
47.9
49.1
64.7
62.5
62.3
61.0
59.3
58.8
60.9
61.8
79.3
78.3
77.3
75.0
72. 5
70.8
68.6
69.7
59.9
59.8
58.7
57.0
55.6
53.9
52.7
54.0
67.9
68.3
67.9
70.2
70. 7
71.6
72.3
72.1
81.8
80.9
80.8
80.3
80. 1
79.9
79.2
80.1
74.8
73.4
73.2
72.5
71.5
70.8
69.7
69.6
75.7
75.5
75.3
74.4
73.6
73.1
73.0
73.3
77.7
77. 5
77.1
76.3
74.8
74. 7
74.0
73.6
65.6
64. 7
64. 7
64.7
64.4
64.2
64. 3
64.6
67.3
66.3
66.0
65.5
64.4
63.9
64.5
65.2
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
967
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
968
IN D E X N U M B E R S O P S P E C IF IE D G R O U P S OF C O M M O D IT IE S , A U G U ST , 1931, A N D
JU L Y A N D A U G U ST, 1932
[1926=100.0]
A ugust,
1931
Group
July,
1932
54.7
55.5
70.5
68.0
69.7
64.1
68.3
76.4
73.9
74.2
Up w materials
___________________________________ _____
Ppm irp an pifact/n rp.d articles
_ _______________________________
Finishp.d products
_ ______________________________________________
Non agricultural commodities
_ ___________ ___ ________________
All commodities other th a n farm products and foods-----------------------------
A ugust,
1932
55.7
57.9
70.7
68.5
70.1
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 10 major
groups of commodities and for all commodities combined as issued
during the month of August will be found in the following statement:
IN D E X N U M B E R S O F W H O L E S A L E P R IC E S F O R T H E W E E K S O F A U G U ST , 1932
11926 = 100.0]
Week ending—
Group
Aug. 6
All commodities
_ __________________ - —
Farm products
_ _______________________________
Foods
____________ _______________________ _
Hides and leather products. ______________________
Textile products
___ __________________________
Fuel and lighting
_ ___________________ _______
M etals and metal products
________ ___ ___ ______
B uilding m aterials_____________ _________ - ____ - Ohemicals and drugs
__________________ _______
House-furnishing goods________________________ - -M iscellaneous____________________ ______- _______
64.8
47.9
61.9
69.9
52.5
73.0
79.2
69.6
73.4
74.9
64.5
Aug. 13
65.2
49.4
62.5
70.2
53.0
72.9
79.4
69.4
73.4
74.9
64.7
Aug. 20
65.4
49.9
61.8
70.6
53.7
72.8
80.1
69.6
73.5
74.9
64. 7
Aug. 27
65.2
49.5
61.6
70.8
54.0
72.7
80.0
69.6
73.0
74.9
64.4
Wholesale Price Trends During August, 1932
T h e index number of wholesale commodity prices as computed by
the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of
Labor shows a marked increase from July, 1932, to August, 1932.
This index number, which includes 784 commodities or price series
weighted according to the importance of each article, and based on
the average prices for the year 1926 as 100.0, averaged 65.2 for August,
as compared with 64.5 for July, showing an advance of more than
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
WHOLESALE PRICES
969
1 per cent between the two months. When compared with August,
1931, with an index number of 72.1, a decrease of 9K per cent has
been recorded in the 12 months.
The farm-products group made the greatest gains, advancing 2y2
per cent in the month period. Increases were recorded in the aver
age prices of barley, corn, rye, wheat, calves, poultry, cotton, eggs,
hay, and peanuts. Decreases in the average prices of oats, cows,
hogs, fresh apples, lemons, oranges, leaf tobacco, and onions, were
shown for August.
Among foods, price increases were reported for butter, cheese, rye
and wheat flour, fresh and cured beef, cured pork, veal, coffee, lard,
raw and granulated sugar, and most canned vegetables. On the
other hand, condensed and evaporated milk, rolled oats, canned
fruits, lamb, mutton, fresh pork, and salt averaged lower than in
the month before. The group as a whole increased 1K per cent in
August when compared with July.
The hides and leather products group increased slightly more than
1% per cent during the month, due to sharp increases in hides and
skins. Decreases were shown for leather and other leather prod
ucts, with boots and shoes showing practically no change in average
prices. Textile products as a whole increased
per cent from July
to August, due to marked advances for cotton goods, knit goods,
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
970
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
silk and rayon, and other textile products. The subgroup of woolen
and worsted goods declined slightly, while clothing remained at the
July level.
In the group of fuel and lighting materials decreases m the average
prices of bituminous coal and petroleum products more than offset
increases in the prices of anthracite coal, coke, electricity, and gas.
As a whole the group showed a net decline of less than one-half of
1 per cent from July to August.
Metals and metal products showed an upward tendency for August
due to increases in iron and steel products and nonferrous metals.
Agricultural implements, motor vehicles, and plumbing and heating
fixtures remained at the July level. The group as a whole advanced
a little more than 1 per cent between the two months. In the group
of building materials, cement, paint materials, and other building
materials moved upward, and structural steel showed no change in
average prices for the two months. Brick and tile and lumber con
tinued their downward movement, forcing the group as a whole to
show a slight decline.
.
Drugs and pharmaceuticals, fertilizer materials, and mixed fer
tilizers showed recessions during August. Chemicals advanced be
tween July and August, causing the group as a whole to advance a
little less than one-half of 1 per cent from the month before. Both
furniture and furnishings continued to show a downward movement
from July to August. As a whole the housefurnishing goods group
declined one-half of 1 per cent from the previous month.
The group of miscellaneous commodities increased approximately
one-half of 1 per cent between July and August, advancing prices
of cattle feed, paper and pulp, and crude rubber more than counter
balanced decreases in other miscellaneous commodities. Automobile
tires and tubes remained at the July level.
_
The August averages for all of the special groups of commodities
were above those for July, with increases ranging from three-tenths
of 1 per cent in the case of finished products to more than 4 per cent
for semimanufactured articles.
Between July and August price increases took place in 213 in
stances, decreases in 135 instances, while in 436 instances no change
in price occurred.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
WHOLESALE PEICES
971
IN D E X N U M B E E S O F 'W H O LE SA LE P E IC E S BY G E O U P S A N D S U B G E O U P S O F C O M
M O D IT IE S
[1926=100.0]
C om m odity groups and subgroups
August,
1931
Ju ly,
1932
August,
1932
Purchasing
power of
the dollar,
A ugust,
1932
All commodities......... ........................... .............. ............ .......
72.1
64.5
65. 2
$1. 534
F arm p ro d u c ts __________ _________________________
G rains_________________________ _________ ____
Livestock and p o u ltry __________________________
O ther farm p ro d u cts___________________________
Foods. _ _________________________ ______________
B utter, cheese, and m ilk. ___________ . . . . . .
Cereal p roducts. . __________________________
Fruits and vegetables______________ ___________
M eats_________________________________________
O ther foods________________________________ . . .
Hides and leath er products_______ ______ __________
Boots and shoes____________________________ _ _
H ides and skins_______________________ ______
Leather. _ ________________ _ . _____________
Other leather products________________________
Textile p ro d u c ts ___ ____ __________________ . _____
C lo th in g ... ___________________ . . .
_____
Cotton goods_______________________ . . . ______
K n it goods________ ________ . . . . ______ _
.
Silk and ra y o n ________ ________ ______
Woolen and w orsted goods_____________ . _____
O ther textile products______________ __________
Fuel and lighting m aterials.. . . . _________________
A nthracite coal
. . .
_____ _
B itum inous coal _____________________ . . . . . .
Coke . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . ____. . .
E lectricity________________ ____ . _________
Gas______
Petroleum products____________________________
M etals and m etal products_____________________ . . .
Agricultural im plem ents___________________ . . _
______________ _ __ _ __
Iron and steel. . . . .
M otor vehicles.. ___________ ______ _
......
Nonferrous m etals. _________________ _ . .
P lum bing and h e a tin g .._____ _____ _ __
Building m aterials___________ ___ _ _ . . . .
Brick and t i l e ___________ __________ . . . . . . .
Cem ent _ _ _________ _________ . .
.
. . .
L um ber_________ _ _____________ ____ _________
P ain t and p ain t m aterials____________ _____ . . .
Plum bing and heating_________ __________ ____
Structural steel ______________________________
O ther building m aterials___________ . .
...
Chemicals and d r u g s ____________ ______
Chemicals ________ _________ _ . . . .
Drugs and pharm aceuticals------------------------------Fertilizer m aterials________ . . . . . . ---------------Mixed fertilizers_____________ ____ ___________
H ousefurnishing goods__________
. . . --------------Furnishings---------------------- ------------------------ .
F u rn itu re _____________________________________
M iscellaneous____________ _______________ . . . ----Automobile tires and tubes __________________
C attle feed_________ . ------------- ----------- -- -Paper and p u lp ------- ---------- . . -------------Eubber, crude______________________ ______
O ther m iscellaneous______________ _________ E aw m aterials______________________ . ----------- - Semimanufactured articles..................................................
Finished products_____________ _______ __________
- —
N onagricultural commodities________ ________
All commodities other th a n farm products and foods—
63. 5
44.8
67. 0
67.3
74.6
82. 2
70.9
73.4
76.0
69. 6
88. 7
93. 5
69. 1
90.3
101. 4
65.5
75.9
64. 0
59.2
43. 7
67.4
74.4
66. 5
92.2
83. 7
81.5
98. 4
103. 2
37. 5
83. 9
94.3
82.4
94. 7
60. 1
83.8
77. 6
82.9
75. 8
66.9
78.4
83.8
81. 7
83.7
76.9
80.5
61.9
74. 4
78. 7
84.9
81. 7
88. 6
68.3
46.0
50.8
80.6
11.2
86.4
64. 1
68.3
76.4
73.9
74. 2
47.9
36. 7
54.1
48.4
60.9
58.2
65. 7
59.7
62.0
58. 5
68.6
84.4
33.5
60. 0
83. 7
52. 7
66.0
50.0
47.8
26. 2
53.6
66.5
72.3
84. 5
81. 6
76. 3
105. 8
108. 3
49. 7
79. 2
84.9
77.2
95.3
47. 0
67. 1
69. 7
75.9
77.3
56.9
66.8
67.1
81. 7
77.9
73. 0
78.9
57.6
66.8
68.8
74.0
75.1
73.0
64.3
40. 1
42. 2
76. 2
6. 1
84.5
54. 7
55.5
70. 5
68. 0
69. 7
49. 1
38.2
52.8
50.8
61.8
60. 2
66. 0
55. 6
61.9
62. 1
69. 7
84.4
39.3
60. 0
82. 3
54.0
66. 0
52. 6
48. 5
29.5
53.4
67.4
72. 1
86.0
81.3
76. 7
2. 037
2. 618
1.894
1.969
1. 618
1.661
1. 515
1. 799
1.616
1. 610
1.435
1. 185
2. 545
1. 667
1. 215
1.852
1. 515
1.901
2. 062
3. 390
1.873
1.484
1.387
1. 163
1.230
1.304
(')
0)
1 48.9
80.1
84.9
78.7
95.3
48.5
67.1
69. 6
75.2
79. 0
55.5
67.2
67. 1
81. 7
78.3
73.3
79.7
57.0
66.4
68.3
73.6
74. 8
72.6
64.6
40.1
47.4
76.3
7.9
84. 2
55.7
57.9
70. 7
68. 5
70. 1
2.045
1.248
1.178
1.271
1.049
2. 062
1.490
1.437
1.330
1. 266
1.802
1.488
1.490
1. 224
1.277
1. 364
1. 255
1. 754
1. 506
1.464
1. 359
1. 337
1.377
1. 548
2.494
2.110
1. 311
12. 658
1. 188
1. 795
1. 727
1. 414
1. 460
1. 427
i D ata not yet available.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
COST OF LIVING
C o st o f L iv in g o f W a g e -E a r n in g W o m e n in R ic h m o n d , V a.
ATA concerning the cost of living of wage-earning women in
Richmond, Va., were collected in the early summer of 1931 by
the School of Social Service of William and Mary College. Nineteen
students visited the working girls personally and secured budgets for
71 (all of whom were at least 75 per cent self-supporting), covering
details of their income and expenditures for the year ending March 31,
1931. An agent of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics
assisted the student investigators by advising with them and by in
specting the budgets as they were brought in. The report here
presented was compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Although this investigation was limited in scope and is incomplete
in some respects, it is believed that the results are fairly representa
tive of living conditions among working women. Statements of ex
penditures are of necessity approximate as few women keep written
accounts, but on the whole the figures given undoubtedly show the
facts with a close degree of accuracy.
The data are classified in most cases according to class of work,
namely, clerical workers and factory workers. The clerical group
(47 workers) was made up largely of stenographers, but also included
secretaries, cashiers, telephone operators, bookkeepers, and social
workers. The factory group (24 workers) included tobacco and paperbox factory workers, a meat packer, and a worker in an engraving
establishment.
D
Characteristics of Workers
Age and conjugal condition.-—Sixty-nine per cent of the woman work
ers canvassed were in the 20-to-30-year age group, the average for all
being 24 years. The ages of the 47 clerical workers ranged from 17
to 45 years and averaged 25 years, and those of the factory workers
ranged from 17 to 35 years and averaged 22 years. Seven women
were over 30 and under 45 years, and 14 were under 20 years of age.
The age of the women living at home averaged 23 years and that of
the women living away from home 26 years. One of the workers was
a widow, 2 were married but not living with their husbands, and 68
were single women.
Length of time in city and in industry .—Eighteen women had lived
in Richmond less than 5 years, 16 from 5 to 10 years, 18 from 10 to
20 years, and 19 from 20 to 29 years, the average number of years
for the 47 clerical workers being 12.5 years, for the 24 factory workers
11.7 years, and for all the women 12.2 years. These figures include
a few residing in the city all their lives. Thirty-five women were
living at home and 36 were living away from home.
For 36 women the number of years spent in industry was less than
5 years, for 25 women from 5 to 10 years, and for 10 women from 10
to 22 years, the average for the 47 clerical workers being 6 years, for
the 24 factory workers 4.6 years, and for all women 5.6 years.
972
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
COST OF LIVING
973
Education.—All of the 71 women reported grade-school education,
averaging 7.1 years. Sixty-five had an average of 3.3 years in high
school and 17 an average of 2.2 years in college, there being 40 who
were high-school graduates and 4 who were college graduates.
Twenty-four women averaged one year at business day school and
four women had business training, averaging 2.3 years, in night
school.
Degree of self-support.— No woman was included unless she was at
least 75 per cent self-supporting. Data obtained regarding the
assistance these women received from their families when employed as
well as when unemployed showed that 26, or 37 per cent, divided
equally between clerical and factory workers, received such assistance.
Of these women 14 lived at home and 12 away from home. The assist
ance consisted of money, board and room, clothing, laundry, insur
ance, telephone, and other items. Gifts received were evaluated at
what they would have cost the women had they been purchased for
cash. They were listed as expenses and were also included as part of
income.
For the 13 clerical workers this assistance had an average value of
$72 for the year and for the 13 factory workers $34, while for all 26
women it was $53. The average earnings, as distinguished from total
income, of the 13 clerical workers receiving family assistance were
$884, and of the 13 factory workers, $660.
The rather large average reported in the clerical group for assist
ance from the family was caused by amounts ranging from $140 to
$200, received by 3 women living away from home. Two sisters,
whose earnings were slightly over $1,300 each, received from their
family $190 and $200, respectively, in board, room, clothing, and
money; it was evident from their budgets that the family was in com
fortable circumstances and able to assist the daughters. The third
woman received $130 in money while working, and board and room
valued at $10 while not working. Six women received less than $17,
11 received from $20 to $47.50, and 6 received from $64 to $92.
Earnings and Income
T h e earnings of the 47 clerical workers ranged from $480 to $1,560
and averaged $1,082, while the total income from all sources ranged
from $520 to $1,659 and averaged $1,145. For the 24 factory work
ers the earnings ranged from $420 to $1,230 and averaged $667, while
the income ranged from $441 to $1,267 and averaged $705. Consid
ering all 71 woman workers, the earnings averaged $942 and the in
come $996, the earnings being 94.5 per cent of the income. In only
two instances was a secondary line of work undertaken by the women.
One clerical worker earned $180 as a singer, and a factory worker
earned $30 as an operator in a beauty parlor during evenings. The
smallest addition to the regular earnings was_ 50 cents and the largest
amount was $339, or 20 per cent of the total income of that person.
Table 1 shows the average earnings and the average income for
the 71 wage-earning women in Richmond.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
974
T a b l e 1.— A V E R A G E Y E A R L Y E A R N IN G S A N D IN C O M E OF W A G E -E A R N IN G W O M E N
IN R IC H M O N D , V A „ B Y IN C O M E G R O U PS
N u m b er of
workers
Income group
Cler Fac
Cler Fac Total ical tory Total Clerical Factory
work w ork
workers workers
ical tory
ers
ers
U nder $600________________________
$600 and un d er $800_________ _
$800 and un d er $1,000, _____________
$1,000 and un d er $1,200 - $1,200 an d u n d er $1,400___
$1,400 and un d er $1,700....._ ..............
All incomes_________
3
5
9
9
8
13
8
10
5
47
24
1
11
15
14
9
9
13
49.3
46.4
50.3
51. 1
51. 8
50. 3
45.0
45. 5
49. 5
71
50.2
46.3
48.0
Clerical
workers
Factory
workers
U nder $600___________
$600 and under $800___
$800 and un d er $1,000__.
$1,000 and u nder $1,200.
$1,200 a n d u nder $1,400.
$1,400 and un d er $1,700.
$36.17
59. 75
53. 36
61.90
39.89
93.64
$23. 08
42.85
51.93
All incomes.
63. 43
37.91
37. 00
Total
Total
46.2 $515.00 $492. 25
45.8
682. 20
669. 03
829. 31
50.0
870. 89
51. 1 1, 035. 78
51.3 1,250. 93 1, 230. 00
50. 3 1,440. 92
$498.45
673. 42
856.04
1, 035. 78
1, 248. 60
1,440.92
48.9 1, 082. 03 . 666.87
941.69
Income from other sources
Income group
Earnings
Weeks worked
T otal income
Clerical
workers
$26. 65
48. 48
52.85
61.90
39. 56
93.64
$551.17
741. 95
924. 25
1, 097. 68
1, 290. 82
1, 534. 56
54.80
1,145. 46
Factory
workers
$515. 33
711.88
881. 24
1, 267. 00
704. 78
T otal
$525.10
721.90
908. 89
1,097.68
1,288.17
1, 534. 56
996. 49
Time Lost During Year
A total of 1,265.5 days of lost time during the year was reported
by the 71 women covered by the study, 21 clerical workers reporting
an average of 23.1 days and 20 factory workers an average of 39 days.
The averages for all the clerical and all the factory workers were 10.3
and 32.5, respectively. The greatest proportion of lost time for both
clerical and factory workers was from unemployment—36.4 per cent
for clerical workers and 73.5 per cent for factory workers—the period
of unemployment ranging from 12 to 54 days for clerical employees
and from 22 to 72 days for factory employees.
Vacations without pay, ranging from 6 to 12 days for clerical work
ers and from 5% to 48 days for factory workers, accounted for 24.5
and 15.3 per cent respectively of the lost time. Twenty-three clerical
workers reported paid vacations, one of three weeks and the others of
from one to two weeks, but these are not here reported as lost time.
Illness caused 22.2 per cent of the lost time for the clerical workers
and 9.7 per cent for the factory workers, the periods ranging from 6
to 48 days for the clerical workers and from 2 to 22 days for the factory
workers. In clerical occupations women are seldom docked for short
periods of illness.
Twenty-four factory and 42 clerical workers reported no change
of positions during the year. One clerical worker, however, had 7
different positions, 2 had 3, and 2 had 2 positions.
Table 2 shows the number and per cent of days lost for all workers,
by causes.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
COST OF LIVING
975
T a b le » .—N U M B E R A N D P E R C E N T OF D A Y S LO ST P E R Y E A R BY W O M A N W O R K E R S
IN R IC H M O N D , VA., BY C A USES
D ays lost b y clerical D ays lost by factory
workers
workers
Cause
N um ber
Per cent
of total
N um ber
177
119
108
82
36.4
24. 5
22.2
16.9
573
119H
76
11
486
100.0
U nem ploym ent_______ _______________
Vacation w ithout p ay____________ _____
Illness___________ _________________ _
O ther_________ _______ _________ ____
T otaL _________________________
77m
D ays lost b y all
workers
Per cent
of total N um ber
Per cent
of total
73.5
15.3
9. 7
1.4
750
238H
184
93
59.3
18.8
14.5
7.3
100.0
1,265J^
100.0
Expenditures
A comparison of the six major items of expenditure for these work
ing women during the year is presented in Table 3. Primary ex
penses, consisting of board, room, food, fuel, light, and laundry, con
stituted the principal element of expense, forming 42.2 per cent of the
total expenditures for all workers. The amount expended for these
items by the factory workers ($313.59) was lower than that expended
by the clerical workers ($459.73), but formed a larger percentage of
the total expenditures of the factory employees. The same was true
of the clothing item, next in importance. The most essential things
must be provided even though the income be small, and if necessary
the expenditure must be cut elsewhere. Primary expenses and cloth
ing absorbed 70.6 per cent of the total expenditures.
There was only a small difference in the amounts expended for
health in the two groups, the average for all the women being $28.24
or 2.9 per cent of the expenditures. For recreation and amusement
both the amount and percentage of total expenditures were higher
for the clerical group and averaged 4.7 per cent of the total expendi
tures for all workers.
The clerical workers spent more than four times as much for educa
tion and advancement as the factory workers, and the per cent of ex
penditures was 2.9 higher. For all women the average amount was
$38.72 or 4 per cent of the yearly expenditures.
T a b l e 3 .—A V E R A G E A M O U N T A N D P E R C E N T OF S P E C IF IE D IT E M S O F Y E A R L Y
E X P E N D IT U R E OF W O R K IN G W O M E N IN R IC H M O N D , VA., B Y O C C U PA T IO N A L
GROUP
Clerical workers
(47)—average income $1,145. 46
Item of expenditure
Factory workers
(24)—average income $704.78
Total workers (71)
—average income
$996.49
Average Per cent of Average Per cent of Average P ercent of
yearly
yearly
yearly
yearly
yearly
yearly
expense expense expense expense expense expense
Prim ary expenses 1 _________ _________
Clothing_____________________ ________
H ealth______________ _ ........................ . . .
Recreation and am usem ent_____________
Education and adv an cem en t.. _
M iscellaneous____________ _______ ..
T otal ex p en ses... . . _.
. . ____.
$459. 73
306. 16
28.96
57.22
51.98
205. 53
41.4
27. 6
2.6
5.2
4.7
18.5
$313. 59
216. 41
26.83
23.11
12. 75
107.88
44.8
30.9
3.8
3.3
1.8
15.4
$410. 33
275. 83
28. 24
45. 69
38.72
172. 52
42.2
28.4
2.9
4.7
4.0
17.8
1,109. 58
100.0
700.58
100.0
971. 33
100.0
1 Board, room, food, fuel, light, and laundry.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
976
A summary of expenditures by income groups is presented in
Table 4. For the group with an income under $600, 52.1 per cent
of all expenditures was for primary expenses, while for the highest
income group, $1,400 and under $1,700, 38.3 per cent of their expen
ditures were for primary expenses. For all incomes clothing absorbed
28.4 per cent of the total expenditures, varying as between the income
groups from 24.8 per cent to 31.7 per cent.
The expense for health appears small, that of the different income
groups varying from $14.01 to $37.71. As regards recreation and
amusement the cost tends to increase with advanced income, but the
per cent of expenditures for these purposes varies around 5 per cent
for most of the income groups. The expenditure for education and
advancement appears to increase in amount and also in the per cent
of expenditures as the incomes advance, the amount for all groups
averaging 4 per cent of the total expenditures. Miscellaneous expen
ditures naturally show the greatest diversity. The amount rises as
the income increases.
T a b l e 4 .—A V E R A G E A M O U N T A N D P E R C E N T O F Y E A R L Y E X P E N S E S O F W A G E
E A R N IN G W O M E N IN R IC H M O N D , V A „ S P E N T F O R P R IN C IP A L IT E M S O F CO ST
O F L IV IN G , B Y IN C O M E G R O U P S
Aver age expe nditures for—
N um
ber of
women
Incom e group
U nder $600__________ _
$600 and under $800_ _
$800 and un d er $1,000
$1,000 and under $1,200
$1,200 and un d er $1,400
$1,400 and un d er $1,700___
All incomes. _
.
_ ___
_ _
__ _
___
___
Recre E d u
P ri
m ary C loth H ealth ation cation M iscel
and
and ad
ex
ing
amuse vance laneous
penses
m ent
m ent
11 $285. 96 $152. 71
15 301. 26 229. 69
14 380. 57 269. 42
9 483. 49 286. 94
9 535. 00 312. 39
13 536. 52 407. 14
71
410. 33
275.83
$30. 25
30. 01
27. 46
24. 57
14. 01
37. 71
$12. 34
35.68
43. 12
39. 79
60.64
81. 97
$6. 84
12.59
21. 37
41. 31
79. 87
84.25
$61.16
116. 50
177. 25
195. 61
256. 53
252. 15
28.24
45.69
38. 72
172. 52
P er cent of total expenditures
U nder $600. _______
. . . .
. . . ___
$600 and u n d er $800_______________ ______
$800 and u n d er $1,000.. _ ______ _ ________
$1,000 an d un d er $1,200_____ . ___________
$1,200 an d un d er $1,400 __________________
$1,400 and under $1,700______ _ _______ . . .
11
15
14
9
9
13
52.1
41. 5
41.4
45. 1
42. 5
38. 3
27. 8
31. 7
29.3
26. 8
24. 8
29. 1
5. 5
4. 1
3. 0
2.3
1. 1
2.7
2.3
4.9
4. 7
3. 7
4.8
5.9
1.3
1. 7
2. 3
3. 9
6. 4
6. 0
11.1
16. 1
19.3
18.3
20.4
18.0
All incomes________ _____ ___________
71
42. 2
28.4
2.9
4.7
4.0
17.8
Table 5 shows by income groups the number of women having a
surplus or a deficit at the end of the year or whose income and outgo
showed an even balance. Thirteen women lived on their income but
saved nothing, while 23 women had living expenses above their
income and ended the year with an average deficit of $70.79. There
were 35 women who lived on less than their income and were able to
save an average of $97.57 each. Considering the 71 woman workers
the average surplus was only $48.10.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
COST OF LIVING
977
T a b l e 5 .—N U M B E R O F W A G E -E A R N IN G W O M E N IN R IC H M O N D , V A „ L IV IN G ON,
A B O V E , A N D B E L O W IN C O M E D U R IN G Y E A R
Surplus
Average yearly expense
N um ber having
Average am ount
Income group
Clerical Factory
workers workers
U nder $600__________
$600 and under $800___
$800 and un d er $1,000..
$1,000 and un d er $1,200
$1,200 and un d er $1,400
$1,400 and under $1,700
All incomes____
Cler Fac
Cler Fac
tory
ical tory
ical
work w ork Total w ork w ork Total
ers
ers
ers
ers
T otal
$573. 50 $540.17 $549. 26
712. 82
751. 54
725. 73
970. 71
919. 20
826. 49
1,071.71
1,071. 71
1,261. 74 1,232. 00 1,258,43
1,399. 73
1.399. 73
$45. 45
64. 63
86. 47
86. 92
150. 22
1,109. 58
111.
700. 58
971. 33
35.00
56. 23
$28. 73
45. 07
78.78
86. 47
78. 27
150. 22
97. 57
N either surplus
nor deficit
Deficit
N um ber having
528. 73
44. 94
92. 93
Average am ount
N um ber having
Income group
Cler Fac
Clerical Factory
tory
ical
work work T otal workers workers
ers
ers
U nder $600__________
$600 and under $800---$800 and under $1,000..
$1,000 and under $1,200
$1,200 and u n d er $1,400
$1,400 and un d er $1,700
$33. 50
46. 72
122. 39
99. 31
All incomes____
94. 06
$51. 24
36. 05
5. 00
202. 00
T otal
Cler
ical
work
ers
Fac
tory
work T otal
ers
$46.17
39.61
102. 83
99.31
202. 00
49.80
49.80
40.54
70.79
Primary Expenses
Included in “ primary expenses” are the cost of board and room,
extra meals, fruit, candy, sodas, fuel and lighting, and laundry and
laundry supplies, and for those keeping house the rent of the apart
ment and the food expense are included.
The average cost of these items for the clerical workers and the
factory workers is shown in Table 6. As a class these women spent
$303.86 each for board and room during the year, $17.27 for rent of
an apartment, $16.30 for board, $44.14 for extra meals, etc. The
cost of board and room for the 65 women who boarded averaged
$6.39 per week—$7.05 for the clerical workers and $5.20 for the 23
factory workers. The cost of board and room for the 35 women
living at home ($6.29) was practically the same as that for the women
living away from home ($6.53). Room and board absorbed an aver
age of 82.6 per cent of the primary expenses for women living at home
and 81.9 per cent for women living away from home.
The clerical workers buy the largest amount of extra meals, averag
ing $59.51 for the year—more than three and one-half times the
amount reported by the factory workers, which may be explained
by the lower wage of the latter. No extra meals were purchased
by 31 women—17 clerical and 14 factory workers. The amount spent
for extra meals averaged 11.1 per cent of the primary expenses for
women living at home and 10.5 per cent for women living away from
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
978
home. Expenditures for fruit, candy, sodas, etc., were slightly higher
for the factory girls. Eleven women reported no expense for these
items. For women boarding and rooming away from home these
items consumed 4.0 per cent of the primary expenses as compared
with 5.3 per cent for women living at home.
For the six women living in apartments or housekeeping rooms and
in more than one place during the year, the expense for fuel and light
averaged $23.68 during the year. One woman who paid for room
and board also paid a fuel and light bill of $12, but for the other
women this expense was included in room and board.
The institutions and homes in which some of these women and
girls lived gave them the privilege of doing their own laundry.
Twenty-seven women reported a laundry expense ranging from 5
cents to $1.25 a week, and averaging $21 for the year. No expense
for laundry was reported for the other 44 women, the cost of board
and room including laundry. Laundry for women at home consumed
1 per cent of the total primary expenses as compared with 2.8 per
cent for women living away from home.
T a b l e 6 .—A V E R A G E C O ST
P E R P E R S O N A N D P E R C E N T O P T O T A L CO ST OF
P R IN C IP A L IT E M S O F P R IM A R Y E X P E N S E S F O R Y E A R O F W A G E -E A R N IN G W O M E N
IN R IC H M O N D , VA.
Clerical workers
(47)
Factory workers
(24)
Total workers
(71)
Item
Percent
P ercent
Average Percent
of total Average
of total Average of total
expense expense
expense expense
expense expense
Board and room___
_
_________ _
A p artm en t or housekeeping rooms __
Food _____________________________ ____ __
E x tra meals. .
. ______ __________________
F ru it, candy, soda, e tc . ___________________
Fuel and lig h tin g __ _____________ _______
L au n d ry and lau n d ry supplies________________
Total
_____________ .
______
...
$327. 83
23.02
19. 78
59. 51
17. 94
2.12
9. 53
71.3
5.0
4.3
12.9
3.9
.5
2. 1
$256.92
6.00
9. 50
14. 02
21.06
1.08
5. 01
81.9
1.9
3.0
4.5
6.7
.3
1.6
$303. 86
17. 27
16. 30
44. 14
18. 99
1. 77
8. 01
74.1
4.2
4.0
10.8
4.6
.4
2.0
459. 73
100.0
313. 59
100.0
410. 33
100.0
Clothing
The wardrobe is necessarily a large item in the working women’s
budget. Clothing constituted 28.4 per cent of the expenditures for
the 71 workers, the average expenditure for the clerical workers
being $306.16, or 27.6 per cent of the total expenses, and forthefactory
workers $216.41, or 30.9 per cent of the total. Although the amount
spent by the factory workers was less than that by the clerical workers,
the per cent of expenditures was greater because of the lower income.
The average cost of clothing by income groups for the 71 workers
advanced regularly from $152.71, or 27.8 per cent of total expendi
tures, for the lowest income group (under $600), to $407.14, or 29.1 per
cent of total expenditures, for the highest income group ($1,400 to
$1,700). Although the cost increased, the per cent of expenditures
fluctuated as between the several groups. On the whole, there was
not much variation in the prices paid for the clothing articles by the
clerical and factory workers.
These women buy on an average a winter coat and a spring coat
every other year, and during the year they buy on an average 5 of the
better dresses; 3 sport or outing dresses; 2 work dresses or uniforms;
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
979
COST OF LIVING
2 house dresses; 5 hats; 4 slips or petticoats; 2 combinations, dance
sets or chemises; 5 pairs of bloomers; 3 nightgowns or pajamas; 25
pairs of silk or rayon stockings; 4 pairs of dress shoes and 2 pairs of
work shoes; 3 pairs of gloves and 2 handbags.
T a b l e 7 __ A V E R A G E Q U A N T IT Y O P A N D E X P E N D IT U R E F O R C L O T H IN G , B Y IT E M S ,
P U R C H A S E D P E R W O M A N IN O N E Y E A R BY W O R K IN G W O M E N IN R IC H M O N D , VA.
All women (47 clerical
and 24 factory workers)
•
Article and class of workers
A ver
age
num
ber of
articles
per wo
m an
A ver
age ex
pendi
tu re
per wo
m an
W omen having expenditures
for specified ai tides
Aver Aver
Aver
age
ex
age ex
Per
n u m age
pendi N um cent of ber
of pendi
ber all wo articles
ture
tu re
per ar
m en per wo per wo
m an
ticle
m an
C le r ic a l w o r k e r s
H a ts ____ __________________________________
Coats, w inter ____________________ ________
Coats, spring____________________ _______ R aincoats_________________________ _______
Suits and ensem bles. ______ _________
__________
__ _________
Sweaters
Skirts _______________ ________ - ____ .
Blouses
___________________ _______
Dresses:
Dress _____________________ - -Sport or outin g _______ _ ___ - ___
W ork or uniform _________ _
______
H ouse, smocks or aprons
________ - . .
Purs
..
___
__________
CJlflaning, pressing, and repairing
__
___
Slips and petticoats __
__ __
Corsets __ __________________ -- _______ ___
__
___
Brassieres __________ ____
Com binations, dance sets, chemises, e t c ______
Vests
_ __________ ____
- __
Bloomers and step-ins_____ _______ _______
Nightgow ns and p a ja m a s __________ _______
Union suits _ _ __________________________
Kimonos and bathrobes__ ___________ _____
Hose, silk or ray o n ________________
- ___
Hose, cotton _________________ _ - -- . .
Shoes, dress___________ ______ ____
- ___
Shoes, w ork_________________ ______
Bedroom s lip p e rs __________ R ubbers or galoshes_________
__________
Shoe re p a irin g _____________ _ ______
__
Shoe shines ______________________ ______
Gloves____________________________________
Scarfs
_ ___________________________ _____
Umbrellas
_ _____________ -- _______ H and bags a n d purses_________________ _______________ __________
Handkerchiefs
Belts, ties, buckles, etc
_________ _________
Jew elry
____________ _____________
O ther clothing
______________________ -
4.4
.5
.7
.1
.7
.8
.5
1.5
$16.67
33. 26
14. 33
.43
11.25
1.63
1.87
3. 01
$3.82
62. 53
19. 82
5.11
15.11
2.07
3. 52
2.02
47
25
34
4
27
23
21
35
100.0
53.2
72.3
8.5
57.4
48.9
44.7
74.5
4.4
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.3
1.6
1.2
2.0
$16. 67
62.53
19. 82
5.11
19.59
3.33
4.19
4.04
3.6
3.4
1.1
1. 5
.1
39. 97
29. 37
6. 50
1.82
3.19
13.98
6. 37
1.49
2. 09
3. 42
.38
4.71
6. 04
.09
3.53
26.81
.05
21.88
11. 54
.96
.99
4.59
.12
6. 05
1.24
1.53
4. 72
2. 36
.68
13.13
4.12
11.18
8. 52
6.11
1.19
37. 50
46
40
14
29
4
46
46
13
38
27
7
43
46
1
27
47
2
47
35
23
22
39
4
47
23
16
40
39
20
30
45
97.9
85.1
29.8
61.7
8.5
97.9
97.9
27.7
80.9
57.4
14.9
91.5
97.9
2.1
57.4
100.0
4.3
100.0
74.5
48.9
46.8
83.0
8.5
100.0
48.9
34.0
85.1
83.0
42.6
63.8
95.7
3.7
4.1
3.6
2.5
1.0
40.84
34.51
21.82
2.95
37. 50
14. 28
6.51
5.38
2. 58
5.96
2. 52
5.15
6.17
4.00
6.14
26.81
1. 25
21.88
15. 50
1.96
2.11
5. 54
1.40
6.05
2.54
4. 50
5.54
2.84
1. 59
20.57
4.31
3.7
.6
3. 5
1.9
.4
4. 7
3.3
0
.7
24. 1
.1
3.4
2.0
.6
.5
1.2
3.0
.8
.3
1.8
13.2
1.71
2. 69
.60
1.81
.93
1.00
1. 85
2. 00
5.18
1.11
.83
6. 43
5. 77
1.73
2.11
.10
1.99
1. 58
4.50
2. 64
.18
3.8
2.0
4.3
3.3
2.7
5.1
3.3
2.0
1.2
24.1
1.5
3.4
2.7
1.1
1.0
14.0
3.0
1.6
1.0
2.1
15.9
F a c to ry w o rk e rs
H ats
___________________________________
__Coats, w inter __ _______ - _________
Coats, spring____________ _____ _______
Raincoats
__ ________ ___________ ___ ___
Suits and ensembles __ ______ - - __
Sweaters
______________________ ________
Skirts
___________________________________
Blouses ___________________________________
Dresses:
Dress _________________ _____________
Sport or outin g____________
- ____
W ork or uniform ____ ______ -- - ____
House, smocks or a p ro n s ________________
Purs
. __ _______ ______________
5.0
.6
.7
0
.6
.7
.6
.8
13. 67
14.10
10.80
.25
6.31
1.31
1.25
1.36
2. 76
24.18
16.20
5. 95
10.10
1.96
2.14
1.63
24
14
15
1
12
10
9
11
100.0
58.3
62.5
4.2
50.0
41.7
37.5
45.8
5.0
1.0
1.1
1.0
1.3
1.6
1.6
1.8
13. 67
24. 18
17. 28
5.95
12.62
3. 14
3.33
2. 97
4.7
2.8
3.0
1.4
.1
7. 56
5.12
1.36
.66
40.00
4.7
.5
24
19
14
7
3
19
24
6
100.0
79.2
58.3
29.2
12. 5
79.2
100.0
25.0
4.7
3.5
5.1
4.7
1.0
Slips and petticoats ____ ________________
Corsets--------------- ---------------------------- --------- -
35.26
14. 30
4. 07
.91
5.00
5. 73
6.03
2.08
35. 26
18.06
6. 97
3.13
40.00
7.24
6.03
8. 33
i Less th a n one-tenth.
140152°—32—
16
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1.29
4. 55
4.7
1.8
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
980
T a b l e 7.— A V E R A G E Q U A N T IT Y OF A N D E X P E N D IT U R E F O R C L O T H IN G , B Y IT E M S ,
P U R C H A S E D P E R W O M A N IN O N E Y E A R B Y W O R K IN G W O M E N IN R IC H M O N D ,
VA.—Continued
All women (47 clerical
and 24 factory workers)
A rticle and class of workers
W omen having expenditures
for specified articles
Aver Aver
Aver
age
ex
Per
age ex
num age
pendi N u m cent of ber
of pendi
ber all wo
ture
ture
per ar
men articles
per wo per wo
ticle
m an
man
Aver
age
num
ber of
articles
per wo
m an
Aver
age ex
pendi
tu re
per wo
m an
5.5
2.4
.7
4.5
2.6
.5
26.8
.5
3.7
2.2
.7
.4
2.46
3. 55
.25
4.10
3. 25
2.61
27. 90
.10
17.91
9.20
.94
.71
3. 71
.23
4.31
.69
.21
3.12
1. 55
. 67
4. 28
2. 24
$0.45
1.47
.37
.90
1.24
5. 70
1.04
.20
4. 77
4.09
1.41
1.70
4.6
.5
.7
.1
.7
.7
.5
1.3
15. 66
26. 79
13.14
.37
9. 58
1. 52
1. 66
2. 45
3.9
3.2
1.7
1.5
.1
38. 37
24. 27
5. 68
1.51
3.80
11.19
6. 25
1.69
2.22
3.47
.33
4. 51
5.10
.06
3.22
27.18
.07
20. 54
10.75
.95
.89
4. 29
.16
5.46
1.06
1.08
4.18
2.09
.68
10.14
3. 49
F a c t o r y w o r k e r s —C ontinued
Brassieres_______________ _ _ _ ___________
Combinations, dance sets, chemises, etc___ _
V e s ts _____________ ____ _
______________
Bloomers and step-ins.. ____________ _____
N ightgow ns and pajam as____________________
Kimonos and bathrobes_____________________
Hose, silk or ray o n_____ . . .
_______
Hose, cotton ___________ .
_ ____________
Shoes, dress___________ . _ _ . . . ________
Shoes, w ork_________
________
Bedroom slippers . . . _ . . . __ . . . _ _ ______
R ubbers or galoshes___
. ._ _____________
Shoe repairing . _
. _ ______
Shoe shines.................... ............. ...
. _______
G lo v e s _____________ ______ _
. . . ______
Scarfs________ ______ ________________ ______
U m brellas______
_ _ . . . . . ___ ________
H an d bags and purses___ . . .
. . . . . _____
H andkerchiefs. ________________________ ____
Belts, ties, buckles, etc______________________
Jew elry ______ ___________________________
O ther clothing_______________ _____ _____ _
1.9
2.7
.5
.1
1.5
14.4
22
17
4
22
23
10
24
1
23
15
10
10
22
2
24
10
3
19
21
15
18
21
91.7
70.8
16.7
91.7
95.8
41.7
100.0
4.2
95.8
62.5
41.7
41.7
91. 7
8.3
100.0
41.7
12.5
79.2
87.5
62. 5
75. 0
87. 5
3. 43
48. 76
18.66
5. 28
13.61
2.04
3.03
1.93
71
39
49
5
39
33
30
46
100.0
54.9
69.0
7.0
54.9
46.5
42.3
64.8
4.6
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.3
1.6
1.3
2.0
15. 66
48. 76
19.04
5. 28
17.44
3. 27
3. 93
3.78
9. 73
7. 53
3. 30
1.02
38.57
70
59
28
36
7
65
70
19
60
44
11
65
69
1
37
71
3
70
50
33
32
61
6
71
33
19
59
60
35
48
66
98.6
83.1
39.4
50.7
9.9
91. 5
98.6
26.8
84.5
62.0
15.5
91.5
97.2
1.4
52.1
100.0
4.2
98.6
70.4
46.5
45.1
85 Q
8.5
100.0
46.5
26.8
83.1
84.5
49 3
4.0
3.9
4.4
2.9
1.0
38. 92
29. 21
14.40
2.98
38. 57
4.1
1.9
5.0
3.3
3.2
5.1
3.1
2.0
1.2
25.0
5.0
3.6
3.0
1.3
1.0
6. 34
6.32
2 62
5. 59
2 14
4.92
5. 24
4. 00
6.18
27.18
1. 63
20. 83
15.26
2. 05
1.98
16.8
2.9
1. 5
1.0
2.0
16.1
1.85
5.46
2. 27
4. 05
5. 02
2.47
.12
1.62
1.28
1. 67
2.08
.11
6.0
3.4
4.0
5.0
2.7
1.1
26.8
12.0
3.9
3.6
1.6
1.0
$2.69
5.02
1.48
4. 47
3. 40
6.27
27.90
2.40
18. 68
14. 72
2. 26
1.70
22.5
2.7
1.3
1.0
1.9
16.5
2. 75
4. 31
1. 66
1. 67
3. 94
1. 78
2.56
A l l w orkers
H a ts _________________ __ _ _ _____________
Coats, w inter _____ . . . . . _ _ ___________
Coats, s p rin g .. . . . . . ______________________
R ain co ats.. _____________________ _________
Suits and ensembles_______________________
Sweaters__________________________________
Skirts_____ __________ _____ _______
___
B louses.._________________________
______
Dresses:
D ress________________ ____________ _
Sport or o u tin g .. ._ _________________ __
W ork or uniform ................ _. . . . _.
House, smocks or ap ro n___
_ ____
F u rs_____ __________. _ _____________ __ . . .
Cleaning, pressing, and repairing____________
Slips and p ettico ats.________________________
Corsets____________________________________
Brassieres_____ ______ ___________
Com binations, dance sets, chemises, etc
...
Vests_______
________________
Bloomers and step-ins________________ _
Nightgowns and pajam as_________ __ ______
U nion suits_______ _ ______________________
. __________
Kimonos and b a th ro b e s.. . ___
Hose, silk or ray o n ___ _ . . .
_ _. . . . ____
Hose, cotton____________________ _________
Shoes, dress_______ _
________ .
_______________ _____
Shoes, w o r k ... ____
. . .
Bedroom slippers______ .
R ubbers or galoshes__ ____ __ _ ___
Shoe re p a irin g _____ . . .
Shoe shines. _ ______ . . . .
_ _
G loves.. _______
Scarfs_____________ _
____
Umbrellas . . . __________
_______ ________
H an d bags and purses____ _ ________ ____
H andkerchiefs. _____________
_________ . . .
Belts, ties, buckles, etc__ ____
______
Jew elry_________ . . . ___________ ______ .
Other clothing___________________ ______
i Less th a n one-tenth.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
4.6
.5
4.2
2.1
.5
4.6
3.0
(')
.6
25.0
.2
3.5
2.1
.6
.5
1.4
2.9
.7
.3
1.7
13.6
1.55
3.24
.53
1.67
.67
.97
1.68
2. 00
5.32
1.09
.33
5.83
5.16
1.61
1.98
. 11
1.87
1.50
4. 05
2.47
. 15
93.0
3. 75
COST OF LIVING
981
Considering the cost of these articles for all women, the average
price of the winter coat was $48.76 ($62.53 for the clerical worker and
$24.18 for the factory worker). The price of the spring coat averaged
$18.66 ($19.82 for the clerical worker and $16.20 for the factory
worker). Five clerical workers reported buying coats ranging
in price from $100 to $150. The better dresses averaged $9.73,
the sport or outing dresses $7.53, the work dresses or uniforms $3.30,
and the house dresses $1.02. The average price of slips or petticoats
was $1.55; combinations, dance sets, or chemises, $1.67; bloomers, 97
cents; nightgowns or pajamas, $1.68; silk or rayon hosiery, $1.09;
dress shoes, $5.83; work shoes, $5.16; gloves, $1.87; and hand bags,
$2.47.
For all the women, 41 per cent of their total clothing expense was
for outer garments, 20 per cent for footwear, 8 per cent for underwear,
and 6 per cent for headwear.
In Table 7 the articles purchased by the clerical and the factory
workers, and the average number purchased, the average expense per
person, and the average cost per article as applied to the total number
of women in each group are also reported. Another set of figures
applies to the women who during the year actually purchased the
articles in question, together with the average expenditure for such
articles.
Health Expenses
Under “ health expenses” are included physician, surgeon, hospital,
nurse, X-ray and other treatments, dentist, oculist, or optician, and
medicine. The average expense for health for all women was $28.24, or
2.9 per cent of total expenditures (see Table 3). This cost ranged from
$14.01, or 1.1 per cent of the expenditure, for the income group
$1,200, and under $1,400, to $37.71 or 2.7 per cent of the expenditures,
for the highest income group, $1,400 and under $1,700. In the four
lower income groups, including 49 workers, the health expense ranged
from $24.57, or 2.3 per cent of the expenditures, to $30.25 or 5.5 per
cent of the expenditures.
Four workers received free medical care. One had hospital treat
ment for three weeks and another had a tonsil operation. Free exam
ination and hospital care for 28 days and 5 office calls to the physician
constituted the free medical attention for the other two women.
Only 60 of the 71 women had health expense.
Table 8 gives the expenses for the various items included under this
heading. In the first section the expenses are divided among the 71
women to get the general average per woman while the second section
applies only to the 60 women who had health expenses.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
982
T a b l e 8 —A V E R A G E Y E A R L Y E X P E N D IT U R E B Y C L E R IC A L A N D FA C T O R Y W O R K E R S
IN R IC H M O N D , VA., F O R H E A L T H , B Y IT E M S
Average expense
per person
Item
W omen having specified expense
Clerical workers Factory workers
Cler Fac
ical tory Total
Per Aver
Per Aver
w ork w ork
(71)
cent age
cent age
ers
ers
ex No.
No. of
ex N o. of
to
to
(47) (24)
tal pense
tal pense
24 51.1 $16. 98
1 2.1 50.00
2 4.3 23. 00
54. 2 $16. 12
4. 2 125. 00
4. 2 60. 00
4.2
5. 00
4. 2 10. 00
50.0 10. 38
12.5 14. 50
54.2
5.11
P hysician---- - ------------------------- $8. 67 $8. 73 $8. 69
1.06 5.21 2. 46
Surgeon.-- --- - ----------------- .98 2. 50 1.49
H ospital—
------- -------.21
.07
N urse
___ ____ -- - -.42
1.06
.85
X -ray and other tre a tm e n ts. ---D e n tist_______ ________ _____ 8. 76 5.19 7. 55
4. 20 1.81 3. 39
Oculist or optician.
------ M edicine_______________ - - -- 4. 22 2. 77 3. 73
1 2. Ï
29 61.7
12 25.5
31 66.0
50. 00
14. 19
16. 46
6. 40
13
l
l
l
l
12
3
13
T o ta l------------------------------- 28. 96 26.83 28. 24
41 87.2
33.19
19 79.2
33. 89
37
2
3
1
2
41
15
44
Total
Per Aver
cent age
of to ex
tal pense
52.1 $16. 68
2.8 87.50
4. 2 35. 33
1.4 5.00
2.8 30.00
57.7 13. 07
21. 1 16. 07
62.0 6. 02
60 84.5 33.41
Recreation and Amusement
The cost of recreation and amusement includes expenses for motion
pictures, theater, concerts and lectures, excursion trips, sports, and
vacation. All except 2 of the 71 women reported some expense for
one or more of these forms of recreation. The proportion of the total
expenses devoted to recreation and amusement shows no regularity of
increase with increasing income, the general average being 4.7 per
cent. The amounts and proportion of total expenditures are higher
for the clerical group.
The highest amounts reported are costs of vacation, which include
living expenses for the time spent away from home. Thirty-one
women reported no vacation, but in a few instances the lack of vaca
tion was compensated by the amount spent for other pleasure. The
vacation expense for the whole group of 71 women averaged $24.99,
and for the 40 women having this expense the cost averaged $44.35.
The cost of vacation for the clerical workers as a whole averaged
$33.49, and ranged from $14.50 to $200, while for the factory women
it averaged $8.35, and ranged from $2.29 to $73.
The cost of motion pictures averaged $10.77 for all the 71 women.
Ten workers reported no expense for this item. Several of the workers,
however, reported attendance with escorts who paid the cost thereof.
Economy is clearly indicated by the amounts spent for theater,
concerts, etc., averaging only 85 cents for all women, and an average
of $3.75 for the 16 women reporting this expense.
Table 9 presents the average yearly expense for recreation and
amusement for the 71 women. It also shows the number and average
expense of these items for the women who had these expenses.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
COST OF LIVING
983
T a b l e 9 .—A V E R A G E Y E A R L Y E X P E N D IT U R E F O R R E C R E A T IO N A N D A M U S E M E N T
OF C L E R IC A L A N D F A C T O R Y W O R K E R S IN R IC H M O N D , VA.
Average expense
per person
Item
Clerical w orkers F a c to ry workers
Total
Cler- Facical tory
work w ork T otal
Per Aver
Per A ver
Per A ver
(71)
ers
ers
age No. cent age No. cent age
No. cent
(47)
ex
(24)
ex
of
ex
of
of
total pense
to ta l pense
total pense
Vacation, including railroad
fare___ ____________ _____ $33.49 $8.35 $24. 99
M otion pictures___ _____
10. 75 10.81 10.77
Regular theater, concerts, lectures, etc __ _ __________ __
1.22
.10
.85
Excursion trip s ..... .............. .........
7. 25 2.98
5.81
O ther (dancing, bowling, golf,
tennis, baseball, football,
swimming, etc.)___________
4.51
.88
3.28
Total
________________
Persons having specified expense
57.22 23.11
45.69
35
40
74.5 $44.97
85.1 12.63
5 20.8 $40.06
21 87.5 12.35
40 56.3 $44.35
61 85.9 12. 53
14
26
29.8
55.3
2 8.3
10 41.7
1.25
7.15
16 22.5 3.75
36 50.7 11.45
28
59.6
7.58
5 20.8
4.20
33 46.5
47 100.0
57.22
22 91.7
25.21
4.11
13.11
7.06
69 97.2 47.02
Education and Advancement
The classification “ education and advancement ” includes ex
penses for music and music lessons, elocution and art lessons, school
tuition, magazines, books, papers, etc., and church and other religious
organizations.
Sixty-eight of the 71 women reported some expense for one or more
of these items. The figures show the usual tendency of the amount
as well as the per cent of expenditures to increase as income increases.
The lowest income group (see Table 4) spent an average of $6.84, or
1.3 per cent of the total expenditures, and the highest income group
$84.25, or 6 per cent of the total, on this class of expense.
One woman reported an expense for elocution and art lessons, 8
for school tuition, and 4 for music. Ten of the clerical workers and
14 of the factory workers reported no expense for magazines, books,
and papers. Thirty women paid less than $10, 13 paid from $10 to
$20, and four paid over $25 for this item, the largest amount reported
being $100.
Of the 71 women, 66, or 93 per cent, were church supporters, con
tributing an average of $26.07 during the year. This expense,
divided among the 71 women, averaged $24.24. Five clerical workers
reported no contribution for this item, and six contributed amounts
ranging from $100 to $160.
In Table 10 is given the yearly cost of each of the items included in
this classification of expenditures.
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
984
T a b l e 1 0 —Y E A R L Y E X P E N D IT U R E P E R P E R S O N F O R E D U C A T IO N A N D A D V A N C E
M E N T B Y W A G E -E A R N IN G W O M E N IN R IC H M O N D , VA.
Average expense
per person
Item
Persons having specified expenditure
Clerical workers Factory workers
Cler Fac
ical tory
Per A ver
Per A ver
w ork w ork T o tal
(71)
age No. cent age No.
ers
ers
No. cent
ex
of
of
ex
(47) (24)
total pense
total pense
T otal
Per
cent
of
total
A ver
age
ex
pense
4 5.6 $29. 55
1 1.4 40.00
8 11.3 47.90
47 66.2 10.36
$1. 66
$2, 51
.56
. 85
$0.34
5.40
7.
98
School tu itio n ___________ _____
8.33 3.97 6.86
Magazines, books, papers, etc--C hurch and other religious organizations_____________________ 32.30 8.44 24.24
4
1
7
37
8.5 $29. 55
2.1 40.00
14.9 53.57
78.7 10.58
1
10
42
89.4
36.15
24 100.0
8.44
66 93.0
26.07
T o tal___________________ 51.98 12. 75 38.72
44
93.6
55. 52
24 100.0 12. 75
68 95.8
40.43
4.2 $8.20
41.7 9.53
Miscellaneous Items
Under “ Miscellaneous” are grouped a number of expenditures
which seem to represent a steadily rising proportion of the living costs
in ail income groups. The following items each form more than 3 per
cent of the total for all women and together comprise 73.1 per cent:
P er cent
Gifts____________________________________________________ 22.
Street-car and bus fare to and from work--------------------------- 14.
Contributions to dependents_______________
8.
Life insurance__________________________________________
8.
Room furnishings_______________________________________ 6.
Toilet articles and preparations-----------------6.
Beauty-parlor costs_____________________________________
5.
9
7
5
3
8
8
1
Table 11 itemizes the miscellaneous expenditures of these women.
As in other tables, two classes of averages are shown, one for the entire
group and the other for such women only as had the specified
expenditures.
Insurance.—Probably the most common method of saving among
working women is through some form of insurance. For the 35
women carrying life insurance the premiums averaged $29.06, for the
24 clerical workers they averaged $34.14, and for the 11 factory workers
$17.97. For those carrying life insurance the amount expended was
8.3 per cent of the total miscellaneous expenditures.
Two women were covered only by group insurance; one paid a
premium of $7.20 on a policy of $1,000 and the other $16 on a $2,000
policy, the remainder of the premiums being paid by their employers.
Two others, who carried other straight life or endowment policies,
were also covered by group-insurance policies, on which they paid
$7.20 each, the remainder of the premiums being paid by their employ
ers. One clerical worker, whose income was $1,559, carried two
20-payment life-insurance policies and one endowment policy, the
total premiums amounting to $157.
The life-insurance expenditure as divided over all 71 women was
$14.32 per capita; for the 47 clerical workers it amounted to $17.43,
and for the 24 factory workers it was $8.24.
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COST OF LIVING
T a b i .e
985
11.— A V E R A G E
Y E A R L Y E X P E N D IT U R E P E R P E R S O N F O R M IS C E L L A N E O U S
IT E M S BY W A G E -E A R N IN G W O M E N IN R IC H M O N D , VA.
Average expense per
person
Item
Persons having specified expense
Clerical workers Factory workers
T otal (71)
(24)
(47)
Cleri Fac
tory T otal
cal
work work
Per Aver
Per Aver
Per Aver
(71)
ers
ers
age
(24)
No. cent
(47)
ex No. cent
ex No. cent
ex
of age
of age
of
pense
pense
total
total pense
total
Insurance:
Life__________ _____ . . . $17. 43
Accident ___________
. 56
Association dues . ____ * 2. 48
C h arity _____
_____ _ - 6. 07
G ifts-. __________________ 48.15
D ependents- .- - - --- 17.74
Street-car fare to and from
w ork___________________ 18.44
B us fare to and from w ork. _ 9.14
A utomobile to and from
work -_
O ther street-car fare-- 3.65
O ther bus fare___ - - -2.92
T a x is .. .- - _____ .-. 11
Room furnishings______
14. 57
T runks and bags.-- __ - . . . 3. 49
Stam ps and statio n ery___ .
4. 96
Telephone calls and telegrams__________________
5.40
1. 29
Taxes____________________
C igarettes______ _ . ______ 1. 76
Photographs, cameras, Ko1.69
dak view s.. . _______
T r a v e l... ________ _____ 6. 29
4.14
Plants and flowers_______
Toilet articles and preparations________
--- ___ 13. 58
10.49
B eauty-parlor costs____ _
Automobile:
Paym ents . .
________ 1.91
Upkeep and garage ren t. 4. 68
Interest paid on debts_____
.70
O th ers.. _________ ______
3. 88
$8.24 $14. 32
. 37
1.73
2. 23
2. 09
4. 73
22. 53 39.49
8.56 14.64
24
3
24
28
44
7
51.1 $34.14
6. 4
8. 80
51.1
4.86
59.6 10. 20
93.6 51.43
14.9 11.91
11
45.8 $17.97
13
11
20
3
54.2
45.8
83.3
12.5
21.29
.05
19. 40
6.07
24
12
51.1
25.5
36.10
35.79
15
1
4.16
4.16
.63
6.19
4.83
2. 38
1.41
3. 82
2.15
. 07
11. 74
3.94
4. 09
17 36.2
18 38.3
1 2.1
27 57.4
13 27.7
47 100.0
10.10
7. 64
5. 00
25. 37
12. 61
4.96
2. 38
.04
1. 32
4. 38
.87
1.61
26
19
7
55.3
40.4
14.9
1.52
1.10
.34
1.64
4.54
2.86
18
9
24
8.06
5.62
11.72
8.84
.65
1.27
3.10
.46
2.79
Total, miscellaneous--j 205. 53 107. 88 172. 52
3.18
4. 55
27.04
68. 51
35
3
37
39
64
10
49.3 $29. 06
4. 2
8. 80
52.1
4. 27
54.9
8.61
90.1 43.81
14.1 103. 95
62.5
4.2
34. 07
1.28
39
13
54.9
18.3
35. 32
33.13
2
10
5
8.3
41.7
20.8
49.96
9.98
3. 01
7
7
19
29.2
29.2
79.2
21. 22
16. 57
3. 01
2
27
23
]
34
20
66
2.8
38.0
32.4
1. 4
47.9
28.2
93.0
49. 96
10.05
6. 63
5. 00
24. 51
14. 00
4. 40
9. 75
3.18
11.83
7
1
2
29.2
4.2
8.3
8. 17
1.00
15.80
33
20
9
46.5
28.2
12.7
9. 42
3. 08
12. 71
38.3
19.1
51.1
4. 42
32. 83
8.11
9
4
5
37.5
16.7
20.8
4. 06
6.63
1.64
27
13
29
38.0
18.3
40.8
4. 30
24.77
6.99
47 100.0
39 83.0
13.58
12. 64
24 100.0
15 62.5
8. 06
9.00
71 100.0
54 76.1
11.72
11.63
1
3
3
5
2.1
6.4
6. 4
10.6
90. 00
73. 33
10. 93
36. 48
47 100.0 205. 53
1
4.2
15.60
24 100.0 107. 88
1
3
3
6
1. 4
4. 2
4. 2
8.5
90. 00
73. 33
10. 93
33.00
71 100.0 172. 52
Accident insurance was carried by three clerical workers who also
carried life insurance, the average amount paid on the accident
policies being $8.80. One factory worker was covered by group
insurance paid entirely by her employer.
Gifts.— The largest proportion of miscellaneous expenditures (22.9
per cent) was devoted to gifts. This item includes presents made to
relatives and friends and averaged $39.49 for all women. For the 64
women who reported an expenditure for this purpose the average
spent was $43.81. As before stated, gifts received by the women
during the year were counted as ordinary expenditures and included
in the budget at a valuation equal to what the articles received would
have cost if the women had purchased them.
Contributions to dependents —Contributions to dependents for all
women averaged $14.64 and constituted 8.5 per cent of all miscella
neous expenses. Seven clerical and three factory women contributed
toward the support of dependents. In the majority of instances the
amounts were given irregularly and ranged from $40 to $150. Two
women assisted in the support of a sister, one contributing regularly
$5 a month; two assisted in the care of a mother; and four contrib
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
986
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
uted to both parents. One woman assisted two brothers and a
sister and another contributed regularly $1 a week to the support of
a son. For the 10 women having this expense the amount averaged
$103.95.
Transportation.—Street-car fare to and from work for all women
averaged $19.40, or 11.2 per cent of the total miscellaneous expenses.
Some of these women used the bus part of the time in going to and
from work. All rides to and from work—street car, bus, and auto
mobile—for the 71 women averaged 361 and cost $26.87. Other
rides for all women averaged 82 and cost $6.04_for the year.
Taxes.—The taxes paid by these women included poll, school,
property, and State income taxes. The poll tax varied from $1 to
$1.50. The highest tax paid was $10, covering property, poll, and
school tax. For the 20 women reporting expense for this item, the
average amount was $3.08. Divided among the 71 women the per
capita average was 87 cents.
Cigarettes.—The cost of this item averaged $1.61 per capita for all
the 71 women, and $12.71 for the 9 women reporting the use of
cigarettes. The lowest cost was $7.80 and the highest $26.
Beauty parlor.—Beauty-parlor costs included care of hair, skin,
and nails. For all the 71 women the average cost was $8.84, and for
the 54 women having this expense, the amount was $11.63. The
cost ranged from $2 to $60 for the women reporting.
Automobile expense.—Only one woman was making payments on an
automobile. The cost of payments and upkeep was $190, or 45 per
cent of the total miscellaneous expenses. This woman lived at home
on an income of $1,303 and ended the year with a deficit in excess of
her automobile expense. Two other women reported expense for
upkeep on cars, the amount for one being $100, and for the other $20,
which covered cost of oil and gas on a friend’s car.
Interest on debts.—Three women reported an expense for this item.
The amounts ranged from $7.80 to $13, and averaged $10.93.
Other items.—The larger items under other miscellaneous expenses
included motor for a boat, insurance premiums for insurance policies
on relatives, and payments to an employment agency which cost one
woman $44.40 during the year.
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IMMIGRATION AND EMIGRATION
S t a t is t ic s of Im m ig ra tio n fo r J u ly , 1932
J. J. K u n n a , C h ie f S t a t is t ic ia n , U n it e d S t a t e s B u r e a u o f I m m ig r a t io n
LIENS admitted to the United States in the first month of the
l new fiscal year beginning July, 1932, totaled 12,613. This is less
than the average admitted during the preceding 12 months. There
was, however, a large outward movement of passengers in July last,
35,417 aliens having left here during the month, or 11,446 above the
monthly average number of alien departures for the fiscal year ended
June 30, 1932.
Many Americans responded to the lure of strange countries during
July, 1932, when the vacation exodus to Europe is at its height. The
statistics show that 59,298 United States citizens left the country
during this month. The women outnumbered the men among these
departures, 32,547 as against 26,751; the vast majority departed for
Europe via New York, 45,395 (24,908 females and 20,487 males), or
76 per cent of the total for the month, having embarked at that port.
July, 1932, also saw the return of many tourists, 28,006 American
citizens having arrived at all ports this month, with 19,451 landing
at our principal seaport. In addition to the above, 4,497 citizens
disembarked at New York during July after a cruise to foreign
shores.
The major portion of the 12,613 aliens admitted in July, 1932, were
visitors, persons on their way through the LInited Statesor returning
residents, only 2,079, or one-sixth of the total, intending to make
their permanent residence here. Among these newcomers, the females
outnumbered the males by about 7 to 5, and less than 20 per cent of
the total were male adults between the ages of 22 and 44^ years.
Canada, Italy, Mexico, Germany, and Great Britain, in the order
named, were the principal countries supplying newcomers in July,
1932, about two-thirds of the immigrants this month coming from
these five countries. Nearly three-fifths of the permanent July
departures were bound for Europe, 6,712 out of a total of 11,328
emigrant aliens for the month giving countries on that continent as
their future permanent residence. Great Britain, Scandinavian
countries, Germany, Italy, and the Irish Free State were the principal
overseas destination of these emigrants, while 3,292 departed for
Mexico, 455 for Asia, and 201 for Canada.
Of the 12,613 aliens of all classes admitted in July under the immi
gration act of 1924, 7,452 entered at New York and 2,906 at other
seaports; 1,866 came in over the northern land border and 389 over
the southern border. Only 7 per cent of the New York arrivals were
charged to the quota, 534 of the aliens coming in that way being
quota immigrants, while 3,566 were temporary visitors for business or
pleasure, or passing through the country on their way elsewhere,
2,626 were returning residents, and 391 entered as husbands, wives,
and unmarried children of American citizens. Natives of nonquota
countries numbered 73, and miscellaneous classes 262. The two
principal classes of admissions under the act at points along the land
borders included 1,227 visitors and transits and 584 natives of non
quota countries, mainly Canada and Mexico.
987
By
A
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
988
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
Deportations in July last show an increase over the corresponding
month of either of the two preceding years, 2,100 aliens having been
deported under warrant proceedings during July, 1932, as compared
with 1,681 for July, 1931, and 1,440 for July, 1930. In July, 1932,
there were 84 indigent aliens returned to their native land at their
own request.
IN W A R D A N D O U T W A R D P A S S E N G E R M O V E M E N T , Y E A R E N D E D JU N E 30, 1932, A N D
JU L Y , 1932
Inw ard
Period
Outward
A liens
A liens
de
de
Aliens adm itted
Aliens departed
b arred
p o rted
U
nited
U nited
from
after
States
States
enter
citizens T otal land
citizens T o tal ing i E m i N on
N on
ing 2
Im m i im
de
m i T otal arrived
emi T otal
grant grant
grant grant
parted
Y ear ended
J u n e 30,
1932______ 35, 576 139, 295 174,871 339, 262 514,133
Ju ly , 1932___ 2,079 10, 534 12,613 28,006 40, 619
7,064 103, 295 184,362 287,657 380,837 668, 494 19, 426
561 11,328 24,089 35,417 59, 298 94, 715 2,100
1 These aliens are no t included among arrivals, as th e y were n o t perm itted to enter the U nited States.
2 These aliens (exclusive of visitors across land borders) are included among aliens departed, th e y h av
ing entered th e U nited States, legally or illegally, and later deported.
R e c e n t M ig r a tio n o f F ilip in o L ab or t o C o n tin e n ta l
U n ite d S t a t e s a n d H a w a ii
A
CCORDING to the annual report of the Governor-General of the
L Philippine Islands for 1930, the principal problem of the insular
government is to prevent further exodus of Filipinos to the States. It
is noted that a great deal of publicity had been given to the newspaper
reports of labor disturbance in the United States and also to the fact
that there was much unemployment and distress among the Filipinos
in the western part of the United States. At the time the report was
prepared, the facts concerning employment conditions were becoming
generally known, and there was not such a tendency for young and
adventurous Filipinos to come to the United States. The decrease
in the number of these islanders migrating to the United States and
the increase in the number leaving in 1930 as compared with 1929
are quite striking, as shown in the following table.
M IG R A T IO N O P F IL IP IN O S , 1926 to 1930
Item
N u m b er going to continental U nited States:
M ales__ _________________________________
Fem ales___ _ _ _____ _ _______________ _ __
N u m b er returning from continental U nited States:
M ales____
_ _____________________ ______
Fem ales__ _ ___________________________
N u m b er going to Hawaii:
M en __ _________ __________________
W omen__
_ . _ _______________ _
M in o rs ...________ _________________________
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
6,574
113
5,487
191
8,370
198
4,376
107
864
80
1,122
99
1,366
104
2,066
253
2,977
160
219
9,784
120
170
9,026
153
143
8,189
134
46
7,185
253
377
T o tal_____________________________ __
3, 356
10,074
9,322
8, 369
7,815
N u m b er returning from Hawaii:
M en______________________________________
_____ ___ _ ______
W omen__
M inors_______________________ _____ ________
2,562
348
480
2,410
510
645
3,968
379
492
3,402
241
348
2,897
192
324
3,390
3,565
4,839
3,991
3,413
T o ta l.......... ........................... .............................
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PUBLICATIONS RELATING TO LABOR
O fficia l— U n ite d S t a t e s
K ansas.— Commission of Labor and Industry.
Labor Department. Annual
report, for the year ending December 31, 1931. Topeka, 1932. 64 pp.
Includes information on operations under the State 8-hour law on public
work, industrial welfare orders of the Commission of Labor and Industry, laws
affecting Kansas children, factory and mine inspection, work of State free employ
ment bureau, the Kansas industrial employment index, and emergency employ
ment activities.
N ew J ersey.— Department of Institutions and Agencies. Publication 21:
Incorporated homes for the aged (a directory). Trenton, 1931. 19 pp.
Lists the homes and gives the entrance requirements of each.
N ew Y ork.— Department of Social Welfare. Directory of homes for the aged
and other institutions for dependent adults in New York State. New York,
1932. 76 pp.
Lists the various institutions and gives the entrance requirements of each.
------ ------ Division of Old Age Security. Annual report, 1930-31. Albany
[1931?]. 14- pp. (Extract from sixty-fifth annual report of the State Depart
ment of Social Welfare.)
Contains data as to amounts spent for old-age relief in New York City and in
the rest of the State. Also gives an analysis of the first 28,533 applications
granted, showing, for New York City and the other welfare districts, the sex,
marital status, religion, age, nativity, etc.
The report points out that while the number of persons aided was considerably
larger than had been anticipated, “ at least one-third of the cost of old-age
relief during the year is attributable to the depression.”
The report recommends study of compulsory old-age insurance systems on a
contributory basis with a view to putting such a system into effect in New
York, pointing out that otherwise “ the need of relief from the public treasury
will continue and may increase from year to year.”
Ohio .— Industrial Commission. Division of Safety and Hygiene. Proceedings
of the fifth all-Ohio safety congress, Columbus, A pril 19-21, 1932. Columbus,
1932. 662 pp.
Addresses and discussions at the general sessions and sectional meetings of
the congress.
U nited States.— Congress. House of Representatives. Committee on Rules.
Immigration. Hearing (72d Cong., 1st sess.) on II. R. 10602, May 4, 1932.
Washington, 1932. 26 pp.
------ Department of Commerce. Bureau of Mines. Bulletin 354: The ignition
of fire damp by explosives, a study of the process of ignition by the Schlieren
method, by W. C. F. Shepherd. Washington, 1932. 89 pp., diagrams, Ulus.
One of a series of papers based on research or study by representatives of the
United States Bureau of Mines and/or the Safety in Mines Research Board of
Great Britain, with the object of developing methods of preventing or reducing
accidents in coal mines.
--------------------- Bulletin 359: Permissible electric cap lamps and ventilation in
certain California mines and water-tunnel contruction, by S. H. Ash and J . H.
Rankin. Washington, 1932. 36 pp., maps, diagrams, illus.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
989
990
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
U nited States.—Department of Commerce.
Bureau of Mines. Bulletin 362:
Metal-mine accidents in the United States during the calendar year 1930, by
William W. Adams. Washington, 1932. 97 pp.
Reviewed in this issue.
------ —— ------- Bulletin 366: Quarry accidents in the United States during the
calendar year 1930, by William W. Adams. Washington, 1932. 86 pp.
Reviewed in this issue.
------ -------------- Information Circular 6650: Management of labor in successful
metal-mine operations, by Charles Will Wright. Washington, August, 1932.
35 pp., charts.
----- — — ------ Technical Paper 530: Accidents at metallurgical works in the
United States during the calendar year 1930, by William W. Adams. Wash
ington, 1932. 34- pp.
Reviewed in this issue.
------ Department of Labor. Women’s Bureau. Bulletin No. 94: State require
ments for industrial lighting. A handbook for the protection of women workers,
showing lighting standards and practices, by Marie Correll. Washington, 1932.
62 pp.
Contains a partial reprint of the American Standard Code of Lighting: Facto
ries, Mills, and Other Work Places, supplemented by explanations and suggestions,
with an analysis of the State lighting codes or other requirements for industrial
lighting.
O ffic ia l— F o r e ig n C o u n tr ie s
Alberta (Canada).— Bureau of Labor.
Annual report, for the fiscal year 1931-32.
Edmonton, 1932. 25 pp., charts.
Presents classified weekly wage rates for males and females 18 years of age and
over and under 18 years of age for the week of greatest employment in the year
covered.
Amsterdam (N etherlands).— Gemeente-Arbeidsbeurs. Verslag over het jaar
1931. Amsterdam, 1932. 72 pp., charts. (Verslagen der bedrijven diensten
en commissiën der gemeente Amsterdam, No. 2.)
Annual report on the activities of public employment offices in the city of
Amsterdam during 1931, including organization and personnel of employment
service, registration, and placement by occupations and trades, unemployment,
unemployment relief, cost of employment service, legislation, etc.
B ritish C olumbia (Canada).— Department of Labor. Annual report for the
year ended December 31, 1931. Victoria, 1932. 86 pp., charts.
Wage data from this report are published in this issue.
B udapest (H ungary).— Statisztikai Hivatala. Budapest székesfôvâros statisztikai és kôzigazgatâsi évkônyve, 1931. Budapest, 1931. [Various paging.] Map.
Contains information in regard to Budapest for the year 1931, including labor
conditions such as wages, employment service, unemployment, welfare work,
health service, etc.
C anada.— Department of Labor. Eleventh report on organization in industry,
commerce, and the professions in Canada, 1932. Ottawa, 1932. 144 VPThe various associations covered are classified in 18 groups. So far as returns
were made, the date of formation, the membership, and the objects of each organ
ization are given, and also the names and addresses of the chief executive officers
for the present year.
------------- Labor legislation in Canada, 1931. Ottawa, 1932.
106 pp.
The third annual supplement to the report on labor legislation in the Dominion
as existing December 31, 1928. Includes a cumulative index covering the con
tents of the basic volume and the supplements.
F rance.— Ministère du Travail. Commentaire officiel de la loi des assurances
sociales. Paris, 1932. 29 pp.
An analysis of the French social insurance law.
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PUBLICATIONS RELATING TO LABOR
991
F rance.— Statistique Générale. Résultats statistique du recensement général de la
population effectué le 7 Mars 1926. Tome IV . Paris, 1982. 207 pp.
This volume of the report of the French census of 1926 shows the number of
persons suffering from various types of infirmity, and the census by households
showing the class of housing accommodations of families of different sizes.
Great B ritain .—Home Office. Factory Department. Form 819: Memorandum
on the use of blow lamps in factories. London, 1931. 7 pp., diagrams.
Official recommendations for the prevention of explosions and fires resulting
from the use of defective blow torches or improper operation of blow torches.
------ —— ------- Form 829: Memorandum on dust explosions in factories. London,
1930. 25 pp., diagrams, illus.
Contains explanations of the causes of dust explosions in industrial establish
ments and recommendations of methods to avoid or minimize the hazards.
-—— Ministry of Labor. Report for the year 1931. London, 1932. Ilf! pp.,
charts. (Cmd. 1+0fJh)
Includes information on employment and unemployment, unemployment
insurance, training for employment, industrial disputes, conciliation and arbi
tration, minimum wage rates of male and female workers, changes in wage rates
and in cost of living, and membership of trade-unions. In some cases com
parative data for years prior to 1931 are given.
H ungary.-—Office Central Royal Hongrois de Statistique. Annuaire statistique
Hongrois, 1930. Budapest, 1932. 381 pp.
Includes data on sickness insurance of agricultural workers, industrial accidents,
employment service, unemployment, industrial disputes, public health, wages,
hours of labor, etc., for 1930 and earlier years.
I ndia.— Commercial Intelligence Department. Statistical abstract for British
India. Sixty-fourth number. London, 1932. 824 pp.
Contains also statistics relating to certain Indian States from 1920-21 to 192930. Data on cooperative societies and wholesale and retail prices are included.
J apan.'—Department of Finance. The thirty-first financial and economic annual
of Japan, 1931. Tokyo [1931?]. 270 pp., map, charts. (In English.)
Includes statistics on wages in various industries in 1930 and earlier years;
number of workers, by industry, in 1929 in all manufacturing establishments
employing over five persons; production in 1929 and earlier years (in the case of
several products for the fiscal year 1930-31); and index numbers of wholesale
and retail prices in 1931 (first 6 months) and earlier years, by months.
League of N ations.'—Economic Intelligence Service. Statistical year-book of
the League of Nations, 1981/32. Geneva, 1932. 342 pp., maps. (World Peace
Foundation, Boston, American agent.)
Queensland (Australia). —Department of Labor and Industry. First annual
report upon the operations and proceedings under “ The income (unemployment
relief) tax acts of 1930” for the year ended June 80, 1931. Brisbane, 1931.
46 pp., illus.
Data on unemployment relief, taken from this report, are given in this issue
of the Labor Review (p. 807).
------- Registrar-General’s Office. A B C of Queensland and Australian statistics.
Brisbane, 1982. 326 pp., map.
This, which is really the official yearbook of Queensland, adds to its usual
statistics data concerning the unemployment-relief tax, and the receipts and
expenditures of both the unemployed workers’ insurance fund and the unem
ployment-relief work during the year ending June 30, 1931.
------ Unemployment Council. Eighth annual report on operations under the unem
ployed workers’ insurance acts, 1922 to 1930. Brisbane, 1931. 17 pp.
Reviewed in this issue.
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992
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
Sweden.—[Socialdepartementet.] Socialstyrelsen. Kooperativ verksamhet i Sve
rige dr 1930. Stockholm, 1932. 57 pp.
Contains data on the activities and condition of cooperative societies in Sweden
for the year 1930, including membership, financial condition, workers’ productive
associations, and the central union of cooperative associations in Sweden. Cer
tain data from this report were used in the article on page 872 of this issue.
Switzerland.—-Office Fédéral des Assurances Sociales. [Report for the year 1931.
(Berne, 19321)] 22 pp. (Section du Rapport du Conseil Fédéral sur sa gestion
en 1931.)
Report of the Swiss Federal Bureau of Social Insurance for the year 1931,
covering sickness, accidents, and old-age and survivors’ insurance.
T okyo (J apan).— Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The annual statistical
report, 1931. Tokyo, 1932. 272 pp.
Includes data on wholesale and retail prices, wages, and production.
Victoria (Australia).— Government Statist. Fifty-fourth annual report on
friendly societies, for the 12 months ended June 30, 1931. Melbourne, 1932.
xviii, 15 pp.
Returns for the year showed 52 separate societies, some of them with numerous
branches, in Victoria, with a total membership of 161,448. Receipts for the
year were £917,259 [$4,463,841], expenditures, £746,438 [$3,632,541], with funds
on hand at the end of the year amounting to £5,291,238 [$25,749,810], or £32
15s. 6d. [$159.50] per member.
Vienna (Austria).— Kammer für Arbeiter und Angestellte. Handbuch arbeitsrechtlicher Gesetze und Entscheidungen, von Karl Wenzel. Band X II.
Vienna, 1932. 392 pp.
Deals with labor legislation in Austria, including trade agreements, labor pro
tection, assemblage, works councils, hours of labor, labor conditions in bakeries,
child and woman labor, vacations, domestic service, home work, etc.
U n o ffic ia l
American C hild H ealth Association. An inquiry into the health, nutritional,
and social conditions in Puerto Rico as they may affect children. New York,
450 Seventh Avenue, [19311]. 170 pp., charts. [Mimeographed.)
Data on homesteads from this report are given in this issue of the Labor
Review.
American P ublic H ealth Association. Yearbook, 1931-1932. New York,
450 Seventh Avenue, 1932. 232 pp., diagrams, illus.
Included in the reports of the various committees are reports on industrial
fatigue, lead poisoning, pneumoconiosis, and standard practices in the problem
of compensation of occupational diseases.
Andrews, J ohn B. Labor problems and labor legislation. New York, American
Association for Labor Legislation, 131 East 23d Street, 1932. 135 pp., maps,
charts, illus.
d’Avenel , G. Histoire économique de la propriété, des salaires, des denrées et de
tous les prix en général depuis Van 1200 jusqu’en Van 1800. Tome VI bis
tableaux. Paris, Librairie des Sciences Économiques et Sociales [no date],
Pp. 269-690.
This report of wages and prices for the years 1200 to 1800, Vol. VI, 2d part, is
part of an economic history of those centuries. The present volume consists
entirely of tables of prices covering furnishings, including musical instruments,
paintings, and various art objects and church vessels; building materials; metals;
horses and carriages; weapons and arms; agricultural materials; and cost of
transportation. Prices are given in francs of a certain silver equivalent and a
table of coefficients is given in Vol. V, which furnish the basis for the computation
of the present-day buying power of the money at the different periods.
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PUBLICATIONS RELATING TO LABOR
B aader, E rnst W.
993
Gewerbekrankheiten. Berlin, Urban & Schwarzenberg, 1981.
144- PV-t charts, illus.
Deals with industrial diseases, such as poisoning from lead, quicksilver, phos
phorus, manganese, sulphur, and coal oxide; the effects of noise and dust; etc.
Barou, N. Cooperative banking. London, P. S. King & Son {Ltd.), 1932.
350 pp.
An outline of the theory of cooperative banking and its practice all over the
world. Deals with consumers’ cooperative banks, quasi-cooperative banks
(labor banks), small producers’ banks in towns, agricultural banks, and coopera
tive banks for foreign trade, and finally international cooperative banking.
Bastet, J ean. Le travail forcé et l’organisation internationale. Paris, Librairie
Générale de Droit & de Jurisprudence, 1932. 189 pp.
A review of the work of the International Labor Office and the League of
Nations in the control and regulation of forced labor;
B erg, P a u l ; Arbeidsrett. Oslo, Olaf Norlis, 1930. 312 pp.
Deals with labor legislation in Norway, as regards employment, duties and
rights of workers and employers, trade agreements, employment service, labor
organizations, etc.
Bimba, Anthony. The Molly Maguires. New York, International P u b n sh e rs ,
1932. 144 PV-y Ulus.
An account of the struggle between mine owners and workers in the anthracite
field of the United States in the period when the anthracite industry was young.
C asualty Actuarial Society. Proceedings, November 13, 1931. Vol. X V III,
Part I, No. 37. New York, 90 John Street, [1932?]. 252 pp., charts.
Contains the papers read or presented at the eighteenth annual meeting of the
society, held at New York, November 13, 1931. The papers include one on
assembling and analyzing compensation insurance data, and one on the relation
of compensation to wage levels of injured workers.
D eutsch-Amerikanische T ypographia. Jahresbericht, 1. Juli 1931 bis 1. Juli
1932. [Chicago, III., 1932.] 16 pp.
Annual report on the condition and activities of the unions of the GermanAmerican typographical workers for the fiscal year 1931-32. There is also
appended a list of the German periodicals published in the United States.
E aton, Allen H. Immigrant gifts to American life. New York, Russell Sage
Foundation, 1932. 185 pp., illus.
Describes the purpose and content of the exhibitions of the arts and crafts
of the homelands of immigrants, which were held some years ago at Buffalo,
Rochester, and Albany.
F reeman, J oseph. The soviet worker: An account of the economic, social, and cul
tural status of labor in the U. S. S. R. New York, Liveright {Inc.), 1982. 408
pp.
H aladjian, B. D elà crise a la prospérité; consultation relative à la crise économique
mondiale, le mal et La remède. Paris, Librairie du Recueil Sirey, 1932. 185
pp.
An analysis of the present economic crisis and its effects in different countries,
measures undertaken or planned to combat it, and a proposal for its remedy
through a centralized system of exchange of commodities.
H edges, M. H; A strikeless industry—a cooperative plan for adjusting industrial
relations. New York, John Day Co. {Pamphlet No. 9), 1982. 29 pp.
Reviewed in this issue.
H ollander, J acob H. Want and plenty. Boston and New York, Houghton
Mifflin Co., 1932. 69 pp.
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994
H uddleson, J ames H.
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
Accidents, neuroses and compensation. Baltimore,
Williams & Wilkins Co., 1932. 256 pp., diagram.
A scientific treatise on nervous and mental disorders in injured workers, planned
to show the surgeon or the psychopathologist, in or out of industry, what neuroses
mean and how to circumvent them or, if already established, the available avenues
of approach and the practical methods of attack.
I chok, G. Le travail des malades et des infirmes. Paris, Marcel Riviere, 1931.
317 pp.
This work gives an account of the medical and hospital care of the sick and the
victims of accidents in France and in other countries, of the measures taken for
the vocational rehabilitation of such persons, and of the types of work suited to
persons suffering from various diseases and physical handicaps.
I ndustrial R elations C ounselors (I nc.). Job analysis: A classified and
annotated bibliography. New York, 165 Broadway, 1932. 59 pp.
I nternational I ndustrial R elations I nstitute. World social economic plan
ning: The necessity for planned adjustment of productive capacity and standards
of living. The Hague, Holland, 1932. 935 pp., diagrams. 2 vols. (New
York office, Room 600, 130 East Twenty-second Street.)
J ahrbuch des Arbeitsrechts nebst Sozialpolitischer Ü bersicht. Band
X I I , 1931. Herausgegeben von Heinrich Hoeniger and others. Mannheim,
J. Bensheimer, 1932. 466 pp.
This yearbook contains information in regard to labor legislation, including a
systematic review of the administration and interpretation of the labor laws
and of the court decisions based upon the labor legislation in Austria in 1931.
K askel, Walter. Arbeitsrecht. Berlin, Julius Springer, 1932. 490 pp.
(.Enzyklopädie der Rechts- und Staatswissenschaft, X X X I.) 4th ed.
Deals with labor legislation, its theories and application, including the history
of such legislation in Germany, its principles and limitations, wage agreements,
labor protection, woman and child labor, labor organizations, industrial disputes,
arbitration, labor courts, boycotts, etc.
L abor Y ear B ook (British ), 1932. Issued by the general council of the Trades
Union Congress and the national executive of the Labor Party. London, Labor
Publications Department, [19321]. 430 pp.
Considerable space is given to the economic and political developments of the
year covered as they bore upon the fortunes of labor in general and the Labor
Party in particular. The usual review is made of the events of the year, and
emphasis is laid upon the need of a planned reorganization in order to overcome
the national and international depression.
Lederer , E mil. Planwirtschaft. Tubingen, J. C. B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck), 1932.
48 pp.
The booklet discusses planned industries, and questions as to whether such
industries are possible through either revolutions or dialectical methods, credit
control, or other methods.
L oree, L.
The five major hazards of the workman. (Reprinted from Manu
facturers Record, Baltimore, January 14 and 21, 1932.) 16 pp.
This paper presents a discussion of the policies of the Delaware & Hudson Rail
road in providing various types of insurance for employees, including the dismissal
allowance paid on account of discharge for lack of work or for other causes.
L o r w in , L . L . Advisory economic councils. Washington, Brookings Institution
(Pamphlet Series No. 9), 1931. 84 pp.
Deals with the origin and types of the advisory economic councils in various
foreign countries with special emphasis on those in Germany and France, includ
ing criticism and defense of such councils, their relation to economic planning,
their powers, position, procedure, international actions, and outlook toward the
future.
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PUBLICATIONS EELATING TO LABOR
995
Lucius, P ierre . Faillite du capitalisme? Une explication de la crise mondiale..
Paris, Payot, 1932. 188 pp.
The writer believes that the only way to remedy the economic ills of the world
is through centralized control of production by organizations of employers,
workers, and other interested persons, with these organizations operating under
State control and direction.
M etropolitan Life I nsurance C o. Social Insurance Monograph 7: British
experience with unemployment insurance. Part 1.—Economic and historical
background. New York, 1 Madison Ave., 1932. /¡.I pp.
This report is the first section of an analysis and summary of the evidence
given before the Royal Commission on Unemployment Insurance which was
appointed in December, 1930, to study the working of the British insurance sys
tem, and to make recommendations as to its future scope and provisions.
------Policyholders Service Bureau. Employees’ suggestion systems. New York,
1 Madison Ave., [1932?] 24 pp., illus.
Reviewed in this issue.
M innesota, U niversity of. Employment Stabilization Research Institute.
Bulletins, Vol. I, No. 2, Supplement: Monthly employment data for St. Paul,
Minneapolis, and Duluth, 1931, by William H. Stead and Dr eng Bjornaraa.
Minneapolis, 1932. 19 pp.
Shows employment in each of the three cities for each month of 1931, by
industry, occupation, and sex.
•—-—• ------ Minnesota Employment Review, Vol. I, No. 1. Minneapolis, August,
1932. 4 PP-, chart.
The first issue of a monthly publication to be issued by the Employment
Stabilization Research Institute and the Tri-City Employment Stabilization
Committee. Most of the information relates to the three cities St. Paul, Minne
apolis, and Duluth and covers employment in May, 1932; the activities of the
Minnesota Public Employment Service in June, 1932; and wage changes, working
hours, value of building permits, family relief (St. Paul and Minneapolis), and
cost of living (Minneapolis), for varying periods.
M unicipal Administration Service. Publication No. 27: The administration
of regulatory inspectional services in American cities, by Edna Trull. New
York, 309 Èast 34th Street, 1932. 184 PPN ational B ureau of E conomic R esearch (I nc.); Publication No. 20: The
purchase of medical care through fixed periodic payment, by Pierce Williams.
New York, 51 Madison Avenue, 1932. 308 pp.
This report gives the results of a survey of the extent to which the principle of
insurance is used in order to secure medical and hospital care in this country. It
covers systems of fixed payment for medical service in different industries, indus
trial mutual benefit associations, commercial accident and health insurance, and
trade-union sick benefit funds. There is also a chapter on the American campaign
for compulsory sickness insurance, including a discussion of bills introduced in the
legislatures of several States.
N ational Safety C ouncil (I nc.). Public Safety Series No. 26: Accident facts,
1932 edition, including industrial accident statistics. Chicago, 20 North
Wacker Drive, 1932. 63 pp., charts.
Reviewed in this issue.
R hein , R oger. Les allocations familiales obligatoires—le régime de la loi du 11
Mars 1932. Paris, Librairie du Recueil Sirey, 1932. 202 pp.
This study of the scope and benefits of the new French law, generalizing family
allowances by making them compulsory, includes a record of the evolution of such
allowances in France and a review of the previous legislation in that country for
the welfare of the family.
140152°—32-----17
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996
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
R ichter, L utz. Sozialversicherungsrecht.
Berlin, Julius Springer, 1931. 235
pp. (Enzyklopädie der Rechts- und Staatswissenschaft, X X X Ia .)
Contains a review of the legislation connected with social insurance in Germany,
including the status of the insured, contributions and benefits, public part in
social insurance, and special phases of social insurance.
R ittershausen , H einrich . Arbeitslosigkeit und Kapitalbildung. Jena, Gustav
Fischer, 1930. 154 pp.
Deals with unemployment and building up of capital, including such topics as
credit facilities, operation of credit institutions, financing of industries, etc.
Simons, A. M., and Sinai, N athan. The way of health insurance. Chicago,
University of Chicago Press, 1932. 215 pp. (Publications of the committee on
the study of dental practice of the American Dental Association, No. 6.)
A study of the effect of compulsory health insurance upon medical service
generally, including its effects upon physicians, dentists, and patients, and upon
political and industrial conditions. The results of the operation of the principal
health-insurance system in several European countries are analyzed, showing
merits and defects of these systems.
South M anchuria R ailway. Third report on progress in Manchuria, to 1932.
Dairen, June, 1932. 235 pp., maps, charts, Ulus.
Certain statistics on wages and hours contained in this report were published in
the September, 1931, issue of the Labor Review (pp. 203-205), having been taken
from the railway’s second report on progress in Manchuria.
Sozialistische Arbeiter -I nternationale. Secretariat. Vierter Kongress,
Wien, 25. Juli bis 1. August 1931. Berichte und Verhandlungen. Zurich,
1932. 896 pp.
Proceedings of the fourth congress of the Labor and Socialist International,
held from July 25 to August 1, 1931, in Vienna, Austria.
Steuermann, C arl. La crise mondiale. Paris, Librairie Gallimard, [1932?].
255 pp. (“ Les documents bleus,” Notre temps, No. 45.)
This translation from the German is the eighth edition of the work. The
subjects covered include a general discussion of the world crisis, unemployment
and lowering of wages, profits of monopolies, economic planning, the Soviet
experiment, and State socialism.
Valet, M. Les restrictions ä Vimmigration. Paris, Librairie du Recueil Sirey,
1930. 226 pp.
The three parts of this volume deal, respectively, with the policies of the
principal countries of immigration, the general effects of immigration, and the
effects of immigration in France.
Verband der M aler, L ackierer, Anstreicher, T üncher und Weissbinder
D eutschlands. Jahrbuch, 1931. Hamburg, 1932. 149 pp., charts.
The yearbook contains textual and statistical information in regard to the
activities and condition of the German Union of Painters, Varnishers, House
Painters, and W hitewashes during the year of 1931, including information on
wages, industrial disputes, unemployment, and relief work, and financial state
ments.
W arriner , D. Combines and rationalisation in Germany, 1924-1928. London,
P. S. King & Son (Ltd.), 1931. 226 pp., charts.
Deals with the industrial and financial combine movement in Germany, includ
ing the extent of both market control and rationalization, the achievements of
the combines and their effect on industrial conditions, and the problems to be met
in the immediate future.
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W eber , Adolf.
997
Der Kam pf zwischen Kapital und Arbeit. Tübingen, J. C. B.
Mohr (Paul Siebeck), 1930. 51+7 pp.
Deals with the struggle between capital and labor on the basis of various socio
economic theories principally held by a number of German economists and busi
ness and labor leaders, including labor unions, employers’ associations, the public,
and the State.
Wolfers, Arnold. Amerikanische und deutsche Löhne. Berlin, Julius Springer,
1930. 139 pp.
Compares American money and real wages with those of Germany, and finds
that American wages are higher because the general income from production is
higher than in Germany. Deals with the causes of higher income in America
and with higher wages as a cause of higher efficiency of the worker, as promoting
rationalization of industry, as a cause of mass production, and as a means against
underconsumption.
Woytinsky, Wl. Internationale Hebung der Preise als Ausweg aus der Krise.
Leipzig, Hans Buske, 1931. 163 pp., charts. (Veröffentlichungen der Frank
furter Gesellschaft für Konjunkturforschung, Neue Folge, Heft 1.)
Deals with the topic of an international raising of prices as a way out of the
present depression.
------ Statistik der Arbeit. Berlin, Werk und Wirtschaft, 1932.
1+0 pp. (Sonder
druck aus dem Internationalen Handwörterbuch des Gewerkschaftswesens.)
Contains information on labor forces, employment, wage agreements, hours of
labor, wages, cost of living, labor unions, etc. Some data are quoted in inter
national comparison.
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